"How was dinner with your colleagues?" Aziraphale asked as he handed Crowley his hot chocolate.
For a moment, Crowley didn't know how to respond. It felt like dinner had happened a lifetime ago. "Yeah, it was good. Was nice chatting with Adam and Eve properly. I usually only talk to them when I get food and drinks from the café."
"I'm glad you had a good time," Aziraphale said with a smile. He plucked a marshmallow from his own hot chocolate and ate it. "And I'm very glad you decided to swing by here afterwards."
Crowley smiled back. "Me too."
After Crowley's night out, he'd been keen to find Aziraphale. He'd wanted to camp beside him again, wanted to spend as much time with him as he could. Because he liked him so much. And Aziraphale liked him back - in exactly the same way. The thought made Crowley's stomach flutter. They were boyfriends now. He couldn't believe it. Or at least he thought they were boyfriends. They hadn't said anything about it since that incredible kiss earlier.
"Do we still have to worry about Team Rocket coming after you, do you think?" Aziraphale asked nervously. "At least Hastur and Ligur are behind bars now. But what about the other members? And I didn't know you missed the meeting."
Crowley cringed. "Er. Yeah. I'm sorry. I should have told you. I called Bee, but she didn't answer, and I really wanted to talk to her before I spoke to Hastur and Ligur, and before I knew it, the day of the meeting had been and gone."
Crowley had intended to call Bee again, he really had. He just never got around to it. Between his job and hanging out with Aziraphale, the days had just zoomed by. The date of the meeting had been upon him before he knew it, and he hadn't saved up enough money to pay Team Rocket back. He'd been too proud to ask Aziraphale for help, and deep down, he simply hadn't wanted to go. He'd been afraid. So he'd pushed the meeting to the back of his mind. Team Rocket and his old life had seemed so far away, but he should have known his past would catch up with him eventually. "I'm sorry. I really messed up. None of this would have happened if-"
"No," Aziraphale said firmly. "This wasn't your fault. Hastur and Ligur came after me because they wanted my Pokémon. They weren't looking for you. I don't think they even knew you were here."
Crowley nodded. "Yeah. They couldn't have known where I was. I didn't tell them where I was going."
He'd mostly been wandering aimlessly, looking for people to rob and Shinies to catch. Until he met Aziraphale.
Aziraphale took a sip of his drink. "And it was a good thing you didn't go to that meeting. I dare say Hastur and Ligur would have attempted to steal your Pokémon the moment you said you wanted to quit, even if you paid them back. I doubt even Bee would have been able to protect you. In fact, I don't know how I ever believed that attending that meeting would have ended in anything other than disaster. I'm so glad you didn't go."
"Me too."
"If anything else happens with Team Rocket, we'll face it together. And with the police on our side."
Crowley smiled, feeling closer to Aziraphale than ever before. It felt good to have someone on his side, someone who was looking out for him. "Thanks, angel."
Aziraphale blushed, a pleased smile lighting up his face.
"My goodness, look at the time," Aziraphale said, looking at his watch pointedly. "Midnight already. You must be exhausted, Oscar."
Oscar shook his head.
"But you do want to join us for lunch tomorrow, yes? You don't want to accidently fall asleep in the middle of the afternoon tea. Best get a good night's sleep." Aziraphale held up Oscar's Poké Ball enticingly.
Oscar fluffed up his feathers and let out an irritated squawk.
"All the other Pokémon are fast asleep in their Poké Balls," Aziraphale said, getting desperate.
All that earned him was a glare.
Crowley, sitting beside them on the grass, suddenly set aside his Pokédex and stood up. "I'm gonna grab my jumper," he said before ducking into his tent.
The moment Crowley was out of sight, Aziraphale whirled on Oscar and dropped his voice to an urgent whisper. "Please, I'm begging you. Give me some time alone with Crowley. You can have at as many macaroons as you want at lunch tomorrow, just please get into your Poké Ball so me and Crowley can... um..."
He didn't know what exactly they were going to do. He was hoping for more kissing - and to be able to talk about what the previous kisses meant without their Pokémon staring at them.
Oscar made kissy noises.
"Shhhh! He'll hear you!" Aziraphale hissed, blushing furiously. "Oh, my goodness, he's coming back. Please, Oscar..."
Oscar smirked and then tapped the Poké Ball with his beak. He gave Aziraphale a wink before he was teleported away into the Poké Ball.
Aziraphale let out a relieved sigh. He hugged the Poké Ball close and then tucked it safely away next to Aegislash's Poké Ball in his coat pocket. His other Poké Balls were locked away in his tent, but he'd kept Aegislash close at hand, just in case of an emergency.
Crowley sauntered over.
"Oscar decided to retire for the night," Aziraphale said, trying to sound casual.
"Oh?" said Crowley, all nonchalance. He sat down next to Aziraphale on the grass, closer than before.
Aziraphale's heart was racing now it was just the two of them. He felt out of his depth, unsure of what he should do or say. They were sat so close together they were almost touching, and then Crowley's hand rested over his on the grass. It made Aziraphale feel hot all over.
Crowley gave him an earnest look. "Are we boyfriends now?"
A smile spread across Aziraphale's face, his anxiety fading, just a little, under Crowley's nervous but keen gaze.
"I hope so. I'd like us to be."
"Me too," Crowley said with a grin, and then he kissed him.
Aziraphale melted into it, twisting in place to kiss him better. In a moment of daring, he let his free hand rest on Crowley's knee. Crowley smiled against him and then deepened the kiss, his tongue pressing against Aziraphale's lips. Aziraphale's lips parted, their tongues met, and a thrill raced through him.
When the first drops of rain fell, Aziraphale barely registered them, but it soon became impossible to ignore. They broke the kiss and then started tidying everything away. Aziraphale brought his little camping stove into his tent to keep it dry, and then he ushered Crowley inside too.
"That's everything," Crowley said as he zipped the tent closed behind him. He put his bag down beside Aziraphale's, which lay on the floor next to Aziraphale's sleeping bag.
Aziraphale was suddenly horribly aware that he'd just invited Crowley into what was essentially his bedroom. He found he didn't know what to do with himself. He felt clumsy and awkward, his arms hanging limply at his sides.
They were alone. In his bedroom. At night.
Crowley took off his jumper. "It's warm in here."
Aziraphale's heart raced. The sight of Crowley getting undressed, even if it was just his jumper, made him feel light-headed. Aziraphale felt painfully inexperienced and foolish. Crowley had probably had lots of partners. He'd probably gone all the way before.
At least one of them would know what they were doing, he supposed.
Crowley's smile faltered. "You okay?"
"Yes. Of course." Aziraphale averted his eyes, his face burning. "Um. I've never actually been in a relationship before."
A grin spread across Crowley's face, and for a horrible moment, Aziraphale thought Crowley was going to laugh at him.
"Neither have I," Crowley said.
Aziraphale's mouth fell open in surprise. "Really?"
"To be honest, I'd never even kissed anyone before today."
"Me neither!"
Crowley looked astonished. They both started laughing, and then they were kissing, holding each other close.
They fell asleep in Aziraphale's tent that night, curled up in their respective sleeping bags. Although they'd slept side-by-side before, this was different. Their hands were clasped together, and it took Aziraphale a while to fall asleep, he felt so happy.
The next morning, Crowley brought Aziraphale coffee in bed, and when they were ready they gathered their Pokémon around them and announced that they were now a couple.
A few days later, Aziraphale and Crowley were having a picnic on the edge of a forest.
"My point is," said Crowley, taking another chocolate chip cookie. "Finizen. That's my point."
"A shark Pokémon."
"Nononono. 'S dolphin. Your actual dolphin Pokémon. Anyway. Point is. Whole damn sea full of Pokémon. Finizen, Wailmer, Finneon, Magikarp. The beach is just full of Pokémon for you to add to your Pokédex."
"Crowley," Aziraphale said with an amused smile. "You had me at ice cream. And swimming trunks."
Crowley lowered his voice so their Pokémon couldn't hear. "You don't need an excuse to get me down to my underwear, angel."
"Oh my goodness!" Aziraphale gasped, putting on a scandalised tone even though he knew his smile gave him away. And to think, he'd seen Crowley in a state of undress only last night. They'd gone to bed in nothing but their shirts and underwear. Crowley had such lovely long legs.
Aziraphale kissed him, marvelling at how natural it felt already.
"Do you even own any swimming trunks?" Crowley asked. He gave him a cheeky grin. "I bet you have some of those old-fashioned stripy ones that cover your entire body."
"I'll have you know I own a rather stylish pair of tartan swimming trunks."
"Ugh. Why does everything have to be tartan with you?"
"It's not my fault you have no style," Aziraphale said with a smirk. He took a sip of tea while Crowley spluttered indignantly.
"Me? No style?!"
"Prepare for trouble!" a woman's voice boomed from the trees. Loud music blared.
Aziraphale spat his tea out in surprise.
"Make it double!" a man's voice rang out.
Two Team Rocket members – a man with blue hair and a woman with magenta hair - jumped from the trees, both dressed in white uniforms and striking dramatic poses. The man had a red rose between his teeth for some reason. They both seemed oddly familiar, but Aziraphale couldn't quite place them.
Aegislash and Char immediately abandoned their bowls of tea to stand protectively either side of Aziraphale and Crowley. Oscar hovered in the air, ready for action, while Caramel paused with a slice of cake halfway to her mouth.
The woman struck a new pose. "To protect the world from devastation!"
The man flicked his hair. "To unite all peoples within our nation!"
"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"
"To extend our reach to the stars above!"
The duo stood back-to-back, spotlights shining down on them.
"Jessie!"
"James!"
"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!"
"Surrender now or prepare to fight!"
A cream-coloured cat holding a boom box sprang out of nowhere. "Meowth, dat's right!"
Crowley started clapping. To be fair, it had been quite the show. Even more dramatic than Crowley's display all those weeks ago. And whoever had thrown their voice to make Meowth talk like that had done a marvellous job.
"That was so cool!" Crowley cried out. "Best Team Rocket motto yet! It gave me goose bumps! It's awesome to see you guys in real life. I've only ever seen you on PokéTube."
Of course! That was where Aziraphale knew these two from. They were the inept, pitiful, Team Rocket villains Crowley had shown him on PokéTube.
James was blushing. "You watch our PokéTube channel? I didn't know we had fans!"
"Don't listen to them, James!" Jessie snarled. "They're only flattering us to try and put us off stealing their Pokémon. But their Pokémon are as good as ours already!" Her belly rumbled. "And that afternoon tea too!"
"Ooh!" James cooed, eyeing up the Victoria sponge cake. He threw a Poké Ball, and a Pokémon comprising of two purple spheres, both with faces, appeared before him. "Weezing! Use Sludge Attack!"
"Arbok! Bite!" Jessie yelled as a purple snake appeared in front of her.
"Ashtoreth! Bentley! Get 'em!" Crowley shouted.
Crowley's Pokémon zoomed forward, avoiding Team Rocket's attacks with ease before hitting them with their favourite moves. Wheezing and Arbok fell to the ground, both paralysed.
Meowth shrieked and hid behind Jessie. James flung himself to the ground with a dramatic squeal and hugged his fallen Pokémon before returning him to his Poké Ball. Jessie let out an irritated growl as she returned Arbok to her Poké Ball.
Meowth jumped out from behind Jessie and James, now holding what looked like a bazooka in his paws. He aimed it at Oscar and fired.
Aziraphale's heart leapt into his throat.
A net shot out of the bazooka and zoomed towards Oscar, who cartwheeled effortlessly out of the way. Oscar swooped down at Meowth and flapped his wings in his face, knocking him over. The bazooka tumbled down onto the ground. Aegislash hurriedly picked it up while Oscar swooped back into the air, leaving Meowth curled up in a ball with his paws over his head.
"Dat owl is a menace!" Meowth cried.
Aegislash advanced on Jessie and James, his shield in one hand and the bazooka in the other. Jessie and James clung to each other in terror.
"Whatcha both standing around for?" Meowth yelled, jumping up onto Jessie's shoulder. "Let's high tail it outta here!"
Jessie backed away. "You might've foiled us this time, twerps, but we'll get our revenge!"
"Looks like Team Rocket's sprinting off again!" James cried, turning around and immediately running into a tree.
"You guys are hilarious!" Crowley said with a cackle. "D'you want to stay for a cup of tea? I want to hear all about your adventures!" He turned to Aziraphale. "If that's alright with you?"
Aziraphale nodded. "Yes, you can stay for tea and cake - so long as you promise to behave yourselves. Stand down, Aegislash. It's alright."
Aziraphale was very intrigued by the talking Meowth. He'd decided no one was throwing their voice, after all. Meowth was genuinely talking. Aziraphale had already surreptitiously used his Pokédex, but it hadn't mentioned anything about Meowths being able to talk. Maybe he could learn more about Meowth while they ate - and he could do his best to convince Jessie and James to turn their backs on a life of crime.
Oscar landed on the table and rolled his eyes, no doubt annoyed that Aziraphale had once again invited villains to lunch.
"I suppose I could grace you with my presence," Jessie decided. She strode over, James and Meowth following behind her.
As they sat around the table, Crowley excitedly told Jessie, James and Meowth about his time in Team Rocket, explaining that their motto had inspired his own.
"Your Motto is so cool," Crowley said. "Way better than Butch and Cassidy's version."
"I know, right?" Jessie growled. "I don't know why they have so many likes on PokéTube!"
Jessie, James and Meowth complained about some pesky Pikachu they kept battling, and then Meowth explained that he taught himself to talk like a human in the misguided belief that it would impress a lady Meowth.
The entire time, Jessie and James stuffed their faces and tried to surreptitiously pocket extra biscuits and macaroons.
Oscar hooted at Meowth, who nodded along, a thoughtful look on his face.
"Yeah, I get dat," Meowth said.
"What's Oscar saying?" Aziraphale asked, his eyes wide. It had only just occurred to him that this was the perfect opportunity to learn what his Pokémon had to say.
"Oscar is telling me why he doesn't want to evolve," said Meowth.
"Oh!"
Oscar hooted some more.
Aziraphale shuffled his seat closer, unable to hide his excitement. "What's he saying?"
"Aww! You old softy," Meowth said to Oscar.
Oscar's feathers fluffed up in annoyance. He gave a defiant hoot which Aziraphale understood perfectly even if Oscar couldn't technically speak to him.
Meowth turned towards Aziraphale. "Oscar doesn't want to evolve because..." He gave a dramatic pause. "Gimme another slice of cake and I'll tell ya."
Oscar let out a furious squawk, his wings flapping in close proximity to Meowth's face.
"Alright, alright!" said Meowth. "Stop dat! I take it back. You're not a softy. The reason Oscar doesn't want to evolve is because he likes sitting on your shoulder. He'll be way too big if he turns into a Dartrix."
Aziraphale was overwhelmed with affection as Oscar flew up onto his favourite spot next to his ear. He petted Oscar's head, and then he gladly pushed an extra slice of cake towards Meowth.
"You know," said Aziraphale. "If you ever decide to leave a life of crime, you could all become Pokémon whisperers." He smiled at Meowth. "You could do some real good in the world, letting Pokémon speak to their trainers through you."
"Or…" said Jessie, her eyes lighting up with glee. "We could become Pokémon whisperers as part of our next scheme to steal Pokémon! No one would know what the Pokémon was really saying- Aaaagh!"
Oscar had flown at her face, wings flapping wildly.
"Stop it! I take it back!"
Oscar returned to Aziraphale's shoulder, a triumphant look on his face.
Once all the food was gone, and once they'd finished chatting, Team Rocket left with full bellies and full pockets.
Crowley emerged from his tent after a long lie-in.
He had the day off work. As much as he enjoyed his job, it was nice to be able to turn his alarm off and just chill out for the day. He could do whatever he wanted, and what he wanted most of all was to spend the day with Aziraphale. His boyfriend. His actual real-life boyfriend. And there he was now, sat with a cup of tea, his attention fixed entirely on the screen of his Pokédex.
Crowley sauntered over, a grin on his face. "Good morning, angel."
Aziraphale looked up, a blush coming to his cheeks. He seemed genuinely surprised to see him. "Good morning, Crowley. I'm just on the phone to my mother."
Crowley felt a twinge of jealousy. It'd been a long time since he'd last spoken to his own mother. His gaze dropped to the screen, and a lady with platinum blonde curls stared back at him. Crowley jumped out of view. He was still in his pyjamas.
"Angel?" came a voice from the Pokédex.
Crowley's stomach flipped. Oh, fuck. He'd just outed Aziraphale. Maybe he could say it was just a silly nickname?
"Oh, shush. Don't tease," said Aziraphale to the screen. "He's mortified, poor thing."
Aziraphale's mother said something in return, her tone urgent, but Crowley didn't catch the words.
"Yes, of course I've made him a morning cup of tea," said Aziraphale with an exasperated but fond sigh. "Crowley, please come and drink your tea before my mother accuses me of being a bad partner. I made it as soon as I heard you shuffling about." His mother spoke again. "No, I couldn't have brought him tea in bed because I was busy talking to you."
Aziraphale gestured to a steaming cup of tea and Crowley nervously edged closer, his face pink, a warm feeling in his chest. Aziraphale had told his mother about him.
Aziraphale's mother said something else, her voice excited.
"That's a lot to put on someone so early in the morning," Aziraphale said. He turned to look at Crowley. "Would you like to sit down and join us? My mother would like to meet you. But it doesn't have to be now if you're busy."
Aziraphale was giving him the option of an easy out, angel that he was.
"Just let me put on a jumper first."
Crowley ran back to his tent and put on some proper trousers and his best jumper with the star pattern on it. Taking a deep breath, he headed back outside, ready to meet Aziraphale's mother. She was just as sweet as Aziraphale, and just as sassy.