Crowley always loved New Year's Eve celebrations. He would hang out with the one person who he loved the most, they'd drink, eat a nice dinner, and then go to St. James' park to watch fireworks.
This year, it's different. Crowley is drinking alone, burying his sorrows in bottles of aged wine. He looks at the time, 11:30pm December 31st.
Crowley decides against his better judgement to walk over to St. James park and watch the fireworks alone. For the first time in his existence, he's truly alone.
When Crowley gets there, he's stumbling, so he finds his and Aziraphale's bench and sits, tears coming to his eyes. He looks around at all of the happy couples, even Nina and Maggie. He just wants that with his angel. Is that too much to ask?
Apparently so.
Crowley listens to the chatter around him and hears Maggie come up behind him. "Where's the angel?" She asks, making Crowley angry.
"Gone." He says simply, staring off.
"What happened? I thought you two were talking it out?" Maggie asks, waiving Nina over and sitting on the bench beside Crowley.
"He chose to go back to Heaven. Chose to run it." Crowley says, spitefully. He wishes he could've changed the angel's mind.
"Well that isn't too bad. He could make things better." Nina says, placing a hand on Crowley's shoulder.
"But what will I 'ave? I 'ave nothing without him!" Crowley says, angrily. He can't believe that the angel chose heaven over him. Can't believe that after all this time, he still can't turn away from them.
"Crowley, maybe you should get back home..." Maggie suggests, noticing the drunken state of the demon.
"No. Just leave me 'lone." Crowley says, Maggie nodding to Nina and then backing off, keeping an eye on him.
As he hears the countdown around him, all he can think of is kissing the angel again, this time, at midnight. "Aziraphale? Can you hear me? I hope so. How could you, angel? How could you walk away from me... from us and leave me alone on this planet. As much as I hate you right now, I wanted to tell you at midnight... I love you, I wish we coulda had forever together." Crowley says out loud, staring up at the sky, wondering if the angel heard him.
Aziraphale watches St. James' park from heaven, watching as Crowley struggles to walk, stumbles onto the bench, tells Nina and Maggie to go away. He wishes he could be in two places at the same time. He wants to be there with Crowley to watch the fireworks and lean on him when he gets tired.
There hasn't been one New Year's celebration that the two haven't been together. They have always been drunk and laughing at each other's stupid jokes. They have never been apart on this night.
Aziraphale zooms in on Crowley and hears him start to pray. He knows how much he's hurting Crowley by being up in heaven, but he didn't know how to say no. When he saw that Crowley waited on him just in case he changed his mind, he almost ran to the demon, but The Metatron was talking and walking away.
As Aziraphale hears Crowley's prayer, he breaks down into tears. "My dear boy." Aziraphale says sadly, reaching a hand into the globe in heaven. He wants to be there so badly.
"I love you too, dear." Aziraphale says, tears spilling rapidly. "Only if I could have been there with you tonight." He says sadly, looking down. When he looks up again, Crowley's no longer sitting on the bench.
He does a nationwide search and finds that Crowley is in his bookshop on the sofa. He's laying with his knees pulled up to his chest and crying like never before.
Aziraphale is pulled away from the globe by Muriel who has come up to heaven to check in on him. "Muriel." Aziraphale says, turning to see the small angel.
"Hello Mr. Fell- Aziraphale- Supreme Archangel.." Muriel says, embarrassed because she doesn't know what to call him.
"Aziraphale is just fine, Muriel." He says, wiping his tear stained face.
"How are you?" Muriel asks, having a heavy heart for the two who are separated.
"Not all that well." Aziraphale admits, popping two chairs into existence, offering one to Muriel.
"Why did you go?" Muriel asks, taking her seat.
"I- I thought I could help up here, but all that we're doing is the same as before, following The Almighy's plan." Aziraphale says, tears falling down his cheeks again.
"So why don't you come back? You know how much Cr-" Muriel says, but Aziraphale cuts her off.
"Please." He says, lifting a hand to stop her. He can't bear to hear that. "I.. I can't now. I can't abandon my duty." Aziraphale says sadly, placing his hands on his knees and leaning forward.
"Aziraphale, you aren't happy up here. Everything that is going on here is all apart of God's plan, any other angel would have to follow it. You can leave. Do you not want to?" Muriel asks, confused.
"Of course I want to! I want more than anything to go back to... him and apologize and make things right again. But how could I just leave heaven, I'll be deemed a traitor." He says, lowering his voice on the last word.
"Talk to The Metatron. He's really in touch with emotions, he could help. Besides, he's a love lover." Muriel says, smiling softly. "He's been reading all of your romance novels you have. He's a diehard romantic." She adds.
"I'll talk to him, but will I have to go to earth to do so?" Aziraphale asks, worried that Crowley will see him down there and think that he doesn't want to see the demon.
"I'll ask him to come here. He's very open minded, Aziraphale. Explain the situation to him, he will understand and figure something out." Muriel says, standing up and walking to the elevator down.
"Thank you, Muriel." Aziraphale says, patting her on the shoulder.
Muriel nods and walks into the elevator, pressing the earth button and descending downwards.
Aziraphale goes back to the globe and watches his bookshop, noticing that Crowley is sleeping, but very restlessly. He sends down a little miracle and allows him to rest easier.
"Goodnight, dear." Aziraphale says softly, kissing his finger and pressing it to the globe.
When it is morning again on earth, Muriel arrives back in heaven with The Metatron. "Hello Supreme Archangel." He says, smiling at Aziraphale.
Aziraphale has obviously swollen eyes and The Metatron sees this, but does not comment. "Hello, Metatron. I.. I'm really not sure that I am the right angel for this job. I would much rather be down on earth again..." Aziraphale says, getting straight to the point.
"Oh. Very well then." The Metatron replies, looking around for anyone else in the room. "Is this about The Demon, Crowley?" He asks when he sees nobody but them.
"Yes, sir. Before I left, we had a moment, and I wish more than anything that it could be a reality." Aziraphale says simply, swiping a tear from his face again.
"I will find somebody else for the job, but Aziraphale..." The Metatron starts, Aziraphale shoots him a questioning look. "You know that once you leave your position, you cannot return to it. You will never have the chance at Supreme Archangel again." The Metatron says.
"I am willing to make that sacrifice for him." Aziraphale states, confident in his answer.
"Alright." The Metatron says calmly. "Gather anything you wish to take with you, and you can leave at any time. You are now officially demoted to your previous position." The Metatron says. Aziraphale rushes over to the elevator down to earth and Muriel follows close behind.
"Thank you." Aziraphale says to Muriel, kissing her on the forehead. Muriel smiles and nods, pressing the button to earth.
When the two get down, Aziraphale practically runs to his bookshop, shoving open the doors and seeing the demon sitting, drinking, again.
"Crowley." Aziraphale says, breathlessly. Crowley drops his drink, the glass shattering on the floor.
"Aziraphale?" Crowley asks, is he hallucinating?
"Crowley I cannot tell you how sorry I am. I missed you so much, dear boy." Aziraphale says, walking towards the demon quickly.
"Aziraphale you chose them over me." Crowley says, staring at the angel, seeing tears drop down his cheeks.
"I know, I am so sorry. I will never do anything like that again. Please, Crowley, can you forgive me? I'll do the dance if you want! I will do anything for you to give me your forgiveness." Aziraphale says, his hands put together as if he's praying.
"Did you hear my prayer?" Crowley asks, obviously drunk.
"Yes I did." Aziraphale says, holding Crowley's cheeks in his hands. "I heard it, and I love you too, sweet boy." Aziraphale cries. Crowley can't take it any longer. He can't see Aziraphale crying, begging for forgiveness.
"Angel." Crowley says, wiping the angel's tears and feeling them sting on his fingers, feeling a drop run down his hand, down his wrist to be soaked up by his shirt. Everywhere it touches burns, it leaves a red zig-zag welt down his arm.
"Please, Crowley." Aziraphale cries. Crowley continues to wipe away the angel's tears as he tries to find his words, not caring about the burning of his skin.
"Aziraphale, I hate you for your decision." Crowley says making Aziraphale's heart drop. "But, you came back." He says.
"Of course I did. I couldn't stand being without you. I felt like I left half of my soul on earth." Aziraphale says, sniffling.
"I forgive you." Crowley says, making Aziraphale let out a sigh of relief.
"Crowley." Aziraphale says, his hands going up to the demon's on his face. Crowley looks at him, a tear slipping down his face. "Do it again." Aziraphale says, Crowley's confused at first, but soon understands.
"Y-you want me to-" Crowley starts.
"Yes." Aziraphale says firmly.
Crowley nods and leans towards Aziraphale, pressing their lips together in a hungry kiss. Aziraphale moves his hands to Crowley's hips and grips them tightly. Crowley walks the two back towards the sofa. Crowley pulls back for enough time to say "I love you, Angel."
Aziraphale nods quickly into the kiss as he pushes Crowley onto the couch, never detaching their lips from one another's. After a few more minutes, and things heating up as the tears dry up, Aziraphale pulls back, both gasping for air. "I love you, Crowley. I'm so sorry, dear." Aziraphale says, holding onto Crowley's hand. "What?" Aziraphale asks, noticing the burn marks on Crowley's skin. "What is this from?" He asks, kissing the skin gently.
"Your tears." Crowley says, kissing Aziraphale's head. "They're holy water that's been diluted." Crowley explains.
"Oh my- I'm so sorry!" Aziraphale says, worried as he tries to heal it, it doesn't work.
"It's okay, Angel. They'll heal on their own eventually." Crowley says, pulling the angel's head to his chest. "6,000 years, I have been waiting for this." Crowley mutters, kissing Aziraphale's head over and over again.
"I am so sorry, Crowley. I don't know what I was thinking. You waited for me. Waited for me to change my mind... and I didn't." Aziraphale says, extremely regretfully.
"Angel, stop apologizing. It's okay. You're here now, that's what matters." Crowley says, brushing his hand through the angel's hair. "I waited as I have been for 6,000 years, and I would have continued to if you hadn't come back." Crowley smiles as Aziraphale looks up at him.
"I love you." Aziraphale says, burying his face into Crowley's neck. He presses kisses to every inch of skin he can see, muttering those three words between each one. Crowley starts to get flustered and presses the back of Aziraphale's head gently, making him kiss Crowley's neck harder.
"Mm, Angel." Crowley moans softly, wrapping his legs around the angel's. Aziraphale smiles into Crowley's neck and bites softly, pulling his head back up.
"Not yet, dear boy." Aziraphale says, making Crowley throw his head back and groan.
"Tease." Crowley complains, smiling anyways.
"You have no idea." Aziraphale laughs. Crowley blushes darkly and nods, wanting to see more of this side of Aziraphale, but not now.
At a later time, they can explore that. Now, they just want to lay in each other's arms and bask in the beauty of their love.
So, that's what they do.