Guest of Honor
Dear Mr. Fell,
We are approaching the time of year when the Kaleidoscope Trust presents the annual Friend of the Community Gala. Each year a valued supporter is chosen to be the guest of honor and this year we would like that honoree to be you.
You have done quite a lot to support our community over the years since the Trust was founded and it would mean a great deal to all of us if we could show you our appreciation. The black tie gala will begin at 6pm on Friday June 11th and will include an award presentation followed by dinner and dancing.
Please let us know as soon as possible whether or not you will be able to attend. While we will be heartbroken if you are unable to come, we understand and still greatly appreciate everything that you have done for the Trust and for the LGBT+ community in general.
Yours Sincerely,
Andrew J Franklin
Chairman
"Angel?" Crowley asked as he pulled a piece of paper out of the trash can by Aziraphale's desk.
"Yes?" Aziraphale didn't turn away from the bookshelf he was reorganizing at that moment.
"What's this?" Crowley held up the letter. The date showed that it had been mailed only two days before. Aziraphale turned looked at Crowley for a moment, focusing on the piece of paper and then turning back to the bookshelf.
"Nothing." He was trying to pretend that he never received it. Best to just ignore those kinds of things.
"This is not nothing, angel. It says that you're going to be honored for your help with the community. That's not nothing." Crowley walked over to stand next to Aziraphale.
"I have absolutely no intention of going." Aziraphale said. "I don't do things to get recognition. I do them because it's the right thing to do."
"Aren't you sounding rather high and mighty at the moment?" Crowley said with a roll of his eyes. "You might not have sought out recognition, Zira, but when it's thrust upon you, you graciously accept. That's how this works." He waved the paper at Aziraphale who just shrugged and kept rearranging books. "Very well, then." Crowley said and walked back to the desk. He pulled out his phone and dialed the number on the letter head.
"Yes, this is Anthony Crowley. I'm responding for Mr. A.Z. Fell." Crowley said when the woman answered. He smirked when Aziraphale turned rather quickly to look at him. "Yes....I'm actually calling to accept this invitation. I'm afraid Mr Fell is far too humble to accept for himself. But he will most definitely be there. I've already marked it on his calendar. Yes. Alright. Thank you, dear." Crowley hung up and tried not to laugh. Aziraphale was standing with his arms crossed and trying very hard to glare at Crowley but it just came across as an adorable pout.
"Why in Heaven's name would you do that?" He moved over and took the letter from Crowley, crumpling it up and throwing it in the trash.
"Because you deserve it, angel. You've done so much for the people around here. Let them celebrate you a little bit." Crowley smiled.
"Fine. But you're coming with me." Aziraphale nodded and then turned to go back to his bookshelf.
"I'm sorry, what?" Crowley raised an eyebrow.
"If I have to sit through that ridiculous gala then so do you. And you will absolutely be on your best behavior." Aziraphale gave Crowley a look that was just about the only thing Crowley was actually intimidated by. At least anymore.
"You know what? I'll do it. If it'll get you to take a pat on the back, I can handle a bland meal and a little dancing." He shrugged. Aziraphale actually did pout, then. He'd thought for sure that he could get out of it by making that demand. Obviously he was wrong.
"Fine." Aziraphale said with a sigh.
"And we've got plenty of time to make sure we have the right clothes and everything." Crowley grinned. He picked up his phone and dialed another number, having a very quick conversation in Italian on his way out of the bookshop. Aziraphale was very not happy but he supposed it wouldn't be the absolute worst thing in the world, though he couldn't really think of anything worse just then.
Six months. Crowley had six months until the gala. He wanted to surprise Aziraphale with exactly what his best behavior could actually be. The first phone call he made was to his tailor. The second was to a woman he'd known for quite a long time. She ran a dance studio that specialized in ballroom dancing. He really didn't want to embarrass his angel on such an occasion, and he had plenty of time to learn.
The night of the event, Aziraphale showed up at Crowley's flat at five on the dot. They were asked to come a bit early and Aziraphale knew that it would take them about ten minutes to get to the event hall from Crowley's. What Aziraphale wasn't expecting when the door came open was Crowley standing there in nothing but his black dress shirt, some black boxer briefs, and his black socks.
"I'm terribly sorry, angel. Running a bit behind. You go ahead and I'll meet you there." He smiled softly.
"You're not trying to get out of this, are you?" Aziraphale asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Not at all. I really am just running a bit late. I'll be practically right behind you." Crowley grinned.
"Very well, but if you're not there by the time the event starts I will.....well, I'll smite the Bentley." Aziraphale glared at the car and then got back into the cab that had been waiting for him. They'd agreed to take a taxi so that they could both drink as much as they wanted without having to sober up to get home.
The set up had been simple enough. Aziraphale was appalled when he found out he was going to have to give a speech but he could handle it. Of course he was only sure he could handle it if Crowley were there. The closer to the start time that it got, the more anxious Aziraphale got. He drank water, mostly, not wanting to be drunk when it came time to give his speech. Crowley was nowhere to be seen when the guests started coming in. And he was still not present when the chairman of the Trust took the podium.
"Ladies and Gentleman. I know you're all excited to hear from this year's friend of the community. But first, we have a special guest that would like to say a few words. May I present Mr Anthony J Crowley." He stepped aside as Crowley emerged from the curtain that ran behind the head table. There were scattered applause but Crowley wasn't expecting a standing ovation.
Aziraphale couldn't take his eyes off of the demon. He was wearing a tuxedo complete with tales. He was in his signature all black and his hair was very neatly styled. He almost looked like he'd stepped directly out of the 1940s. As Crowley walked to the podium Aziraphale just caught the paisley design on his waistcoat and the bowtie that matched. Crowley was absolutely stunning.
"Mr. Fell and I have known each other for....well far longer than I care to admit." Crowley said with a smile. Aziraphale blushed and there was some laughter from the audience. "Had has been a very, very dear friend of mine since the moment we met. I can honestly say that I would trust him with my life. So it was no surprise to me at all when I heard about him being presented with this award. He is absolutely the kindest, most loving person I have ever met in all of my years of existence. He's been helping people since God put him on this Earth and I truly believe he will help people until his last breath. No one deserves this honor more than Mr A.Z. Fell." Crowley smiled and stepped aside. This time there was a standing ovation. Aziraphale was an absolute mess as he went up to the podium, giving Crowley a tight hug. Crowley was a little afraid that he wasn't going to be able to give his speech.
"You are absolutely ridiculous, do you know that?" Aziraphale whispered in his ear.
"I didn't say anything that was untrue, angel." Crowley whispered back. Aziraphale just lifted his head and gave Crowley one of those beaming smiles that made the demon forget, for just a moment, that he actually was a demon.
Aziraphale tried to give his speech but he kept getting choked up, or losing his place on the piece of paper. It was actually rather adorable. He did finally make it through, though, and everyone applauded him again. He was dabbing at his eyes as the chairman handed him a beautiful plaque with his name engraved on a gold plate. As soon as the speech was done and everyone was settled again, the dinner started. Crowley was, of course, in the seat next to Aziraphale.
"However did you arrange that?" Aziraphale asked, sipping a glass of wine just after it was filled.
"They asked me for some advice on how to introduce you. I told them to let me do it." Crowley shrugged, sipping his own wine.
"And you would really trust me with your life?" He wasn't sure why he asked the question. It was just the first thing that popped into his head.
"I already have. On multiple occasions." Crowley smiled. He decided to be a bit brave and leaned over to kiss Aziraphale on the cheek. Aziraphale was at an absolute loss for words.
When dinner was finally over, some of the tables and chairs were moved aside to clear a dance floor. The music started and they sat, talking and drinking wine for a bit. Crowley was getting a bit tipsy and he could tell that Aziraphale was on his way as well. The food hadn't been too bad but he'd definitely had better. Next year he'd have to donate a bit of money toward a better caterer. Crowley had been waiting for just the right song to play and he found it. He got to his feet and held out his hand to Aziraphale.
"Shall we?" He smiled.
"Crowley, you can't dance." Aziraphale laughed. "I've seen you."
"I might surprise you." Crowley said with a shrug.
"But...it's not a gavotte." Aziraphale got to his feet anyway, taking Crowley's hand. Crowley led the angel out onto the dance floor. He took Aziraphale's left hand in his right, Crowley's left hand going to the small of Aziraphale's back. Aziraphale immediately put his hand on Crowley's shoulder.
"Just follow my lead." Crowley said softly. Aziraphale nodded. He definitely trusted Crowley to not make a complete fool of him. The lyrics to the song started as Crowley began with a simple box step.
"Fly me to the moon and let me play among the stars. Let me see what spring is like on Jupiter and Mars. In other words, hold my hand. In other words, baby kiss me. Fill my heart with song and let me sing forever more. You are what I long for what I worship and adore. In other words, please be true. In other words, I'm in love with you." *
As the song played on, Crowley's dancing got a little more intricate. He was twirling Aziraphale around the dance floor, smiling the entire time and truly hoping that the angel was able to pay attention to the lyrics of the song. By the time the song came to an end, Crowley and Aziraphale were alone in the middle of the dance floor. On the final note, Crowley dipped Aziraphale and then pulled him back up, grinning brightly.
Aziraphale's head was spinning in a completely marvelous way. He'd had no idea that Crowley knew how to dance like that. He felt like Ginger Rogers as they practically glided along. The lyrics didn't go completely over his head, either. Especially since the song played through more than once as they danced. After the dip, when Aziraphale was looking Crowley in the eye, the hand on Crowley's shoulder moved up to the back of his head and he pulled him into a passionate kiss. Crowley was a little shocked at first but it lasted only a second as he let himself get lost in the kiss. It was only when someone started cheering that the two of them realized they weren't, in fact, alone. It was the first time that Aziraphale had actually seen Crowley blush and it was beautiful. The two of them gave a little bow before moving off of the dance floor.
Aziraphale kept a grip on Crowley's hand and pulled him out of the main ball room and into a nearby hallway. When he was sure they were at least mostly in private, he grabbed onto Crowley's lapels and pulled him into another kiss. Crowley stumbled a little before moving to push Aziraphale against the wall as he kissed back. It wasn't until the pin backing dug into his fingers that Aziraphale even noticed Crowley's snake lapel pins, but that was something that could be discussed later. Right at that moment, all he cared about was kissing Crowley.
The two of them were practically attached at the mouth, Crowley's hands on the wall as Aziraphale continued to hold onto his jacket. It was far more than Crowley ever expected to happen. He just let Aziraphale lead the way. After a moment, the kiss finally broke and they both panted, looking into each other's eyes.
"Do you mean it?" Aziraphale asked, almost hopeful.
"With everything that I am." Crowley nodded, not having to ask what the angel meant. Without another word, Aziraphale pulled Crowley into another kiss, just as heated as the previous ones. Crowley wrapped his arms around Aziraphale and held him as close as possible as they kissed.
"Your taxi is waiting." A young woman said with a bright smile on her face. It was so nice to see a couple so much in love like that. When they parted, Crowley cleared his throat and they were both blushing.
"Thank you, Miranda." Crowley said with a nod. Miranda went back into the ballroom and Crowley took Aziraphale's hand, lacing their fingers together. As they went outside and started toward the taxi, Aziraphale grinned.
"I'm not entirely sure I can wait until we get home." He batted his eyelashes at Crowley before getting into the car. Crowley took a deep breath and let out a little groan.
"Guess we'll have to find out." He bit his lip and then got into the taxi after Aziraphale. He had a sneaking suspicion they were going to have to give the driver a very, very big tip.
*Fly Me to the Moon duet with George Strait and Frank Sinatra.
We are approaching the time of year when the Kaleidoscope Trust presents the annual Friend of the Community Gala. Each year a valued supporter is chosen to be the guest of honor and this year we would like that honoree to be you.
You have done quite a lot to support our community over the years since the Trust was founded and it would mean a great deal to all of us if we could show you our appreciation. The black tie gala will begin at 6pm on Friday June 11th and will include an award presentation followed by dinner and dancing.
Please let us know as soon as possible whether or not you will be able to attend. While we will be heartbroken if you are unable to come, we understand and still greatly appreciate everything that you have done for the Trust and for the LGBT+ community in general.
Yours Sincerely,
Andrew J Franklin
Chairman
"Angel?" Crowley asked as he pulled a piece of paper out of the trash can by Aziraphale's desk.
"Yes?" Aziraphale didn't turn away from the bookshelf he was reorganizing at that moment.
"What's this?" Crowley held up the letter. The date showed that it had been mailed only two days before. Aziraphale turned looked at Crowley for a moment, focusing on the piece of paper and then turning back to the bookshelf.
"Nothing." He was trying to pretend that he never received it. Best to just ignore those kinds of things.
"This is not nothing, angel. It says that you're going to be honored for your help with the community. That's not nothing." Crowley walked over to stand next to Aziraphale.
"I have absolutely no intention of going." Aziraphale said. "I don't do things to get recognition. I do them because it's the right thing to do."
"Aren't you sounding rather high and mighty at the moment?" Crowley said with a roll of his eyes. "You might not have sought out recognition, Zira, but when it's thrust upon you, you graciously accept. That's how this works." He waved the paper at Aziraphale who just shrugged and kept rearranging books. "Very well, then." Crowley said and walked back to the desk. He pulled out his phone and dialed the number on the letter head.
"Yes, this is Anthony Crowley. I'm responding for Mr. A.Z. Fell." Crowley said when the woman answered. He smirked when Aziraphale turned rather quickly to look at him. "Yes....I'm actually calling to accept this invitation. I'm afraid Mr Fell is far too humble to accept for himself. But he will most definitely be there. I've already marked it on his calendar. Yes. Alright. Thank you, dear." Crowley hung up and tried not to laugh. Aziraphale was standing with his arms crossed and trying very hard to glare at Crowley but it just came across as an adorable pout.
"Why in Heaven's name would you do that?" He moved over and took the letter from Crowley, crumpling it up and throwing it in the trash.
"Because you deserve it, angel. You've done so much for the people around here. Let them celebrate you a little bit." Crowley smiled.
"Fine. But you're coming with me." Aziraphale nodded and then turned to go back to his bookshelf.
"I'm sorry, what?" Crowley raised an eyebrow.
"If I have to sit through that ridiculous gala then so do you. And you will absolutely be on your best behavior." Aziraphale gave Crowley a look that was just about the only thing Crowley was actually intimidated by. At least anymore.
"You know what? I'll do it. If it'll get you to take a pat on the back, I can handle a bland meal and a little dancing." He shrugged. Aziraphale actually did pout, then. He'd thought for sure that he could get out of it by making that demand. Obviously he was wrong.
"Fine." Aziraphale said with a sigh.
"And we've got plenty of time to make sure we have the right clothes and everything." Crowley grinned. He picked up his phone and dialed another number, having a very quick conversation in Italian on his way out of the bookshop. Aziraphale was very not happy but he supposed it wouldn't be the absolute worst thing in the world, though he couldn't really think of anything worse just then.
Six months. Crowley had six months until the gala. He wanted to surprise Aziraphale with exactly what his best behavior could actually be. The first phone call he made was to his tailor. The second was to a woman he'd known for quite a long time. She ran a dance studio that specialized in ballroom dancing. He really didn't want to embarrass his angel on such an occasion, and he had plenty of time to learn.
The night of the event, Aziraphale showed up at Crowley's flat at five on the dot. They were asked to come a bit early and Aziraphale knew that it would take them about ten minutes to get to the event hall from Crowley's. What Aziraphale wasn't expecting when the door came open was Crowley standing there in nothing but his black dress shirt, some black boxer briefs, and his black socks.
"I'm terribly sorry, angel. Running a bit behind. You go ahead and I'll meet you there." He smiled softly.
"You're not trying to get out of this, are you?" Aziraphale asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Not at all. I really am just running a bit late. I'll be practically right behind you." Crowley grinned.
"Very well, but if you're not there by the time the event starts I will.....well, I'll smite the Bentley." Aziraphale glared at the car and then got back into the cab that had been waiting for him. They'd agreed to take a taxi so that they could both drink as much as they wanted without having to sober up to get home.
The set up had been simple enough. Aziraphale was appalled when he found out he was going to have to give a speech but he could handle it. Of course he was only sure he could handle it if Crowley were there. The closer to the start time that it got, the more anxious Aziraphale got. He drank water, mostly, not wanting to be drunk when it came time to give his speech. Crowley was nowhere to be seen when the guests started coming in. And he was still not present when the chairman of the Trust took the podium.
"Ladies and Gentleman. I know you're all excited to hear from this year's friend of the community. But first, we have a special guest that would like to say a few words. May I present Mr Anthony J Crowley." He stepped aside as Crowley emerged from the curtain that ran behind the head table. There were scattered applause but Crowley wasn't expecting a standing ovation.
Aziraphale couldn't take his eyes off of the demon. He was wearing a tuxedo complete with tales. He was in his signature all black and his hair was very neatly styled. He almost looked like he'd stepped directly out of the 1940s. As Crowley walked to the podium Aziraphale just caught the paisley design on his waistcoat and the bowtie that matched. Crowley was absolutely stunning.
"Mr. Fell and I have known each other for....well far longer than I care to admit." Crowley said with a smile. Aziraphale blushed and there was some laughter from the audience. "Had has been a very, very dear friend of mine since the moment we met. I can honestly say that I would trust him with my life. So it was no surprise to me at all when I heard about him being presented with this award. He is absolutely the kindest, most loving person I have ever met in all of my years of existence. He's been helping people since God put him on this Earth and I truly believe he will help people until his last breath. No one deserves this honor more than Mr A.Z. Fell." Crowley smiled and stepped aside. This time there was a standing ovation. Aziraphale was an absolute mess as he went up to the podium, giving Crowley a tight hug. Crowley was a little afraid that he wasn't going to be able to give his speech.
"You are absolutely ridiculous, do you know that?" Aziraphale whispered in his ear.
"I didn't say anything that was untrue, angel." Crowley whispered back. Aziraphale just lifted his head and gave Crowley one of those beaming smiles that made the demon forget, for just a moment, that he actually was a demon.
Aziraphale tried to give his speech but he kept getting choked up, or losing his place on the piece of paper. It was actually rather adorable. He did finally make it through, though, and everyone applauded him again. He was dabbing at his eyes as the chairman handed him a beautiful plaque with his name engraved on a gold plate. As soon as the speech was done and everyone was settled again, the dinner started. Crowley was, of course, in the seat next to Aziraphale.
"However did you arrange that?" Aziraphale asked, sipping a glass of wine just after it was filled.
"They asked me for some advice on how to introduce you. I told them to let me do it." Crowley shrugged, sipping his own wine.
"And you would really trust me with your life?" He wasn't sure why he asked the question. It was just the first thing that popped into his head.
"I already have. On multiple occasions." Crowley smiled. He decided to be a bit brave and leaned over to kiss Aziraphale on the cheek. Aziraphale was at an absolute loss for words.
When dinner was finally over, some of the tables and chairs were moved aside to clear a dance floor. The music started and they sat, talking and drinking wine for a bit. Crowley was getting a bit tipsy and he could tell that Aziraphale was on his way as well. The food hadn't been too bad but he'd definitely had better. Next year he'd have to donate a bit of money toward a better caterer. Crowley had been waiting for just the right song to play and he found it. He got to his feet and held out his hand to Aziraphale.
"Shall we?" He smiled.
"Crowley, you can't dance." Aziraphale laughed. "I've seen you."
"I might surprise you." Crowley said with a shrug.
"But...it's not a gavotte." Aziraphale got to his feet anyway, taking Crowley's hand. Crowley led the angel out onto the dance floor. He took Aziraphale's left hand in his right, Crowley's left hand going to the small of Aziraphale's back. Aziraphale immediately put his hand on Crowley's shoulder.
"Just follow my lead." Crowley said softly. Aziraphale nodded. He definitely trusted Crowley to not make a complete fool of him. The lyrics to the song started as Crowley began with a simple box step.
"Fly me to the moon and let me play among the stars. Let me see what spring is like on Jupiter and Mars. In other words, hold my hand. In other words, baby kiss me. Fill my heart with song and let me sing forever more. You are what I long for what I worship and adore. In other words, please be true. In other words, I'm in love with you." *
As the song played on, Crowley's dancing got a little more intricate. He was twirling Aziraphale around the dance floor, smiling the entire time and truly hoping that the angel was able to pay attention to the lyrics of the song. By the time the song came to an end, Crowley and Aziraphale were alone in the middle of the dance floor. On the final note, Crowley dipped Aziraphale and then pulled him back up, grinning brightly.
Aziraphale's head was spinning in a completely marvelous way. He'd had no idea that Crowley knew how to dance like that. He felt like Ginger Rogers as they practically glided along. The lyrics didn't go completely over his head, either. Especially since the song played through more than once as they danced. After the dip, when Aziraphale was looking Crowley in the eye, the hand on Crowley's shoulder moved up to the back of his head and he pulled him into a passionate kiss. Crowley was a little shocked at first but it lasted only a second as he let himself get lost in the kiss. It was only when someone started cheering that the two of them realized they weren't, in fact, alone. It was the first time that Aziraphale had actually seen Crowley blush and it was beautiful. The two of them gave a little bow before moving off of the dance floor.
Aziraphale kept a grip on Crowley's hand and pulled him out of the main ball room and into a nearby hallway. When he was sure they were at least mostly in private, he grabbed onto Crowley's lapels and pulled him into another kiss. Crowley stumbled a little before moving to push Aziraphale against the wall as he kissed back. It wasn't until the pin backing dug into his fingers that Aziraphale even noticed Crowley's snake lapel pins, but that was something that could be discussed later. Right at that moment, all he cared about was kissing Crowley.
The two of them were practically attached at the mouth, Crowley's hands on the wall as Aziraphale continued to hold onto his jacket. It was far more than Crowley ever expected to happen. He just let Aziraphale lead the way. After a moment, the kiss finally broke and they both panted, looking into each other's eyes.
"Do you mean it?" Aziraphale asked, almost hopeful.
"With everything that I am." Crowley nodded, not having to ask what the angel meant. Without another word, Aziraphale pulled Crowley into another kiss, just as heated as the previous ones. Crowley wrapped his arms around Aziraphale and held him as close as possible as they kissed.
"Your taxi is waiting." A young woman said with a bright smile on her face. It was so nice to see a couple so much in love like that. When they parted, Crowley cleared his throat and they were both blushing.
"Thank you, Miranda." Crowley said with a nod. Miranda went back into the ballroom and Crowley took Aziraphale's hand, lacing their fingers together. As they went outside and started toward the taxi, Aziraphale grinned.
"I'm not entirely sure I can wait until we get home." He batted his eyelashes at Crowley before getting into the car. Crowley took a deep breath and let out a little groan.
"Guess we'll have to find out." He bit his lip and then got into the taxi after Aziraphale. He had a sneaking suspicion they were going to have to give the driver a very, very big tip.
*Fly Me to the Moon duet with George Strait and Frank Sinatra.
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