"...and when we close our eyes…" the angel gasped, "tadaaa…the blue scarf is now red!"
Crowley fixed his party hat and blew the party blower held between his lips, the sound filling the awkward silence.
Aziraphale's eyes searched Cassi's for approval and it took a nudge from Crowley for her to process what she had seen. "Ye-yes…erm…wow…that was…that was a thing." The angel smiled back at the two redheads sitting on the sofa afterwards, asking them for a second while he set up for his other trick. "He knows he can do proper magic, yes?" Cassi whispered to Crowley.
Crowley shrugged. "Um, angel, I - I think Cassi is ready to move on to another party activity." Cassi nodded enthusiastically, her own party hat almost falling. "Cake is still baking so um…" Yellow eyes met with gray ones.
"Time for truth or dare." Cassi continued as she stood facing the sofa. Aziraphale nodded and sat himself down next to Crowley. "Google said it's a popular game at parties. Are you at all familiar with the game?"
"Not quite, my darling, but remember Crowley and I said you are not to partake in online chatter with others in the meantime. I'm sure we could have come up with activities on our own. No need to ask this Google person."
Cassi waved her hand dismissively, deciding not to explain how search engines worked. "Anyway, so one of us, when it's our turn, decides to either answer a question truthfully or perform a dare."
Crowley's ear perched up and he practically showed all his teeth as he grinned. "Oh, I like this. Sounds like something my lot would come up with." He clapped his hands together and rubbed them. "Right! As the birthday girl, you go first."
"Okay, um," she thought, "Aziraphale, truth or dare?"
"Oh, me? Alrighty…um I don't find a question all that hard. Truth, suppose."
"Which do you love more, heaven or earth?"
Aziraphale cleared his throat and wiggled uncomfortably in his seat. "My, my, my, wha-wha a…a…um…packed question. Well…um…" he cleared his throat again, "both have their…their go-good points and definitely have flaws." He chuckled breathlessly. He leaned in and whispered, "I would have to sa-say earth."
Cassi leaned down to meet him. "Why are we whispering?"
Crowley leaned in as well. "Because he thinks heaven might be listening and he is afraid to upset them." He rolled his eyes. "They are crazy up there and all angels are brainwashed."
"Crowley!"
Crowley shrugged and leaned back. "It's true."
"Alright then," Aziraphale patted Crowley's thigh, "truth or dare, seeing how you think you know everything."
"Please, I'm a demon, this game was meant for people like me. Dare, obviously."
"I dare you to let me drive the Bentley." Cassi grinned without skipping a beat.
Crowley's wicked smile was that of a proud parent. "Why, you cunning little thing."
After a life-threatening car ride, more along the lines of an almost discorporating moment, Aziraphale thought it best to leave all future driving to Crowley. Yes, technically, Crowley was not at all the perfect driver but at least he kept his hands on the wheel…most of the time. Afterwards, the small family went inside their lovely cottage where the celebration continued. Next on the birthday agenda was cake decorating, also known as the ineffable parents flirting, whispering things to each other, and making eyes at one another whilst decorating their daughter's cake.
Crowley had managed to trap Aziraphale between himself and the counter and took the opportunity to whisper interesting things and nibble on Aziraphale's ear. "Stop it." The angel's eyes were between the doorframe and the cake. "She'll step in here any minute."
Crowley pressed his body against Aziraphale's back. "You are pipping the icing all wrong, angel. You need a steadier hand." He wrapped his long arms around the angel, and placed his hands on Aziraphale's, which held the pastry bag. "You need to squeeze the right amount, or it'll…burst out." He mumbled while he guided his lover's hand. "Exactly like that…you are doing so good."
Aziraphale shivered and tried to focus on the task at hand. "Crowley, this is most inappropriate." Crowley chuckled in response and rolled his hips forward. Aziraphale gulped as he felt something on his lower back. "Crowley…not in front of Cassi's cake." The angel elbowed his lover off and turned around. "Why don't you go look for Cassi while I finish this, hmm? Haven't heard her since we came back from our little driving excursion." He then wrapped his arms around Crowley's neck, bringing him down for a kiss. "I promise when the day is over and we are alone we can, um, discuss more of what we have discussed previously."
Crowley nodded. "I'm ready."
"Ah, yes, dearest, I can see…feel that you're ready." Aziraphale cleared his throat. "Um…" he let out a breath through his nose as he smiled, "while I love you very much, would give up my life and of course, heaven for you…I th-think…"
"Angel, even if I'm ready it doesn't mean you have to be."
"I am! I'm genuinely ready but…" He let his head fall on Crowley's chest to organize his thoughts. "I-I want our first time to be romantic…with candles and music, not in the heat of passion like when, and I'm sorry to mention this, I left you. The kiss you gave me was all wrong and…and it wasn't at all like our first kiss during the night of the blitz. Our first kiss was pure and sweet and gentle and," he blushed, "I want our first experience to be like that. I know it's silly but-"
"Ngk, it's not, angel, nononono…not silly, no... definitely not silly at all. If that's what you want, I can do that. Just watch me! I shall make it the most romantic day of your entire existence that your romance novels will be boring afterwards. They will not even satisfy your romantic pallet anymore."
"Oh?"
Crowley placed a kiss on Aziraphale's forehead and huffed. "Please, I am the most romantic demon there is…the only romantic demon for that matter. Eh, you forget, I successfully made a couple come together." He grinned.
"Maggie and Nina?" Aziraphale rolled his eyes. "We did that together."
"Um…I do not recall you being here when they officially got together. Erm, off being the big boss up there." Before Aziraphale could protest, Crowley captured the angel's lips in his.
"Ugh, please, not in front of my cake."
Crowley raised his head towards the doorframe. "I must know, do you have some sort of sensor in you that can tell when we are having a moment, and you have to interrupt?"
"Well, I can feel love, if that's what you're getting at. I do hope I don't feel passion because ugh." Cassi teased. "Here," she placed some pictures on the counter, "I printed some pictures from today and others I've taken in the month. The house, while it has warmth and love, lacks pictures of you two, us, most importantly of me, who is your favorite thing in the whole world. The apple of your eyes."
Crowley sneered playfully at his miracle while Aziraphale pushed him off and turned around. "You are definitely right, my darling girl, the house could use some color, and these are very good. Well taken indeed. Oh!" Aziraphale felt extremely happy and pleased as he found a certain selfie. "When did you take this? Oh, my, may I please have this?" The picture was that of Crowley wearing his usual dark clothing, glasses, and all, while next to him Cassi stood wearing equally dark clothing and matching dark glasses. The picture seemed to have been taken in front of the Bentley while Crowley was the one who held the phone. "I say, you do look like your father when you cover your face, not that you don't but even more so." As he inspected the picture, there was another one on the counter that drew his attention. "Oh, my word…wow."
Crowley looked over and smiled. "Uncanny resemblance, ain't it? I was surprised myself. I'll be keeping that one." The picture was still Crowley and Cassi only this time they were posing in front of a bookcase as her lone blonde strand was not so lone. Her entire hair was the same shade as Aziraphale's hair while she wore a similar coat to the angel's, though she switched the pants to a long skirt. "I changed her hair because I was curious. Did not know she would look exactly like you."
Angel and demon inspected the pictures further, finding some of them taken candidly, some posing, some just the two of them, some with Cassi, Cassi and Hex, and some in their natural habitat; Crowley in the garden and Aziraphale reading. "Would you want another?" Cassi questioned.
"Excuse me? Another what, my darling?"
"Another me. Not by accident but if you wanted to…erm, if you really tried."
Crowley and Aziraphale glanced at each other. "W-we have never talked about that, really." Aziraphale replied in a nervous tone. "I certainly…" he cleared his throat, "woul-wouldn't…umm… object to uh, the, uh…I mean unless, your fath-Crowley…we should have dinner! Cake afterwards and then presents." He stated, trying to change the topic.
"I shall name them if you do. I do not trust you with names." Cassi laughed as she took her place on the set table.
Crowley joined her and poured all three of them wine. "Er, let's hear them then, your perfect names since you clearly love yours, Cassiopeia." Aziraphale's playful eyes met Crowley's from across the small round table.
"Well, let's see, I like Juliette, Eden, Aria and for a boy, hmmm…Anthony maybe, after Mr. Anthony J. Crowley," she teased, "maybe Eli or Edward."
Crowley chuckled and poured himself another glass. "How original you are."
"We will keep those in mind." Aziraphale smiled.
The rest of the birthday dinner went well enough. The ineffable family shared more with each other, made jokes, and answered even more questions about time spent on earth, even some regarding heaven and hell. The day could not have been more perfect until the parents gave their daughter her birthday presents. Aziraphale gifted Cassi first editions and manuscripts of Lord Byron's work while Crowley gifted her vintage vinyl's from the 80's and autograph pictures of David Bowie and one from all members of Queen.
Afterwards, Aziraphale had handed her a small box mentioning how that particular gift was from them both. The box contained a small silver necklace, adoring a crescent moon, with a dainty gem dangling in the middle. Crowley informed her that within the gem, actual dust particles from the galaxy and from the moon were put in place. Cassi then stunned both as she hugged them, thanked them and, to their surprise, opted to call them dad and papa instead of their given names.
