Chapter Text
On the day of Aziraphale's proposal, it's raining cats and dogs.
Not literally, although it certainly feels like it. The rain splashes against the pavements and forms huge puddles that would soak into Aziraphale's shoes if he wasn't an angel; it falls with noise, a soothing, rushing sound that remains consistent, the type of sound one would listen to to fall asleep, louder when you're outside and covered in it.
Aziraphale isn't wet - he's groomed his hair, he's straightened out his suit, he's polished his shoes, he's completely and utterly prepared. If his heart is beating a little too quickly, and his stomach keeps twisting in that warm, lovely sort of way it does when you make eye contact with someone you love too much well, that's just the downside of a human form, not an oversight on his part.
The ground sloshes beneath his feet. Though it's only the afternoon, it's dark, enough so that the street lamps have started to come to life, and it feels later than it actually is. Soon, he'll be at Crowley's door, he'll be standing in the rain in front of Crowley. Speaking, at last, talking about feelings for the first time in... well, in 6000 years.
So he knocks. It feels awfully formal, stepping up to Crowley's door and knocking on it like he's a stranger.
"Aziraphale?"
Now that he's here, though, Aziraphale's words have escaped him, swallowed by a puddle, perhaps, or caught in the light that falls on the wet streets. He swallows.
Crowley's leaning in the doorway, looking down at him with a curious raised eyebrow, so casual and pretty that Aziraphale wants to crawl in a hole. Does he really have to talk? Can he not just let Crowley kiss him, instead, and skip over the difficult part?
"I, uh," There's something familiar about this scene. Standing in the doorway, Crowley's hand on his cheeks, and Crowley saying and then, "I came to propose."
"Oh? You wanna go out somewhere? I'm sure you mentioned a place you wanted to go, I can drive-"
A pause. Aziraphale could take the chance to escape. Dine at the Ritz, do a silly fake proposal, kiss for show and then pretend it isn't real, like one long, elaborate pantomime. But then Crowley smiles at him, a reassuring, fleeting thing, and that idea goes out of the window.
"No, my dear, I think- I think here's fine."
"Here? You mean-" Crowley blinks. " Oh. Wait a minute-"
"Just let me- let me finish, I-" Aziraphale stumbles over his words, tries to find them, the ones he dropped in the rain as soon as Crowley opened the door, "The thing is, this whole proposal thing, it's all been very... Well, it was fun at first, wasn't it, and I didn't really think anything of it, just another one of your ridiculous plans-"
Aziraphale tries to chuckle, but it's a weak sound drowned by the rain.
"But then there was the rose, and the- the eternity thing, and the kissing, can't forget the kissing, uh, that was really- I always thought kissing was a human thing but I- it was, um, it was-" Aziraphale gulps. "Oh, dear, I'm making a mess of this."
"No, you're not," Crowley's voice is hoarse, "But just wait-"
"Well, you see, I've always- I've always thought, you know, even when I shouldn't, that it's your company that I want more than anyone's, isn't it? You've always been my- my best friend." Aziraphale stops. He doesn't know if he's said that before. "You're my best friend, Crowley."
"Yeah," Crowley croaks, "You're my best friend too. One second, though, angel I need to-"
"It's just... Well we do have eternity, don't we? And I've just been thinking- the more this stupid proposal thing goes on... well why not?"
"Are you saying-"
"You interrupted me again ." Aziraphale smiles. He might start to cry. That'll be very embarrassing, but hopefully the rain will hide it. "I'm saying, dear, I'm saying you made me realise I do want to be with you for eternity. I do."
Crowley blinks.
"Aziraphale, listen-"
"Really. I'm sorry I never told you before. We can get married, or whatever you want, whatever just- I want to spend the rest of my time with you here on earth because I love you."
Crowley, frozen in the doorway, looks more vulnerable than he ever has before.
"You-" He blinks. Is he crying, or is it the rain? "Say that again."
"I love you."
Crowley goes to step forward out into the rain, but Aziraphale holds up a hand.
"I'm not finished. Really, Crowley, where are your manners?" Aziraphale fumbles around in his waistcoat for a moment. "I thought I'd do it properly, with the whole ring thing, so here. I got them, you know, from that Jeweller place I like, it's really quite lovely-"
"Listen to me, you stupid angel, I've been trying to tell you since you got here." Crowley puts his hand in his jacket, and pulls out a ring too. "You just ruined my whole fuckin' plan. You know, I had a whole thing planned, it was bloody brilliant. You- You stole my proposal!"
Aziraphale looks down at his ring, and then at Crowley's, his mouth wide in surprise.
"Ah. I see." He says. "Well, you proposed about four times already, so it's only fair that mine is the one that counts."
"That's not fair! I've been planning this whole thing- since the beginning! You really think I would've embarrassed myself like that for free food? Have you met me? This whole thing was just a ruse! All these proposals were just part of the plan- I was gonna- I was gonna do the whole real proposal thing, you know, once you'd warmed up to the idea-"
"You- You tricked me. " Aziraphale exclaims. "You've been tricking me all this time! It all makes sense now! Oh, dear, that's rather embarrassing."
"You try to seduce someone," Crowley is grumbling, "And it all goes pear shaped. Nightmare. Should've just let the apocalypse happen."
"Well, this doesn't change the fact that my proposal was better than all of yours combined-"
"Oh, not likely, that's just-"
"Though," Aziraphale smiles. "I did like the rose. Would you like a rose, or flowers? I can get you a bouquet. I know a lovely florist, and she- hmph!"
Crowley has descended the steps, and has gathered Aziraphale into his arms. He hugs him tightly, so Aziraphale's face is buried in his shoulder, and Crowley's chin rests on his head. The rain is falling on Crowley, soaking him to the skin, so Aziraphale spreads his wings and covers them both.
"So, you love me, do you?" Crowley murmurs, "Fancy that."
"It's only polite to say it back." Aziraphale mutters, into his shoulder.
"Uh. You too."
"Oh, come on, you've got to commit to it. A bit more oomph, dear."
"Oh, really, can we just skip that part?"
"No, I want to hear you say it-"
"I love you." Crowley whispers, almost incoherently, into his hair.
Then he pulls back and kisses Aziraphale in the rain, until Aziraphale can't help himself and has to pull away to giggle.
"This is rather romantic, isn't it? I always see this happening in films, you know, the whole kissing in the rain thing, very sweet-"
"Shut up. "
"Does this mean you're say yes?" Aziraphale presses their foreheads together. "Will you marry me?"
"No, I want a do-over, I should've been the one to propose-"
"Crowley!"
"Yes, yes, alright, I'll marry you." Crowley grins. "But I'm not happy about it."
"Could've fooled me." Aziraphale grumbles, but Crowley shuts him up with a kiss.
*
"Tell me again," Aziraphale sighs, into the gentle morning, when there are no London cars passing by the window, and the whole of the South Downs breathes light, and there are creased bed sheets for two beings who don't even need sleep, "How long you'll stay with me."
One kiss, at his hairline.
"Eternity."
One kiss, at his cheek.
"Eternity."
One kiss, against his closed eyelids.
"Eternity."
One kiss, for the tip of his nose.
"Eternity."
One word, hovering over his lips, a breathed promise.
"Eternity," Crowley murmurs.
He hovers over Aziraphale, balancing on one elbow. His face is lit by dawning sunlight, casting shadows over the walls but illuminating the lines of Crowley's face. His smiling lips shine, and his gentle eyes flicker yellow, and his hand brushes back the hair at Aziraphale's head. There is no one more perfect, Aziraphale thinks, there is no one he'd rather stay with for eternity.
Eternity in their cottage, in their touches, in the glances between two beings who know each other as well as their own reflection.
"Please." Aziraphale breathes.
Crowley leans down to press their mouths together. A kiss, just one in the rest of forever.
"Once more?"
"Stupid angel," Crowley grumbles, but he says it anyway. "I promise to be with you for eternity."