Compilation of Good Omens One Shots

Trick or treat! (Halloween special)

Context: Just a little Halloween time in London with our favorite angel and demon

Technically, it's still hors-série, but whatever this is for fun

975 words

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  Aziraphale was humming, putting on the old orange paper pumpkins on the windowsills and hanging black bat garlands on the higher shelves. He put fake candles on his desk, having learnt his lesson: fire and books don’t cohabit well. Then, he took a step back and looked at his work, almost satisfied. Only the bowl of candy and the smell of fresh pumpkin pie were missing now.

  Aziraphale simply loved Halloween. It was not much the decorations or theme – “scary” isn’t exactly his type – but he was always so delighted when the children went trick-or-treating around the bookshop. And he loved the concept of dressing up, too. To be fair, he didn't dress up himself, but Crowley did. And each year, he wore a different costume. The angel couldn’t wait to see what he would wear this year. Maybe it would be a witch? Oh, he would look amazing as a witch. Not a vampire, he had already done it last year…

  The doorbell rang and the door opened on Crowley.

  ‘Hey, Aziraphale. You’ve already put up the decorations?’
  ‘Ah, hello dear,’ the angel smiled. ‘I didn’t expect you this soon.’
  ‘Got nothing better to do,’ Crowley shrugged before letting himself fall onto the loveseat. He pulled a small ghost cushion labelled with “booh!” from under him. ‘Really, now?’ he sighed.
  ‘I thought it would be funny,’ replied Aziraphale while walking to the kitchen to grab the candies.
  ‘I’ll never understand your sense of humour…’ grunted the demon.

  A moment after, a nice smell of warm pie just out of the oven came swelling into the shop as Aziraphale came back with the bowl.

  ‘You know Halloween is tomorrow, right?’
  ‘Well, of course I do,’ answered the angel. ‘But I wouldn't want to forget anything.’
  ‘You could “not forget anything” tomorrow,’ complained Crowley. He liked complaining. It was less boring.

  The angel smiled brightly.

  ‘But where would be the fun in that?’

  Crowley almost made his seat fall backwards. An exploit, considering he was sitting sideways. He stood up to avoid any death threat from the chair.

  ‘What fun?! It’s literally just giving out free candy to children! It’s the only day it’s not a weird thing, either. Should be a bit worrying, don’t you think?’
  ‘Well…’ Aziraphale started, but he had no argument. ‘It’s the spirit that counts. Like Christmas, in a way. Sharing a moment of joy.’
  ‘Wasn’t exactly the case before. Anyways, I was hoping we could go dine out tonight, but if you’re so busy…’
  ‘It’s fine, I'm done,’ replied the angel hastily.

  Crowley smirked and put on his sunglasses, amused, inviting him to follow him.

***

  ‘Trick or treat!’

  The three little kids were probably around seven years old, a little girl dressed as a witch, another boy as a zombie, and the third one was hidden in their sheet as a little unscary and clumsy ghost. All three handed out their baskets, already half-full of sweets of all kinds.

  ‘Oh my, what scary costumes!’ exclaimed Aziraphale. He was obviously faking, but the kids didn’t mind. They giggled as he gave them each their lot. ‘Well, good luck on your harvest!’ he continued as they walked away.
  ‘You’re much too kind with them, Angel,’ said a familiar voice from the corner of the street.

  The angel turned round to see a tall, dark figure walking to him. His eyes lit up and his smile widened as he recognized the inimitable gait of the demon… Who was, actually, dressed as a demon. He had his wings out and wasn’t wearing his shades, and he had drawn some black scales on his skin with makeup – it had to look a bit unrealistic. He also seemed to be wearing fake fangs and a pair of small horns which would have made anyone look ridiculous, but to Aziraphale, it was only making the whole thing more stunning. The costume itself was a dark red shirt with 3 buttons left open and rolled up sleeves, black leather pants with his usual snake-scales boots. He had painted his nails black and wore a snake ring and a necklace with one single red stone.

  Crowley was dressed as a “modern-time” demon.

  ‘What do you think?’ he asked, spinning so Aziraphale would see him under different angles.
  ‘You look very good,’ complemented Aziraphale. ‘But a demon? Really, Crowley?’
  ‘Well, couldn’t be truer, could it?’

  Aziraphale sighed, trying to hide the smile undeniably gaining his face.

  ‘You’re unbelievable.’
  ‘I know. So, will you let me in?’
  ‘Since when do you ask? You're always welcome here, and you know it.’
  ‘I know,’ commented Crowley as he walked in. ‘Just like to hear you say it from time to time.’
  ‘Nice costume!’ said a child as they passed by the open door.

  The evening continued as usual and the night was soon all over town. The kids were even more excited now, and so was the angel, but he was a real child in the body of a man. Which usually exasperated Crowley, but not tonight. After all, it was a good time that he could permit himself to have. He finally convinced Aziraphale to show his wings, and as he was giving out candy, Crowley was grooming them. The older brothers or sisters sometimes smiled at this sight, mistaking them for an old couple.

  At the end of the night, when the rare children still outside were heading back home, the two kept their wings out and talked until morning came, trying to scare each other with horror stories like they were 12, or laughing about some historical inaccuracy in one of them.

  Some years later, Nina would say that Crowley didn't believe in magic. It wasn’t true. Sometimes, some very rare times, Crowley caught himself believing again. That the magic was never gone. That this Halloween night would last forever.