Chapter two: snake Crowley, male!Crowley/male!Aziraphale - 13th Century Celts

Aziraphale sighed happily as he walked through the forest, his long robes barely disrupting the fallen leaves as he passed. His hair was long, reaching almost to his waist, and was decorated with a series of intricate braids.

He spent most of his days among the people, helping solve disputes, share his knowledge, lead religious services, or administer medicine. It was also occasionally required of him to perform sacrifices, which was Aziraphale's least favorite thing to do. So far he'd avoided sacrificing a human despite heavy pressure – appeasing the people with animal blood, and a subtle heavenly miracle.

The rest of his time he spent with his fellow Druids studying the oral history of ancient verse, or natural philosophy, or even astronomy. It had taken almost twenty years of training to be accepted among the order, but for Aziraphale that was nothing.

"You look like you're having fun."

Aziraphale froze as a large black snake dropped from a tree above, and wrapped around his shoulders. A tongue flicked affectionately at his cheek. Aziraphale smiled at the snake and continued his walk.

"I was wondering where you got to," the snake continued, squeezing affectionately.

"I thought a trek north was in order," Aziraphale said. "The traditions here are so interesting."

"And of course you were all too eager to come and learn. How long did it take you to earn these robes, eh?"

Aziraphale turned his head with a sniff. "I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about."

"Of course you don't," Crowley said with a chuckle. "What are you here for then? The food?"

Aziraphale brightened. "Actually, it's not bad."

"High praise."

"Here, I'll show you." Aziraphale made an abrupt left turn, heading back to a nearby village. "I'll admit, it's not... shall we say, divine? But it is a fantastic start. I can't wait to see where humans take this."

"Of course the food would interest you most," Crowley teased as they stepped past the tangle of the woods, and into the town proper. A few of the nearby humans stood to greet the Druid, and froze at the sight of the large snake draped. Neither angel nor demon noticed.

Aziraphale ducked his head, looking away with a blush. It was adorable but tugged at Crowley's heart in a bad way. He nosed under Aziraphale's chin trying to pull his angel's attention back. A few nearby women and children gasped and ran a small distance away, where they could watch him pass from relative safety.

"It's fine to like the things you like," Crowley hissed. "Don't be ashamed."

"It just isn't terribly angelic, is it?" Aziraphale murmured.

Crowley nudged at his chin again. "You're just learning from humanity, angel. That's not bad. That's literally what you were sent here to do."

"I'm not sure Gabriel would agree," Aziraphale said, but he had the shadow of a smile, so Crowley counted it as a win.

The unnoticed humans around them were stunned.

Aziraphale was well known among them as one of the wisest Druids. He was sometimes weird, and a bit sentimental, but he was a good man and had an unwavering memory. Now here he was, returned from the forest with an impossibly large snake wrapped protectively around him, and they were having a conversation. It wasn't that they could hear what the snake was saying if he was indeed saying anything, but from the way its head bobbed, and how he reached out to touch Aziraphale's face it was clear something was passing between them. Most confusing was Aziraphale's reaction to all of this. He didn't seem to mind the large snake squeezing him in its coils. He didn't mind the snake near his throat, touching his chin, so very close to his face. He was completely unafraid. It was terrifying. And impressive. The bustle of the normally active and crowded village was slightly subdued as the surrounding people did their best to unobtrusively eavesdrop on the odd situation.

"Ssso," Crowley said companionably, settling down in his coils, content to bask in Aziraphale's warmth. "What do you have planned today?"

"I have a healing to attend to." Aziraphale nodded to some of the people they passed out of habit, oblivious to the wide-eyed stares.

"Interesting. What's that entail? Just lay your hands on him? Oh Lord, bless this mortal?"

Aziraphale scowled at him. "It's not exactly like that."

"Why not? Not a mortal you particularly like?"

"No –"

"Is he rude?"

"What –"

"A child killer?"

"Crowley –"

"Just ugly then?"

"I don't particularly care what any human might look like," Aziraphale said primly.

"So he is ugly then."

"Why does this matter?"

"Just wondering why you don't want to heal the sick guy. Seems like that's an angel's job, right?"

"I am going to heal him! I'm just... not going to lay my hands on him."

"Why not?"

"That's not how things are done around here, my dear. There's a certain process they expect. And its..."

"That bad, huh? Do they want you to kiss him?" Crowley flicked his tongue playfully over his angel's lips.

Aziraphale rolled his eyes. "No, nothing like that."

"Then...?"

"If you must know, they expect me to perform... a sacrifice," he spat the word.

Crowley blinked his large yellow eyes and shifted until he could meet Aziraphale's blue ones. Aziraphale ducked his head and did his best to avoid him, but Crowley was currently extremely flexible, and there was nothing Aziraphale could do to stop him. The bemused audience couldn't take their eyes away.

"You? You're going to sacrifice something? Really? What's it going to be? A rabbit? Wait no, you wouldn't be genuinely upset over that... let me guess... A human?"

"It's nothing –"

"Nothing! It's not nothing! It's very much something."

"I don't want to talk about this –"

"Oh, we are very much talking about this."

Crowley tightened his coils threateningly as Aziraphale tried to turn his head again.

Aziraphale gave up with a huff. "No, I will not be sacrificing a human today."

"Just today? Does that mean you've done it before."

"No! I... I haven't had to sacrifice a human yet, but... it does happen around here. I'm trying to stop it, but..."

"But some customs are very ingrained," Crowley said wisely, nodding his large head.

"Such a wise serpent. How did I go so long without your wisdom?"

"That is a question I ask myself every day."

"You think about me every day?"

"You mean to say you don't think about me?" Crowley teased.

Aziraphale sighed. "That's not –"

"Come on," Crowley cajoled. "Do you think about me? I know you think about me."

Aziraphale glared at him.

"Um... 'Scuse me?"

They both turned to look at a small girl, twisting the hem of her shirt in her hands. She stared with wide curious eyes at the very large serpent. Crowley shifted, winding off Aziraphale until his giant nose was mere inches from her face.

His tongue flicked out at her, and she shrieked, falling back a step. His great form shook as he laughed silently as only a serpent could while Aziraphale looked upward, quietly asking, why me? He glanced back as the girl giggled, rushing so close so fast Crowley jerked back. Her tiny hands reached out slowly, and then gently touched him. When that didn't immediately result in her being bitten or scolded, she proceeded to pet him carefully, as Aziraphale watched them with quiet fascination.

With her hands still pressed to Crowley's scales, she looked up at Aziraphale. "My mommy said to come to get you. Daddy's not feeling so good."

"Yes, we were just on our way," Aziraphale nudged at Crowley until the serpent gave in and wrapped snugly around him once more.

The girl looked on in amazement.

"Let your mother know I'll be there momentarily." Aziraphale very politely shooed.

The girl snapped out of it, nodded, and ran off through the crowded village.

"I'm not sure what I'm going to do," Aziraphale groaned.

"Hmm... well... are you willing to trust me?"

Aziraphale eyed him suspiciously, but it wasn't like he had any better ideas. He relented, nodding slightly. Crowley's large mouth split into a terrifying grin, fangs flashing. "What will this entail?"

Crowley made an odd undulation that passed for a shrug. "We'll improvise. What's this human's name anyway?"

"Ninian."

"Ninian," Crowley tasted the name. "That's quite the name."

"Like ours are any better to them."

"Fair enough, fair enough."

The Ninian household was towards the center of the village. A small, round structure with a thatched roof made of straw. The girl from before was standing by the door watching for them. She waved when she saw them and rushed inside.

Aziraphale slowed to a halt, blessing under his breath.

"What?" Crowley hissed.

"Aziraphale!"

Crowley jerked to look at a human male, running over with a grin and a wave. He was dressed more like Aziraphale than any of the people around them. "Another Druid?" he asked.

"To help with the sacrifice," Aziraphale muttered.

"Ohhh," Crowley said. "Well I think we ought to see the patient before we jump into anything, don't you?"

"Aziraphale! So good to see you! Are you ready?"

"Hello, Eogan."

"This is a fine serpent," Eogan praised. "I've brought a prisoner with me for the tribute, but if you'd rather start with this..."

Crowley raised himself off Aziraphale's shoulders, making himself as large as possible, and hissed loudly, fangs bared, daring the human to try to touch him.

"I think I need to see the patient first," Aziraphale said, not noticing or caring about Eogan falling over himself to get out of range. He brushed past, entering the home.

The crowd that had been discretely following the pair now not so discretely eyed the Druid. Eogan held a hand to his breast, trying to catch his breath, but after a few minutes, the crowd and his curiosity drove him into the house.

Inside Aziraphale was bent over his patient's bed, the serpent right beside him, looking every bit as interested. Eogan moved to stand with the rest of Ninian's family. His wife Boudicca was grumbling as she tried to keep her daughter Fedelmid from rushing forward to touch the snake.

"What do you think?" Crowley hissed softly.

"Just a respiratory illness. Easy enough to heal," Aziraphale murmured.

"But they expect a show."

"Indeed."

"You do not have permission to sacrifice me," Crowley said, flicking a tongue against Aziraphale's ear. "I have a thought. Put me on his chest."

"Are you sure?"

"Remember, angel. Showmanship."

Aziraphale extended his hand, and Crowley followed the curve down and unfurled on the man's chest. Wrapped around Aziraphale's shoulders it was clear he was large, but sometimes it was easy to forget exactly how long he was. Settling over the human it was impossible to ignore. He was thicker around than the man's arm, as long as he was tall. His scales were so black it was as though a large shadow was now hiding him from view, the red of his underbelly the only thing showing accurately where he lay.

Eogan and Boudicca were terrified. Fedelmid just wanted a better view.

Once he was settled, Crowley looked up at Aziraphale, winked, and then lowered his head to rest over Ninian's heart.

It took a brush of the fear behind him for Aziraphale to finally realize what to do. He clasped his hands, bowed his head, and began to chant. As the tempo and volume rose the body beneath Crowley's coils began to glow with an internal light. It wasn't anything dramatic – if it weren't for Crowley's jet black coils it might have gone completely unnoticed.

Just as suddenly as he began he stopped and the light vanished. Crowley lifted his head, and as he did Ninian gasped, breathing deeply for the first time in months. It took several deep breaths until the man froze, finally noticing the giant serpent pinning him down, looking at his face with interest. Crowley had any number of hilarious ideas of what to do with the terrified man beneath him, but before he could make up his mind, Aziraphale was offering his hand and frankly Crowley would much rather be with his angel.

He wound back up his arm and wrapped him tightly in his coils. "A rousing successss," he hissed in Aziraphale's ear. "Now what?"

Aziraphale smiled beatifically and headed over to talk with Eogan and Boudicca. Crowley was much more curious about young Fedelmid who raced out the door.

By the time Aziraphale was done dealing with all the social niceties required of him, Crowley felt he would die of boredom. He had tried to spend the time doing his utmost to distract Aziraphale, but the angel barely noticed him. He went so far as to unhinge his jaw, testing to see if it was possible to fit Aziraphale's head in his mouth. He got barely a glance. From the angel at least. Eogan and Boudicca were looking on in mounting horror.

Finally, FINALLY, Aziraphale left. He didn't get far. Outside it seemed the whole village had gathered, the kids just barely being held back.

Aziraphale paused, unsure of exactly what to do in this situation. Crowley knew exactly what to do. With an excited hiss and a shimmy, he ended up pooling in front of Aziraphale's feet and then charged the nearest kid head-on. There was a shriek as the nearby crowd tried to fall back, but with so many people it was impossible to get far.

The boy he was racing toward had wide terrified eyes, but he held his ground. When Crowley reached him he turned a quick circle around him, and then paused, flicking a tongue out playfully. That was all it took for the kids to decide this was going to be the best game ever, and soon the town was full of laughter and screaming as all the kids devised more and more elaborate games to play with the serpent. Crowley was all too willing to play along.

Aziraphale smiled warmly and found himself a cozy seat near a fire, and a plate of something delicious to eat while he waited. He loved to watch the demon around children and was in no hurry to rush him. The soft side Crowley revealed around the young touched his heart in ways he couldn't name, and he couldn't bear to end it. So he sat quietly and pretended not to notice Crowley chase and hiss... and help fallen children up, flick a tongue instead of teeth, allow far too hard of pets, and keep all the children within the main square, well in sight of their parents. Aziraphale watched surreptitiously, worried Crowley might stop if he noticed how closely he was being observed.

After several hours Crowley returned to Aziraphale. He was moving a bit sluggishly, slow and tired. He flicked a tongue at Aziraphale's ankle, and then wound up under his robe, up his leg, then his waist, and up his chest, tucking his head against the angel's throat.

"Dearest?"

"Cold," Crowley muttered.

Aziraphale cooed. He hadn't noticed how cold the scales were against his skin. He shifted closer to the fire, doing his best to warm the serpent quickly.

"Stupid North," Crowley grumbled. He sighed as Aziraphale ran a careful hand down his scales.

"You might be warmer as a human," Aziraphale suggested.

"Don't like me as a snake?" Crowley flicked a tongue at him.

"I like whatever form you take," Aziraphale said, gently touching his nose with the tip of his finger.

Crowley blinked his large yellow eyes, and then wound down out of the angel's robes, rising again in his human form. He didn't dress the way Aziraphale was – he didn't think he'd pass as a Druid after all – so he kept it simple. Black robes with red accents. He stuck his tongue out at Aziraphale and moved closer to the fire, briskly rubbing his arms.

"Here," Aziraphale said. He stepped up beside him and offered him a plate of mutton.

The meat had been cut into small bite-sized chunks and had been basted in honey, lightly blackened from the fire. Crowley glared at it suspiciously but obediently tried a piece.

"Okay, it's not terrible," he conceded, handing the plate back.

"Don't you want anymore?"

Crowley shrugged. "I don't really feel like eating. You have it, angel."

Aziraphale frowned at him, but the food was best hot, so he didn't wait too long. Pleased, Crowley sat back to watch, enjoying watching the pleasure on his angel's face with each bite, his breath hitching when Aziraphale chased the juices running down his wrist with his tongue.

They were largely left alone by the fire, but the whispers around them were running wildly. Neither the angel, nor the demon figured the human's of the village were paying them any attention, but word that the black serpent had turned into a darkly dressed man was running rampant.

He's a skin-walker, a monster, the whispers raced.

A monster?

But how bad can he be if he's under the control of a Druid?

Is he safe?

Of course he's not safe.

But can he be trusted?

The quietly arguing people soon formed into two parties. Thought it was their duty to the village to chase out the demon, and those who thought they should do their best to entice the creature to stay and act as a nanny to their children. Their conversations went completely unnoticed.

"Anything else planned for today?" Crowley asked.

"Mm, one more," Aziraphale said around another bite of the juicy meat. "A wedding."

"Oh, I can't miss that."

The couple planned for their ceremony to take place at the top of a nearby hill in the rays of the setting sun. Crowley stood back from the couple a ways, unobtrusively watching. Aziraphale said a few words, and then the couple joined hands. Aziraphale took out a beautifully braided cord and tied their hands. Crowley watched with rapt attention.

Afterward the couple left, but Aziraphale remained on the hill, watching the last rays of the sun. Crowley joined him. "That was... what was that?"

"A handfast ceremony," Aziraphale said. "It's how these humans get married."

"I want to do that, how do we do that?"

"We're already married, my dear." Aziraphale raised his hand, flashing the white and gold ring unobtrusively on his finger.

"So what? A human gets married, and it only lasts for the rest of their lives. What is that? Ten or twenty years?"

"Often less."

"Exactly! Less! Well, it's been several hundred years since we were last married, so by human standards we are due for an update."

"I don't quite think that's how it works."

"Oh, come on, angel. Please?"

Aziraphale couldn't deny his demon that. Not when he asked so nicely. A simple gesture and a braided cord of white and black appeared in Aziraphale's hands.

"Yes!" Crowley cheered. "What do I do?"

Aziraphale held out his hand. Crowley quickly stepped forward to take it. The angel took the rope and carefully wrapped it around their hands and wrists.

"Now what?"

"We really should have someone else officiate..."

"I don't see why."

"Crowley..."

"Just do it, angel."

"I feel a bit silly..."

"I promise not to laugh."

Aziraphale glared. "Fine." He took a breath. "The next part is a declaration of intent. Normally I would ask the question of each participant –"

"I think it's safe to assume you're saying yes."

"Or we could just skip this part."

"Angel."

"Very well... Crowley, do you vow to share in my pain and seek to alleviate it?"

"Of course."

"Will you share in my laughter and look for the brightness and positive in our lives."

"Is that really one of the lines, or are you faking?"

"Crowley."

"I'm just saying, as a demon that one might be a bit hard for me."

Aziraphale gave him a pointed look.

"Alright, fine, yes."

"Will you share in my burdens so we may grow in this union?"

"Don't I already – yes, yes, fine, stop glaring at me."

"Will you share in my dreams?"

"I'm always interested in your dreams, angel."

"Will you honor me as an equal in this union?"

"Always."

"And I make the same vows to you."

Crowley beamed.

"As our hands are bound so are our lives and spirit joined in a union of love and trust. We are bound not only by these cords, but by the vows we have made, and we hold in our hands the fate of this union. Like the stars above our love will be a constant source of light. Like the earth, a firm foundation from which to grow. May our hands be blessed this day, and may they always hold one another. May they have the strength to hold on during the stress of storms, and the darkness of disillusionment. May they build a relationship founded in love and rich in caring. May these hands be healers, protectors, provide shelter, and guide each other."

"That was... really pretty, angel. What happens next?"

"Now we decide how long we want this to last."

"Last?"

"This begins as more of a... temporary arrangement. We determine how long we want to try this, and after that time we can either make this a permanent union or end it. It can be either a year or a day... or anything in between."

Aziraphale stared at Crowley in quiet amusement as the demon tried to wrap his head around that.

After several long minutes Aziraphale squeezed Crowley's trapped hand. "How long do you want to have me?"

Crowley tugged Aziraphale into a fierce kiss. "Oh, I'm never giving you up," he growled against his lips.

"Good," Aziraphale answered, pressing another kiss to his lips. "And now we untie ourselves."

Crowley grinned sharply. "Not for a while yet." With a quick twist, he pulled Aziraphale to the ground and used their joined hands to pull the angel's hands above his head. His hands fumbled with the catch of Aziraphale's robes. It would admittedly be an easier task with both hands free, but the sight of the cord joining them was making his insides squirm in the most delightful of ways. "I need to tie you up more often," he murmured, biting at the angel's throat.