A/N: Disclaimer: Good Omens is property of Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. I am using the characters without permission and for no profit. No sue! No sue!
Man, this is a little bit of brain discharge that bit me in the shower this morning and decided not to let go. It's not even a page, but I had fun with it. Crowley and Aziraphale, on the topic of trust explored and boundaries tested. Crowley tried it before on a dare and got hooked. Now he wants Aziraphale to join the fun.
Warnings: Quite probably OOC. And you guys will hate me for the ending. You gutterbrains, you.
Aziraphale resisted the urge to bury his forehead against Crowley's collarbone, to shut his eyes tight and wish himself somewhere else. Technically, he could probably do it. But he would never be able to face Crowley again. "How did you ever manage to get me to do this?" he asked, a grimace suffusing his features.
Above his head, Crowley chuckled. His voice was low and goading as he responded, "I've got a way with words, I guess. Now come on, angel, we've come this far. I've not hurt you, have I?"
Strange question, but Aziraphale answered truthfully. "No, no, you haven't. Crowley, I..."
Crowley gave Aziraphale's shoulders a little shake, shutting him up before panic entered his voice. "Hush. You can do this. The first time's always rough."
Aziraphale dug his fingers into Crowley's bare biceps, and the demon reflexively tightened his arms around the angel. "Not what I needed to hear."
Crowley laughed again. "Come on, Aziraphale. Don't you trust me?"
Another strange question. Aziraphale did not answer, torn between "of course" and "not for all the pennies in heaven". One of Crowley's hands came up to rub his back in some semblance of a comforting movement. Crowley bent and put his mouth next to Aziraphale's ear.
"I won't let go if you don't want me to, but you've got to come. It'll be like flying."
Flying. That was a hotbutton Crowley abused all too often because of its impeccable success rate with the angel. Aziraphale indulged only sparingly, and hadn't taken to the air in centuries. But there, flapping his own wings, he was in control. Here, in Crowley's arms, there was no control. Everything was out of Aziraphale's hands, given willingly to Crowley. It made the question of trust pale at the answer already showing. Aziraphale's presence was enough. "Flying, huh?"
Crowley grinned, his eyes sparkling. He had discarded his sunglasses somewhere along the way, and made it a point to look directly into Aziraphale's face. "Close to."
"What I want to know is..." Aziraphale paused as Crowley gave a short groan and rolled his eyes.
"You're stalling."
"Yes, I am. But tell me, why did you ever start?" Aziraphale looked around him for emphasis and fervently wished he hadn't. He gave in to temptation and put his forehead against Crowley, trying to ignore the complete vulnerability he felt. The aloneness that was broken only by the warm being wrapped around him.
Crowley laughed. "If memory serves, it was a dare. Could you picture me backing down from a challenge? I went with a human, an experienced one. And I'll be honest; I wasn't looking forward to it. But it was so much fun. Like flying."
Aziraphale made a little noise of protest, shaking his mussed, blonde head. "Did he let go of you?"
Crowley grinned, knowing Aziraphale was coming close to assent. "Not until I let go of him. We won't go until you tell me we can, but you have to promise me something, angel."
"What?"
Crowley's grin grew. "Keep your eyes open for me, okay? Don't you close your eyes."
Dumbly, pinned under the force of Crowley's gaze, Aziraphale managed a nod. Crowley rocked him, readied him, and Aziraphale muttered, "Get on with it."
Crowley did, rolling and pulling Aziraphale with him, letting out a cry of joy. Aziraphale clamped down hard on his bottom lip, tears coming into his eyes.
"Keep looking, angel!" Crowley encouraged, his grip on Aziraphale never loosening. "Look up!"
And Aziraphale did so, his eyes following the cord wrapped around both their legs, to the bridge Crowley had thrown them off of. And as the wind whipped through his hair and stung his eyes, Aziraphale let go of Crowley, but Crowley did not let go of him. Itwas like flying, and like freedom, and the closest to heaven he'd been in a while. Crowley's laughter rang in his ears, and Aziraphale laughed with him.
"I knew you'd love it," said Crowley in his ear. And Aziraphale smiled.