Chapter Text
"I mean isshh juss pathEtic right?" Crowley said as he poured another shot of whiskey. Nina was staring with a disappointed look, Maggie was faking a smile, and Muriel was watching curiously as they had never seen someone under the influence before. "LITERALLY the ONLY pee *hic* .... people... that, that I can talk to, are two mmmortals andnnangel thatazz uhh mind of a curious CAT," Crowley unintentionally put a lot of emphasis on the 'C' in 'cat'. Muriel was confused as to whether they should feel flattered or insulted. After all, they weren't familiar with Earthly terms.
Crowley was about to drink the shot that he had poured, but Nina grabbed it from him.
"Alright demon, I think it's time for you to take a nap and sober-... do celestial beings even need naps?" Nina cut herself off.
"Hahaha of course we don't haha, what a silly thought," Muriel said. Maggie and Nina looked at them, shocked. Muriel's laughing came to a slow halt as they noticed the staring. "What?..."
"You're a celestial being as well?" Maggie asked. Muriel looked as if they were just caught stealing from the cookie jar. Everyone's attention shifted to Crowley as he started to protest by reaching for his shot while blathering inanities. "Please Mr. Crowley, you've had enough for tonight. Even if you are a demon, this can't be healthy for you," Maggie pleaded while Nina effortlessly kept the tiny cup away from him.
"Well even if demons and angels don't need naps, I'm sure he could still use one. Now come on you damn bloat," Nina put the shot-glass down and pulled Crowley up by the arm. Crowley simply growled in response. She dragged him over to one of Muriel’s couches (now that the bookshop belongs to them). Crowley sat down as Nina took off his blazer. She hung it on the coat rack while Maggie came over and laid Crowley down. “You, take off his shoes,” Nina said to Muriel.
“O-Oh uh… of course…?” Muriel didn’t see the need to but they obliged. They were a little hesitant to touch a demon but then they remembered a few days ago when Crowley gave them a gentle shoulder punch; there weren’t any side-effects.
“Ah-!” Suddenly came a yelp from Maggie. Muriel and Nina looked over to see Crowley’s snake eyes. Maggie had taken off his shades and her and Nina had never seen his eyes before.
(I actually have no idea if they’ve seen his snake eyes before but, if I find out later that they have then I’ll just edit this part.)
Crowley frowned and turned his head away, only to pause at the scent he got a whiff of. He grabbed the pillow he was laying on and took a long inhale.
“(Sigh).... Yup…. that’s him…” Crowley said as he stared blankly at the pillow. His lips began to quiver and he sniffled. He let the pillow down on his chest and his left arm immediately lifted to cover his eyes. Crowley tried his hardest to hold it in. Luckily for him, the others were busy putting the whisky away and tidying up. Well, Muriel was just awkwardly standing; watching them while still holding Crowley’s shoes.
Crowley took a shaky breath in and out, calming himself down.
“(Gasp) Crowley dear, are you alright?” Maggie said after glancing at him and immediately noticing the melancholy. She jogged up to the couch and knelt down to his current level.
“Aagg i’m fffine!” Crowley lazily shewed Maggie away with his right hand, whilst keeping his left hand covering his eyes.
“Pft, yeah… clearly,” Nina said sarcastically. Maggie gave Nina a look that said ‘please take this seriously, darling’. Nina brandished her hands up defensively, rolled her eyes, and went back to what she was doing. Maggie put her attention back on Crowley. She reached and slowly pulled his arm off of his eyes. He kept his eyes closed.
“You know what we talked about? How, you never say what you’re really thinking? Right now is one of those times…” Maggie held Crowley’s hand, hoping he’d open up to her. Crowley furrowed his eyebrow in a sort of, masculine frustration. “Can we remedy that?” Maggie unintentionally was making circles in Crowley’s hand with her thumb.
“...It’s funny… We’ve… had argumentsss before, but… For some reason, this one… This one wasss different,” Crowley slurred. “I miss him, sooo badly… I’ve never missed him this much, *hic* this much before…” He took a long breath since he could feel the tears coming again. His pride couldn’t take crying in front of a human. He had already lost enough dignity just by opening up to her. “In the past few days, I’ve jussst been sleepinnn and… and… I keep on having the ssame *burp* dream. Where me and Aziraphale… HAD our happily… ever… afffter… but… then…” Crowley drifted off to sleep.
Dream Sequence
Crowley was standing in a pink place. Nothing else, just a wide, endless, pink space. He put his hands in his pockets, already knowing what was going to occur.
Aziraphale faded into view. He was facing away from Crowley. Crowley sauntered over to Aziraphale. When Aziraphale heard Crowley’s footsteps, he turned and looked at him with a soft smile.
Aziraphale was in his usual stance: standing straight with his hands behind his back. He lifted his eyebrow and glanced downward at Crowley’s hands, then back up at his face. Crowley looked down at his hands, ‘Oh yeah’ he thought. He pulled them out of his pockets and placed them palms upward in front of him.
Aziraphale then placed his hands on top of Crowley’s and their hands gripped together ever so slightly. They stared at each other lovingly. Aziraphale with his gentle smile, and Crowley with a growing smirk.
Even though Crowley had this dream many times, he still gets surprised at the next part. Aziraphale put his hand on Crowley’s cheek, and then lifted a bit to match Crowley’s height, and kiss him. His eyes were closed. Crowley closed his eyes as well and gently grabbed Aziraphales head. His thumbs on Aziraphale’s cheeks and his fingers in his hair.
They broke away from the kiss, and Aziraphale offered a hand. Crowley took it, and they began doing a typical ball dance. Aziraphale was in the dominant role, with his left hand holding Crowley’s right, and his right hand on Crowley’s waist. They did the four-step square, and then Aziraphale spun Crowley around.
After the spin, they switched dominant roles. Crowley holding Aziraphale’s hand, and the other on his waist. Rinse and repeat, except they ended with Crowley dipping Aziraphale instead of spinning. They separated and finally one of them spoke.
“Crowley..”
“..Angel?”
“..I forgive you..”
Hearing this again, Crowley began to panic as he very slowly started backing away.
“No, no no no no no…” He said as he shook his head in denial.
Aziraphale slightly tilted his head and squinted his eyes in mild confusion.
“I… forgive you, Crowley.”
“Stop…” A crack in the pink space formed a distance away.
“I. Forgive. Y-”
“I said STOP!”
The room changed from pink to white and cracks formed everywhere. Aziraphale had a blank stare as he faded away. It all shattered and everything was black as Crowley started to fall into nothingness.
End of dream sequence
Crowley jolted as he woke up. Which is normal for a dream that ended with falling. He stared up at the ceiling that he recognized all too well, but he was confused on why he was in the bookshop of all places.
He looked forward and saw a person with blonde hair and a plump body sitting in a chair reading a book.
“...Aziraphale?”
~To Be Continued~