Aziraphale felt it, like a great tug on his heart, when the antichrist left the world. He felt his whole heart sink as that great aura of love and compassion was sucked out of the world. He had tried everything to save the child, but it was no use. He was busy rushing around the world doing the work of an angel, there were times he barely noticed it had been several months since he last checked in on the child. He hadn't seen Adam in roughly six months.
He looked up from his book to see his bookshop in flames around him, the restoration Adam had done now undone. Aziraphale immediately returned to Heaven, in one last desperate attempt to save the boy.
Aziraphale hated the white, glistening walls of Heaven. The sheer smugness and arrogance plastered on every wall and doorway.
His heart nearly stopped when he saw the boy among the new arrivals, his clothes now pearly white and his skin radiating with a faint pink blush.
"My dear boy," Aziraphale said softly, almost breathing the words. He hated seeing his child in that long line of souls waiting for processing, waiting to be admitted into Heaven. While Aziraphale was glad Adam had been initially sorted into the Heaven line, he wasn't sure that was quite where Adam belonged. He wasn't sure anyone belonged there. Or Hell, for that matter. Maybe somewhere in between.
"Azi!" Adam said, shocked when he turned to see his fairy godmother behind him. Emphasis on the fairy.
"Oh my boy," Aziraphale said, wrapping him in a hug. "How ever did this happen? Was it Gabriel? An oncoming car? Assassins?"
"A bridge," Adam said softly. "And I jumped."
"Oh boy," Aziraphale said kindly. "I'm afraid I will simply have to intervene. I can't get you your life back, but I can help your afterlife. Anything you want, I'll make it happen."
"Can you let him know it wasn't his fault? He'll blame himself, I know it."
"Who, dear?"
"Lucas." Adam had tears in his eyes. "I really loved him. I just couldn't do it anymore. I just felt everything ... so much."
Aziraphale gulped. He couldn't understand why Adam was going through. But Crowley could. He thought back to that night, long ago, when he found Crowley in the church ... he shivered, not wanting to remember the painful memory.
"Follow me," Aziraphale said softly, putting his arm around Adam and leading him to the front of the line. "Excuse me," he said to the gatekeeper. "I think we have a special case with this young man I would like to discuss with a higher authority."
He nodded knowledgeably. "The antichrist. I wouldn't have let him in if my life depended on it."
"That's the thing, sir. Hell won't possibly let him in either after what he pulled at armageddon, which is where we meet our dilemma."
"And you have a proposition," the gatekeeper asked, eyeing Aziraphale's light charcoal-grey wings. Grey was acceptable in heaven, but no wings were of said color.
"Indeed," Aziraphale said, brushing aside the scornful looks. "I propose a, well, a sort of adoption. He obviously can't stay in Heaven or Hell, so I propose he stay on Earth. I'll make sure he is properly cared for and gets in no trouble on earth."
"You're sure you can properly care for this spirit? This is extremely against protocol. Besides, to take on this responsibility, it should really be in a supportive, 2-parent household."
"Let Aziraphale take the child," a female voice boomed.
"G-God?" The gatekeeper stuttered, taken aback.
"I suppose you have to let me now. Good day to you good sir," Aziraphale said, his arm around Adam as he steered the kid out of the line and back down to earth.
Adam looked down at his ghostly pale hands, his translucent figure solid-ish, but not enough to allow him to pick up items or give his angel godfather a hug.
"Are you okay with this?" Aziraphale asked. "I know with my bookshop burned down I can't provide much, but I would like to give you a home, if I may?"
"I ... I'm going to need to process this all," Adam said softly. "I never thought about what happened after I ... I just wanted out, y'know?"
"I don't," Aziraphale admitted. "But I'm here for you all the same."
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Ineffable Omens (Crowley x Aziraphale)
FanfictionCrowley can't stand to be around Aziraphale anymore. It hurts too much to have the angel he loves deny his friendship. He can't stay just friends, so he has to find a way to end their friendship, but in doing so, he may have broken irreparable bonds.
