My Dearest Warlock

Dreadful Dowlings

"Miss Ashtoreth, Mr.Francis, please come in," said Harriet Dowling, smiling brightly at them. Her smile faded the smallest of bits upon seeing Ashtoreth dressed so beautifully, looking so happy to be at the Dowling household.

Was it possible that Ashtoreth had truly missed Warlock? It was very possible, considering that she dedicated a large part of her life to raising Warlock as if he were her own son [1]. Ashtoreth truly loved her darling Warlock more than words could express, despite everything that was said about demons and their abilities to love.

The notion that demons couldn't love was beyond stupid. Demons were Fallen Angels, something that everyone seemed to forget. The idea that demons lost their hearts as they fell into the sulfur pits was beyond ridiculous, even if several religious scholars believed such wild fantasies [2].

Although, knowing Hastur and several of the other demons, it was a wonder how people thought demons could even feel. Upon meeting Hastur, one would just assume that the only thing a demon could feel- if the individual in question knew Hastur was a demon- was anger, filled with an urge to kill. Maybe religious scholars thinking demons couldn't feel love wasn't so ridiculous after all.

"How are you both doing, Miss Anthony Ashtoreth J. Crowley, and Mister Aziraphale Zira Francis Fell?" Mr.Dowling offfered them both fake smiles, summoning for a maid to get them so tea. "Mrs.Ashtoreth, I noticed your name was Anthony. May I ask if you're different or what not?"

"Since you already did, I guess it's fine. My... mother believed I was going to be a boy, so she told the nurse that my name was to be Anthony- she didn't have enough money for any sort of gender reveal. My mother died in childbirth, and my father, nor any of his family, were present. None of her family showed up either.

"The kind nurse gave me my mother's name, Ashtoreth, as a middle name. I always thought that Anthony was my father's name, so there's that. The J is just a j. My mother's last name was Crowley, so I became the last living Crowley I know of," said Crowley. She didn't want to tell him, "Yes sir, you're kinda right. I'm a demon with no gender technically. I switch genders whenever I want to." That might have also caused an unneeded uproar.

Harriet Dowling looked at her sympathetically. "Oh honey, that's so sad. Is that why you chose to become a nanny?"

The group headed into the living room, their shoes clacking upon the floor- Crowley was wearing platform heels while Aziraphale a pair of formal brown shoes with the slightest bit of heels. Crowley and Aziraphale sat on the rich leather couch, while Harriet and her husband sat on the similar couch. The couches were separated by a shiny coffee table, which was filled with tea and small pastries.

Crowley nodded, choosing that was a good reason. She couldn't tell them anything about the Antichrist, for that would surely cause them to believe them incapable of raising Warlock. "Yes, that is why. Children are my soft spot."

That was incredibly true. Children had been her soft spot, ever since the Beginning. Adam and Eve had never been children, but rather created as full grown adults, if Crowley remembered correctly. But Eve had two sons, both of whom Crowley though were amazing- until Cain murdered Abel, but they weren't small children then. And Crowley, despite being a demon, refused to let a bunch of innocent children due because the Almighty felt a bit pissy- that was how it came that Noah came down to check on elephants and found a bunch of little kids sleeping on top of the elephants. Crowley, meanwhile, just smiled at the man and told him that the children needed more food.

Aziraphale nodded, a smug smirk playing on his lips. "Yes, Ashtoreth loves being nice and helping others. She practically an angel, sent right from Heaven."