Disclaimer: I own very little.

A/N: This chapter is dedicated to myotismon13 for actually guessing right what Crowley found. (Except that it's not flaming anymore. Well, not at the moment, anyway.) Now, everybody, try to guess exactly what Azi's going to give to Crowley... It shouldn't be too hard...

Chapter 5:

Secret Solutions

"Where exactly did you get these?" asked Aziraphale, eyeing the objects scattered on the table in front of him. "I thought they were lost forever! Didn't I destroy them back then? I thought I did, at least."

"Well, you probably would have," Gabriel replied with a slight smile, obviously amused at the lower angel's enthusiasm. "However, I took them to myself for safekeeping, thinking that you'd probably appreciate it if I kept them from being destroyed by you. Then, well, I simply forgot about them altogether, until I just recently came across them while looking through my various possessions."

"Thank you," said Aziraphale with all the sincerity an angel could have -- which was a whole lot. "Really, thank you, Gabriel. You don't know how much this means to me." With a beaming smile, he glanced up to the creature he considered his elder brother. "And now I have a gift for Crowley, too."

"I figured out as much," chuckled the archangel. He then waved his hand, and the objects were collected into a neat stack, fastened with a pearly white ribbon. "I'm sure he'll be interested in reading these."

"Well, he should be," the principality commented. Then, however, he turned very serious. "I really hope he doesn't take this as a hint that I liked him more before he Fell," he muttered, the possibility of that only just now dawning on him. "That's not true! Well, so I did like him back then, but it was more of a crush than anything else. Now, I really love him... am in love with him." With a helpless gaze at his companion, he then added, "You do understand what I'm trying to say, don't you?"

"Of course I do," Gabriel replied with a gentle smile. "And I agree with you. As long as it has been, I still remember how you were back then. You simply wouldn't shut up about him. And after he Fell, you wouldn't say a word for about eternity -- not that I could tell, as there wasn't time back then, of course. Now, you seem less obsessed and more loving. You weren't the only one to admire him back then, though, and now you are," he then added teasingly. "Not that you seem to mind."

Aziraphale flushed a bit. "Well, everybody did admire him," he said with a wistful tone. "He was beautiful even for an angel and powerful even for a cherub. Michael himself praised him for his skills with a sword, and when the choirs gathered, his voice was the most beautiful one. Really, what was there not to love?"

"Indeed." Now, Gabriel simply nodded, at the same time wondering how his little brother couldn't see that all those characteristics had once applied -- and mostly still applied -- to Aziraphale himself as well. "But back then he was Carowiel -- and now he is Crowley. Surely there is a difference?"

"Oh, yes," Aziraphale replied with a smile. "When he was still an angel, I admired him -- like everybody else -- just for what I could see in him, the outside, a facade which was destroyed in his Fall. Now, however, I know him inside and out, and I love him for all of that. There are dark parts to him, yes -- and even though I don't approve of them, I accept them as parts of him. I love him -- all of him."

"That is good to hear," Gabriel commented. "It seems that you truly are happy with him. Of course, I'd need his opinion as well to be absolutely sure, but at the moment, I think this is just enough." With a stern tone, he then added, "However, if he ever truly hurts you, I'll have his hide. Nobody hurts my little brother."

A weak smile on his lips Aziraphale wondered what would happen if he and Crowley ever as much as seriously argued. Apparently an archangelic visit to his lover would take place. Better not to argue, then.

For a moment Crowley just admired the object of his desire through the glass. Then, however, he headed for the door of the shop and stepped in. A bell rang above him, drawing the shopkeeper from the backroom. He was a tiny man, old enough to match some of his products in age. Glancing at his customer over the tiny glasses on his nose, the man asked, "How can I help you, Mister?"

"That sword," the demon blurted out, absolutely itching to get a closer look at it. "The silvery one you have displayed in the window. I'd like to buy it." It was all he could do to keep himself from twitching.

"Certainly, Mister," the shopkeeper replied, his voice much like the noise one might hear while walking in creaking stairs. "Why would you be purchasing it, if I may ask?"

"As a Christmas present for my angel." Crowley smirked a bit as the man took the sword from its place of display, holding it in his old, wrinkly hands. This close to it the demon could feel the power radiating from the object. Had the angelic aura belonged to any other celestial being, he would have been in blisters by now. However, as it was Aziraphale's, he was already accustomed to it and thus had no reaction.

"Well, she sure has an unusual taste, if I may say so." The man held the sword in his hands, letting him admire the way it shone even in the dim light of the shop. "This is a very exceptional piece of smithery, as you can see," he continued with the same creaking voice. "A very fine piece indeed."

Crowley almost had to bit his lip to keep himself from commenting on either of those statements. So, instead of revealing the true -- well, at least apparent -- gender of his lover, or the identity of the smith -- wouldn't that have been a shock -- he simply reached out his hands. As the sword was placed in them, albeit cautiously, he then admired the sword's balance. It was just like he remembered his own being all those millenia back in time -- just like he remembered Aziraphale's being, too, and for a good reason. It was, after all, Aziraphale's -- the cherub's flaming sword, given to humans by its rightful owner. Crowley didn't even have to concentrate to feel the divine warmth still trapped inside the precious weapon.

"I don't think I can take it with me just yet," he then said, though. "I probably couldn't hide it well enough." After all, Aziraphale was bound to visit his apartment at least once before Christmas, and he most certainly would detect the hint of his own aura in the middle of the otherwise demonic display of power. "Will you keep it reserved for me if I come by later to pick it up?"

"But I haven't even told you the price yet," the man said, looking a bit shocked. "This is not cheap, Mister. It is an ancient object, older than you probably even realize --"

"Money is not an issue," the demon cut him off, inwardly snickering. No, it was the man who didn't realize just how old the sword was. "Name your price, and I'll pay it. Just keep this reserved until I come by."

"Very well." The shopkeeper nodded curtly, and then accepted the sword back. Crowley was very reluctant to let go of the ancient weapon, but he forced himself to do so. Then, without any further comments, he walked out of the shop, still feeling a hint of Aziraphale's cherubic powers lingering.

Oh, yes. He had indeed found the perfect Christmas present for his angel.

Next chapter:

Well, it's either the lower angels starting to put their plan into action... Or more archangelic appearances. Hands up, how many of you would like to see some Raphael/Gabriel?