'Til We Meet Again - Crowley x Reader

Chapter 38

Saturday, Last Day of the World

Crowley's apartment was cloaked in a heavy silence after the fallout with Aziraphale. As he paced restlessly, his gaze was drawn to the globe he had on a shelf. In the midst of his turmoil, he began to think aloud.

"We could go anywhere," he mused, his eyes fixed on the suspended globe. "The moon, maybe? Nah, not enough atmosphere for a human. Maybe a hidden tropical island in the middle of the Pacific."

He gingerly plucked the globe from its stand, and with an absent flick of his wrist, it hovered in the air. As he contemplated their potential escape destinations, he noticed a nearby astrology book, and without hesitation, he tossed its pages into the air as well. They floated, suspended in the invisible grip of an unseen force.

His eyes scanned the illustrations, full of galaxies, nebulas, stars, and planets.

Crowley delved into a soliloquy about a nebula he'd once had a hand in creating, lost in the pages that hung mid-air around him.

Crowley's focus landed on the page with the depiction of Alpha Centauri, and he pondered aloud. "Alpha Centauri. That's always nice this time of year." he muttered, lost in memories.

As he was lost in his thoughts, Y/N walked into the room. Her presence startled him out of his reverie, and she cleared her throat to gain his attention.

"What are you up to, Crowley?" Y/N asked curiously.

He hesitated momentarily, contemplating whether to reveal his flight of fancy or dismiss it as mere fantasy. Crowley, deciding to keep it lighthearted, replied nonchalantly, "Just considering our next holiday destination, love."

Y/N couldn't help but chuckle at his seemingly lighthearted response, thinking he was jesting as he often did.

Crowley joined her in a half-smile, not yet willing to reveal the gravity of his thoughts. He eased into his chair, a throne-like piece where he often pondered life's mysteries. The atmosphere in the room had shifted from playful to introspective.

He thought aloud, "I only ever asked questions. That's all it took to be a demon in the old days."

Crowley's voice wavered with introspection as he questioned his own existence. "Great Plan? God, you listening? Show me a Great Plan. Okay, I know you're testing them, you said you were going to be testing them. You shouldn't test them to destruction. Not to the end of the world." He had so many questions and no answers.

Y/N, ever the source of comfort, approached him and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a warm embrace. She kissed him softly on the forehead, her affectionate touch a balm to his troubled soul. Her soothing voice reassured him. "It's not your fault, Crowley. I'm sure Aziraphale didn't mean all the things he said earlier."

Crowley closed his eyes and clung to her embrace, finding solace in her presence. While she held him, Y/N's gaze drifted upwards to the images of the cosmos, those nebulas, galaxies, stars, and planets that filled the air around them. She reached out and plucked a globe, letting it rest in her hands as she turned it over, studying the intricate details.

In the midst of her contemplation, the images in her mind shifted, pulling her into another flashback from her celestial past.

.......

As I stood amidst the celestial symphony, working on the final preparations for the birth of Earth, my focus and dedication had been absolute. I carefully wove the threads of creation, contemplating the magnificent design that would soon grace the universe. The weight of responsibility rested on my ethereal shoulders, and the enormity of the task was not lost on me.

It was in this serene moment that I was interrupted by an unwelcome presence – my brother, Lucifer. His arrival sent a shiver down my celestial spine. I knew what he was capable of, and his motives were far from pure. He had always harboured a discontented spark of rebellion against God's divine plan.

Lucifer's words, like venom, slithered into my consciousness. "I know, dear sister, that you have fallen from grace," he sneered, a wicked glint in his eyes. His revelation struck like a hammer to my soul, and a wave of shame washed over me.

He continued, probing the depths of my guilt. "Does Raphael know of your forsaken status, my dear Y/N? He will find out soon enough. You will take him down with you."

A thousand thoughts swirled through my mind, but I found the strength to answer his plea with an unyielding resolve, "I won't join you, Lucifer."

"Very well," he said smugly, "but the rebellion is coming. You'll have to decide sooner or later."

I summoned the strength to push past him, leaving his corrosive influence behind. I had a duty to complete, and no amount of temptation or guilt could sway me from the path I had chosen.

As I left Lucifer behind, I had no idea what awaited me, but I was ready to embrace whatever lay ahead. The celestial realms seemed to shift and morph, and there, I found Raphael, who was in the company of Aziraphale. I joined them, my heart fluttering with excitement.

"Am I late?" I inquired, feeling a bit out of breath.

Standing beside Raphael, Aziraphale held a large parchment of paper in front of him. Raphael smiled at me warmly and assured me, "No, you're right on time."

Raphael secured the handle onto the parchment, and with a deep breath, he began to crank the machine. We all turned our attention towards the void that would soon be filled with life and beauty.

"Let there be matter, let there be gravity, let there be everything from pages 11 to 3,000,602 inclusive." Raphael declared, but for a moment, nothing happened. My heart skipped a beat. Then, I reminded him softly, "You need to say more."

Raphael nodded, his eyes locked on the blank canvas of the universe, and he spoke, "Let there be light."

With his words, there was a magnificent burst of light, and the universe began to take shape around us, forming galaxies, stars, and countless planets. It was a breathtaking sight, the birth of creation, unfolding before our eyes.

As the universe expanded, Raphael couldn't hide his excitement, wrapping his arm around my waist in a warm embrace. He looked at me and declared, "It's beautiful."

I blushed at his words, knowing he didn't just mean the scene before us. My gaze lingered on his radiant form. "Yes," I whispered, "it's very beautiful."

But Aziraphale, ever the bearer of ominous tidings, spoke up, "I've heard it will all be shut down in 6000 years."

Raphael's face fell, "What's the point in creating an infinite universe with trillions of star systems if you're only gonna let it run for a few thousand years?" he questioned, a hint of sadness in his voice. Aziraphale and I, recognising the peril of questioning the Almighty, offered caution, "Don't judge the Almighty, Raphael."

But Raphael, ever the optimist, reassured us with a warm grin. "I wouldn't worry. How much trouble can I get into just for asking a few questions?" he said.

As we turned our attention back to the rapidly expanding universe before us, meteors hurtled toward us. Raphael unfurled his great, strong wings, shielding us from the incoming storm. It was then that I noticed a subtle shift in Raphael's celestial wings. They had grown darker, an unexpected transformation that filled me with curiosity and a sense of foreboding.

.......

The memory was fleeting, and she was back in the present. Crowley was beside her, genuine concern etched on his face as he broke her reverie. "Y/N, are you all right?" he asked, his voice full of care and affection.

Y/N nodded, her focus returning to the present. "Yes, I'm fine, Crowley."

He glanced at her, still worried but understanding her well enough to know when to respect her privacy. "Good," he replied, a small smile touching his lips. "I think it's time to head over to Aziraphale's bookshop and make amends."

Y/N agreed, grateful for his readiness to mend bridges. They left the comfort of Crowley's apartment, setting out to face Aziraphale and the uncertain future that awaited them.