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Crowley closed the door with a sigh and stood there in his soaked clothes, his hair dripping, not knowing what to do for a moment.
To say he was surprised by the downpour would be an understatement. He'd gone to feed the ducks that nested near the small pond at the bottom of their garden, and just as he'd finished, the rain had suddenly come down, and the time it took him to get back to the cottage had been enough to leave him in this drenched state.
As he bent down to take off his shoes, he heard Aziraphale approaching.
He stood and found himself facing the angel, who was glaring up and down at him.
Crowley shrugged and said with a wry smile, "It's raining..."
Aziraphale, rolling his eyes, immediately helped Crowley off with his soaked jacket and grumbled, "This is no time for silly jokes. You'll get sick if you stay like this!"
When Crowley started to protest, Aziraphale added, "Yes, yes, I know, demons and angels don't get sick, but do you really want to tempt the devil? I know, bad choice of words. But anyway, what I mean is, we've been told we don't get sick, but who's really tested it, hm? So hurry up, get out of those wet clothes and take a hot shower..."
The angel pushed the demon toward the bathroom and Crowley chuckled, "You're quite the mother hen, Angel."
He turned to Aziraphale and quickly kissed him on the lips before saying, "Not that I mind, quite the opposite."
Aziraphale sighed.
"Crowley..."
The demon raised his hands in surrender and headed for the bathroom.
"Okay, okay, I'll go..."
A few minutes later, he emerged from the shower and was welcomed into the arms of Aziraphale, who spread a large towel in front of him and helped him dry off before handing him warm, cozy clothes. Crowley, secretly happy to be the object of such attention, allowed himself to be pampered without resistance.
Then the angel led him into the living room, where Crowley saw that the fireplace was lit, radiating soft light and, more importantly, comforting warmth. Aziraphale made him sit on the sofa in front of the fireplace and sat down beside him. Crowley saw two steaming cups of tea on the coffee table.
He swallowed, overwhelmed with emotion at how cozy it looked. He thought he'd never get used to the feeling, but who could blame him when he and Aziraphale, despite their extended existences, had only just created this home together.
He'd felt this way sometimes when he'd visited the bookshop, but it was always a time when they both lived under the pressure of Hell and Heaven, now, here, this was truly home. Smiling, he turned to Aziraphale, who had opened his arms for Crowley to snuggle into.
"Thanks for doing this for me, Angel."
"Not just for you, for both of us. I appreciate this kind of moment as much as you do. It's not just you who loves taking care of me."
Aziraphale gave Crowley a kiss on the forehead before wrapping a blanket around them.
Crowley hummed with contentment and lifted his head to press a light kiss to the angel's chin. Aziraphale smiled as he handed him one of the cups, and after taking a sip, Crowley rested his head on Aziraphale's shoulder, his eyes drifting to the fire.
Together, in front of the fire, they talked about everything and nothing, the quiet conversation interrupted from time to time by kisses, caresses and laughter. The easy conversation of two people who have known each other for so long, but still have things to say to each other.
Then, seeing that the fire needed rekindling, Crowley started to get up, but Aziraphale held him back, saying quietly, "Stay here."
Astonished, the demon saw Aziraphale make a slight movement of his hand and the fire resumed its crackle and light.
Crowley looked falsely shocked and exclaimed, "Angel, how dare you? What about the human way?"
Aziraphale replied, "To hell with the human way, there is no way we are getting off this couch in the next few hours for something as trivial as rekindling the fire."
Crowley raised an eyebrow and said suggestively, "Oh...and what are we going to do on this couch for the next few hours?"
Instead of answering, Aziraphale leaned over him and traced a trail of kisses down Crowley's slender throat, leaving the demon moaning in pleasure. Aziraphale chuckled, then whispered in his lover's ear, "Does that answer your question?"
Aziraphale's hand slipped under Crowley's hoodie to feel his bare skin under his fingers, making Crowley shiver. The panting demon protested without much conviction, "Hey, Angel, what's the point of warming me up with a hot shower and a fire if you're just going to make me shiver afterwards?"
But the way he arched under the Angel's hands belied his words, so Aziraphale continued to run his fingers over the demon's skin, causing more shivers, and Crowley didn't even think about protesting anymore.
Even less so when the angel's lips replaced his hands and began to map the demon's belly and chest, pulling up his hoodie.
Until Crowley could hold on no longer, and as Aziraphale's lips lingered on a small mole on the demon's hip, he removed the hoodie, tossed it to the floor, and, placing his hands on the back of the angel's neck, applied light pressure until Aziraphale brought his face close enough to capture his lips in a kiss whose heat had nothing to envy the fire in the fireplace.
And later, much later, as they lay, their naked bodies intertwined under the soft blanket, Crowley broke the silence and said softly, "I love you."
The warmth, the feel of his angel's arms around him, the breath in his hair, all of it wrapped him in a peaceful calm and he felt a gentle numbness wash over him.
"I love you."
The angel's voice in his hair was the last thing Crowley heard before he drifted off.
Aziraphale, feeling the demon fall asleep against him, raised his hand to rekindle the fire one last time, then, after planting a final kiss in the red hair, let himself be carried away by sleep as well.