Chapter Text
PROLOGUE
28th September 1995.
“Well, this could be a problem.” Crowley muttered, scowling at the bolt twirling between his fingers. The long lens of his telescope lay on the grass at his feet.
Understatement, really, this was more than a problem, it was a catastrophe! Crowley had spent all afternoon hunting for his telescope among the towering boxes cluttering his new home in Tadfield, and now he had a fiddly bolt to deal with?
The telescope wasn’t even that old! His mother gave it to him for his seventh birthday when Crowley had shoved the magazine advert in her face. That was only three years ago!
The problem was that the bolt had become rusty. Crowley often had problems moving the lens around and would grumble about it to his mum. She would smile and tell him that he used the telescope too much whilst drenching the bolt with some WD40.
Crowley did use the telescope a lot, true. More than a lot. Pretty much every single night, actually, but wasn’t that the whole point of having a telescope? Who buys a telescope to just… never use it?
The bolt had always been a small problem that his mum managed to fix somehow, the important thing was that the lens still worked.
Except now that stupid rusty bolt might ruin everything!
Crowley couldn’t attach the lens to the tripod. Not on his own anyway, the bolt had rusted too much and took too much effort to screw in, he couldn’t hold the lens in place at the same time. What he needed was for someone to hold onto the lens whilst he worked on fixing the bolt in properly.
He could ask his mother, she always helped him set up his telescope, but mid-afternoon she had disappeared into her home office, the only room so far that had been unpacked and somewhat organised, with some urgency and Crowley was under strict instructions not disturb her for any reason unless it was an emergency.
She had yet to emerge from her office.
Crowley doubted she would see setting up his telescope as an emergency.1
The setting sun cast a dim glow on the lens’s glossy surface and Crowley growled at the thing, he thrustred the bolt into his pocket and turned to kick a stray pebble in his frustration, not wanting to damage the precious lens.
No stars for him tonight, then. The telescope will have to be placed in time out for this; it should really know better… perhaps Crowley should ask his mum for a new telescope next year. That would teach this one not to mess with him on his bir-
A faint cough caught Crowley’s attention.
The neighbours? Perhaps all was not lost after all!
Crowley peered over the garden fence and spotted a young boy around the same age as him sitting under a tall apple tree. The boy was soft-looking, wearing a pale blue shirt, brown trousers, and a soft grey coat sheltering him from the autumn chill. It was the halo of platinum blonde curls that caught Crowley’s attention, though, the evening light shining on them just right, reminding Crowley of the classic paintings he had seen in the museums back in London. The boy sat on a tartan blanket, a book on his lap and round glasses perched on the end of his nose; he was smiling down at the book contentedly.
“Hey!” Crowley shouted, making the boy jump and frantically scan the garden. Crowley waved his arm in the air and continued shouting. “Excuse me!”
The other boy’s eyes quickly locked onto Crowley’s.2
“Oh.” He said. “Hello… erm, was that you?”
“Yep!” Crowley responded, draping one arm over the fence and leaning against it casually. “'was wondering if you could help me out with something quickly?”
“Oh.” The boy said, removing his glasses and placing them on top of his book. “Perhaps? What exactly do you need help with?”
“My telescope,” Crowley answered. “Lens needs fitting, but bolt is a bit fiddly. Mum’s working, so can’t ask her. It is extremely important that I set it up tonight.”
“Well, alright.” The boy responded and closed his book, placing a bookmark on the page. “Just a moment, please.”
The boy gathered up his book, glasses and blanket, and placed them on a garden table near the back entrance to his house.
A few moments later, he followed Crowley to the abandoned telescope. Crowley had convinced him to jump the garden fence rather than walk all the way to the front of the house. The other boy had done so, reluctantly.
“So, what exactly do you need me to do?” he asked as they approached the telescope.
“Just hold the lens in place here for a second,” Crowley answered, holding the lens securely on the tripod.
The other boy took a firm hold of it. “Like this?” he asked.
“Yep, perfect, now, just hold it there whilst I screw in this blasted bolt,” Crowley said, digging the bolt out of his pocket and ducking down.
“Alright…” the boy said, holding the lens firm.
Crowley gripped the back of the tripod with one hand and used the other to start screwing in the bolt, eventually switching to a screwdriver. Blast, the thing was tough.
“Um,” The other boy started, after a few moments. “I’m Aziraphale, by the way.”
Crowley looked up to see bright blue eyes looking down on him, smiling shyly.
“Nice to meet you.” Crowley nodded quickly and turned his attention back to the task at hand. “Alright, just- just, a couple more turns, annnnd…”
Finally, the bolt screwed in as far as Crowley could manage; it wasn’t all the way, but Crowley gave the lens a little shake, and it was sturdy enough.
“Ok, you can let go now,” Crowley said, standing, a little out of breath. He grinned at the telescope. “Hello, gorgeous.”
The other boy made a muffled sound that Crowley thought sounded like spluttering. Concerned, he turned to make sure the boy was ok and found him looking away and shuffling his feet.
Odd… What was his name again?
“Erm, it is a lovely telescope,” the boy said. “Is uh, is something big happening tonight?”
“Oh, nah.” Crowley shrugged.
“But… but you said it was extremely important that you set it up tonight?” The boy huffed.
Was he seriously huffing?
“Wha- It is!” Crowley said incredulously. “I- look, I always stargaze on this night. Have done every year for… I don’t know a long time. ‘S important for me. Okay? Sentimental.”
“Oh.” The other boy muttered. “I see… My apologies, in that case, I am glad I could help.”
“Yeah, thanks. Although if I’m lucky, I might spot the Orionid shower tonight.” Crowley said, looking up at the sky. “Although that is not supposed to be peak for another couple of weeks.”
“How do you know that?” The boy asked, curious.
“Was in the Celestial Observer,” Crowley said, grinning. “They know when all the meteor showers are happening. ‘S great! They’re fun to watch, too! The showers, that is. Just… stars everywhere!” Crowley waved his arms around in the air, trying to imitate the stars to prove his point.
“Oh, that does sound wonderful.” The boy gushed, clasping his hands together and beaming.
“Ngk!” Crowley said. “So, uh, what was your name again, Azira- something?”
“Aziraphale.” The boy, Aziraphale, responded. “It is an odd name, I know. I was named after an angel.”
“Aziraphale,” Crowley said. Aziraphale’s smile widened, and he nodded frantically. Crowley thought it was adorable. “Parents religious?”
“Yes. My Father is the priest at the local church.” Aziraphale sighed.
Oh great.
“Well, ‘s a cool name anyway,” Crowley said, shrugging.
“Thank you.” Aziraphale smiled. “I, uh, you didn’t tell me your name, though?”
“Oh! Crowley, Anthony J. Crowley.” Crowley said, offering his hand to Aziraphale. “But I prefer just Crowley.”
“Well, it is very nice to meet you, Just Crowley,” Aziraphale said, taking Crowley’s hand and shaking it, his eyes twinkling. “Is that what the J stands for?”
Crowley rolled his eyes fondly, so he was funny too. “Nah. ‘S just a 'J' really.” He grinned. “Makes sense that you are an angel, though. Taking time out of your day to help a lowly demon like myself, you didn’t even question coming into a stranger's garden!”
Aziraphale blushed. “I- We look about the same age! I also doubt you are a demon! I am certainly not an an-”
“Thanks for helping me with my telescope, angel.” Crowley interrupted, grinning. Aziraphale’s blush deepened, but he smiled shyly in response. “Hey!” Crowley added, “How about you watch the stars with me tonight? If you’re lucky, I might even let you use the telescope.”
Aziraphale’s eyes widened, bright, beaming smile slowly appearing like the sun rising. “I’ll go ask mother!” He blurted, running back towards his house, not thinking twice about jumping the fence this time.
Perhaps living here won’t be so bad.
