Chapter Text
When Crowley awoke the next morning he was covered a few of Aziraphales feathers, he sat up stretching before realising that the Angel was not anywhere near him. Where could he possible have gone? It’s 7am. Crowley rubbed his eyes as he walked out turning to the spare room to organise his stuff, he could sense Aziraphales presence so he somewhere in the bookshop.
He moved his clothes around and anything he had brought, he then began to move his plants around the room, although he had one issue, he had too many plants. He sighed before calling out. “Angel! Can I put my plants around the place!?”
“Go for it!” Was the returning call he got. With that he began moving plants, he took his prized Klondyke Azalea plant he was gifted by Aziraphale a few years ago, if gentle sprung from it’s pot in a lovely bloom. It would be a perfect fit for his Angels room, so he walked back in gently placing the plant on the nightstand. The gentle glow of the morning sun reflecting prettily off the petals.
He then took down two of his Snake plants to the balcony of the bookshop on a small table. He then decided it was too early so he miracled his plants around the place, some hanging and others in corners and such. He grinned and changed into a hoodie and some trackpants, he realised that his wings were still furled out, he had forgotten how comfortable it was.
He yawned and stretched, his wings spreading out wide either side of him, his feathers shivering in delight of being freed for so long. He tucked his wings close to his back as he truged down the stairs (Sauntered vaguely downwards, in Crowleys not-so-humble opinion) as to not knock anything over.
He stalked through the bookshop looking for Aziraphale, he could sense him, but he couldn’t see nor hear him. “Aziraphale? Where on earth have you got too? (The bookshop obviously). I know you’re here, come on out.” Crowley groaned when he was greeted with silence, his angel was being stubborn
He looked around the place where he found pillows and down feathers scattering the ground, then there were other feathers, some primary and secondaries. Wait a minute. Crowley lent down picking one up, This definitely shouldn’t have come out yet, what the-. Crowley was thrown from from his thoughts when a muffled sound of came from the nearby closet.
“Aziraphale? Angel? What are you doing?” He opened the door to find Aziraphale curled awkwardly in the closet. He was met with a hiss and the Angels wings fluffing up.
“Woah! Hey.. hey, Angel… it’s just me. What you up too?” He lowered his voice gently as he crouched down next to the Angel in the closet. He was met with a whine and Aziraphales wings closing around his form, looking worse from the plucking.
“Aziraphale?” He gentle placed a hand on the others shoulder, which instantly relaxed under his touch. “There you go, whats going on?”
Aziraphale turned around, eyes misty, Crowley only realised now that the angels wings were shaking along with his hands.
“Angel?” Aziraphale instantly flung himself into Crowley. “..’ts itchy.. ‘nd it hurts, it feels wrong…” Crowley placed a hand on his Angels head cradling it, he then took in the angels appearance. The wings were ruffled and bent oddly from being cramped in the closet, there was redness from where feathers that shouldn’t have been plucked, had been plucked and everything overall looked uncomfy.
“Aziraphale.. What’s going on? What happened in like the hour I was sorting out my room?”
Aziraphale took a breath before hooking his arms around crowley firmly holding him in place. “Just got freaked out, Maggie came by to drop off her rent and a record, I wasn’t expecting it, I was collecting feathers and she knocked on the door, since i’m y’know like this. Anyways my wings went all fluffed up and when I slightly opened the door to collect everything, cause im a good landlord, she was bumped by a stranger causing her to fall inwards.”
Aziraphale inhaled before continuing. “That freaked me out and I hissed at her, she apologies before leaving. The the wind that had been building picked up and the scent of the shop was just wrong and cause I was so frazzled I couldn’t sense you properly so a hid in here and kind of panicked. Alot. ‘m sorry dear.” Aziraphale held on tight to crowley.
“I’m sorry that happened to you Angel, must’ve been frightening, especially in your vulnerable state.” He gently brushed Aziraphale hair with one hand and cradled his shoulder with the other. He then took the hand in Aziraphales hair and gently moved along the arch of Aziraphales wings, the aforementioned Angel simply sighed in relief, although he was still shaking snuggled into Crowley.
Aziraphale let out what sounded like a chirp as the gentle caresses of Crowley relaxed him. “Thank you Crowley.. Uhm. Could we just sit for a second, I think I need a minute to adjust to you actually being here.” Crowley nodded simply held Aziraphale for a while.
After about 10 minutes Crowley spoke up to the half asleep Angel in his lap. “Okay lets move you out of here Angel, how does some TV sound along with a Cup of Russian Caravan Tea while I fix your fluffy gorgeous wings.” he nuzzled into Aziraphales hair as he gently picked up the Angel off the floor.
He gently walked Aziraphale through the shop into the back where they had their private living area. He clicked his fingers to make the bookshelves close, enclosing them within the space. The Angel immedieately relaxed pulling from crowleys grasp, he flapped his wings shaking them out, the room was littered with his feathers.
Crowly sat on the couch and and gestured to the now pillowed floor. “Angel, let me tend to your wings.” Aziraphale took notice of Crowleys care products for his own wings, a blush spread across his cheeks as he settled in to the makeshift nest crowley had made. “..you didn’t have to my dear..”
“I have an Angel to take care of, besides you should be comfortable, and with that bird brain of yours you need to be comfortable physically, but you also need to appease that silly head of yours.” Aziraphale had no comeback to that, so he indulged with a single request.
“Crowley, dearest. Could you use the oil you use on your own feathers for me? PLease?”
“How could I possibly refuse?” Crowley grabbed the antiseptic to use on the ‘injured’ areas. “This’ll sting dove.” Crowley Grabbed a soft cloth soothing over the area nearest to Aziraphales back, he then put some antiseptic on the area, Aziraphale let out a hiss, Crowley soothed over the area gently with his hands. “”m sorry Angel, just bare with.”
Crowley worked his way through the wings soothing over the areas and placing gentle kisses as the base of Aziraphales neck to ease the angel. “This never used to hurt…” Aziraphale mumbled as Crowley made it to the area that had a few broken feathers, his breath hitched when he saw it.
“Yeah well, this is about to hurt, I’ve gotta pull out a few, i’ll try and be gentle. We’ll take a break after this.” Aziraphale nodded glancing at the end feathers of his right wing, right where they had smacked against the closet wall.
Crowley gently soothed the area with his hands, he curled his left wing around Aziraphale encasing him. “3.. 2.. 1..” Crowley gently pulled out te feathers which came out fairly easy, Aziraphale was trembling and heavily leaning into the wing curled around him. “Sss okay Angel, will be over ssoon.” He pulled out the last broken feath gently soothing the area with his hand before grabbing his spray bottle and spraying a small amount of warm water across the now tender areas.
He then turned Aziraphale around who collapsed into his chest, a few rogue tears down his cheeks. “I’m sssorry love, it’sss over now.” Crowley gently held the back of his nape soothing the angel who is currently shaking in his arms.
“..thanks my dear… sorry for making this so difficult for you, kind of forgot how this whole thing worked.” he spoke with a timid tone with his head laying against Crowleys chest.
“Aziraphale. There’s no need to apologise, you were just in your words, being silly, now we’ll sit for a bit then I’ll get to work on those pretty wings of yours.” Aziraphale blushed at the attention his Demon was bestowing upon him and made a mental note to reverse the attention and preen his partners wings once he finished moulting.
After five minute Aziraphale sat up moving back onto the makeshift “nest” on the floor. Crowley the gently massaged over the Arch of Aziraphales right wing. He smoothed over the ruffled feathers gentle coating them in his own Natural oil from his wings, the pair had a tradition to collect oils when grooming and use the others on their own.
In simple they wanted to have a part of the other with them at all times, and they loved it, not to mention store bought just never felt right, the consistency was always off and always smelled weird, the natural stuff was way better.
Aziraphale sighed with content as the smell of Sandalwood and campfire filled his nose. He let out a hum of appreciation as Crowley worked through the ridge of his wings. Crowley then moved down the wings fixing the feathers along the wings, ones that were out of place or just needed a small adjustment. As he got about halfway down his partners wing a gentle weight fell onto his thigh.
Crowley turned his attention to his left leg where Aziraphale had fallen asleep leaning down into it, his wing lay flat behind him over the couch as crowley held the other up while cleaning it. How Cute. He continued over the wing, once he finished he grabbed the brush and soothed over all the feathers and coated the oil over them as he went, the wings seemed to gleam and shimmer once crowley was finished.
A gentle shiver ran across the wing as Aziraphale unconsciously shook it a little before it gently fell across Crowleys right leg and up the couch. Crowley then picked up the Angels left wing and began the same ministrations he had previously done on the Angels right wing. This side allowed him to steal more glances at his Angels sleeping face.
Crowley rarely got to see Aziraphale asleep, the angel being too afraid to let down his guard, as if Crowley would disappear if he even closed his eyes. It got to the point where Crowley was getting slightly concerned of his beloved. He was glad Aziraphale felt safe in this moment and that he was so relaxed against Crowley.
He continued the ministrations along the wing fixing and combing out feathers, once he had finished he let the wing lie where it was before. The wings looked so much more fluffy and radiant now that Crowley had worked on them and fixed them up. Crowley turned his attention again to the face of his Angel (which he could now see properly without feathers in the way.) He was so happy in his sleep, Crowley was glad that Aziraphale was no longer panicking and could finally relax.
He considered moving Aziraphale onto the couch but threw away that thought quite quickly, could risk waking him up. He sighed turning his attention back to the TV, it decided to play the show Nailed it, and Crowley had to admit, it was very funny, people failing at cooking, amazing. He relaxed back onto the couch with his hand absentmindedly carding through Aziraphale’s hair.
At some point, Crowley’s eyes drew heavier and his hand movements slowed down in Aziraphale’s hair, now simply rested in the soft curls. His head lolled down to the arm of the couch, the wing moving to let Crowley lay under it. He was too tired to think this meant Aziraphale was awake, simply placing his head on his left elbow and sighing in contentment at the comfort.
Crowley being cold-blooded was finding it harder to stay warm in these closer months leading into winter, the wing, however, almost seemed to have its own warmth, Crowley simply got comfy not realising the Angel shifting position now he was slightly awake more. As Crowley drifted off the sleep his own wings lay flat behind him fluffing up to create that warmth Crowley searched for.
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Aziraphale was in a predicament. He had woken up as Crowley was drifting off, unfortunately Crowley had ended up in quite an uncomfortable position due to Aziraphale being between his legs. Oh and another thing, Crowley’s wings were draped over his own enabling him imobile. Now he was not uncomfortable, quite the opposite infact.
Crowley’s wings were very soft, and were gently fluttering as Crowley slept, keeping a warm buzzing effect alight in the room. Aziraphale wanted to fall back asleep, but his guilty conscious wanted Crowley to be more comfortable, and didn’t want to go back to sleep, so he could keep watch.
Sooner or later their respective head bosses were going to come back, Aziraphale wasn’t stupid, they needed to go somewhere else, weather it was a cottage somewhere else or another solar system, yes they would no longer be surveying them, however they would take any chance to get rid of them- Unless. No he couldn’t. But maybe-
Aziraphales train of though was interrupted by Crowley shifting awkwardly whilst mumbling something. Aziraphale took this opportunity to move, which was a terrible idea. As soon as he moved Crowley moved with him. Ungracefully. To The floor. (Although Crowley would argue that he had no grace, and he had already Sauntered vaguely downwards so it wasn’t that. Obviously.)
Aziraphale was not to the side of Crowley tucked into his chest with big, soft black wings covering him and Crowley’s arms wrapped around him, along with his legs. “Crowley..”
No reply, “Crowley, dear, you need to wake up, you’ll hurt yourself, and your ruffling my lovely wings you’ve worked hard on for me.” He cooed at the demon wrapped around him.
“‘Zira, stay.. ‘M cold..” was the mumbled reply he received from his stubborn boy.
“I will, but being on the floor will make you colder, now get up Crowley, my wings are being smooshed.” (Not the Aziraphale minded, he thought it was quite endearing. He wouldn’t say that thought out loud, he wasn’t quite ready to confront that train of thought.)
Begrudgingly, Crowley relented, eyes filled with sleep and exhaustion. “Oh, Crowley… my dear boy.” Crowley still half asleep was in more of a clingy state, it happened quite often, especially since the bookshop fire, he often was quite scared when he awoke and Aziraphale wasn’t near him.
“I’m here, now get on the couch so we can be comfortable.” Aziraphale pulled Crowley up and as soon as the were on the couch Crowley lay across it smooshed into the corner of the couch with his wings outstretched behind, Aziraphale leaning on him splaying across Crowley’s form.
Aziraphale would have to talk to Crowley about his regressing at a later stage, right now, he and Crowley just needed comfort and safety, and they would find that within each other, even if they were both Morons and didn’t realise that fully. Aziraphale fluffed out his wings to shake some loose feathers, his newer ones are almost fully ready, He would be finished moulting by tomorrow, perks of being an ethereal being, no 8-week moulting periods, usually they would only be a few hours of changing feathers, but since Aziraphale had neglected his wings it would take him a few days of moulting and a few of recovery.
Aziraphale felt another wave of tiredness overcome him as Crowley settled back into sleep, he tried to keep his eyes open but was struggling, an arm gently sitting around his middle and shoulder was a pleasant weight. Aziraphale decided tat he wasn’t gonna get a chance like this for a while, so he was going to indulge, nuzzling his face into the crook of the demons neck, he hunkered down for a much-needed sleep.