How to date an angel

Slow-Dancing In The Dark

Aziraphale felt as if a heavy weight was lifted off his shoulders when he stood in the middle of his bookshop. The wooden floor was shining like gold in the dimmed light, giving the rooms a cosy glow. There was more space, thanks to a few of Crowleys miracles.
They did it, finally – they bookshop was completely restored, in all its beauty (and even a bit more of that).
Crowley had suggested that they could go out and have drinks (not a date, nothing to be excited about were the two sentences that went through the angels mind for hours), to celebrate, but for the first time in weeks, Aziraphale felt like staying in, being close to the demon in his safe space, where no one could harm them.
He also figured that it would be nice to surprise Crowley, because his help made the bookshop even better than before.
On a little table now stood three bottles of a rare wine that they once shared in St. James's Park, a variety of fruit - mainly figs, because Aziraphale liked their hidden meaning and felt very smug – and vanilla ice cream (that didn't melt), the only food Crowley actually liked to consume. When he heard the knock on the door, Aziraphale tried his best not to seem like he was waiting behind it, for two hours by the time Crowley arrived. He opened, and was handed a box of chocolates immediately.

"Congratulations on the new shop!", Crowley said with a smile, which in Aziraphales opinion seemed rather nervous.

"Well, I could not have done it without you, my dear!"
Then, as he noticed that Crowley was still standing outside, he added: "My dear, please do come in!"

Crowley marvelled at the new location, his mouth open and his head tilted back, turning in little circles. Then, his glance caught the table and his eyes widened.

"Oh, Angel! Vanilla ice cream!"

Could eyes turn into hearts, Aziraphales face would have been covered in two big hearts from looking at Crowley being excited like a small child.

"It's your favourite!", he said instead.

"You remembered..." Crowleys voice was soft.

He looked Aziraphale in his eyes (still not turned into hearts), and he felt as if he was melting. They stood like this for minutes on end, before Aziraphale realised that Crowley could think he was flirting, and even though this was true, hastily rearranged the plates on the table not make the demon uncomfortable (Crowley had the exact same thoughts, but Aziraphale didn't know).
Crowley lounged himself on the couch, and the angel was wondering how he managed to sit like this. He had put his slim fingers through the belt loops of his black jeans, and was almost laying on the couch. Aziraphale had to admit to himself that he looked very nice nevertheless.

A few hours had gone by, in which they emptied a few bottles of wine and Crowley had a few scoops of ice cream (a few because he emptied the box with five big scoops which he just swallowed as if they were nothing and then said "No gag reflex, remember?").
Now, they were making fun of Gabriel, his terrible taste in food (the only thing he liked was plain porridge) and clothing (he liked his baggy suits the same light grey colour as his porridge). As they were doing that, Aziraphale being very proud of the fact that he was able to make Crowley laugh), he thought of the many times they went into The Building together, only to have their ways parted by the water floor.

"You know, I always hope that you don't think when we have to visit, you know? That heaven lets you believe again...", he said.

Crowley frowned thoughtful, growing completely silent, only to open his mouth a few seconds later.

 Aziraphale, afraid he may have offended him, didn't let him speak: "But, I know, that wouldn't be you, you wouldn't be happy... Well, happier than you are now. I would never ask that of you!"

Crowley raised an eyebrow and smiled."Angel, I know", he said, "That's not what I wanted to say though. I always hope the same, I really do. Not because I want to be an angel again, God no..."
He had to stop because the holy word made him gag, then he continued: "I just want to be on your side, completely, you know."

"Our side", mumbled Aziraphale.

Crowley responded with a nod.

"But we do have that, my dear!"

"We do?"

"Yes, Crowley. Our side, all of this." He gestured vaguely around the bookshop.

Apparently, this gesture activated the new motion-controlled music player that Crowley had put in an empty shelf and broke the intimate moment. Aziraphale wasn't too keen on that modern technology, but didn't say anything, because after all it was a present from Crowley. Now, to his embarrassed, the song he listened to last was playing – it was "Smalltown Boy".

"Well, that's a nice song, Angel. I didn't know you liked that kind of music!", Crowley said, quite surprised.

It was in fact the only modern song that Aziraphale listened to, and that only because it reminded him of Crowley and his feelings for him. He didn't say that.

Instead, he stated: "Yes, you see, memories..." That wasn't exactly a lie, he thought.

All of the sudden, the demon got up. "Do you wanna dance?", he asked, holding out his hand as an invitation.

This did not mean dance with each other, closely, Aziraphale thought. He hoped it was, but why would Crowley suggest such a thing? He deliberately ignored the hand reaching for him. Smoothly, Crowley had stared swinging his hips in a very slow way. The angel tried not to look at those hips and failed, rather miserably. He wasn't quite sure what Crowley was doing, if you could even call that dancing, but he definitely enjoyed the view.
He never learned how to dance to songs like this, so he tried to match the steps of the gavotte to the rhythm, and after that didn't work out as he had planned, just moved from one foot to the other.
Crowley smiled and closed his eyes, moving slightly closer to the angel, careful not to touch his angel. They danced for hours, as close as possible, smiling at each other occasionally. Neither of them spoke a single word, they let their dancing do the talking.

When he was on his way home, Crowley almost jumped out of the Bentley – it was playing a song that wasn't by Queen for the first time ever...