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***
The moment the doorbell rang, Aziraphale bounded across the living room of his small flat, excitement rushing through him.
Crowley was finally here.
It was Gabriel and Bee’s Halloween party tonight, and Crowley - who lived out of town - was sleeping over at Aziraphale’s place. It was the perfect excuse for Aziraphale to have his best friend under his roof, even if just for one night.
He took a moment to correct his Halloween costume and put in his fake pointy teeth, and then he opened the front door.
“Hi, Aziraphale!” Crowley said, a huge grin on his face.
Crowley was also wearing his Halloween costume, but the majority of it was hidden under a long black coat, protecting him from the late October chill. Two chunky black boots poked out from under it. A devil horn headband had been carefully arranged on top of his red hair.
“You’re a demon! How spooky!” Aziraphale said with a delighted laugh. The fake teeth made his voice sound strange.
“And look at you! A sexy vampire! You’ve gone all Victorian gothic. It really suits you.”
“Thank you,” said Aziraphale, averting his eyes while his cheeks burned. Sexy. My goodness. Crowley was too kind.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you wearing black clothes before,” said Crowley, looking him up and down. He suddenly frowned, leaned forwards and drew apart the front of Aziraphale’s black vintage tailcoat. He pulled a face and made an exasperated noise. “A tartan waistcoat? You’re ridiculous.” He gave Aziraphale’s arm a playful slap.
“I’m just glad to have an opportunity to wear it. It doesn’t go with anything else in my wardrobe.”
Aziraphale straightened his red and black tartan waistcoat and pocketed his fake teeth while Crowley stepped inside with a huge duffel bag, leaving his suitcase on the doormat. Aziraphale grabbed it by the handle and wheeled it in.
“Good grief, are you secretly moving in?” Aziraphale asked. The suitcase was surprisingly heavy.
“I’ve got my hypoallergenic pillows and stuff.”
“Well, I don’t know what’s in here, but it’s definitely heavier than pillows.”
Crowley grinned. “That’d be the wine.”
Aziraphale perked up. “Let’s just pop your bags in the spare room, shall we? The foldout sofa is ready, and I have-” The words caught in his throat.
Crowley had just taken off his coat, revealing his Halloween outfit in all its splendour.
He was wearing a short-sleeved black T-shirt. Nothing unusual there, although it was perhaps slightly tighter than usual. What really grabbed Aziraphale’s attention though were the black short shorts teamed with thigh-high boots, the pale skin of his exposed thighs on show between them. Aziraphale had never seen Crowley in anything so revealing. He usually wore oversized jumpers and skinny jeans, dressed all in black from head to toe.
“Good heavens,” Aziraphale blurted out, and Crowley gave him a wide grin.
“Whaddya think?”
“Very...” Aziraphale wanted to say sexy, just like Crowley had kindly said to him. Because he did look sexy. But Crowley had said it so playfully, and Aziraphale feared it’d just sound lecherous and awkward coming from him. “...nice,” he finished feebly.
“Nice?” Crowley laughed. “I’m a demon. Demons aren’t nice.”
Crowley turned around to hang up his coat, and Aziraphale’s gaze dropped guiltily to his arse. Those shorts really were ever so tight, clinging to his small frame and showing off just how pert and round his bottom was. A devils tail - matching the red headband - hung from the back of Crowley’s belt.
If Aziraphale hadn't been blushing before, he certainly was now. He busied himself with manoeuvring Crowley’s suitcase.
“Won’t you get cold?” Aziraphale asked.
“Nah. Bee and Gabriel’s house is always hot as Hell, and I’ve got my coat for the walk.”
Aziraphale started dragging the suitcase towards the spare bedroom. He wondered if Crowley’s outfit was for Luke’s benefit. He’d be at the Halloween party too. Maybe Crowley wouldn’t end up coming back with Aziraphale after all. The thought made his stomach twist.
“Wait,” said Crowley. “Lemme get the booze out first. We can have a glass or two before we go.”
Aziraphale smiled. “That’s a wonderful idea.”
Crowley bent over to unzip the suitcase, giving Aziraphale quite the view.
“I’ll fetch the wine glasses,” Aziraphale croaked as he spun away.
How was he going to survive the evening?
***
After a couple of drinks to get them into the party spirit, they set off for Gabriel and Bee’s place. It was a twenty minute walk, and they carried a bag each, splitting the wine and the snacks between them.
Aziraphale had made cupcakes with chocolate frosting. Gabriel was in charge of the buffet so there was no doubt the snacks would be far too healthy and bland for Aziraphale’s tastes.
Aziraphale patted his pocket to make sure he still had his fake teeth with him.
“Feels good to be back in town,” Crowley said. “Always regretted moving back home after Uni. It’s dead boring. If I can get a job here, I’d like to move back.”
Aziraphale’s heart leapt at the thought. “I’ve got a spare room if you need a place. If you wanted a housemate, I mean.”
Crowley looked surprised. “I thought you liked living on your own?”
Aziraphale shrugged. “I like not living in a house share with five other people.”
“I was one of those people,” Crowley reminded him with a grin.
“And you were the only one who didn’t constantly drive me insane.”
Gabriel, Bee, Sandy, and Dagon were all fine in small doses, but he’d much rather face the Apocalypse than live with any of them ever again. When Gabriel and Bee got together they became even more insufferable, making up new house rules which seemed perfectly designed to make Aziraphale miserable. Such as not being allowed to use the kitchen after 9pm. What if he wanted a late-night nibble? What if Crowley wanted a coffee? They’d had a midnight feast in protest.
Griping about those rules had given Aziraphale and Crowley something to bond over all those years ago.
“Oh, we’re about to go past Ana’s place.” Aziraphale said as her little cottage came into view. “Do you know if she’s coming tonight?”
“I don’t think so,” said Crowley. “She never replied to any of the group messages anyway.”
“Or my text messages.”
Crowley rolled his eyes. “That’s because no one uses texts anymore.”
“You reply to my texts.”
“Only because you don’t know how to use WhatsApp.”
“I do know how to use it. I just don’t like it.”
They came to a stop in front of her garden gate and looked at each other.
“Should we knock on her door? See if she’s coming?” Crowley asked.
Pumpkins lined the garden path. A sign on the front door said, ‘Treats Here!’ in a spooky font.
“She must be in,” Aziraphale said. “The lights are on. Maybe she’s waiting for trick or treaters and will come to the party afterwards?”
They both checked their messages again.
“She’s not even seen them,” said Crowley.
“How can you tell if she’s seen them?”
Crowley sighed. “We really need to get you using WhatsApp.”
Aziraphale ignored him and marched away down the short and narrow garden path. He straightened the sign and then knocked on the door.
The door opened almost immediately, causing Aziraphale to jump back.
Ana had a wild look in her eyes and a manic grin on her face as she looked from one to the other of them. “Come in, come in! I have cookies! Delicious cookies! Eat your fill!”
Aziraphale looked her up and down. Her hair was a mess, but it didn’t seen polite to point it out. It might be part of her Halloween outfit. Maybe her unnerving grin was too. He stepped inside.
“Are you coming to Bee and Gabriel’s Halloween party or what?” Crowley asked, getting straight to the point.
Ana spun away and picked up a plate of what looked to be home baked biscuits. “Have a cookie.”
Crowley took one politely and Aziraphale eagerly did the same. He never turned down a free biscuit.
“Are these for trick or treaters?” Aziraphale asked.
“Yes! You’re my first! I’m so glad you came. I was starting to think no one would.”
“You’re supposed to give out individually wrapped-”
Crowley let out a blissful sound and Aziraphale momentarily lost his line of thought.
“Your biscuits are always so good,” Crowley said before taking another bite.
“Yes! Eat it all up!” Ana said enthusiastically. She was clearly very proud of these biscuits.
Aziraphale gave Ana a weary look, but happily started nibbling at his own biscuit. It was delicious. There were chocolate chips and everything.
Ana was grinning from ear to ear. Her eyes were too wide. “Yes, yes, eat it all.”
“Did you get Bee’s messages?” Crowley said, but Ana didn’t respond. “Ana? Are you okay? Your pupils are huge. Are you high? Fuck, are these ‘special’ cookies?”
Aziraphale had just swallowed and wished he hadn’t. “Are there drugs in these biscuits?!”
Ana looked at him with such a deranged look on her face that he took a step back.
Crowley let out a whimper. He swayed and then his legs seemed to go out from under him. Aziraphale grabbed at him, catching him just before he would have hit the ground.
“Crowley!”
Aziraphale clung to Crowley, both of them on the floor. Panic overwhelmed him. He was fairly sure Crowley was unconscious. He looked up at Ana with wide, terrified eyes, and she stared back at him with that same unhinged look on her face. The world swam, Aziraphale’s vision blurred, and then he fell sideways, unable to stop himself.
Everything went black.
***
Crowley woke up feeling groggy and disoriented. He opened his eyes and found himself laying on a stone floor in a dark room lit by dozens of candles and a single lightbulb which hung from the ceiling.
Head spinning, panic flaring, he tried to stand up, but his wrists were handcuffed, trapping him to the pipes of an old radiator. His high heeled boots - part of the outfit he’d worn to try to impress Aziraphale – skidded on the floor as he huddled against the wall.
He was in the basement of Ana’s cottage, he realised, and he saw Aziraphale handcuffed to the other side of the radiator, slumped against the wall with his head bowed.
“Aziraphale,” Crowley hissed. Then louder, unable to hold back his fear. “Aziraphale! Wake up!”
Aziraphale flinched awake, suddenly sitting bolt upright, eyes darting around the room. He realised he was handcuffed to the radiator, made a strangled sound in his throat, and then started to struggle wildly. “What’s going on?” Aziraphale cried, his voice cracking.
“Be quiet or she’ll hear you,” Crowley said.
The last thing he remembered was Ana grinning maliciously at him before he passed out in Aziraphale’s arms.
“Who? Ana?” Aziraphale glanced around the room. He was trembling. “Where is she? Why... What the fuck is that?!” Aziraphale was staring with wide eyes at the floor before then. Symbols had been painted in red on the floor in the centre of the room. A large circle had been drawn at a wide perimeter around the symbols, with candles positioned just outside of it. Crowley and Aziraphale were inside of the circle, close to the edge. Crowley was fairly sure the red paint was blood.
Crowley was so frightened that he barely registered that Aziraphale had just sworn in front of him for the first time ever.
“Is that- It has to be red paint,” Aziraphale said. “What’s going on? Why is Ana doing this? Is she having a mental breakdown? She was acting so strangely but I never thought she’d...”
“She was acting like she was possessed or something,” Crowley heard himself say, and then he wished he hadn’t said it. Saying it out loud made it feel real.
Aziraphale looked at him with horror in his eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous. This must be some sort of practical joke for Halloween.” But he didn’t sound convinced. He started trying to break free again, the metal of the handcuffs clanging against the pipes. Crowley joined in, although it seemed hopeless.
“Ana’s a witch, but not a- a real witch,” Aziraphale muttered. “Real witches don’t exist. Dark magic doesn’t exist.”
“I don’t believe in magic either,” Crowley muttered, staring at the circle. “But I do believe in people doing stupid things because they do.”
Aziraphale let out a broken sound. “But not Ana. She’s too sensible. Something’s wrong, something’s happened to her.”
“Evil twin.”
“Stop it!” Aziraphale snapped. He stopped struggling. “This is hopeless. I don’t suppose she left the keys laying around.”
They both peered around the room as best they could in the low light, trying to spot something, anything, that might be useful.
The door banged open, reverberating off the wall, and Ana strode in. She put her hands on her hips as she stared at the two of them, a frown on her face. She gave a sigh. “You’ll just have to do. Why don’t children go trick or treating these days?”
“Ana, let us go right this instant. This isn’t funny,” Aziraphale shouted furiously, but there was a tremble in his voice.
Ana marched towards them, glanced at Aziraphale coldly, and then she knelt down in front of Crowley. He tried to back away, pulling at his handcuffs.
Ana grabbed at his coat and started to unbutton it.
“Oi!” Crowley yelled, flinching as his coat was ripped open. He suddenly regretted his outfit. He’d only worn it to try to tempt Aziraphale into making a move.
Ana looked him up and down, and her face contorted into a look of fury. “You’re all skin and bone! Barely any meat on you at all!”
Crowley’s blood ran cold.
Ana glanced at Aziraphale and seemed to cheer up a bit. “At least you’ll give me something to get my teeth into. Mutton instead of lamb, but you’ll both keep my belly full.”
Crowley kicked out, wriggling desperately, shouting and screaming. Ana stepped backwards out of his way.
“Feisty,” Ana said with a laugh. “But that’s okay. I like to play with my food.”
Crowley looked over at Aziraphale. His face was pale, his mouth hanging open in disbelief. Crowley’s attention snapped back to Ana as she made her way to the centre of the room. She checked the red markings on the floor before placing an open book in the very centre of the design. A symbol which had been inked onto a double page spread in the middle of the book began to glow an ominous red and both Crowley and Aziraphale screamed as they renewed their attempts to escape. Ana looked at them with a pleased grin and then stepped out of the circle. She started to chant in a language Crowley didn’t understand, didn’t even recognise.
“What’s she saying?!”
“I don’t know!” Aziraphale gasped. “I don’t- I’ve never heard that language before.”
Which was a different kind of terrifying. Aziraphale knew more languages than Crowley could count, although he was more in the business of translating written words than spoken ones.
The glowing symbol in the book brightened, and the symbols painted on the ground started to glow too.
“Ana! Stop it! Shut up!” Aziraphale pleaded, and then he yelped as thick, dark smoke started pouring from the book, rolling outwards like a mist on all sides. Crowley started to cough as the mist reached them, heavy and cloying, and then it reached the circles edge and rolled upwards, as though an invisible barrier blocked it’s way.
Just outside of the circle, Ana stopped chanting, gasped for air and then collapsed onto the ground and was still. The mist was so thick that she was soon obscured from view.
A loud roar echoed around the room followed by a horrible wet slobbering sound. Two red lights glowed brightly through the dense smog. Something was coming closer, it’s footsteps loud, claws clacking on the stone floor.
Crowley’s mouth opened in a silent scream as something big with too many teeth emerged from the smoke, coming straight for him. He was going to die.
“Safety catch!” Aziraphale screamed. “There’s a safety catch! I have some like this at home! Quick! You can undo them! There’s a release on the cuffs!”
Confused and frightened, Crowley turned to look at Aziraphale. He was fumbling with his handcuffs. One of the cuffs suddenly clicked open, freeing Aziraphale’s left wrist. For a moment Crowley thought Aziraphale was free, but unfortunately, Ana had used two sets of handcuffs on each of them, fastening each corresponding cuff around the pipe, meaning he was still trapped by his other wrist. Aziraphale quickly started working on his other cuff.
Crowley clawed at his own handcuffs, his hands sweaty and shaking. “I- I can’t!” he sobbed.
The beast roared as it turned away from Crowley and started to race at Aziraphale.
Aziraphale’s other handcuff came free moments before the monster lunged at him. Crowley screamed, convinced Aziraphale was going to be killed, but Aziraphale twisted out of the monster’s reach and then darted out of the circle.
The monster threw itself after him but crashed against the invisible barrier, clawing at it with a furious roar. It whirled around and fixed its piercing red eyes on Crowley. The demon - for that had to be what it was – grinned at him, revealing row upon row of razor-sharp teeth, and then it advanced on him slowly. A clawed hand landed on Crowley’s leg, and then the demon climbed on top him while Crowley tried to kick it away, pinning him down with its large talon-like hands and feet. It let out what sounded like a laugh while Crowley struggled and sobbed. It’s face moved closer to his own, its breath hot and putrid. Crowley cringed back, repulsed and helpless as the thing crawled further on top of him.
Something emerged from the fog and connected with the demon’s head with a sickening crack. The demon’s head slammed against the barrier, and it let out a cry of pain.
Aziraphale towered over the beast, kicking it again and again with his elegant black brogues as it tried to turn towards him.
“Crowley! The handcuffs! Quick! You can do it!”
Crowley burst into life, renewing his efforts to undo the cuffs, and finally, one of them clicked open. He was still pawing at the second when Aziraphale accidently knocked over a candle which sat just outside of the circle. The flame flared, bright and huge, and then it flickered out - along with every other candle in the circle.
A whirlwind started up in the centre of the room, dragging the mist back towards the book, tendrils spinning before vanishing into the pages. The beast, disorientated from the kicking it had received, was suddenly yanked back along the floor towards the book. Even Crowley could feel the pull of it as he clung desperately to the radiator. He was glad that one of his wrists was still secured to the pipe, even though the cuff was digging painfully into his skin.
Aziraphale lost his balance and tumbled over. He skidded across the floor towards the centre of the room but then grabbed onto Crowley’s leg just in time, stopping himself from being dragged away any further.
Aziraphale cried out. The demon had grabbed onto his ankle and was trying to climb up his body, trying to stop itself from being sucked into the portal. Except that wasn’t what it was trying to do at all, Crowley realised with mounting horror. The demon was trying to force Aziraphale to let go. It was trying to drag Aziraphale with it into Hell or wherever the fuck it’d come from.
Crowley lifted his free leg and bought his chunky heel down on the creatures head, catching it in the eye.
Instinctively, a clawed hand went up to cover its face. Another forceful kick and the demon lost its grip altogether and was dragged away across the floor and back into the book with the last of the thick black smoke.
The pages of the book flicked over and over, and then the book slammed shut and the whirlwind was gone.
The room fell silent, save for clicking of Crowley’s handcuff and the pounding of his heart. Finally, the last cuff came undone, and he was free.
“Are- Are you hurt?” Aziraphale asked in a trembling voice. He released his death-grip on Crowley’s leg.
Crowley’s voice was hoarse from screaming so loudly. “I’m okay. Are you okay?”
“Yes, I think so.”
Aziraphale stood up, and then he was bending down, taking Crowley’s hand and hauling him to his feet. Aziraphale continued to hold onto Crowley’s hand, as if afraid of letting go.
“Y- You came back for me,” Crowley heard himself say, awed and astonished. Aziraphale had escaped the circle, he’d been safe. He’d risked his life to come back and rescue him.
Aziraphale squeezed his hand. “Of course I did.”
Aziraphale pulled Crowley with him out of the circle.
Everything beyond the circle seemed untouched by the whirlwind, and thank fuck for that, or Ana would’ve been dragged away. As it was, Ana still lay sprawled on the floor.
Crowley’s heart raced. Was the demon trapped inside the portal or had it possessed her again? A worse thought occurred to him. Had Ana been killed the moment the demon left her? She wasn’t moving.
“Ana?” said Aziraphale, and Crowley could tell by the tremble in his voice that the same thoughts were running through his head.
Aziraphale stepped closer, called her name again, his voice louder and more urgent. Aziraphale pushed Crowley behind him, putting himself between Ana and Crowley, and then he gently tapped her with his foot.
Ana groaned and flinched away. Her eyes fluttered open. Her pupils seemed to have gone back to normal. “What?” She murmured weakly. Her brow creased in confusion. “What happened?”
“Ana? Is that you in there?” Aziraphale asked.
“Huh?” Ana looked beyond them at the circle and the fallen candles. Her eyes widened. “Is that a summoning circle?! What’s going on?” She struggled to her feet.
Aziraphale was clearly torn between keeping his distance and helping her get up. “What’s the last thing you remember?”
There was a look of distress on Ana’s face. “Did I...?”
“It was like you were possessed or something,” Crowley said. “Do you remember any of it?”
“I had a dream. You were both chained to the radiator, and-” She stared at them, seeming to notice their outfits for the first time, or at least, only just absorbing what she was seeing. “Is it Halloween? Oh, God, I’ve lost several days!”
Ana raced into the circle.
“No! Get out of there!” Aziraphale shouted.
“The book, it was the book!” Ana cried.
“Get away from it!”
She just stood there, staring at the book where it lay on the floor, still closed. When she looked up at them, her eyes were wet with tears. “That’s how the demon got through. It was the book. That’s how it was able to- I’m so sorry.”
“Come back here,” Aziraphale demanded.
Ana swallowed. “But we need to destroy it. Burn it.” She was trembling.
Aziraphale stepped into the circle, took hold of her sleeve and pulled her away with him. “It’s alright. Come on. Oh… Is that the book from the car-boot sale you were telling me about?”
Ana nodded, her face drawn. “I didn’t know it was real. All it takes is for a witch to look at the symbol on the middle pages and a demon can possess them. Demons can only possess people with magic in their blood. I should have sensed there was something wrong with the book. I should have cleansed it! I... I’m so sorry.”
“This isn’t your fault,” Aziraphale said. “Now let’s go upstairs. This place is giving me the heebie-jeebies.”
Crowley was glad to leave the basement. They went up into the living room and lit a fire. Aziraphale - who didn’t want Ana anywhere near the book – put on a pair of gardening gloves and then threw the book into the fireplace. Dark green flames burst from the book, hissing and crackling, and then the flames turned orange again, and soon all that remained was a pile of ash.
Crowley ran trembling fingers through his hair. His hand bumped against something, and he suddenly remembered the almost cartoonish horns on his head. He ripped the headband off and then threw it into Ana’s rubbish bin. He unclipped the matching tail from his belt and threw it in as well.
Crowley turned to Ana. “Did it need to be Halloween for the monster to come through?”
“No. It chose Halloween because...” She swallowed. “It thought it could steal children easier on that night. Thank goodness Adam and his friends didn’t come over. I think the demon was able to read my mind to a degree.”
Ana’s grandmother, Agnes - a witch and all-around sensible person - came over and helped them all to calm down. They drank tea and ate Aziraphale’s cupcakes.
Ana’s cookies had long since ended up in the rubbish bin.
Soon, Crowley and Aziraphale left the cottage, leaving Ana in Agnes’ capable hands.
When they got to the end of the garden path and stepped onto the pavement, their eyes met. Without a word they both started towards Aziraphale’s home.
It was late, the party would be winding down anyway, and besides, Crowley felt exhausted and absolutely not in the mood to socialise. He wanted to go back to Aziraphale’s place where he felt safe.
***
The walk home felt like the longest journey of Aziraphale’s life.
It was dark, and the streets were deserted and silent, save for the sounds of a couple of distant house parties.
After the book had been destroyed and Aziraphale had downed a few revitalising cups of tea, he’d finally started to feel safe again. He’d thought he was doing okay. But out here, danger seemed to lurk around every corner, and he had the ridiculous - not to mention inappropriate - urge to grab Crowley and keep him close, protect him from anything that might wish to harm him. He’d almost lost Crowley. He’d seen that monster crawl on top of him, he’d heard him scream and scream. Aziraphale knew he’d relive that moment in his nightmares.
He hadn’t even really thought about what he was doing, just rushed back into the circle to rescue his best friend, because anything else would’ve been unthinkable. He’d run back in there and kicked the demon in the face, just like he’d learnt to kick footballs in his youth. He’d never been so thankful that his dad had insisted he play footy with the lads after school. His father had wanted him to be more ‘manly’ - AKA. less gay - and had only relented when Aziraphale had asked what was really more manly - getting sweaty with a bunch of men in shorts or being in an after-school book club with lots of beautiful and intelligent women.
He’d meet Ana at that book club.
He was starting to realise just how much he loved Crowley, and the worst part was that Crowley must have realised it too. Aziraphale cringed. Nothing said, ‘I’m desperately in love with you,’ quite like risking life and limb. But surely friends looked out for each other too? And they were best friends.
A loud howl had both of them tensing and drawing closer together. Crowley’s hand snuck into his own.
Before tonight, Aziraphale would have barely have even noticed what was definitely just someone’s dog barking, but now it had him jogging while Crowley powerwalked beside him, their hands still linked.
It was a relief when they finally reached Aziraphale’s front door, and when they were able to step inside and lock themselves away from the world.
Crowley threw himself onto the sofa. His coat was still buttoned up, his leather booted legs sticking out in front of him. Aziraphale had a sudden flashback to clinging to one of those legs while gravity seemed to break and attempt to pull him across the room. Aziraphale swallowed. He took off his tailcoat, hung it on the back of the door, and then sat down beside Crowley.
“That really happened, huh?” Crowley said after a moment.
“It would seem so,” Aziraphale said. “I keep expecting to wake up.”
“Me too,” Crowley said with a nervous laugh.
Aziraphale wanted to hug him, wanted to comfort him, wanted proof that Crowley was really here in one piece, that they were both still alive.
Instead, he considered making them some hot drinks, anything to delay going to bed. He didn’t want to be alone.
“I would have died if you hadn’t come back for me,” Crowley said suddenly.
Aziraphale’s stomach swooped. They’d already had this conversation back in the basement. He didn’t want to have it again. He was scared of saying too much, of saying the wrong thing. He didn’t want to hear Crowley explain that he didn’t feel the same.
Crowley shuffled closer, pressing himself against Aziraphale’s side, and when Aziraphale turned and looked at him there was such vulnerability in Crowley’s eyes, such adoration, that the breath caught in Aziraphale’s throat. Crowley was looking at him like he’d hung the stars.
Crowley pressed his lips to Aziraphale’s cheek, and then he was kissing him on the mouth, soft and gentle. Aziraphale couldn’t belief this was really happening. It felt almost as surreal and impossible as everything that had just happened in the basement. He kissed Crowley back feverishly, pushing fingers into dishevelled red hair, clinging to him.
Aziraphale had secretly wanted this since the day they first met. They’d both moved into the house-share on the same day, and they’d helped each other with their furniture, boxes and bags. That had been at the start of the first year of university and he’d held a torch for him ever since, but he never thought this would ever actually happen.
The kiss deepened, tongues pressing together. Crowley let out a weak sound which went straight to Aziraphale’s cock.
Crowley started to climb onto his lap, and Aziraphale felt overwhelmed. He came back to reality. This was a bad idea. He pushed gently against Crowley’s shoulder, and Crowley fell back against the sofa seat, his eyes wide and his lips parted.
“Sorry,” Crowley breathed. “Too fast? Or...?”
A greedy part of Aziraphale told him to shake his head, to pull Crowley close and kiss him again. He ignored it. For now.
Aziraphale swallowed. “Are you sure you want to? I know it’s been a... a strange day. Maybe it’s the adrenaline and whatnot.”
Crowley stared at him, incredulous. “Do you think I’m only snogging you because you saved my life?”
“No, of course not. I just- I thought maybe my heroic rescue might have momentarily made me seem more... appealing.”
“Momentarily- Why do you think I’m wearing these booty shorts?”
Aziraphale felt thrown by the change of subject. “Er. I’m sure they’re very trendy. Although I’m worried you’ll catch a chill going outside dressed like that at this time of year.”
“I was trying to make you look at me. Hoped you might... I dunno...”
Aziraphale let out a surprised laugh. “Crowley, I struggle not to look at you. I mean look at you. You’re gorgeous.”
Crowley smiled. “You’re the gorgeous one. I’ve been flirting with you since forever.”
“Really?”
“Really. Look. I’m not gonna lie – You rescuing me from that monster was the hottest thing ever. But that doesn’t change the fact that I’d already been hoping tonight would end with me on your lap.”
Aziraphale’s eyes darted to those lovely long legs. “Well, hop on.”
With a lopsided grin, Crowley unbuttoned his coat. He let it fall open as he climbed onto Aziraphale’s lap, his leather boots creaking.
The weight of him was delicious, a firm pressure against Aziraphale’s thighs. The sight of Crowley perched atop him, with his legs spread either side of him on the sofa, took his breath away.
In a moment of daring, Aziraphale stroked Crowley’s thigh, amazed by the silky softness of his skin, the fine hair, and just how squeezable his flesh was despite his slender frame.
Crowley let out a happy sound, and then he drifted closer and kissed him, a hand snaking around Aziraphale’s shoulders to play with the hair at the nape of his neck. Aziraphale groaned at the touch, at the way Crowley melted against him.
Crowley shuffled even closer until their bodies were flush, and Aziraphale gasped as he felt the weight of him against his cock. It made a shiver run through him, made him want to buck up against him, made him feel embarrassed and excited all at once. His gaze drifted down and he saw a tell-tale bulge in Crowley’s tight shorts. The realisation that Crowley was equally aroused had heat pooling low in his belly.
Crowley shrugged out of his coat and let it fall to the floor. His top was short sleeved, revealing slender but toned arms and delicate wrists.
Crowley’s hands went up to Aziraphale’s cravat, and Aziraphale saw red marks on Crowley’s wrists. He realised with a jolt that it must be from where Crowley had been handcuffed, the metal digging into his skin as he desperately tried to free himself, screaming as the beast came closer and closer...
“Aziraphale?”
Aziraphale tore his gaze away from Crowley’s wrists and looked up into concerned amber eyes.
“They don’t hurt,” Crowley said, rubbing at his wrists. “I think it’s just where I was pulling against the handcuffs too much.”
The mental image that produced might have been sexy before today. Now it just brought fresh waves of panic.
“It’s okay,” Crowley said gently. “We’re okay.”
“I was so scared I was going to lose you,” Aziraphale whispered.
“Nah. You’re stuck with me. In fact, I don’t think I’m ever getting up off your lap. I like it here.”
A smile tugged at Aziraphale’s lip.
“I’m lucky you’re a kinky bastard,” Crowley said, leaning forward with a flirty grin that made Aziraphale’s stomach swoop. “Got a thing for handcuffs, huh? It saved our lives.”
Aziraphale’s cheeks felt hot. “I. Um. Yes. Although… after what just happened, I’m not sure I ever want to see another handcuff again.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean. Maybe one day in the future, but...” He tilted his head. “Did you usually like being the one tied up or...”
“Oh. Um. I like it both ways.”
“Doesn’t have to be handcuffs... A neck tie. A scarf.”
Aziraphale’s cock twitched at the thought. “Or... Um. I’ve always wanted to try bondage tape.”
Crowley looked curious. “That’s the one that only sticks to itself, right? Yeah, I’m up for that. Another time though. Not feeling the whole ‘restraint’ thing right now.”
Aziraphale smiled. Another time, Crowley had said. So he really did see a future for them. “Yes, another time. Far in the future.” They’d need to build up to it. If it was something they both decided they still wanted to try. “Right now,” Aziraphale said in a moment of daring, “I don’t want to see you in a scarf or a tie. I’d rather see you in nothing at all.”
Crowley grinned. “I like the sound of that.” He promptly pulled his T-shirt up and over his head before throwing it across the room.
Aziraphale bit his lower lip as his eyes slid appreciatively over Crowley’s body, from his pink nipples to the trail of red hair that vanished into his short shorts.
“Let’s even the playing field, shall we?” Crowley said, and immediately tugged Aziraphale’s cravat undone before unbuttoning his red and black tartan waistcoat. In no time, Crowley was impatiently pulling Aziraphale’s shirt down his arms and away, leaving him bare from the waist up.
Aziraphale knew he was nothing special to look at, but the way Crowley was looking at him, the sounds of appreciation he made as he ran his hands over his bare chest and round belly, made Aziraphale feel special.
“You’re so sexy,” Crowley breathed as he scooted closer, pressing their bare chests together. The feel of skin on skin made Aziraphale tingle all over.
They were kissing again, both of them breathless with it. Crowley was rocking in place, the friction wonderful against Aziraphale’s cock. Aziraphale dared to touch Crowley’s thigh again, stroking the exposed skin until his fingers brushed over the material of his shorts, and he found himself cupping Crowley’s erection through his clothes.
Crowley made a broken sound and deepened the kiss as his hips started to buck up in earnest. He rocked against Aziraphale’s hand, over and over, his arse grinding against Aziraphale’s erection at the same time. Aziraphale moaned, eager for more. He palmed at Crowley, rubbing and squeezing, thrilling at the illicit sounds it drew from him.
“Nhh. I’m gonna cum in my shorts if you keep doing that,” Crowley whimpered.
Those filthy words coming out of Crowley’s mouth had Aziraphale dangerously close to the edge already. “Take them off then.”
Crowley pushed up onto his knees, his fingers fumbling with buttons and then a zip. Aziraphale pulled the shorts down as far as they’d go, his underwear coming with it, his long, hard cock bobbing free. Aziraphale couldn't stop staring, couldn't resist the urge to reach out and touch. He took his time, teasing the head before stroking down his length, savouring him, memorising every inch of him, making Crowley moan and squirm.
“Wait, wait, wait,” Crowley gasped. “Lemme take them off properly.”
Crowley slid from his lap. Aziraphale wanted to pull him back, wanted to keep touching him. But then Crowley started to strip, and all Aziraphale could do was watch. Crowley’s shorts and underwear came off first, despite a tense moment where they got caught on the top of his boots, and then, after a moment’s hesitation, those came off too. Crowley bent over beautifully as he unzipped his boots, and then they were being kicked dismissively to one side. Crowley was left standing in nothing but a pair of thick socks – with a pattern of cartoon snakes on them – and then those came off too.
As sexy as Crowley had looked in his thigh-high boots and tight shorts, it was nothing compared to seeing him entirely naked.
“You’re gorgeous,” Aziraphale breathed.
Crowley gave him a coy smile, and then he sauntered closer until he was bending over and placing his hands on Aziraphale’s knees. “Let’s get you out of these trousers, shall we?” His hands slid up to Aziraphale’s belt and soon Aziraphale was lifting his hips as Crowley tugged his trousers and boxers down and away. Aziraphale felt his cheeks burn as his cock was put on show.
Crowley made an appreciative sound. “Hnn, your dick is huge.”
Long fingers wrapped around Aziraphale’s cock, making him gasp, making his eyes drift closed. Crowley started to stroke him, and he had to bite his lip against the pleasure of it.
Crowley climbed back onto his lap, his bare arse landing on Aziraphale’s bare thighs.
Their hands found each other again, and soon they were tugging at each other’s cocks, their mouths pressed together. Aziraphale couldn’t stop the desperate little noises that escaped him, and Crowley was gasping into Aziraphale’s open mouth, rocking in place while Aziraphale’s free hand snuck behind him to cup a round arse cheek.
Aziraphale felt overwhelmed. The man of his dreams was writhing on his lap, touching him, kissing him. Aziraphale was so close he was trembling.
Crowley drew in a sharp breath. “I'm gonna cum, Aziraphale...” He tensed and then he was letting out a nonsensical sound.
Aziraphale watched as Crowley spilled in hot spurts across Aziraphale’s hand and chest, coating him in it, and then Aziraphale looked up and saw Crowley’s face contorted with pleasure. He looked beautiful with his flushed cheeks, parted lips and fluttering eyelashes.
It was all too much. Aziraphale’s hips pushed up, his cock sliding in Crowley’s grip, and suddenly he was cumming too. He gasped out Crowley’s name as his eyes squeezed shut, whimpering as he shook apart. Crowley held him through it, clinging to him.
When Aziraphale came back to himself, Crowley was sprawled boneless against him, his face pressed to Aziraphale’s neck. They were both panting. Aziraphale stroked Crowley’s back and then his arms, marvelling at the softness of his skin, at the pleasure they had just shared.
He loved Crowley so much. He didn't dare say it out loud - not yet anyway. But the thought that he might one day made his heart sing.
Crowley stirred. He lifted his head to give him a lazy smile and a kiss. “You alright, angel?”
“Oh, yes,” Aziraphale beamed. He lifted an eyebrow. “Angel?”
Crowley shrugged and let out an embarrassed sound. “Sometimes, in the right light, your hair glows just like a halo. It’s adorable.”
Aziraphale scoffed.
“And,” Crowley said with a grin, “tonight you were my guardian angel.”
Aziraphale kissed him.
After a moment, Crowley sat back. They both looked down.
“That’s a lot of cum,” Crowley said.
They both laughed, and then Aziraphale grabbed some tissues from a nearby sidetable. They cleaned up as best they could, and then Crowley climbed down from his lap, which was a shame but also a relief - Aziraphale’s legs had been starting to feel numb.
Crowley stretched and yawned. He looked in the direction of the spare room where his belongings had been placed several hours before, although it felt like a lifetime ago.
“I should put my pyjamas on,” Crowley said.
Now that Aziraphale thought about it, it was a bit chilly, and they were both very naked.
Aziraphale stared at the spare room. His stomach fluttered nervously. “Would you like to join me?” He gestured at his own bedroom hopefully.
Crowley's eyes lit up. “I’ll fetch my hypoallergenic pillows.”
***
End
***