The Rest of Eternity

Crowley was furious.
In all the eons he had been on Earth with Aziraphale, he could never quite dismiss the nervous energy that arose in his abdomen when the angel came around. He couldn't shake the image of his smiling face from his head. And it had just gotten worse since they had stopped Armageddon.
Ever since their dinner at the Ritz, he had been getting this warm sensation coming to his face when he thought of Aziraphale's lingering gaze and small smile. It was maddening. Every detail of his face was absolutely and undeniably carved by God herself. He is absolutely lovely. He is, quite honestly, the most beautiful being to have ever been created.
That frustrates Crowley to no end. For, he was aware of the emotions he was having towards the angel. He had seen it in movies, read it in books, heard about it in songs. He was falling in love. Freddie Mercury's song, Somebody to Love, had come true for the demon. He had found somebody to truly love. And he was terrified of it.
Demons should never feel pure emotions like this. Demons should never wish to cradle, cuddle, or comfort anyone, let alone an angel. This went against his very purpose. This went against the very nature of his existence. This was wrong.
So, he had reasoned, or rather, rationalized, that this must be okay. Because, he is a demon, after all. So, he must do the wrong thing. It's the only thing he can do. If he didn't go for the angel he would be going against his head office. That wouldn't be good.
*buzz* *buzz* *buzz*
"Oh, blimey!" Crowley looks down at his phone. Aziraphale, of all people, was calling him.
He decides to pick up the phone. Everything is quite normal, so why shouldn't he?
"Hello, angel." He says, adding a hint of flirtation on the last syllable.
"O-oh, hello, Crowley. How are doing? I hope you're quite well." He says in that sickeningly sweet voice of his. The one that made Crowley go mad with loving intent. The one that made Crowley want to draw him into the sweetest kiss and pamper him. Fuck, what was he going to do?
"Quite well, Aziraphale. Were you worried about silly old me?" He says, hopefully awaiting a, "Yes," from his angel.
"I always worry about you, Crowley. Always." Aziraphale says on the other end.
Crowley could feel his heart and stomach drop to depths of hell itself. That answer was better than anything he could have imagined his angel would ever say. And it made the romantic tension he felt toward him just that much more unbearable.
"Oh, that's not necessary, angel." He says, quite flustered.
"Oh, but it is. But never mind that, I actually have something important to speak with you about. Would you mind coming over to the bookshop?" He asked Crowley. He sounded nervous. He always sounded nervous, but this was different. He seemed...worried. Like this would be life and death for him.
That made Crowley very concerned, indeed. How could he say no to the beautifully quivering voice on the other end? How could he possibly deny his angel at a seemingly important moment?
"Of course, angel. I'll be 10 minutes." Crowley responded. He was going to get there as fast as possible for Aziraphale. He was quite sure he would do anything for him, at this point.
"Do drive safely, please. I couldn't bear it if you got into an accident because of my request." He said. Crowley could start crying. Aziraphale always worried about him. That was clearer now, than it ever had been. He really did always think of Crowley.
"I will. Thank you for your concern. It's quite welcome." Crowley replied. Trying to tell him just how much he appreciated it. Trying to convey the deep relief and happiness he felt for the wonderful angel.
"Thank you, Crowley. See you soon." Aziraphale said.
"See you soon." Crowley replied, then hung up.
He got right into his car, listened to Bohemian Rhapsody and Killer Queen, and found himself in front of his angel's book shop. He didn't waste time. He got out of his car and walked straight in.
"Oh, Crowley! Hello!" The angel said and bolted out of his chair, seemingly ecstatic to see Crowley, even though they had seen each other two days prior. It made Crowley's heart ache with longing. Here is Aziraphale, right in front of him. Here he is. Yet, Crowley can't get himself to do a damn thing to try to accomplish his desires.
"Hello, angel. How are you?" He asks, making his tone sickeningly sweet and adding all the love he can into his mere question.
"I'm quite nervous, actually. I'm afraid I'm fretting over an issue I have been having for eons. Something I have tried to deny for quite a long time." He said, skirting around the issue Crowley wanted so desperately to help him fix.
"Well, I can't help you with it, if you don't let me in on it." He says, trying to not sound desperate to hear it. That's the last thing he would want to be, desperate. He had never loved anyone, he didn't think it was possible. But, this angel walked into his life. He hasn't been that same since then.
"See, I'm afraid that if I 'let you in' on it, you will just leave. So, I'm quite afraid, you see. Quite." The angel admitted.
Crowley couldn't imagine ever leaving Aziraphale. It pained him to the very core to imagine leaving when he was in such a troubled state as this. He couldn't stomach it.
With a moment of bravery he strode up to the angel and gripped his hands tightly. "I would never leave you, angel. Not when you're obviously pained. I would never abandon you. If you don't remember, I cancelled my plans to Alpha Centauri the second you didn't want to come along. I couldn't bear to be away from you, not after all we have been through together." Crowley said, and felt that uncomfortable heat creep up his neck and up to his cheeks. He hates this feeling. It makes him quite hot and bothered. It's rather annoying.
But, the annoyance went away as he heard what came out of his angel's lovely lips next.
Clearing his throat nervously Aziraphale said, "Well...then, here goes, I guess. I don't quite know how to start this. But I guess I'll start with our switch-back on that park bench. After we switched back, you and I agreed to go dine at the Ritz. It was quite lovely. It was sort of magical. It was like everything I had dreamt of for ages. But, something was missing. Something I feel very selfish for wishing had taken place. Because it was a very lovely dinner and nothing was imperfect about it. I just wish this part was also present. I wish...," he took a break the nervously clear his throat again, "I wish...I wish it had been a d-date. I wish I would have been on a date with you. I wish it would have been intended as a romantic outing. I wish we were a couple now, after that date. I wish we would just be together after these 6,000 long years. I wish I didn't have to keep pining for you. I wish you were just mine already."
Crowley short circuited. The slight heat turned into searing heat. But now, it covered his entire body. He could only leave his jaw hanging in a response. What else could you possibly react like after everything you've been wishing for for thousands of years is handed to you on not a sliver, but platinum platter. What else could you do after all your hopes and dreams are fulfilled?
"Crowley? Dear? Are you okay? Are you angry? Oh, I shouldn't have said anything. I should have kept it to myself. Oh, Lord." He tried to scurry away and leave, but Crowley caught his arm.
"I am not okay. I am not angry. You should never keep anything from me. And don't you dare try to leave after being so worried that I would." He said, being firm, loving, and shocked all at the same time.
"Wh-what was your reaction about, then? Why did you stand there, slack-jawed, just staring at me? And what do you mean? Never keep anything from you? Even if it makes you react like this?" Aziraphale asked, panicking.
"Listen to me, angel. Be quiet and listen. I have spent eons trying to tell myself to never even think of the possibility. I have crushed my own hopes for anything to happen. I have killed my own dreams of us being together time and time again. I have wanted nothing more than to kiss, to hold, and to have you, to be able to say I am yours, to be able to call you mine, to be able to spend the rest of eternity loving and being loved by you. I never thought it a possibility. I never thought you would ever see anything in a demon like me. I thought I would never leave the hell I had put myself in, due to my denial of possibility. So, angel...I'm absolutely not angry. I'm ecstatic. I'm joyful. I'm overwhelmed with love. Because, Aziraphale, I love you. I have loved you for a long time." Crowley all but proclaimed.
The heat subsided and turned into butterflies in his stomach. He was more nervous than he had ever been. He didn't know what in the world to do with this new information and how to process his admission of feelings to his angel.
"Crowley...I-I don't know how to respond to that. It's all I have ever wanted to hear from you. It's all I have ever truly desired apart from food. I don't have the faintest idea where to go from here, either." He said, and his cheeks turned very pink. It was adorable. Crowley thought he may have to sit down. Aziraphale's beauty was enough to have him on the ground in a heap. And he could have him. He could be his. He could finally kiss him.
"Come here, angel. Please?" He asked, hopefully.
Aziraphale made his way over to Crowley shakily, fiddling his fingers.
When he got to Crowley he nervously raised a hand to cradle his face, which Crowley grabbed gently and held up to his face. "You can touch me, angel. Don't be nervous. Not with me." He said.
"I'm nervous because it's you." Aziraphale said and looked down, embarrassed.
Crowley put a tentative hand out and softly gripped his angel's chin. "Look at me?" He asked, lovingly.
The angel looked up, wide eyed, but not scared. "I love you, Crowley. I love you. I trust you. I want you. I want to call you mine."
Crowley, sweetly smiled. "Then do it. Call me yours." He said.
"Anthony J. Crowley, you are mine. All mine." Aziraphale said, shakily but without stuttering.
Crowley's heart nearly burst out of his chest. "And you, Aziraphale, Angel of the East Gate, Principality...are mine." He said, pouring his every emotion into it. He had never felt so fulfilled. He had never felt happiness this strong. He remembered hearing the word 'bliss' come from Aziraphale's mouth, while he was describing the state that sushi puts him into. He decided that was what he was feeling too. Bliss. Ultimate and undeniable bliss.
"O-oh...I-" The angel stuttered.
Crowley took that as his opportunity. "May I kiss you, my angel?" He asked politely and softly.
Aziraphale's face got very red, and he buried his face into Crowley's chest.
Crowley hugged him tightly. "Is that a yes?" He asked, patiently.
Aziraphale looked up and leaned away a little, shaking.
Crowley understood. "Too fast?" He asked with a small smile.
His angel nodded slightly. He always one to be pure wasn't he? Sweetheart. Crowley wasn't upset by the lack of initiation. He could wait.
"On the ch-cheek would be f-fine." Aziraphale said.
"Are you quite sure, angel?" Crowley asked, making sure he wouldn't be crossing any lines.
"Yes, dear. I-I'm sure." He said, shyly.
"Very well, love." Crowley said as he leaned in.
His lips found the soft, flawless skin of his angel's cheek. They lingered there, savoring the connection and softness of his angel. They laid gently there for even just a second longer.
Crowley eventually pulled away, being careful to watch and feel for any resistance from Aziraphale making sure every second was wanted by his angel as well.
Aziraphale looked up into the loving demon's snake eyes with love and passion pure as snow. "That was lovely, my dear." He told Crowley.
"Anything for my angel." Crowley said. "And I mean anything. Listen, it is your body. You decide everything that happens. You decide how far we go. You decide how fast. You decide when. You decide where. You set the pace. It's what you deserve, after all. You deserve the most loving and respectful relationship the universe can give you. After you have put so much love into the universe, you deserve that love back. And I, the fortunate fallen, cannot wait to show you just how much how you mean to me and deliver on that love. So, be my guide. Lead me through your forest of intimacy. Show me where and when to explore. For, that's how it should be. You are precious. I intend to show you just how precious you are to me. You are owed nothing less than that. I have eternity to wait for you to be ready. So, for now, and however long you need, I will be fine with, and savor every kiss on the cheek I give or receive. As long as I am with you, that is all that matters to me. You're too precious to rush." Crowley said, pouring out his heart. He meant every word. And he hoped his angel knew he did.
"Oh, Crowley!" Aziraphale said, and kissed Crowley's forehead, getting on his tip-toes. His lips lingering there. His lips savoring Crowley as Crowley had savored him.
When he pulled away he saw Crowley's cheeks redden. He smiled, knowing this was real. He smiled, knowing he was his.
"Shall we dine at the Ritz again, but this time as a couple?" Crowley suggested.
"That sounds absolutely lovely, Crowley, dear." Aziraphale said.
And together they walked, hand in hand, proudly out of the shop to the Ritz. Smiling, because they both knew they had what they've always wanted. Smiling, because they were both so very proud to have each other. Smiling, because they couldn't wait to get to the rest of eternity.