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‘It’s over-rated!’ said Crowley firmly.
‘Hmm?’
Aziraphale looked up enquiringly. He had not, he realised, entirely been listening. But then the birdsong in the garden at this time of year was intoxicatingly distracting.
‘Being human.’ Crowley waved his glass so dramatically that only the power of expectation prevented it from sloshing all over his lap. ‘No powers. Forgetting stuff. Only seeing a teeny, tiny slice of life. It’s ssshhiiitt.’ He leaned forward dramatically. ‘Never again!’
Aziraphale smiled in amusement. ‘I hardly think the opportunity is likely to occur again!’
‘Thank fuck!’ said Crowley with feeling. ‘I can’t do it again.’
‘And yet,’ said Aziraphale firmly, amusement crinkling his eyes, ‘You managed to endure rather longer periods in the bowels of hell?’
‘Hell was better,’ said Crowley morosely.
‘Oh, it was, was it?’ Aziraphale fixed him with a quizzical look. ‘Legions of demons and the torments of the underworld were better than a few human years? Years, I might add, when you were married to me!’ He pouted in playful indignation. ‘I hardly think that is a flattering comparison.’
Crowley hissed. ‘You know what I mean. It wasn’t you.’
‘It was a version of me.’
‘I prefer this version.’
‘Well,’ said Aziraphale playfully, ‘I should say that you are terribly fortunate in that you get both!’ His expression softened. ‘I would imagine,’ he said quietly, ‘That in any version of reality I should be yours eventually. If… er… that is, you’d have me.’
He swallowed a little more forcefully than usual as a vision of a world in which Crowley wouldn’t want him pressed at the edges of his thoughts.
‘Course I bloody well would,’ said Crowley, shuffling closer and taking Aziraphale’s hand in his. ‘Every single time.’ He grinned wickedly. ‘Eventually.’
The angel raised an eyebrow, ‘And what is that supposed to mean?’
‘Well…’ Crowley, ‘I dunno. Maybe in some of them I make you come begging.’
Aziraphale’s expression flitted through disapproval before settling into resigned acceptance.
‘And I’m sure that were it necessary, I should do that very thing.’
Crowley’s eyes glinted.
‘Well… in that case-’
‘Fortunately.’ Aziraphale interrupted quickly, ‘It was not necessary.’
‘Shame,’ Crowley muttered. ‘Later…’
Aziraphale studiously ignored him.
‘I must admit,’ Aziraphale continued thoughtfully, ‘I do think we gained rather from experiencing it. Being human I mean. Seeing it from the er – inside – as it were gives one certain insights. Perhaps a greater appreciation of things.’
Crowley shrugged, reluctant to cede any territory. ‘Was still shit.’
‘It wasn’t,’ Aziraphale continued gently. ‘I enjoyed it. All of it. Discovering things with you. Growing closer. Finding you without all the, well, the trauma of eternity I suppose. It was beautiful in it’s own way. And then, having learned to love you in all the finite human ways, when eventually we remembered… when I found out that we actually could live together for for ever and that til death us do part didn’t apply. Well then….’ He paused, eyes watering with the enormity of remembering. ‘I really don’t have the words for quite how wonderful that was.’ He squeezed Crowley's hand.
There was a short silence.
‘Guess you’re right,’ said Crowley, with a heavy sigh.
Aziraphale grinned. ‘Of course.’
‘Not gonna do the I was wrong dance.’
‘I wouldn’t dream of expecting it.’
‘Might do this though,’ said Crowley, moving in for a kiss.
‘Yes,’ said Aziraphale. ‘I was rather hoping you might.’