Chapter Text
April 6, 1832: Day thirty-six on the island
I’ve been on this island for just past a month now, with barely a month before I leave again. Any shock I felt at the discovery of the mermaid-like creature that was Crawly, was nothing compared to my shock this morning to find Crawly… well… human.
(Earlier that day)
“Crawly!” Aziraphale blinked in shock, met with incredibly human eyes (though an almost inhuman colour), pulling back to take in Crawly’s nude, naked form. A blush overtook Aziraphale, and he appropriately looked away. Aziraphale felt as startled as anything to find Crawly human.
“How!?.... I….” Aziraphale stuttered in shock. “I don’t understand. You’re human!”
Crawly gave a shiver then, human teeth chattering.
“Oh, you poor thing. You must be freezing.” Aziraphale jumped to action. “Here, let’s get you up and back to the cabin. We can get you some clothes, get you dried and by the fire.” Aziraphale assessed as to how to carefully go about helping Crawly to their new human feet.
“Let’s get your arm around my neck.” Aziraphale tugged Crawly’s arm over his shoulder, holding their hand to his neck. “And I’ll just… hold your waist.”
Aziraphale blushed again, noting Crawly’s still flat chest despite not noting any male appendage between their legs. Aziraphale got his arm under Crawly, right around their waist, feeling the bare human skin cold, wet.
“Alright, up we get.” Aziraphale gave a huff and pulled Crawly up with him. Crawly gave a cry of alarm upon being upright. Aziraphale noted Crawly’s feet were not placed firmly on the rocks under them; their knees buckled slightly.
“Stand up firm on your legs, like me,” Aziraphale instructed them. He pulled Crawly up more with another gasp of alarm from Crawly, but he got Crawly’s feet flat on the rock. Crawly stood almost a head taller than Aziraphale upright, and their waist felt slim, cold under Aziraphale’s hand.
“Okay.” Aziraphale looked over their landscape. “Now, for the tricky bit, navigating the slippery rocks.”
They got two steps before sliding, Aziraphale barely catching Crawly, who fell right into him. Their cold, wet body pressed up into Aziraphale, making Aziraphale’s breath shorten briefly.
“It’s alright.” Aziraphale assured. “I got you. Let’s try again. We just have to get to the water. It will be much easier to wade than navigating the rocks.”
Aziraphale coaxed them to slide down the rocks on their bottom into the water, as it seemed the easiest way to go about it. He then helped Crawly stand up in the water. Crawly was still unsteady on their new legs, and Aziraphale worried about the toll it’d have on him, hauling the full-sized human back to the cabin.
They got to the sand, which Crawly worked between their toes before Aziraphale was leading them to the grass, which Crawly seemed even more enraptured by. Crawly seemed to get the gist then of walking. They put their feet flat on the ground and took steps in time with Aziraphale, always watching Aziraphale’s legs and feet. But Crawly was still supporting on Aziraphale fully. They navigated upwards towards where the cabin was. Crawly pointed with their hand to the cabin, making an exclaiming noise.
“Yes, that’s where I’m staying as of now. Come on. Nearly there.” Aziraphale encouraged.
They got to the cabin and through the door. Aziraphale put Crawly down on the chair by the fire, running over to get a blanket to toss over Crawly.
“There you are, darling.”
Crawly felt the fabric draped over them as Aziraphale pressed it into their arms in attempts of drying them off. Crawly then looked slowly up at Aziraphale, who offered a worry smile. Crawly raised his hand to Aziraphale’s own, pulling it away to measure their hand to Aziraphale’s.
“Yes, your hands are like mine now. Though I shall forever be perplexed how you changed. Perhaps I’m dreaming.” Aziraphale chuckled to himself warily. “Perhaps I hit my head and died months ago on those blasted rock outcrops. And now I’m…” he trailed off.
Crawly had taken their hand from Aziraphale’s to feel at their face, stroking their nose. Aziraphale smiled fondly. Crawly’s finger then slid to their mouth, opening it to feel at the human teeth.
Aziraphale chuckled. “Yes, no razor-sharp teeth anymore.” Aziraphale stood up, looking over the small cabin. “Now, what to do with you. Suppose you could try some of my clothes. See if they fit. But there’s only the one bed.”
Aziraphale looked back to Crawly, who had pried the blanket off their flat chest, feeling towards their breast. Aziraphale blushed a bit.
“Alright, let’s get you into some clothes. Come on.” Aziraphale tugged Crawly’s arm over his shoulder again and pried them up, moving them to the bed and placing them down on it.
Crawly fell back with a clicking laugh, similar to their mermaid one. Aziraphale smiled fondly. He then moved to find some suitable clothing of his for Crawly.
“You’ll have to do with my trousers, as they are all I have,” he muttered.
Aziraphale then looked back to see Crawly had pried open their blanket and was, well… looking between their legs, examining.
“Crawly!” Aziraphale exclaimed, turning quickly away with a heated face. He had got a good view of between Crawly’s legs. He tried to push it from his mind, feeling it was entirely inappropriate.
“Now, I understand your body is all new and foreign to you. But if you’re going to explore your body, at least do so in private, as is appropriate. Not with me in the room.”
Aziraphale dared to look back to see if Crawly was listening. It seemed they were, for their head was cocked at Aziraphale, legs folded back together. Aziraphale sighed, wondering if Crawly even understood him.
“I’ll give you a moment alone. I need to collect my thoughts as it is.” Aziraphale crossed the cabin to find his journal, picking it up from his desk. “I’ll be outside, Crawly. Call me if you need me.”
April 6, 1832: Day thirty-six
I sit outside the cabin now with Crawly inside, exploring their new human form. I feel… flabbergasted. How can a creature change its shape? I feel like I might have hallucinated the whole thing. Perhaps Crawly is simply a washed-up shipwrecked person. Only, they do resemble my mermaid Crawly, even with the same hair. And their amber eyes seem a touch…inhuman gold. They even hissed the version of my name they always did, in the same manner and tone.
Crawly, the human, is a thin, long being. I’m afraid to say that I got a rather good look at their form. Though I insist that I never looked inappropriately. Crawly has a man’s chest but female anatomy down there. It seems whatever spell that was placed on them, as to change them into a human, made them come out… well…an almost hermaphrodite of sorts. I’m not sure what I’ll do with them. But I will strive to look after them as it is the respectable thing to do.
A loud clunk noise jolted Aziraphale up from his journal. He jumped to his feet, racing back into the cabin in concern for Crawly.
“Crawly!” Aziraphale found Crawly on the floor on their butt, the blanket still over their shoulders.
“Oh, Crawly.” Aziraphale ran over their side as they scrunched their face up in pain.
“Did you try to walk? Let me help you up. How ‘bout we keep trying to walk till tomorrow, maybe? One thing at a time.” Aziraphale pulled Crawly up and placed them back on to the bed, their legs hanging off the bed.
“Now, let’s get some clothes on you. Hmm?” Aziraphale went to retrieve the clothes he had put aside for Crawly. He placed the fabric on the bed beside Crawly. Crawly felt the fabric as Aziraphale unfolded the tunic.
“Alright, now, this goes over your chest. One arm at a time. I’ll help you.”
Aziraphale rolled one sleeve over Crawly’s long arm, bringing it around their back. He then managed Crawly’s other arm through the armhole. When both their arms were through, Aziraphale noted the length was rather short, not even reaching Crawly’s wrists.
“Dear.” Aziraphale fretted as he toyed with the ends. “Unfortunately, it’s all I have. But maybe I can try and hem some of the clothes I don’t typically wear as to fit you.” Aziraphale drew away then, letting Crawly toy with the fabric over their arms. Aziraphale then started buttoning up the front. He got the buttons up fast to Crawly’s neck, and Crawly looked down. Crawly pulled the top button up to their mouth to bite at.
“Ah!” Aziraphale chastised loudly, waving a finger to Crawly. “Spit it out! Humans do not eat buttons.”
Crawly let the button fall from their mouth, and Aziraphale smiled, satisfied.
“Good. Now next, typically, you’d put on a waistcoat and jacket, along with a necktie. But I shan’t bother with all that. Now, for the britches.”
Aziraphale picked up the trousers to unravel them. “One foot at a time for these. Then you pull it up both legs together.”
Aziraphale got Crawly’s feet into the holes, pulling it up to their thighs. “Okay, now you hold on tight here.” Aziraphale brought Crawly’s hand to the waistband, pushing Crawly’s hand tight as to hold on.
“And I’m going to lift you up,” Aziraphale told them.
Crawly made an alarmed cry as Aziraphale did so. Thankfully, Crawly didn’t let go of the waistband.
“Yes, now pull up.” Aziraphale mimicked the movement, and Crawly followed.
“Well done. Now, typically, someone with your anatomy down there wouldn’t wear trousers. But it’s all I have, I’m afraid.”
Crawly was still holding the trousers up, and Aziraphale realized how challenging showing how to do up laces would be.
“Alright, let’s sit you down, and I’ll help you with the laces, I suppose.” Aziraphale sat Crawly back down and sat beside them, cautiously getting to work. A blush worked back up on Aziraphale’s face to be doing up someone else’s laces.
“I’ve never done this for someone else before.” Aziraphale admitted, giving a shy smile up to Crawly.
“There, all done.” He drew away. “How does it feel?”
Crawly just stared back at Aziraphale, and Aziraphale smiled softly. He sighed then. “Maybe you still don’t understand me.”
Crawly’s hand then came to Aziraphale’s hair, petting it gently. “Azz.”
Aziraphale smiled again. “Alright, Crawly. First human lesson. Good and bad. Good is happy, smiles.” Aziraphale smiled. “Good. Pleased.” He nodded his head. “Bad is naughty or wrong. Do not like.” Aziraphale shook his head. He hummed, not sure Crawly was getting the picture. “We’ll come back to that, maybe.”
Crawly touched Aziraphale’s hand again; it still felt deathly cold to the touch. “Oh dear. You’re still freezing, you poor thing.” Aziraphale picked Crawly’s hand up to rub warmth back in it. Crawly was watching in fascination.
“Come on. Let’s get you by the fire.” Aziraphale hauled Crawly back to the chair by the fire. Aziraphale then knelt by the hearth as to start at the fire. Crawly made a gasp when flames burst forth.
“Oh, right.” Aziraphale looked over at Crawly, chuckling. “You’ve probably never seen a fire before. Fire hot. Dangerous.” Aziraphale told Crawly, waving his finger.
“Alright, I’m going to see about some food, perhaps.” Aziraphale left Crawly enraptured by the fire then.
He started gathering up some food he’d stored in the cabin, only to hear a sharp cry and hiss. Aziraphale raced back to find Crawly on the floor right by the fire, holding their hand to their chest.
“Oh dear!” Aziraphale ran over fast. He came down to the floor with Crawly, who was retreating from the fire, hissing.
“Crawly, you mustn’t touch the fire, very hot. Bad.”
Crawly hissed, sneering at the fire.
“Yes. Bad.” Aziraphale emphasized.
“Let me see.” Aziraphale reached for Crawly’s hand. They reluctantly let Aziraphale take their hand; it barely seemed burnt at all, which was a relief. Aziraphale sighed and let Crawly’s hand go. Crawly immediately started licking their hand as if trying to heal it with their saliva, as they could when they were a mermaid.
Aziraphale chuckled. “Crawly, I’m afraid that won’t work anymore now that you are a human. I can put some medicine and bandage it up for you, though.”
Aziraphale got up to find his medical kit. He returned to Crawly with it, sitting in front of them again, opening the case. Aziraphale took Crawly’s hand back and rubbed ointment over it before wrapping a cloth around it. Crawly watched on enraptured. When Aziraphale was done, he kissed over the bandage. “There, all better.” He declared.
Crawly smiled with a closed mouth. A half-choked cough came from their throat then. Their features changed, confused, and they felt to their neck. The same low choked-out grumbling came from their throat again.
“What is it, Crawly?” Aziraphale asked, concerned.
Crawly tried the sound again.
“Are you trying to speak?”
Crawly made a sputtering almost cough then.
“Dear me! Perhaps I’ll make you some tea. It’ll help your vocal cords. You stay here. No more touching the fire.”
Aziraphale set up a pot of water over the fire, leaving it to boil. Once done, he set about arranging the tea, making sure it wasn’t too hot as to burn Crawly’s throat.
“Here, try. Drink.” Aziraphale offered the cup to Crawly, who took it.
Aziraphale sat down across from them as Crawly poked their finger into the liquid.
Aziraphale chuckled. “Like this.” He showed Crawly how it was done, raising his cup to his lips, as to drink his tea from the cup. Crawly followed the movements cautiously.
“Probably never drank anything before, have you?” Aziraphale wondered to himself as Crawly tentatively brought the cup from his mouth, smacking their mouth open and close to assess the drink. Crawly raised the cup back to sip more.
Aziraphale smiled. “Good then?”
Crawly simply sipped more, giving Aziraphale enough affirmation.
“Next business, food,” Aziraphale announced, clapping his hands, before getting up off the floor.
Aziraphale left Crawly to enjoy their tea, setting about preparing the food. Aziraphale thought fish was safest as he already knew Crawly liked fish, and it was really all he had. Aziraphale got some fish over the fire to cook the flesh, Crawly watching on enraptured.
“Humans cook their food,” Aziraphale explained.
He set the table for two people, feeling odd at the change. When the fish was good and cooked, Aziraphale spread it out on the plates. He’d put some beans from the garden as extra on his plate. But none for Crawly, figuring one thing at a time.
“Alright, Crawly. Up we get.” Aziraphale came over to loop their arm around Crawly and pull them up. Aziraphale brought Crawly to the table, putting them down in the kitchen chair. Crawly immediately licked their lips at the sight of the fish. They had it in their hands as soon as Aziraphale sat down.
“Ah, ah!” Aziraphale chastised, pressing his finger to Crawly’s hand. “That’s not how respectful humans eat.”
Crawly slowly let the fish fall and Aziraphale smiled in success. “First, we must pray.” Aziraphale folded his hands over the table. “You too, Crawly.” He prompted.
Crawly followed the movement, and Aziraphale closed his eyes. “Dear lord.” He hummed then. “Or maybe Poseidon in this instance.” He cracked an eye at Crawly, whose eyes were still open. Aziraphale closed his eyes again. “However you’ve managed to change Crawly is a mystery, but I welcome the companionship. I promise to look after them. Thank you for this food, and bless it to our bodies. Amen.” He opened his eyes again, unfolding his hands.
“Alright, so this one is a knife.” Aziraphale pointed to it on Crawly’s plate. “You already know that one. Take that in this hand.” Aziraphale helped. “Like this.” He moved to pick up the fork next. “And this is a fork. Hold it like this and together we use them to tear apart the food respectably.” Aziraphale helped show Crawly the action. “You use the fork to pierce what you want to eat and raise it to your mouth.” He encouraged Crawly to do so. “Try some.”
Crawly looked rather confused and unsure, holding the bit of fish on their fork.
“Like this.” Aziraphale picked up his own utensils, getting a bit of meat off and rushing it to his mouth to consume.
Crawly caught on then. They brought the piece of meat off the fork with some gumption. They were all savouring it, closing their eyes. They tried with the utensils to get more, but it really was not a success. They seemed to get upset and tossed the utensils aside to use their hands.
Aziraphale sighed in defeat. “Fine, alright. You can use your hands for tonight. But only because it’s your first day of being a human. But you must learn, alright?”
Crawly was not listening, clearly enjoying the fish immensely.
After food, Crawly was more than happy to sit by the fire, watching it. Aziraphale went to his bookshelves, pulling out the book of myths and folktales and putting his spectacles on to flip through it. He found the stories on mermaids, scanning them to read about tales of mermaids transforming into humans through a sea witch’s spell. Aziraphale hummed to himself, staring back at Crawly, wondering if it really could be true. He was sure he’d never know.
Aziraphale then decided to read to Crawly, thinking they might like it. He came over to sit in his chair by the fire. Crawly turned to him as he sat down. Their face scrunched up in confusion, gesturing to Aziraphale, making curious, confused noises before pointing between their eyes.
“Oh, my spectacles.” Aziraphale took them off. “Right, I suppose you haven’t seen me with them before. They help me read. Here, want to try?” Aziraphale put his book down and came over to affix Crawly with them.
Crawly blinked, and their nose scrunched up. They touched the spectacles carefully, pulling them back and forth on their face, their eye squinting and such. Aziraphale chuckled.
“They are made specially for me. So they might not help you.” Aziraphale held out his hand, and Crawly put the spectacles down in his palm. “Thank you.”
“Alright.” Aziraphale situated himself on the ground with his back to the chair, putting his spectacles back on. “Now, let’s see what this tale is about.”
Some time passed, and Aziraphale soon found himself yawning. He looked back to take in the small cottage, the one bed. He really wasn’t sure where to put Crawly.
“I suppose you can have the bed for tonight. I’ll take the chair.”
Aziraphale helped Crawly up and into the bed. “Now, off with your clothes. Here, let me help with your buttons.” Aziraphale worked the shirt buttons open, pulling the shirt off. Crawly looked confused.
“We wear different, more comfortable clothes to sleep in,” Aziraphale explained. “Let me retrieve one of my nightgowns.”
Aziraphale retrieved one then and worked it over Crawly’s head. Crawly’s head poked right through the opening, their hair all risen up, making Aziraphale chuckle. He helped smooth it out. “There you are.”
“Now, typically, the britches come off.” Aziraphale grew red again. “I’ll help you.” He got the laces untied with ease and helped Crawly up. Their night gown concealed their decency and the britches fell to the ground, Crawly stepping out of them. Aziraphale then helped Crawly back onto the bed.
“There you are, darling.” Aziraphale brushed Crawly’s long red locks back. “Now you look very feminine indeed. And lovely, might I add.” He smiled to Crawly fondly. “I’ll change now.”
Aziraphale got changed the same way Crawly did, for decency. He then made sure Crawly was situated in the bed, under some blankets, seeming to be comfy. He then began putting out the lights.
“Night, Crawly.” Aziraphale moved to the small couch to get as comfortable as possible and blew out the last candle before trying for sleep.