'Til We Meet Again - Crowley x Reader

Chapter 28

The Present Day, Monday, Six Days Before the End of the World

The park was bathed in the gentle glow of a late afternoon sun, casting long shadows across the neatly manicured lawn. Y/N, Crowley, and Aziraphale sat on a weathered park bench, their eyes fixed on the scene playing out before them.

Ten-year-old Warlock Dowling stood beside his mother. Mrs. Dowling was talking to him animatedly about his upcoming 11th birthday party. Balloons, cake, and games seemed to be the focus of her conversation. Warlock listened intently, his round face displaying a mix of excitement and anticipation.

Aziraphale sighed softly, his gaze lingering on the mother and son. "We've done all we can to prevent Armageddon," he murmured, a hint of resignation in his voice.

Crowley, dressed in his signature black, leaned back on the bench, one leg crossed over the other. He glanced at Aziraphale, a sardonic smile tugging at his lips. "Speaking of which," he began, "the Hell Hound will show up at 3 p.m. on Wednesday."

Aziraphale's eyebrows shot up, surprise evident in his expression. "Hell Hound? You've never mentioned that before."

Crowley shrugged nonchalantly. "Figured you didn't need to know until now."

Y/N, ever observant, leaned forward slightly. "What's the Hell Hound for, exactly?"

Crowley's eyes took on a distant look as he explained. "It's there to guard him. Hell will send their biggest and strongest one."

Aziraphale voiced his concern. "But would anyone notice a giant dog?"

Crowley smirked, his serpent eyes gleaming with confidence. "No one will suspect a thing. And young Warlock will be free to name the dog whatever he pleases."

Y/N chimed in, her thoughts focused on the plan they had so carefully orchestrated. "If you've done your job properly, he won't name the dog."

Aziraphale, ever the worrier, couldn't help but ask, "And if he does name it?"

Crowley's voice was laced with a grim certainty. "Then Armageddon is only a few days away."

The trio sat in silence, contemplating the weight of the situation.

Aziraphale, who had been lost in thought, finally spoke up, his voice filled with uncertainty. "What if there was no boy?"

Y/N and Crowley exchanged glances, perplexed by the sudden change in Aziraphale's tone. Y/N leaned forward slightly, her eyes scanning the surroundings as if searching for an explanation. "Aziraphale, there is a boy. He's right there, by the fence, vandalizing the dinosaurs."

Indeed, there stood young Warlock, scribbling a rude word on one of the dinosaur sculptures with a defiant grin on his face.

Aziraphale persisted, his nerves evident. "Yes, but couldn't that change?"

The implications of Aziraphale's suggestion hung heavily in the air, and Crowley's expression shifted to one of mild disgust. Y/N, her brows furrowing, questioned Aziraphale directly, her voice tinged with disbelief. "Are you suggesting we...kill the boy?"

Aziraphale recoiled at the suggestion, his angelic nature revolting against such a thought. "Oh, goodness, no! I couldn't kill a child. But, you see, Crowley... you could."

Crowley's face twisted with discomfort, and he glanced away, unable to meet their eyes. "I've never killed something before. I don't think I could."

Sensing the conversation growing tense, Y/N quickly interjected to shift the focus. "Speaking of the party, Crowley, will the Hellhound be making an appearance at Warlock's birthday party?"

Crowley nodded in affirmation, his discomfort giving way to a touch of pride. "Of course, it will. Be a shame if it missed its own master's party."

Aziraphale then proposed a plan, attempting to bring a sense of normalcy to their chaotic situation. "We must attend that party, perhaps we can keep the Hellhound at bay. And, I have an idea. What if I perform a magic act for Warlock and his friends?"

Crowley grimaced slightly, a hint of embarrassment creeping into his expression. "Aziraphale, please don't..."

But Aziraphale was already reaching for a coin behind Y/N's ear, trying to execute a simple magic trick. He pulled the coin out with a flourish and grinned, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "How about it, Y/N? Would you join me and be my assistant, as you did back in 1941?"

Y/N smiled gently, declining the offer. "I appreciate the sentiment, but I've planned a birthday party for the child I babysit, Adam, on the same day."

Their conversation shifted from the weighty topic of Armageddon to the more mundane details of life. It was as if they were clinging to a semblance of normalcy amidst the impending chaos, hoping that maybe, just maybe, things could stay the way they were a little while longer.