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Aziraphale was plucking away in his bookshop when the bell rang. He looked over to see who had come in. It was Crowley, sunglasses and all, making him smile.
“Brunch?” Crowley cocked his head.
“Oh! Can’t say no to that.” Aziraphale jumped to it, grabbing his jacket to head out the door, and changing his sign over to ‘closed.’
Crowley held the door open for him. Aziraphale thanked them as Crowley led him to the Bentley.
They reached the café, and Aziraphale ordered a tea, a scone, and a breakfast sandwich. Crowley ordered a coffee and a sandwich.
“I’ll wait for our orders if you wish to sit down.” Crowley offered.
Aziraphale hesitated before his tea appeared, and he happily took it. “Alright, I’ll get us a table.” He agreed.
Aziraphale found a rather lovely spot by the window, where the sun seeped in warmly. Aziraphale sat down and sipped his tea, quite content indeed. Having Crowley turn up with an offer to take him out for brunch was always a lovely treat.
Aziraphale looked over to where Crowley was waiting at the counter. There was a young guy behind the counter, preparing Crowley’s drink. Crowley was talking to them, leaning against the counter. Crowley was wearing a slick smile, and the guy was…blushing.
Oh, Crowley was flirting. He did this sometimes for fun or whatever. Usually, Aziraphale just rolled his eyes and let Crowley do whatever they wished. But today, something flared in Aziraphale. Crowley was with him and… ignoring him. It was rude!
Thankfully, their sandwiches were being passed over, and Aziraphale couldn’t be happier.
Crowley thanked the server and headed over to Aziraphale. “Here you are, angel.” He placed the sandwiches down, sliding into the seat across from Aziraphale.
“I’m not hungry.” Aziraphale turned away to show Crowley his upset.
“What?” Crowley’s head tilted up in confusion.
“I want to go home.” Aziraphale crossed his arms.
“You want to go home? But we just got here, angel!” Crowley replied, exasperated.
“I want to go home!” Aziraphale emphasized.
“Fine.” Crowley sighed. “I supposed we can eat these when we get back. At least let me get them wrapped up for us.”
“Be quick about it.” Aziraphale snapped, standing up to head out the door.
Thankfully, Crowley came outside a moment later to where Aziraphale was standing impatiently outside the Bentley. Crowley opened the passenger side door for him, but Aziraphale was still upset as he got in. Crowley huffed and put the car into drive, going far too fast as always. Aziraphale was clutching the door handle, feeling all the sicker by the time they got back to his shop.
“Crowley! You know I don’t like it when you drive so fast.” Aziraphale stomped out the Bently, quite upset.
“Angel, come on.” Crowley practically whined in annoyance.
Aziraphale stomped into his bookshop, Crowley hot on his heels.
“Angel, what’s wrong? Why are you upset?”
“I… I don’t understand why you flirt with those… humans.” Aziraphale turned sharply to him.
“What?” Crowley cocked his head.
“You were flirting with that barista!”
“I was not! I was merely talking to him. Come on, angel. Don’t tell me that’s what got you all upset. I’m a demon. Smooth talk is my second nature. I didn’t mean anything by it.”
Aziraphale huffed, turning and crossing his arms.
“Wait, angel…” Crowley pressed closer. “Are you… jealous?”
“I don’t know what you're going on about, Crowley!” Aziraphale snapped a bit sharply. He wasn’t jealous… that was preposterous.
“Come on, angel. Let’s sit down. You haven’t even gotten to finish your brunch yet. Bet it’d make you feel better.”
Aziraphale caved slightly to that. “Oh, you're right, Crowley. Fine. But I’m still upset with you.”
Crowley was smirking under their sunglasses. “I’m used to that, angel.”
Crowley set up their brunch at a table in the back. Aziraphale began to warm over enjoying the delicious food.
“I’m sorry for upsetting you, angel.” Crowley was reaching out across the table to take Aziraphale’s hand. Aziraphale warmed, smiling softly. “I never want to hurt you. And I promise, angel, I meant nothing by it. I’ll do better in the future to not flirt. I promise.”
Crowley rubbed Aziraphale’s hand with their thumb; it was nice.
“I don’t think many people pay my flirting too much heed anyway nowadays.” Crowley released Aziraphale’s hand.
“Why’s that?” Aziraphale cocked his head. “You’re not losing your charm. Trust me, I’d notice.”
Crowley cracked a smile. “Well, because you're almost always around.” Crowley took a bite of their sandwich. “And everyone thinks we’re together.”
“Oh yes, I’ve gotten quite a few comments from customers in that regard. Honestly, it baffles me why they would ever think of that.”
“Why would that be weird if we were together?” Crowell cocked their head.
“Crowley, you’re a demon!”
Crowley shrugged casually as if to say: “So?”
Aziraphale blinked, taken aback.
“I was an angel once,” Crowley added as an afterthought, shifting his gaze out the window. It wasn’t something either of them talked about much, when Crowley had been an angel. “And you were jealous.” Crowley turned back.
“I wasn’t jealous!” Aziraphale replied sharply again. “It was just… you were with me, talking to someone else. It was rude.”
Aziraphale hid his emotions by sipping his tea, still trying to figure them out. Could it be true, had he been jealous about Crowley flirting with someone else?
Crowley was smirking, amused. “I wouldn’t mind, angel, if you were a little jealous. I’d hope that after all these years together, I’d have grown on you somewhat.”
“Oh, you have grown on me sufficiently.” Aziraphale nodded vigorously. He didn’t want Crowley to think he didn’t like them.
“And next time I fall into smooth talk, if someone were to…” Crowley slid into the table coyly. “Ask if the cheery little blonde I’m with is… with me. What would you rather me say?”
“Well, what do you normally say?” Aziraphale felt flushed to be discussing this.
“That we’re friends.”
“Oh, well, I’m quite glad to hear you call me that, Crowley.” Aziraphale smiled. “Sometimes…” He looked down to his tea. “I worry.”
“Angel.” Crowley reached over to take Aziraphale’s hand again, and he warmed.
“But you know, I dare say we're a bit more than friends.”
“Do you, now?” Crowley cocked his head, withdrawing his hand.
“Well, we’ve worked together for nearly a millennium. Helped each other out, as it were. We’re… partners.”
Crowley was smirking widely. “Partners, I like that. There’s an ambiguity to that, you know.” He sipped his drink.
“Oh,” Aziraphale flushed, realizing Crowley was right. “Yes, I suppose you’re right. But… it wouldn’t bother me if it doesn’t bother you.”
“Not at all, angel.” Crowley’s smirk turned to a warm smile.
Aziraphale, feeling warm flutters inside him, had a rather lovely morning brunch with Crowley in the quiet of the bookshop then.