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"You know, Mist- Aziraphale, if you take your eyes off him for a second, he won't fly away."
Maggie's voice snapped Aziraphale out of his thoughts, and when he turned to her, though annoyed at being caught, he replied very politely, "I don't know what you're talking about."
Maggie smiled gently and said in an amused tone, "Come on, you're sitting in front of a plate filled with an absolutely delicious strawberry cake and yet you haven't touched it because you'd rather watch what's going on across the street."
Aziraphale blushed slightly, unable to deny it. Watching Crowley play nicely with and at Muriel's expense was more appealing than the dessert on his plate.
The two of them had come to Nina's Coffee Shop for a coffee for Crowley and a pastry for Aziraphale when they saw Muriel trying on hats in the clothing store not far from the bookshop, and naturally Crowley hadn't been able to resist teasing them. Aziraphale had watched with amusement as it had apparently turned into a fitting session when he'd seen Crowley place some of the clothes he'd selected on the angel's arms and they'd disappeared into the store.
Maggie was right, he had been paying more attention than he should have, but not for the reasons she thought. Well, not just those reasons.
He thought about what Crowley had told him. About not knowing his purpose at times, not knowing what to do with himself, and watching him interact with Muriel, Aziraphale wondered if that wasn't part of the solution. Crowley seemed genuinely taken with the angel and had taken them under his wing. And since Aziraphale was aware of what the demon had done for him over the millennia, Muriel couldn't have a better teacher.
"Angel? You haven't touched your cake yet?"
Lost in thought, he hadn't heard the demon arrive and startled slightly when he put a hand on his shoulder.
"I was just pointing that out to him," Maggie replied, her tone slightly mocking.
Aziraphale picked up his spoon and took a bite of the cake, which was indeed delicious, making more noise than usual as he tasted it, and looked at them cheekily, "There, happy?"
They laughed lightly and when they were finished Maggie said, "Well, back to my shop. See you later, boys."
Crowley, for his part, took his coffee, drained it in one gulp as usual, and said in a slightly mischievous tone, "As for me, I'm going to see how our little bee is doing. They need to learn how to dress with style, and they can only learn that from the best. And by the best, I mean me, of course. See you later, angel."
The demon planted a light kiss on his temple and walked away, under the amused gaze of Aziraphale, who hadn't had time to say a word.
He couldn't help but smile fondly, so pleased was he to see Crowley looking this lively.
"You know you're not fooling anyone, right?"
Aziraphale turned to Nina, who was looking at him with an amused expression, and wondered if the two women had spread the word.
He just shrugged and replied honestly, "I'm not trying to fool anyone. As far as I know, you understood our feelings long before we did."
Crowley had told him about the little conversation he'd had with the two women that had prompted him to confess his feelings that day.
Nina sat down across from him and chuckled softly, "Well, if you mean that it only took us a few days to realize what it took you several centuries to realize, then yes, I think you're right."
Resting her elbows on the table, she leaned forward and asked Aziraphale, "If I may, I'd like to ask you a question, one that intrigues me. What is it that fascinates you so much about an oddball like him, because looking at you, you don't seem to be in the same league, you know?"
Aziraphale was mostly benevolent toward people, but what the woman before him was implying made him seethe inside. Insulted on behalf of Crowley, he couldn't help but reply in a passionate tone, a vindictive gleam in his eyes, "You don't know him! Crowley means more to me than you could possibly know. Even when I've rejected him, betrayed our friendship, he's always come back to me. He's saved my life more times than I can count. He taught me how to figure out who I was, who I wanted to be. And that's not even why I love him. I love him because underneath his surface of not giving a damn, he overflows with a goodness that this world isn't worthy of, while he himself denies it".
After his passionate speech, Aziraphale was almost out of breath.
Nina laughed softly and replied, "It's nice to see you being honest with your feelings, but..." her face turned serious again as she continued, "If I may say so, don't forget that he's not perfect either, don't put him on a pedestal. It wouldn't do you or him any good."
Aziraphale appreciated the coffee shop owner's concern, so he replied in the same serious tone, determined to convince her, "Oh, I know he's not perfect, I've seen some of his bad decisions, just as he's seen some of mine. But I've also seen all the good things he's done. He's authentic to the end, at least to me, because he's not afraid to show me his imperfections. He has shown me everything-his failures, his mistakes, his fears. In fact, he's perfectly imperfect, and so am I. That's why we're perfect for each other."
Nina nodded before replying, "Thank you for your honesty, and forgive me if I was out of line. In a way, you were instrumental in bringing Maggie and me together, even if it was against our will. We're very fond of you, both of you."
Aziraphale shook his head and said quietly, "No, you don't have to apologize, thank you for caring about me and him. It's quite unusual for us to have outsiders who mean us no harm."
Nina replied kindly, "Well, you have at least two people on your side."
She looked out the window and waved to the record store, where Maggie waved back. Aziraphale put his spoon down on the empty plate and started to get up.
"Thank you for this... entertaining moment, I think I'll go join them so our neighborly relationship with the clothing salesman isn't damaged."
Nina chuckled softly and replied mischievously, turning back to the counter: "I don't think you'll have to go very far."
Aziraphale followed her gaze in confusion and turned to find himself face to face with his demon.
"Crowley?"
The demon held out his hand and said softly, "What do you say we go home?"
Aziraphale, a little confused by Crowley's cryptic attitude, nodded and reached for the outstretched hand. Seconds later, when they were inside the bookshop, Crowley turned to Aziraphale and said in a troubled voice, "So... I'm perfectly imperfect?"
Aziraphale froze slightly before exclaiming, slightly embarrassed, "Don't tell me you..."
"...heard it all?" Crowley finished before answering, "Yes, I heard it all, from 'he means more to me than you could possibly know' to 'perfect for each other', I don't think I missed anything."
From the way Crowley was smiling from ear to ear now, Aziraphale figured it wasn't a bad thing. But that didn't stop him from feeling embarrassed.
Cheeks slightly flushed, he murmured, "Okay..."
He knew he'd gotten carried away defending Crowley and couldn't remember everything he'd said, but enough to justify his embarrassment.
Crowley leaned over and kissed him lightly on the lips before saying softly, "Don't be embarrassed, Angel, it's rather nice to hear you compliment me so passionately. Even if you are exaggerating my qual-"
Aziraphale interrupted and protested, "I didn't exaggerate anything! Every word I said was sincere and described exactly how I feel about you."
Crowley raised his hand and rested it on the angel's cheek, saying softly, "In any case, thank you for defending me so passionately."
Aziraphale leaned into Crowley's hand and replied softly, "I always will, even if I have to defend you against yourself.
Crowley was too close to hide the embarrassment but also the joy he felt at the angel's fervor, and Aziraphale rose on tiptoe and gently pressed his lips to the demon's in a long, deep kiss that tasted of strawberry cake and coffee.
Before getting carried away with the sweetness of the moment, Aziraphale told himself that he'd do anything to defend his demon against the world and himself if it meant Crowley would look at him like that every time.