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Crowley’s perspective of being sad and spending long days trying to recover from losing his lover. Flashbacks, drunkenness, a breaking heart. Turning away from the human couple who try to help him.
Aziraphale comes back. Crowley felt it as surely and strongly as the way he could sense his car. Light, warmth. Oh how Crowley missed Aziraphale’s presence. How he ached and yearned for that angel sized hole to fill back up in his life.
He got in his car and sped over. He broke his car’s speedometer but he didn’t care as tires screeched to a stop. Getting out with a slam of his door he rushed to the bookshop.
Aziraphale was there.
The angel turned around with sad eyes. “Hello Crowley.”
Crowley stopped. Should he pretend to be mad? Should he hold his ground and stubbornness even when his angel’s disappearance tore him apart?
He licked his lips with nerves, opening his mouth to speak it quickly snapped shut again.
Something was wrong.
Crowley narrowed his eyes and stalked forward Aziraphale straightening in warning. His angel's eyes narrowed but there was a waver to his lips, his eyes getting wetter…
“Angel.” Crowley said and Aziraphale flinched. “Something’s up. You smell-“ He sniffed closer to his angel to double check. “Different…” He trailed off.
He didn’t just smell different he smelt sharper like- like-
Aziraphale’s mask broke, his face crumbling, tears falling out as he lunged forward into Crowley’s arms.
“Ah-“ Crowley pat his angel’s back.
“Crowley I’ve been awful.” Aziraphale whimpered.
Crowley tilted his head. What had they done to Aziraphale up there?
“Angel I’m sure you haven’t-“
“No.” Crowley paused as Aziraphale lifted his face up to look imploringly into Crowley’s dark glasses.
Black wings burst into existence.
“I fell.” Aziraphale whispered.
Oh…
Crowley was careful with his reaction as he looked over Aziraphale’s wings. He could see how much this was breaking him. How much he felt damned.
Crowley knew too well how the fall felt…
He licked his lips to taste the new sulphur tinge to Aziraphale’s aura. He reached a hand out and gently touched his angel’s wings… Aziraphale’s eyes were locked onto him with laser focus. Crowley sighed and pulled off his glasses.
He gave Aziraphale a meaningful look. “I don’t see how much has changed angel.” He admitted.
A rush of air escaped Aziraphale.
“Really?” He chocked. “You don’t-?”
“No.” Crowley adjusted Aziraphale in his arms. “I’m not abandoning you for something as small as this.”
“I’m a demon.” Aziraphale insisted. “I’m evil-“
Crowley scoffed cutting him off. “I wont believe that till I see it Angel.” He tilted his head at Aziraphale’s confused expression. “Do something terrible.” He hissed. “Kill someone and enjoy it-”
Aziraphale pushed him away in horror and disgust. “I would never!” He replied appalled.
“Then you’re not evil.” Crowley smiled. “You’re just a demon going as far as he can with hell.”
He stepped closer and cupped his angel’s cheek. Aziraphale leaned into it as he forgot all his fears of showing weakness around the demon. He soaked it in like he was starving of affection. “Remember? We have our own side.”
He faltered. Aziraphale had rejected being with him. They were two of a kind, a pair but maybe still alone…
Aziraphale broke him out of his thoughts as he brought a hand up to Crowley’s. He looked at Crowley with mixed emotions, endearment something Crowley couldn’t comprehend.
“We really are on our own side…” Aziraphale hummed in thought eyes unfocusing. “What if..” He snapped his attention back to Crowley. “Wait we can do what you’ve been doing!” He lit up in relief. In hope for a brighter future. “Oh I can keep being good just as you have!”
Crowley wanted to hiss and refute but he withheld himself. He couldn’t break his angel’s last ditch attempt at divinity. If Aziraphale wanted to do good as a demon than he could…
Aziraphale’s wings puffed up in excitement.
“Oh Crowley finally! We can work together! We can still be the good guys!”
Crowley couldn’t help hissing at that one making Aziraphale pause.
“I’m not good.” Crowley eyed his angel. “I’ve never been good and I don’t know why you keep trying to pick a side. Just be yourself angel.” Aziraphale made a face at the nickname. “Just do good because you want to. Not out of obligation.”
Aziraphale blinked at him. “But gods plan-“
“Has left you as a demon.” Crowley scowled. “You’re the best angel I know and they shunned you. What kind of god is that? Why is heaven worth serving?”
“It’s not about that Crowley…” Aziraphale replied weakly.
Crowley held himself back from putting his glasses on. “No…” He looked up. “This is about your unwavering faith when it should be about who you are and what you've decided for yourself.”
Crowley turned his eyes away. Aziraphale still stood like the angel he was... He still held himself with stubbornness and spread wings.
Crowley walked towards the exit. "Let me know when you've figured out who you stand with."
The door jingled as he stepped outside. He exhaled harshly reminded once again by how alone he was... and how Aziraphale kept choosing it to be this way.
He got into his Bentley.
"Get me out of here." He hissed.
The car revved but didn't move. Crowley wondered why until the passenger door opened and black wings filled his vision.
"You're right Crowley." The angel kept his eyes on the road as he shut the door. "I've tried things my way..." He looked to Crowley. "Let's do it your way." He smiled bracing his hand against the dashboard. "Where are we heading?" He asked.
Crowley looked back to the road. A smile carefully spread onto his face.
"Wherever you want to go angel... Hungry?" He asked.
"Starving." Aziraphale replied. "Let's go to that nice patisserie shop down the road."
Crowley put his foot on the gas.
He was right... nothing much had changed.
Aziraphale was still his angel.