First Meeting
They met for the first time on the wall of Eden, at least that's what Aziraphale would say when you asked him. It was one of his favourite stories to tell people. "Let me tell you how I met my husband," he would say before rattling off the story, including Crowley's now famous line 'that went down like a lead balloon'.
Crowley couldn't bring himself to tell Aziraphale the truth. They had met a few times before. Before Crowley was… well… Crowley. Back when he was known as Raphael. Before the revolution. Before the fall. Before angels and demons became mortal enemies.
Before everything.
When he had stood on that wall, looking out across the endless desert, he had suddenly realised where he knew this angel from. They had known each other, and he had considered Aziraphale a friend, though they had never been close.
He had wanted to tell him, wanted to rekindle that relationship. But he couldn't do that to Aziraphale. They were on different sides. They were enemies now. Even though he wanted to befriend him again, Crowley knew it would only bring up harmful memories for the angel and possible repercussions. An angel and a demon being friends was practically unheard of. Even if they were friends then, they couldn't be friends now.
So, he said nothing for nearly six thousand years.
Then the apocalypse inched ever closer and his desire to tell grew even more. They had grown even closer, so maybe it was okay to spill the secret. But he had spent years cultivating this persona of a confident, bad boy that completely conflicted with who he was when he was Raphael. There was a chance that Aziraphale flat out wouldn't believe him. And opening the can of worms of why didn't you tell me sooner would just be painful for both of them.
Four days after the apocalypse that wasn't, Crowley and Aziraphale had begun to settle into the new normal of their lives. No sides. Not anymore. They were sipping some of Aziraphale's wine when he sort of blurted it out.
"Do you remember a dude named Raphael back when we were in heaven?" he asked.
Aziraphale raised an eyebrow. "Yeah. Tall guy with red hair, right? I remember him being a bit shy, but he was a nice guy. Why do you ask?"
"That was me," he admitted. "I was Raphael before I fell."
Shock was written all over Aziraphale's face as he processed the new information. "That was you? Why didn't you say something about it sooner?"
Crowley shook his head, no answer coming.
Aziraphale's face took on a contemplative expression and his voice softened. "We made the stars together, didn't we? Alpha Centuri was one of ours. Was that why you wanted to run away to there so?"
"I made them with you. They're special," Crowley murmured.
Aziraphale pulled Crowley into a warm embrace. "I love you dear. I love you as Crowley and Anthony and Nanny Ashtoreth and Raphael. I love you when you're a man. I love you when you're a woman. Heck, I even love you when you're a snake. The only I don't love you is when you lie to me and keep secrets."
"I'm sorry. I just didn't know what to say."
And that's how the story of their first meeting changed from 'we met on the walls of Eden' to 'we met while hanging the stars in the sky'. Both are equally beautiful, but Crowley secretly liked the second one more.
Now he smiles whenever he looks at the night sky, seeing the bright lights he and Aziraphale placed throughout the universe. Each shining star was a reminded him of their love.