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Word Count: 9802
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Summary
In which Crowley and Aziraphale's affairs were not discovered until after the notpocalyse and their actions put Aziraphale against the biggest threat he's ever faced -
Crowley...or his wings.

***

Aziraphale couldn't be punished for a crime he hadn't committed.
It had been his choice to keep them in the dark when Crowley suggested they try and raise a child- influence was a better word, really, but turned into raising once neglectful parents were thrown into the equation- as normal and neutral as any child could be...if not a bit of a brat.
As far as both their respective sides knew, they'd done the best they could and failed.
This is what kept Aziraphale thankful that he hadn't visited Heaven in centuries. Had he told them of his mottling, it may have turned up disastrous.
Had Gabriel seen he and Crowley at the Military base before either had miracles themselves away- disastrous.

Still having to deal with heaven poking at him to find out what exactly happened now?
Annoying, but not disastrous.

Aziraphale knew what had happened- he had been there.
However, whatever Gabriel didn't know, wouldn't hurt him.

Crowley, on the other hand, was a different story.

They'd done as they'd been told, switching faces as Agnis had suggested, but only Crowley had had to face the consequences, well, Aziraphale-As-Crowley. Meanwhile the actual Demon need only to wait for his counterpart, silently fretting, though never admitting, what would happen to the other before he finally made a safe return.

Dining at the Ritz later that afternoon had been pleasant and relaxing, something neither had gotten in centuries.
Heaven had no use for earth at the moment, only to keep Aziraphale busy doing the dirty work for them- and if history was to repeat itself, they wouldn't check up on the paperwork

Then there was Crowley, who, as far as Hell knew, was no longer one of them, and therefor no longer their concern.

"How does it feel?" Aziraphale hummed behind the napkin he was using to dab at his face, ridding it of any left over crumbs from the pink macaroons he'd just indulged in.

"How does what feel?" Crowley cocked an eyebrow.

"Well, being free." Aziraphale folded his hands in his lap.

Crowley shrugged, tapping a finger lazily on the back of the chair that he leaned against, "Close to the same. Hell never particularly kept an eye on me- s'alright though."

"Really? Not even a bit different?" Aziraphale frowned.

"Do you want me to say I feel renewed?" Crowley snorted.

"Well, it's just- aren't you glad you don't answer to anyone anymore?"

"Have you ever known me to answer to someone, Angel?" Crowley cracked a grin.

Aziraphale sighed, "No, no...I suppose not."

Crowley hummed quietly, "How about you? How's upstairs treatin' this?"

"Oh, well, they haven't exactly said anything about it...all is quiet at the moment." Aziraphale gave a small smile.

"S'good.." Crowley sounded skeptical, "They don't suspect...?"

"Not a thing." Aziraphale's smile grew slightly before the bill was delivered to them and he murmured a small thank you to the waiter. He began to reach out before Crowley snatched it.

"I've got this one." Crowley flipped open the small, black envelope.

"Oh?" Aziraphale chuckled in amusement.

"'Figure it's the nice thing to do." Crowley inwardly shuttered at the word bur Aziraphale smiled happily at the progress.

Crowley winced at the size of the bill, "Really, Angel, is this much food necessary?"

Aziraphale gasped, "One never mentions another's eating habits, Crowley!" He gave the demon a light slap on the shoulder.

Crowley repeated the sentence in a mocking tone before snapping his fingers to miracle- or, curse really- up some banknotes.

"Really, Crowley, you shouldn't be abusing your powers, they might-"

"Have you seen the paperwork room in hell? It's atrocious...we're still going through the name files from when we all..." Crowley waved his hand dismissively.

Aziraphale understood.
He couldn't comprehend what falling would he like...all he understood, from what little Crowley had let on about, was that it was unpleasant and something that wasn't a subject to he brought up. Despite Aziraphale's curiosity, he wasn't found to force Crowley to discuss it...the fallen had been wiped from most Angel's memories, if not all, and the archives held nothing more than a summary of the event. The names of those who had fallen had long since been burned. It was a plague on heaven's holy grounds to be curious of such things.
Being curious at all seemed to be much of a plague in of itself.

"Well, I appreciate the gesture." Aziraphale nodded to the money that was now secured in the envelope as Crowley set it down on the table to be picked up.

"Don't get used to it. It's just an aftereffect from me pretending to be you." Crowley lounged back in his chair.

"Well, I do quite think it suits you." Aziraphale nodded with a smile.

"Oh, good, you like the you me rather than the me me?" A twinkle of amusement shone behind Crowley's shades.

"Please, Crowley, you know that's not true." Aziraphale rolled his eyes.

"Do I?" Crowley smirked, "Do tell, Angel, do tell, what's much better about evil than good?"

Aziraphale thought for a moment, "You're not evil, Crowley."

"I'm not?" Crowley gasped in mock surprise.

"Far from it, really- you got kicked out of hell for-"

"Bathing in Holy water." Crowley cut in with a sneer.

"And why did that trial take place?" Aziraphale pressed.

"Because I murdered someone in the most excruciatingly painful way known to demons." Crowley said this simply.

Aziraphale sighed, "And why did you do that?"

"Because a bastard of an angel gave me holy water." Crowley said this with a wink.

"Crowley!" Aziraphale gasped but couldn't keep a slight smile off his face.

"Am I wrong?" Crowley sat up as the check was returned taken.

"I didn't give that to you so you could ago around murdering people." Aziraphale sniffed.

"No, no you didn't." Crowley sighed and it suddenly became quiet at the thought of the original use of the holy water.

Aziraphale found himself shifting in his seat at the thought before glancing over at Crowley, "I'm glad that you're here."

"Where else would I be?" Crowley played a grin.

"I don't know what I'd possibly do without- well, without you being here." Aziraphale squeezed his hands tighter in his lap.

"Same goes for you, s'ppose." Crowley said this genuinely.

"What do we do now?"

"Don't know. Take a nap?"

"You know I don't sleep." Aziraphale rolled his eyes.

"You could try it." Crowley suggested.

"Then maybe you can try eating." Aziraphale smirked.

"My body is a satandamn temple, Angel." Crowley remarked sarcastically.

"Well, you're not wrong." Aziraphale muttered.

"What was that?" Crowley looked a tad bit stunned.

"Oh, um- nothing, dear." Aziraphale glanced away as if not making eye contact with the demon would hide his blush.

"Angel, you flatter me." Crowley stood up, "Come on,"

"Where to?" Aziraphale brushed himself off as he stood.

"Well, I have nowhere to be, and you know what really happened so you can stall as long as you want- anywhere, really. America, Australia, the ice caps-"

"Saint James' Park?" Aziraphale smiles warmly.

Crowley sighed with a small smile that he quickly covered up with a smirk, "Right, let's go then." He offered Aziraphale his arm before he could think twice about it.

Aziraphale took his arm before he could think twice about it.

Both of them seemed to instantly regret this.

In a bittersweet manor.

As they left the restaurant arm and arm, Aziraphale thought about the feeling of flying. Soaring up and then free falling...and that's exactly what his stomach was doing at the moment, his arm linked with Crowley's.

Loving Crowley was simple. It was a constant thought that was there at the back of his head always.
He'd just never been able to act on it before...
Something had changed, though.
Something was shifting and...

"Our bench?" Crowley questioned.

Aziraphale felt tingles go through him at the way Crowley called it their bench, as if it belonged to them but only them. Not each of them as an individual- but then together, "That sounds nice." He felt himself move closer to Crowley as they walked along the pavement that led up to their bench.

Upon sitting down, they unlinked arms and both began to feel rather down about such a matter before refocusing their attention elsewhere.

"'Fairly sure the ducks are spying on us." Crowley narrowed his eyes at the few ducks left in the pond before them.

"Oh? Spies?" Aziraphale looked at the other in amusement.

"Yuh...look at 'em- that gray one with the red eyes s'alright but 'em white ones over there won' stop starin you down, Angel."

"Jealous, are we?" Aziraphale grinned.

Crowley scoffed and waved his hand dismissively, "Obviously not- what kind of competition are ducks?"

"You tell me, dear, you're the one glaring at them." Aziraphale mused.

"Only 'cause they were glaring at me first." Crowley narrowed his eyes.

"I don't believe ducks can glare-"

"Whether you believe it or not, they can, Angel. And those ducks are glaring f'I've ever seen a duck glare."

"Well, have you?"

Crowley sputtered, "Of course I have!" He seemed flustered.

"What ever you say." Aziraphale chuckled.

"Blasted ducks with their glares and their ears..." Crowley grumbled.

"Now, now, don't get too bent out of shape. They haven't done anything to you."

"Yet." Crowley hissed.

"Crowley, please." Aziraphale patted the other's leg with a roll of his eyes.

"Oh, come on, Angel, give me what I can get." Crowley leaned back smugly.

"You're a demon, I'm quite sure you can get anything you'd like with a bit of tempting." Aziraphale cast his gaze out on the pond, noting that the ducks did seem to be staring at them- what few of them were left at this hour.

"You'd be surprised." Crowley hummed, "You're an Angel-"

"Which means I can't stray too far outside the lines before they straighten me back up again." Aziraphale frowned slightly.

"Aw, you've got a to have a bit more freedom than that, don't you? You're with me, after all- pretty sure heaven wouldn't exactly approve of that."

"Quite right."

Both demon and angel looked startled as one of the ducks spoke in an annoyingly familiar voice.

Aziraphale instantly felt his stomach so a flip and he gripped the bench he sat in tightly as two of the white ducks turned into one Gabriel and one Michael.

"So glad I was able to catch you." Gabriel clasped his hands together as he walked across the pond water and stepped over the short fence, striding up to Aziraphale as Michael smugly followed behind him.

"Gabriel," Aziraphale cleared his throat, standing up to greet the archangels. He had half the mind to run but his better judgment told him not to, "Fancy...seeing you are here.."

"Oh, I'm sorry, did I not tell you I was going to look into your situation?" Gabriel gave a fake grimace, "Yikes! Well, we got word from the back channels we might find you hanging around...fallen folk." Gabriel addressed Crowley with a gaze that suggested they had seen each other before.

Crowley met Gabriel's gaze with a fierce glare from behind his sunglasses.

Gabriel slowly turned his attention back to Aziraphale, "And, clearly, something has to be done about that." Gabriel gave an all too white smile and raised a hand, prepared to snap his fingers.

Crowley looked about ready to spring forward to defend his angel before Gabriel snapped and all three angels disappeared from the park.

Crowley lunged too late and fell on cold grass where Aziraphale had just been standing before he'd been so abruptly taken away from him. He gripped the edge of the bench tightly, thinking nothing in specific, just raw hatred—

The sky became overcast by accident of Crowley's emotions getting to him before he could get a handle on them and he wished desperately he had a way into heaven.

"Riddle me this. Why is he being punished? You saw the way that- that bastard was handling things? You've always seen the way he's handled things!" Crowley spat at the sky, "Are you too busy spectating that you can't actually help for a second?"

No response.
This was expected.

Crowley's nails dug into the splintery wood and he bit back another remark.

Somebody had taken his angel away from him.
And if he wasn't back soon enough,
All hell wouldn't break loose.

All Crowley would break loose.

And that was inarguably worse.

***

Aziraphale's mouth went dry when he appeared in a starch white room, a very familiar one with two sets of eyes glaring at him.

"Care to explain?" Gabriel's eyes narrowed as they met Aziraphale's.

"I-I was simply doing as you asked- keeping a closer eye on the demon Crow-"

"Shut up," Gabriel scowled, "We have more than enough information to suggest and show that you've been socializing with him far before I mentioned anything whatsoever- do you have any idea in what kind of danger you've placed all of heaven in? A demon and an angel, the kind of information he could have exploited?"

Michael seemed to nod with a smirk in agreement but not say much.

"He-He's not working for hell anymore-" Aziraphale tried to defend the other.

"Does that matter? He's a fallen angel...that happens for a reason, Aziraphale." Gabriel's tone darkened.

Aziraphale felt small around the other and found himself cowering.

Gabriel pinched the bridge of his nose, "It's obvious what's happened here..."

"It um...it- it really isn't-" Aziraphale's mind raced far too fast for him to keep up with his own thoughts, "He was tempting me!" He blurted our unintelligently.

This stopped the pacing that Gabriel had picked up and earned a confused, troubled expression from Michael.

"Pardon?" Gabriel looked at Aziraphale.

"Y-Yes- well, I can feel it now...that I'm...away from him," Aziraphale swallowed nervously as both archangels looked at him with piercing gazes, "That...he was tempting me- to stay by his side...t-to join him." It was all a lie. Should the archangels have spent any time to get to know Aziraphale, they'd have known this- however, with the luck of the devil, they were ignorant.

"Is that so?" Michael hissed, "Why should that be believable at all?"

"B-Because...because..." Aziraphale searched for an answer, "B-Because God trusted me enough to guard the eastern gate a-and humanity and...she wouldn't have done that should I have fraternized with a demon." He lifted his chin slightly to support his argument.

Gabriel sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"You aren't seriously considering this are you?" Michael scoffed.

"He's one of our best, Michael." Gabriel hissed, on other certain circumstances, Aziraphale might have found himself flattered- but not now, not when he was being punished for such an absurd "crime".

"A moment." Gabriel murmured before snapping and suddenly aziraphale couldn't hear what either angel was saying as they began to bicker back and forth.

It seemed that Michael suggested something that had oddly taken Gabriel's interest and caused a moment of thought between them before some nodding.

Aziraphale could think of nothing more than simply wanting to return to his bench with his demon. His demon. The one of which he was his angel to.
His angel.

Aziraphale began to consider if quitting heaven was an option- could someone quit the all-mighty?
Was that even possible?
Too many questions.
Those were never too good a thing as far as he was concerned.

Finally, Gabriel snapped his fingers again and Aziraphale could hear him sigh.

"We've come to a verdict." Michael smirked with a twinkle in her gaze the made Aziraphale suddenly grow sick and stiff.

"You can continue your time on earth, on behalf of heaven...however, you're never to interact with the demon Crowley ever again, is that understood?" Gabriel looked Aziraphale dead in the eyes.

"And...out of curiosity...what happens if I do?"

Michael responded this time, "For every interaction. Let it be verbal, physical, or eye-contact- any attention that you substantially focus on him...you will lose a feather or two for every interaction.." Her eyes were cold and menacing.

Aziraphale felt his head spin, "Wh-what would happen if I ran out of feathers?"

"It shouldn't come to that- should you have actually been tempted. Which, also comes with this fun package. You can temporarily...borrow the archangel's ability to deny tempting...for until you can build up an immunity to it yourself- I'm sure it'll rub off in no time...regardless, I'm sure you know what would happen."

Aziraphale's mouth went open and closed a few times before a small, almost inaudible, response left his lips, "I'd fall.." It was more of a statement than a question.

"Precisely." Gabriel grinned.

"What's keeping me from simply-...quitting? On a hypothetical note- should he himself get too close and I- find it too much-"

"Oh, well, I should hope you're not considering that. Quite shameful, that'd be...fire seems like a nice replacement of a pink slip, don't you agree?" It was a threat. And one that Aziraphale knew not to take lightly.

"Ah, of course." Aziraphale's voice sounded shaky.

"Great!" Gabriel clasped his hands together before looking between Michael and Aziraphale, "I think we're done here then? Yes? Brilliant. Hope to see you soon, Aziraphale- hope not to see you under different circumstances." Gabriel glance down at the floor in reference.

"Right...I'll just be...on my way then-"

"One more thing," Gabriel added, "The bigger the interactions, the more feathers lost, same with the amount lost over time- Incase you were thinking it wouldn't matter that a few visits would be equivalent to a few feathers. Just remember, hell's keeping your seat warm." Gabriel winked with a pearly smile before Aziraphale nodded with a lift of his eyebrows and then snapped himself back to his library.

Upon appearing at his desk, the angel collapsed into his chair, letting his head fall into his hands.

Quite the pickle indeed...

***

Crowley wasn't quite sure as to if he should head for his flat or the bookshop.
However, it seemed his Bentley had made up its mind for him as he absently drove it, allowing it to bring him down familiar roads.
Crowley had nothing and everything on his mind.
Something felt...off...
That is, until he could feel Aziraphale's presence on earth again.
He immediately floored it to the bookshop only to find the car had already been making its way over there.
No music played.
Crowley had turned the radio off.
He didn't think he could stand whatever song the car would place to how he felt at the moment. Either punk rock or violins- or both- did that exist?
If it hadn't before, it did now.

Something felt different, when he pulled up to the book shop...something was new...

While Aziraphale was able to feel love, in a generalized, non-specific way- bless that fact or he'd have caught on to specifically Crowley ages ago- Crowley was able to do the same with feelings such as hate or regret...negative feelings, essentially.
And it wasn't a normal feeling for him when he showed up at the bookstore. Usually he couldn't feel anything at all, meaning it was loved to an extent where it expelled all hate...it was more than concerning that he was able to feel something when he strode up to the door.
He frowned at the sign that read that the shop was closed and quickly flicked a finger over the lock, instantly unlocking the door before opening it cautiously, guard up incase there were any other angels about than his specifically, "Ange- Aziraphale?" Crowley called out quietly as he slowly crept into the establishment, door shutting behind him with a creek.

Crowley may have assumed nobody was home before he saw the chair at the front desk was shaking side to side as if someone had rushed off of it.

"Aziraphale, what's-" Wrong, "Going on?" Crowley called out.

Memories of the bookstore's fire began to fill his mind and he felt his heart rate pick up. He had to take a minute to remind himself that there was no need to panic. He could feel Aziraphale's presence.

"Angel, I know you're here- it's me, nobody else- is someone else here?" Crowley bristled slightly at the thought of someone possibly holding the other against his will and he quickly pushed his sunglasses up on the bridge of his nose before sauntering into the back room.

No sight of the other.

"Aziraphale!" Crowley called, almost a bit desperately.

No response.

This couldn't be good. Aziraphale might have been difficult at times but would never ignore him on purpose. Perhaps conveniently avoid where he might know where Crowley is, but never flat out ignore.
Crowley's eyes flickered to the stairs that led up to the living area of the store. He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. Aziraphale only used that space for useless book storage- he'd have no sensible reason to go up there. However, that didn't keep Crowley from creeping up the stairs, "Aziraphale..." His voice was hushed as he called down the hallway.
That's when he heard rustling from the room to the left, the bedroom, and he swiftly made his way forward, lifting a heel and kicking the door open only to find the angel cowering in a corner, hands at the level of his eyes with his back facing Crowley.

Crowley suddenly softened at the sight, "Aziraphale, what in the name of Satan are you doing?" There was no response but Crowley saw Aziraphale flinch. He squinted and advanced towards the angel, reaching out a hand and touching it to the angel's shoulder, "Aziraphale, what-"

Aziraphale turned around only to slap Crowley's hand away, "G-Go away."

Crowley felt a pain like none other stab him in his chest, "Excuse me?"

Aziraphale didn't respond but rather went back into the same position he'd been in a moment before, "Angel, I demand you tell me what's going on right now. Did someone hurt you?" Crowley sounded more angry than he meant to, "Who the heaven-"

"Crowley, you need to leave!" Aziraphale's voice shook.

"You're being daft. Ridiculous. You-"

"Go away!" Aziraphale yelled and Crowley flinched.

He saw the angel shake but maybe that was his vision blurring with confusion. He felt it. The pain and hate that burned in Aziraphale's voice. It was directed at him but not meant for him. That didn't keep it from hurting, "Fine." He spat, "I'll be back at- never mind, nothing you need to know." He turned around sharply and made his way back towards the door.

"Crowley-"

If it hadn't been for the helplessness, the shakiness, in Aziraphale's voice, Crowley may not have stopped. He did not speak though.

"Crowley, I-" Aziraphale could hardly speak as the sensation of burning hit his back, "I'm sorry, please know that."

Crowley paused a moment longer before leaving without a word.

Aziraphale pressed a hand to his forehead and got up as soon as he was sure that Crowley was gone. He took a sharp intake of breath and then a nod. He needed to figure this out. There had to be a way to reverse this...he couldn't continue like this with Crowley ignoring him.

He knew though, he knew it was beyond his powder. It took the rank of an archangel to fix this and he had none of the sort that was on his side.

He desperately wished he could explain to Crowley just exactly what was going on. How could he, though? Every time he was so much as in the same room as the demon, he could feel his wings withering away.

Bit by bit.
His heart would follow suit.

Crowley's plants got the scaring of their life that night.
All that pent up anger had to go somewhere.

It wasn't exactly anger at Aziraphale, however, it was anger at whoever the fuck had hurt him.
Whoever had threatened him into fear.

This wasn't his angel, not truly...someone was in control of him, the puppet master.

Despite knowing this wasn't coming from the true Aziraphale, it didn't ease the pain that the other's words had brought him.

"I don't see how this great, Ineffable plan of yours is doing anyone any good. Really." Crowley paced, "It's ironic, truly, that your followers are going to be the downfall of us all." He paused, "Here I thought it was bad to fall, now I'm fairly certain I'm glad I did." He knew it wasn't true.
He'd give nearly anything for his old wings back. Wings that were capable of flying high enough into the heavens without having to switch bodies to take control of an Angel's wings.
He had loved his wings before.
But he loved Aziraphale more.
Because it occurred to him that should he not have fallen...he may not have met to chubby angel that'd more than possessed his heart- not that he would ever, in eternity, admit that perhaps, but it was enough to frustrate him once again.
True hate had come from Aziraphale's words. But to whom was the hate directed at? Meant for?

It troubled Crowley deeply.
It was easier just to be upset with Aziraphale and blame it all on him, that maybe there wasn't a bigger force acting on him to do this.

However, easy as it may be, it left him unsettled. He couldn't deal with that.

Being a demon, it was normal to feel unsettled, uncomfortable, all of the above and more...but never with Aziraphale...never.

Meanwhile, Aziraphale had scanned his shelves top to bottom without any luck. It's not like anyone would be able to write on the hierarchy of angels and what those powers entailed.

It shouldn't have been this important to him.
Crowley shouldn't have been this important to him.
But not matter how hard he tried, he couldn't move on from the sudden absence of love he'd felt when he had snapped at Crowley.
He tried to focus on what had left him so dismayed...aside from Crowley leaving...it felt like something more...some bend in reality that had always been there without being noticed.
It caused him to shutter with apprehension.
Then realzation.

Love.
A general feeling of love.
Aziraphale had assumed it'd been his shop that generated it but...the moment he'd snapped at Crowley...the love seemed to flicker and then leave along with the serpent.

Aziraphale's face turned red and he lifted a hand to feel the heat of the blush.

Crowley loved him.
Crowley loved him.

Why?
Why was this not a realization until just now?
Aziraphale felt himself curl in on himself with a frustrated sigh and a wince.
He sat up and shouldered his coat off before unbutton his vest until all he had on as an undershirt.
He had plenty alike.
It didn't matter if those one ripped.
With some consentration and pain, Aziraphale summoned his wings, which spread out before him, looking a bit tattered and patchy at the ends.
The parts that were patchy were scorched.
He shivered at this and suddenly felt overwhelming empathy for what Crowley had to go through.
That on top of being cast out of heaven completely...
It terrified Aziraphale to his core.

But upon recollection of Crowley's reaction...

Aziraphale couldn't explicitly feel negative emotions, that was more Crowley's abilities than his, but he could, however, feel the absence of positive ones.
The drop that had taken place in the overall love that Aziraphale felt in his shop dropped to a hollow feeling when he'd snapped at the demon.
It was as if he'd fallen.
And was never going to fly again.
As if he'd hit the bottom only to break though and continue falling until this was fixed.

And it didn't make sense to him.

If he was going to fall...
Why should he have to fall twice?

A troublesome feeling indeed. Regret tended to do that to a being. Instant regret, though, tended to be all the more terrible. Simply due to the fact that you would have been so close to not making that mistake, had you thought it through...

On the contrary...Aziraphale wasn't entirely sure he'd have acted upon anything should the love not have sizzled to nothing for a moment- no- it hadn't disappeared...it had grown into heartache...

"Crowley loves me." Aziraphale remarked with a sigh before burying his face in his hands.

His wings curled around him to shield him from the outside world before he felt something singe and fall off the end. A smoldering feather fluttered to the ground.

Extensive thought seemed to do the trick as well and Aziraphale's eyes widened.

He was to live the rest of his life without Crowley or even the memory of him...

Hell had come early.

Regardless... if he were to lose his wings and be damned to hell, he would lose Crowley all together...

One day.
One. Singular. Day.
He would spend one more with the other.
Allow whatever damage would come.
And then disappear.

***

It had been a few days that Crowley had gone without seeing the angel. He currently sat on thei- a bench in Saint James' Park, throwing aspirins at the birds with hardy glares.
He wasn't sure he could ever appreciate ducks, or any avian life form for that matter, ever again, not in the same way.
His chest twisted bitterly at the memory of he and Aziraphale sitting here.
He wondered what that night may have led to should it have continued undisturbed.

It only made him Chuck the aspirins further.
The only thing that made him remotely smirk was when a particular pigeon exploded upon a few minutes of the aspirin being inside its system.
He waited for a moment for life to be willed back into it by some positive force before recalling that the angel wasn't here to balance out his wrong-doing.
He scowled and approached the bird, beginning to pick up its  dead corpse and willing life back into it.
It would now live an eternal life, "Serves you right for being daft enough to eat an aspirin. See how fun it is not dying. Trust me, Death is-"

"Part of life." A soft voice sounded behind Crowley, making him flinch then scowl, he stood up, letting the bird fly away, "I thought I was the one known to crawl. Seeing as how-"

"I've come crawling back to you, Yes, I-" Aziraphale's voice faltered before he continued, "I didn't mean...I didn't mean it, Crowley."

"You did." Crowley hummed, looking out at the pond as Aziraphale stood a few feet away.

"Really, Crowley, I-"

"Just didn't mean it for me." Crowley murmured.

Aziraphale fell quiet.
Crowley did as well.

"I'm...afraid, Crowley." Aziraphale admitted.

Crowley nodded slowly.

"I didn't...I shouldn't have lashed out at you, I'm-" Aziraphale's voice cut out as he felt a handful of feathers burn. He bit back a shriek, "I-I'm sorry.." He planted a gentle hand on Crowley's shoulder and bit his lower lip to keep himself from screaming as more feathers burned, smoldering slowly.

Crowley sighed, "Fine."

It was best of an acceptance of an apology that the demon could give.

"What made you change your mind on the whole...not wanting me around?" Crowley looked at Aziraphale.

Aziraphale looked at the pond, "I suppose I was freshly afraid...of Gabriel and of Michael." It wasn't a lie. But it wasn't the whole truth either.

"To hell with them." Crowley waved his hand.

Aziraphale gave a weak smile.

"I'm..." Crowley wasn't about to express pity for the angel, but he wasn't about to be apathetic, "I wish I'd been able to get you sooner, before they got you."

"You didn't what you could, love." Aziraphale smiled before he realized what he'd say and his face burned as much as his wings.

Crowley seemed to notice this because he went rigid.

"U-Um-" Aziraphale stuttered, "Dear, I meant- I mean-" He looked over at Crowley and the two locked eyes, one behind shades, though Aziraphale had grown used to them to where when he was at the close proximity, he could just depict the outline of his eyes. The fondness shares between them lasted but a moment before an especially painful scorch lashed Aziraphale's currently hidden wings and he seemed to lose his balance, falling forward.

Crowley seemed to have a momentary crisis as he tried to determine if he should catch the angel or not before deciding to and holding him up, "Aziraphale? Had a drink or two, I see?" He teased with a grin.

Crowley's touch burned against Aziraphale to the point where he needed to move but was paralyzed.
It was warm and it was Crowley- but it hurt like hell. Really, like actual hell- because it was.

Crowley quickly steadied him up.

"Oh, no no, not at all- I just...still a bit on edge I suppose." Aziraphale offered a sheepish grin.
He was going to fall for Crowley.
And already had in more ways than one.

"So...perhaps a spot of lunch?" Crowley cocked an eyebrow, "The ritz?"

Aziraphale opened his mouth to accept before another wave of pain came through and he shook his head. He needed to be in the safety of him home should anything happen.

Crowley frowned, momentarily disappointed before Aziraphale piped up.

"We could always have lunch at the bookstore?" He suggested.

"Tickety-Boo." Crowley mocked.

Aziraphale rolled his eyes before spotting that Crowley was once again offering his arm to him, though looking away as if he was doing this on accident.

Aziraphale looked at the other's arm and it was like trying a diet. You start off eating less thinking that will help- but by the end of the day, you're starving.
Touch-Starved in this case.
And if Aziraphale were to burn?
He'd burn the way he fancied, not sitting around allowing it to happen against his will.
He gladly took Crowley's arm and suddenly found himself leaning against the other for support as the pain became almost overwhelming.
And then- Aziraphale has a brilliant idea.
While he couldn't stop the process, he could stop the pain.
He paused before snapping his fingers and the pain vanished. It was now simply a buzz and the feeling of gentle petals falling from a flower.
He looked up at Crowley and smiled warmly.
Crowley gave a confused glance but said nothing more.

Gabriel has simply waisted his time providing Aziraphale resistance to temptation...Crowley tempted him by existing. But not in a demonic way, but in a consensual way as in that Aziraphale found himself wanting to be tempted, even when the demon wasn't meaning to.

That's what humanity was about.
Unexpected emotions and choices as to how you deal with them.
It was never one-sided.

"You perplex me, angel." Crowley sighed.

"How so?" Aziraphale hummed.

"I can never quite tell where your loyalties lie." Crowley frowned slightly.

Aziraphale was caught off-guard by this question, "Pardon?"

Crowley shook his head, "It's nothing." He grinned, "So, how snarky was Gabri...hold on, give me a moment to come up with a nickname.."

Aziraphale chuckled.
He wasn't exactly sure what would happen to him if he fell.
If he went to hell or if he'd stay on earth- or maybe he'd discorperate with such a gigantic change...
He knew his wings wouldn't grow back.
Not like Crowley's did black.
Crowley was...a special case, and that's all that Aziraphale knew...whatever rank he had had in heaven beforehand had been big enough for him not to lose his wings entirely on the fall. They were on the straggly side, of course, but not as fargone as Satan's, who had lost all feathers and turned into more of batwings.
It started Aziraphale at the thought that Crowley may have just outranked Satan enough to keep more distinct features. He was, by far, more attractive than any other demon by far- in a completely non-romantic way. And this was serious. All the other demons had scars or blemishes that were meant to make them look corrupted.
But, Crowley...
Crowley had just fallen...
Equivalent to banishment with a change in wing color and attitude.
As far as physical appearance went, Aziraphale wasn't sure how much he'd changed...but he looked quite alright in the angel's opinion.

Aziraphale could live without wings.
He could not live without Crowley.
Or, at least, that's what he hoped he'd believe in time.

"Goobriel." Crowley finally landed on.

"Goobriel?" Aziraphale snorted.

"Ah, work with me here, I haven't got a lot of material." Crowley scowled.

"It sounds perfect, dear." The angel smiled.

"Go-Sata- Angel, you're a sap." Crowley snorted.

"For you, dear, only for you." Aziraphale smiled.

"Oh, well that was just twice as sappy right there."

"You're a hypocrite to say so considering you are the one who offered me your arm." Aziraphale smirked cheekily.

"It's called being poli-" Crowley shuttered at the word, "It's called instincts."

"Your instincts are to latch onto me? I'm quite flattered." Aziraphale purred.

"Aren't you just being Mr.StraightForward today?" Crowley sounded partially confused.

"I realized what was important to me, Crowley," He looked up at the demon.

Crowley kept his gaze fixed ahead, "'M glad you finally caught up, then."

Aziraphale looked slightly surprised but didn't say anything more as they continued on towards the bookshop.

By the time they reached it, Aziraphale could feel his wings felt lighter than before. He knew that if he wanted to use them at all that he'd need to restore actual feeling to them, but that wouldn't be necessary yet.
He began to reach for his key before Crowley snapped and the door opened.

"That's settling." Aziraphale sniffed.

"After you." Crowley said in a mock tone.

"Oh, really, Crowley." Aziraphale smiles before entering.

Crowley paused before following.
Something was misplaced with his angel...but it was something he could ignore if it meant the other was going to finally take steps that Crowley had been willing to walk for centuries.
It was almost unsettling in the way that Crowley began to understand what Aziraphale had meant when he said that Crowley went too fast for him...this felt fest to an almost uncomfortable extent. But when his angel turned around from across the shop to give him a smile...it was genuine...and he was putty in the other's hand.
After all, fear was the only detectable emotion he could feel from the other, which being taken by heaven would give you...speaking of which, "What exactly happened in heaven?" He closed the door behind him and strode over to Aziraphale who was pouring them both some scotch.

Aziraphale flinched at this and sighed, sitting down, "Nothing good."

Crowley looked concerned and paused taking off his shades as he sat down across from the other.

"Nothing terrible either," Aziraphale reassured him. It was partially true.

"Such as?" Crowley moved his glass in circular motions before taking a sip.

"Gabriel threatened me for fraternizing with you." Not a lie.

Crowley's eyes narrowed into threatening slits, "Threatened you how?"

"My rank in heaven." Aziraphale murmured solemnly and took a sip of the scotch. This was as close to the full truth as he was willing to get, and he wasn't about to lie to Crowley.

"Angel, you're-"

"I know, I'm around you right now," He looked up and smiled at Crowley, "Please dear, take your sunglasses off, you don't need them around me."

Crowley hesitated before taking them off and setting them on the coffee table between them.

Aziraphale looked over Crowley's eyes like they were the world in all its perfection- and perhaps they were, "I told you, dear, I realized what was important to me."

Crowley perused his lips together.

Aziraphale recalled how he felt after casting Crowley out.
He began to feel something changing.

"You think a serpent is worth more of your time than the almighty?" Crowley snorted.

"Of course." Aziraphale frowned in confusion.

"That's quite a bit stupid of you." Crowley looked away from Aziraphale.

"Why is that?" Aziraphale furrowed his eyebrows, "You chose...you chose earth over Hell?"

"I didn't actually have much of a choice." Crowley muttered.

"What would you have chosen then?" Aziraphale challenged with a cock of an eyebrow.

Crowley took a slow sip of his scotch, "Same as you, I s'ppose."

"You'd choose yourself?" Aziraphale snorted in amusement.

"You." Crowley murmured against his scotch before taking a hefty swig of it. He'd gotten quite used to the burn of alcohol at the back of his throat, it almost felt strange if it wasn't there for too long.

"P-Pardon?" Aziraphale stuttered.

"Ah, I'm not repeating it, you heard." Crowley's featured became a splotchy red and he desperately wished he had his glasses back on to hide the way his pupils rounded at the thought of loyalty to the other.

"Crowley," Aziraphale whispered as he set down his already half-drunken glass of scotch. He could feel his brain was fuzzy but only buzzer. Scotch was fast worker but not that fast.

Crowley shrugged and took a giant take of his scotch, downing the rest of it.

"Crowley! You're going to burn yourself!" Aziraphale scolded.

"Wouldn't be the first time." Crowley cracked a grin as the tension eased slightly, "Mind pouring me some more?"

"Yes, I do mind." Aziraphale narrowed his eyes, "I'm not going to allow you to discorporate because you're downing alcohol too- oh good lord." Aziraphale watched as Crowley lazily grabbed the bottle and drank from the neck.

Crowley set it down with a fire in his eyes, "You really shouldn't test me, Angel."

"Oh really." Aziraphale glared and reached for the bottle to grab from Crowley.

Crowley swiftly snatched it and pulled it back.

"You snake!" Aziraphale scoffed and leapt to his feet- a little too fast as all the blood seemed to rush from his head and he couldn't find his balance for a moment. He blinked away the dark splotches and dizziness before turning and Crowley and stalking towards him with his chin raised, "Crowley, the scotch." He held his hand out.

Crowley simply took another shot from the neck, "I'd rather," He let out a small  belch, "Not."

"Crowley!" Aziraphale gasped and dove for the drink, stumbling from what he'd already drunken himself as they toppled onto the ground, Aziraphale pinning the lither one down.
They seemed to realize the intimacy of the position as soon as things settled and blushed profusely.

"C-Crowley, just give me the scotch and-" Aziraphale scoffed as Crowley morphed into a snake, involuntarily, but he wasn't going to admit that.

His large, serpentine form was able to wiggle free of Aziraphale's grasp, grabbing the scotch and dragging it away.

"Crowley, you're getting it all over the floor- CROWLEY!" Aziraphale shrieked as the snake downed the entire thing of scotch- not just the liquid.
The glass bottle too.
The snake slithered into the crook between the wall and a bookshelf but found himself stuck when the lump that was the scotch bottle, got lodged between the wall and the bookshelf.

Aziraphale paused before letting out a giggle at the sight, "Oh dear, I let me help you." He began towards the snake before his legs suddenly grew weak and he fell.
Apparently, just because he couldn't feel the pain, didn't mean it wasn't doing damage to his body in the process.

Crowley heard the thump and began to writhe around to try and get unstuck, "Ssssshit." He hissed, "Asssssiraphale?"

"I-I'm quite alright, dear." Aziraphale croaked, feeling weak.

Crowley struggled before pausing to miracle the scotch bottle out of his system and turning his massive head around to slither over to his angel, looking in horror as he saw him on the floor. He let out a hiss of dismay before approaching and coiling around the angel's arm, "'Er you alright?" He murmured in a serpentine voice.

"Quite." Aziraphale sat up, opting to sit on the floor with his legs crossed.

Crowley, still psyching himself out over wether he'd be able to turn back or not, opting to take advantage of this and slide into the Angel's lap, a handful of snake in what now seemed like such a small place to sit, he lifted his head so it was level with Aziraphale's.

"You're lying." Crowley hissed in concern, "I can ssseeee it in your eyes and feel it in my mind."

Aziraphale winced. He'd forgotten that Crowley could vaguely detect if someone was lying. It hadn't always worked on him but it apparently did now.

"You don't ssssleep anyway." Crowley's pupils narrowed.

The physical contact of Crowley being in the angel's lap was enough to a. Fluster him and b. Give him increasing weakness as his wings were aflame, no doubt.

"I suppose I just...fell for you, did I not?" Aziraphale had heard the pickup line in more than one romance novel.

This is what made Crowley back away and slowly turn into his human form, features red as the Apple he'd tempted Eve with.

"Where the heaven did you hear that one from?" Crowley tried to joke.

"O-Oh- well, Anathema actually introduced me to something called fan-fiction-"

"Ah, one of my best creations." Crowley smirked, "'Bout one of the evilest things I've invented this millennia." He looked at the ground when there was no response. He was still quite buzzed so it was hard to focus, it seemed that what scotch had drained into him as a snake was finally catching up to him, he struggled to recall what they'd just been talking about as all of this hit him at once. He focused on Aziraphale who smiled adoringly at him, "You're," He hiccuped, "Truly a wonder, Angel."

"Am I?" A smile crept onto Aziraphale's voice, "How so?"

"You've just- you know, got yourself going there." Crowley motioned vaguely with a hand.

"My what...?"

"You're adorable, you know that?" Crowley hummed.

Aziraphale felt his heart skip a beat, "I- didn't know, not exactly-"

"That's stupid." Crowley cracked a grin, "You must not own a mirror."

"Crowley, dear, I think downing an entire bottle of scotch wasn't the best idea-"

"You kidding?" Crowley began to slur before groaning as he hit his head, falling forward into the angel's lap, head laying comfortably on his cushy thigh, "Are you alright, Angel? I can- I can feel something off when I- when I touch you-" He was using all his mental strength to keep his thoughts in a line that made sense.

"You're being silly, dear." Aziraphale tried to hide how much this bothered him and how weak he was growing.

"Me? Silly, never..." Crowley yawned, "Goodnight, Angel..."

"You really shouldn't fall asleep drunk- too late." Aziraphale sighed. He reached a shaky hand to touch Crowley's feathery head of hair and curl it between his fingers with a smile.
He bent down and kissed the demon gently on the forehead- a bad idea as he felt his back convulse. He cringed despite being unable to feel the pain. He let out a shaky sigh and miracled up a pillow, gently getting up and placing the cushy pillow below the serpent's head.

"Goodnight, dear...please do know you mean the world to me...quite frankly, you're my world- I just...can't be yours anymore." He spoke in a hushed voice before blowing a light kiss, which also extinguished all the lights in the store.
With a snap, he had all his important books, some cocoa powder, favorite mug- and a pair of retro glasses, aware Crowley had plenty more, inside a satchel that he carried over his shoulder, not daring to look back at the sleeping figure as he exited the shop.

"Aziraphale."

Aziraphale half expected the voice to belong to Crowley- but was horrified when the door closed to find him and he was met face to face with a fuming Gabriel and Michael.

"Were my instructions not explicitly clear? You were to stay away from the demon Crowley." Gabriel growled.

"B-But, I was-"

"Don't claim you were tempted- that's impossible and we all are aware of it." Michael narrowed her eyes at the accused angel.

"Stop giving yourself a crutch. Don't think you can cheat at this." Gabriel snapped his fingers and Aziraphale was instantly able to feel the excruciating pain of his wings burning, five, maybe ten, times worse than the original sting. It made him verbally gasp before letting out a shrill of pain.

"Quit whining." Gabriel scowled, "You've done this to yourself. An example must be made of angels such as yourself...a pity, really."

"Not if you ask me." Michael muttered.

"Really, we should-"

Gabriel was interrupted as the door to the bookshop swung open, nearly hitting Aziraphale who was in a crumpled state a foot away from the door.

"Back the fuck away, is what you should." Crowley's voice was a deep growl as he glared at the two archangel's, serpentine eyes expose and forked-tongue flicking out with rage that burned throughout him.

"Wonderful." Gabriel narrowed his eyes.

Crowley stepped over Aziraphale, standing over the other who was in too much pain to voice any objection.

"Michael, would you please take care of him? I have more pressing matters to work on than this and disincorporation of two archangels is just a hassle. Too much paperwork."

Michael looked in slight fear at Gabriel, "He's the one, remember?"

"What are you on about?" Gabriel glanced at Michael.

"He's immune to holy water." Michael muttered sharply.

Gabriel's jaw set and he glared, "He's native. Should be easy."

"That would be an actual death, Gabriel." Michael looked at the other in dismay.

"Well, if you're not ready to suck the life out of someone's eyes, I am." He lunged at Michael but soon found the angel out of his grasp as her wings lifted and carried her along with them.

Gabriel scowled and followed, "Leave them be. He won't be a threat soon as the process is done- neither of them will. This has waisted enough time as is...hell can take care of the dirty work."

Michael nodded in agreement but flicked her wing, sending a sharp feather to slice the side of Crowley's face.

Crowley hissed and pressed a hand to his cheek where he'd been cut before both angels descended at a rapid pace.

"I'm following them, stay here." Crowley snarled.

"Crowley- Crowley Wait!" Aziraphale gasped out as Crowley summoned his wings and began his accent upwards.

Aziraphale shook with the effort before he summoned his wings, ripping through his coat that quickly mended itself to fit the tattered wings that were his.

There wasn't much left.
Some smoldering feathers along the skeleton that once were his wings.
It hurt more than anything he could express but he wasn't about to let Crowley go on a suicide mission to heaven, nor let them find out he in fact was not native.

Aziraphale staggered through the air and every flap of his, previously, massive wingspan was like swimming in lava.
Not something anyone would want to do.

"Crowley!" Aziraphale yelled as loud as he could.

Crowley could hardly hear him as he was flying twice the speed of Aziraphale.

Regardless, the normal speed for an Angel was immensely fast, their maximum speed that is, so a slow Angel would go as fast as a racing car.
A fully healed, not nearly falling angel would go at the speed of a rocket ship burning five times its usual fuel.

That was the speed Aziraphale was at while he followed Crowley.
The closer he got, the further his wings burned.

They were amidst the Stars now, which seemed to become bigger as they neared them, not that it wouldn't take days if not weeks to reach the nearest star, even at this speed.

"Crow...ley.." Aziraphale's wings were nearly gone completely, the bones of the skeleton slowly turning to dust. Slowly...slowly...Aziraphale felt his speed come to a halt...until it was no more, and he began to fall.
He shouldn't have been able to fall in space.
Not without gravity.
This was a different kind of fall...
And the gravity was hell itself.

"Crowley.." Aziraphale whispered this one, weak but with a small smile. He'd be able to see...he'd be able see his angel. His dark-winged angel fly before him at least before he was damned to hell, where he'd, more than likely, be burned.
He said the name not for Crowley but for himself. To hear the syllables roll off his tongue.

The cry that Aziraphale had made wasn't a loud one...but some how...

Crowley flinched as he felt a whisper in his ear.
It was one of unimaginable pain...of loss...and he was drawn to it- he felt it and it was- "Aziraphale?" He looked around and spotted the angel falling downward...but how would that work in- then he saw the smoldering wings and his heartbeat seemed to stop for a moment, "Oh...Oh...no...no...no, no, no, no!" He yelled and dove downward towards his angel that was rapidly picking up speed.

Not that anyone could hear you scream in space.

Crowley remembered how it felt to fall.
For everything. Every emotion to go with your wings...he'd been lucky enough not to lose his. Having been an archangel had had its perks...that distant now- and Aziraphale wasn't an archangel...he would lose his wings.
That hardly mattered though.
What mattered had been this.

Nobody had been there for catch Raphael when he fell...

But he'd be damned if he didn't catch Aziraphale.

He wizzed past stellar debris at unimaginable speed, reaching a hand out towards his angel, "Aziraphale!"

Aziraphale heard his name...and it was funny how physics worked for celestial being because he wished desperately that he could discorporate at this moment...but as this was the track to heaven...and then to hell...he couldn't die...not just on a physical level though- he couldn't die because Crowley was there. And he'd be damned if he'd let himself get so weak that he'd lose control of corporation right now.
However, if he stayed in the realms of space for too long, he knew it would happen, that his body couldn't strain this much to stay in tact.
He was hurtling back towards the earth at a deadly rate...
Death seemed to be inevitable...
But while Aziraphale had accepted this, Crowley had not.

Aziraphale felt arms, long and spindly, wrap around him and he opened his round eyes to, "Crowley...? Dear...what are you- you'll fall too.."

"Ah, I've already fallen...what's it another go?" Crowley braved a small smile.

"You'll...they'll know the holy water scheme was- well, a scheme..."

"I don't care." Crowley smiled, a sad smile.

"Yes you do." Aziraphale brought a shaky hand to Crowley's face, "If I'm To he loyal to hell, that's my fate, dear, you've already escape yours..."

"I've never been loyal to hell." Crowley shook his head.

"No?" Aziraphale gently closed his eyes.

"No. Angel, I saw you and my loyalties shifted." Crowley admitted, "I'm loyal to you and you alone." This seemed to take a lot out of the demon to voice.

Aziraphale eyes slipped open and he rubbed a gentle thumb against Crowley's cheek as he shakily caressed it, "Heaven, Hell, - they don't have a single thing to hold in comparison to you, my dear...I do so very love you."

Crowley's lips pressed together and he seemed to forget what the right response was, "I- love you too, angel."

The change suddenly made sense.
The shift that the angel had been feeling.
He felt his loyalties shifting.
Heaven
Hell
Nothing had a single thing to hold in Comparison to Crowley.

Because Aziraphale was not loyal to any of them.

"My dear, I'm loyal to you." He pressed a gentle kiss to the demon's lips and the remainder of his wings fell away until he couldn't feel the pain anymore because there was no part of the wings left to feel pain in.

Crowley paused in surprise before kissing back as they fell, spiraling down towards the earth before leaning back with small smile.

Nothing but the two of them could be heard.
Because miracles did exist.
Such as the muting of all things except the most important thing to you.

Crowley smiled, "Not much of an angel or a demon, huh?"

"No, I suppose not." Aziraphale murmured as they neared the Earth's Atmosphere.

Crowley had used his wings to shield aziraphale from the world...but they slowly began to fade away...it wasn't painful, however, as they were blown away as easy as dust might be.

"Human...?" Aziraphale whispered.

"Human." Crowley pressed their foreheads together gently.

Their chests grew tight as they suddenly became aware of their lungs...such a nuisance for humans to have...

The last sight they say was the other's face, smiling.
Before their slowly turning mortal eyes seemed to fail them...and darkness consumed them.

They had been right when they said they had not been loyal to heaven, nor hell...because when they awoke...they were on the eastern gate.

Aziraphale looked around in confusion before he spotted Crowley standing a few feet away, "...Crowley?"

Crowley looked over at Aziraphale and gave a wide smile, "Angel."

"I'm- not that much of an Angel now..." Aziraphale looked at his feet.

"You are in my mind." Crowley shrugged.

"Oh...dear me, thank you." A light blush crept onto Aziraphale's features, "Do you have any idea...what's happened to us? I- I can feel that...this is neither heaven nor hell...nor earth..."

"It's the beginning." Crowley murmured.

"Of what?" Aziraphale's eyebrows twitched in confusion.

"Of us." Crowley met eyes with Aziraphale.

"How can you tell?" Aziraphale walked the few feet left he had before he stood before Crowley.

"I...can feel it...like lies...but this is truth." Crowley took Aziraphale's hands.

"Why? Why is it- is this...?" Aziraphale was at a loss for words.

Crowley merely shrugged, "It doesn't quite matter to me. You're here, right?"

"Sap." Aziraphale beamed.

"Only for you."

"Why would the almighty do this?" Aziraphale looked out at the garden...no humans...just...life itself.

"You've got me." Crowley snorted, "Seems like a dream."

Aziraphale squeezed his hand tightly and felt Crowley squeeze back, "Not a dream, dear."

Crowley sighed, "Well, then... I guess...it's ineffable."

***

Please don't forget to vote if you liked the chapter, thank you!

Surprisingly to myself, this took me less time to write than the last chapter despite it being almost 2 thousands words longer—
Wowee this one was interesting
I swear I won't use the "it ending with the word Ineffable" trope every time, it was just since the last one was the first chapter and since it seriously fit with the ending of this one because it legitimately is too great to explain but, yeah!
This actually wasn't entirely an original idea of mine, I must give credit here:

Any who, thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed!

-Jay 😇😈
P.S.: A bit I scrapped because it didn't fit but the title stayed:

"Heaven knows I love you..."

"I love you too-"

"No. Heaven is aware that I'm in love with you."

ALSO
I changed the ending of the first chapter so it's less repetitive in comparison to this one and more fitting to Crowley and Aziraphale in that chapter—