Archive of Our Own

You think we're living under different skies

I think maybe you forgot that we belong In each others' eyes

I'm in the desert and the earth shakes 

Can we undo the folded lies that mean Love has left this place?

How did we lose our way? 

-Begin Again, Mumford and Sons

The day was nice when they arrived. Aziraphale suspected all the days would be nice but had no way yet to prove this. Sun dappled between the leaves of overhanging trees. Dew glistened on the underbrush and foliage. Bright flowers dotted far reaching meadows that seemed to never end. Green vines hung from the canopy above in a tangled web.

Aziraphale, however, found his gaze resting on the tree that sat in the middle of the picturesque scene. Unsurprisingly, there were several bright red apples hanging temptingly from the branches.

A whimpering noise drew his attention away from the tree. He blinked and turned to look at the only being in the whole universe who mattered anymore. Crowley had fallen to his knees and was trembling violently, his face devastated with fat tears rolling down his cheeks as he choked back a sob.

Aziraphale’s heart ached and yearned and felt as if it might tear itself and everything to shreds in the quest to take that awful look off his face.

He knelt gently beside Crowley and placed what hopefully was a comforting hand on his thin shoulder. ‘My dear,’ he whispered, the breeze carrying his voice away. ‘Oh, my dear.’

Some long held instinct to keep his distance from the former demon, to not let Crowley get too close finally snapped in Aziraphale like a rubber band stretched too taut for too long. What was the point of holding back any longer when as far as he could tell they were the only two beings in this garden? Why hold back when the very last thing he remembered was looking into Crowley’s eyes as they had dissolved into what he thought was to be nothing, only to end up here?

Where was here anyway? Some pantomime of Eden? Only how could it be Eden when it obviously was causing Crowley so much distress?

Aziraphale shook his head and made a very easy decision. Shedding that old skin that had led him to tell Crowley over the millennia that he went too fast for him, that he was a foul fiend, that they were hereditary enemies, that he was one of the bad guys, that nothing lasts forever, Aziraphale instead deliberately and without reservation gathered his heartbroken former demon into his arms in a tight embrace.

‘Oh, Crowley, my darling,’ he breathed as Crowley sobbed onto his shoulder, clutching desperately at him.

When Crowley finally hiccuped enough to suck in a shuddering breath, he said, ‘She lied, Angel. She lied. I should have known.’

Aziraphale pondered this statement quite seriously as he held Crowley, stroking along his back. Perhaps this was all just another card in the Almighty’s deck, another throw of the dice, another bait and switch, another disappointment in the being that Aziraphale had dedicated his life to having faith in.

‘She may have lied,’ Aziraphale conceded softly, ‘Or perhaps she didn’t. We don’t know what’s going on yet. We should take a look around. Gather some clues.’

Crowley seemed to be slowly getting himself under control again. He pulled back some, wiping aggressively at the tear tracks on his face as though in embarrassment before slowly standing up. He offered Aziraphale a hand and pulled him back towards his feet then put a heartbreaking few steps of distance between them. Crowley’s face was scrunched up in annoyance and hurt.

‘You still think she’s capable of doing the right thing after that display!’ He exclaimed, clearly outraged, hands flung to either side in a dramatic manner.

Aziraphale clasped his hands onto his belly and smiled sadly at Crowley. ‘I don’t know what I believe anymore,’ he admitted quietly.

Old habits die hard and his instinct was to skitter his gaze away. It took some effort but Aziraphale forced himself to continue to meet Crowley’s eyes. ‘That’s not quite true actually. I believe in you, my dear. I know that you are here with me and that together we can figure out what is going on.’

Crowley blinked and his face did something rather complicated before he slumped a little. ‘Together,’ he echoed and it pained Aziraphale the way his voice wavered uncertainly on the syllables like the concept was hard to believe.

Aziraphale took a slow step towards Crowley, apprehensive of his reaction. The former demon watched him carefully but did not flinch as Aziraphale drew close and gathered one of Crowley’s hands in between his own two.

‘If you’d like, of course,’ he said sincerely. Crowley’s eyes darted away and then back and away again like a trapped, scared, hurt creature. Aziraphale swallowed at the look, feeling a lump in his throat forming. He forced the next words out in offering, ‘If you need some time or space to think and process what has happened then I’ll certainly-‘

‘No.’ Crowley said firmly, resolution settling in. Aziraphale felt his heart jump in his chest, relieved. ‘No - you’re right. Together, then.’

Crowley pulled his hand away and ran it through his hair, until it was distressingly and handsomely disheveled. It still took Aziraphale’s breath away how tempting Crowley could be without even trying.

‘Shall we take a look around?’ Aziraphale offered cautiously.

Crowley let his gaze sweep over their surroundings taking it in. ‘Some kind of sick joke isn’t it?’ He said sardonically and Aziraphale’s heart panged.

‘Rather fitting, I thought myself. Romantic even. This I where I met you after all. Eden that is.’

Crowley flinched at the words and avoided his gaze. Aziraphale sucked in a breath, the sudden realization that perhaps for once he was moving too fast for Crowley, hitting him like a blow to the chest. There was still so much they had left unsaid. Still so much they had not resolved before they had decided to end it all for humanity’s sake. While Crowley may be having a hard time coming to terms with these circumstances, Aziraphale rather thought he had been given a second chance to finally catch up to Crowley and make things right. His regrets at the end when he thought he was to never exist again were vast and all revolved around the being in front of him. What an unexpected blessing that he might finally be able to make up for all the ways he had wronged his best and only friend. His love.

‘This isn’t where we met,’ Crowley countered bitterly.

Aziraphale knew that this sentiment was one of the many barbs he’d dealt Crowley endlessly over the years and was determined to make it right now that he could.

‘I must disagree, my dear. You were the one to remind me that the angel you were is not you. Though I’ve always seen that angel in you more than you would like me to say - I understand now that your demonic self is who you are.’ His voice wobbled with emotion. ‘It’s who my best friend is.’

‘Only took the end of everything to get there, eh?’ Crowley replied sardonically. His voice sharp edged.

Aziraphale swallowed. He knew this wasn’t going to be easy. That Crowley’s hurt ran deep. It would take time to get there, a luxury he didn’t think he would have anymore. Now he seemed to have it in abundance. No further distractions from this long overdue conversation.

‘You’re right, of course,’ Aziraphale murmured. ‘I’m sorry, Crowley for all the ways I’ve pushed you away over the millennia. For letting you down. For not understanding sooner.’

There was a heavy silence and then Crowley sighed heavily. The former demon wouldn’t meet his eyes. ‘You’ve not let me down, Angel. You broke my heart but you’ve never let me down.’

Aziraphale’s own heart stuttered at the words. He took a shuddering breath, feeling tears prick his eyes. ‘I’d spend eternity if you let me fixing what I broke. Fixing us. I know it may take time, my dear. I can’t regret going to Heaven to try and fix things. I wanted to fix them for us. For the world, for our world. It was where I needed to be but without you it almost tore me apart. I missed you so terribly, Crowley.’

The harsh, hunched lines of Crowley’s shoulders was finally starting to ease somewhat. Yellow eyes found his, wet with unshed tears. ‘It was the one place I couldn’t follow you,’ Crowley said quietly, he looked upwards towards the sky filled with perfect white clouds and perfect blue skies. He took a step closer so that they were standing toe to toe and then he looked back again meeting Aziraphale’s eyes. ‘I suppose you wouldn’t be the angel I love if you hadn’t gone and tried, but it tore me apart all the same. You must know by now that nothing means anything without you with me, Aziraphale.’

Aziraphale felt tears spill over onto his own face and he brought a hand up to dash them hurriedly away and hide his shuddering exhale. Brave, beautiful Crowley. He was damned, a creature of hell. He shouldn’t even be able to feel love so rich and full and overflowing that it filled all the spaces in this garden. Aziraphale could feel it all around him now, that impossible love. Humming through the trees, singing in bird song, brambling in the small brook, shining in the sunlight. It was everywhere here. He had known for ages that Crowley could love, had seen it first hand, but how had he ever missed its sheer magnitude? And here, in their own little Eden, it was all for him. What a gift that he had carelessly almost thrown away.

Aziraphale took a fortifying breath and cautiously laid a hand on Crowley’s cheek. The former demon leaned into the touch closing his eyes. It was finally time that he was brave and careful with Crowley’s heart. ‘I love you,’ he confessed in this quiet space that was just for them, letting the words saturate between them, healing and making them whole in a way they hadn’t allowed themselves to be for millennia. ‘It’s true. You make me complete, Crowley.’

Crowley’s face turned and he kissed Aziraphale’s palm before opening his eyes and smiling a wobbly smile, tears also spilling down his cheeks.

Then they were hugging, something they had rarely done over the millennia. Aziraphale felt Crowley’s hand move to cradle his head holding it against his chest. It was unquantifiable how long they stayed wrapped together. Aziraphale listening to the soothing beat of Crowley’s heart against his ear.

Then following some unknown instinct, Aziraphale turned his head upwards so he could lay a shy kiss to Crowley’s neck. The former demon hummed in response and greedily he did it again, letting his lips linger against smooth, vulnerable skin.

It was like nothing to let his lips continue to travel upwards, finding the hinge of that sharp jawline then up to the corner of Crowley’s mouth. The former demon made an almost wounded sounding noise at this and Aziraphale closed the space between their lips to swallow the noise.

The kiss was soft and chaste, a questioning sort of glance of lips. Is this okay?, the kiss asked. Crowley’s fingers tightened where they grasped at his coat, his other hand still cradling his head, pressing gently so that their lips slotted together firmer and wetter and affectingly good. This kiss was everything their first kiss should have been, he thought achingly. Then he wasn’t thinking much at all because white hot desire like he’d never known before was making his knees go terribly weak.

Crowley supported him, not letting him fall. The former demon licked at his bottom lip, until Aziraphale’s mouth fell open on a gasp and suddenly their tongues were winding sensually together.

Aziraphale adjusted his stance, letting his knee gently nudge between Crowley’s while they kissed. His effort, which had become increasingly enthusiastic over the course of the last several minutes, slotted against Crowley’s sharp hip bone and Aziraphale moaned brokenly into Crowley’s mouth at the exquisite sensation.

Crowley jerked back from him, pupils dilated and expanding his sclera, mouth parted in surprise. Aziraphale felt a red hot blush work its way from his cheeks down his neck but determinedly did not look away.

‘Are we- are you-‘

‘Only if it’s not too fast,’ Aziraphale replied gently.

Crowley choked on a high pitched laugh. ‘I wouldn’t call literal millennia fast, Angel.’

‘Quite right, about time isn’t it?’ Aziraphale replied, his eyes twinkling.

Crowley grinned now and it was a sight for sore eyes that radiant, wicked smile. Aziraphale’s heart soared.

‘You’re a right bastard is what you are.’ Crowley teased. ‘Always said so.’

‘And you are a wicked fiend,’ Aziraphale replied before dragging Crowley closer again by his lapels. ‘My wicked fiend.’

‘Ngk.’ Crowley squeaked before Aziraphale was kissing him again.

‘Never thought-‘ Crowely was gasping between slides of lips. ‘Never thought you’d want something like this.’

Aziraphale pulled away slightly surprised. He raised an incredulous eyebrow. ‘No?’ He asked. ‘Never?’

Crowley moved to pepper kisses down his neck, undoing his bow tie dexterously with one hand and pulling aside his collar with the other as he did.

‘I suppose I’d always hoped your hedonism could be persuaded towards pleasures of the flesh,’ Crowley admitted. ‘Perhaps I’d imagined with time I could tempt you towards it. Preferably, towards it with me.’

Aziraphale wheezed as Crowley sucked a bruise onto skin where neck met shoulder. ‘O-of course - only you, Crowley. You are indeed quite the skilled tempter, my dear,’ he said breathily.

Crowley made another throaty noise and then he was busily working on the buttons of Aziraphale’s waist coat while Aziraphale shrugged off his jacket. Once the jacket and waist coat were off, his shirt was unbuttoned in quick order. Then Crowley dropped to his knees quite suddenly before he could even shrug the dress shirt off his shoulders.

The sight of it about undid Aziraphale completely. ‘Oh my,’ he said, wonderingly. ‘Oh my dear.’

Crowley smirked up at him, yellow eyes blown wide. Then his hands were undoing the button of the Angel’s beige trousers and he swiftly pulled them down allowing the hard, trapped cock to bounce free.

‘I’ve always wanted to do this. Dreamt of it,’ Crowley admitted wonderingly before sucking Aziraphale’s cock down to the root.

All the breath left Aziraphale’s body in one go. In a small voice , he managed, ‘that-that’s quite-‘ before it all dissolved into a loud groan.

Crowley was skilled at this, all serpentine tongue. It should come as no surprise and yet Aziraphale still felt surprise. He let his hand drift to red hair, stroking gently and trying to keep control of his hips.

Crowley growled around his cock and grabbed Aziraphale’s hips, encouraging movement. He popped off his cock with an obscene wet slapping noise and met Aziraphale’s eyes.

‘Angel,’ Crowley said, eyes piercing and voice gravely. ‘Please, use my mouth. I want you to, you idiot.’

Dazed, Aziraphale could only say a small, ‘Oh.’ Then Crowley was back at it, no warning at all as he sank back down all the way until Aziraphale’s cock was nestled in the back of his throat.

Aziraphale’s hands tentatively gripped Crowley’s hair and he gave one experimental thrust into the tight, warm heat of his mouth.

They both moaned in tandem. Aziraphale felt his face grow warmer at how much he liked not only the sensation but the way Crowley looked up at him with lust filled eyes as Aziraphale slowly picked up a rhythm, thrusting gently into his willing mouth.

Crowley was a snake and he swallowed him down with little effort, gagging only some around his mouthful in what Aziraphale could only guess was for show. The spasms of his throat would make him groan wantonly and tighten his grip in Crowley’s hair which only seemed to encourage Crowley to do it again, to bob his head faster like he couldn’t get enough. It was all too much for Aziraphale who had never experienced anything close to this erotic in his entire existence.

‘I’m close,’ Aziraphale admitted on a gasp, hips juddering forward. Crowley popped off suddenly and took in a few shaky breaths.

‘Don’t stop,’ Aziraphale cried out in alarm, the words out of his mouth without his express permission. He felt his face go hot. ‘I-I mean-‘

‘Good, Angel?’ Crowley rasped, looking amused while giving Aziraphale’s cock a gentle loving stroke.

‘Exquisite,’ Aziraphale admitted timidly, suddenly feeling shy and needy and desperate for more with no way of knowing how to ask for what he wanted. Not even knowing if he knew what he wanted, only that he wanted it desperately.

Crowley was shrugging his jacket off hurriedly, wrestling with it and flinging it on to the ground before shucking off his shirt and tie, leaving him in only his sinfully tight trousers and snake belt. He patted the grass where the jacket was.

‘Lay down, Angel. We’re just getting started.’ His grin was wicked and tempting and Aziraphale could only eagerly obey. He toed off his shoes and managed to wrestle free of the trousers pooled around his ankles. He sank down onto Crowley’s jacket, feeling terribly exposed. Crowley’s eyes were roving over him tirelessly as he worked his own tight trousers down and off. It was as if he couldn’t quite decide where to look, his eyes feasting. Then he we was slithering over top of him, cradling his head as he pushed Aziraphale down until he was laid out to Crowley’s liking, his hips coming to straddle on either side of him, their cocks brushing together in a way that made Aziraphale gasp and squirm.

‘Look at you,’ Crowley said, catching Aziraphale’s gaze. ‘Gorgeous. Divine.’

Aziraphale had to look away, feeling overwhelmed but then that was worse because how could he look away? Crowley was right there sitting astride him. All lean, taut muscle and sinew. Aziraphale couldn’t help the way his hands found Crowley’s slim hips. He moaned at the way they fit so nicely in his palm, fingers digging into sharp hipbones. ‘And you’re devilishly handsome as you well know,’ Aziraphale remarked back, forcing himself to shyly meet Crowley’s eyes again.

Crowley grinned and then they were kissing. They kissed and kissed for ages under the sunlight, on top of Crowley’s black jacket, their mouths finding each other over and over. Aziraphale thought he might never tire of this, kissing Crowley and rutting against him, feeling their hips meet and their cocks brush and the zings of pleasure as willing flesh found flesh.

Aziraphale wanted more. He tore his mouth away and breathed heavily, unsure how to proceed.

‘Do you-‘

‘Yes,’ Crowley agreed readily, his voice sounding wrecked and drunk with pleasure.

‘You don’t even know what I was going to ask.’

‘Don’t need to. Anything. I’ll do anything you want, give you anything you want. Although-‘

‘Yes,’ Aziraphale inquired, waiting expectantly. His hand was wandering without thought, finding the curve of Crowley’s arse, feeling the firm taut muscle.

‘I’ve thought about this-‘

‘Oh, my dear. Have you really?’ Aziraphale smiled at him radiantly.

Crowley gave him a withering look and ignoring the interruption, said. ‘I’ve thought about this and I want-‘

His face went beet red and he closed his mouth and looked up at the sky and said, ‘hmm.’

Very interesting.

‘You’ve thought about this and you’ve imagined what exactly?’ Aziraphale inquired. He let his hands stroke soothingly over Crowley’s skin, anywhere he could reach, anywhere he could touch. ‘I’d like to give you exactly what you’ve imagined most, my dear. To the letter. You only have to ask.’

Crowley continued to struggle, opening and closing his mouth. Finally, Crowley determinedly grabbed Aziraphale’s hand, the one on his arse and encouraged it towards the crease, shuddering atop of him as Aziraphale got the idea and stroked deeper, finding the tight furl of him.

‘I see,’ Aziraphale said. He softly stroked, circling the hidden muscle. ‘You want me to-‘

‘Yes,’ Crowley said again empathetically. He was still bright red, a lovely clash to his hair. He’d closed his eyes shut, his mouth grimacing. In embarrassment or in response to his touch, Aziraphale was not sure. ‘Everything you’re thinking right now. Yes, Aziraphale.’

‘Do you think miracles work here?’ Aziraphale wondered aloud, continuing his soft exploration, not breaching quite yet. ‘Only we need-‘

Crowley’s eyes opened a smidge and he clicked his fingers together. A small jar of lube appeared beside them on the grass. Aziraphale smiled beatifically. ‘Excellent,’ he said. ‘That will do nicely.’

The angle was slightly awkward but Crowley didn’t seem to mind as he worked one then two then three fingers into that tight heat of him. The former demon’s thighs shook and he was rocking back into Aziraphale’s touch, little gasping breaths leaving him, eyes squeezed shut. A flush that had started from the top of his head was working its way beautifully down his slim chest. His skin shone with sweat in the sunlight and his cock bobbed obscenely with the movements, long and elegant and red with want and it was quite the bewitching sight.

‘I’m ready,’ Crowley was whining. Aziraphale suspected that he’d never admit to some of the sounds and pleas that were coming from his mouth but Aziraphale planned to cherish them all. He’d been begging since the start, since only one finger had been worked into him, saying he was ready over and over again, asking for more too quickly.

I want to feel it, he’d demanded, clenched tight and hot around his fingers. Aziraphale had tutted at him and had smoothed his free hand over his thigh. ‘I won’t hurt you, darling. Enjoy it, let me take care of you.’

‘Ngk.’

They’d gone at Aziraphale’s pace and he’d worked him slowly open and wet on his fingers, loose and pliant and eager.

‘Now, Aziraphale. Please, satan, don’t make me wait any longer.’

Aziraphale’s cock was twitching eagerly and he let his fingers come free obligingly.

‘All right, yes dear. If you’re sure.’

Crowley scowled at him but there was no heat behind it. He was already grasping at Aziraphale’s cock, lining himself up. ‘If I’m sure, he says,’ Crowley mocked. ‘If I’m sure. Let me let you in on a little secret, Angel. I’ve been sure. Sure since the garden. The first time around, I mean. Would have climbed right on to your cock back then if I thought it wouldn’t have scared you off forever.’

‘Oh my - since-since Eden really?’ Aziraphale murmured, his hands finding Crowley’s hips, keeping him steady as he bore down, letting his weight drop. In one slick, smooth slide Aziraphale was fully sheathed inside him and words and air and breath all left his body.

Crowley was watching his face closely and Aziraphale could feel that his own mouth was open and possibly drooling a little, eyes wide with shocked delight at how overwhelmingly good and right it felt to be inside Crowley like this. To know that he was giving Crowley something he’d wanted for so long. To know that they were finally together, an us.

Crowley’s voice was no longer teasing, no longer hidden behind sarcasm. His voice sounded punched out of him and small and reverent when he said, ‘You gave your sword away. To the humans. Disgraced humans who had gone against God’s will. Because you thought it was the right thing to do. It-it reminded me of when-‘

Crowley’s voice was shaking, affected. He was trembling all over where he was perched on Aziraphale.

Aziraphale smoothed his thumbs over Crowley’s sharp hip bones, trying to meet those golden eyes. Everything in his corporation felt too big to hold. The sharp overwhelming emotions of the moment. The tight squeeze of Crowley around him. Crowley’s welcome weight on top of him.

‘What did it remind you of?’ Aziraphale wondered, struck dumb and awed by the impossible creature looking at him as if he were his salvation. It was heady and humbling and made love rise like a tidal wave in his chest, heart fluttering fondly.

Crowley stopped and started several times, his mouth opening and closing on syllables, tears had inexplicably filled his eyes. He shifted his weight and they groaned in tandem as he sunk impossibly deeper and closer, nestled together as one.

‘Reminded me-‘ he managed thickly. ‘The Great War - you showed me mercy there at the end like you did the humans. Didn’t deserve it. I had just threatened to kill you with your own sword. I was damned, unforgivable and yet you still-‘

‘Oh darling,’ Aziraphale whispered, overcome. ‘Oh darling, oh love.’

Crowley was flexing his thighs, rising up and then dropping back down again. A short hard movement that jolted Aziraphale, the pleasure like nothing he’d ever felt, nothing he’d ever known. He gasped and gripped harder at Crowley’s hips, helping to guide his movements, helping him to establish a rhythm that soon had all thoughts flying out of his head. He was moaning now and didn’t think he’d be able to stop any time soon.

Crowley’s eyes never left his face. ‘That’sss it.’ He was saying, pupils blown wide and dark with want. ‘That’sss it, Angel. Enjoy it. Enjoy me.’

Aziraphale tried to reply but all that came out was garbled. ‘Oh - you - that’s - ahh-‘

‘You feel so good.’ Crowley continued, panting with exertion. The former demon’s face was grimacing again, pleasure so exquisite that it was agonizing. ‘Knew you would. Always knew we would just fit.’

Aziraphale could not find his voice, it was all so much, he could only nod stupidly over and over in agreement, hips flexing and writhing under the onslaught.

‘You’ve thought about this too?’ Crowley wondered aloud. ‘Please tell me you have. Please.’

Aziraphale nodded more frantically now in agreement. Managed a breathy, ‘yes, yes, of course.’

‘Thought about fucking me?’ Crowley checked.

Aziraphale swallowed harshly and managed to croak. ‘And you me. Lots of-lots of different configurations, is there not? Creative, the humans are.’

Crowley groaned and picked up speed. ‘Yessss. We can do that too. I’ve thought about fucking you too. Anything you want.’

‘All of it,’ Aziraphale responded. ‘I want everything, darling.’ His voice cracked and he felt the knot in his abdomen coiling tightly. He tried to warn him, ‘Oh, I’m very close, I think.’

Crowley keened on top of him, his hands scrabbled at Aziraphale’s chest, he brought their faces closer together forehead to forehead. The change in angle was absolutely electric. He could feel Crowley’s cock like this, trapped between them. It rubbed pleasantly along Aziraphale’s abdomen as they joined together.

‘Let me see,’ Crowley begged. ‘Let me see you come for me.’

Aziraphale arched and came. He tried to keep his eyes open, tried to maintain eye contact with Crowley whose expression was borderline worshipful. It was a losing battle, his eyes slammed shut and he wailed, clamping his hands down on Crowley’s waist to keep him still and close as his cock pulsed inside him. Pleasure like he’d never known before swept through him. His wings on a whole other metaphysical plane thrummed like he’d been struck with a tuning fork, every atom vibrating ecstatically at the rush. It felt as if it would go on forever it was so all encompassing. With time the waves receded and coherence started to return slowly. After a long moment, he finally managed to crack his eyes back open to find Crowley above him, the demon’s own release coating his belly and thighs.

Crowley pulled back just slightly, his arms coming to bracket on either side of Aziraphale’s head as he continued to watch him intently.

Awe. Reverence. Wonder. Amazement. Crowley was looking at him with 6000 years of adoration lining his face.

Aziraphale slowly released his death grip on Crowley’s waist so he could run a hand up his back then around his front and up to his neck. He cupped Crowley’s cheek in his palm, rubbing at a few stray tears that had escaped.

‘Love you,’ Crowley said, the words coming out thick with emotion and sounding like absolution to Aziraphale’s ears. Sacred and precious and meant to be treasured for eternity. ‘Been in love with you for ages and ages, Angel.’

Aziraphale made a small, soft noise of wonder. ‘My Crowley,’ he said, stroking his thumb along his cheek. ‘My own heart. I love you, too. A whole awful lot, I must confess.’

Crowley smiled a watery smile at him and buried his head in Aziraphale’s neck hiding his face and his tears. Aziraphale’s hands slid to his back in comforting movements, discreetly clicking his fingers together to clean up the sticky mess between them.

They lay like that for a long, long while, curled up together on the grass. So long that the sky went dark, the stars came out, and a bird started singing somewhere nearby, a sweet warbling tune.

Aziraphale was certain it was a nightingale.

It took about four days before they finally found the globe, deep in the garden. The new world was just starting out. No humans yet, life was in the very beginning stages.

Crowley took great pleasure in watching it form, explaining the laws of nature as he remembered it in all its complexity. He could talk about it for endless hours to Aziraphale, whose attention was half on the words and half on the enthusiasm and wonder and sheer joy in Crowley’s explanations.

They could zoom out to the rest of the universe as well, and they did frequently.  Keeping track of star systems and nebulae and galaxies. They watched the universe closely, like guardians, in their own private Eden.

They weren’t sure why God had granted them this reprieve. Crowley would often worry that She’d show up again, pull another one over on them. She never did as the years passed. Not here or on Earth. Life marched on and they found ways to keep busy, watching and studying the new universe as it slowly came into being.

They still had miracles. They had performed their biggest one together in the early days, holding hands as they made a cozy idyllic cottage appear nestled near the center of the garden, close to the apple tree and the globe so they could easily check in whenever they liked.

Crowley began cultivating the garden around their little sanctuary. Vegetables and fruit trees and herbs and trailing vines and lovely flowers, many of them yellow at Aziraphale’s request. He’d spend hours out there and Aziraphale would spend hours just watching him, feeling content and carefree in a way he was still learning to fully believe.

They would cook things that Crowley grew in the garden as another way to pass the time. Neither of them had ever been particularly good cooks and the first few dishes were inedible but they had improved with time. No more sushi or quaint little restaurants where Aziraphale knew everyone by name.

That is to say, there were sacrifices.

The biggest being that there were no books in Eden. Aziraphale had tried desperately to miracle some into being with Crowley’s help. Aziraphale knew so many stories. He thought that maybe he could recreate some of his favorites. Inevitably they would come out slightly wrong, slightly misremembered when he read them. Not quite right.

‘They’ll make new stories, the humans,’ Crowley would whisper to him at night as they curled up in their bed. Crowley had been teaching him to sleep. Another way to pass the time here. Aziraphale mostly liked the way Crowley wrapped around him in bed, all serpentine limbs. He snored in his sleep and Aziraphale also liked listening to those soft, dear snuffling sounds.

‘Once the world properly gets going we can study their books from the globe. I’ll miracle you a whole library full of them. Every single one they create. We can have our own archive here.’

‘Oh that sounds wonderful. I do hope some of the classics will at least make a reappearance. Shakespeare and Dickens and Wilde must surely be universal constants, don’t you think, my dear?’

Crowley had rolled his eyes. Arms tightening around him. ‘Shakespeare maybe. But Wilde? Really? I hope not.’

Aziraphale grinned, amused. He’d recently learned that Crowley had always been a bit jealous of Wilde.

That was the other thing. They talked now. Really, properly talked. 6000 years of baggage was a lot to sort through but they had endless time to do so. They didn’t have to do it all at once, they took their time dissecting their past together. Smoothing over old hurts one by one, whispered reassurances and new perspectives on ancient memories.

‘It was the books, I think that really did it,’ Aziraphale confessed one day. They were lounging under the apple tree, on a picnic blanket. Crowley had put together a little basket of nibbles for them and they’d been there for hours already.

‘You remembered my books and saved them for me. Back in 1941, I mean. I’d been trying to push it all down until that point. My-my feelings for you. I couldn’t ignore it or deny it any longer when you handed over my books. Couldn’t ignore that I was in love with you and likely had been for a long while.’

Crowley was trying to suppress a smile. He couldn’t hide his blush. Still blushed whenever Aziraphale told him that he loved him. It was quite endearing.

Crowley shrugged, ‘I may have thought if I could be like a hero in one of your stories that you’d-‘ he trailed off.

Aziraphale turned to Crowley properly, delighted. ‘Oh did you, really? All those years you went around like my personal knight in shining armour. Oh my darling, and all I did was push you away.’

‘I understood why. It was dangerous. I didn’t hold it against you, Angel.’

Aziraphale reached out for his fingers on the blanket, hands weaving together. ‘I dare think it’s about time my savior be rewarded,’ Aziraphale said slyly. ‘In my books the hero usually is for his valor and bravery. I’m sure I could think of a few ways to repay you, my dear.’

Crowley did not need to be told twice. He practically pounced on him.

They made love. Frequently. Crowley rolled his eyes when Aziraphale called it that but he had finally stopped bickering with him over it. Besides, he secretly thought Crowley only complained for show. The way his ears reddened at the phrase spoke the truth.

It was one of the best ways they’d found to pass the time while humanity was developing. There were so many things to try, so many ways they could give each other pleasure. They had gotten quite good at it as a matter of fact. Could spend hours exploring each other and never tire of it. Perfect didn’t begin to cover it…

Well, not everything was perfect. They fought. Old wounds festered sometimes, old argument rehashed. Barbs thrown. They learned how to navigate those better too, how to soothe each other’s prickly edges. How to forgive each other easier when emotions ran high.

Poor, dear Crowley could also get endlessly restless. He missed the Bentley, the long fast drives. He missed London. He missed the humans. The globe helped but it wasn’t the same as truly living it for yourself. They weren’t to interfere, only observe, and sometimes Crowley would sulk for days off by himself still coming to terms with the things they had lost.

He always came back but it was in somber spirits. Aziraphale would wrap him up in a blanket on the couch, placing his head in his lap so he could stroke his hair while he worked through the grief. Sometimes he just needed the silence and Aziraphale was happy to share it with him, happy to give him the space and time to process his complex feelings. Ready to offer a listening ear whenever he needed.

‘It’s just,’ Crowley once confessed, his voice quiet. ‘It’s just that I got everything I wanted in the end, didn’t I? No reason for me to be upset. A whole universe with no angelic or demonic or divine interference, a universe free to go on as it was made to do.’ He paused here, letting the magnitude of that settle between them.

‘I thought we would be gone, that we were sacrificing ourselves for that dream but I also get to have this now. Us. A place just for us. You have to understand, that was the thing I wanted most of all for almost my entire existence. I dreamed of running away together, of Alpha Centauri. But the reality is-‘ Crowley cut himself off, making a frustrated face. ‘It’s not that I don’t love it, I do. I love being an us, but I guess I just sometimes miss our old lives. I miss being on Earth with you. It was our home. I wonder sometimes if I made the right choice at the end. Maybe there was something we could have done differently.’

Aziraphale stroked through his hair soothingly and Crowley’s eyes closed and he pushed into the touch like an over-sized cat.

‘I miss Earth too,’ Aziraphale said back, still stroking. ‘I mourn for the old universe sometimes, imperfect as it was. I wanted to save it and I failed. I hurt you in the process. We were put into an impossible situation, my dear. The old universe was erased from existence and putting it back as it was wouldn’t have fixed things. You were right about that. Look at how far things have already come - it may not be exactly the same but you’ve given the humans such a gift, Crowley. You were willing to sacrifice yourself to do it. You were so brave at the end, my love.’

‘Not brave. Stupid, maybe. Suicidal.’

‘Dreamer,’ Aziraphale disagreed. ‘Protector. Always asking the right questions.’

‘I was willing to let you be erased too, that day. I have nightmares about it, seeing you being scattered into atoms right in front of me. The look on your face. I wanted to take it all back in that moment but by then it was too late,’ Crowley said, squeezing his eyes shut tightly. His voice had gotten very thick.

‘Oh darling,’ Aziraphale said. ‘Even if we had been truly erased, I don’t blame you. I could never. I understood what we were giving up that day. It was the right thing to do. You can’t doubt that. I was with you, I made the decision too. Our side. Perhaps it was foolish and self-sacrificial but I do believe that is why the Almighty granted us this little slice of paradise instead. I know we’ve lost things but I would give up a thousand more things to be able to have this with you. At the end of everything, I realized that you’re all I need. If I have you then I am complete.’

Crowley was crying, turning his face into Aziraphale’s stomach, shoulders bunching up tight. ‘You can’t just say things like that, you old sap.’ Crowley’s voice was muffled but Aziraphale understood all the same.

‘I want you to be happy, my dear. I want to make you as happy as you make me.’

‘I am happy.’ Crowley promised. ‘I am the happiest I can ever remember being. I just-I’m sorry I don’t know why I get like this.’

‘You never have to apologize for feeling. Not with me. You have so much love in you, Crowley. It’s normal to miss the things you once loved. To grieve them. I cried for days when I couldn’t miracle my books back.’

Crowley sniffled. ‘Library’s really come along nicely these days, at least.’

Humanity was indeed in full swing and ever since the first human had put ink to paper, Aziraphale had been greedily archiving it all. Sometimes he would read aloud to Crowley in the evenings on the couch. It made them feel like they were part of the new universe. A way to live vicariously through the humans eyes and experiences.

‘That it is. That it is. I love you so very much, my dear. Everything is going to be just fine. Any time you need to talk I’m here.’

‘I know. Thanks Angel.’ Crowley had popped up, swiping at his eyes. He seemed in better spirits. ‘How’s the new vintage coming along. Maybe we could give it a test run?’

Crowley had found a hillside to set up their own little vineyard. They had a cellar in the basement where bottles had been accumulating for billions of years now.

Aziraphale smiled, ‘I’ll just pop down and get it, shall I?’

They had spent the rest of the evening getting roaringly drunk and reminiscing about their past life on Earth. This was something they did very frequently. 

One day, Aziraphale found Crowley at the globe. He was watching it intently. Aziraphale eased his way over and squeezed him round the middle.

‘What are you watching, my dear?’ He whispered in his ear.

Crowley jumped in surprise whirling around to face him. ‘Nothing!’ He squeaked.

‘Nothing?’ Aziraphale raised an eyebrow. ‘Now I’m really curious.’

Crowley wouldn’t quite meet his eyes. ‘There’s something I should tell you. I’ve just not been sure how to.’

Aziraphale’s eyebrows rose in surprise. ‘You could show me instead?’ He motioned to the globe.

Crowley pulled a face, then beckoned Aziraphale over beside him. He took a breath and then zoomed into London, to Soho. Then the bookshop.

Oh.

It was him. Not him but a strikingly similar look alike. Besides the hair. The hair really was quite alarming but Aziraphale was too surprised by witnessing a human version of himself to really dwell on it for too long.

He was reading, of course. Pride and Prejudice. Jane Austen had indeed been a universal constant much to Aziraphale’s relief.

‘His name is Asa Fell,’ Crowley said. ‘I’ve been watching him a bit. Sorry I know that’s creepy but I couldn’t help myself. I was curious. He’s like you, similar mannerisms always has his nose in a book. He works at the shop.’

‘Oh my, how strange. A human version of myself. What are the chances of that, do you think?’

‘Not sure it’s chance at all. Not sure how to feel about it, but well. There’s more. You’ll see it’s almost time.’

‘Almost time for what?’ Aziraphale wondered.

‘Shh,’ Crowley said. ‘Just watch.’ He zoomed out to the bustling street.

Red hair immediately caught Aziraphale’s eye. He turned to Crowley smiling, ‘Oh look at you,’ he couldn’t help cooing. ‘Positively darling.’

Crowley flushed. ‘Shut up. It’s not me, I’d never be caught looking like that. His name is Professor Anthony Crowley. He’s an astrophysicist.’

Aziraphale clasped his hands together, feeling positively gleeful. ‘A professor in astrophysics. How fitting!’

Crowley waved him off. ‘Yeah, yeah the Almighty has a sense of humor. Doesn’t matter, look. He does this every time, the stupid git. Walks by the shop every day and just stares into it like an absolute wanker. He never goes in!’

‘Why ever not, do you think? What is he doing, just staring inside?’

Crowley turned to him very slowly and raised an eyebrow at him.

Aziraphale flushed in understanding. ‘Oh! You think he-‘

Crowley responded quite emphatically. ‘Yes I think he’s got a pash,’ this word was uttered with thinly veiled derision, ‘on a certain bookseller. I think it’s like with Maggie. That thing you said about not knowing how to conduct a courtship. It would seem my human version is a right coward.’

‘Now don’t call him that,’ Aziraphale said, already feeling quite protective of Anthony. ‘Perhaps he’s just nervous, working up the nerve as they say. I’m sure today will be the day!’

They turned to watch as Anthony stood outside the shop, shuffling back and forth, pulling his phone to look at it but glancing at the window every few seconds. Ten minutes later his shoulders sagged and he shuffled away.

Crowley groaned and looked mildly disgusted. ‘See,’ he said, gesturing at the globe. ‘I was hoping to tell you about them after we got through this embarrassing display of incompetence but I fear that may never happen at this rate. Don’t they realize how little time they have?’

‘I think it’s all rather sweet,’ Aziraphale said, he was practically gushing, hands clasped together. ‘I’m sure they will figure it out eventually. How fun!’

It became a bit of an obsession, watching the globe. Professor Anthony carried on the same way for another week, then two, then three. By the time a month had passed even Aziraphale was getting a big tetchy over the whole thing.

‘What could possibly be holding him back,’ he wondered, looking pointedly at Crowley.

‘Don’t look at me!’ Crowley said outraged. ‘I have no clue, Angel. I saw you on that wall and slithered right on up, no questions asked, did I not? And I could have got smited…er, smitten for my trouble. He really has no excuse.’

The next day they watched again. Just as Anthony was about to walk away, Aziraphale got a gleam in his eyes. A dangerous gleam.

‘I can’t do it anymore, Crowley. I’m going to give him a nudge.’ He held his fingers up.

‘I thought we agreed no interfering!’ Crowley said, sounding scandalized, but he was looking at Aziraphale with a mischievous twinkle in his own eyes.

‘Oh what’s one little suggestion going to hurt? The Almighty didn’t quite keep her promise either, now did she? One spot of interference should barely tip the scales. Besides I got quite good at performing your temptations you know. This will be a piece of cake.’

Aziraphale snapped his fingers. They watched raptly as Anthony stopped in his tracks, turned back around to the shop and took a fortifying breath before marching straight in. The bell jingled over head.

Aziraphale let out a gleeful noise and Crowley obligingly zoomed into the bookshop so they could watch things play out like the celestial voyeurs they were.

In those early days, when they had first started keeping track of the pair, Aziraphale had felt slightly guilty at the intrusion on their lives. He had voiced as much to Crowley. It hadn’t taken much to justify it to each other in the end.

‘What’s the harm?’ Crowley had soothed him. ‘They’re supposed to be human us, and we were granted guardianship over Earth. We were even given this big old globe to do it with! We’re supposed to keep an eye on things. Supposed to watch when you really think about it.’

Aziraphale had nodded thoughtfully at the time and they had resumed their little daily ritual without any fuss. 

Now, they watched attentively as their two human selves fumbled their way through their first interaction. Aziraphale mortified when Asa tried to sell the professor his own book and Crowley unable to help laughing over the whole ordeal.

When Anthony left after purchasing the book on relativity, Aziraphale sighed in slight disappointment.

‘Hey these things take time for humans,’ Crowley said. ‘At least now maybe he won’t just stand outside the shop like a lovesick idiot and actually-‘

‘Oh wait, look,’ Aziraphale interrupted, zooming back out to the street. Asa had chased after Anthony. ‘Something’s happening! Look Crowley.’

So it had begun from there. After Aziraphale’s very minor nudge the pair became quickly inseparable, and Aziraphale and Crowley had become concerningly addicted to watching their little human romance unfold with great interest.

‘They’re holding hands,’ Aziraphale would sigh, clasping his own hands together.

‘Look I think they’re going to kiss, their first kiss how sweet is that!’ Aziraphale swooned.

‘Oh that’s quite- oh well they might be, uhh, perhaps we should give them some privacy?’ Aziraphale tried to look away but found his gaze drawn back. He gaped at what he saw.

Crowley did not even pretend to try and look away. He grinned rather wickedly and his voice went low with temptation. ‘Why would we do that, Angel? I quite think they might be onto something here. Now-now that’s quite an idea, that position.’   Crowley glanced at Aziraphale his eyes sparkling. ‘I think that we could learn a thing or two, Angel. Humans, ehhh. What will they think of next?’

They did try the position later that day. They tried many new positions. Not to mention a whole slew of other kinks that they never would have been able to come up with on their own. It turned out they had become rather boring over billions of years. The fresh supply of ideas ended up being very enlightening.

Aziraphale was moved when the pair were married only a year or so later. He may have even cried. He thought he might have seen Crowley shed a tear or two as well but was kind enough not to bring it up.

Time continued on and they delighted in their human counterparts, like a favorite television program. Aziraphale had long gotten over his guilt and was now fully invested.

‘They’re going to star gaze tonight. Asa and Anthony,’ Crowley clarified though he really didn’t need to. ‘Sounds like a fun idea to me, we could join them if you’d like?’

Aziraphale was easy to convince. They laid a blanket out near the globe and got comfortable and expanded Asa and Anthony’s view up above replacing their own more artificial sky with the real deal. Crowley could conjure up any view he wanted but they much preferred to use the globe.

Asa had hot chocolate prepared in a tartan thermos and they were passing it back and forth between them. Their rings glinted and Aziraphale’s heart melted at the sight of them like it always did. They were huddled close together, Anthony was using his professor voice to explain the celestial bodies they were seeing and Asa looked like he was hanging onto every word adoringly.

Crowley was taking his own great pleasure in correcting all the things he was wrong about in Aziraphale’s ear.

‘Now see, I was actually there when that one got made and I remember distinctly that-‘

Aziraphale let him ramble on, enjoying the cadence of his voice, the joy in his words.

The days had all been nice since they had arrived but today felt extra sweet as Aziraphale let his and Crowley’s fingers entwine. They stared up wonderingly at the stars that would hopefully be present for billions of years more before they finally burned out.

Nightingales were singing all around them, echoing across two universes.