Work Text:
“Crowley my dear, can you run to the post and pick up my package? I phoned the desk and they said it has finally arrived.” Aziraphale called from the back of the shop, trying to think of anything else he needed that would keep the demon out of the shop for the day. He needed time to put their evening together.
“Sure angel, anything else while I’m out? I could stop at that bakery a few blocks from the post and get some of those little pettifors you liked.”
“Oh, that sounds lovely, perhaps some wine to go with them? Thank you.” He smiled
Crowley grabbed his glasses from the horse statue as he passed by, putting them on and exiting the bookshop, the bell signaling his departure.
Aziraphale waited until he heard the Bentley drive away before going to the coffee shop to talk to Nina. He needed some advice on his idea.
“Mr. Fell, what can I get you today?” she looked around and said, “No six shots today?”
“Ah, no. well you see, that is why I am here. I need your help.”
“My help? You know my track record isn’t the best. Besides, isn’t this more of a you and Maggie thing?” she said making his hot coco and plating two eckels cakes.
“Normally yes. But this requires your touch. You have more in common with Crowley than Maggie when it comes to romance.”
They moved to a table, Nina finding time in between rushes to sit with him.
They talked for a long time before Aziraphale thanked her and promised an update as soon as possible. She wished him luck and watched him walk briskly to the flower shop down the street, an effervescent bounce in his step.
Flowers in hand and the well-wishes of the shop owner he moved to Justine’s to secure the meal for tonight.
Justine was all too happy to help in the clandestine plan for his evening with Crowley, promising to get on it straight away and have their food to him before Crowley’s return.
He moved back to the bookshop and got busy setting up the evening.
Once inside he put the flowers in a vase and placed it in the center of the table. He set candles around it, battery operated, of course. He stepped back to look at the scene and had another idea.
Moving a small side table closer, he set his gramophone on it, a record at the ready to play “Moonlit Sonata” by Glen Miller. He would ask him to dance, at some point. Perhaps they could dance, and he could dip him, ask him to marry him and stand him up to answer, or hold him leaning while he waited.
He decided that he was running out of time to do this the old-fashioned way and waved a hand, smiling as the area was now lit by candlelight, softly flickering, casting lovely shadows on the yellow walls. He turned as he heard Justine enter, calling to him.
“Oh! Thank you, this smells divine! It’s perfect.”
“You are most welcome, good luck tonight! I have no doubt your Mr. Crowley will say yes.”
She turned and swept out of the shop, leaving him standing there staring at the table he was setting.
He was retrieving two wine glasses when he heard the bell above the door signal his love’s return.
Crowley entered and looked around, candles, something that smelled wonderful, and soft music playing. “Angel?” he called as he moved through the shop slowly, taking in the scene.
Aziraphale clearly meant business tonight, this set up had romance dripping from every surface. He smiled at the thought and understood that his errands had been meant to keep him occupied and away from the shop.
He set the box of pastries down on the counter but kept the wine in hand and moved towards the table, calling his angel again. “Aziraphale?”
Meanwhile Aziraphale stood in the kitchen taking deep breaths, then grabbing the wine glasses he walked out of the kitchen.
“I’m here.” He smiled warmly and set the glasses on the table and pulled out the seat for Crowley who had removed his jacket and was turning back as the angel arrived.
“I see that.” He moved to sit in the seat offered, knowing that he usually pulled Aziraphale’s chair out for him and this was new. He also noticed that he had done away with his jacket and rolled the sleeves of his shirt up to the elbow, and he felt his mouth water at the sight of muscles flexing under soft skin as he popped the cork from the wine bottle and poured them each a glass. He looked up at the angel, bathed in soft light making his hair glow and his skin to take on a bronze hue. He truly was a work of art.
Sensing the demon’s gaze focused on him as he poured the wine, he couldn’t stop the blush as it crept across his cheeks. As he set the bottle down on the table and took his customary seat across from Crowley, he raised his glass in a toast saying “To another lovely evening of the world still existing, may there be many, many more to come”
Crowley gently tapped his glass against Aziraphale’s and took a long sip enjoying the flavors as they danced along his tongue. He set his glass down as he saw that the angel was nervously trying to collect his thoughts.
“This is very nice angel, shall we tuck in?” he offered.
They ate in silence for a while until Aziraphale couldn’t be silent any longer, far too excited for what he had planned.
“How was the drive? I trust you didn’t get into too much mischief on your way.” He smiled teasingly.
“Oh, you know, they are on the road, they know the risks.” He laughed softly, but his curiosity was getting the better of him and as they finished their meal he put his napkin down, finished his wine and snapped his fingers to play some music. He stood up and reached for Aziraphale’s hand “Dance?”
Aziraphale looked up at him, swallowed his wine and shivered as his warm hand slid easily into the demons. He found himself pulled into his arms, their bodies pressed together as Crowley held him close, gently beginning to sway to the melody.
The angel sighed and rested his head on Crowley’s shoulder and melted into him, relishing the feeling of being held so close. He held his secret close to his chest and held hope for their future in his harms as Glenn Miller played.
The song came to an end and Aziraphale had shifted to dip Crowley back as the last note floated through the room. Standing him back up he held both of the demon’s hands in his and looked at him lovingly. “I love you, my dear. I hope that you know that.” He loved how freely those feelings could be expressed and how easily it flowed from their lips these days.
“Love you too angel. But what is all this about? Not that I mind being wined and dined, but this sort isn’t your usual style. What gives?” he couldn’t stand it any longer, he felt relief at just being able to ask.
“Right, well you see, you know we are a team. A group. A group of the two of us, and we have spent thousands of years pretending that we’re not, well not the last few years, not really.” Aziraphale cleared his throat and continued, “And I would like to spend eternity with you. Crowley, I don’t want to go off together, I want to stay here, right here on earth together.”
Crowley felt the tightening in his throat at hearing his words spoken back to him, old fears resurfacing, but he would bear this for his angel. He squeezed the hands in his, a silent plea to continue.
Aziraphale sensing the difficulty, released one of Crowley’s hands and dropped to one knee, a small black box appearing in his palm. Looking up at his love he said “Crowley, I want to be with you. Without running, without fear, right here where we have carved out a fragile, peaceful existence together. My dearest love, my lovely tempter, will you do me the extraordinary honor of being my husband?”
The silence that filled the space started to let fear creep in on Aziraphale. Had he misread their relationship? Surely their love was not something Crowley was afraid of. He had known that using Crowley’s words was a risk, but he wanted to try to give back happiness to his words, it is how it should have been, and he ruined it. All he had wanted to do was make amends for that mistake.
He watched his love for any sign of what he should do, and when he was about to accept defeat, Crowley fell to his knees before him, tears in his eyes.
“Yes.” It was so soft that had they been any further apart, he might not have heard how that one word contained his entire heart. They stared at one another for a long time before either made a move.
As usual, Crowley broke first, never being the patient one. “Angel, do you really want to marry me? I mean,” he gestured at himself “demons can’t love, they say.” He was suddenly shy and insecure.
Aziraphale immediately released his other hand to raise his face to look at him. “Don’t speak of yourself that way. I don’t know if demons can love or not, but I know you do. I feel it, it is in everything you do, even the mildly malicious things you do. And I don’t care what demons can or cannot do, I only care what you do, how you feel, and what you want. And I hope that what you want is to be with me, to be my husband.” He snapped the box open and taking the demon’s hand back, he straightened and said “Demon Crowley, Original tempter, serpent of Eden, my dearest love. Will you marry me?” he smiled.
Crowley’s eyes sparkled with unshed tears as he looked down at the ring, a dark metal band with a serpent circled around an apple that was made from ruby. His angel knew him well, just the right mix of delicate strength and flash bastard.
“Angel, I’d marry you a hundred times. I have already walked down the aisle for you, I’ll do it again if that is what you need.”
As Aziraphale slid the ring down his long finger he said “I don’t want that. I want to stand with you in a place of our own choosing, where we can stand together, not one sacrificing for the other, but on equal footing.”
“I have an idea. If you’re amenable.” He said, using the angel’s turn of phrase.
“My dear, as long as it’s with you, I can be tempted to do nearly anything.” He leaned in and pulled him until their lips met, all the passion and promise flowing between them. They pulled away and Crowley helped him stand before pulling him into a tight embrace.
“Take me to bed angel and let me love you.”
He deftly scooped the demon up and carried him close all the way to their room, placing him gently on their bed and moving to close the door. As he turned to face Crowley, he smiled as the demon snapped and the lights down in the shop went out and the door locked with a soft click as the sign flipped to say, “quite closed”.
They made love all throughout the night and when the first rays of soft morning sun peeked through the curtains Crowley gave a small, muffled sound and buried his face into the angel’s chest seeking the darkness and his scent instead of waking. Aziraphale simply raised his arm to both block the light for him and comb his fingers through his red hair as he read having woken a while ago.
As the demon in his arms began to wiggle around, he smiled at the routine. Crowley always woke after him and it was a process. He would burrow to avoid the light, then he would start to wiggle around trying to find a position comfortable enough to send him back to sleep until he will finally give up, stretch and give Aziraphale a sleepy good morning.
This morning was no different until he proposed his idea once waking up.
‘Angel, what if we got married at the bandstand? It was the first place where I asked you to go away together. We could keep it simple, just us, and Maggie, Nina and Muriel can officiate. Oh, that will send them off!” he laughed at the thought of Muriel’s excitement.
Aziraphale thought to himself, how wonderful an idea.
“I think it’s perfect. Shall we go tell our friends?” he asked, and they got up and dressed and grabbed Muriel and Maggie on their way to Nina’s café.
The group sat at a table in the corner of Nina’s, Aziraphale and Crowley explaining their news. Aziraphale waved his hands and beamed excitedly, while Crowley sat in the chair beside him, arm draped around his shoulders and a broad smile on his face.
After their story and the request for attendance the group all spoke
“Mr. Fell, Mr. Crowley nothing would make me happier than to marry the two of you. May I create my own ceremony, or did you have something in mind?” Muriel practically vibrated in their seat.
“Other than exchanging our own vows, you may feel free to create.” Aziraphale reassured them.
“When are we doing this? I will need to make sure I can either close the coffee shop or have someone cover for me.” Nina said.
“How about Wednesday evening? Is that enough time for all of you?” Crowley asked.
They all agreed and that is how it came to be that two angels, a demon, a coffee shop owner and a record store keeper found themselves standing on a suspiciously empty bandstand in the middle of St. James park, listening to vows being exchanged and love being affirmed, on a colorful autumn Wednesday, after the world didn’t end.