Thank you Azeran and Intergalacticsupertwink for the hard beta work you've helped me with!
Thank you to everyone still reading! I'll try to have some art for the next chapter!
A few towns over, an angel and a nephilim sit at a quaint Italian restaurant for three reasons. One, to make a discreet phone call to a certain Witch in Tadfield. Two, to finally drink some decent wine. And three to go on a first official date.
Well, Aziraphale hopes it's a date. At least, he thinks Angelique knows it's a date, but since Aziraphale has never really taken anyone on a romantic outing before, he's not sure he's got the point across yet. After all, he did lead with phoning Anathema to help locate Angelique's parents.
The angel worries at his lip while he watches Angelique push her food around her plate. She's barely eaten, and she seems anxious. Logically, he knows it's because Anathema has yet to call them back. Nevertheless, he can't help but wonder if it also has something to do with this new thing between them. Maybe she has regrets. Maybe things are moving too fast. It's only been just over a month since she was with Crowley. Aziraphale wouldn't blame her for reconsidering her choice to attach herself to him in this way.
Ever since the coma, Aziraphale has had some trouble sensing her love. It briefly flares up in moments, usually when she's caught off guard by something Aziraphale does or when she gazes at him when she thinks he's not looking, but then it grows cold again. He's not sure if it's because of the damage her soul endured from the attack, or if heartbreak is to blame. It could be as horrific and straightforward as her love for Aziraphale is waning with time.
"Angelique?" Aziraphale calls to her while mostly staring at his plate, "how are you feeling?"
"Hmm? Oh, uh, alright, I guess," she shrugs and then looks up at him. Her brow creases with concern. "Are you okay?"
Aziraphale clears his throat and forces himself to look her in the eye. "I know things have been difficult, to say the least, but I do hope that, uh," he can't. He can't look at her and talk about his feelings at the same time. "What I mean to say is that..."
I said I loved you and you haven't said it back, and I can't sense your love the way I used to, and I just want to know what this thing between us is now.
"Nevermind," Aziraphale sighs. It's probably for the best that he doesn't get a straight answer.
A warm hand lays atop his and Aziraphale glances across the table. He sighs with relief when Angelique's love reaches for him. It's a tentative thing, not like how it used to be, but it's strong and unwavering.
"Tell me what's on your mind," she says with an encouraging smile. "And that's not a request, by the way."
Aziraphale chuckles. "It didn't sound like one."
She gives him a withering but playful look. "Don't deflect. Tell me. You can tell me anything."
Her eyes, goodness, they pierce through him, and an urge to just spill his heart out is overwhelming. "This is a date," he blurts out. The words hit his ears, and he's horrified beyond belief. Angelique seems shocked, and he feels the need to take his ridiculous statement back or amend it or–
"I already thought it was, but thank you for clarifying," Angelique grins, and her love hits him square in the chest. Then, abruptly, it retreats, and her smile falters.
"It's bad timing, I know, I just," Aziraphale wants to bang his head against the table repeatedly.
"It's perfect timing," Angelique reassures him. She ducks her head but squeezes his hand. "To be quite honest, and I know this might sound awful, I've had feelings for you for a bit." She shakes her head and scoffs, "even when I was with, when I..."
"I know."
Angelique blinks a few times before she gives him a questioning look. "You know? You know what?"
Oh, bother. This is going to be awkward, but I've stepped in it now. "I know that you had feelings for me."
Angelique takes her hand back, with good reason, but it still turns Aziraphale's stomach cold. "H-how did you know? Did Crowley tell you?"
Well, that gives Aziraphale pause. "Crowley?" He shakes his head. "No, my dear, Crowley never said anything. Why on Earth would he have? It's not like you told him..." Aziraphale suddenly seems unsure and quite alarmed. "Did you tell him?"
Angelique's eyes narrow. "How did you know then?" She completely avoids his question, but he's trying to bypass hers as well, so it's only fair.
He sighs. "Angels can sense love."
Slowly, Angelique's eyes grow wide with horror, and her cheeks turn pink. "Tell me you're bloody joking."
"Afraid not." Aziraphale decides to take charge of the conversation before she starts asking more questions he'd rather not answer. Ever. "Anyway, for a while, I couldn't be sure whether it was platonic or not. But, well, although I might choose to blind myself to certain truths, I'm not a complete idiot." He chuckles with self-depreciation. "From the first moment we met, your love felt very strong, and it only grew stronger with time, for, ah, the... both of us. It's why I think your attacker might be an angel actually."
Thankfully, this information steers things in another direction. "An angel is trying to kill me?" She seems shocked—poor, naive girl.
"I can't be positive. I have no idea what happens to the offspring of angels and demons. My initial thought is that the progeny would have the qualities of their sire. You don't appear to have any demonic qualities and," and shit he has to go back to the other topic, "demons don't seem to emit any loving energy. Again, I can't be certain if that is just some kind of demonic interference or, or..."
"If demons can love at all?" Angelique graciously provides, a sad look on her face. "Oh, Aziraphale," she shakes her head slowly and smiles wistfully, "When Crowley first told–" she stops short and abruptly changes course, "maybe it's like my defences?" Angelique offers hopefully. "You know, you need my permission to get through my barriers because of what I am."
"...Oh, my God," Aziraphale breathes. The theory had never occurred to him before. But why would Crowley explicitly hide his love for Aziraphale? Because I've been a complete git about this whole affair, that's why. This theory can be tested, however. "Angelique."
"Yes?"
"Are you trying to hide your feelings from me."
She goes white as a sheet. "I-I...but you know how I feel already."
"It hasn't been the same since the accident," he says politely, even though he means "since the heartbreak."
"I see." She chews on her lip and looks down at her plate. "Yes," she utters softly, "Yes, I think I've been a bit more on guard, I suppose."
"Would you allow me to...? You don't have to, I just–"
"How?" Angelique snaps her gaze to his. "How do I control it?"
It occurs to Aziraphale that his little hybrid friend has no idea what her capabilities are. A slow grin breaks across his face. "Oh dear, I dare say, you have some things to learn."
Angelique's melancholy disappears entirely for the moment, and Aziraphale knows precisely what she's about to say before she even asks.
"Can I do miracles?" she whispers conspiratorially.
Aziraphale leans forward and makes a show of looking around suspiciously. "Only one way to find out," he whispers back mischievously.
Angelique tries to swallow down a squeal as she bounces in her seat.
"Mr Fell," a server interrupts, "there's someone on the line for you."
Aziraphale nods and looks at Angelique kindly. "Shall we take the call together?"
Angelique bites at her lip. "Yeah, alright. It'd be nice to hear a familiar voice." She doesn't sound too convinced.
The angel and nephilim leave their table and head to the phone waiting for them at the bar. Aziraphale hopes that Anathema will be able to locate Angelique's parents. Her birthday is quickly approaching, and wouldn't some good news be the best gift of all? No matter what, Aziraphale is determined to bring her a little joy on her special day.
For now, all he can do is plan a few more dates. He's got a few ideas, and he thinks he should plan them soon because Angelique doesn't seem to fancy taking things slow. And, well, everyone knows how that makes Aziraphale feel.
But Angelique, whether she survives this trial or not, will have a short life. It will be longer than most humans, but eventually, she will pass on like any mortal of this world. So there is no time to waste.
Unless... Aziraphale's wheels start to turn in his head. There is a flash of recollection that knocks on the door of his mind. He'll have to think about it later because–
"Hello, Anathema?"
"WHERE THE FUCK HAVE YOU ALL BEEN?!"
"Ah, well, yes, about that..."
