Ineffably husbands (Good Omens)

Just Take Me Back to Yours

The Bently rolled to a stop, rain had begun to fall upon its rooftop and the pavements were covered in a thin sheet of water. The quiet lights of the street glistened amongst the raindrops and a gentle cloud of thunder rolled overhead. Aziraphale stepped out first, covering his head with his hands as to avoid the rain dampening his hair too much, Crowley soon followed except he seemed not to be bothered by the rain at all. Aziraphale stood right outside the front door of his bookshop and waited for the demon to catch up to his side.

"Oh, the plants." He spoke, watching the still shadows of leaves inside the backseat of Crowley's car. "Will they be ok in there?"

"'Course they will." Crowley spoke. "Miraculously."

"If you say so." Aziraphale let him inside the front door, making sure no one else was to follow them.

Azirphale hung his coat on its usual hanger and picked up a single misplaced book off the front table to return it to its home. "Would you fancy a glass of wine?" He spoke as he reached up to place the book back on its shelf.

"S'pose jus' one." Crowley said, his eyes wandering around the walls and the shelves, there was never a bland moment when looking around the endless details within Aziraphale's bookshop.

Aziraphale wandered off to the back room and returned a short while later with a bottle of what seemed to be a very nice and well-aged bottle of red wine. Crowley had already found a seat on a rather cosy sofa* nooked into a corner of the bookshop. He wasn't quite sure what to do with himself, he was only really there to thank the angel, and because he enjoyed his company. Aziraphale poured two glasses and handed one off to Crowley with a smile before he sat himself down in his usual comfortable armchair.

"Like I said, you can stay here as long as you need." Aziraphale offered once more. Crowley watched down into his wine before he sat it down so he could clean off his sunglasses.

"Mgk." He shrugged to himself. Aziraphale took it as though that meant 'yes please, that would be lovely, thank you', though that definitely would not have been the exact way Crowley would have put it had he used his words, Aziraphale just liked to assume the best. He sipped his wine and held the glass between his fingertips, curiously watching Crowley's eyes as he looked down at his sunglasses.

"Can I ask you a question?" He spoke. The air was still around them.

"Shoot." Crowley fixed his glasses back on his eyes.

"Why is it... that every demon has a little- animal- friend?" He questioned. "When I was down in hell, all the demons- I mean, most, had a sort of..." He gestured around his own head. "Pet."

"'Snot a pet." Crowley spoke bluntly.

"Whot is it then?"

"I don't know what it is but i's not a pet." He waved his hand about as he spoke before he slouched back in his seat, leaning himself half on the armrest. He was yet to even take a sip of his wine.

"Do you have one?" Aziraphale spoke again. Crowley squinted with a confused look at the angel. They had been friends for thousands of years, how could he possibly not know.

"Angel. Are you blind?" Crowley spoke offendedly.

"W- no, I'm not... blind. I've just never-"

"It's right here!?" He turned to show Aziraphale the snake on the side of his face and pointed directly at it.

"Oh." Aziraphale sighed. "N- no, Crowley, I mean one that moves. One that is... alive. Of course, I've seen that, that has been there since- well, forever."