For A Thousand Years Part 8

Crowley needed time.  After the death of his Viking husband, he'd give himself a hundred years before looking for Aziraphale again.  It gave enough time for his angel to be reborn and grow to adulthood.  It almost guaranteed it.  The problem was that Crowley had waited too long.  He'd found Aziraphale in what would come to be called Ireland.  He was a sickly thing in this life.  

"My poor angel."  Crowley said as soon as he entered the room where the man lay in bed.  He'd very obviously spent most of his life in that bed.  Crowley took a seat next to the bed and took Aziraphale's hand.  

"I'm so sorry, my love."  He tried to sit up but Crowley stopped him.  

"Rest, angel."  Crowley reached up and gently stroked his hair.  "It's okay."  He smiled softly, though the smile didn't reach his eyes.  

"It seems that our time together gets shorter and shorter." Aziraphale whispered.  Crowley leaned down and kissed his forehead.  

"We'll meet again.  I promise that.  For now you just need to rest, okay?"  It was taking everything Crowley had to keep from falling apart.  He could tell that it wouldn't be much longer for this particular life.  He was far too gone for Crowley to be able to heal him.  

"I love you."  Aziraphale said with a small smile before he closed his eyes.  Crowley had been very aware of the fact that those were the last words his angel would say to him before moving on to the next life.  He just stayed there, holding his hand until someone came in to check on him.  Crowley left with tears rolling down his cheeks.  

"You're a cruel bitch, you know that?"  He muttered to the sky before he went on his way.  

He needed time.  If he searched out Aziraphale yet again and the angel died so shortly after they found each other he wasn't sure that he would stay entirely sane.  The talisman stayed on Crowley's person but tucked away as he moved through the world.  He needed a chance to recharge.  To get his emotions somewhat under control before he searched for Aziraphale again.  Another thousand years passed before he even thought about being with his angel again.  

He was sitting in a bar in Rome when that feeling that he needed to look up hit him again.  There was a young man with white blond hair and bright blue eyes sitting just a few tables away playing some sort of game.  It looked like the game should have been played by two people but the young man was attempting to play it by himself.  The image made Crowley smile.  He took the jug and the two cisterns and made his way over to the table.  

"It looks like you could use a partner."  Crowley said with a smile.  The young man looked up at him and nodded.  

"It would make the game a bit more interesting, yes."  He grinned and motioned for Crowley to sit across from him.  "My name is Aurelius."  

"It's very nice to meet you, Aurelius.  My name is Crowley."  He filled the two cisterns before setting the jug on the floor next to them.  "You'll have to teach me how to play."  He indicated the table.  He smiled when Aurelius brightened up.  

"Oh, it is quite fun."  Aurelius said with a bright smile.  It was very hard for Crowley to stay sad when he was faced with that smile.  Crowley listened intently as Aurelius explained how the game worked.  It was adorable watching him.  He was so enthusiastic.  Crowley did ask a couple of questions and then they started to play.  Crowley let Aurelius win, of course.  

"You're right.  That was quite fun."  He said after they'd finished the entire jug and spent quite a while playing the game.

"It is one of my favorite things to do.  I just don't have many people to play it with me."  He nodded.  

"Well, you do now."  Crowley smiled as he got to his feet.  Aurelius got to his feet as well and looked down for a moment before finally getting up his nerve and looking at Crowley.  

"I have a board similar to this at my house.  If you'd like to play some more...."  Aurelius asked.  Crowley smiled and nodded.   

"I would like that very much."  He said.  Aurelius smiled at him again and he just melted.  That beautiful smile.  Even when the faces were different, the smile was identical.  

It turned out that Aurelius really had no intention of the two of them playing the game anymore.  As soon as they were inside his home, he pulled Crowley into a heated kiss.  Crowley had been surprised at first but he wrapped his arms around Aurelius and kissed back.  What was supposed more time playing a rather fun game turned into a few hours of sweaty passion in Aurelius' bedroom.  They explored each other rather thoroughly before finally taking a rest.  

"You are rather good at that."  Crowley said as he ran his fingers through Aurelius' hair.  The young man had his head rested on Crowley's chest.  They were both naked and sweaty and smiling.  

"Thank you." Aurelius said.  He lifted his head enough to kiss Crowley's chest.  "Though I don't usually do that immediately after meeting someone."  He chuckled.  

"There's a first time for everything, angel."  Crowley said with a grin.  Aurelius looked up at him and just stared at him for a moment.  Crowley had noticed that it happened a lot.  It would look like the person's brain was shutting down and then starting up again.  And then there was his angel.  

"You're very naughty, you know?"  Aziraphale said with a grin before kissing Crowley.  "Taking advantage of him like that."  

"As if you didn't enjoy it."  Crowley said with a chuckle.  He kissed Aziraphale again.  

"It was quite wonderful."  He smiled and rested his head on Crowley's chest again.  "And how long has it been this time, my love?"  

"A little over a thousand years."  Crowley said and cleared his throat.   

"I am very sorry for that."  Aziraphale said softly.  

"Nothing to be sorry for, my love.  I needed a break for a bit.  I'm better now, though."  Crowley replied.  Aziraphale just nodded and held onto Crowley for a long moment.  That was just the first of many, many nights together, though not anywhere near as many as Crowley would have liked.