Work Text:
Ring
Crowley, while never admitting it, had been waiting for this moment all day. He called Aziraphale a little before the afternoon to tell him about the miraculous reservation they had at the Ritz that evening. He had been feeling a little antsy due to continually being in his car, and finally, something in him broke that morning.
The bell above Aziraphale’s door rang as the demon nearly skipped in.
Ring
However, the door shut before he stepped past the threshold.
Over the two centuries Aziraphale had this book shop, the doors have always sung open for him, but normally it wasn’t that quick. When the door was locked, which it so often was, a miracle was needed to make the lock turn a blind eye to Crowley. It was less than a second difference but Crowley had done this so many times it might as well have been a minute.
Crowley turned his neck to the side to find the open sign still hanging up in the window.
Oh, guess Aziraphale forgot to lock up.
With a wave of his hand the door opened again and Crowley stepped in.
Crowley’s gaze went straight to Aziraphale’s desk where he thought he’d find the angel with his nose in a book again. When he didn’t see his angelic counterpart, he took off his glasses to be sure. “Oh- welcome, feel free to browse about,” Instead he was greeted by Aziraphale’s something's wrong voice.
“Angel, you’re still open?” Crowley called back.
“Crowley?” The other peeked his head out from behind a shelf. “Oh thank goodness it’s only you,” Aziraphale put a hand over where a heart would be.
Crowley snorted a bit. “What? Cha think I was Gabriel or something?” Crowley’s smile dropped when Aziraphale didn’t chuckle along. “Shit, did you?” Crowley slung forward like the supreme archangel could’ve been in the archway.
“No! It’s-,” Aziraphale quickly pursed lips together before exhaling through his nose and letting his shoulders drop. “I thought you were two men who came by the shop earlier,”
“Oh?” Crowley let an eyebrow raise. “Regulars of yours?” Each word coming out overpronounced so Crowley could process the question as well.
Aziraphale glanced at the ground. “Not exactly,” He responded with his own eyebrow raise like he was sassing the floor. With a light tongue click he looked back at Crowley. “I had just gotten your call and was about to close for the day when two gentlemen came in and wondered about,”
“And you let them in?” Crowley’s eyebrow stayed firmly raised.
“Well, I was in a good mood,” Aziraphale tutted. “And I assumed they wouldn't be in long. That was until both of them came up to me and struck up a conversation,”
“What ‘bout?”
“The bookshop, funnily enough,” Aziraphale rested part of his weight on the shelf’s end behind him. “They started off by complimenting the shop and telling me how I was doing such an excellent job with it. I’m a bit ashamed to admit it but I was a tad flattered. I didn’t even question their intentions until one of them mentioned how I ought to want to preserve its legacy,”
Crowley’s brow lowered as his lips pulled back. “They didn’t~,” Crowley purred but oh so hoping they did.
“Oh they did,” The last syllables came out sharper than the rest. “They mentioned how it was a lovely store and how it was such a shame no one was coming to buy anything anymore,” Aziraphale crossed his arms. “They went on to tell me they’ve been trying to chat with me for a while now about purchasing my shop, but every time they came ‘round it was closed. They took that as me not having enough customers and closing up shop early,”
“Didn’t they see the “very closed” sign on the door?” Crowley replied with more of a smile than a grin at this point. Under normal circumstances, he would try to tame his lips but his angel was so caught up in his rant, Crowley doubted he noticed.
“Helpful my dear,” The angel deadpanned. Crowley just shrugged in response. “They told me they’d come ‘round again to “check on how things were going” some time this evening. They didn’t even let me get a word in after that, so I’ve been waiting here to tell them off,”
“How much longer do you think it’s going to take ‘em?” Crowley looked at the door.
On a busy Friday night in Soho, there were plenty of people passing by the shop. Some even jumped up on the step to try and get around one another. No one wondered the angel had been so nervous earlier. Even Crowley was standing a bit straighter.
“Been waiting all day but… I’ve yet to see them,” Aziraphale leaned more of himself on the shelf as his chin came closer to his chest.
“Ngk, I would just forget them,” Crowley tore his eyes from the door. “Who cares what some real estate agents say anyway? Plus we got a reservation to keep,” As Crowley thought about it a little more, he started to make a list of possible solutions and that eased the feeling in his gut.
Crowley waited for Aziraphale’s expression to ease as well but all he got back was a noncommittal hum. “I know you’re right, but they seem the persistent type and- Oh I don’t know,” One of his hands rested on his temple. “What if they start to look into… things? Can’t exactly explain why I miraculously have enough money for the inventory I have. Sure I normally chop it up to Maggie’s rent but if they look into that too, it won’t add up at all,”
And like that, the demon forgot his list of solutions as his brain screamed at him to take the angel’s hand. But he was sure that’s not what Aziraphale needed right now. “‘S really bothering you, huh?” Crowley slowed his words so he could take in the angel who was currently shrinking into himself. His sleeves were wrinkled and his hair had bits of dust in it. Probably from dusting which Aziraphale was prone to when stressed.
Crowley was no longer having fun.
He ought to want to spread misery and dread after being cooped up in his car for so long but never his angel’s. They were in a group after all. A group of the two of them but still- If one of the group’s members was down, the rest of the group’s mood went down as well.
“I mean, I see the appeal. Our bookshops’ rather lovely,” Aziraphale spoke softly. “But I’ve kept it in tip top condition for over 200 years and I’d hate to see anything happen to it,” Aziraphale looked up through his brows.
Ohhh that bastard.
“I see your point,” Crowley popped his lips with the P. “But come on Angel. ‘S just one night. We can go to the Ritz, enjoy some good food, live music, and then come back and drink bottles of Châteauneuf-du-Pape to end with,” Crowley glanced from the storage back to Aziraphale. “Plus, I’m sure by morning those agents won't bother you again,” Crowley said as a new, more devious, list formed in his head.
“Guess, I could be tempted to go out for the night. If… that’s what you’re meaning to do…?” Aziraphale leaned off the shelf. “Which I might add, is very wily of you,”
“Yup, just thought to tempt you all on my own. No outside prompting at all. Now, shall we?” Crowley miracled another pair of sunglasses into his hands
“Oh, alright ,” Aziraphale proverbially threw his hands up.
Crowley knew Aziraphale would only ever claim to know one kind of dance, but if the day ever came when Aziraphale would listen to him, Crowley would insist the angelic being knew two. Of course to do so Crowley would also have to mention that he too knew the dance.
But, for now, Crowley was happy to dance with Aziraphale like this. It was what their friendship was built on after all. An unspoken understanding between two beings who ought to understand each other better than their former offices ever did.
Plus it would be a stretch to try and explain in a report to Hell why he needed to scare two overly persistent real estate agents with a giant black and red snake head.