Saturday Night
Aziraphale and Crowley boarded the bus in Tadfield and for the first time since the invention of the bus, they sat side by side. It didn't matter now, not really, if they were seen sitting together. And it was nice. There was going to be a two hour ride back to London and Aziraphale really didn't want to spend it in a seat by himself. He rested his head on Crowley's shoulder and closed his eyes. After everything that had happened he found himself completely and utterly exhausted.
Crowley wrapped an arm around Aziraphale and pulled him a little closer into his side. They'd both been through quite a lot but it was different for Aziraphale. Whereas everyone had lived up to Crowley's expectations, Aziraphale had been let down. Heaven had shown its nasty side and Crowley could actually see the moment when Aziraphale lost hope. It was heart breaking. He let his fingers idly trail up and down Aziraphale's arm and it wasn't long before he heard the angel softly snoring.
The bus made the one stop in Oxford before heading on to London. The driver wasn't sure why he was going to London he just knew that he absolutely had to. Crowley continued to hold Aziraphale and let him sleep as the bus moved through the countryside. The two hours seemed to pass very slowly before the bus finally stopped to let them off. Crowley kissed the top of Aziraphale's head before shaking him gently.
"Come on, angel, time to wake up. We're home." Crowley smiled a little when Aziraphale sat up and stretched a bit.
"Must have been tired." He said before rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
"Must have." Crowley agreed and got to his feet, offering his hand to Aziraphale. The angel took it without hesitation and followed Crowley off the bus. Neither one of them noticed the sweet look from the driver before he shut the door and headed back to Tadfield. Crowley had fully intended for the bus to stop in front of his flat but for some reason it had actually stopped just outside what was left of Aziraphale's shop. "Come on, angel." He tried to get them walking before Aziraphale noticed.
"Oh my...." Aziraphale's voice broke as he stared at the charred husk that was his bookshop. "It's really gone...." He took a few ragged breaths. Crowley recognized the look on his face. He'd seen it only once before in the time that they'd known each other. "I....it's just.....just like...."
"Alexandria." Crowley finished Aziraphale's statement. "This is a bit worse, I'm afraid." He put his arm around Aziraphale's shoulders again. Aziraphale instantly put an arm around Crowley's waist, getting as close to him as possible.
"I can't believe it's really gone...." The street lamp glinted off the tears rolling down Aziraphale's cheeks.
"I'm sorry, Zira. I really am. You know if I could fix it...." Crowley started.
"I know. And I appreciate that." Aziraphale nodded before wiping the tears away from his cheeks. "We should...get to your flat." He tried to put on a brave face but it was very hard.
"Right. My flat." He'd have to make a couple of changes to the furniture before they got there but that was easy enough. Rather than getting a cab, the two of them decided to walk. It actually wasn't so far as to be completely unreasonable. Crowley kept a tight grip on Aziraphale's hand the entire time they walked. He wanted to make sure that the angel understood that he was there for him. That it really would be okay. The whole walk was in a comfortable silence, the two of them just processing everything that happened.
"I can make up the guest room if you'd like...." Crowley started as they approached his flat. Of course he'd actually have to make a guest room that could be made up first.
"No, that's quite alright. I don't mind sharing." Aziraphale said softly, squeezing Crowley's hand a bit. "That is, if you don't...."
"I don't mind at all." Crowley found himself suddenly very okay with the idea of Aziraphale sharing his bed with him. Even if it was a strictly platonic situation. Crowley didn't even let go of Aziraphale's hand to unlock his door. He simply snapped his fingers and the door came open. After they stepped inside, he snapped his fingers again and the door closed and locked.
"Shall I make us some cocoa?" Aziraphale asked as he looked around the flat. He hadn't ever really been there before. It was definitely very Crowley.
"I think that sounds wonderful, actually." It wasn't often that Crowley partook of cocoa but this occasion definitely called for it. "I'll go get the bed ready, yeah? Maybe miracle you up some nice tartan pajamas." He said with a smile.
"That would be lovely." Aziraphale nodded and gave Crowley a quick kiss on the cheek before he headed to the kitchen, which he somehow knew where it was. Crowley went into his bedroom and made a few changes. While the bed was still covered in his signature black sheets, he'd made it a little more like Aziraphale's bed. A large four poster with a ridiculous number of pillows and the softest mattress in existence. He did actually miracle up some tartan pajamas for Aziraphale, that were identical to his bowtie and were made of the softest flannel in existence. When he was done, he went into the kitchen to see about the cocoa. He hadn't been expecting to find Aziraphale leaning against the counter and all but sobbing. He walked over to Aziraphale and wrapped his arms around him from behind, kissing his shoulder gently before resting his chin there.
"I must apologize." Aziraphale said quickly. He wiped at his eyes and tried to move away a bit.
"Don't." Crowley shook his head. He moved just enough for Aziraphale to turn around and then put a hand on his cheek. "Don't ever apologize for your feelings, Zira. Not ever. Do you understand?" Crowley used his thumb to wipe away some of the tears. Aziraphale nodded and closed his eyes for a moment.
"Could we possibly go lie down? I suddenly don't feel like cocoa anymore." Which was good because he hadn't actually started making it yet. Crowley slid his hand down from Aziraphale's cheek along his arm to take his hand.
"Of course." He started to walk backward toward the bedroom, keeping his eyes on Aziraphale the whole time. With a snap of his fingers, the two of them were changed and Aziraphale's clothes were folded in a neat pile on a chair. Crowley pulled the blankets back before climbing into bed and patting the spot beside him.
"Thank you, Crowley. For all of this." Aziraphale said as he got into bed. He didn't even hesitate to snuggle up to Crowley's side, resting his head on the demon's chest and wrapping an arm around his middle.
"Any time at all." Crowley responded. He wrapped both of his arms around Aziraphale and kissed the top of his head. They lay there quietly for a moment before Crowley felt a dampness soak into his pajama top. He didn't say a word. He moved one hand up to gently stroke Aziraphale's hair and just held onto him as he cried. Crowley had a feeling that Aziraphale wasn't just weeping for his bookshop. After a short while, Crowley realized that Aziraphale had cried himself to sleep.
"You're all bastards and you will pay for this." Crowley said quietly as he stared at the ceiling. No one was ever allowed to get away with hurting Aziraphale. Not on his watch.
Crowley wrapped an arm around Aziraphale and pulled him a little closer into his side. They'd both been through quite a lot but it was different for Aziraphale. Whereas everyone had lived up to Crowley's expectations, Aziraphale had been let down. Heaven had shown its nasty side and Crowley could actually see the moment when Aziraphale lost hope. It was heart breaking. He let his fingers idly trail up and down Aziraphale's arm and it wasn't long before he heard the angel softly snoring.
The bus made the one stop in Oxford before heading on to London. The driver wasn't sure why he was going to London he just knew that he absolutely had to. Crowley continued to hold Aziraphale and let him sleep as the bus moved through the countryside. The two hours seemed to pass very slowly before the bus finally stopped to let them off. Crowley kissed the top of Aziraphale's head before shaking him gently.
"Come on, angel, time to wake up. We're home." Crowley smiled a little when Aziraphale sat up and stretched a bit.
"Must have been tired." He said before rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
"Must have." Crowley agreed and got to his feet, offering his hand to Aziraphale. The angel took it without hesitation and followed Crowley off the bus. Neither one of them noticed the sweet look from the driver before he shut the door and headed back to Tadfield. Crowley had fully intended for the bus to stop in front of his flat but for some reason it had actually stopped just outside what was left of Aziraphale's shop. "Come on, angel." He tried to get them walking before Aziraphale noticed.
"Oh my...." Aziraphale's voice broke as he stared at the charred husk that was his bookshop. "It's really gone...." He took a few ragged breaths. Crowley recognized the look on his face. He'd seen it only once before in the time that they'd known each other. "I....it's just.....just like...."
"Alexandria." Crowley finished Aziraphale's statement. "This is a bit worse, I'm afraid." He put his arm around Aziraphale's shoulders again. Aziraphale instantly put an arm around Crowley's waist, getting as close to him as possible.
"I can't believe it's really gone...." The street lamp glinted off the tears rolling down Aziraphale's cheeks.
"I'm sorry, Zira. I really am. You know if I could fix it...." Crowley started.
"I know. And I appreciate that." Aziraphale nodded before wiping the tears away from his cheeks. "We should...get to your flat." He tried to put on a brave face but it was very hard.
"Right. My flat." He'd have to make a couple of changes to the furniture before they got there but that was easy enough. Rather than getting a cab, the two of them decided to walk. It actually wasn't so far as to be completely unreasonable. Crowley kept a tight grip on Aziraphale's hand the entire time they walked. He wanted to make sure that the angel understood that he was there for him. That it really would be okay. The whole walk was in a comfortable silence, the two of them just processing everything that happened.
"I can make up the guest room if you'd like...." Crowley started as they approached his flat. Of course he'd actually have to make a guest room that could be made up first.
"No, that's quite alright. I don't mind sharing." Aziraphale said softly, squeezing Crowley's hand a bit. "That is, if you don't...."
"I don't mind at all." Crowley found himself suddenly very okay with the idea of Aziraphale sharing his bed with him. Even if it was a strictly platonic situation. Crowley didn't even let go of Aziraphale's hand to unlock his door. He simply snapped his fingers and the door came open. After they stepped inside, he snapped his fingers again and the door closed and locked.
"Shall I make us some cocoa?" Aziraphale asked as he looked around the flat. He hadn't ever really been there before. It was definitely very Crowley.
"I think that sounds wonderful, actually." It wasn't often that Crowley partook of cocoa but this occasion definitely called for it. "I'll go get the bed ready, yeah? Maybe miracle you up some nice tartan pajamas." He said with a smile.
"That would be lovely." Aziraphale nodded and gave Crowley a quick kiss on the cheek before he headed to the kitchen, which he somehow knew where it was. Crowley went into his bedroom and made a few changes. While the bed was still covered in his signature black sheets, he'd made it a little more like Aziraphale's bed. A large four poster with a ridiculous number of pillows and the softest mattress in existence. He did actually miracle up some tartan pajamas for Aziraphale, that were identical to his bowtie and were made of the softest flannel in existence. When he was done, he went into the kitchen to see about the cocoa. He hadn't been expecting to find Aziraphale leaning against the counter and all but sobbing. He walked over to Aziraphale and wrapped his arms around him from behind, kissing his shoulder gently before resting his chin there.
"I must apologize." Aziraphale said quickly. He wiped at his eyes and tried to move away a bit.
"Don't." Crowley shook his head. He moved just enough for Aziraphale to turn around and then put a hand on his cheek. "Don't ever apologize for your feelings, Zira. Not ever. Do you understand?" Crowley used his thumb to wipe away some of the tears. Aziraphale nodded and closed his eyes for a moment.
"Could we possibly go lie down? I suddenly don't feel like cocoa anymore." Which was good because he hadn't actually started making it yet. Crowley slid his hand down from Aziraphale's cheek along his arm to take his hand.
"Of course." He started to walk backward toward the bedroom, keeping his eyes on Aziraphale the whole time. With a snap of his fingers, the two of them were changed and Aziraphale's clothes were folded in a neat pile on a chair. Crowley pulled the blankets back before climbing into bed and patting the spot beside him.
"Thank you, Crowley. For all of this." Aziraphale said as he got into bed. He didn't even hesitate to snuggle up to Crowley's side, resting his head on the demon's chest and wrapping an arm around his middle.
"Any time at all." Crowley responded. He wrapped both of his arms around Aziraphale and kissed the top of his head. They lay there quietly for a moment before Crowley felt a dampness soak into his pajama top. He didn't say a word. He moved one hand up to gently stroke Aziraphale's hair and just held onto him as he cried. Crowley had a feeling that Aziraphale wasn't just weeping for his bookshop. After a short while, Crowley realized that Aziraphale had cried himself to sleep.
"You're all bastards and you will pay for this." Crowley said quietly as he stared at the ceiling. No one was ever allowed to get away with hurting Aziraphale. Not on his watch.
Comments
Post a Comment