Work Text:
Formula one driver Anthony J. Crowley, who preferred to be called Crowley was getting ready for the Grand Prix. He was known for his I don’t care attitude, His on and off the track rages and anger moments, and doing anything he had to to win even if that entails breaking the rules or harming himself. But that’s not really him, no. that’s his father.
Sometimes he sees how people see him in the interviews and in the shows and he’s reminded that he really is his fathers child. Even if it doesn’t feel like that. And he was done with everyone thinking he was like that, but he just gets angry so easily and he hates showing any emotion (thanks dad) and he hates seeing all the other drivers on the grid being hugged by their family and their partners, and he just,, didn’t have that. He didn’t have anything. He had his dad but he wasn’t ever here for him.
Bookshop owner Aziraphale, or Mr A.Z Fell. But he really doesn’t mind what he’s called by anyone. He loves books. He loves reading them and collecting them, just anything to do with books.
Crowley
It was a seemingly nice day in London, he was on his ‘summer break’ from driving.
He decided to go on a nice walk as it was sunny but he should’ve known that was too good to be true as he looked up and felt the rain on his exposed arms, because of course he forgot to lift a jacket before he left his London flat.
He quickly looked around as he felt the rain pick up and start to pelt it down, he spotted a bookshop and ran inside to get away from the hail that was starting.
Aziraphale
Aziraphale looked up as he heard the door to his bookshop open and a man who looked very out of place and,, damp? Walked in.
he looked out the window and saw that it was raining, he looked towards the man and smiled and said hi in greeting to the newcomer.
He looked up to see the man just looking at him through his sunglasses?.
Aziraphale looked over at the man again and smiled politely at him and asked if he needed help finding anything.
Crowley
I was staring at the man, who had white hair and a tan suit? Basically the opposite of him.
He noticed the man had asked him a question, he looked up at the man and said, sorry what? I was zoned out.
The man just smiled at him and said ‘I asked if you needed help finding anything’ 'ohhhh' said Crowley, 'umm no' he bit his lip as he looked around the bookshop, filled with various different books some of which looked hundreds maybe even thousands? Of years old.
‘I was just,,,’ ‘coming in here to shield from the rain?’ said the man with a smile.
'That’s okay, really.'
Feel free to look around and read anything on the shelves though, as you wait out the rain.’
said the man. ‘thank you, really. I forgot how unpredictable the British weather is’ said Crowley.
‘sorry’, said Crowley, ‘i didn’t introduce myself, I’m Crowley’
‘Aziraphale’, said the man who had now stood up and was walking towards the back.
‘ follow me’ said the man, ‘the seats here that are way comfier than the other ones, do you want anything to drink? I have tea, coffee, coco and water’
‘oh,, umm a coco? Please?’, I smiled slightly watching the man walk towards the counter in the small kitchen/ living room type room, that has some comfy looking couches in it.
Aziraphale
I started making the coco, I turned as the kettle began to boil and looked at the man, Crowley.
‘you can sit down on the couches, ill be right over’ The man looked up and pursed his lips together in a tight lipped smile.
And walked towards the couch and sat down on the edge.
Crowley
I bit my lip as I sat down on the couch, I was right they are comfy.
I looked out the window and saw that the rain is still on really hard.
I looked up as I saw Aziraphale place a cup on the small table in front of me and sat down on the other side of the couch with a cup of his own.
Why was I wishing he was sitting closer to me.
I shook those thoughts out if my mind and I picked up my cup and blew on it gently before taking a sip, ‘oh my god’ I said ‘this is the best coco I’ve ever had’ the man just smiled and said ‘thank you’, He’s very gentle, Crowley noticed.
He smiled at the man again and sipped his drink. Aziraphale ‘I can put on the television if you’d like some background noise as you wait out the rain?’ I said. The man looked over at me and then to the television that I have mounted on the wall, just for the news usually but sometimes I enjoy some movies.
‘sure’ said the man.
I walked towards the TV and grabbed the remote, I turned it on and then walked towards the couch and handed the remote to Crowley, ‘i don’t really know what to put on, you can just put on whatever you want. I'll probably read a book or something.’
Crowley
I looked at the man and grabbed the remote from his outstretched hand, slightly blushing against his soft hands.
‘oh, okay’ I said as I began to flick through the channels, I settled on some random quiz? show, called taskmaster.
I looked towards the man as he was looking on his bookshelves for a book to read, I saw him bite his lip and look away and then walk towards me.
Aziraphale
I sat down on the couch and looked at Crowley, ‘I couldn’t really find anything that peaked my interest’ I said.
I looked at the man and said ‘so what do you do?’
Crowley
I looked at the gentle man and bit my lip, should I tell him? Yeah I may as well, ‘I’m a driver, formula one driver I mean. I race cars basically’, the man looks at me with a slightly surprised expression on his face.
‘oh’ said the man ‘that’s cool, tell me about it’ he said with a grin and subtle excitement to be learning about a new topic.
Crowley looked down and smiled to himself, he couldn’t help it.
This man was so adorable.
‘okay so, formula one is basically the highest rank of international racing. That’s the one I’m in. and there are different teams, there are 10 teams and 20 drivers, right now I’m with a team called Bentley, and umm, I guess I’m the uhh,,’ I stop and bite my lip, ‘well I’m the current world champion, were actually on break right now and after its back to the Grand Prix’ I looked at Aziraphale and noted he was just staring at me, ‘sorry, I got carried away’ I said.
Aziraphale
I looked at the man, who was clearly very passionate about this.
I smiled at the man.
‘no, its okay. I think its very cute’ I said.
Shit did I say cute, I looked at the man only to see him look away and sip on his coco.
‘sorry’ I said blushing a little.
Crowley
CUTE, HE CALLED ME CUTE. Oh my god.
I looked away and took a sip out of my now lukewarm coco hoping he couldn’t see my blush.
‘its okay, don’t say sorry’ I said to the man.
I smiled at him and then I felt my phone buzz in my pocket. I pulled out my phone and checked the notification, I saw that it was just me being tagged in an Instagram post from the official team account.
I put my phone back in my pocket after liking the post.
I then glanced to the man, who can only be described as angelic.
Aziraphale
I smiled at the man, I checked the window and saw that the rain had stopped.
I looked at the man and said ‘oh the rain has stopped, if you have anywhere to be’
Crowley
I looked up and checked the time on my phone, ‘actually yeah, we have a team dinner thing tonight and I really should be getting ready, but I much prefer your
company’ I said, flirting with the man who cleared his throat with a blush across his cheeks.
Aziraphale
I just blushed and smiled at the man, I grabbed a notepad and wrote my phone number in it.
I handed it to the man and said ‘this is my number, in case you ever want to have some more coco or dinner,’ I then looked up and said ‘oh yeah’ as I walked to the corner of the small office and grabbed a black umbrella from the basket I have.
I walked towards the man and handed it to him ‘here, just in case the rain starts again.
I have plenty. A lot of people forget them here and just don’t come back for them.’
Crowley
I took the umbrella from the man and smiled at him.
I also put the phone number in my phone just in case the rain started again and ruined the ink on the paper but I still tucked the paper inside my jeans pocket.
I looked at the man and then stood up and smiled at him, ‘I really should go, but thank you. Really. You’re so kind’ I looked at the man’s eyes and then to his lips as I bit my lip.
I thought, fuck it. As I walked to wards the man and put my hand on his arm.
‘can I kiss you?’ I said
‘yes please’ said Aziraphale.
I leaned down and pressed our lips together.
his lips are way better than I imagined them to be.
The perfect amount of soft but not too soft.
I pulled back and smiled at him. ‘ill see you later, ill text or call. I promise’ I said, 'and I wont forget about that dinner offer' I said as I looked into his perfect warm eyes.
Aziraphale looked at me and smiled ‘okay Crowley'.