Ineffable Interludes: Good Omens

After The Switch

After The Switch

PLAYLIST:

New Horizons by Flyleaf

Walk Me Home by P!nk

As Long As You're Mine from Wicked

Sober by Lorde

A week after the Not-pocalypse, Crowley and Aziraphale managed to convince their respective sides to leave them alone, for the most part. That tends to happen when you prove yourself immune to the destructive forces of Holy Water and Hellfire. They switched back to their respective bodies at St. James Park and went right to the Ritz to toast to the world.

"Well, that was scrumptious," Aziraphale remarked as they walked to the bookshop from where the Bentley was parked. "What shall we do now, my dear? See a movie? Fall asleep on my couch like you usually do?"

"Well, angel, I feel like getting absolutely, fall-down, shit-faced drunk," Crowley answered casually. "How about you?"

"While I wouldn't phrase it like that, I agree with you. I'vestill got a few cases of--"

"Fancy wine ain't gonna cut it," Crowley interrupted. "Not after all this. Be back in ten minutes."

He sauntered off in the direction of the liquor store. Aziraphale wondered if he should go with him; no telling what sort of trouble the demon could get into. Then again, he probably didn't want to know. Aziraphale let himself into the shop. It wasn't quite the same as before it burned down, but he loved it anyway.

Crowley returned in minutes, as promised, carrying a huge bag. He went through to the back, where he knew Aziraphale would be waiting. He was correct: the angel had lit the fireplace and arranged a fruit tray on the coffee table between the two couches. No drinking binge would be complete without some nibbles.

"What did you get?" Aziraphale asked nervously.

"Oh, a little bit of this, a little bit of that," Crowley replied. He emptied the bag until there were five bottles of liquor lined up on the table. "We have vodka, tequila, whiskey, bourbon,and peppermint schnapps. The last one goes really well in hot cocoa."

That got Aziraphale's attention. "Does it now?"

"Yep. We can have it for breakfast."

"Breakfast?" Aziraphale squeaked. "Just how drunk are you planning to get, dear?"

"Yes."

"Ye—what does that mean?!"

"I am going to get very, very drunk," Crowley replied,lining up some shot glasses. "Then, I am going to sleep on your couch, wake up, and do it again."

Aziraphale hesitated, then stepped a bit closer. "You don't need to sleep on the couch, Crowley."

The demon finished pouring four shots of tequila and stared at him."Well, I'm not sleeping in the bloody car!"

"No, no, of course not," Aziraphale said quickly, before he could lose his nerve. "You can sleep here. In..in the bed. With me..."

Crowley stared at him once again; Aziraphale was literally shaking, afraid he'd crossed a line. But then Crowley downed all four shots of tequila, jumped over the coffee table, and kissed him. Properly kissed him, until they were both breathless.

"Are you drunk?" Aziraphale demanded.

"Not yet," Crowley replied, and kissed him again. "I have been wanting to do that...for such a long time."

"So have I. But you'd better rinse your mouth out, because if we're going to do it again, I refuse to get drunk off secondhand tequila."

"Do you want to do it again?"

For once, Aziraphale did not fidget or dither. He took Crowley by the hand and dragged him up the stairs; Crowley managed to snag the bottle of bourbon on his way past. While Aziraphale rarely slept, he did like lounging around, which was why there was a huge feather bed in the flat above the bookshop. A bed which he shoved Crowley onto.

It didn't go farther than that, though. They realized at the same time that they had better talk some things through before they gave in to temptation.

"How long have you..." Crowley cleared his throat. "Have you..."

"Loved you?" Aziraphale concluded. "A long time. Longer than I care to think about."

"Was it the books?"

"In the church, when you walked on hot coals to save me?" The angel smiled at the memory. "That was when I realized it, but not when it started. That was moment that it hit me in the face, and Ic ouldn't deny it anymore. You?"

"I think I realized that I--" Crowley broke off and looked down at the floor. "I can't say the word yet. I guess, I can't let myself believe this is real. That we feel the same--"

Aziraphale silenced him with a kiss. "It's okay. You don't have to say it, I understand. After everything you've been through, this could be difficult for you."

"Being with you is the easiest thing I've ever done. It's the believing it part that I'm having issues with."

"That's okay. We'll do this slow. We'll do it however we want. Except..." He took Crowley's dark glasses off. "No more of these, not around me. I want to see your eyes."

Crowley blinked in the lamplight. "All right." He smirked. "I don't want to get shit-faced anymore, but I could use a bit to blur the edges, so to speak. Are you in?"

"I'm in." Aziraphale miracle'd some rocks glasses and poured the very expensive bourbon into them. "Then I'd very much like to spend the night with you, when we're not both half-dead from exhaustion."

"Or bled half to death."

"That, too."

They drank about half the bottle before going to bed. Crowley laughed out loud when he saw Aziraphale's flannel, tartan pajamas. "Oh, angel, I should have known."

"They're comfy!"

"So are these." Crowley snapped his fingers, and suddenly he was wearing black silk boxers. "Shall we?"

  Aziraphale dithered a bit before climbing into bed. He didn't quite know what to do with himself. Going to bed with Crowley this way was not the same as the times they'd shared the bed out of necessity. But you could always count on a demon to break the ice.Crowley took his hand, and drew him closer. Eventually Aziraphale laid his head on Crowley's chest and listened to his heartbeat.

1. Takes place immediately after their lunch at the Ritz.