Work Text:
"Crowley, why do you have the plants in the Bentley?"
The angel started like this when he returned from the trip to Scotland and the demon greeted him by handing him a box with some of his plants inside. He glanced at Aziraphale while placing the plant he carried into the car.
"Giving them a ride? I watched a documentary, you know, about plants, and it said that changing the air is good for them and blah blah, stuff like that."
Aziraphale nodded as he handed him the plant he was holding, but something was clearly brewing in the angel's mind- visible in his frowned forehead.
"But you've never done this before."
Crowley put the plant back in the car and, unfortunately for his lying skills, met the gaze of an angel with wide eyes looked at him.
Damn.
"Okay, mmmh, I lied."
Aziraphale was about to speak, but Crowley was faster. He adjusted his glasses and resumed his explanation.
"They're staying here for the moment, but it's temporary. And I'm staying in Bentley too, because I don't have a home anymore."
The angel’s eyes widened, and his expression started to shift.
"What… How long has this been going on?"
"It’s not…"
"How. Long?"
Aziraphale’s cheeks flushed from the tone he had raised, and the demon found him adorable, even though he was angry.
"Not that long. Look, angel, don’t worry, really… as I said, it's temporary."
"Indeed it is, because now, my dear, you'll stay with me."
"Aziraphale, it’s not necessary. I..."
But the demon was forced to stop when he saw the angel, determined, opening the Bentley and taking a few plants inside with him.
"And them too! I have space for them and for you! I even have a bed I never use it and it’ll be a pleasure."
He smiled quickly as he brought the plants into his library and the attic above it, avoiding Crowley’s attempts and his futile stammers to stop him.
Stubborn, Crowley muttered through clenched teeth, before taking the remaining plants and following the angel inside.
"Just try not to spoil my plants too much.”
"Could you all stop being so happy with him around? As I said, it’s just temporary!"
Crowley looked at each of the plants he was having a conversation with while spraying them with water one by one, making sure they were behaving.
The plants had practically taken over the library and had become a lovely addition. Some were near the books, others were displayed by the windows, and the rarest and most precious ones were next to his bed, where he had been sleeping for two days.
"And you." He approached quickly, almost slithering, toward the particular plant. "I see how you soften up in the presence of the angel. I hope for your sake you're not neglecting yourself and forgetting your duties."
Crowley touched the leaves, which were greener and healthier than ever.
"Good." He muttered.
He was about to walk away when he suddenly turned back toward the plant with large green leaves, a Kentia to be precise because he felt it—if that’s what you could call it. After all, he was a serpent, and he didn’t limit himself to talking to his plants like a human would.
"I don’t do the same thing when Aziraphale is around, Bernard!"
"Good morning, my dear!"
Aziraphale popped in, beaming, and smiled at him.
"And good morning, Bernard! How are you today?" He came closer and gently caressed a leaf, quickly retracting his hand under Crowley’s raised eyebrow.
"Did you sleep well again today?"
"Comfortably."
In reality, Crowley didn’t remember the last time he had slept so well, but he would never admit that to the angel. Still, he couldn’t help but smile at him when he looked so happy and… irritatingly adorable.
"I made breakfast for you! Nina taught me how to make coffee with 6 espressos, just the way you like it! I hope it’s at least a little as good as hers, but come on."
He motioned for Crowley to follow him and took him to the table where they often had dinner and talked, and now, for the first time, they were having breakfast together. As usual, there was the white candelabra with two candles, but this time, one was black and one was white in the centre of the table.
Aziraphale sat down in his place, inhaling the aroma of the crêpes he made and the tea, probably bergamot, his favourite, steaming in his white cup with angel wings.
Crowley watched him from the corner of his eye, feeling the peace enveloping him just by being next to him, watching his face light up at the sight of the food, his eyes eager to taste it, just like his lips.
The sense of familiarity in knowing every expression of him, not just his scent.
He drank the coffee Aziraphale made almost all in one gulp. It was good! And the angel seemed to understand without him saying anything because his smile widened before turning his attention to his breakfast.
Crowley cleared his throat, drawing his attention shortly after.
"Are you sure it's okay? I mean, erm, that I'm here and…"
Aziraphale nodded vigorously.
"You should've just told me earlier, you idiot-stubborn of a demon."
He scolded him with a look before placing his hand on his and squeezing it. Aziraphale had started touching him more recently… but he had never held his hand like this, and it gave the demon a warm sensation as if it might burn any moment. But he realised suddenly that he didn’t pull his hand away because it was pleasant, strangely pleasant, and he wouldn’t have wanted anything else.
"I’m glad you're here."
He added softly, and Crowley stayed still while the angel stroked his hand, and their gazes met, but it lasted only a moment because of the warmth, the demon felt it everywhere now, and he was pretty sure it included his face too.
"Okay."
He cleared his throat, feeling like a perfect idiot. Aziraphale pulled his hand away, resuming his breakfast while Crowley continued to stare at him, lost in thought as if floating on clouds. Only the angel and the two of them existed with the plants and books.
He had been sitting in that bar for how long? He had no idea, but it was just a short distance from the bookshop. Crowley was quietly sipping some good wine, surrounded by different people, with the sun shining, but he paid attention to few things, absorbed as he was. Nina’s world was still ringing in his mind — that he and Aziraphale were... a couple?
He had never thought of it that way, but the more he thought about their relationship, the more those words seemed true. After the initial shock—during which he drank several bottles of wine and rambled somewhere else—he had stationed himself there, waiting for him.
He saw him pass by, heading towards the bookshop. He knew what the angel would say if he saw him there: “What are you doing here? You usually wait inside, you like waiting inside.” Something like that, because Aziraphale knew him damn well.
But he didn’t know if Aziraphale would really see that he was there to speak to him romantically. After all, a bottle of wine and a rose seemed little compared to his standards. He had called himself an expert in love... but with Aziraphale, he didn’t know what to do, what to say.
He saw the angel walking cheerfully, clearly focused on something that evening, but when he saw him pass by, Crowley couldn’t stop him. He had prepared everything, and yet he let him pass because he was afraid of the change his words would bring and what would happen... and he stood still, once again alone.
He tapped his fingers nervously on the table.
“Damn it!” He drained the last of the wine straight from the bottle and decided he had had enough when he got up from the table.
He entered the bookshop and saw Aziraphale, glasses on, engrossed in his books, reading a few lines from one, putting others back, and hand-writing the catalogue of books so focused. They were opposites in many ways: the chaos that reigned in the bookshop for example, which for the angel had an order, unlike his old semi-minimalist and super-organized apartment. Aziraphale was tied to the past, still keeping a paper inventory, while Crowley followed the latest trends.
Yet, it was Aziraphale, his angel, and Crowley stopped to watch him as usual, taking off his glasses and placing them in their usual spot. If Crowley had been romantic enough to express it, he would have said that being by the angel’s side felt like being at home. And now, finally, he understood why.
He took a few steps forward, and Aziraphale noticed him, giving a small smile and greeting him before returning to his work.
“I watered the plants for you earlier, so you don’t have to do it now.”
Crowley responded with a distracted nod, and Aziraphale gave him a second glance, lowering his glasses slightly, but then resumed checking the inventory in his hands.
“Mmm, Aziraphale? Yeah, I need to talk to you.”
The angel raised a hand as if to stop him.
“Just a second and I’ll be right with you. In the meantime, sit down, my dear.”
“Uh, nah, I’ll stand.”
Aziraphale didn’t look at him, continuing the task at hand while Crowley twisted the chair with one hand, his legs and gaze moving restlessly everywhere.
This was the moment. He could do it, he had to do it.
Aziraphale moved closer, now without glasses, and with a sweet look in his eyes, he stood in front of him, not sitting down.
“Tell me, dear.”
“First of all, don’t interrupt me, okay? Let me say what I have to say and then you’ll see. Wait.” Crowley sighed, gripping the back of the chair tightly, his gaze elsewhere.
“You and I have always been a team, right? Even though we pretended we weren’t. But lately, well... it’s clear, and being here with you... I like it. A group of two, you and me. And I want to keep doing it for eterni... I mean, angel, what I’m trying to say is that I want us to keep being you and me, but just be an us. What do you think?”
Aziraphale blinked at him, bewildered, and didn’t say a word.
Crowley, who had little patience, couldn’t hold back, especially in the state of chaos that was like a supernova exploding inside him.
“This should be the moment where you say something, angel.”
Aziraphale furrowed his brow, torturing his hands.
Oh no. No, no.
Fear touched Crowley with its cold mantle.
“I don’t understand.”
“What?”
“This.” He said, pointing to Crowley and trembling. “Why now?”
The chill touched the red organ inside him, making his heart race, and reason gave way to fierce disappointment and fear. He met Aziraphale’s teary eyes and held back his own tears.
“You never thought of us together for eternity?”
Aziraphale held his gaze but grew even more confused.
“No, I hadn’t thought…”
“I get it. Stop.”
Crowley immediately interrupted him, as that was the final blow. He lowered his gaze, defeated, not understanding what had just happened, but with the urgent need to leave as quickly as possible. He wondered what he had done wrong if he had misinterpreted their relationship.
If, if... too many damned ifs! And so he moved away from him, from his angel who was breaking his heart.
“Crowley, wait!”
And just then Aziraphale urgently stopped him, grabbing his arm.
“I think you didn’t understand me.”
“You think? Seems pretty clear that…”
“Crowley, please, let me finish.”
The demon stopped and turned back to him.
“I think we’ve had a communication breakdown.”
Crowley knew exactly where those words were coming from, and those words convinced him to stay. Maggie and Nina had “scolded” them about how the two of them weren’t good at communicating, how misunderstandings only brought them trouble, and how they needed to learn. Aziraphale... was following that lesson right now.
“What I mean, my dear foolish demon, is that no, I hadn’t thought about it anymore because to me, it’s obvious that it’s us, and it has been me and you for a long time. I feel it, Crowley, I feel what’s between us, the love that’s between us.”
He smiled at him, trembling, taking his hand, and Crowley squeezed it this time. Aziraphale had to guess his confusion because he quickly added:
“Oh my dear, I’m sorry if it wasn’t clear. Let me be clear now, as you have been with me.”
He waited for his consent, and Crowley nodded. So, Aziraphale raised the hand he was holding to his lips and kissed it before letting go, then took his own left hand, and what he did left Crowley speechless, even more than he already was.
“What are you doing, angel…”
He couldn’t continue when Aziraphale smiled at him, a smile full of love, so pure and genuine that it made him lose every shred of reason. There he was, looking at him with the bluest, clearest eyes of any sky, and he was beautiful and happy, just as Crowley wanted him to be. Aziraphale took his hand again, and with great care, placed his gold ring, which he had taken off earlier- the same one he had always worn with pride was now his, in Crowley’s ring finger.
“You and I. An us.’”
He whispered, maintaining his gaze. Crowley trembled but smiled, unable to form any logical thought except one phrase...
“I’ll have to get one for you too.”
“It’s not necessary.”
“Oh no, my angel, it’s absolutely necessary. It will be my mission!”
They looked at each other, tears now streaming down his face and suddenly Crowley was shaken by a laugh, a laugh that spread to the angel too.
They laughed together for a moment, then Crowley took him by the waist and pulled him closer, their eyes meeting as he pressed their foreheads together.
“For eternity?”
“For eternity, my dear.”