Work Text:
“And you told him just where he can stick it, then?” Crowley asked, his voice spitting venom. Crowley stared at the principality with his yellow unblinking eyes as Aziraphale explained what would be an exciting new promotion.
“Not at all.” Aziraphale said after a pause, the smile permanently plastered on his lips faded as the words left his lips. “Oh, we’re better than that,” Crowley responded, “You’re better than that, angel!” His voice was growing hoarse with emotion as he spoke.
“You don’t need them! I certainly don’t need them!” Crowley continued, he began to pace around the shop as he spoke.
“Look, they asked me back to Hell, I said ‘No, I’m not gonna be joining their team’!” Crowley turned to face Aziraphale “And neither should you!”
Aziraphale fidgeted in place, inhaling deeply before he spoke again. “But… I mean…” He stuttered, whatever excuses he had lined up had failed him.
“We could be together!” Aziraphale said with a renewed confidence. “No one would bother us or come after us again, just you and me for eternity.”
“But we don’t need Heaven for that, angel.” Crowley argued, stepping towards Aziraphale. “We’ve made this life for us here already. We don’t need anyone else. We don’t need Heaven or Hell or whatever bloody powers that be.” He paused as his eyes darted around the shop. “We could just be.”
Aziraphale was given pause, he twiddled with his fingers as his gaze fell. Of course it was true, they had lived quite comfortably since Armageddon was thwarted. Though, the deeply embedded fear of being found out again was still a constant that weighed on his mind.
Aziraphale swayed on his feet before speaking again. “I… Perhaps it could change?” He suggested, his confidence waxing and waning as every syllable passed his lips. “I mean,” Aziraphale continued despite Crowley’s raised eyebrow and the confused turn of his lip. “If I was head of Heaven, I could associate with whomever I please, and nobody could persecute us!” He gave a weak smile as he finished.
“No.” Crowley said simply, shaking his head in overdramatic disapproval. “No, no no no. Angel, listen.” He started to pace around again, circling around Aziraphale as he formed his thoughts. “We don’t need anyone else! See what we’ve done already?” Crowley gestured to the bookshop as he spoke. “It’s just us out here, just you and I on our own side. Even if we could have everything in the world and Heaven and Hell and all the realms, would you even be happy?” Crowley’s tone was verging on pleading.
“Without your bookshop? Without all the earthly delights you’ve had for thousands of years?” Crowley paused. “I mean, I know I couldn’t. I love that car.” His voice was a bit playful, but his words were true.
Aziraphale sighed. After a few failed attempts to reply, he finally said what he wanted. Finally, for the first time in millions of years, saying what his soul desired.
“You’re right.” Aziraphale said in a somber tone. “We’ve already got everything we need, don’t we?” He looked down, a deep sadness of unknown origin settling in. “I… We… I’m happy, Crowley.” He said simply. “I like this, all of this. I like you.” The words poured out of his mouth faster than he could think.
Crowley’s eyes widened, he was expecting to be the one to admit it first. “Right.” Crowley said and cleared his throat. Crowley’s gaze fell to the floor. “I mean, right, yeah.” All his confidence simply evaporated as the words tangentially related to the words he was going to say were taken from his mouth.
“...So, you’re not doing it?” Crowley finally asked after his mouth opened and closed without words coming out.
“I’m not doing it.” Aziraphale said, his usual cheeriness returning to his tone again.
“Great.” Crowley said, the shock dimming his enthusiasm. “Life here continues as usual. No changes to the status quo whatsoever.” He said with a twinge of regret.
“Right.” Aziraphale agreed, his own voice realizing the opportunity he just lost.
“I’ll go tell Metatron I’m not doing it.” Aziraphale said after the most uncomfortable pause of his eternal life. Aziraphale smiled once and turned to leave.
“Angel, wait.” Crowley said suddenly, his feet moving after Aziraphale before his mind could consider it too much. Crowley reached out and grabbed Aziraphale’s sleeve gingerly.
“I… I’m glad you’re not gonna do it.” Crowley’s impulsive brain decided to say. “I mean, I’m glad nothing’s changing, and you’re still gonna be there. Because,” He paused, he realized this was it. “Because you’ve always been there. You’ve been the most important person to me since I was making nebulas in the void.”
Crowley’s hand slid down Aziraphale’s sleeve, his fingers grazing his palm. “I don’t want to lose you.” He said, his voice barely above a hoarse whisper.
Aziraphale inhaled sharply, he had never seen the demon so earnest, so vulnerable and open.
“I… I don’t want to lose you either.” Aziraphale said, his hand sliding up to meet Crowley’s. Their fingers interlocked as Aziraphale’s eyes met Crowley’s for the first time since he walked in. “Even when I hadn’t known how I felt, I’ve always been connected with you. Always looked out for you, always worried if you’d be safe. I… ” He trailed off, the weight of hundreds of thousands of years of yearning falling off his shoulders.
Crowley held Aziraphale’s hand gently, almost with reverence. “Angel… Could I- Well, I never thought I’d be able to ask you this, but, could I kiss you?” Crowley stumbled over his words, trying to force them out of him as fast as possible so he couldn’t overthink them.
“Well, I never thought I’d answer that question, but, yes.” Aziraphale said, a soft smile gracing his face.
Crowley couldn’t help the goofy grin that split his face. He leaned in and placed his lips on Aziraphale’s. Both closed their eyes in the bliss and resolution they felt. For thousands of years they had dared to dream that such a moment would occur, both knew it wouldn’t, neither were very content to spend their eternal lives wanting. But here they were, in what could only seem like a mutual dream.
The kiss could have lasted seconds, minutes, days, years, even all of time. It didn’t matter, not time nor space, not Heaven nor Hell could take this from them, not this time.
When they both parted, it took a few moments before either could breath. Aziraphale was the first to smile afterwards. A delightfully, infectiously cheery smile was on the angel’s face as he gazed up at Crowley. Crowley had a simply wide and silly grin, he was the happiest being to exist.
“Well,” Aziraphale broke the sweet silence after a few minutes. “I’ve got to tell Metatron the offer is off.”
“You do that, angel.” Crowley said. “I’ll be waiting.”
Aziraphale let go of Crowley’s hand and dashed off, every atom of his being exuded an energy of pure joy.
Though, that’d be the last Crowley would see of Aziraphale for that day, and for the foreseeable days. Metatron, as it turns out, won’t take no for an answer. And when you’ve got the highest, most powerful, most all-seeing being behind you, it isn’t hard to convince someone that something dreadful could happen if they didn’t agree to help with a few favors.