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"Because I only want one thing," Aziraphale says, his eyes warming with love. "And this isn't about that anymore." He frowns and Crowley wants to comfort him in any way that he can, but knows that to do so would destroy everything they had built.
Eyes tearing, he says, "I want a world with free will. Where humans can human without any interference from God or anyone else." He smiles sadly as Aziraphale takes his hand.
"Then I agree," the former angel says, voice hoarse with emotion. "But I need to know, my dear, why the kiss?"
Crowley pouts and narrows his eyebrows. "The kiss?"
"Yes, when you kissed me!"
"Oh right, yes that. Well, pretty sure, for a second there angel, you kissed me back."
"I did not!"
"You did."
"Well, that's besides the point" Aziraphale says, shaking his head and meeting his soulmate's yellow eyes. It hurts him to see them water again. "Why did you do it? Why did you kiss me?"
There's a beat of silence before the former demon says, "You know why, angel." He sighs and looks down to their hands, still entwined. "That's why you said what you did, right?"
"I need to hear you say it."
Crowley breaks the eye contact, looking to his shoes. After giving him a moment, Aziraphale lifts a hand, tilting his love's head back up so they are facing one another again. He moves forward, resting his forehead against Crowley's. "I love you," he says and takes a deep breath. "I have loved you for a very long time."
"That's not why," says Crowley and Aziraphale flinches, hurt by his words. "No, I don't mean ... because you know I ... Ngh, God, Satan, somebody," he grumbles, bringing an arm up to hold his angel before dropping it again. He steps back and, while the former angel is upset by this loss of contact, he keeps his eyes fixed on Crowley, listening to his every word. "You forgave me because you know I did it for another reason, not love, even if that was the driving force." He sighs again and takes Aziraphale's hand. "It was a last ditch attempt to convince you to stay, angel. It was another temptation on my part." The former angel frowns at his words, so Crowley quickly says, "because I... I..." He stammers, looking for words he can't say because he wasn't built to say them anymore, not like this. He's crying now, sobbing and Aziraphale hugs him close. "I can't say it," he says, voice desolate. A few heart-wrenching sounds later and he breaks the embrace.
The former angel and the former demon lock eyes again, communicating 6000 years worth of friendship, love and trauma in one look. "And that's why," says Aziraphale, clearing his throat, voice racked. "That's why this ... us, must end." He's crying too now, as he reaches out a second time and Crowley takes it as the lifeline it is. "You deserve to be free, Crowley."
Crowley smiles a grim smile. "You too, angel." His eyebrows knot and he frowns again as he says, "You know, right? That I ... that I ... th-" but before he can finish, or even try to, Aziraphale stops his stammering with a kiss. This kiss isn't like 5 years ago, desperate and brutal. This kiss is ever so soft, soft as a feather, barely even a kiss at all, but the former demon feels it in his soul. It doesn't last long, but after breaking the kiss, the former angel kisses his two middle fingers and places them on the former demon's lips, who kisses them back.
Confidently, hand in hand with his love, Aziraphale says, "We're ready."