Well, That Was A Thing (Good Omens One-Shots)

30; Even Now, I Still Love You

Context: Human AU. They're exes who are now forced to be near each other again because Crowley has moved into the same building due to personal reasons. (Honestly, I have no clue what this fic turned into. Like Aziraphale, I got carried away. Was meant to be more about them being exes, but shifted into the makeshift family at some point along the way)

It had been 6 years since Crowley had last spoken to Aziraphale, and considering their nasty little breakup, he hadn't expected their next conversation to start with them suddenly being neighbors.

Word Count: 15,000

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Crowley's POV:

Anthony J. Crowley never wanted to step foot in that building again, but he had no choice. As Adam and Warlock's new legal guardian, he had to live near their school and their friends. Well, perhaps he didn't have to, but the poor things had been through enough sadness lately as far as he was concerned. He wasn't about to make absolutely everything in their lives be different just because they had shit parents and he had to step in. He knew too much change could make things worse.

So, he clenched his jaw and took a deep breath as he pulled into the parking lot of Tadfield Manor Apartments, known by the locals as 'St. Beryl Apartments', even though they haven't been called that in over three decades. Nevertheless, Crowley simply associates with one other thing. Or rather, person: Aziraphale Zachariah Fell. The best and worst thing to come into his life. They were in love, no doubt about it, but a disagreement lead to their downfall as a couple.

Crowley was determined to ignore all those feelings and simply take his things from the car to his new home. Easier said than done, because it didn't take long for Adam and Warlock to drag him and introduce him to the nice man who sometimes tutored them. Frankly, he should've seen that one coming. Aziraphale was very intelligent and he was always in the building because he worked as an online professor for students who could not go to a campus due to disabilities. It took every fiber of his being to not break down or be an ass to his ex boyfriend, especially when the kids clearly loved him. (And he did too, but the break up still hurt, so he didn't want to let his guard down). Something else that was clear was how uncomfortable Crowley felt, because Aziraphale sent the boys to keep carrying his things to the flat while they 'got acquainted'.

Fuckin' hell, boys. Throwing me right under the bus...

"I'll be honest, I never thought I'd see you around here again." Said Aziraphale.

The redheaded man sighed. "Yeah, well, that makes two of us."

"May I ask why you're moving in with Adam and Warlock? They seem very excited about it. I haven't heard anything from Lily lately, though."

Crowley crossed his arms. "Well, she's in rehab and Lucien disappeared again. Warlock called me once they had run out of canned goods." His jaw was clenched, a clear sign that he was angry.

The blond stammered for a moment. "...Why didn't the poor dears come to me for help?" He asked, possibly himself, considering the low tone of voice.

Crowley decided to answer anyway. "They figured Lil would've been back in about three days, like always."

Lily Crowley had always loved to drink, party, and her friends were equally as bad and irresponsible. Once Warlock started being more independent around the age of 10, she would leave him in charge, go hang out with the girls for a bit, then come back to make sure they were still alive. The boys were discouraged from asking the neighbors for help whenever she was gone because she told them that's how they would end up in the system, separated. And their father was never really in the picture, so he wasn't an option. Naturally, the 16 year old grew desperate and called his uncle. When Crowley learned about his sister's horridness, he went to the authorities. A few days later, she was found and taken into custody. Crowley was granted full custody of the boys and he threatened her, saying that the only way she would ever see them again was if she got clean. With that, she agreed to enter rehab. Even though she was a terrible mother, she did love her sons in her own way, and the thought of not being allowed to see them again sobered her up in seconds.

Aziraphale looked incredibly appalled. "I can't believe I lived so close and knew nothing..."

"You're not family, how do you think I feel?" Growled Crowley.

I should've been here since the first time she left them alone. He should've told me...

The blond man paused. "I wasn't implying anything, darling."

"Don't call me that." He begged. It sounded both sad and upset. Ugh, this is going to be bloody awful. I should've never come here.

Aziraphale cleared his throat. "Sorry. I didn't mean it like that. You know how I speak."

"Hard to forget... Guess I'll be seeing you around then." He said with another sigh.

Not much, hopefully.

"Same apartment as always. If you or the boys ever need anything." Said the chubby man softly.

Crowley nodded as he looked to the ground and walked towards his car to get the rest of his things.

~~~~~

It took several trips, but Crowley and the boys got everything into the flat. Firstly, Adam and Warlock were helping their uncle figure out where to put all his plants. Warlock insisted the two ficus plants would look better out on the balcony, while Adam thought it would be better to have them in the living room. Since Crowley was good with either option, they flipped a coin for it. Adam won. So the plants were placed in the living room, the Chinese evergreens went in the dining room, the snake plants found their new home in the office space, the spider plants settled on top of the refrigerator, the dragon tree on the coffee-table and the devil's ivy was placed atop Crowley's headboard, which was so thick, it doubled as a shelf.

With the plants sorted, they ordered a pizza and began unpacking the rest of his things. Eventually, the dreaded question came up as they were putting away his clothes.

"How do you know Mr. Fell?" Asked Adam, bright-eyed and genuinely curious.

What else could I expect from the 6 year old?

The redhead groaned as he sank further into the bed. "Do we really have to talk about it now? It's too depressing."

Adam made a face. "What's 'depressing' mean?"

"It's like a sadder type of sad and it's harder to get rid of." Said Warlock to keep it simple, assuming Adam was too young to start learning about mental illnesses.

The little boy pouted. "Mr. Fell made you sad?"

"Sometimes, he did. He'd make me more happy than sad, though..." Admitted Crowley, staring up at the ceiling.

I'd kill for that happiness again.

"It sounds like you're sad right now."

Very observant, Adam.

He nodded. "Yeah, can we not talk about it?"

"Talking helps me when I'm sad."

"And I'm better at bottling up my emotions. We all deal with it differently." Said Crowley with a scoff.

"Different is good. Least, that's what my teacher says."

"Yeah? What else does she say?" Asked the redhead, seizing any opportunity to change the subject.

"That I talk too much during class."

You? No way.

Warlock grinned "It's true. She complains about it every parent-teacher conference."

Crowley raised a brow and looked at Adam. "How are your grades?"

"A's and B's."

He nodded in approval. "Then there's no issue. Don't worry, I'll talk with her next conference. What about you?"

"Straight A's except for that C in math." Warlock looked a bit annoyed with himself with that grade.

"Can you pass that class with a C?"

"Yeah."

The man shrugged. "Then make sure it doesn't get any lower and you'll be fine."

"Really? You're not gonna tell me I need to get an A on everything?" Warlock hadn't heard that from his mother, but every time he did badly on a math test, he got a mouthful from his teacher about it.

Crowley sat up straight. "Do you like school?"

"Not particularly, why?"

"Kid, I barely graduated and found a decent job at the plant nursery. I never liked school, but I made it through just so I never had to go back. I think the same logic can apply to anyone else who doesn't like being there." He explained.

The teenager thought it over for a moment."What if I want to go to uni?"

Ooh, we got a determined one.

"Well, in that case, you definitely need to get that math grade up... You said Mr. Fell tutored you. What subject?"

"English. He'd help me understand stuff about symbolisms and he translated for me whenever we had to read old books like Shakespeare. That stuff doesn't even sound like English to me!" Exclaimed Warlock.

Crowley groaned loudly. "Ugh, I know! Always hated it. The stories were fine, but give us the ones that were written in modern English."

"That's what I said! Mr. Fell said that's like 'killing the story's essence' or something like that." Said the older brother, changing his voice to sound more posh like Aziraphale always did.

The skinny man gave a lighthearted chuckle. "That sounds like him alright... Anyway, he's a wiz with numbers, maybe you can ask him for help with math too."

Thankfully, the doorbell rang before he started missing his ex again. He basically bolted off the bed to greet the pizza delivery girl. Sassy young lass named Pepper, friends with Warlock, they talked for a bit before Adam dragged his brother away from the door so they could all eat together as a proper family.

~~~~~

They ate, finished putting away all of Crowley's belongings and showered before bed. Warlock said goodnight and locked himself in his room, but Adam wanted a bedtime story. There was no way Crowley could refuse, considering how sweet and helpful the boy had been. Ironic, considering their circumstances. Nevertheless, he agreed and let himself be dragged to the boy's room.

Once he was tucked in and the story already read, Crowley had assumed his work was done for the day. He turned off the lamp and walked towards the door when suddenly he heard Adam ask: "Will mum ever come back?"

Fuck, here we go...

Crowley sighed. He wasn't about to lie and give the child false hope. "I'd like to think so, but I'm still not sure."

"Does she love us?" He didn't seem hurt, perhaps 'confused' was the better word for it.

"She does." Said the man without missing a beat.

"What about dad?"

Crowley walked away from the door and sat on the edge of the bed again. "Honestly? I don't know. I'd imagine he does, but it's not like I knew him well enough to know how he thought."

He's a piece of shit, but I'll wait a bit before I say that in front of you.

What he knew about Lucien was surface level, but it was easy to see that the man was a selfish bastard. Even more evident whenever he'd fall off the face of the Earth and contact Lily and the boys many months later. He was rarely there for special occasions, but a present of some kind would show up on his behalf. And the main reason his presence wasn't court-mandated was because he did send money for the kids. He'd say his absences were work related, but he never actually said what his job was. Lily assumed it was dirty work of some kind, but the money was good, so she never looked into it.

"Do you love us?" Oh, Adam...

Crowley nudged closer to him and Adam moved so he could sit with the headboard against his back. He wrapped an arm around Adam, like a side hug. "Yeah, 'course I do. You don't remember this because you were a baby, but when you guys used to live in the city, I'd be visiting almost every day."

"Really?" He asked, looking up at him.

He smiled and nodded to him. "Yup. Some days, I'd sneak you two into the nursery where I work and we'd pretend we were exploring an enchanted forest."

"That sounds fun. Can we do that again sometime?"

"Not any time soon, I'm afraid. You'd be in school when I'd be working. And it's over an hour and thirty minutes to and from work, so one little play session doesn't justify all that time on the road." Be explained.

Adam pouted. "Not even on a weekend?"

"Shop doesn't open on weekends."

"Oh..." He looked genuinely disappointed at that.

You kids are gonna kill me.

At that moment Crowley knew he was done for. He truly hoped this kid would have an ugly phase, because the look on Adam's face nearly broke his heart. "But maybe, if the owner doesn't have a problem with it and you boys don't have to study on a specific Sunday, maybe, we can take a trip to the nursery together."

"Really, really, really?" Asked the boy, holding out his pinky.

Crowley wrapped his own around Adam's and gave him a little squeeze. "Really, really, really. Sleep tight, kid." He promised before messing up his hair and leaving his room.

Since Warlock was a teenager, and he knew he should give him his space, he didn't go into his room or even knock. He simply sat beside the door and texted him.

[You good?]

[Yeah, why?]

[A lot of shit's gone down the past few days. Do you need to talk about this? Because I'll listen.]

Crowley stared at the three little dots on the left side of the screen for what felt like an eternity. He wasn't sure if he kept writing and rewriting the text, writing a letter, searching for a specific emoji, or he simply forgot to close the damn app. Eventually, the reply came.

[I really expected her to come back. Like always, y'know?]

[Do you want to be alone or should I come in to your room?]

Once again, he waited for a reply for a very long while, staring at the three dots. He then heard the door open and Warlock stood there, red-faced with tears in his eyes.

Oh, kid...

Crowley bolted up and wrapped his arms around the boy. He hugged him tight and Warlock broke down as soon as his face hit Crowley's chest. The redhead moved him into the room, so his sobs wouldn't wake Adam. They sat on the edge of the bed, Crowley trying to sooth the boy as he rocked him and rubbed circles into his back.

"You poor thing. You deserve so much better than this, Warlock. But I'm proud of you."

Warlock pulled away to look Crowley in the eye. "P-Proud? Why-?"

Crowley cupped his face. "You've grown up faster than you should've because you had to. It's unfair, but you did good, and I could not be prouder. You took care of yourself and your brother to the best of your abilities. I wish you would've called me sooner. Wish you would've called the first time it happened..."

"I'm sorry-"

"Shhh. Don't apologize. This whole situation wasn't your fault, you just adapted. And I'll say it again, I am so proud of you." He said placing a kiss on his forehead.

I should've visited more. Should've called her, texted him. Something. I should've been more accessible. Maybe I could've knocked some sense into Lily before it got this bad. If not, forced her to get clean sooner...

At this point, it was hard to tell which was crying more. Warlock was finally able to let it all out, while his uncle felt guilty. Crowley continued to reassure Warlock for the rest of the night.

~~~~~

If it was up to Crowley, he would've stayed in bed all day. Sadly, Tracy had already given him several days off to deal with his sister and the boys and since Anathema wouldn't be in today, Crowley needed to go back to London. Because of the distance, he woke up at 5:00 a.m., made pancakes, boiled some pasta while he showered and got dressed after adding the cheese sauce to the macaroni. He was making sandwiches by the time Warlock woke up around 6:57.

The teen looked confused as he observed the scene in front of him. "Do you compulsively cook or something...?"

"No. Just needed to make sure you guys had food for today since I have to leave in a few minutes and I'll be back in no mood to cook."

"So why not order takeout if you're gonna be tired?"

"I think you two deserve a home-cooked meal. So: pancakes are in the microwave, I'm putting your sandwiches in your bags for lunch and I'm putting away the pasta in the fridge. You can take it out and eat once you get back from school."

"You won't be here?"

"Depending on traffic, I might be back here by 4:30 or 5:00... But if you and Adam go through all that before I make it back, call me so I can get some takeout." 

Warlock laughed for the first time since yesterday. "You really think we could finish that whole pot by ourselves?"

"You're a growing boy, I wouldn't be surprised if you ate most of it on your own."

Warlock saw him drinking coffee. "Did you already eat?"

"Nah, not much of a breakfast person, me. Just this." He said as he drank the last of his coffee and placed the mug in the sink. He finished the sandwiches and practically jumped to the living room to put them in their backpacks. "Eat up, I'll go wake up Adam." He told him before disappearing into the hallway.

When he opened the door to Adam's room, he saw a bird's nest of a mess atop the boy's head. He tried not to laugh loudly.

And I thought my bedhead was bad!

Crowley went over and started squeezing Adam's shoulder. "Come on kid, time for school."

Adam groaned and sank further into the mattress. He tried burying himself under the blanket but Crowley pulled it off. The boy groaned again but stayed put.

Alright, fine.

Crowley walked over to the switch on the wall and flooded the room with light. Another groan and Adam covered his face with one of his pillows.

Yeah, we're definitely related.

He sat on the bed. "Kid, I'm already late. I know you don't want to, but I don't want to go to work either and you don't see me complaining."

"But it's so nice and soft here..." He heard from underneath the pillow.

"I know, but the sooner you get up, get ready and go to school, the faster you can come back to sweet, memory-foam bliss."

"Okay..." Sighed the boy, rolling himself over until he climbed down from the bed. Then he used the bed itself to stand up.

Crowley laughed, seeing himself in the boy more and more as he struggled to get his balance and go through his drawers. Eventually he found the outfit for the day and went into the shower. Crowley went to his room, finished styling his hair, properly this time. By the time he came back into the kitchen, he saw a sandwich in a zipper bag on the counter.

Didn't I put these away?

He went to check the bags, and the sandwiches were in fact, just where he had left them. So he went into Warlock's room, third sandwich in-hand. "Did you not like my pancakes? You used to love them when you were little."

"Still do. Had three of them, left two for Adam. I made that for you." Said the teen, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Can't have you running on just coffee until lunch time."

Crowley's heart softened.

Kid's taking care of me for taking care of him.

He smiled and pulled him in for a hug. "Thanks." He said and put it on top of the table by the door so he wouldn't forget it. A few minutes later Adam came into the kitchen to have breakfast and Crowley did one final check list. With everything accounted for, he kissed them goodbye, grabbed his things and sprinted out the door. Unfortunately, he ran right into Aziraphale in the hallway and they both ended up on the floor.

"Oh, good lord!" Exclaimed the blond in pain as he rubbed his backside from the fall.

Crowley groaned, stood and helped him up. "Fucking Hell, of all the people to crash into! I'd apologize profusely, but I'm late, so-"

Then, in the last thing he expected to see, Aziraphale shouting and jogging towards his car. Turns out, Crowley had dropped his sandwich when they ran into each other. Their fingers grazed each other as Crowley grabbed his lunch, and he fought off bubbling feelings from several times that Aziraphale had done that very same thing when they were together. He thanked him without making any eye contact and pulled out of the parking lot.

~~~~~

Crowley's day had been a long one. He was moving plants from one room to another early in the morning, after that, he was cutting flowers for the florist part of the shop upstairs. He spent several hours out in the greenhouse, tending to growing plants and planting new ones wherever he had space. He was grateful for the sandwich Warlock had made him (which Aziraphale made sure he actually took with him) because he was so focused on his work, that he forgot to take a lunch break. It was Tracy who yelled at him for not taking care of himself and then he recalled the sandwich. In the afternoon, he had some deliveries to make and once he made it back, he was on register duty because Tracy had stepped out for a moment. It was definitely a lot, and he was exhausted by the time he climbed into his car to head home.

The fact that he still needed to drive for so long before being able to relax certainly got on his nerves, but that was nothing compared to the amount anger and discomfort he'd run into. God, how he hated the M25. The poor sod was seething with how slow everything was moving. To the point where he turned off the car, stepped out and walked for several minutes to find out what was wrong. Turned out, there was an accident up ahead and the authorities were taking forever to clear out a path for more than one lane. It looked like no one was hurt, so that was good, but it didn't really make Crowley feel any better.

He made it back to the Bentley, grabbed his phone and saw the time.

5:25. Bugger it all. Let me call them, tell them I'm running late.

So, he did. No answer.

Strange. He's always got his phone with him.

So, he called again. Same as before, no answer. He decided to text him next. The read receipts said it was delivered, but he hadn't read it yet.

Must be in the shower or something...

Crowley waited. He went through all his apps, he played some games, turned the music up in the car, looked to the horizon in hopes that he'd see movement of some kind. He glanced back at the clock and growled in frustration, 5:40. He checked the chat again, still nothing.

Come on kid, stop ignoring me. Tell me you're both home and safe...

He called again and got the same result. Crowley's anxiety was skyrocketing now. Not only was he late on their first proper day as a family, but he had no idea if they had even reached the flat at all. He felt nauseous, his knee was bouncing like mad and he was getting a headache. He called again.

He's always so quick to respond, what the hell happened?

He was at his wit's end when he scrolled all the way down his contact list. On said list, Crowley has Aziraphale as 'Zero Chance Of Ever Happening Again' because both his name and 'angel' made it so he was at the top of the contacts every time he entered the app, and that was too much for him early after the breakup. Then, he also went through a phase where he'd debate, on a daily basis, whether or not he should call him to see if there was anything salvageable there. But he could never bring himself to actually delete it or call, so going with a 'z' option was the next best thing. It was actually Anathema who came up with name, since 'zangel' and 'Zira' wasn't enough to deter him immediately. Therefore, next best thing would be a reminder of how the relationship had ended.

But this was different. It wasn't for his love life, it was a necessity. At least it certainly felt like one.

He held his breath and hit 'call'. His hands were shaking, he was unsure if it was his nerves because of the situation, or because he was actually calling Aziraphale. Either way, his brain was throwing him to the deep end of the pool, imagining that if Aziraphale didn't answer, it was because something had gone wrong in Tadfield Manor as a whole, not just with the kids. So when he heard someone pick up the phone on the other end, he popped from his anxiety bubble. Literally. He had been holding his breath the whole time.

"Crowley...?" There was a hint of disbelief in his voice.

How did you-? "Ang- um. You- You still have my number?"

"I could say I'm just as surprised as you. Why are you calling me?"

Crowley felt his heartbeat speed up. "Uh, I need a favor from you."

"What kind of favor?"

The redhead sighed. "I'm not home, there was an accident-"

"Accident? Are you alright?" Crowley was taken aback by Aziraphale's tone. Almost as if he still cared for him.

It doesn't mean anything, just get to the point.

He shook it off and began to explain himself. "Yeah, I am. Accident didn't involve me, but I'm stuck in traffic on the M25. I should've been home over an hour ago, Warlock's not answering his phone or any of my texts, we don't have a landline in the flat and I don't even know if-"

"Anthony, breathe." It wasn't a suggestion, it was a command. In the soft and calm voice Aziraphale would always use whenever he was on the verge of having a panic attack or already having one. He was also the only person to calm him by his first name to get him to focus, so hearing that again felt quite strange.

He felt tears prickling at his eyes, but he did exactly as he was told. Deep breaths, inhaled through the nose, exhaled via the mouth. Though he was still freaking out, at least now he felt like he could talk a bit better.

Aziraphale clearly knew this. "Alright dear boy, stay on the line. I'm going over to your flat right now."

Thank you...

Crowley put the phone on speaker and let it fall into his lap. He continued to focus on his breathing as he gripped the steering wheel. He could hear Aziraphale's steps and him leaving his own flat. He heard him and, he assumed, many other neighbors walking in the echoey hallway. There was some talking going on but it was too far for him to distinguish what they were saying. He heard Aziraphale knock on the door and call for the boys. The door opened and he heard Adam's voice as he said "Hello Mr. Fell!" He sounded fine, happy, his usual self and the relief was so much that Crowley finally let himself cry.

Aziraphale asked for Warlock and the younger boy pointed him towards the kitchen table. Apparently, he had been doing homework there but his phone was left charging in his bedroom and since Adam was watching cartoons in the living room, he didn't hear it at all. His ex asked all the standard questions: "Are you alright?" "Did you eat?" "Do you need anything?", etc., etc. And once he knew that there was nothing to worry about, he handed over the phone to Warlock.

"Crowley, I'm sorry! I put it to charge before I went into the shower and I forgot all about it. I thought I had hit send on the text letting you know we were home and-"

"It's okay, kid. Just take the charger in whatever room you're going to be in next time, alright?" He wanted to scold him, scream about how worried he had been, but once he heard they were fine and realized his brain was just being a dick to him, he only felt relieved.

Warlock seemed confused but agreed, giving the phone to its rightful owner. Crowley heard Aziraphale laugh at something Adam had said before he brought his attention back to Crowley.

He heard the blond clear his throat. "Do you need me to stay here with them?"

"No, it's fine. They're used to being alone, unfortunately. Warlock's said so himself. At least I know they're okay." Said Crowley.

"Do you want me to stay on the line with you until traffic starts moving again?" It was as if he could feel the anxiety that had consumed Crowley earlier and wanted to ensure it was gone and wouldn't come back.

Knowing you, you mean well. But I doubt that'd be good for me...

"Um... No. I've taken up enough of your time. Thank you." Said the redhead quickly.

"It was no problem, my dear. I suppose I'll be seeing you around then."

Again with the names. Fuck, I wish you didn't talk like that...

"Yeah. Right. Bye." And he hung up. Thankfully, it didn't take too long after that for cars to get moving.

Another hour passed and Crowley was finally home. Warlock tried to apologize again but Crowley simply hugged him and kissed the top of his head. Warlock knew his reason for it, but Adam had seen it as an opportunity for a group hug, so he joined in on it. Both he and Warlock laughed and decided to squish him in a hug sandwich. Adam giggled and tried squirming out of their grasps. After that, Crowley showered, had dinner and sat down to watch some Tom and Jerry with the kids. It wasn't as much time as he would've liked to spend with them, but it was better than nothing.

~~~~~

For the rest of the month, this was their daily schedule: Crowley would wake up early, cook everything for the day, get ready for work, wake the boys, make sure they were ready (or at least Warlock, and he would take care of Adam), then he'd leave. He would do whatever was needed of him at work, he'd drive back, have dinner with the boys and spend as much time as possible with them. He offered to help with their homework, even if he had no bloody clue what they were supposed to do. He'd play with Adam, ask Warlock about the usual issues most teenagers went through. Crowley hadn't gone to his school yet, but he already knew where each little group hung out and what the latest gossip was. Even though it was nice, Crowley was tired. To the point where it was obvious whenever he took his shades off.

This was why Aziraphale stopped him one Saturday morning while they were getting the mail at the same time.

"Crowley, I know it's not my place but, do you need any help?" He asked just as Crowley had started walking away from the mailbox.

The taller man stopped dead in his tracks. "Help with what?"

Aziraphale almost looked sad. "You look exhausted."

"Gee, thanks." He said with a scoff.

Last time I leave the flat without my glasses.

"It wasn't meant to be an insult, it was an observation... Warlock tells me you cook every morning before work." Aziraphale still tutored the boy, so it was not a shock that Warlock would talk to him about life in general.

Crowley glared at him. "Yes, and?"

"Which means your tired before driving all the way to work. I imagine you're running on fumes by the time you've done half of your tasks at the nursery." Though he said he imagined this was the case, his tone was knowing.

It's true, but what's it to you?

"Your point, Aziraphale? I've got bills to go through." He said while waving around several envelopes.

Aziraphale tutted at him but his face softened as he spoke. "If you need to rest, I can do the cooking, so you have more energy in the mornings for work."

"I'm not giving you more work to lessen my own. I can handle it, really."

The chubby man crossed his arms. "For how long, dear boy? You're an incredibly independent man, but sometimes you believe that means you shouldn't ask for help."

Still a bit of a bastard, aren't you?

A small chuckle left his lips. "Y'know, it's moments like these where I wish we hadn't dated at all."

"Why do you say that?" He asked, facial expression hard to read.

Crowley rolled his eyes and pulled at his hair but he couldn't help but grin. "Because you know me so well, and you're right, and I hate it."

While it was quite clear that the shorter man was very satisfied with himself, he did try to not be too obvious, keeping a (mostly) straight face. "If it makes you uncomfortable, I understand, after all, our split was anything but pretty. Even so, I want you to be healthy and happy... Crowley, I-I don't hate you, if that's what you think."

You don't?... God, Satan, Someone give me strength... Guess this conversation was going to happen at some point. Surprised I avoided it this long...

The redhead sighed, groaned and rubbed his face as he grimaced at the sun. "I can't have this conversation right now. I feel like I'm gonna melt. Can we at least go into the lobby?"

Aziraphale nodded. "Certainly. It's far too warm for comfort here. After you." He said, gesturing towards the building.

Once they were hidden away from the sun's powerful rays, they sat on a bench near the entrance.

"Now then, where were we?"

"You don't hate me." Crowley reminded him.

Aziraphale snapped his fingers, recalling his point. "Right, yes. I don't. I truly don't. This, 'arrangement' I suppose we could call it, would benefit you and the boys. You don't have to wake up so early and they get to eat freshly made food that's still hot by the time they arrive. You're not feeding them fast food every day, everyone wins."

Crowley turned and stared at him. "What do you win?"

"...Peace of mind, I suppose." Replied Aziraphale after a few moments of silence.

"How so?" Challenged the redhead.

Aziraphale started wringing his hands, a familiar sight. Crowley knew he'd do this whenever he was nervous. "I had no idea the boys were going through all of this with Lily. I could've been helping from the start, had I known. They're very sweet and they deserve better. At this rate, I consider them family. And as for you, well... If you're healthier and happier, it's better for them."

"You saying I'm not right now?" Crowley was feeling dejavú and was hoping that wasn't the case. Though part of him wanted to stand up and leave, his other half wanted to hear him out. Since it was easier to stay put, he decided to listen.

Aziraphale turned to face him. "Crowley, I know you. By spreading yourself too thin, you'll end up more exhausted than you already are and it could be you in that car pile-up instead..." There was a sadness to him.

Car pile-up?... I hadn't even thought of that...

"Aziraphale-"

The blond started tearing up as he cut him off. "Crowley, those boys have, for the time being, lost both parents and I don't want them to lose their uncle as well..."

So that's what this is about...?

Aziraphale knew what it was like to lose both parents, but in a more permanent manner. His mother died when he was a small child because she was ill and his father passed when he was a teenager, after falling asleep at the wheel. Crowley suddenly recalled his tone that day when he had called him and told him there had been an accident.

"Was that what you thought happened that day? When I called and said there had been accident?" How is it that we're not together anymore, had a bad break up, but accidentally making you sad breaks my heart?

Aziraphale made a face. "It hadn't crossed my mind for the exact same reason as now. I thought you had gotten hurt because of your driving, you speed demon." He said with a tear rolling down his cheek.

Without much thought, Crowley reached into Aziraphale's shirt pocket and pulled out the handkerchief he knew the blond always carried around. He handed it over so he could wipe his face. That got a smile out of Aziraphale.

"Okay." Said Crowley.

Aziraphale blinked at him. "I'm sorry?"

"The arrangement. You can cook for us. I'll bring you the ingredients in the morning before leaving for work." Said the skinny man.

You wanna make sure I stay alive so I can take care of Adam and Warlock. Can't really argue with you about it. Should probably be grateful my ex doesn't want me dead...

The blond nodded. "Okay... And you promise you'll rest?"

"I'll try. Really."

"Thank you, Crowley." He said with that smile which always melted Crowley's heart.

"I should be thanking you. You know I'm not a fan of cooking."

"A shame, really. You're very good at it." He praised.

The redhead shrugged. "That just proves you're a good teacher. Could barely boil water before we got together." Laughed Crowley.

Aziraphale snorted and they laughed together for a while. Eventually they both stood, said their goodbyes, and went into their respective homes.

Well, I'm gonna interact with him on a near daily basis now. So much for that 'avoid him at all costs' mentality I had when I first got here... I can probably reach an emotional middle-ground when it comes to him right? For the boys' sake...

~~~~~

Two weeks passed and the arrangement had been a literal godsend for Crowley. He could sleep until 6:30, get ready and make breakfast while the boys got ready. Plus, since Anathema was back opening shop with Tracy, he didn't have to leave right at 7:00 anymore. He could actually take Adam and Warlock to school! The kids loved it too. None of their friends took the bus, so they'd be quite bored on the rides to and from school. Not to mention, the bus didn't have rock music playing on the speakers and they could sing as loud as they wanted without getting in trouble if they were in the Bentley. They were nice mornings. And Crowley got to dedicate more time to them, which is what he wanted in the first place.

So, he decided to get something for Aziraphale, to show his gratitude. It was Friday, the kids had already picked up dinner and ate their fill according to Warlock's last message. Crowley figured he had time to make a quick stop, drop off his gift, then go home. Simple. Unfortunately, Crowley was never simple.

The lanky redhead ended up getting him a fruit basket and a bottle of wine. Was it a bit extra? Yes. Was it a guarantee that Aziraphale would like it? Yes. So, he knew his money wouldn't be wasted.

With that, he made it back to Tadfield Manor, grabbed the gift and knocked on Aziraphale's door. A few moment later, the blond opened the door and was taken aback by the sight in front of him.

"Hello, dear boy. What's all this?" He asked, gesturing to the basket.

Crowley shrugged. "My way of saying 'thank you' for your help recently. Where should I put it?"

Aziraphale looked like he was malfunctioning for a few seconds but he blinked and pointed to the kitchen counter. Crowley nodded and placed it where he was told. He inspected the basket and the bottle as the redhead started walking out.

"Enjoy it. I'll see ya around." He heard him say.

Aziraphale turned, bottle in-hand. "Wait, don't you- would you like a glass? I know you like this brand."

"I would, but I can't."

"Oh, you have to go to work tomorrow?" The blond looked disappointed.

"No, no, not that. I literally can't. Haven't touched booze since this whole thing with Lily started."

Aziraphale was clearly surprised by this. "Really?"

"Yup. Just... I don't know. Feels wrong, for some reason." Said Crowley sadly.

Aziraphale waved him off, as if to say it wasn't an issue. "Makes sense. Can I offer you anything else?"

"Nah, it was all for you." Insisted the taller man.

"And I want you to have something as thanks for my 'thank you' gift."

Crowley snorted and facepalmed, closing the front door. "You really haven't changed. Got any juice or water, then?"

"Do you still like apple juice?" He asked while disappearing into the refrigerator.

"Is that something I'm supposed to grow out of?" Asked the redhead as he leaned over the countertop.

"Just asking. I've got that, cranberry or just water."

"Apple's fine."

Aziraphale served him the juice and got himself a glass for the wine. Even though he tried to make sure his fingers didn't graze Crowley's, it still happened. The redhead looked away, clearly flustered.

"Thanks." He said into the glass before taking a sip.

After a few minutes silent drinking, Aziraphale cleared his throat and put his glass down. "Do you have a moment? I'd like to talk to you about something."

"About what?" Crowley didn't dare look up, he simply took out his phone to seem busy.

"I'd like to apologize for how I treated you before."

What...?

Crowley looked up and shoved his phone in his pocket. "It's been six years, Aziraphale."

"And I should've apologized six years ago. Seeing you so much recently because of the arrangement made me realize that I needed to at least try to apologize." He had a determined expression.

God, I can never say no to you.

The redhead swallowed hard, but forced his legs to move and he sat on the couch across Aziraphale's loveseat. "Go on, then."

The chubby man nodded and began. "I shouldn't have said anything that night. You were perfectly happy, and I made you feel inadequate. It was not my intention not at all, I just wanted you to be happier. And for that misunderstanding, that I was too stubborn to clear up, I am incredibly sorry... Do you think you could ever forgive me at some point?" He looked and sounded sincere.

Fucking hell, I didn't expect this shit today. Or ever! He actually apologized...

Crowley inhaled deeply and held his breath as he shut his eyes. His hands were still around the glass. He exhaled through his nose and focused on his rapid heartbeat. He also felt a burning sensation in his eyes.

No, don't you dare cry right now! Not in front of him, or the kids, you will hold it-

"It doesn't have to be now, or even soon, for that matter. I only want to know if it's possible, in general."

Crowley opened his eyes and nodded. "It's possible, angel..." He said as his chest tightened a bit.

Aziraphale sighed, almost nostalgically. "Haven't heard that in a very long time. At least, not without you stopping yourself from saying it."

Crowley let out a weak laugh. "Do you know how hard it's been to not call you that every time I see you?"

"Honestly, when you first moved in, I was surprised you didn't insult me every time you saw me."

"Part of me wanted to." Admitted the redhead.

Aziraphale pursed his lips. "Why didn't you?"

Because I still love you and I miss you.

"I don't hate you either, y'know. Hated our breakup, but not you. Never you... Think we would've lasted this long if that fight hadn't happened?" He asked before downing the rest of the juice in his glass.

The chubby man nodded. "I'd like to think we'd still be together, yes... Do you think we could ever get back to that?"

I would love to but...

"I don't know." He replied honestly.

The blond's Adam's apple bobbed. "Would you want to?"

"Yes... But not today. Would you?" His eyes were beginning to water.

"More than anything. But not today." Aziraphale agreed.

"So... Friends first, see where it goes?"

"I think that would be best."

"Right, then. I should head home..." He said as he got up. And as he was about to walk of the flat, he turned. "Hey."

Aziraphale, who had bent down to grab the abandoned glass from the coffee-table, looked up. "Yes, Crowley?"

"Thank you. For the drink and the talk..." He said just before he left.

God, Satan, Someone help me, I'm about to fucking pass out!

Crowley made it to his flat, checked on the kids, then collapsed onto his bed. Although the conversation had helped him feel at ease about his feelings for Aziraphale, it had also exhausted him. He slept for several hours, waking up around 10 and finding Warlock watching television in the living room because he wasn't tired yet. Adam had been out like a light for hours, so that's why he wasn't with Warlock. Crowley joined him and they watched several movies together. Luckily, tomorrow was Saturday, so they didn't have to worry about going to bed at a reasonable time. Crowley was especially grateful, since that little nap had ruined his sleep schedule.

~~~~~

Several months later, Warlock was trying to figure out what he wanted to do for his birthday. He wasn't much of a party person, but he wanted to do something. Since his 16th hadn't been the most entertaining due to some English and math tests, he was incredibly glad that October 13th was on a Friday this year. His teachers never gave tests on Fridays, they liked to torture them with tests on Mondays and Tuesdays. Oh, how he envied Adam, whose birthday was in the summer and he didn't have to worry about dumb things like these. Anyway, he wanted to do something fun, so he took to Google because he couldn't think of anything himself. After scrolling through a few lists, he popped into Crowley's room.

"Hey, can Pepper, Wensleydale and Brian sleep over for my birthday? I've never had a sleepover before."

Wensleydale and Brian were brothers, lived just a few doors down, Wensley was in Warlock's grade, they had known each other for a while now and they were close. Brian was a year younger than Adam, they played together in the gardens of the building all the time. Those boys were like the odd couple, Wensley was all nice and polite and Crowley was almost certain the boy had OCD, or something like it, because he was more organized than the word itself. Meanwhile, Brian was a walking natural disaster. The embodiment of chaos. He couldn't go anywhere without getting dirt on himself, something, or someone. It was both hilarious and maddening.

But Pepper was something else entirely. When he first moved in, Crowley just knew her as the pizza girl and Warlock's friend. Soon though, he noticed the teen would be talking or texting with her constantly and his body language would change. He wasn't relaxed, he would stammer, he would blush. He was in love with her! At the very least, he had a crush. And Crowley found it adorable. He had also seen her whenever she came to hang out with the boys. She acted the same way. So, he whispered a bit of encouragement to the both of them at different times.

Next thing he knew, he was driving them to the movies for their first date. Bit of a disaster that one, can't be very romantic when sitting in between your uncle and your little brother. Plus, it was a Disney movie so there were many children in the theater talking, crying or complaining, which distracted them every time they reached for each other's hands or something. Even so, they went on several more dates before officially becoming a couple. A fact Crowley was thankful for, since that meant the awkward phase was over and he wouldn't have to suffer secondhand embarrassment. However, that lead to a whole other issue, because just like with most teen couples: they were handsy and fueled by hormones.

Ha! Yeah, you'd love for your girlfriend to sleep over.

Crowley had been organizing his closet when the boy walked in and he let out a laugh. "The only way Pepper is sleeping over in this apartment at the same time as you is if she sleeps in my room, alone, door locked, while I stay in your room with you and Wensley."

Or maybe Wensley should stay with Adam and Brian. Those two might kill themselves or each other if left unsupervised for too long in a room with that many blunt-object-like toys...

"Oh, come on! That's so lame!" Said the teenager as he threw himself onto Crowley's bed.

The redhead threw an old rag to Warlock's head. "Hey, there's already 5 of you here on most weekends, I don't want six. Brian still can't clean up after himself properly, the last thing we need here is a baby!"

"No one's going to end up pregnant, Crowley." Groaned the boy with an eye roll.

He finished up in the closet and sat next to Warlock on the bed. "Damn straight, 'cause I'm not even gonna give you the chance. Not even a hint of a chance." He said, poking him on the shoulder to annoy him.

"We could do it in school and you wouldn't even know it, it's not about sex!" Mumbled the dark-haired teenager.

Yeah, right!

Crowley let out a bark of a laugh. "Mate, you're dating Pepper. She has way too much self-respect to shag you in the school bathroom or anywhere that doesn't meet her standards. If you're trying to prove a point, at least try making a good argument." He teased.

"Oh, whatever." Said the teen, defeated. Then about 12 seconds later, a lightbulb seemed to go off in his head. He had a bit of an awkward look on his face.

Warlock then cleared his throat and said: "Speaking of sex, are you and Mr. Fell-"

Crowley immediately stood and glared down at him. "Woah, woah, woah! What the fuck was that?!"

"A very bad segue on my part, admittedly."

Crowley stammered as he fussed with his hair, unsure of what to do with his hands. "I'll say! How the hell does your sex life relate to mine?! You don't even have one yet!"

"No need to rub it in!" Exclaimed the teen.

"Warlock. Point. Get to it."

The boy sighed. "I heard you two talking the other day. I wasn't actually going to ask about sex. I just wanted to know if you were back together or not."

How the fuck do you know about that talk?

"How did you hear that? We were alone and the door was closed. You weren't there." Said Crowley, his skin heating up.

No one else should've heard that!

"You butt-dialed me. At first, I thought you were calling to say you were gonna be late. I was yelling into the phone to see if you could hear me but all I heard was rustling."

Goddamn it, I didn't lock my phone when I put it away!

"Figured I was in your pocket, and was about to hang up, but I heard Mr. Fell saying he should've apologized to you. I knew you weren't keen on talking about it, so I figured this way, I find out what happened, I don't have to ask you and you don't feel sad." Warlock explained.

Crowley sat at the edge of the bed, head in his hands. He breathed deeply, trying to get his anger towards himself and the boy under control. "How much did you hear?"

"I hung up after you said you were coming home."

The skinny man groaned. "I cannot believe this shit..."

"You upset with me?" Asked the teen, no doubt worried about his uncle's emotions and how this would effect his birthday plans.

Crowley sat up straight. "Yeah. I am."

"I'm sorry. I just wanted to know what happened between you two. Still don't. Invaded your privacy for nothing." He looked like he regretted his choice. Crowley knew this was one of the things that had changed since Lily was removed from the picture. The Warlock he knew from before this whole fiasco was a more 'go with the flow' type of person. Not anymore. He was more cautious when it came to himself and he was more protective of his brother too.

The boy wants details because he wants to make sure he doesn't get abandoned again if I end up in a relationship. Just tell him and be done with it.

"If I tell you, will you stop snooping?" Asked Crowley once he had calmed down.

Warlock nodded and Crowley took a deep breath. "Fine. Context: Me and Aziraphale met over a decade ago. He was looking for a nice flower arrangement for his boss, who had received an award of some kind. A few days after that, he was looking for one for his cousin, who had just had a baby. By the third time, when he came looking for a plant for himself, I asked him out on a date."

He looked at the teen, who nodded again.

"The date went well. We had a bunch more. Eventually, we became a couple. Besides the distance, we didn't really have any problems..."

"Until 'that night'?"

Crowley nodded. "Until 'that night'... I can't even remember what we were watching, but we somehow landed on the topic of my intelligence."

"He called you stupid?" Asked the boy, not believing Aziraphale would do such a thing.

His uncle shook his head. "The opposite. Said I was brilliant."

Warlock tilted his head. "Then what was the problem?"

"He said I was wasting my time in the plant nursery. That I should take some classes, put my brain to good use. Hopefully get a better job."

"But you never liked school." Said the teen knowingly.

Crowley nodded again. "Yup. He knew that, but he believes everyone should reach their full potential and passions. The subject was dropped for a bit, but it came up again a few hours later. I said 'fuck my potential, I'm fine' but he wasn't having it. He kept saying 'you can be so much more!'..."

By now, his voice started wavering and his eyes were swimming. "The man has two doctorates, one in English literature, and one in medieval history. He's fiercely intellectual. And his insistence made me feel like he thought I wasn't enough for him... Like, he wanted me to be someone else. I know now that wasn't the case, but I felt hurt at the time. Scared, really. So, I did what I always did. I ran away."

"What else did you run away from?" He hadn't considered his uncle to be the cowardly type, so this was a bit of a surprise.

"I'd run away from home for a few hours after getting in trouble in school or the neighborhood. Whether it was a serious issue or not. Confrontation's never really been my strong suit... I shouldn't have run. I should've stayed. Yelled and screamed, thrown pillows at him. Forced him to explain himself. Instead, I let my overthinking ruin the best damn thing that ever happened to me."

He was never trying to change me. He wanted me to feel as fulfilled as he did. I should have asked, not let my paranoia choose for me. Six bloody years gone...

Crowley felt Warlock's hand squeeze his own and he snapped back to reality. He felt that his face was damp. That's when he realized that he had started crying and Warlock was trying to comfort him. The redhead swallowed and squeezed back.

"It sounds like you might get it back, though. That's something, right?"

"Yeah. More than I thought I'd get..." Crowley inhaled and exhaled deeply, used his shirt to wipe away his tears. He spoke softly as he turned to Warlock. "Now you know. I don't wanna catch you snooping around again, understand?"

Warlock nodded and hugged Crowley tightly. He was about to leave, but he was grabbed by the neckline of his shirt. Crowley raised a brow at him, as if expecting something.

Out with it.

Reluctantly, Warlock reached into his pocket and handed over his phone. Crowley smiled.

"You'll get this back by Monday."

Warlock's eyes went wide. "Monday?"

"You did all your homework and you're not going anywhere, so you don't need it. Also: no tv, video games or computer. If you get bored, read a book or write story. No technology. For entertainment, that is. You can still use the microwave and stuff."

Fuck, that fell apart at the end, huh? Whatever, he knows I'm serious.

"Awww man!"

"This is what you get for trying to be in other people's business." Said the redhead as he ruffled up his hair.

Warlock made a face. "I'm not doing anything for my birthday now, am I?"

"You've still got a week. Stay on my good side and you can have that sleepover."

"With Pepper too?" He asked hopefully.

The man grinned and pushed him away. "Don't push it. I'll be taking her home to her mother by midnight. Again I say: try to stay on my good side, otherwise, it's not happening."

"Okay..." He said as he stepped out of the room.

Crowley then poked his head out the door and yelled. "Adam! Watch your brother! He's grounded until Monday!"

And from the kitchen, he could hear Adam talking to Warlock something about what to do and what not to do because he was now 'his boss'. This was a normal thing in the household. Adam would mimic his uncle's authority and whatever he had seen on television. Crowley was very amused by this. Plus, he knew it got on Warlock's nerves, which only added to his amusement.

~~~~~

These days, Crowley and Aziraphale would spend time together every once in a while. They figured this would help them with being friends again, more than simply texting and talking over the phone. So naturally, the next time Crowley went over, he told Aziraphale about his chat with Warlock as they both sat on his cozy, old couch.

The blond couldn't believe it. "He heard the whole thing?"

"Yes!" Yelled Crowley, trying not to choke on his water.

Aziraphale looked embarrassed. "Oh good lord, that explains the look he gave me a few weeks ago."

The redhead hummed, intrigued. "What was the look?"

"The same one you do, where you raise your eyebrows and grin. The innuendo look." Concluded Aziraphale.

Crowley couldn't help but smile fondly at him. "You're the only person who calls it that, I hope you know. When was this?"

"The day I fell on you while trying to catch that stray cat."

"Ohhh. Well, that explains it then." Replied the skinny man with a nod.

"Enlighten me, my dear. I'm still lost."

Crowley put the cup on the coffee table and laid down on the couch. "My hair was a mess, our clothes were all crooked and I remember saying 'you really did a number on my back, angel'. Clearly, his mind was in the gutter and the last thing he thought happened was that you literally fell on top of my back because of a damn cat."

Aziraphale blushed. "Oh, dear..."

"So, anything interesting happen to you this past week?" Asked Crowley, changing the subject.

The blond man shook his head. "Not really. Though, I had one student who proposed a conspiracy theory of Shakespeare being a fraud who stole other people's works and ideas."

"Oooh, how'd that conversation go?"

"Well, I can assure you I set them straight with a myriad of facts." Replied Aziraphale proudly.

Crowley let out a light chuckle. "I bet they regretted it as soon as you started scolding them. I used to hate it when you did it to me."

Immediately, Aziraphale's expression changed to a more serious one. "Because I was right or because it felt like I was belittling you? If it's the latter, I didn't mean it that way."

"I know, angel. No, it was mainly that I loved being the cocky one, so I felt like you were stealing my gimmick." Grinned the redhead.

Aziraphale relaxed and scoffed as he rolled his eyes. "Why am I not surprised?"

They continue with smalltalk while turning on the TV to watch some Royal Pains. It was one of their comfort shows. They didn't really have to watch it, it was just something familiar to have in the background while they spoke. If they fell silent, they could be entertained by the show. It was just like before. Well, almost.

The pair had been on the opposite ends of the same couch, and Crowley kept shifting uncomfortably. He had tried using the decorative cushions to improve his situation, but it was not working out. He tried keeping his complaints to a minimum, he was still a guest after all. But Aziraphale knew him. He cleared his throat, which got the redhead's attention.

"You seem like you're having a hard time." Said the chubby man, a patient look on his face.

Am I really about to ask this...?

Crowley groaned. "Can I just-" He didn't even finish his sentence, he gestured to his lap and gave a look which he called the 'sad pup'.

Aziraphale laughed. "If that's what you want, go right ahead, dear boy."

Fuck, you're too good to me.

Crowley didn't have to be told twice. He nestled one of his arm under Aziraphale's right leg, effectively hugging his leg and using his thigh as a pillow. This was how they would watch television when they were together. They would spend hours like this, sometimes they'd both fall asleep on the couch in this exact position and awake with a myriad of aches. It never kept them from doing it again, though.

They had agreed to be friends, take things slow. Clearly, they both wanted to go back to how they were. Instinctively, Aziraphale's hand reached for Crowley's hair, but he held back. The redhead had seen the shadow of his fingers retreat. He pouted at that.

Noooo, come back!

"You can, y'know..." He encouraged, golden eyes glistening.

Please?

So Aziraphale let himself pet his head, his fingers carding through his hair, gently scratching his scalp. Within seconds he felt Crowley melting into him with a soft sigh.

"Is it strange that I missed this?" He heard Aziraphale ask.

I'm glad you did...

The scrawny man shook his head. "I missed it too, so, not that strange."

"No, I mean the literal act of touching you like this. I can see why you'd miss it, you're the one having it done to them."

"It's the intimacy, angel." He said with a whisper, staring into those bright, blue eyes.

Aziraphale hummed, staring right back. "I suppose that makes sense."

"Plus, you love it when you turn me to mush in any context. Think you've got a control kink or something." Added Crowley.

The blond man grinned. "You made it easy, darling. Your reactions are so sweet." As if to make his point, he scratched him lightly all the way down to his neck.

You little shit!

Crowley felt a shiver go down his spine but he tried suppress the urge to flinch. "I'm not sweet."

"I beg to differ. Right now, you're behaving like a greedy cat. If I find a specific spot, I'm sure you'll start purring any moment." Said Aziraphale in the most amused voice.

Crowley chuckled. "Bastard."

"You love it."

And you.

The skinny man grinned and looked away, facing the television again and sinking further into Aziraphale's lap. He even placed a small kiss on the blond's thigh and hugged his leg tight.

Can't believe I've missed you this much. Fear can really make you block shit out, huh?

"Do you think I'm being an awful guardian if I stay the night here? If you'd like that, I mean." He hadn't looked up at him, as he was too comfortable.

Aziraphale combed his hair behind his ear and the back of his knuckles caressed Crowley's snake tattoo. "I would love it. But, perhaps we should hold off on that for a bit. Once we properly become an item again, I could come over for a night or two. That way, you're right there if the boys need you."

"Makes perfect sense, angel. We can make it a movie night. Finally get you to watch some animated movies."

"That sounds lovely, my dear. Do you think Adam and Warlock would be alright with that?"

Crowley nodded into him emphatically. "Oh, sure! They love whenever they can force someone else to watch something they enjoy. We can pick some of our favorites, make a day of it, instead of just a night."

"You have favorites?" Asked the blond, surprised.

"Oh yeah, not all kids' movies are too childish to survive as an adult."

Aziraphale hummed. "Well, that's comforting."

"You're comforting." Mumbled Crowley as he sank further into the chubby man's lap.

~~~~~

Unofficially speaking, the movie day was their first date since their break up. They had Aziraphale watch the How To Train Your Dragon trilogy, Shrek, The Road To El Dorado, Meet The Robinsons and The Iron Giant. He cried for the Dragons trilogy and The Iron Giant. It gave Crowley the perfect excuse to comfort him. Not that they really needed an excuse, since Aziraphale would've gladly cuddled up to him as soon as the first movie started. The blond assumed he didn't want to seem like a smitten fool in front of the kids. Or rather, not too much.

Their next date, the official one this time, was a picnic on a random open field which Crowley passed by to go to work every morning. This time, they had been able to leave Warlock and Adam at the Wensleydale's flat. Not because the boys needed to be watched, but because Crowley didn't want them to feel like he was abandoning them. Warlock understood it, even if he did feel a bit babied. And Adam seemed indifferent to it, not giving it much thought. He was simply happy that he and Brian could play with different toys for once. (Brian wasn't allowed to take his toys out of his room because he always lost them and his parents were done buying him replacements).

They had dozens of dinner dates. Some formal, some casual, most were at home though. Usually, Aziraphale would be the one to cook and come over so they could all eat together. On rare occasions, it would be Crowley's turn to cook. Even if he was tired from a long day and commute. He insisted on giving Aziraphale breaks. Today was one of Crowley's days, but he just didn't have it in him. So they ordered pizza instead. Warlock and Adam had done all their homework and Aziraphale had checked it before he had even arrived. Unable to stand the feeling of dirt and sweat from the day, he bolted into the shower after placing the order.

Once he was clean and in comfortable clothing, he threw himself on the sofa and asked how everyone's day had been. Everyone shared, he complained about his own day, then they found something to watch on the television. Apparently, Aziraphale had never watched Animaniacs and Adam was not having it. Crowley and Warlock encouraged the boy to play the cartoons, knowing Aziraphale would be able to appreciate several references which the younger viewers would not be able to understand yet. Especially the innuendos. Soon enough, they were all laughing and having a nice time.

Then, Crowley's phone started ringing. It was the pizza place. Apparently, the delivery girl had some car trouble and he had to go pick up their order. Warlock quickly texted Pepper to see if she was alright. She was, the issue was that her car wouldn't start. Which was strange, since it had been working just fine before she turned it off to pick up the next batch of deliveries. Once they knew she was fine, Crowley was walking out the door with a calm mindset to get their food.

A few moments after he left, Aziraphale called Warlock into the kitchen.

"Yeah?" Asked the teen as he opened the refrigerator.

The blond gestured to the chairs on the island counter. "Have a seat, dear boy. I've been meaning to speak with you."

Warlock made a face but did as told. "About what?"

"About your uncle and I."

"Alright..."

Aziraphale clasped his hands together and cleared his throat. "Right. Um. I need to know, from you, are you okay with all... this?" He asked while gesturing to their surroundings.

"You'll have to explain what you mean, because I'm drawing a blank, Mr. Fell."

"Me. Dating your uncle. Coming over. Invading your space, so to speak. Do you have a problem with it?" He asked as he sat next to him.

"Why would I?"

"Many reasons. I just want to know if we're making you uncomfortable in any way."

The teenager shook his head. "Nah. We like you. And you make him happy, so we'd probably deal with it anyway."

"Your happiness matters as well. As does your brother's. Though, he's very forward, so he would've let us know if he had a problem with it by now. Still, both matter very much."

Warlock looked doubtful. "Do they?"

"Absolutely!"

Warlock shrugged. "Hadn't thought our opinion about that mattered."

"Well, it does. Being your legal guardian, Crowley's determined to make sure you and Adam are well taken care of, as well as comfortable."

"That's what a good parent does... Why couldn't he be our dad?"

In an effort to not get sentimental, Aziraphale tried to give a joke a try. "Well dear boy, I hope that's a rhetorical question, because if it isn't, I need to have a serious talk with your sex education teacher. There is no way someone as gay as your uncle would reproduce in the traditional sense."

His effort worked, because it got a snort out of Warlock. "I'm just saying, it would've been easier if he was..."

"I know. But life isn't always the easiest. We make do with what we have." Said Aziraphale as he patted him on the back.

Warlock was still smiling. "So, is this as far as the 'invading' will go or...?"

"That would depend on many things-"

"Besides whether we're fine with it or not." Said the teen, clearly wanting to get to the point.

Aziraphale cleared his throat. "In that case, it would depend on your uncle. Whether he'd want to keep things the way they are, or if he'd want to make some changes, is up to him."

"Just him? What about you?" Asked the dark haired boy, eyes narrowed.

"I'm fine either way. I can be fine with things staying the same. I can be fine with marrying him. As long as I have him." Explained the chubby man.

Warlock stood up. "Be sure to invite me to the wedding." He said, patting Aziraphale's back in an encouraging manner.

The blond grinned. "Oh come now, dear boy. You'd obviously be his best man!"

"And Adam would be the ring-bearer." Said Warlock as he went into the refrigerator to get a can of soda. He also got one for Aziraphale.

"Indeed!" Agreed the man, and they made their way over to the living room to continue watching cartoons with Adam.

~~~~~

Several episodes of the Warner siblings later, Crowley was walking into the apartment once more, food in hand. "Didn't get into any trouble while I was gone, right?" He asked as he placed the pizza on the coffee-table.

Warlock shook his head. "Nah, just talked, nothing exciting to report."

"That's not true, Mr. Fell said he wants to marry you." Said Adam, not looking up from his singing cartoons on screen.

What?!

"Adam!" Exclaimed Aziraphale, absolutely panicked.

Crowley's jaw nearly hit the ground. "What?"

"You can't just say that! He was supposed to tell him on his own!" Yelled Warlock, facepalming.

Tell me- Is this how I'm finding out about my engagement?!

Adam just stared at his brother, not understanding what he had done wrong. "But why?"

"Oh, forget it. Come on!" Said the older sibling, pulling him towards the hallway by the shirt.

The boy struggled to get out of his grip. "But I want pizza!"

Warlock groaned and took one of the two pizza boxes with them, leaving Aziraphale and Crowley alone in the living room.

If you don't explain, I'm going to lose it, angel! Oh, shit...

The blond was wringing his hands, pacing all over the room, nervous as anything. "I didn't know he was listening, I thought he was watching the TV. I was with Warlock in the kitchen, I simply-"

"Is it true?"

Please say it is.

"Yes, I swear he was just watching it, no hint that he was listening to us and-" The words died in his mouth when he felt Crowley's hands cup his face.

Crowley had taken off his sunglasses while Aziraphale had been rambling, and he was making sure they made eye-contact. "That's not what I meant. You know that's not what I meant."

"In part, yes." He responded with a nod.

The redhead blinked. "In part?"

"I had originally thought of this years ago. I was planning on bringing it up, but between some associations and cold feet, I never did. Then, the argument happened and that was that." Explained Aziraphale.

Crowley let go of his face and lead him to the couch, where they sat. "What were the associations?"

"Just things you would say while we were out or watching something. Made it sound like you didn't like the idea of marriage."

Ahh, that.

"Yeah... Happens when you grow up in a dysfunctional family..."

Aziraphale hummed. "So you would've said 'no' if I had asked. Good to know."

"No, not saying that. I would've said 'yes'." Replied the skinny man quickly.

"But you just said-"

He squeezed Aziraphale's hands. "I know what I said, angel. But I also know how I felt about you back then... I had never felt happier and safer than when I was with you. I would've said 'yes' because you were the love of my life, and if there was anyone who could convince me to walk down the aisle, it was you... Hell, it still is you."

"Is that so?" The blond felt a twinge of excitement.

Crowley nodded with a grin. "Yup. But why don't you tell me how the topic came up with Warlock?" He asked while grabbing his hand to place a chaste kiss into his palm.

So he did. Crowley laughed, because of course Adam took a half-heard hypothetical and took it as an upcoming event. Though, his nonchalantness about the whole thing made him feel a bit at ease. If it were to happen while he was still their guardian, it appeared that both kids would accept Aziraphale into their little, broken family. It definitely made him feel more comfortable about the whole topic, which made it even easier for them to continue talking about it.

After about an hour later, they went and got the boys so they could continue watching TV together.

"When's the wedding?" Asked Adam as he sat in between the couple.

"Dude. What were we talking about the whole time we were in the room?!" Yelled Warlock from the kitchen as he threw away the pizza crusts they had left.

The little brother winced. "Sorry."

"It's alright, dear. No wedding yet." Said Aziraphale simply.

Crowley tussled the boy's hair, eyes on Aziraphale. "Someday, though."

The blond nodded with a smile and a slight blush.

-2 Years Later-

"Are you ready?" Asked Crowley as they finished clearing out the master bedroom.

Warlock exhaled deeply as he looked at the boxes full of is uncle's things. "Nope."

"Are you excited? Happy?"

"No." He replied quickly.

Damn. "Why?"

The boy crossed his arms. "Not letting myself get my hopes up."

Crowley threw an arm over him and they walked out to the living room and they sat on the couch. "You've heard and read the updates. She's been going to work and going out with friends from the rehab center. She's stable. Functional. Sober. Has been since last year. I don't think she's going to leave again."

You know all this. You were excited a few weeks ago about her coming home.

"I won't always be here, who's gonna take care of Adam if she does?" He was clearly concerned, and he couldn't exactly blame him.

"Me and Aziraphale are just down the hall, neither of you will be alone if she leaves again."

Warlock's face lit up. "You're staying in the building? Not going back to London?"

"Yup."

"What about the plant nursery?"

The redhead started going through his phone. "Remember how I said Tracy was looking to sell it?"

"Yeah?"

He found the photo and showed it to him. It was a huge greenhouse. "Well, she did. Sold it to this woman called Beatriz Bubb. Real bitch, I like her. Anyway, she has a bunch of land all over the place, including one spot just a few minutes away from here that she wants me to use as her garden. She hates me bringing in dirt and stuff into the shop, she's got OCD or something like that she said. Point is: she wants me to do all the dirty work here, and then her henchmen Hastur and Ligur come pick up the plants and take them to the shop."

"So, no more long commutes?" He asked with a smile.

Crowley nodded, just as happy about it. "No more long commutes. If I'm not in that giant greenhouse, I'll be at Aziraphale's. And so will he, obviously."

"Obviously." Replied Warlock in a mocking tone.

He messed up his hair and they sat there for a while. Eventually, Aziraphale and Adam returned from down the hall with the biscuits they had been making all morning. They waited for hours, but eventually, the call came. It was Lily's counselor, telling them that they were in the lobby of the building. They were asking for permission to enter the apartment, despite the fact that the door was unlocked.

She's trying to earn back trust right from the start. Smart.

Once the boys felt ready, Crowley gave them the green light to come in. They all held their breath in anticipation. Once that door swung open and Lily was visible, all that could be heard was Adam's voice.

"Mum!"

Lily barely had enough time to kneel down and catch her youngest son, who was leaping into her arms from several feet away. She wrapped her arms around him and almost immediately burst into tears. Judging by the sniffling coming from behind her, Adam had broken down before anyone else. Though, he wasn't the only one for too long. Soon enough, Lily was shedding tears, as was Aziraphale, because he always cried whenever he saw someone else doing it, no matter how hard he fought the urge.

Adam didn't seem like he was going to let go any time soon, but Lily needed to focus on her firstborn as well. So, she looked up, extending an arm to Warlock.

Warlock seemed conflicted. He wanted to be wholly happy so badly, but he had put up a wall. Crowley stepped forward and placed a hand on his shoulder. The boy turned and looked at his uncle. Crowley only nodded.

It's not gonna be easy, but you've gotta start somewhere.

Warlock then joined his mother and brother on the floor, in the tightest hug he had ever been a part of. Within moments of the embrace, he started crying as well.

Aziraphale and Crowley spoke with Lily's counselor, made sure there was nothing else that needed to be done, offered her some cookies and she was on her way before long. After that, they started moving Crowley's boxes out of the apartment.

Eventually, Lily let go of the boys and tried to regain herself. While doing so, she ate a cookie from the bowl atop the counter. The taste was superb and she recognized the recipe fairly quickly. As Aziraphale walked back in, she stopped him.

"These are lovely, Aziraphale. You haven't lost your touch."

"I should hope not. I'm in the kitchen quite often. It would be a shame if I still hadn't mastered some culinary technique."

She gave him a small laugh before sighing. "I should've asked you to watch the boys whenever I left. It would've hurt them less than what I did."

"Yes, rather. What matters is that you're here now and you're going to be better, right?"

"Right." She agreed.

Just then, Crowley walked in to get his last box and the two of them simply stared at each other. Aziraphale left them alone and went to check on the kids.

Lily stepped forward and grabbed both of his hands. "A. J., thank you so much for everything you've done for them. I don't deserve you."

"Lil, listen. I love you, but I'm gonna be close by in case you need help, or you fuck up again..." He said, tilting his head towards Aziraphale's place.

Lily nodded and squeezed him a bit. "I know. And I'm grateful to have both of you nearby. I'm sure the boys will miss not having you rummaging around the kitchen for snacks for your midnight binging sessions."

"I'll miss the late-night talks on the couch. Suppose I'll have to settle for video-chat from now on."

"Some of those might be me." She admitted.

"That's fine. I was gonna nag you for updates and check-ins anyway." He said as he finally stepped even closer and hugged her.

She buried her face in his chest for a solid minute before looking up at him again. "A. J., if I... If I fuck up again, I want you to get custody of Adam. Warlock's old enough now, he can do whatever he wants if I fail him again. I know he'll be fine, he always is, but I need to know Adam will be safe."

"I'll need that in writing, Lil."

Can't have you changing your mind and making them suffer more than usual.

She nodded. "I have the official document in my bag. I've already signed it, it just needs your signature. Then you can have a copy of it as well before we send it to the lawyer."

"Right. Let's do that then." He said, kissing the top of her head before letting go.

Let's hope it never comes to this.

She got the document, Crowley read it over, gave it to Aziraphale to make sure he hadn't missed anything important, re-read it himself and he finally signed it. They printed the copy in the office and that was that. Lily then started helping everyone with her brother's small move. There was small talk, more apologies, and hugs involved. Crowley pulled Warlock aside before he, Lily and Adam left.

"Call if you need anything."

Warlock nodded. "I will. Or I could just come over and knock on your door."

"That too. I'm gonna be checking in on you guys anyway. The excuse is that I'm checking on my plants." Said the skinny man as he gave him a side hug.

Warlock smiled and pushed him away. "Oh come on, I've done a decent job with your plants. At least make up another excuse that doesn't make me look like a bad plant sitter."

Crowley chucked as they walked out the door. "We'll come up with something."

After a few weeks, the two households managed to settle into a new rhythm. Warlock had graduated and he had gotten his first job, which gave him something to do while Adam was at school and his mother was working. Since he was new, he didn't have too many hours on his schedule, so he was able to leave on time to pick up Adam from school. Which was possible now, since Crowley had taught Warlock how to drive and between him and Lily, they had got him his first car. Used, but still, it was new to him. Plus, it was functional and in one piece, so the teen didn't mind. Aziraphale had taught him how to cook as well, so Lily would arrive some days and be received with dinner already on the table. If the boy had been independent before, it didn't compare to now. Needless to say, they were all immensely proud of him. And Adam was shaping into a very capable young lad too, all while trying to keep Brian out of dirt and trouble.

-1 Year Later-

Aziraphale and Crowley were in bed, the former reading, while the latter was scrolling along his phone. It had been a very comfortable silence up until Aziraphale heard a surprised hum coming from his other half.

He turned towards Crowley. "Everything alright, darling?"

"Yeah, angel. Fine. Just. Well. What do you think of this?" He handed over the phone.

Aziraphale put down his book an took the device in his hands. He blinked slowly as he focused on what he was looking at. It was a jewelry website. There were two rings in a velvet box in the photo, one black, one white. The label underneath said 'Wedding Bands #5284B&W', with a price of £160.00.

The blond's mouth went dry. "Well, um. They're very nice."

"Yeah? You like 'em? Which one of them would you wear?" He asked excitedly.

Aziraphale scoffed, shifting closer as he raised his brows. "Crowley, you are aware that you're showing me wedding rings, yes?"

"I'm the one who started the search, yeah, I'm aware they're wedding rings!" Replied the redhead with a laugh.

Aziraphale placed a gentle hand on Crowley's cheek. "And you're sure?"

"Of course I am, why wouldn't I be?"

"What if I say the wrong thing again?" Whispered the chubby man.

Crowley grabbed his arm. "It was a misunderstanding."

"What if it isn't next time?"

He shrugged. "We'll go to marriage counseling or something."

"Crowley, are you truly sure you're not scared of doing this?"

"No, I'm not, I'm bloody terrified!" He admitted.

Aziraphale sighed sadly. "Then why would you force yourself to do it?"

"...Because I've actually learned something from my sister."

"Please explain, I want to understand."

"She knew she had to get sober, to not lose her kids for good. I need to not run away when I'm afraid, to not lose you again." He said, making sure their eyes were locked on each other.

"Darling..."

"Breaking up with you was the biggest mistake I've ever made and I'm not making that mistake twice..."

Aziraphale pouted. "You know it was my mistake as well. You must let me take some of the responsibility."

"I can do that..." Said the scrawny man before grinning. "If you agree to marry me." He finished.

The blond rolled his eyes. "Crowley, please be serious."

"I am! Okay, maybe not 100% right now, but I am! I wanna be your husband and I want to work through whatever issues we go through. And I want to be there for you during the lovely times, for lazy days, and everything in between." Rambled Crowley before placing several kisses on Aziraphale's hand.

The blond softened. "I hate how easily you change my mind sometimes."

"So...?" He asked, biting his lip.

"Are you sure?"

Crowley grabbed his face. "Angel, I've been sure since Adam blurted out the fact that you wanted to marry me. It just never felt like the right time because I was so focused on the boys. They've been happy, and Lily's been doing great. I just felt that-"

"That it was time to focus on yourself?" Asked the blue-eyed man in a knowing tone.

He kissed Aziraphale's forehead. "And you, obviously."

"Yes, but you've been taking care of me since you moved in. It's time for you to be spoiled rotten." Said Aziraphale as he pulled him in for a kiss.

Crowley smiled. "So, is that a 'yes' to my proposal?"

"Technically, you didn't ask. You just asked for opinions on rings." Said Aziraphale smugly.

"Aziraphale Zachariah Fell, will you marry me?"

His angel simply attacked him with kisses, which left them breathless.

I'll take that as a 'yes', then...