Cassi grumbled as she played thumb war with her dad, all while they waited by what seemed like a long empty corridor. They could have sworn they had been waiting for no more than thirty minutes and yet, why did it feel like a lifetime had gone by. "Ha, I win." Crowley squeezed Cassi's thumb. "Three out of four."
"Papa," Cassi straightened herself and pouted, "tell dad to stop cheating."
"Ngk, cheating?" Crowley took offense. "It's not my fault you are terrible at this."
Aziraphale looked around for any sign of life. He was beginning to feel like a troubled child who was called to the headmaster's office. "Again." The angel heard his daughter say.
"Alright, but don't go crying to your dear papa when I beat you again."
Aziraphale turned to his daughter and partner. "Will you two please," he lowered Cassi's arm down, "settle down."
The demon popped his lips and crossed his arms. "Angel, we've been waiting for eternity and for what? No one has told us why we are here and quite frankly, if someone doesn't come in two minutes, I have half a mind to leave."
"And go where?"
Crowley looked up at the pristine ceiling. "Anywhere." He looked back at his family. "It does not matter as long as we go off together. Cassi, you, me," he sniffed, "it'll be great."
"That…sounds lonely." Cassi stated under her breath.
The parents eyed their daughter. "What is, my darling?"
Cassi played with her hands, a nervous tick she had inherited from her papa. "For you two, I mean."
Crowley raised a brow. "Erm, Cassi, for millennia it's been your papa and I on earth. We've never been lonely because we've had each other. Granted, we weren't together together but…"
"Just us," the angel continued, "is enough."
Cassi looked between her fathers. "I know you two wouldn't mind being just the two of you-"
"You as well." Aziraphale held her hand.
"Me as well, the three of us but eventually, you will miss it. The galaxy, earth and, most importantly, the humans you've grown accustomed to. You'll miss them, won't you?"
Crowley sat back on the seat, and he knew she was right. He and Aziraphale would miss those creatures he found interesting and, in some way, through the years, he found comfort in them, like you do with pets, he thought. He had always pictured running away with his angel but had not really given much thought of the human's destruction. He just figured earth, along with its humans, would always be there. "Your father and I have seen many humans come and go for centuries. They are born, they exist, and then they pass on to either here or down below. It's part of life."
"But this time it would be different. Us out there somewhere while the universe is silent." Cassi spoke softly.
Before either could respond, an overly friendly angel appeared out of nowhere. "Cassiopeia?" He called out and gestured for her to follow.
The demon grabbed hold of Cassi's sleeve as the girl stood to leave. "No, hang on. She's not going anywhere alone up here."
"Crowley." Aziraphale's tone pleaded with the demon and after a few reluctant seconds, Crowley watched his daughter follow the angel.
The demon's eyes followed her until she disappeared down the corridor. "You're always letting her go." His breath hitched. "She is always wanting to go."
Aziraphale wrapped his arms around Crowley's waist and pulled him close. "And if she's anything like I am, she will always come back."
Currently
Aziraphale's mouth hung open in both disbelief and pure astonishment. He had seen Crowley, his now husband, completely pissed before but the way the demon had drowned down at least a bottle of wine in one go was something for the books.
"Ahh," the bottle thunk as Crowley slammed it on the table. The angel watched on as his husband crossed his arms, taunting a poor Elliot to keep up.
Meanwhile, the classical music played while the gleeful guests mingled with one another. The atmosphere was lively, the fairy lights and flowers adding to the coziness of it all. "Bien joué on the decorations Mr. Fell." Justine complimented as she admired the party decor. "Your house is beautiful too. Your friend, um, Gabriel, is it, was showing me inside."
Aziraphale smiled and thanked the woman but mentally noted to reprimand Gabriel as he specifically said no party guests were allowed inside the cottage. The guests were meant to be in the backyard, and the backyard only. He was glad the snow had cleared away and he could indulge in that perfect wedding weather he had wished for. The angel took everything in as he watched his husband hold a devilish grin, taking pride at the fact his daughter's friend could not keep up with the demon. On the other side of the yard, said daughter was in a heated discussion with Maggie about who actually ruled 80's music. Nina had decided to keep out of it and, surprisingly, had been taking to Beelzebub, reinstated ruler of hell, for a good while now.
"You're a better angel than me." Gabriel voiced as he stood beside the newlywed. "I would have smitten him as soon as I had returned from heaven." He eyed Elliot. "Just say the word, Aziraphale. As supreme archangel I can do you the favor. Anything for my child-non-child."
Aziraphale sipped from his glass and smiled. "I will keep that in mind. It was hard to convince Crowley not to kill the poor fellow once he spotted him near the elevator."
"And you're okay with this? Everything that happened in heaven and the consequences?"
Aziraphale glanced at his daughter who was now shaking her head in disapproval towards Crowley's direction. "I…am not." He placed his glass down on a nearby table. "But it is what Cassi wants and decided. Crowley and I don't like it at all and it's not as if we can do anything to stop it. The deal has been made. He and I do not agree with any of the decisions she made in the last twenty-four hours, and without consulting us first, however," he took in a breath, "she asked us to trust her."
"Papa." Cassi groaned while approaching the angel. "Dad?"
"Alright, alright." Aziraphale pursed his lips and followed his daughter to where Crowley stood, now on his third bottle of wine.
"Fucking we-" Crowley burped, "-ak you are. Ah," he wrapped his arm around Aziraphale's shoulder and kissed his cheek. "Husssband."
"Dearest," he steadied the demon, "perhaps no more of this drinking game, hm? What do you say?"
"Elliot." Cassi reprimanded.
Elliot swayed and wagged his finger towards Cassi. "You-yo-your dad-dad…made me."
"Oh," she raised a brow, "so if he tells you to jump out a window you will do it as well?"
"Well?" Crowley snarled when Elliot failed to respond.
The nephalem clapped his hands together. "Which window, sir?"
"No need Elliot. Cassi, darling, why don't you get him to sober up while I take dad and mingle with our guests."
Cassi shook her head in disapproval and chastised Elliot on trying to please Crowley and get on the demon's good graces. She informed him it would be a long while before that could even be possible seeing as he used his only daughter to start the end of the world by manipulating her feelings and all that good stuff.
"Dearest, I really think you should sober up."
Crowley pushed him away and walked towards the crafts table. "It's my wedding day. I can drink as much as I want." He swayed as he ate a mini lemon blueberry brie. "Who ate all the coronation chicken?"
Aziraphale patted the demon's shoulder, trying to soothe him, knowing full well why he decided to drink as much because, in the end, they had all agreed the day was for celebration and nothing else. "I love you." He tucked a stray hair behind Crowley's ear.
The demon turned to him and embraced the angel tightly. "I'm sorry." He breathed in his husband. "You're so calm about all of this."
Aziraphale returned his hug and rubbed soothing circles on his back. "Well, don't be fooled because I am a mess on the inside."
Crowley swayed them, not at all wanting to leave the comfort that was his husband. "Good."
"Hello, hello." Gabriel spoke loudly for all to hear. "As the best an- I mean man, I want to thank everyone for coming to Aziraphale and Crowley's reception. Finally married after how many years, am I right?"
The crowd cheered and those who had glasses in hand raised them.
"As earth tradition there is this thing called the father/daughter wedding dances and because Crowley will make sure Cassi never marries," the crowd laughed, "please enjoy the daughter/father dance instead."
Crowley detached himself from the soft angel, let out a big sigh, and immediately sobered up because if he was sober during his and Aziraphale's first dance as a married couple, he owed it to his daughter to be present as well. Aziraphale patted Crowley's shoulder once more, encouraging the demon to go first.
"Dad." Cassi smiled as she took her place in the middle of the rented wooden dance floor.
Crowley gave a weak smile and placed his hand on Cassi's waist and took her hand in his. "Cassi."
Cassi placed her own hand on her father's shoulders and thanked the stars she had opted to wear her heels. "Are you still cross with me?"
A slowed down version of David Bowie's song The Prettiest Star began to play and father daughter began to sway. "Not crossed, no." He spun her around. "You are doing what you think you have to do, when you bloody don't."
The nephalem gave her father her own weak smile and placed her head on his shoulder and they danced in silence, making sure they made precious memories.
"Did I mention how beautiful my daughter looks today?" Crowley kissed her hair. "Lovely as always." He hugged her tightly. "I love you, lovey" He kissed her again and spun her as the song ended, letting go and walking off to the side when she was well into Aziraphale's arms.
"Ah, there you are, my darling girl." The angel smiled and held on to his daughter while the next song, Ballerina Girl by Lionel Richie played. "Not too tired?"
"We don't get tired, papa." She teased and placed her head on his shoulder, seeking that comfort again.
Aziraphale let out a heavy sigh. "Quite right." He chuckled softly once he noticed Crowley with his phone out. "Soon you'll be married, and we will have to do this all over again."
Cassi raised her head. "Dad said I am never allowed to get married."
"It will take years, but I think I can change his mind." He winked and soon the song ended, allowing guests to join the dance floor with their own partners. "Dearest." Aziraphale greeted as he wiped a tear away.
The celebration came to an end with great success and well wishes. One by one the guests began to leave, including Gabriel and Beelzebub who promised to be back when they needed them. Gabriel was going back to heaven and Beelzebub to hell however, it was not going to be like before and each would rule their respective sides with a whole new perception. It was going to be a little tough not seeing each other every day like they had for the past year, but Gabriel promised date nights on earth and, unfortunately for him, he loved Beelzebub too much to deny them the invitation to stay over some days in hell. The parents-non-parents had an emotional goodbye with their child-non-child and promised to see her soon. "I'll take good care of your boy here." Gabriel grinned as he slapped Elliot's back. "He'll love heaven."
"Hmm, I believe the arrangement is some years down in hell and some in heaven." Beelzebub confirmed. "We'll get him straightened out."
Elliot sighed heavily as he sat next to Cassi on the soft grass once Gabiel and Beelzebub were out of sight for the time being. "Apparently, I have to have angel lessons."
Cassi giggled and looked up at the stars. "If Gabriel is doing the teaching, I wish you the best of luck."
Elliot rolled his eyes. "Worst punishment She could have thought of."
"Um, be happy you are not getting erased from existence. You're welcome by the way."
Elliot nudged her gently. "Gee, thanks. I get to mingle with the little angels for, what was it, one thousand years and another thousand down in hell." He grimaced. "Your dad said to be careful up there."
"See? He likes you."
"Uh, no. He said I should be careful because if not I will get into trouble and get punished and he might never have the pleasure of punishing me himself."
Cassi pressed her lips together. "Erm, well, he won't see you for two thousand years so I am more than sure he will have calmed down by then." Elliot stared at her. "Er, maybe not… my papa will work on it."
"An awful long time without seeing you." He stated plainly.
"Yes, well. Whose fault is that?" she teased. "Papa said time will fly by in a blink of an eye." She looked back at the stars. "It will be…be as if only a day has gone by." She whispered to herself. "He promised.
Elliot bit his lip, searching his mind for what to say. "Listen, I'll work on it. The, um, love thing and in the meantime, I made you a mixtape." He searched his pocket and reached out his hand.
Cassi let out a loud laugh and pushed her friend, her very good friend, "A tape?" She smiled as she saw a drawn heart next to a particular song. "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us? Elliot, I did not know you could be so…cheesy."
Elliot pushed her to the ground. "Shut up." He stared at her as he sat while she laughed out loud.