Summary
Needing a way to hide, after rummaging through Crowley's flat, Aziraphale turns himself into a book— and thus overhears Crowley's conversation with his plants about the angel.

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You guys don't know how much I love this idea–

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Word Count: 1,991
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Aziraphale stood outside Crowley's door with a set expression of determination. It had been nearly a month since he'd leant Crowley his copy of Matilda and he desperately wished for it back- it being a signed copy by Roald Dahl himself, Aziraphale actually having run into the man once or twice.
He'd asked for it back from the demon multiple times now only to be shrugged off as I'll get it to you tomorrow, 'kay? Only for tomorrow never to come.
So, Aziraphale had decided to take manors into his own hands and come to take the book for himself.

Drawing in a short breath, Aziraphale lifted a tight fist to knock on the door.

There was no answer.

Aziraphale waiting a few moments longer before pressing the buzzer.

No answer.

"Oh for Heaven's sake." Aziraphale sighed and snapped his fingers so that the door unlocked.

He really shouldn't have been entering without permission- but he felt that after Six Thousand years, one need not ask to enter the other's home if the other was to be rude enough not to answer...after all, when did Crowley ever ask to enter?

Aziraphale entered quickly before shutting the door behind him.
"Crowley!"

There was no response.

"Good heavens.." Aziraphale muttered, "Crowley, are you home?" He called again.

No answer.

"I suppose I'll just have to look for it on my own...say something if you disagree!" Aziraphale added the last part cheekily.
Without a response, the angel began his work, nosing about the place.

Truly, he could have miracled the book into appearing, but what was the fun in that? This gave him an excuse to see just how the demon lived- not that he should care...but he most certainly did.

He was surprised to find that almost every cabinet and drawer was empty- other than that of his desk, which held a few books on astronomy.
No Matilda, however.

Aziraphale moved from the main office area into the hall, nosing about before landing on a small table under a window, surrounded by plants. Atop the table was none other than the book in question.

"There you are!" Aziraphale beamed, hurrying over to the book before gently picking it up. The pages were as neat and uncreased as when he left it- almost as if it hadn't been read at all.
He took a moment to admire Crowley's ability to keep the book in shape before a rustling woke him from his thoughts.

Aziraphale glanced around to locate the rustling and found his eyes land on one of the plants that made up the decor of the hallway— no, not one of the plants...all of the plants...one by one, they began to tremble, as if they could sense a danger that Aziraphale could not.

"No need to get so bent up about things, my dears, I'm only here for the book." Aziraphale reassured them with a smile.

This did little to improve the plants' moods.

Aziraphale frowned, "What does he do that makes you shake so? You look perfectly fine to me."

The plants shook more violently.

"Do cut it out, it's unsettling!" Aziraphale furrowed his brow.

The shaking grew more panicked.

"Well, I do-!" Aziraphale caught himself as his voice rose, "You don't enjoy yelling, do you?"

The shaking stayed at the pace it was at.

"I'm dreadfully sorry," Aziraphale sighed, cupping one of the leaves gently, "Now, why are you still shaking? I'm no threat to you, you're safe-"

Aziraphale was quite wrong, as no more than a few moments later, the sound of a door clicking open was heard, followed by a scowl and a feeling of dread in the pit of the angel's stomach.

He'd had more confidence entering the flat when he thought Crowley would know he was there.
He felt his confidence dwindling at the thought of the anger that the demon might have at the knowledge that Aziraphale had entered his home without permission.

In a panicked stage as the door closed and footsteps neared the hallway, Aziraphale tightened the grip on the book he held, willing himself onto, into the pages until the book and he were one, and it fell to the floor with a muted thump.

Crowley's pace quickened and his eyes widened as he took his sunglasses off and slid them onto the collar of his shirt, "What the heaven is going on in here?" He snarled, looking at the plants in an accusing manor as they shook harder, "What was that- Satan!" He looked in horror at the fallen book and hurried over to pick it up, placing it back on the table before taking a moment to dig his nails into the wooden table.
His voice came out a hush, which was far more terrifying than the yelling he'd done before, "Which one of you...moved that book..."

The shaking became quieter.

"I said...which one of you touched the satandamn book." Crowleh whipped around and went from one plant to the next with a cold glare, "You know quite well that that's Aziraphale's book." His eyes sharpened into daggers, "Not a scratch on it, not a page wrinkled, mint condition, what if it had gotten hurt, huh? Huh?" His voice rose, "You know the plan, can any of you tell me?" He stopped at the end of the two rows of plants.

None of them spoke.

"Nobody?" Crowley's sniffed, voice quieting, "Typical,"

He stalked closer to the plants, "We were to impress him with how neatly we can return books, eh?" He looked at the plants testingly, "How else are we going to impress him?" The demon's sneer seemed to falter for a moment before he pursed his lips together, "We've tried chocolates, back in— whatever century or so," He waved his hand dismissively, "Saving the world apparently isn't enough- best progress we've made is saving his books, right? So— obviously the books must be it, if it's all he cares about." Crowley frowned, "We— I— I've got to impress him and you know this, six thousand years of attempts and- and...nothing," The word was whispered, "Too fast...too fast..." Crowley leaned against the wall next to a plant and slowly dragged himself down to the floor until he was sitting on it, staying there for a moment before leaning towards the table, bringing the Matilda book from said table and then on to his lap. He looks at the cover and smiled slightly, "Book by book, I'll go slow, if that's it, right?" He rubbed a thumb over the old, mint-condition cover of the book, gently.
The equivalent to caressing the angel's face and rubbing a thumb over his cheek, not that Crowley could tell.

"Gotta show him, you know? Show him I can- I can go slow, yeah?" He asked the plants who shook in response, "Yeah.." He looked at the book a long moment before squinting at it, "Who'm I kidding, though? I could keep this up for thousands of years, six thousand more years and...I'll never be as good as him- or his books, or his bookshop-" Crowley's voice cracked, "I'll never be his Bentley..." He put his head on his knees that were drawn to his chest, still holding the book out with two hands, "I'm not evil, not really- but I can never be good...not to him, anyway, not in more than a personality trait, no, I'll never he good enough." He sniffed to the plants, "You're lucky I'm helping you lot grow...I need someone to help me grow." He murmured, "And- and at least you plants aren't capable of feelings love, eh? Awful thing, love- does terrible things to your heart..."
Crowley paused as his heart seemed to twist uncomfortable just to spite him.
"I's what happens when I look at him, you know...love- really, I'm a demon I shouldn't- shouldn't be feeling this- I just...you know, you've heard it, I know," Crowley squeezed his eyes shut, "I know I love him, but what am I supposed to...supposed to do about i-?"

The book in Crowley's hands shook and the demon's head snapped up.
It shook a few times before it grew and Crowley dropped it immediately, pressing his back further against the wall until he was as backed up into it as he could be.

From the ground, the book shook until it grew into a flustered Aziraphale who now sat adjacent from Crowley with wide eyes.

Crowley slapped a hand over his mouth as his face burned brighter than the sun and his pale featured turned scarlet red.
He willed himself to discorporate to no avail.

Aziraphale was at as much of a loss for words as Crowley was.

Crowley shook his head slowly as tears pricked at the corners of his eyes and his voice was so quiet that Aziraphale nearly missed what he said, "You weren't supposed to hear that."

Aziraphale's mouth grew dry and he nodded quickly before backing up a bit as he was unsure if Crowley was about to snap his neck or not, "I- I know." Was the only response he could give.

Crowley turned his head away from the angel, both hands to his face as he rubbed it now before standing up to shaky legs, a mistake as he quickly began to fall.

Aziraphale leapt to his feet, wobbling a bit before attempting to catch the demon.

Crowley quickly snapped his fingers and was back on his feet again.

"So much for slow." Crowley hissed quietly.

Aziraphale searched for words.

"Just- Angel, spare me the- just- the door," Crowley gestured to the front room.

Aziraphale nodded before bending down to pick up his book and pausing as he touched it. He slowly leaned back up and turned towards the exit of the hallway. His mouth opened and closed before he found words, back still facing Crowley, "You know..." He began, "You're...you've always been...far more important to me- than...than any of my books." He began to walk towards the other room, pausing in the doorway to grip his book tighter. Unable to keep himself from stealing a glance at the demon who looked dumb-founded at him, "Oh...don't...don't look as if it's a surprise."

Crowley closed his agape jaw and stepped out from behind the row of plants between he and Aziraphale, "You- heard, everything...didn't you?"

"I thought that was clear-"

"Maybe." Crowley sounded as if he was half-asleep, or maybe dreaming- he wished he were dreaming.

Aziraphale sighed sharply, "I...when I said- when I told you- that is to say...when we...who you asked me if-" He shook his head as the demon looked at him in confusion, "That was then, Crowley...speed- people change."

Crowley struggled to piece things together but asked regardless, "Have you?"

Aziraphale paused before nodding.

"...In...what ways?"

"I can sense love, you do realize?" Aziraphale's lips twitched into a smile.

Crowley looked at his feet.

"I just...never did realize it was directed at me..." Aziraphale sighed, "I thought maybe- maybe your love for the world, but I- I always thought...Crowley," He looked up to meet the demon's gaze, taking a step towards him, "Crowley, do you love me?"

Crowley looked away, "Didn't you just hear me-"

Aziraphale gently tilted up the demon's chin so they focused on on each other, "Do you love me?" He murmured.

Crowley forced himself to hold eye-contact with the angel, "Yes."

"Then it seems we've both been a bit oblivious." Aziraphale smiled.

Crowley thought over this response before realization clicked and his eyes widened.

Aziraphale rubbed a thumb against Crowley's cheek before letting his face go and turning towards the door.

"H-Hang on a moment!" Crowley called after the angel, "Are you telling me you-"

"Didn't you just hear me." Aziraphale mocked teasingly.

"You-"

"I do."

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///wOOP
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-Jay 😇😈