It Started Out With A Kiss (How Did It End Up Like This)

Dance

Crowley paced around as he muttered incoherently. The demon had been at it for a good while now and every now and then, he would stop, open his mouth for a second and then resume his pacing. In the first few minutes Aziraphale had learned not to interrupt the demon's thoughts, nor tried to persuade him to calm down. Meanwhile Crowley exhaled sharply and stood before the angel and nephalem who were sitting on the sofa. "Right," he placed his hands on his hips, "Aziraphale, wait for me in the backroom." He sniffed and as the angel looked baffled, Crowley added, "Maybe you should go back to heaven and ask them to issue you a new body, seeing as this one doesn't listen well enough."

Aziraphale mouthed "alright" as he stood, his eyes never breaking with Crowley's. Cassi shook her leg as her angelic father left the room, leaving her alone with a very disappointed demon. "What part of 'you are not allowed to see that boy' did you not understand, Cassiopeia?" He shrugged and resumed pacing, stammering as he tried to form a sentence. "It is my duty, as your father (!) to protect you but you...you do-don't seem to grasp the idea!" He sighed and stood before her. "When I say something...there is a reason for me saying so."

Cassi pouted and Crowley wiggled his index finger, gesturing no. "No, Cassiopeia. I am highly disappointed in you. You say you are not a child but how you act...it screams disobedient child. A naughty child who needs a stern talking to from nanny." He crossed his arms. "Do you think I wanted to find out my daughter is snogging the boy I told her to stay away from?"

"I did not snog, dad." She shook her head. "Never snogged."

"Oh?" His mouth opened wide in disbelief. "Then what do you call it then because I saw the bloody pictures!"

"We are just friends." She choked out as she could feel a lump in her throat start to form.

The demon's forehead creased. "Ngk, just friends? Just friends, she says. I don't go kissing my friends."

"You and papa do it all the time."

Crowley hissed. "That's different and you know it."

"No," she sniffed, "I don't because you and papa never tell me anything. You and papa treat me like a child and all my life I had to navigate and discover things by myself. People gawking at you when you ask an innocent question because they see me as an adult. An adult asking questions a child would ask." She wiped her eyes. "It's not fair. I was not asked to be miracled like this. I would have rather be miracled as an actual child, at least someone would have taken pity on me and shown me all there was to know about life." She sobbed as she recalled the alien feeling surging within her in hell. "I don't want to be a demon...it feels horrible."

Crowley sighed knowing how she must have felt in hell. It was a strange notion, feeling one way all your existence and suddenly, you are someone else. It could have been because she was surrounded by so much hate down in hell that triggered her demonic side, not to mention the annoying questions and comments from the council of stupid demons. Crowley licked his lips and kneeled in front of his daughter. "Friends don't kiss each other, Cassi." He placed his open hand on her cheek and wiped her tears with his thumb. "Well, they can but...erm, remember what I told you in New York? There is always a reason behind it. I know your reasons for accepting the kiss, but I don't like his."

Cassi's shoulders shook as she tried to deter her sobs.

"You felt all that down below, yes?" The demon continued with a calmer tone, "It must have been overwhelming for you, just like when you first met...him."

"But it's not like that anymore."

"It does seem so but," he breathed, "I know demons, Cassi. I, hmm, know how they operate." He wiped his daughter's tears. "Please, Cassi, understand I only want you to be safe."

Cassi gulped and looked into her father's yellow eyes. It took a moment before she spoke, "I thi-think...I can stop time like you."

Crowley nodded. "I know you can."

Cassi looked perplexed.

"No one has the ability to shift things and transport an angel to another city in one second, not even the mightiest of archangels." He looked towards the window as the snow outside glided downwards. "Hastur may be on to something," he smiled, "you may be controlling the weather without meaning to."

Cassi sniffed. "How?"

"Well, erm, I can do it as well."

"Were you a powerful angel?"

Crowley smiled and gently cupped her chin. "Let's just say, and keep this between you and me, demon to demon, I was higher than you papa's principality station." He chuckled. "I can't recall much but the little I do, I always find myself creating something, either it be the weather, time, or the stars...or you."

Cassi smiled. "But you had help creating me."

"Eh, I did, yes, I 'pose but I did most of the work." He expressed a wicked smile. "I initiated the snogging."

The nephalem groaned. "Oh, no, dad please, please no, please. I don't want to hear about you and papa."

Crowley guffawed and kissed her daughter's forehead as he straightened himself. "Grounded again, em...no phone, no going to hell ever again and, hmm, no more snogging your friends."

Crowley's stern stare pierced the angel who had waited patiently inside the room. The demon crossed his arms and said nothing.

Aziraphale smiled politely and took a step forward. "I'm..." he petted the demon's arms, "I know I was not supposed to let her out but...you, dearest...Crowley...love...you have to understand," he groaned, "our daughter was miserable and...and..."

"And you decided it would be alright to go behind my back." Crowley raised his brow.

"N-not necessarily. I-I did advise her to be cautious regarding her relationship."

"Angel, there shouldn't even be a relationship."

The angel gulped and licked his lips, "Oh, Crowley, please understand. I love you with all my heart and I want Cassi to experience what I experience when I'm with you. Love. Simple, sweet, gentle...romantic love. I'm sorry I went behind you back and yes, you were right about not letting Cassi into hell, ever for that matter but we were worried about you."

"A lot of apologies from my partner and my daughter today. It seems both of you need to learn how to listen."

"I'm sorry, dearest, I-I'll make it up to you. I won't keep secrets from you, even if our daughter asks me to." He detached Crowley's hand from his chest and kissed the inside of the demon's palm. "I apologize."

"I want a little dance." Crowly stated blankly.

Aziraphale extricated himself from his demon. "Wha..you...you can't be serious? I sincerely apologize."

Crowley smirked and walked over to the desk, leaning against it. "You said you were sorry and yet...I don't see you showing me how sorry you really are." He sucked air through his teeth. "It seems as though, my soon to be husband is not entirely sorry."

Aziraphale looked up towards the demon and huffed. "You were right-" he placed a step to the side, "-you were right-" another step to the other side, "I was wrong-" he twirled around, "-you were right." He bowed slightly.

Crowley smirked and crossed his arms. "Delicious, if I may say so."

Aziraphale rolled his eyes and closed the gap between them. "Dearest, please." He petted the demon's arms again. "Let Cassi be, at least, friends with him. Please."

Crowley gave Aziraphale a quick kiss and removed himself from the angel's touch. "Gather whatever it is you need from the shop; we go home in an hour. Ah," he shook his head before the angel could protest, "I'm not going to entertain this any longer."

It took at least fifteen minutes for Cassi to learn a new dance. A dance which she was obligated to perform in front of her demonic father.