One-Shots - Good Omens | Ineffable Husbands

Six Years

6 years. It had been 6 years since Crowley died. Every time someone knocked at the door of the bookshop, Aziraphale was hoping it would be Crowley. Every time a car parked outside, he was hoping it was the Bentley. Every time a Queen song played, he was just waiting for Crowley to come out and hum along because he was too embarrassed to sing out loud.

Aziraphale still pulled out two wine glasses after the bookshop closed. He still found himself thinking 'I bet Crowley would love this' or 'I can't wait to tell Crowley'. He found himself wanting to call Crowley, or go over to his flat when he was bored. He found himself passing by dead plants and thinking about Crowley would use his crazy ways to make them grow better. He found himself walking by The Ritz, craving the food yet not being able to go inside because it hurt too much.

Sure, it had been six years since the death, but six years was nowhere long enough to recover after 6,000 years of friendship.

Aziraphale didn't really know how it happened. One day, Crowley just stopped answering his phone. When Aziraphale went over to check on him, he found his flat empty. Well, at least empty of Crowley. There was a short note, scrawled out in a sloppy version of Crowley's writing. There were bloodstains on the edges, hinting that Crowley had written it as he was killed.

Aziraphale didn't know what had happened and the note offered almost no clues. It only said he "had made a mistake" and that "he was out of time". The part that confused Aziraphale the most was that at the end Crowley had written: "I'm sorry".

Aziraphale had thought it was suicide, but the only way for a demon to kill themselves was by Holy Water and there had been blood on the paper. Of course, Aziraphale didn't want to assume Crowley was dead. He searched and searched, but when there was no sign of the demon for over a year he had no choice to accept it. He had no choice but to accept the fact that he was never going to see his best friend ever again.

Aziraphale had just flipped the sign on the door to close the shop and was sitting comfortably on his couch when there was a heavy knock at the door.

"We're closed!" Aziraphale called out.

The knocking only got louder.

Aziraphale sighed and stood up, making his way to the door. "I said we're closed!"

He grabbed the door and yanked it open, fully prepared to announce that they were closed again, except for when he saw who was standing there his mouth simply couldn't form words.

Standing in the doorway, his hand raised in mid knock was Crowley. Aziraphale's eyes went wide and he stumbled backward as he tried to take in what was happening.

"Th... this is a joke!" Aziraphale yelled.

Crowley stepped into the bookshop and closed the door behind him. The demon said nothing, only smiled softly at Aziraphale.

"It's not, I promise. It's really me," he whispered.

Emotions flooded Aziraphale. He was skeptical, overjoyed, and angry. He was so angry- angrier than words could describe. He didn't angry about a lot, but right now pure rage surged through his body.

"But... you... there was blood! You were gone... you... I thought-" Aziraphale couldn't seem to form a complete thought. There was so much he needed to say.

"I know and I know I shouldn't say this because I'm a demon but I'm sorry and-"

Aziraphale had to let the rage out somehow and he decided to do it by slapping Crowley across the face. Crowley was stunned but Aziraphale just heaved with heavy breaths.

"Okay, I definitely deserved that but, angel, just hear me out," Crowley said as he removed his sunglasses and set them down on a table, revealing his piercing yellow snake eyes.

"No!" Aziraphale interrupted. "You hear me out! You were gone! For six years! I know in our line of existence it shouldn't be surprising that you're alive but six years, Crowley?! If you've been alive this whole time why didn't you call? Send a letter?! Just something to let me know that you were okay! 6,000 years and one day you just disappear! How do you think that affected me? I don't know what happened that day Crowley but you wrote a note! You said nothing! I thought you had killed yourself!"

It wasn't often Aziraphale got so verbal with his feelings, but he figured that this was a fairly appropriate situation.

"Aziraphale, I know you're upset and I understand that. I have a lot to explain, but before I do feel free to... I don't know, punch me, kick me, use your angelic powers to break every bone in my body-"

Aziraphale marched up to Crowley, fully prepared to beat the ever-loving shit out of him. But yet, he couldn't bring himself to do it. Crowley had to have left for a good reason, and Aziraphale knew that. He knew that his friend didn't just abandon him.

Crowley flinched when Aziraphale approached him, probably expecting to get his throat ripped out. Instead, though, Aziraphale just looked up at Crowley and burst into tears. Under all that anger, he was ecstatic that his best friend was alive.

Aziraphale grabbed Crowley by the jacket and pulled him into a hug.

"I know you aren't one for physical affection," Aziraphale said through his sobs.

Crowley lifted his arms and hugged Aziraphale back. It wasn't one of those half limp hugs that people did when they were forced to hug an annoying relative, no-no. This was a 'one arm around the waist one arm holding onto his head' sort of hug. This was a 'bury their faces into each other' sort of hug. This was a 'I'm so sorry and I never want to let go' sort of hug.

When they did eventually release each other, Aziraphale was still filled with emotion. Although, this was a different emotion- a new emotion. An emotion that suddenly came bursting through when Crowley appeared in the doorway.

Without hesitation, Aziraphale grabbed either side of Crowley's head and pulled him into a kiss. When Crowley didn't immediately start kissing back, Aziraphale began to panic, so he pulled away.

They locked eyes. Crowley smiled that devilish smile of his and leaned in to kiss Aziraphale. Their mouths locked together and Aziraphale found himself running his fingers through Crowley's thick hair.

They stopped kissing, but they didn't pull apart. They remained foreheads together, arms around each other.

"I missed you so much," Aziraphale whispered.

"I know...I missed you too," There was a long pause before Crowley admitted that he had missed Aziraphale.

"Don't think that I forgive you, though. I'm still royally pissed," Aziraphale chuckled.

"Did you just say pissed?"

"I hate you," Aziraphale couldn't help but smile.

"No you don't," Crowley grinned back.

"Maybe not, but you still owe me a bloody good explanation for where you've been,"  

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