An Ineffable Love Story

My Hand Was The One You Reached For 💙

Crowley had not left the bookshop in twelve days, and Aziraphale was getting concerned.

The demon had never been exactly eager to enter the outside world, but of late he had been sleeping in later and later, and when he did get up, he just sat on the couch doing nothing. Today, however, Aziraphale had decided that enough was enough, and that he would make Crowley go out and have a change of scene for once.

At seven o'clock in the morning, the angel woke up, trying to prepare mentally for the challenges awaiting him. After a few minutes, he took a deep breath and sat up. "Crowley!" he said clearly. The demon did not move. "Crowley," he repeated, poking him in the arm.

Crowley's eyelids fluttered, and he was momentarily confused about what was happening. When he caught sight of the angel, he smiled sleepily and pulled him down for a kiss. Aziraphale leaned in, forgetting his plans for the day, ready to snuggle into him, before he remembered what he was supposed to be doing.

"Not now," he said firmly.

"Why can't I have a morning cuddle with my angel?" Crowley grumbled, pouting.

"We're going out today," Aziraphale told him authoritatively. "Come on, put your clothes on."

In response, the demon pulled the duvet over his head and rolled over. "Please get up, for me," Aziraphale begged, with a note of desperation in his voice. "I don't understand why you've been hiding away in here for so long."

Crowley peeked out from under the covers, his red hair fluffy and unkempt. "It's just—" he began, then collected himself and started again. "I'm always jumpy, scared someone's going to take you away from me. Or you're going to leave of your own accord."

"But why?" Aziraphale was dumbstruck. He couldn't fathom why the demon would worry about this when he loved him more than anything.

"There's always a voice in the back of my mind, telling me that I'm not good enough for you, and that one day you'll realise that and you'll just go. I couldn't bear it if that happened. I can't live without you, Angel."

Aziraphale's sky-blue eyes brimmed with tears. "Oh, Crowley," he said softly, gripping the demon's hand tightly. "I'm so sorry you feel like that. You need to listen and remember what I'm about to say. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I adore everything about you. I've loved you for millennia, and I have never been so happy as I am now, because you are my wonderful snaky boyfriend and I get to wake up beside you every single day. Because I'm so in love with you."

The angel's cheeks had turned cherry-blossom pink, and he looked down at the bedspread.

Crowley sniffled, then mumbled, "I love you too. Which is why I'm going to get dressed and let you take me somewhere." He grimaced at the thought.

•••

Once they were both ready, Aziraphale stood by the door to the bookshop. He pushed it open and went outside, followed by the anxious demon.

Aziraphale slipped an arm around Crowley's waist, and he nuzzled into his angel.

"We'll start small, to get you used to the outdoors again. Let's go to Nina's coffee shop. You like it there."

The couple crossed the road, Aziraphale conscientiously looking both ways and holding Crowley back from strolling carelessly into the traffic, and the angel pushed the door open. Nina was at the till, deep in conversation with Maggie, who was sitting on a stool beside her. "They look cosy," Crowley hissed to Aziraphale, who smiled dreamily at the idea of the two in love.

Maggie rushed over as soon as she saw them. "Crowley, it's good to see you again!" she beamed. Nina acknowledged the demon with a smirk, which was a much better greeting in his opinion.

"Six espressos? Big cup?" He nodded, trying to suppress his grin. Perhaps he was fine now, and he'd gotten over his episode of anxiety.

But then Aziraphale's arm left his waist, and Crowley felt suddenly cold, needles of fear pricking his body all over. This was it, he was gone, and Crowley was alone. He started to panic, his breathing quickening and his pulse thumping in his chest, until the angel's warm hand gripped his tightly, as if it would never let go. "Breathe, dear," he whispered, slowing Crowley's racing heartbeat. "Tea for me please, Nina, and some Eccles cakes."

Aziraphale led Crowley to a table with two armchairs, sitting down and gesturing for him to do the same. To the angel's surprise, Crowley squeezed himself into Aziraphale's chair, their legs intertwined and the demon's head in the crook of his neck. Aziraphale put an arm around Crowley, who gratefully made himself comfortable. "I'm so sorry I'm like this," mumbled the demon. "I must be such a burden for you."

"Not at all!" the angel replied vehemently. "I love you, remember?"

At that moment, Nina appeared carrying a tray. She set their order in front of them, winked, and bustled off. Aziraphale looked at Crowley, and immediately felt a surge of worry. The demon wore a mischievous expression and was reaching into his jacket pocket. He pulled out a gleaming onyx hip flask and poured a considerable portion of its contents into his mug.

"Crowley, what are you doing?" In response, he began to chug his concoction with gusto. "Crowley, no!"

"Aaah!" sighed the demon. He draped an arm around Aziraphale's neck, and then growled.

Aziraphale recognised this behaviour from a certain graveyard in Edinburgh. "Crowley," he said sternly. "Was that laudanum?"

Crowley giggled very uncharacteristically. "Yup! Just to make me feel a bit more at ease..."

The angel let out a long-suffering sigh. "I can't take you anywhere," he muttered under his breath.

"You're so pretty when you're cross," Crowley said, much too loudly, before booping Aziraphale's nose with his finger. "Ha-ha, you're blushing!"

"Stop it, Crowley," he said seriously, but this only seemed to encourage the demon.

"Oh, you're making me want you right here, right now." Crowley seized Aziraphale's face with both hands, straddled him, started kissing him passionately. The angel squeaked, torn between pushing him away and melting into the kiss. However, Aziraphale's internal dilemma was interrupted by a cough. He pulled away to see Nina glaring at them disapprovingly, and Maggie hovering over her shoulder, smiling.

"I'm so sorry. I'll take him home." Aziraphale stood up and pulled Crowley to his feet. He teetered, unsteady, so the angel firmly grasped his waist and led him out of the café. "You're a very, very bad demon!" Aziraphale scolded once they were back in the bookshop.

"I can be worse, if you'd like," whispered Crowley, grinning slyly, before growling again.

Aziraphale felt his face grow warm. "I'm still extremely cross with you," he breathed back softly, running his hands through Crowley's hair and meeting his lips again.

🖤🤍

~1162 words~
This one was really fun to write because I love the graveyard scene from season 2! I will do a part two which will be released very soon. I hope you enjoyed it and want the next part! xx