The last of the guests shuffled out through the doors, followed by a beaming Aziraphale who waved them off.
Crowley stood silently, leaning against one of the bookshelves and watching Aziraphale.
It had been an odd evening, from the darkness he'd first sensed around the bookshop, to the entire Austen-style ball Aziraphale concocted within his bookshop, and most importantly of all,the way Aziraphale had grabbed his hand, grinning from ear to ear and led him to a, dare he think it, quite romantic dance.
His mind was still reeling, racing, his body buzzing from every tender touch Aziraphale bestowed upon him during their, not one, but several dances.
Their palms touching, shoulders and hips grazing as they moved around one another. Aziraphale's bright, brilliant eyes shining up at him.
Aziraphale had never initiated anything so forward before. Oh there had been times Crowley could hope that maybe Aziraphale had set something intimate up on purpose to bring them closer together but he'd deny it in an instant.
This was different. This was deliberate, he wasn't hiding or shying away from anything and Crowley didn't know what to make of it.
Aziraphale closed the bookshop doors, locked them and then turned towards Crowley, clapping his hands together in earnest joy, a grin splitting across his face.
"Well that went smashingly well, don't you think?"
Crowley grunted softly, raising his brow and nodding as he pushed himself off the bookshelf.
"Everyone seemed to have a marvelous time. It truly brought the shop owners together, especially Maggie and Nina."
"Ah…" Crowley stuffed his hands in his pockets, trying to feign nonchalance. "This was for them?"
Aziraphale's cheeks reddened as he glanced quickly to the floor, a nervous smile tugging at his lips.
"We did need something did we not?" Aziraphale countered, slowly bringing his gaze back up to Crowley.
As happy as he was that Maggie and Nina indeed seemed to hit it off, they were the farthest thing from his mind.
"Aziraphale…" he sauntered slowly toward him and Aziraphale's eyes widened. "Why did you ask me to dance?"
Aziraphales expression faltered. "Why?"
"Yes, why?"
Aziraphale let out a shaky breath, followed by a shaky smile, his hands tapping at his sides as he briefly glanced away before looking back and then saying, suddenly more confidently, "Because I wanted to dance with you, Crowley."
Crowley's chest tightened, his eyes practically burning through his dark glasses into Aziraphale's eyes. "For the same reason you wanted Maggie and Nina to dance?"
Aziraphale's eyes widened slightly, his breath stuttering as he inhaled quickly but he did not look away as Crowley expected him to.
Crowley's stomach swooped. Was this actually about to happen?
"Aziraphale…" his heart was pounding as he walked slowly towards the angel.
"Why did you really set up this ball?"
Aziraphale swallowed thickly. "Just as I said…balls were often a setting where humans would…realize they loved one another."
"Humans?" Crowley raised a brow, still moving slowly towards Aziraphale. Aziraphale's eyes darted down to his lips and then back up to his eyes.
"It worked didn't it?" Aziraphale said breathlessly. "Maggie and Nina seemed very smitten with one another."
Smitten. That word rang in his ears, sitting outside with a glass of wine, waiting for Aziraphale as he went about his business and bantering about Gabriel. And the way Aziraphale had looked at him….
Crowley paused just a foot away from Aziraphale, so close he could feel his warmth, see the emotion in his eyes. The fear, the hesitation but also something more…excitement, affection.
"Good ol' job on that one, Angel." Crowley said and Aziraphale's face lit up in a smile.
He raised his hand in the air between them, palm facing Aziraphale.
Aziraphale's brow twitched as he looked quickly at his hand and then back to his eyes. Crowley raised a silent eyebrow and Aziraphale's eyes widened in realization.
His lips parted and he lifted his hand to meet Crowley's, palm to palm.
Now alone, Crowley used his other hand to remove his glasses, lifting them to the top of his head.
"Why did you ask me to dance?" Crowley asked again, keeping his fingers still though they longed to twine through Aziraphale's.
Aziraphale's lips pulled into a soft smile and he took the lead to twine their fingers together and Crowley let out a breath.
Then Aziraphale's other hand moved and rested on Crowley's hip and Crowley stopped breathing.
"You know…" Aziraphales voice was soft, deep and warm and Crowley found himself leaning in towards it, towards him dying to soak up every bit.
"Angels don't dance." Aziraphale continued, staying the obvious, and Crowley focused on the motion of his mouth. "But I have found that, all of this time on Earth, I have picked up on some humanly habits that I rather enjoy. Food, wine, books, music, clothing…"
Crowley was so focused on his lips, mesmerized by him that it took him a few seconds to realize they had started moving. Aziraphale started to lead them in another dance. No music, just them, alone in the bookshop.
"Dancing, especially with one whom…" he trailed off and Crowley's eyes lifted to his.
Aziraphale cleared his throat and smiled shakily, his hand twitching on Crowley's hip.
"I do believe Jane Austen was right." Aziraphale continued. "It can be very romantic." His fingers tightened around Crowley's. "Don't you agree?"
"Ngk." Words failed him at the implication of Aziraphale's words, but his hand, on the small of Aziraphale's back
"I, ah…" Aziraphale let out a nervous laugh. "There is another human custom I'd rather like to try…if you are amenable."
"Anything." Crowley whispered. He wasn't quite certain what Aziraphale was asking for, though he had an inkling and he dared to hope he was correct.
"Oh." Aziraphale breathed and his mouth twitched up in a small smile and he stopped moving. He inched closer, his eyes darting down to Crowley's lips. "Good."
Oh it was happening, Crowley realized as Aziraphale began to slowly lean in, his gaze solely fixated on Crowley's mouth.
A shock ran through his system as Aziraphale squeezed his hip, nudging him that much closer and he went willingly, eagerly, swooping forward.
Aziraphale paused with a sharp gasp and Crowley stopped himself just a breath away from their lips touching.
His eyes focused on Aziraphale's, blown wide and dark and he was about to pull back when Aziraphale closed the distance between them, pressing his lips softly to his.
Crowley held his breath, his eyes closing as he lost himself in the overwhelming presence of his angel, in the moment he'd been dreaming about for centuries.
His hand tightened its grip on Aziraphale and to his immense delight, Aziraphale squeezed back.
Crowley's other hand slid slowly up his back, pulling himself closer and pressing just a little harder into his mouth.
Aziraphale was the first to pull away and they both released a soft sigh in the space between their mouths, now freshly kissed.
His forehead pressed lightly to Crowley's as his hand slid up to his chest.
Crowley kept his eyes closed, trying to keep himself in the place where he was close to Aziraphale, could feel his body heat, feel his warm, soft lips against his own.
He feared once he opened his eyes and faced the very intimate moment they just shared that Aziraphale would panic and run.
Finally with a slow, shaky inhale Crowley opened his eyes and his heart leapt when he found Aziraphale already looking back at him, eyes soft, warm and loving. No regret, no fear, no hesitance.
"Angel…" he breathed and drew in closer, because he couldn't stop himself.
To his relief and pleasure, Aziraphale's smile only widened as he mindlessly played with Crowley's lapel, his fingers tapping in perfect time to Crowley's erratic heartbeat just underneath his hand.
"We've been dancing around what we are for centuries, Crowley. Or…at least I have. And I believe it is quite time we stop doing that dance and…start another."
"Aziraphale…"
"I love you." The words came out quickly and they both froze. Crowley stared wide eyed and Aziraphale's eyes widened for only a second before his expression softened again and his hand slid up his chest, up his neck to once again cup his cheek and Crowley felt he might actually fall over.
"My dear Crowley…" he whispered his name so reverently, Crowley had never heard his name said like that before and his hand tightened on Aziraphales' hip. He was going to hold onto him, this moment, for all it was worth. And it was worth everything. "You and I…" he trailed off and Crowley watched him in silence as he reached for his words. To Crowley it didn't matter what he said, they had finally arrived at their moment and almost nothing could be said to ruin it.
Aziraphale took a breath and tried again. "What I mean to say is…you are the most important being in the universe to me."
"Aziraphale…" Crowley groaned and quickly leaned in and kissed his mouth again and Aziraphale sighed against him, melting into his body, smiling.
"Angel…" he whispered, pulling away only for a moment, and then kissed him again, because he could, because he liked it, because Aziraphale clearly did too.
He pulled away and met his eyes. Aziraphales lips pulled into a smile as Crowley's hands lifted to cup his face, locking their gaze.
"I love you too, Angel."
Aziraphale hummed in contentment, face alight as he brought his hands to cover his. He tilted his head and pressed a tender, sweet kiss to Crowley's palm, eyes never leaving his.
The world could suddenly burst into flames around them and Crowley still wouldn't be able to tear his gaze away from Aziraphale, away from the love that surrounded them.
"About time…isn't it my dear?"
Crowley's mouth twitched. "I would have waited forever for you, Angel."
Aziraphales eyes widened in realization and then softened as he nuzzled his palm. "You needn't to any longer."
Crowley drew him in for another kiss. Still so new, but they were learning, and Crowley didn't hesitate to push just a little further.
The other kisses had been chaste, sweet, and gentle. No more than a gentle meeting of the lips.
This time, Crowley drew Aziraphale tight and sharply against him, eliciting a small gasp from the angel. Crowley took the opportunity of his parted lips and deepened the kiss.
Aziraphale's hand faltered against his back, but only for a moment before he gripped tightly, a low groan escaping his throat as he pressed back with equal passion.
From dancing to kissing to confessions of love, it had been a night of firsts and now that Aziraphale had given in to him, Crowley didn't hold back.
Following his desires, his hand slid up Aziraphale's back and his fingers tangled in his soft, wispy blonde hair. Crowley hasn't been amongst the clouds in millenia but if there was anything on Earth that could come close to the feeling, it'd be Aziraphale's hair.
Aziraphale let out a soft, pleased little noise as his fingers brushed against his skull. Crowley cupped the back of his head, tilting him just enough to find a new angle to kiss him and they both sighed at the new sensation.
They weren't humans and had no need for their lungs or breathing and though there was a small tug of reminder of their human forms, they could easily ignore it, getting lost in the finally.
After who knows how long, Crowley took a step back with a delighted and proud little smirk.
Aziraphale wobbled on his feet, holding onto Crowley, a sweet smile on his face. Then with a few blinks he opened his eyes and looked up to Crowley in interest.
He slid his hand down Aziraphale's arm to grab his hand and then with his other hand, snapped, and the record player scratched as it came to life.
Aziraphale's face lit up in a smile and he squeezed Crowley's hand and slipped his other arm around him as the familiar music floated into the bookshop.
Crowley pulled Aziraphale into him gently and led him into a dance.
After a few moments, Aziraphale lowered his head onto Crowley's chest, a serene smile on his lips, his eyes closing in contentment.
For that night nothing else mattered. Not heaven or hell, not Gabriel, or Shax, or Maggie and Nina.
Just them, the shift in their relationship, the glow of love, and the familiar music surrounding them.
There were angels dining at the Ritz
And a Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square