When You Loved Me - Aziraphale X Crowley (Finished)

Chapter 1

As was quite common these days, a warm bookshop in Soho stood host to an angel, lightly pottering around and tidying the shelves; while off to the side a red haired demon lay on his back on an old tan leather couch, reading some novel that he had just picked off the first shelf.

It would be how the pair would spend most of the time while the store was open. Aziraphale always reorganizing and Crowley aways lying on the couch reading.

Of course once the bookshop was closed, the two would find themselves going out for dinner, or walking towards the park, or sometimes just driving to the middle of nowhere to look up at the stars and see more of the world they saved.

The two struggled to stay away from each other, though neither were willing to address that. So they didn't. They just stayed by each other's side, enjoying the serenity.

That was until one day while in the bookshop the door rang open and a bitter breeze flew through sending chills down both angel and demon.

Not even hesitating to react, Crowley snapped the book shut and stalked his way to Aziraphale's side. He could see on the angel's face that he too felt the unease. The demon offered a light nod, just as a silent reminder that he was there. Aziraphale returned the gesture before they both looked towards the approaching footsteps.

"Michael?" Aziraphale murmured questioningly. She looked distraught. Her eyes wide and red. Her holy glow dim and fading. Her mouth was slightly parted as if out of breath. 

"Aziraphale, please, I need your help!" She begged.

"Why on Earth would he help you?" Came Crowley's snarky response. But in turning to face his angel, he changed his tune. Aziraphale was frozen in his place, staring at a panicked Michael with wide eyes.  This was a state the angel had seen before.

"Did you two...?" Michael nodded to the unfinished question. Swiftly, the angel put the books he had been holding on the counter and grabbed his coat.
"Crowley, can you watch the store?" He called out as he ushered the archangel out.

Not waiting for a response, the two disappeared, not realizing that the demon had absolutely no intent on watching the bookshop. Tailing the two Angels, Crowley followed them to a small timber house. On the edge of a cliff, overlooking the sea.

Through the window he could see the Angels standing next to a bed and in it was... Ligur!? Crowley honed in towards the sound of the two angels talking.

"I don't understand. Everything was fine last night!"

"Michael... I need you to confirm this. Did you two have sex last night?" Michael nodded frantically. Aziraphale sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed.
"It's a common misconception that if an angel and demon sleep together that the angel will fall. Angel's are beings of love and love between an angel and demon is no different. But for a Demon.... Love is too strong. It destroys them. The act of making love takes the sliver of your essence which forms love and gives it to your partner. Same vis versa. Mind you, This can only occur if both parties love each other unequivocally. But our pure untainted essence... It's too holy. It burns the demon from the inside out. Right now you only have two options. You can leave him to die... Or you can remove your essence from him. But if you do... The exchange will be incomplete. His essence of love will remain within you, and so will yours... He will forget that he ever loved you." Michael choked out a sob at the new information.

"There must be some other way!"

"I swear Michael, there isn't. I've searched everywhere. There's nothing." Michael looked up from the hands she was sobbing into.

"It happened to you?" Aziraphale's eyes met the floor as he nodded. Crowley's eyes from outside the window widened.

"If I had've thought even for a second it would hurt him, I never would've done it."

"I'm... I'm sorry..." Michael whispered.
"I suppose you chose to take away his memory?" Aziraphale nodded.

"The thing to understand is that you won't be forgotten. It's just his love for you and the moments where he experienced the feeling of love with you that he'll forget."

"But what about the burden of carrying those memories alone?"

"Worth every bit of pain knowing he's still in my life."

"Can't you tell him?" Aziraphale smiled softly.

"If he were going to love me, I'd want him to love me because he actually does love me, not because he feels obliged to love me."

"Did it hurt him? When you took your love back from him?" Aziraphale wrapped his arms around himself. An action Crowley recognized his angel to do in guilt.

"Yes. He begged and pleaded with me not to do it. And when I did it, he screamed in pain. I.. I'll never forget the sound. I'm not sure he'd ever forgive me if he knew. But even if he did hate me for it, I still wouldn't regret it, because he'd be alive. He is alive. And that's the thing Michael, if he's dead, he can't be with you at all. But, if you take your love away, you can still have him in your life. Just not in a loving way." Michael nodded before she replied.

"Okay. Show me how to do it."