That smile and the kiss to the back of his hand ease his own nerves, as well. He trusts Crowley implicitly, and he craves this new intimacy that they share. However they spend the night, they'll be together, and that's what matters to him the most.
Of course, that doesn't entirely stop the butterflies that are currently dancing the Gavotte inside of him, as he follows Crowley through the door, basket in hand. He was only here a few hours ago, but already it feels different. Crowley's invited him to stay, to carve out space for himself among the foreboding furniture and priceless artworks. His gaze sweeps around the flat, as if taking it in for the first time.
"Oh. Yes, thank you." He offers Crowley the basket, then shrugs off his jacket and looks for a place to hang it up somewhere. There's also the matter of where to sit, but he'll let Crowley take the lead on that one.
There are some hooks that jut out rather forebodingly from the wall that Aziraphale will find if he looks around, and though the flat is mostly dark open space and terrorized plants and sculpturary, he does have a few pieces of furniture around for sitting on: the chair Aziraphale calls a throne, the bench, an ornately carved settee. And the bed, but Crowley doesn't let his mind wander there yet. Taking the basket when Aziraphale hands it over, he strolls into the kitchen--glaring briefly at the plants as he passes, they'd best make a nice showing of themselves if they know what's good for them--and fetches out a couple of old crystal wine glasses, along with the bottle that was tucked into the basket. About to go back out, he pauses at the sight of the cherry tart packed away more carefully than the rest of the leftovers.
He has plates and forks somewhere, though it takes an extra minute or two of poking around before he finds a set. Crowley can hardly remember the last time he ate here; all his meals have been with Aziraphale lately, or on occasion something quick and easily scarfed down from a food truck on the rare occasions when he's feeling a need for sustenance. He puts the cherry tart on the plate, balances it, the fork, the glasses and the bottle as he moves from the kitchen into the sitting room of sorts. "Over here, Aziraphale."
When the angel finds him, he's already set the glasses down, along with the tart and fork, on an inconveniently low table in front of the settee. "Better finish that off," Crowley tells him, pouring wine into the glasses. "Just go to waste if you leave it here."
The jacket gets hung on one of the aforementioned hooks, but when confronted with his seating choices, Aziraphale decides to wander Crowley's flat instead. He's feeling unusually restless, and with Crowley getting things ready in the kitchen, sitting alone somewhere with nothing to do doesn't appeal to him at all.
He makes a steady circuit of the open space, lingering on the plants. The plants are his favorite part of the flat, even if he's not thrilled about Crowley's method for keeping them so lush and green. The angel admires them for a minute or two and leaves them a whisper of positive encouragement before he continues his self-guided tour. Minus the kitchen, where Crowley is taking a curiously long time to get glasses for the wine, and the bedroom, which he avoids to keep his thoughts from running away from him.
The sculptures get a curious look-over. He remembers the one of Good and Evil wrestling, and maybe it's because of recent events, but that wrestling no longer looks quite so innocent to him. He blushes and moves on to the bird statue, which seems surprisingly simple in comparison. Where has he seen this statue before? It was...
...it was in the church.
When Crowley calls for him, he comes over promptly, smiling as if he's trying to hold back a great wave of emotion. His composure nearly cracks at the sight of the cherry tart, but he manages to hold himself together, taking a seat on the settee. He'd much rather wrap his arms around Crowley and hold onto him for all his worth, face pressed into the crook of his neck, but Crowley's in the middle of pouring the wine and he doesn't want to interrupt. "That was very kind of you," he says, his voice a little shaky. "Thank you."
Edited 2019-07-24 01:58 (UTC)
i think i'm remembering the right statue but correct me if not
Crowley doesn't realize that Aziraphale's been wandering, or that he's found his little keepsake from the 20th century. Not that it was all that little, it took a bit of effort to get it moved after he'd gone back to the wreckage of the church, curious about what he'd find still intact. Especially as he'd had to be very ginger about it, thinking it might burn him. But the destruction of the church had deconsecrated it, so it hadn't been as hard as he'd expected in the end, and when he had it all set up properly in his flat he liked the look of it, not to mention the audacity of a demon keeping a souvenir from a church.
And it made him think of Aziraphale, every time he passed it. How he'd looked long ago with wings outstretched, shielding Crowley from the rain. How he'd looked at him in the church when he realized his books were safe.
Aziraphale's smile is trembling at the edges, as though he's constraining a great deal of emotion behind it. Studying him a bit worriedly behind the glasses, not understanding the emotion, Crowley perches on the back of the couch next to Aziraphale once he's sat down, with one of the glasses of wine in his hand. His tongue is tied at the allegation of kindness, stomach doing a jump that is rather more excitement than discomfort, though the cherry tart doesn't seem to warrant all this. For a moment he's afraid--is it possible Aziraphale's changed his mind about being here? But he tells himself not to get so nervy and jump to conclusions, and he reaches out his free hand and tentatively smooths Aziraphale's hair, a finger tracing in a curve over his ear, down to his cheek. "Are you all right?" he asks quietly.
He turns into Crowley's touch instinctively, biting his lower lip as if ashamed of his own emotions. Seeing that statue on display felt like he had read someone's private correspondence, or was watching someone without them knowing. It sets up a poignant ache in his heart, to know that Crowley kept this as a memento, a reminder of what he yearned for all this time, and that Aziraphale could have seen it, too, if only he had --
No. No, he had known it, too. He had known it the moment Crowley remembered the books. And what had he done in return, besides giving him the holy water? He had denied him, time and again. And despite it all, Crowley kept that statue there. A physical reminder, out in the open, not just hidden in his heart, like Aziraphale had done until far too recently.
It is all too tempting to shrug and force a smile, to tell Crowley that he's fine, please pass over that glass of wine, dear. It's not very romantic to be a mess of regret and longing and vulnerability. He's supposed to be strong one, isn't he? "I..." His voice cracks a little and he presses further into Crowley's touch. "I saw the bird statue, it... it surprised me, is all. That you kept it despite how I treated you afterwards."
Aziraphale leans into the touch, so Crowley keeps doing it, caressing over his hair and down his cheek in a slow repetitive motion, returning some of the pleasure Aziraphale gave him in the park. The angel seems to need this, and it’s rather a nice feeling, to be able to offer some form of solace, assurance, though he wishes it weren’t necessary; Crowley always gets anxious when confronted with Aziraphale’s distress. Demons aren’t any good at comfort, everyone knows that. Yet Crowley’s had the suspicion for some time now that he would do anything, be anything that Aziraphale needed, no matter how it goes against his natural instincts or Hell’s expectations. Maybe this is one of the new things they can define for themselves.
Oh. He listens as Aziraphale brings up the bird statue, touch faltering with momentary embarrassment before he resumes stroking his hair gently. Never mind, he’s glad Aziraphale told him rather than shrugging it off. It’s not as though Crowley can hope to hide how long he’s yearned after and loved Aziraphale any more; he’s made that abundantly clear in the last few days, if it hasn’t been obvious for decades now. “What do you mean? You were fine. We were friends again, weren’t we?” Aziraphale may be thinking of...other things, he supposes, things that were said later on, but it’s not necessary to get lost in remorse. They’ve both done enough regretting for things said or not said. Crowley takes a light grip of Aziraphale’s pale soft hair and tugs gently, teasingly. “You worry too much, angel.”
In this moment, Aziraphale would beg to disagree that Crowley is no good at comforting. Every stroke through his hair and caress down his cheek is a balm for his jangled nerves. No wonder Crowley likes this, he thinks absently as his mind turns a bit fuzzy. He shuts his eyes, like a cat in a sunbeam, letting the frayed tears in his heart mend themselves, drawn back together by Crowley's patient, soothing touch.
"We were always friends," he murmurs, his voice a little floaty. "Even when I said the most foolish things..." And then Crowley gives his hair a gentle tug and his eyes snap open, a startled laugh leaving his mouth without even trying. "I'm so good at it, though," he huffs in response, a touch wryly. Worrying about Crowley's safety, worrying about their superiors finding out about the Arrangement, worrying if he's doing the right thing, or if whatever thing he's doing, he's doing it the right way...
But it's nearly impossible to be worried now. He feels too safe around Crowley for those painful second guesses to take root in his thoughts. He concentrates on Crowley's hand in his hair instead, the playfulness in his friend's voice. "You know, back in Eden... I was so worried about having given my sword away. And the first thing you did, when I confessed it to you, was to reassure me." He smiles at the memory, the years between then and now to not seemingly matter. "I thought, is this was having a friend is like? You were so good to me, even back then."
“Yes, we were,” Crowley agrees, continuing the soft strokes, the teasing little tugs at strands of Aziraphale’s hair now and again. Yes, they’d always been friends, even on opposing sides throughout history or the times they’d fought. Even when both of them were being pig-headed, stubborn...he grins briefly when Aziraphale says how good he is at worrying, in that wry tone. “Well, I didn’t want to be the one to tell you, angel, but at least you know it.”
It’s said with plenty of affection, because who would Aziraphale be without that tendency to worry, without always fussing about what Crowley’s up to or what would have happened if their Arrangement had been discovered, fussing over nearly everything he does himself—he wouldn’t be the Aziraphale that Crowley’s known all these years. His hand eases down the back of Aziraphale’s neck, caressing there lightly for a moment, before he rubs between his shoulders soothingly, easing invisible tensions. “Ah, well, I knew you couldn’t have done anything wrong,” he says softly when Aziraphale brings up their first meeting, all those millennia ago. “Nothing like that in you.” Crowley gazes down at him, remembering the longing he’d felt even back then, the urge to be near that angelic presence. Aziraphale might have had the sword; he might have chosen to strike out at the demon who tempted Eve and had the humans banished from Eden, yet he’d crawled straight to him anyway. “All that goodness in you, I could see it. Like a beacon. The other angels are nothing like you.”
It's reassuring to hear that bond between them, however unspoken, however pulled at by opposing forces or their own foolishness, remained intact. He gives a soft exhalation of relief, one that turns into a sound of pleasure as Crowley begins to ease out the fading tension between his shoulders. He doesn't look much like a creature of worry now, his eyes half-lidded and his posture slack and easy. He looks up when Crowley continues to speak, his friend's cascading red hair another reminder of that shared moment in Eden. Their first moment together, and despite being an angel and a demon, they were civil to one another. More than civil -- they smiled. Even shared a laugh, until Aziraphale's nerves got the better of him. Offering Crowley a wing for shelter from the rain seemed only natural at the time.
"No, I suppose they aren't," he says, and there is a touch of sadness in his voice at that admittance, but he's quick to leave it behind, reaching up with one of his hands to brush back a loose lock of Crowley's hair. "The other demons are nothing like you, either. No one is like you, my dear. You are truly extraordinary."
He smiles, feeling warm and content. He finally gives that cherry tart consideration, and picks up the plate and the fork. He breaks off a small piece with the edge of the fork to capture the perfect bite: a flaky crust, sweet custard, and a glistening red cherry atop it. "Can I tempt you?" he asks, holding the fork up to Crowley's lips. "It goes perfectly with the wine."
It's good to feel Aziraphale relaxing, the worry leaving the set of his shoulders as Crowley kneads between them with the heel of his hand. He watches Aziraphale's expression smooth out too, his eyes growing heavy-lidded, and it gives him a possessive twinge of pleasure that echoes within him again when Aziraphale looks up at him. His touch eases but remains on his back, just beneath the base of his neck, and Crowley continues gazing at Aziraphale as he captures a strand of his hair to brush back from his face, intent on him. "No imagination, is that lot's problem," he answers in a low voice, meaning the other demons. Perhaps it's a problem for Heaven, as well: all those angels unable to see past their own righteousness, to see in terms other than black and white, like Aziraphale does. He's the extraordinary one, Crowley thinks.
Though of course he's rather predictable in some ways, especially for a demon who's known him for six thousand years, and he isn't at all surprised when Aziraphale offers him some of his dessert to try. Crowley'd be just as happy to watch Aziraphale eat the whole thing, but his lips twitch in a smile that grows into a grin, as he says casually, "Temptation accomplished," before leaning forward and taking the bite of custard and pastry, with its sweet cherry to crown it off. It is good, he'll admit, Aziraphale always has a knack for finding the best tasting desserts. "Not bad." Crowley slides down to sit on the couch properly, landing with a little thump next to Aziraphale, and tilts his wine glass to his lips. "You're right, it does pair nicely."
Aziraphale hums a quiet note of agreement, for now simply watching Crowley and enjoying the feel of the hand on his back and the soft silk of hair on his fingertips. He's beautiful like this. Always beautiful, as a matter of fact. It feels superficial to point that out as another difference between Crowley and the other demons, but it's true. Even the angels, in their sterile perfection, can't hold a candle to him. No one else, he is certain, could stir such feelings within him.
"You have imagination in spades," he says finally. "And you put it to good use." He means Crowley's unflagging cleverness, although as he stares at his extraordinary demon so longingly, it can certainly refer to other things.
The callback to Aziraphale's witty (in his humble opinion) reply to Crowley's own 'temptation' the afternoon after they had successfully fooled their superiors makes him giggle, and he watches quite happily as Crowley takes the offered bite. He's even happier when Crowley joins him on the part of the couch that's actually meant to be sit on. "If I know anything, it's what wine goes with what dessert. I've had plenty of practice." He grins, then resumes eating the tart, taking his time to enjoy it, as he always does, washing down every other bite with a sip of wine.
When nothing is left but a few flaky crumbs, he sets the plate back down. There's no napkin, so he licks his lips clean. "You know, I... I saw that other statue, too. The one of Good and Evil wrestling." He takes a prim sip of wine, then asks nonchalantly, "Are you sure that's what they're doing?"
It stirs in him an answering passion when Aziraphale looks at him with longing in his eyes: a mirror of the feelings Crowley has carried within for so long that they seem a part of him. With sudden fascination, his fingers brush subtly at Aziraphale's cheek, and he wonders briefly what kind of use his angel would like to see him put his imagination to, but he leaves that thought to the side while he has some of the pastry and then watches Aziraphale finish off the rest. Elbow braced against the back of the couch, cheek leaning against a loosely curled fist, he waits patiently while Aziraphale enjoys the tart and the wine, taking a less-than-subtle pleasure in watching him.
"Hm?" Crowley's slow to catch up for a moment, because the sight of Aziraphale licking his lips was...stirring. His eyebrows raise, and then he lifts his head a moment later in understanding. "Oh, that." He hadn't cared much about the subject matter of the statue at first when he'd bought it, in truth; but he'd thought it would make an appropriate conversation piece if any demonic visitors ever took it in their heads to show up, evil wrestling good into submission and all of that. Or at least it might be approved of, since demons aren't much for conversation as a rule.
Still, after a while he'd begun to be...rather fond of it. The demon and angel locked in their eternal struggle, or perhaps it wasn't really a struggle at all, at least not one either of them wanted to win--
He suppresses a sudden grin, thinking of Aziraphale gazing at it and having the same thoughts. "Interesting question you raise," Crowley drawls innocently, draping his arm over the back of the settee. "What do you think they're doing?"
That touch to his cheek, as subtle as it is, brings such a smile to his face. He is so smitten, in every sense of the word, struck by Cupid's arrow, straight through his heart. He never thought it possible to feel such things, as much love as he has for Earth in all its creatures, it can't compare to the intoxicating mixture of tenderness and desire he has for Crowley.
"So beautiful," he sighs. He can't help it. He wishes he had a talent for composing sonnets, he should have paid more attention to Shakespeare when he'd pop over to watch the bard work his craft.
While Crowley watches him eat, Aziraphale looks at him every so often with that same look. Gone are the days that the demon can gaze at him unnoticed, even with his sunglasses on. It only makes the food taste better, so far as he's concerned.
He keeps his nonchalant smile as Crowley considers an alternate interpretation of the statue. But when the question is turned on him, he blushes and turns a bit flustered. He hadn't thought that far ahead in his innuendo! "Ah... erm. Well. It's an awfully... suggestive pose... especially if one assumes they're friends instead of enemies..."
“Suggestive?” Crowley tsks at him. “Oh, angel. There’s your mind going places again.”
He makes it too easy to tease, Crowley reflects; it’s a habit of his he really ought to work on. But he takes pity, remembering how sweetly Aziraphale was gazing at him moments ago, smiling as he reaches out a hand to brush the knuckles caressingly at Aziraphale’s cheek. “So do you? Assume they’re friends?” His voice pitches a little lower, with an unconscious warmth. There’s probably not another angel or demon in all of Heaven or Hell who would look at the statue and imagine that the two figures were perhaps something entirely different from enemies—the exact opposite, in fact—aside from him and Aziraphale. No imagination, as he said. He touches Aziraphale’s collar and hooks his fingers into it, tugging at him just a little, with light pressure.
Aziraphale makes a little defiant sound of protest at the teasing and finishes his glass of wine. He knows he's an easy target, although he doesn't mind Crowley taking advantage, not really. The caress to his cheek is apology enough. His smile returns, Crowley's voice, low and warm, an echoing caress for his soul.
"I do. I was there when wrestling became a sport, you know. It was -- " His breath catches as Crowley hooks into his collar, looking down and back up, curious where this tugging will lead. "The competitors were friendly, more often than not. You... you have to be, if you're willing to grapple without clothes on..."
"Oh. You used to watch that, did you?" He has vague memories of it. The Greeks were quite fond...but he must not have been hanging around them when Aziraphale was, or he'd certainly remember seeing him. There are quite a lot of sculptures, aren't there, that depict it, as though it's always been an inordinately fascinating subject: but, he thinks, there's only one he's found that depict an angel and demon as a subject. "I suppose they must have been," he says quietly, watching Aziraphale. "Do you know, I think many of them were lovers."
He pauses, thinking of the angel and demon, the two of them, and clears his throat. "I wasn't thinking of that when I got it," he admits. "But it--" Crowley hesitates again. It's a little bit mortifying to say these things, to admit the secret thoughts and fantasies he's had for so long. Like opening up a part of himself that has never before been seen, and Aziraphale is far too good to treat him with anything but kindness, but it still makes him nervous. Crowley looks away briefly. "Well, it started to appeal after a while. Thinking of them like that."
And if it's not clear yet, he's rather hoping that the tugging will lead Aziraphale closer. "Come here?" he asks softly, looking back at him.
"Just once, at the Olympics." He was there on unrelated business, but far be it from Aziraphale to resist attending a festival. It was a nice competition, he remembers. There was a pleasant camaraderie among the athletes, who were there to compete purely for the love of the game. He's about to say as much, but then Crowley throws in that comment, and his blush grows. "Ah... maybe? I wouldn't know."
As someone who has observed humans for as long as he has, Aziraphale is far from naive about the things that they get up to. That doesn't mean that he's used to viewing their behavior through that sort of lens. Or Crowley's, for that matter, so when the demon confesses his own lustful thoughts, he blinks in surprise. "Really?" A small, charmed smile appears on his face. Sensing Crowley's discomfort, he runs a finger along one of his braids, lightly working one of the curls free. "I have to be honest. In all my years, I never gave... that much thought. Not, ah... not until recently. Not until I knew it could be possible with you."
Crowley tugs at his collar again, his voice a quiet plea, Aziraphale obeys without hesitation, closing the distance between them, practically in the demon's lap while he kisses him: slow, sweet, and open-mouthed, tasting of cherries and fine wine.
He can sense that Aziraphale's a little charmed, and he doesn't mind it, really, not when he's running a finger along one of the braids and reminding Crowley of the pleasure of having his hair stroked. But a part of him feels scalded by the subject they're on, and really he should just nod along with Aziraphale and not say what's on his mind, only he hates the thought of keeping back any part of himself from him. "I only ever--" Crowley's voice catches again, briefly, "thought of it with...I thought that maybe, someday, we might--like to try it."
Not in any particular configuration or even great detail, but one sees a sculpture now and again, or tempts a pair of humans to give into their lust for one another, and can't help but wonder. Then, too, there was always the question of whether they even could, considering that Aziraphale is one of God's holiest creatures...too holy, apparently, to have thought about it before, and Crowley will just go and hide under a rock now, thank you. But then Aziraphale closes in and kisses him, not giving him the chance: nearly climbing into his lap, his mouth so sweet and beguiling that Crowley can't help himself from surrendering a low moan into it, his head tipping against the back of the couch as he offers himself up to the slow, thorough way Aziraphale kisses him. His fingers clutch at Aziraphale and drag him closer.
"Angel, I'm--" He gasps words in between kisses, taking and offering more, "I'm a very--very sinful demon...I mean to warn you..." Breaking away from Aziraphale's mouth, Crowley nips at the edge of his jaw and fervently kisses his throat. "Very demonic," he finishes with conviction.
He keeps gently working that curl free, then another, while Crowley confesses to him further. Those words are said so delicately that he takes his time to respond, not wanting to tip Crowley into embarrassment. "I'd like to try it as well," he says, quiet but reassuring. "With you. Only with you."
This is entirely new territory for Aziraphale, but it's ground that he walks eagerly. It doesn't matter that he's an angel, nothing that feels this good, that is such a blatant expression of love, could be anything less than holy. It's Crowley, it's only Crowley, it's always Crowley. The way that Crowley moans into his mouth and clutches at him emboldens his embrace, and without shame he shifts his body so that he's straddling him, hands migrating to Crowley's hair. It's simply more practical this way for all the kissing.
"I know," he gasps back, while Crowley works his throat. "So very sinful. And I -- ah! -- I've read so many books." He keeps one hand clutched in those silk strands, the other migrating down to the collar of Crowley's shirt, touching what skin he can find there. "I think... all things considered, we can have a jolly good time..."
Okay, so maybe his bedroom talk needs some work. He kisses Crowley again, putting his mouth to better use.
Aziraphale is too blessedly kind, and Crowley doesn’t know what he’s ever done to be so lucky to have him shifting in unabashedly to straddle his lap; he’s certainly done nothing deserving of it. But he doesn’t care, he’s too gone for him to care, especially when Aziraphale gets his hands tangled in his hair—oh, he likes this, this was worth growing it all out for—and keeps on kissing him until Crowley’s moved to his throat. Then he has to bury his face against him for a moment, breathing out an exhale, every part of him thrumming with want and need. How does Aziraphale do it, how does he always get so deep under his skin with just the sound of his voice, the things he says, talking about books and jolly good times and all else...
“Jolly, yeah,” he agrees in an absolute haze of desire where he’s liable to agree to anything, anything at all, even if Aziraphale were to convincingly suggest that the sky is green. Instead Aziraphale kisses him again, fingers playing at the collar of his shirt, and Crowley moves a hand from where he’s taken hold of Aziraphale’s waist to drag him fervently against him and tugs away the silver tie from his neck, opens the collar of his shirt, offering more of himself for Aziraphale to touch. His fingers wrap around Aziraphale’s, hesitating a moment and then laying them against the skin he’s bared at his collar. He can touch whatever he likes, undo more buttons if he wants to—anything, he thinks, he’d welcome anything.
Crowley is like a live wire beneath him; how funny that no matter how they fit themselves together, it's Crowley who becomes undone. Not that Aziraphale is the epitome of composure, but he's always so careful with his ability to make Crowley weak with desire. Each kiss is a slow, treasured taste, his grasp in Crowley's hair a constant reminder that he's here, that he never wants to let his precious demon go.
He feels Crowley fussing with his silver tie and collar, but it's not until his hand is moved to the newly bared skin that he realizes what's happening. Despite how sinful Crowley claims to be, there is something achingly sweet about the way he offers himself up to Aziraphale, letting the angel take what he pleases. Without ending his kiss, he runs his fingers along Crowley's skin, as if to memorize it, pushing the shirt further open to touch more. The fabric strains against his explorations, so he opens a couple more buttons until he can put his hand over Crowley's heart. And there he holds it, feeling the beat thrum wildly underneath.
"Dear one," he whispers between kisses. "Oh, my dear Crowley. My treasure. You are so good to me."
Aziraphale's kisses are soft and slow and unimaginably sweet, offering up a tenderness that Crowley doesn't know what to do with. He never imagined in all those years of longing and undirected desire that it could be like this, insofar as he imagined the details--Aziraphale so good and holy that perhaps his kisses would burn like fire, perhaps his touches would crackle beneath Crowley's skin, and he would grasp after that blessedness anyway, in his rash and reckless way, too in love to care. In a way Aziraphale does burn him. Scorches him down to his soul with love, with his gentle hands and mouth, his sweet words. A choked moan rises in his throat when Aziraphale calls him those things--oh, he loves it--and his heart is beating so wildly beneath Aziraphale's palm, that gentle warm touch feeling so much more intimate than it has a right to, and Crowley pulls back for a moment to gaze at Aziraphale like he is the brightest starlight in the firmament of Heaven.
"Angel," he says achingly, his hands trailing caresses at Aziraphale's back, his waist...and then taking hold of his hips, stroking lightly over the fine fabric of his trousers. He tugs Aziraphale against him, drags their hips close together, and oh, it feels so lovely to be pressed against him, pleasure and excitement twisting deep within him. His breath hitches and his eyes briefly close, and he nudges forward so that he can press a kiss at Aziraphale's throat, above his collar.
When Crowley pulls back, Aziraphale looks down at him with soft eyes, his lips pressed together as if awaiting judgement. Being able to openly praise Crowley is still so new, but the look on his face is so adoring that Aziraphale relaxes immediately. "Yes, my darling?" he asks, his fingers drawing lazy circles over Crowley's heart. "What do you -- oh!"
His sweet query is cut off by Crowley pulling them flush together. In this position, it leads to a sudden rush of physical sensation, one that sends stars exploding behind his suddenly closed eyes. He makes a sound halfway between a whine and a sob, his hand in Crowley's hair clutching tightly for a moment before easing and rubbing soothingly at the scalp in apology.
"O-oh... s-sorry. I didn't expect that..." This is what happens when someone doesn't bother to make an Effort very often. He catches his breath, only to whimper when Crowley kisses his throat. The sunglasses ghost his chin, and he lets his hand drift up from Crowley's heart to lightly touch the frames. "Can I...?"
He, too, has to catch his breath--Aziraphale's hand clutching in his hair, the needy cut-off sound he makes has his lungs feeling suddenly tight, the sense of gratification almost more vivid than the physical pleasure. Crowley breathes out harshly against his throat as the tight clutch in his hair eases, scalp stinging just a little but soothed by the caress a moment later. His own hands still hold Aziraphale tightly, still cling to him and keep them close together. "S'all right," Crowley says roughly. "You--you can hold onto me like that if you want."
He hadn't expected Aziraphale to react so strongly, and it was good, oh, it was good. A hand strokes roughly up the angel's spine as he touches the frame of Crowley's shades and asks--Crowley nods, letting Aziraphale draw them off and then looking at him again without trying to hide anything the angel might be able to see in his gaze. His eyes are probably darkened, the pupils gone wide, and he nudges his face into Aziraphale's hand when it's still close, kisses his palm with a needy little bite.
"Is this..." His hands go to Aziraphale's hips again and guide them forward, hitching them together once more; the front of his trousers are beginning to feel awfully tight, but he doesn't care. He swallows, a little wide-eyed, watching Aziraphale. "Is this all right?"
Crowley's permission to grab his hair like that is at once both exhilarating and terrifying. He fumbles a little in removing Crowley's shades, but it never occurs to him to stop rubbing at Crowley's scalp so that he can do it two-handed. No, he's keeping that hand buried in all those soft curls, twisting at them gently but urgently while he stares into Crowley's eyes. It's like a mirror, the demon's love and desire reflected back into his own. It feels infinite.
His eyes flutter shut at that needy kiss to his hand, and then squeeze shut as Crowley hitches them together again. It's as intense as the first time, although he's not as rough when he grips Crowley's hair. Firm, but not sharp; he needs something to hold onto or he'll unravel completely. With a closed-lip whine, he nods frantically. His free hand drops back to Crowley's chest, pushing a small bit of distance between them so he can touch his bare skin, mapping out the boundaries of his physical body.
"It's..." he finally says, his mouth opening with a small gasp. "It's so much. I can barely contain it." He leans in, intending to kiss Crowley, but rests his forehead against him instead, simply breathing into the space between their lips. "How is it for you? Is it all right for you?"
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Of course, that doesn't entirely stop the butterflies that are currently dancing the Gavotte inside of him, as he follows Crowley through the door, basket in hand. He was only here a few hours ago, but already it feels different. Crowley's invited him to stay, to carve out space for himself among the foreboding furniture and priceless artworks. His gaze sweeps around the flat, as if taking it in for the first time.
"Oh. Yes, thank you." He offers Crowley the basket, then shrugs off his jacket and looks for a place to hang it up somewhere. There's also the matter of where to sit, but he'll let Crowley take the lead on that one.
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He has plates and forks somewhere, though it takes an extra minute or two of poking around before he finds a set. Crowley can hardly remember the last time he ate here; all his meals have been with Aziraphale lately, or on occasion something quick and easily scarfed down from a food truck on the rare occasions when he's feeling a need for sustenance. He puts the cherry tart on the plate, balances it, the fork, the glasses and the bottle as he moves from the kitchen into the sitting room of sorts. "Over here, Aziraphale."
When the angel finds him, he's already set the glasses down, along with the tart and fork, on an inconveniently low table in front of the settee. "Better finish that off," Crowley tells him, pouring wine into the glasses. "Just go to waste if you leave it here."
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He makes a steady circuit of the open space, lingering on the plants. The plants are his favorite part of the flat, even if he's not thrilled about Crowley's method for keeping them so lush and green. The angel admires them for a minute or two and leaves them a whisper of positive encouragement before he continues his self-guided tour. Minus the kitchen, where Crowley is taking a curiously long time to get glasses for the wine, and the bedroom, which he avoids to keep his thoughts from running away from him.
The sculptures get a curious look-over. He remembers the one of Good and Evil wrestling, and maybe it's because of recent events, but that wrestling no longer looks quite so innocent to him. He blushes and moves on to the bird statue, which seems surprisingly simple in comparison. Where has he seen this statue before? It was...
...it was in the church.
When Crowley calls for him, he comes over promptly, smiling as if he's trying to hold back a great wave of emotion. His composure nearly cracks at the sight of the cherry tart, but he manages to hold himself together, taking a seat on the settee. He'd much rather wrap his arms around Crowley and hold onto him for all his worth, face pressed into the crook of his neck, but Crowley's in the middle of pouring the wine and he doesn't want to interrupt. "That was very kind of you," he says, his voice a little shaky. "Thank you."
i think i'm remembering the right statue but correct me if not
And it made him think of Aziraphale, every time he passed it. How he'd looked long ago with wings outstretched, shielding Crowley from the rain. How he'd looked at him in the church when he realized his books were safe.
Aziraphale's smile is trembling at the edges, as though he's constraining a great deal of emotion behind it. Studying him a bit worriedly behind the glasses, not understanding the emotion, Crowley perches on the back of the couch next to Aziraphale once he's sat down, with one of the glasses of wine in his hand. His tongue is tied at the allegation of kindness, stomach doing a jump that is rather more excitement than discomfort, though the cherry tart doesn't seem to warrant all this. For a moment he's afraid--is it possible Aziraphale's changed his mind about being here? But he tells himself not to get so nervy and jump to conclusions, and he reaches out his free hand and tentatively smooths Aziraphale's hair, a finger tracing in a curve over his ear, down to his cheek. "Are you all right?" he asks quietly.
That's the one! <3
No. No, he had known it, too. He had known it the moment Crowley remembered the books. And what had he done in return, besides giving him the holy water? He had denied him, time and again. And despite it all, Crowley kept that statue there. A physical reminder, out in the open, not just hidden in his heart, like Aziraphale had done until far too recently.
It is all too tempting to shrug and force a smile, to tell Crowley that he's fine, please pass over that glass of wine, dear. It's not very romantic to be a mess of regret and longing and vulnerability. He's supposed to be strong one, isn't he? "I..." His voice cracks a little and he presses further into Crowley's touch. "I saw the bird statue, it... it surprised me, is all. That you kept it despite how I treated you afterwards."
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Oh. He listens as Aziraphale brings up the bird statue, touch faltering with momentary embarrassment before he resumes stroking his hair gently. Never mind, he’s glad Aziraphale told him rather than shrugging it off. It’s not as though Crowley can hope to hide how long he’s yearned after and loved Aziraphale any more; he’s made that abundantly clear in the last few days, if it hasn’t been obvious for decades now. “What do you mean? You were fine. We were friends again, weren’t we?” Aziraphale may be thinking of...other things, he supposes, things that were said later on, but it’s not necessary to get lost in remorse. They’ve both done enough regretting for things said or not said. Crowley takes a light grip of Aziraphale’s pale soft hair and tugs gently, teasingly. “You worry too much, angel.”
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"We were always friends," he murmurs, his voice a little floaty. "Even when I said the most foolish things..." And then Crowley gives his hair a gentle tug and his eyes snap open, a startled laugh leaving his mouth without even trying. "I'm so good at it, though," he huffs in response, a touch wryly. Worrying about Crowley's safety, worrying about their superiors finding out about the Arrangement, worrying if he's doing the right thing, or if whatever thing he's doing, he's doing it the right way...
But it's nearly impossible to be worried now. He feels too safe around Crowley for those painful second guesses to take root in his thoughts. He concentrates on Crowley's hand in his hair instead, the playfulness in his friend's voice. "You know, back in Eden... I was so worried about having given my sword away. And the first thing you did, when I confessed it to you, was to reassure me." He smiles at the memory, the years between then and now to not seemingly matter. "I thought, is this was having a friend is like? You were so good to me, even back then."
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It’s said with plenty of affection, because who would Aziraphale be without that tendency to worry, without always fussing about what Crowley’s up to or what would have happened if their Arrangement had been discovered, fussing over nearly everything he does himself—he wouldn’t be the Aziraphale that Crowley’s known all these years. His hand eases down the back of Aziraphale’s neck, caressing there lightly for a moment, before he rubs between his shoulders soothingly, easing invisible tensions. “Ah, well, I knew you couldn’t have done anything wrong,” he says softly when Aziraphale brings up their first meeting, all those millennia ago. “Nothing like that in you.” Crowley gazes down at him, remembering the longing he’d felt even back then, the urge to be near that angelic presence. Aziraphale might have had the sword; he might have chosen to strike out at the demon who tempted Eve and had the humans banished from Eden, yet he’d crawled straight to him anyway. “All that goodness in you, I could see it. Like a beacon. The other angels are nothing like you.”
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"No, I suppose they aren't," he says, and there is a touch of sadness in his voice at that admittance, but he's quick to leave it behind, reaching up with one of his hands to brush back a loose lock of Crowley's hair. "The other demons are nothing like you, either. No one is like you, my dear. You are truly extraordinary."
He smiles, feeling warm and content. He finally gives that cherry tart consideration, and picks up the plate and the fork. He breaks off a small piece with the edge of the fork to capture the perfect bite: a flaky crust, sweet custard, and a glistening red cherry atop it. "Can I tempt you?" he asks, holding the fork up to Crowley's lips. "It goes perfectly with the wine."
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Though of course he's rather predictable in some ways, especially for a demon who's known him for six thousand years, and he isn't at all surprised when Aziraphale offers him some of his dessert to try. Crowley'd be just as happy to watch Aziraphale eat the whole thing, but his lips twitch in a smile that grows into a grin, as he says casually, "Temptation accomplished," before leaning forward and taking the bite of custard and pastry, with its sweet cherry to crown it off. It is good, he'll admit, Aziraphale always has a knack for finding the best tasting desserts. "Not bad." Crowley slides down to sit on the couch properly, landing with a little thump next to Aziraphale, and tilts his wine glass to his lips. "You're right, it does pair nicely."
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"You have imagination in spades," he says finally. "And you put it to good use." He means Crowley's unflagging cleverness, although as he stares at his extraordinary demon so longingly, it can certainly refer to other things.
The callback to Aziraphale's witty (in his humble opinion) reply to Crowley's own 'temptation' the afternoon after they had successfully fooled their superiors makes him giggle, and he watches quite happily as Crowley takes the offered bite. He's even happier when Crowley joins him on the part of the couch that's actually meant to be sit on. "If I know anything, it's what wine goes with what dessert. I've had plenty of practice." He grins, then resumes eating the tart, taking his time to enjoy it, as he always does, washing down every other bite with a sip of wine.
When nothing is left but a few flaky crumbs, he sets the plate back down. There's no napkin, so he licks his lips clean. "You know, I... I saw that other statue, too. The one of Good and Evil wrestling." He takes a prim sip of wine, then asks nonchalantly, "Are you sure that's what they're doing?"
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"Hm?" Crowley's slow to catch up for a moment, because the sight of Aziraphale licking his lips was...stirring. His eyebrows raise, and then he lifts his head a moment later in understanding. "Oh, that." He hadn't cared much about the subject matter of the statue at first when he'd bought it, in truth; but he'd thought it would make an appropriate conversation piece if any demonic visitors ever took it in their heads to show up, evil wrestling good into submission and all of that. Or at least it might be approved of, since demons aren't much for conversation as a rule.
Still, after a while he'd begun to be...rather fond of it. The demon and angel locked in their eternal struggle, or perhaps it wasn't really a struggle at all, at least not one either of them wanted to win--
He suppresses a sudden grin, thinking of Aziraphale gazing at it and having the same thoughts. "Interesting question you raise," Crowley drawls innocently, draping his arm over the back of the settee. "What do you think they're doing?"
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"So beautiful," he sighs. He can't help it. He wishes he had a talent for composing sonnets, he should have paid more attention to Shakespeare when he'd pop over to watch the bard work his craft.
While Crowley watches him eat, Aziraphale looks at him every so often with that same look. Gone are the days that the demon can gaze at him unnoticed, even with his sunglasses on. It only makes the food taste better, so far as he's concerned.
He keeps his nonchalant smile as Crowley considers an alternate interpretation of the statue. But when the question is turned on him, he blushes and turns a bit flustered. He hadn't thought that far ahead in his innuendo! "Ah... erm. Well. It's an awfully... suggestive pose... especially if one assumes they're friends instead of enemies..."
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He makes it too easy to tease, Crowley reflects; it’s a habit of his he really ought to work on. But he takes pity, remembering how sweetly Aziraphale was gazing at him moments ago, smiling as he reaches out a hand to brush the knuckles caressingly at Aziraphale’s cheek. “So do you? Assume they’re friends?” His voice pitches a little lower, with an unconscious warmth. There’s probably not another angel or demon in all of Heaven or Hell who would look at the statue and imagine that the two figures were perhaps something entirely different from enemies—the exact opposite, in fact—aside from him and Aziraphale. No imagination, as he said. He touches Aziraphale’s collar and hooks his fingers into it, tugging at him just a little, with light pressure.
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"I do. I was there when wrestling became a sport, you know. It was -- " His breath catches as Crowley hooks into his collar, looking down and back up, curious where this tugging will lead. "The competitors were friendly, more often than not. You... you have to be, if you're willing to grapple without clothes on..."
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He pauses, thinking of the angel and demon, the two of them, and clears his throat. "I wasn't thinking of that when I got it," he admits. "But it--" Crowley hesitates again. It's a little bit mortifying to say these things, to admit the secret thoughts and fantasies he's had for so long. Like opening up a part of himself that has never before been seen, and Aziraphale is far too good to treat him with anything but kindness, but it still makes him nervous. Crowley looks away briefly. "Well, it started to appeal after a while. Thinking of them like that."
And if it's not clear yet, he's rather hoping that the tugging will lead Aziraphale closer. "Come here?" he asks softly, looking back at him.
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As someone who has observed humans for as long as he has, Aziraphale is far from naive about the things that they get up to. That doesn't mean that he's used to viewing their behavior through that sort of lens. Or Crowley's, for that matter, so when the demon confesses his own lustful thoughts, he blinks in surprise. "Really?" A small, charmed smile appears on his face. Sensing Crowley's discomfort, he runs a finger along one of his braids, lightly working one of the curls free. "I have to be honest. In all my years, I never gave... that much thought. Not, ah... not until recently. Not until I knew it could be possible with you."
Crowley tugs at his collar again, his voice a quiet plea, Aziraphale obeys without hesitation, closing the distance between them, practically in the demon's lap while he kisses him: slow, sweet, and open-mouthed, tasting of cherries and fine wine.
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Not in any particular configuration or even great detail, but one sees a sculpture now and again, or tempts a pair of humans to give into their lust for one another, and can't help but wonder. Then, too, there was always the question of whether they even could, considering that Aziraphale is one of God's holiest creatures...too holy, apparently, to have thought about it before, and Crowley will just go and hide under a rock now, thank you. But then Aziraphale closes in and kisses him, not giving him the chance: nearly climbing into his lap, his mouth so sweet and beguiling that Crowley can't help himself from surrendering a low moan into it, his head tipping against the back of the couch as he offers himself up to the slow, thorough way Aziraphale kisses him. His fingers clutch at Aziraphale and drag him closer.
"Angel, I'm--" He gasps words in between kisses, taking and offering more, "I'm a very--very sinful demon...I mean to warn you..." Breaking away from Aziraphale's mouth, Crowley nips at the edge of his jaw and fervently kisses his throat. "Very demonic," he finishes with conviction.
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This is entirely new territory for Aziraphale, but it's ground that he walks eagerly. It doesn't matter that he's an angel, nothing that feels this good, that is such a blatant expression of love, could be anything less than holy. It's Crowley, it's only Crowley, it's always Crowley. The way that Crowley moans into his mouth and clutches at him emboldens his embrace, and without shame he shifts his body so that he's straddling him, hands migrating to Crowley's hair. It's simply more practical this way for all the kissing.
"I know," he gasps back, while Crowley works his throat. "So very sinful. And I -- ah! -- I've read so many books." He keeps one hand clutched in those silk strands, the other migrating down to the collar of Crowley's shirt, touching what skin he can find there. "I think... all things considered, we can have a jolly good time..."
Okay, so maybe his bedroom talk needs some work. He kisses Crowley again, putting his mouth to better use.
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“Jolly, yeah,” he agrees in an absolute haze of desire where he’s liable to agree to anything, anything at all, even if Aziraphale were to convincingly suggest that the sky is green. Instead Aziraphale kisses him again, fingers playing at the collar of his shirt, and Crowley moves a hand from where he’s taken hold of Aziraphale’s waist to drag him fervently against him and tugs away the silver tie from his neck, opens the collar of his shirt, offering more of himself for Aziraphale to touch. His fingers wrap around Aziraphale’s, hesitating a moment and then laying them against the skin he’s bared at his collar. He can touch whatever he likes, undo more buttons if he wants to—anything, he thinks, he’d welcome anything.
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He feels Crowley fussing with his silver tie and collar, but it's not until his hand is moved to the newly bared skin that he realizes what's happening. Despite how sinful Crowley claims to be, there is something achingly sweet about the way he offers himself up to Aziraphale, letting the angel take what he pleases. Without ending his kiss, he runs his fingers along Crowley's skin, as if to memorize it, pushing the shirt further open to touch more. The fabric strains against his explorations, so he opens a couple more buttons until he can put his hand over Crowley's heart. And there he holds it, feeling the beat thrum wildly underneath.
"Dear one," he whispers between kisses. "Oh, my dear Crowley. My treasure. You are so good to me."
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"Angel," he says achingly, his hands trailing caresses at Aziraphale's back, his waist...and then taking hold of his hips, stroking lightly over the fine fabric of his trousers. He tugs Aziraphale against him, drags their hips close together, and oh, it feels so lovely to be pressed against him, pleasure and excitement twisting deep within him. His breath hitches and his eyes briefly close, and he nudges forward so that he can press a kiss at Aziraphale's throat, above his collar.
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His sweet query is cut off by Crowley pulling them flush together. In this position, it leads to a sudden rush of physical sensation, one that sends stars exploding behind his suddenly closed eyes. He makes a sound halfway between a whine and a sob, his hand in Crowley's hair clutching tightly for a moment before easing and rubbing soothingly at the scalp in apology.
"O-oh... s-sorry. I didn't expect that..." This is what happens when someone doesn't bother to make an Effort very often. He catches his breath, only to whimper when Crowley kisses his throat. The sunglasses ghost his chin, and he lets his hand drift up from Crowley's heart to lightly touch the frames. "Can I...?"
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He hadn't expected Aziraphale to react so strongly, and it was good, oh, it was good. A hand strokes roughly up the angel's spine as he touches the frame of Crowley's shades and asks--Crowley nods, letting Aziraphale draw them off and then looking at him again without trying to hide anything the angel might be able to see in his gaze. His eyes are probably darkened, the pupils gone wide, and he nudges his face into Aziraphale's hand when it's still close, kisses his palm with a needy little bite.
"Is this..." His hands go to Aziraphale's hips again and guide them forward, hitching them together once more; the front of his trousers are beginning to feel awfully tight, but he doesn't care. He swallows, a little wide-eyed, watching Aziraphale. "Is this all right?"
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His eyes flutter shut at that needy kiss to his hand, and then squeeze shut as Crowley hitches them together again. It's as intense as the first time, although he's not as rough when he grips Crowley's hair. Firm, but not sharp; he needs something to hold onto or he'll unravel completely. With a closed-lip whine, he nods frantically. His free hand drops back to Crowley's chest, pushing a small bit of distance between them so he can touch his bare skin, mapping out the boundaries of his physical body.
"It's..." he finally says, his mouth opening with a small gasp. "It's so much. I can barely contain it." He leans in, intending to kiss Crowley, but rests his forehead against him instead, simply breathing into the space between their lips. "How is it for you? Is it all right for you?"
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