Chapter 3: Not So Subtle Warning
Summary:
Tracey catches wind of something amiss when Ligur and Hastur leave Bee L.Z. Bubs office door open. Sending Aziraphale to warn Crowley who he has yet to even say hello to without disappearing.
Notes:
Enjoy the show!
Chapter Text
Music!
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Bee looked down at the top of their desk, the food was strewn about from Horns n Halos. Bee's darkened eyes looked at Ligur and Hastur, wondering why they just dropped the food on their desk to start with. Not picking up on the subtle queues that Bee was giving them, Ligur and Hastur, figured that their boss wanted to see Crowley and get a description. Both started talking at the same time while showing snapped pictures on the phone, Bee placed their face in their hands, shaking their head.
"Oh Jesus on a stick, shut it. Juszzt one at a time." with a sigh, Bee points to Ligur, obviously just slightly smarter than Hastur. "Apparently, from what we gathered, his name is Anthony J. Crowley, and not only is the chef but also the owner." Bee nods as they listen, thumbing through the food with their fork, tasting here and there. "Ummm, well, well, that's it, boss." Again Bee finds themself sighing, owners didn't sigh, but apparently, this one did.
"Well? What does he look like?" Ligur shrugged, "A guy?" Hastur found his way into the conversation always better with descriptions than technical, you know the important stuff. "Well, he has flame-red hair, spikey, can't tell you much about eyes, nice sunglasses though, kinda tallish, thinnish but not, nice face." Hastur seemed rather proud of his description, looking at Ligur, who patted him on the back. Bee sighed into their hands, waving them away. Watching them leave, they sat back and groaned at the absurdity of the help they had given them.
Picking up the phone, they buzzed Gabriel directly. "Hey there, gorgeous, feel like doing me a favor?" Bee smirked, "No, no, not that kind, well not right now anyway, later, maybe if you're a good boy." They laughed brightly, "Yeah, I need whatever you can find on Horns n Halos, owner, Anthony J. Crowley." Bee hummed in agreement over the phone, "Everything, the address, phone number, everything you can. It seemszz that they are pulling business from our other cafes in the area. Find me something to use." Bee chuckled into the phone, leaning back, "Yezzzz, I can talk for a few more."
Tracey overheard Gabriel's name, the door had partially been left open by Hastur and Ligur, so being the ever-loyal worker, eavesdropped. Tracey heard everything from this end of the conversation and could fill in the blanks, everyone already knew that Gabriel and Bee were a thing. She shuddered at that combination of humans, good lord, they were unfortunate enough to deal with separately, no one ever wanted to deal with them together. Only one person had ever survived that combination without quitting, having a nervous breakdown, or dying altogether, and that was Aziraphale. He had to be an angel.
Escaping from the top floor with none the wiser Tracey headed for Aziraphales office, they needed to have a conversation. Looking down all corridors and sneaking in and out of office blocks Tracey finally made it to Aziraphale's office, ducking down under his desk, she sat on the floor. Aziraphale squeaked, covering his mouth as he watched Tracey ducking under his desk. Golden eyebrows shot up onto his forehead, threatening to fly away.
"What in her name Tracey is going on? Why are you down there?" Tracey put her finger to her mouth, shushing him, pulling his chair in front of her to hide her. "Oh dear, I think you have the wrong cubical." Tracey smacked his leg as he smirked down at her. Aziraphale leaned forward, placing his elbows on his desk, he heard people coming up the corridor, and this would be not very easy to explain. They walked by, never even paying mind to the oddity that was his current office situation. "Dear girl, please do get off your knees, I mean, I know I am ohhh so irresistible, but you do not have the preferred parts."
Aziraphale covered his mouth, laughing rather hard as he was swatted and pushed by Tracey. Clambering out from under his desk, "Oh, you wish...no, I guess you wouldn't." Tracey was not helping the bout of angelic laughter that was leaving Aziraphale, she leaned on the desk, waiting for him to stop. However, the longer she waited, the sterner her look became, the harder Aziraphale laughed. A wickedly evil grin crawled across Traceys entire face, "Oh love do stop laughing, or I will be forced to go visit Crowley and let him know just how far head over heels you are for him." she grinned and leaned forward whispering in his ear, "I do believe HE does have the preferred parts?"
*cough* "Yes, quite, so you wanted to see me?" Aziraphale sat straighter in his chair, fixing his vest, audibly clearing his throat. Tracey smirked, so she was right, she hadn't been positive just how far gone Aziraphale was, but now, she realized he had fallen, and he had no idea. Tracey couldn't help but feel sorry for the in love fool, she would have to let Anathema know. "No, Aziraphale, I just wanted to crawl under your desk." tilting her head slightly with a smirk. "Obviously! Bee and Gabriel are up to something, meet me outside in five minutes. Before you start sputtering about it being early, I know, just leave."
Aziraphale had, in fact, started to sputter about leaving early only to have a finger in the air and his mouth shut just as quickly. Simply nodding at Tracey, she turned and left going a different direction than the usual way out. Knowing that Aziraphale was a creature of habit, and even if he thought about it, he would still walk out the front door. Aziraphale quickly gathered his items, shutting down his computer, he swore the computer network hated him. Looking both ways before he left, the perfect image of sketchy is what he looked like, he made it to the escalators before Gabriel stopped him.
"Leaving early Aziraphale?" Gabriel smirked arrogantly at him. "The building yes, however, work, no. Going to go see Mr. Shadwell, can't seem to get him on the phone, and since, well, doing a biography, I figured, I would just, well, umm." Gabriel rolled his eyes, "Oh, do shut up Aziraphale, stop stammering, I regret asking, just go." Aziraphale watched as Gabriel continued by him, releasing a breath he didn't know he was even holding. Quickly he left the building finding Tracey just outside, she looped her arm through his and walked towards Horns n Halos.
"Okay, I am here, even had to talk to Gabriel, what's going on Tracey?" Looking over her shoulder, seeing no one following, she may have been a bit paranoid. "Bee sent Hastur and Ligur to Horns, they actually got some information. Not enough for them, but they called in Gabriel to finish finding out information on Crowley." Aziraphale looked at her, "...but why would Bee be interested in Horns, it's not a threat to them in any way.." Tracey shook her head, "They are if its pulling business away from other companies owned by E.D.E.N...you know they have more than just the publishing." Aziraphale nodded, "Maybe you should let Crowley know Aziraphale, watch his back."
Aziraphale stopped walking, choking slightly, "I haven't even talked to him, all I have accomplished it staring at him, running away, hiding outside, and then what he said..." It was Tracey's turn to have her eyebrows fly off her face, "Oh, do tell, Aziraphale, what did the man say?" he looked at her, "You mean you didn't hear it?" Tracey shook her head, "When?" "Aziraphale smirked, "When we were outside." Tracey tapped her foot, "Aziraphale tell me, you bad angel!" Aziraphale chuckled, "Fine, Tracey! He may have asked how far down my blush went..." Tracey smirked as she watched that very blush start on his cheeks and crawl lower.
"Was that right before he left and vanished from sight, accept for him sitting on the floor in front of that large mirror?" Aziraphale nodded, his blush deepening. "You two are going to be the death of me, however, guess you know where his mind went, huh Aziraphale!" she poked at him, his slow demise was all but too amusing for her. "Stooopppp" he whined at her. "You're too cute, okay, just go tell him. There's your in to say hello with a reason, not just because you find him, to be everything." she pretended to swoon, spinning and falling against Aziraphale, who caught her rolling his eyes. "You really are more dramatic than I am, Tracey. I think you missed your calling." Aziraphale looked down at the small woman smiling mischievously up at him, standing she gave him a swat on the rear. "Now go, actually say hello, Aziraphale. Plus, without joking here, tell him about Bee and Gabriel, everything you can. If you don't, tell Anathema or me he needs to know. Bee doesn't have cleaners because they clean her office."
Aziraphale nodded, turning and realizing, Tracey had walked them directly to Horn's n Halos. "You evil woman," Tracey smirked, blowing him a kiss as she walked away back towards E.D.E.N. Aziraphale may be able to leave whenever he liked, but she could not and would be missed. Aziraphale watched her leave before taking a deep breath, standing in front of the door, he gathered what courage he could. Mumbling to himself everything he was going to say, a tap at his back made him squeak. Anathema chuckled, patting his shoulder, "Easy Aziraphale, just me, you know we're not open yet, right?" Aziraphale nodded, then shook his head no, then shrugged.
Anathema rolled her eyes, "Jesus, you shrug answers too, wonderful, come on in, it must be something important for you to be here, alone." Anathema looked for Tracey, "No, Tracey, you actually made it here alone? Hmmm?" she eyed him. Aziraphale looked at her quietly, answering while wringing his hands, "No, no Tracey, she, well, she just, I can go get her!" Anathema grabbed his arm, looping it through hers, "Oh no, you don't, in." Opening the door Anathema all but dragged him inside, she put her finger up to her mouth, hushing him, pointing at her ear for him to listen. Aziraphale stopped walking and listened, from the back somewhere he could hear music playing, he knew that song, all too well, it was The Charleston.
Anathema smirked walking him to the kitchen doors, she went up on tiptoe looking in, she looked at Aziraphale releasing his arm. Bowing slightly to him, she pointed at the window and went to go get ready to open within an hour or so. Aziraphale smiled at her, not knowing what was going on, so he looked through the door, in the back was not what he expected. Anathema watched Aziraphale for only a moment, catching the swallow as his eyes widened, watching Crowley in the back. It only took a moment for her to realize, that Aziraphale didn't even register her being there anymore, oh he's done stick a fork in him, she thought to herself.
Everything in Aziraphale's world slowed; everything tangible disappeared, his eyes widened, taking in what, if he admitted to himself, was everything. Crowley was in his element, the kitchen, doing the one thing that a hedonistic angel happened to love. Cooking food. Crowley was wearing his usual dark jeans, but no jacket; it was just a black tee-shirt, that fit him. Aziraphale followed the lines of Crowley's body as though his life depended on memorizing him. Anathema watched what had to be the biggest longingly filled sigh she had ever seen in her entire life, she could only shake her head.
Crowley spun with serpentine grace as he flipped knives into the air, catching them without even looking, causing an angel to gasp at the door. Aziraphale continued to watch at the door, he was tall enough to see in, but the longer he stayed somehow, he ended up on tiptoe following where Crowley went. Picking up an entire tray of Shepard's pie, Crowley walked it over to the ovens sliding it in, turning quicker than Aziraphale could duck. Aziraphale quickly dropped to his flat feet, turning around and leaned against the kitchen door. A dropped pan caught Anathema's attention, just as Aziraphale's back hit the swinging door, her hand in the air, mouth opened in a warning. Too late.
"Ohhh Fuck!" Aziraphale crashed back through the doors landing squarely on his back, he squeaked as he fell, his eye squeezed shut, waiting for the impact. A rather loud crash later, he kept his eyes closed, this was not happening to him. Not again, not like this. God was laughing at him; he knew it. Slowly he opened one angelically blue eye only to find a rather amused devilish grin looming above him. "Hi." Aziraphale blushed, he couldn't even sputter, he waved from the floor. "So, are you planning on staying down there, orrrr, would you like to get up?" Aziraphale was mortified as it was, this was not the way he wanted to say hi. He had cursed, now he waved because his mouth decided not to work, some author, he couldn't even think of words while looking at Crowley.
~Yes my dear boy, please assist me up, I am so sorry about crashing through your door and cursing, I usually don't do this.~ was what Aziraphale wanted to say what actually came out was "Up." Crowley reached a hand down to help Aziraphale up, Aziraphale looked at it before taking it. Crowley realized as Aziraphale's hand trembled slightly, fit into his hand perfectly. Aziraphale's hand was perfectly warm, perfectly soft in comparison to his own, and perfectly fitting in his own. Aziraphale slowly got up, standing directly in front of Crowley; his eyes slowly came up to Crowley, looking down at him. Crowley was perfectly fucked, and he knew it.
Crowley didn't move for a moment, he actually couldn't he was locked into place by being just a touch too close. Being stilled by two blue eyes that were even more beautiful close-up, and he decidedly didn't want to be any further away from them. Aziraphale could only see his own eyes reflected at him, but his feet wanted to close the distance between them, Crowley inadvertently chuckled. Aziraphale's curls moved slightly, causing him to drop his eyes for a moment and step back. It took everything in Anathema's soul not to just push Aziraphale that few inches more, but she couldn't interfere any more than she had. Anathema just frustratingly shook her head.
Crowley followed Aziraphale out of the kitchen into the cafe. Looking over at Anathema, sticking his tongue out at her, he knew she had something to do with this. She laughed to herself, counting out the money for the till. "Anathema put the new Swing in, made it last night." with a nod, she went to the back, turning it on, lowering the volume, so they weren't blasted out. "So Aziraphale, hard name to forget, what brings you crashing into my kitchen? " he smirked at him. "Oh, yes, right, well first, Hi, I don't think I ever actually introduced myself. Well, without everything else, that is." Crowley watched the slow crawl of that beautiful blush, he sighed, "Well, I'm Aziraphale Fell. Rather redundant and obnoxious, but so are my parents, and there it is then." Crowley nodded.
"So, that is why you're here before we open and crashing into my kitchen?" Crowley had Aziraphale's number and making him blush and become flustered had just become a favorite past time. "No, well, my dear, that isn't exactly, I..oh, I..." Crowley's heart thumped hard in his chest at ~My Dear~, but he was still going to let the angel keep going. "No, I, get it together Aziraphale, I need to warn you." Crowley's mind was slowly descending into one of the nine circles of hell, wondering what else he could get the angel flustered into, that was before hearing an angel say ~to warn you~. "Warn me abou' wha'?" Aziraphale looked around, then back to Crowley. "You're new here, I don't know if you know anything about E.D.E.N. Publishing and all of their businesses?" Crowley shook his head no, "Okay, well I work for them, I write nothing important or even remotely good, but that's not important, the owner Bee L.Z. Bub is having Gabriel look into you. They already had the cleaners check into you, you caught their attention, something about stealing business." Crowley didn't look all that concerned.
"Oh, dun worry abou' it. What can they possibly do?" Aziraphale looked at him, "They can get rid of you." Crowley looked at him, tilting his head. "How so?" Aziraphale looked over his shoulder again and just caught sight of Hastur and Ligur just pulling up outside. "Oh that's not good, I need to get out of view." Without waiting, Aziraphale went through the kitchen doors, Crowley followed, "Anathema lock the front door till we open." she did. "Okay, Aziraphale, why are we back in my kitchen?" Aziraphale looked slightly panicked, wringing his hands. Crowley wasn't sure what was going on, but he didn't like seeing the angel that way; his heart corrected him, your angel. "Those two men are Hastur and Ligur, those are the cleaners, they have already been here." Crowley peeked out the kitchen door seeing them at the front door, luckily it was locked.
"Okay, maybe you need to tell me more." Aziraphale nodded.
