🍷Azeriphale 📖

“ You’re a lady? You never told me that. ” She said, smiling as she held the spider. “ Mis’ Spider. There you go, I have changed your name. ” She pet the tiny spider that seemed calm upon her hands. “ You are as lovely as you were handsome, Mis’ ” Sasha said, smiling at the large cold blooded creature.

Azeriphale wasn’t very keen on spiders, though, he could certainly manage. Jasper was the first to open the door for everyone, Azeriphale and Sasha thanking him as they stepped out. “ D'you think that we could get a tank for Mis’?” She asked, Azeriphale nodding. “ Of course, dear. The last thing we would want is for Miss Spider to end up in someone else’s room. Specifically Mr. Crowley and I’s. ” He assured with a bit of an excited, nervous smile.

Jasper was uncertain of the men he was to live with. It had nothing to do with their orientation, but it did have to do with the fact that they were seemingly opposites. It was definitely a bit odd to him.

As everyone piled into the car, the girls getting strapped into the car seats, Jasper just stood there, feeling anxious. He certainly remembered that of the last time he ended up in a foster home. Things were terrible as soon as they were far enough away from the shelter. “ I- I don’t want to go just yet. ” He said, wanting to stay safe for as long as possible. He had seen it all, and, for some reason, he felt he was on the verge of vomiting. Then, his own anxious, heavy breathing manifested itself beside a tree. The boy vomited.

“ oh, dear-” Azeriphale mumbled, looking at Crowley. It was concern that crossed his face. “ Jasper has a sickness, sirs. When he gets nervous or scared, he breathes real heavy and has to be by himself because he can’t breathe. Sometimes he throws up if he’s real nervous. ” Sasha explained, absentmindedly petting her calm spider as she sat in her car seat.

“I think a tank is a wonderful idea,” Crowley replied, cradling Selina carefully in his arms. “We’ll look at YouTube for some suggestions when we get home.” 

He was buckling Selina into her seat and had just started to take care of Sasha (careful to work around the spider) when Jasper started throwing up. “Oh dear.” He knew what that sort of anxiety felt like, but he was also more out of his depth when it came to older children. He looked to Aziraphale. “You want to take care of that, angel?”

“ Yes, I’ve got this, love. ” He replied, walking over. “ Are you alright, Jasper? ” He asked, gently. The boy nodded. Azeriphale made a decision to use a miracle. Placing his hand in his pocket, he pulled out a tiny roll on essential oils blend. “ I understand. It is rather daunting to just go along with whatever a caretaker says… it’s anxiety inducing. ” He explained, his tone still very gentle as he kneeled beside Jasper, who was now looking at him. “ You do?” He asked, hesitantly. Azeriphale nodded. “ Indeed. I’m a rather anxious individual. I often worry about everything. You can confirm that with Mr. Crowley if you’d like. He’ll attest to that. ” He smiled, Jasper nodding a bit. There was no need to miracle a stress stone, seeing as he had already had one in his pocket. “ I always carry this smooth stone. ” He grabbed it, showing the other. “ It helps me relax, to feel grounded when I’m anxious. It is incredibly smooth. ” He handed it to Jasper, who rubbed his thumb upon it with a nod. “ I also have this. It smells absolutely delightful. Though, it has special properties that help with anxiety. Mint, lavander, some extract from certain anxiety relieving plants. ” He explained. Of course, he put some extra miracle inhabiting properties. That way, it would create a placebo. He would think that the properties that were previously there still remained. It was all very quick witted. Or, as long as he kept the same vile, azeriphale could ensure it was always filled.

“ You just rub it behind your ears and upon your wrists. It should take a few minutes, but when you feel it; it will be rather nice. ” He explained, handing it to the boy, who rolled it on in the suggested places. “ It smells nice. ” Jasper commented, Azeriphale nodding. “ I thought the same. ” He added, smiling. Jasper then stood, looking up at a Azeriphale as he stood as well. “ I think I’m ready to go” he said, walking with Azeriphale to the car to sit in between his sisters.

When Jasper got in the car, she took his hand. “All right, Jaz? You smell pretty.”

Jasper smiled fondly. “Yes, Selina, I’m okay. Mr. Fell gave me some smelly oils to calm me down.”

Selina nodded, satisfied, and went back to her biscuits.

“We should be home in about an hour,” Crowley told them. “I hope you like Queen! I forgot to put any of my other CDs in my car.”

“Your car still has a CD player?” Jasper asked, leaning forward to peer at the console. “Those things are, like, ancient history.” The first notes of Bohemian Rhapsody graced the speakers. “Nah, not this one! Play We Will Rock You!”

Azeriphale smiled as he looked into the rear view mirror, reaching for Crowley's hand to hold.

" Do you wear black mail polish so your hands look more girly?" Sasha asked Crowley, pausing the unrhythmic distruction of the back seat.

Azeriphale felt a small chuckle come on, to which he silenced. He looked back at the kids, who were enjoying the music and the snacks.

" Certainly, I don't doubt that's part of it. Right, Mr. Crowley?" He asked, smiling in a smug way towards his lover.

“ You’re a lady? You never told me that. ” She said, smiling as she held the spider. “ Mis’ Spider. There you go, I have changed your name. ” She pet the tiny spider that seemed calm upon her hands. “ You are as lovely as you were handsome, Mis’ ” Sasha said, smiling at the large cold blooded creature.

Azeriphale wasn’t very keen on spiders, though, he could certainly manage. Jasper was the first to open the door for everyone, Azeriphale and Sasha thanking him as they stepped out. “ D'you think that we could get a tank for Mis’?” She asked, Azeriphale nodding. “ Of course, dear. The last thing we would want is for Miss Spider to end up in someone else’s room. Specifically Mr. Crowley and I’s. ” He assured with a bit of an excited, nervous smile.

Jasper was uncertain of the men he was to live with. It had nothing to do with their orientation, but it did have to do with the fact that they were seemingly opposites. It was definitely a bit odd to him.

As everyone piled into the car, the girls getting strapped into the car seats, Jasper just stood there, feeling anxious. He certainly remembered that of the last time he ended up in a foster home. Things were terrible as soon as they were far enough away from the shelter. “ I- I don’t want to go just yet. ” He said, wanting to stay safe for as long as possible. He had seen it all, and, for some reason, he felt he was on the verge of vomiting. Then, his own anxious, heavy breathing manifested itself beside a tree. The boy vomited.

“ oh, dear-” Azeriphale mumbled, looking at Crowley. It was concern that crossed his face. “ Jasper has a sickness, sirs. When he gets nervous or scared, he breathes real heavy and has to be by himself because he can’t breathe. Sometimes he throws up if he’s real nervous. ” Sasha explained, absentmindedly petting her calm spider as she sat in her car seat.

“I think a tank is a wonderful idea,” Crowley replied, cradling Selina carefully in his arms. “We’ll look at YouTube for some suggestions when we get home.” 

He was buckling Selina into her seat and had just started to take care of Sasha (careful to work around the spider) when Jasper started throwing up. “Oh dear.” He knew what that sort of anxiety felt like, but he was also more out of his depth when it came to older children. He looked to Aziraphale. “You want to take care of that, angel?”

" Yes, I've got this, love. " He replied, walking over. " Are you alright, Jasper? " He asked, gently. The boy nodded. Azeriphale made a decision to use a miracle. Placing his hand in his pocket, he pulled out a tiny roll on essential oils blend. " I understand. It is rather daunting to just go along with whatever a caretaker says... it's anxiety inducing. " He explained, his tone still very gentle as he kneeled beside Jasper, who was now looking at him. " You do?" He asked, hesitantly. Azeriphale nodded. " Indeed. I'm a rather anxious individual. I often worry about everything. You can confirm that with Mr. Crowley if you'd like. He'll attest to that. " He smiled, Jasper nodding a bit. There was no need to miracle a stress stone, seeing as he had already had one in his pocket. " I always carry this smooth stone. " He grabbed it, showing the other. " It helps me relax, to feel grounded when I'm anxious. It is incredibly smooth. " He handed it to Jasper, who rubbed his thumb upon it with a nod. " I also have this. It smells absolutely delightful. Though, it has special properties that help with anxiety. Mint, lavander, some extract from certain anxiety relieving plants. " He explained. Of course, he put some extra miracle inhabiting properties. That way, it would create a placebo. He would think that the properties that were previously there still remained. It was all very quick witted. Or, as long as he kept the same vile, azeriphale could ensure it was always filled.

" You just rub it behind your ears and upon your wrists. It should take a few minutes, but when you feel it; it will be rather nice. " He explained, handing it to the boy, who rolled it on in the suggested places. " It smells nice. " Jasper commented, Azeriphale nodding. " I thought the same. " He added, smiling. Jasper then stood, looking up at a Azeriphale as he stood as well. " I think I'm ready to go" he said, walking with Azeriphale to the car to sit in between his sisters.

“ Well, it doesn’t have to be in a church-” Azeriphale then noticed Crowley’s grip on the steering wheel. He was making him anxious. “ This is a conversation for another time, dear. ” He assured, smiling a tad as he placed a gentle hand on Crowley’s shoulder.

“ Well, I do believe that as new foster parents, it will be trial and error. In a book I read, it spoke of making mistakes; it had a simple solution. It happens. Things won’t be perfect, though, they will be whatever we make it. Which, as you’re well aware, we plan to make it as good as possible.” He took Crowley’s free hand, intertwining their fingers gently. “ You and I are doing the right thing. These children need a home. We are giving them a place to truly express themselves safely. Crowley, dear, we are doing the right thing.” He assured, smiling at the other as he drove.

With his own nerves feeling a bit calmer due to the tea and the physical touch of the other, the two soon enough pulled up to the shelter. Outside, on that particularly sunny day, there were children playing while adults supervised. “ Come on, love. Let’s go and get our children. ” Azeriphale smiled as he took a moment to open the passenger side door of the Bentley.

Crowley carefully parked the Bentley, stretching the tense feeling out of his muscles. “Trial and error.” He smiled fondly at Aziraphale, taking the angel’s hand. “Kind of like us, then?” He squeezed his lover’s hand tightly in his own before getting out of the car. “Oh, I suppose we’ll need car seats, won’t we?” He waved his hand over the back of the Bentley and two car seats appeared.

He brushed his hand against Aziraphale’s, then shyly took his hand as they walked past the playing children. It was a nice day, and Crowley smiled fondly at the happiness he could see on the playground. He loved children. Ostensibly, they were easy to tempt and manipulate, little agents of chaos. Really, though, they were fun. They represented the best parts of humanity; curiosity, vivaciousness, and innocence.

Sasha looked up at her brother, an expression of annoyance. “ Please, Jasper. I am trying to feed my pet spider. ” The little girl with the long ginger hair told her brother, holding a large brown spider half of the size of her palm upon her hand. What little Sasha didn’t understand was that spiders didn’t enjoy that of peanut shells and crisps. Though, she always saved some of her dinner and snack for the creepy crawleys that resided upon the corners of the play room.

“ Come on, bring the spider in your dress pocket. ” He told her before she did so, gently slipping the spider into her overall pocket. He took Sasha’s hand, grabbing Selina’s hand with his other. They were off, down the hall to hide in their spot, the dumbwaiter.

Azeriphale’s cheeks flushed slightly still as the two stood before one of the caretaker’s that Crowley had spoken to. “ Hello! It’s lovely to meet you. I’m Azeriphale, I’m certainly you have already met my husband, Crowley?” He asked, the woman nodding.

“ Indeed, i have. ” She smiled, shaking their free hands. “ Well, there isn’t much for us to do other than making copies of your documentation for the files and meeting the children that you’ll be taking home today.” She assured, waving a hand for them to follow. “ Jasper was just in this room-” she said, looking into the lounge area where another girl sat. “ Angelique, where is Jasper?” She asked, the girl shrugging. “ Not sure, I think he might have gone up. ” She told the care taker. She sighed. “ Well, thank you.” She turned to the men. “ They’re hiding. They just… haven’t had great experiences with foster homes. If they act hostile at first, don’t take it personally. They’re just…scared. they like it here, it’s familiar and they trust us. ” She assured, coaxing them to follow once again as she called their names ones again. Then, she remembered that they were probably in the dumbwaiter. Tugging gently on the cord that was attached, she realized that it was safely closed & had some weight on it. Pulling it down slowly, she then heard tiny whispers as it came to a halt.

Crowley, who had been content to follow along with the proceedings thus far and let Aziraphale deal with human niceties (you might think Crowley was an extrovert, but actually, he was an introvert, preferring the emptiness of his own space, or that of Aziraphale’s, to people in general), stepped forward now. He could see another little girl hiding behind Jasper. Like her twin sister, she had red hair, pulled back into messy braids that had probably been done by another child by the look of them. Her eyes were sharp and green like a cat’s.

“Hi,” Crowley leaned down over the top of the dumbwaiter. “You can call me Crowley if you like. And you must be Jasper, Sasha, and Selina. I’ve heard so much about you.” He stretched out his hand for the children to shake each in turn. Jasper took his hand, and Selina poked her head out, smiling.

“I like your glasses,” she said quietly. “Why do you wear them?”

“Oh,” Crowley smiled, “I’ve got very mild cataracts. I can see just fine, but my eyes are very sensitive to light, so I have to wear dark glasses all the time.” He reaches into his pocket, miraculously pulling out a spare pair. “There. You can look at my spare.”

Selina took the glasses, putting them on her face. “Wow,” she said, looking around. “‘S really dark. How do you see?”

Crowley chuckled. “I’ve learned over the years. I’ve had cataracts a long time.” He extended his hand and Selina hopped down.

Jasper slowly climbed out of the dumbwwiter, helping Sasha down.

“ No, I found it in the garden. We aren’t allowed pets, s’ against the rules. ” She explained, the rather large spider crawling into her hand as she placed it in front of view. “ He likes me very much. He always just does whatever I want him to. ” She explained, looking up at Crowley with a smile. Her eyes were that of two different tones, the left much darker than the right eyes blue counterpart. One was a hazel color, the other a little blue.

“Selina’s shy and doesn’t like crowds,” Jasper explained. “Here, I can carry her.”

But Selina has other ideas, wrapping her arms around Crowley’s neck. Jasper held his breath, wondering if Crowley, just like their other caretakers, would brush Selina off, insisting she was old enough to walk.

Azeriphale wasn't very keen on spiders, though, he could certainly manage. Jasper was the first to open the door for everyone, Azeriphale and Sasha thanking him as they stepped out. " D'you think that we could get a tank for Mis'?" She asked, Azeriphale nodding. " Of course, dear. The last thing we would want is for Miss Spider to end up in someone else's room. Specifically Mr. Crowley and I's. " He assured with a bit of an excited, nervous smile.

Jasper was uncertain of the men he was to live with. It had nothing to do with their orientation, but it did have to do with the fact that they were seemingly opposites. It was definitely a bit odd to him.

As everyone piled into the car, the girls getting strapped into the car seats, Jasper just stood there, feeling anxious. He certainly remembered that of the last time he ended up in a foster home. Things were terrible as soon as they were far enough away from the shelter. " I- I don't want to go just yet. " He said, wanting to stay safe for as long as possible. He had seen it all, and, for some reason, he felt he was on the verge of vomiting. Then, his own anxious, heavy breathing manifested itself beside a tree. The boy vomited.

“ Well, it doesn’t have to be in a church-” Azeriphale then noticed Crowley’s grip on the steering wheel. He was making him anxious. “ This is a conversation for another time, dear. ” He assured, smiling a tad as he placed a gentle hand on Crowley’s shoulder.

“ Well, I do believe that as new foster parents, it will be trial and error. In a book I read, it spoke of making mistakes; it had a simple solution. It happens. Things won’t be perfect, though, they will be whatever we make it. Which, as you’re well aware, we plan to make it as good as possible.” He took Crowley’s free hand, intertwining their fingers gently. “ You and I are doing the right thing. These children need a home. We are giving them a place to truly express themselves safely. Crowley, dear, we are doing the right thing.” He assured, smiling at the other as he drove.

With his own nerves feeling a bit calmer due to the tea and the physical touch of the other, the two soon enough pulled up to the shelter. Outside, on that particularly sunny day, there were children playing while adults supervised. “ Come on, love. Let’s go and get our children. ” Azeriphale smiled as he took a moment to open the passenger side door of the Bentley.

Crowley carefully parked the Bentley, stretching the tense feeling out of his muscles. “Trial and error.” He smiled fondly at Aziraphale, taking the angel’s hand. “Kind of like us, then?” He squeezed his lover’s hand tightly in his own before getting out of the car. “Oh, I suppose we’ll need car seats, won’t we?” He waved his hand over the back of the Bentley and two car seats appeared.

He brushed his hand against Aziraphale’s, then shyly took his hand as they walked past the playing children. It was a nice day, and Crowley smiled fondly at the happiness he could see on the playground. He loved children. Ostensibly, they were easy to tempt and manipulate, little agents of chaos. Really, though, they were fun. They represented the best parts of humanity; curiosity, vivaciousness, and innocence.

Sasha looked up at her brother, an expression of annoyance. “ Please, Jasper. I am trying to feed my pet spider. ” The little girl with the long ginger hair told her brother, holding a large brown spider half of the size of her palm upon her hand. What little Sasha didn’t understand was that spiders didn’t enjoy that of peanut shells and crisps. Though, she always saved some of her dinner and snack for the creepy crawleys that resided upon the corners of the play room.

“ Come on, bring the spider in your dress pocket. ” He told her before she did so, gently slipping the spider into her overall pocket. He took Sasha’s hand, grabbing Selina’s hand with his other. They were off, down the hall to hide in their spot, the dumbwaiter.

Azeriphale’s cheeks flushed slightly still as the two stood before one of the caretaker’s that Crowley had spoken to. “ Hello! It’s lovely to meet you. I’m Azeriphale, I’m certainly you have already met my husband, Crowley?” He asked, the woman nodding.

“ Indeed, i have. ” She smiled, shaking their free hands. “ Well, there isn’t much for us to do other than making copies of your documentation for the files and meeting the children that you’ll be taking home today.” She assured, waving a hand for them to follow. “ Jasper was just in this room-” she said, looking into the lounge area where another girl sat. “ Angelique, where is Jasper?” She asked, the girl shrugging. “ Not sure, I think he might have gone up. ” She told the care taker. She sighed. “ Well, thank you.” She turned to the men. “ They’re hiding. They just… haven’t had great experiences with foster homes. If they act hostile at first, don’t take it personally. They’re just…scared. they like it here, it’s familiar and they trust us. ” She assured, coaxing them to follow once again as she called their names ones again. Then, she remembered that they were probably in the dumbwaiter. Tugging gently on the cord that was attached, she realized that it was safely closed & had some weight on it. Pulling it down slowly, she then heard tiny whispers as it came to a halt.

Crowley, who had been content to follow along with the proceedings thus far and let Aziraphale deal with human niceties (you might think Crowley was an extrovert, but actually, he was an introvert, preferring the emptiness of his own space, or that of Aziraphale’s, to people in general), stepped forward now. He could see another little girl hiding behind Jasper. Like her twin sister, she had red hair, pulled back into messy braids that had probably been done by another child by the look of them. Her eyes were sharp and green like a cat’s.

“Hi,” Crowley leaned down over the top of the dumbwaiter. “You can call me Crowley if you like. And you must be Jasper, Sasha, and Selina. I’ve heard so much about you.” He stretched out his hand for the children to shake each in turn. Jasper took his hand, and Selina poked her head out, smiling.

“I like your glasses,” she said quietly. “Why do you wear them?”

“Oh,” Crowley smiled, “I’ve got very mild cataracts. I can see just fine, but my eyes are very sensitive to light, so I have to wear dark glasses all the time.” He reaches into his pocket, miraculously pulling out a spare pair. “There. You can look at my spare.”

Selina took the glasses, putting them on her face. “Wow,” she said, looking around. “‘S really dark. How do you see?”

Crowley chuckled. “I’ve learned over the years. I’ve had cataracts a long time.” He extended his hand and Selina hopped down.

Jasper slowly climbed out of the dumbwwiter, helping Sasha down.

" No, I found it in the garden. We aren't allowed pets, s' against the rules. " She explained, the rather large spider crawling into her hand as she placed it in front of view. " He likes me very much. He always just does whatever I want him to. " She explained, looking up at Crowley with a smile. Her eyes were that of two different tones, the left much darker than the right eyes blue counterpart. One was a hazel color, the other a little blue.

“ Well, it doesn’t have to be in a church-” Azeriphale then noticed Crowley’s grip on the steering wheel. He was making him anxious. “ This is a conversation for another time, dear. ” He assured, smiling a tad as he placed a gentle hand on Crowley’s shoulder.

“ Well, I do believe that as new foster parents, it will be trial and error. In a book I read, it spoke of making mistakes; it had a simple solution. It happens. Things won’t be perfect, though, they will be whatever we make it. Which, as you’re well aware, we plan to make it as good as possible.” He took Crowley’s free hand, intertwining their fingers gently. “ You and I are doing the right thing. These children need a home. We are giving them a place to truly express themselves safely. Crowley, dear, we are doing the right thing.” He assured, smiling at the other as he drove.

With his own nerves feeling a bit calmer due to the tea and the physical touch of the other, the two soon enough pulled up to the shelter. Outside, on that particularly sunny day, there were children playing while adults supervised. “ Come on, love. Let’s go and get our children. ” Azeriphale smiled as he took a moment to open the passenger side door of the Bentley.

Crowley carefully parked the Bentley, stretching the tense feeling out of his muscles. “Trial and error.” He smiled fondly at Aziraphale, taking the angel’s hand. “Kind of like us, then?” He squeezed his lover’s hand tightly in his own before getting out of the car. “Oh, I suppose we’ll need car seats, won’t we?” He waved his hand over the back of the Bentley and two car seats appeared.

He brushed his hand against Aziraphale’s, then shyly took his hand as they walked past the playing children. It was a nice day, and Crowley smiled fondly at the happiness he could see on the playground. He loved children. Ostensibly, they were easy to tempt and manipulate, little agents of chaos. Really, though, they were fun. They represented the best parts of humanity; curiosity, vivaciousness, and innocence.

Sasha looked up at her brother, an expression of annoyance. " Please, Jasper. I am trying to feed my pet spider. " The little girl with the long ginger hair told her brother, holding a large brown spider half of the size of her palm upon her hand. What little Sasha didn't understand was that spiders didn't enjoy that of peanut shells and crisps. Though, she always saved some of her dinner and snack for the creepy crawleys that resided upon the corners of the play room.

" Come on, bring the spider in your dress pocket. " He told her before she did so, gently slipping the spider into her overall pocket. He took Sasha's hand, grabbing Selina's hand with his other. They were off, down the hall to hide in their spot, the dumbwaiter.

Azeriphale's cheeks flushed slightly still as the two stood before one of the caretaker's that Crowley had spoken to. " Hello! It's lovely to meet you. I'm Azeriphale, I'm certainly you have already met my husband, Crowley?" He asked, the woman nodding.

" Indeed, i have. " She smiled, shaking their free hands. " Well, there isn't much for us to do other than making copies of your documentation for the files and meeting the children that you'll be taking home today." She assured, waving a hand for them to follow. " Jasper was just in this room-" she said, looking into the lounge area where another girl sat. " Angelique, where is Jasper?" She asked, the girl shrugging. " Not sure, I think he might have gone up. " She told the care taker. She sighed. " Well, thank you." She turned to the men. " They're hiding. They just... haven't had great experiences with foster homes. If they act hostile at first, don't take it personally. They're just...scared. they like it here, it's familiar and they trust us. " She assured, coaxing them to follow once again as she called their names ones again. Then, she remembered that they were probably in the dumbwaiter. Tugging gently on the cord that was attached, she realized that it was safely closed & had some weight on it. Pulling it down slowly, she then heard tiny whispers as it came to a halt.

@celestialnovella

The move to the South Downs was all rather sudden, even for Crowley, who liked to move fast. But there were some things that felt more satisfying if done the human way, and real estate shopping was one of them. Crowley had organically bought his flats and houses over the years, so when he saw the perfect mid-size cottage, he snapped it up immediately.

At first, he wondered what they’d do with all the space. There were a lot of extra rooms, after all, and he and Aziraphale only needed so much space, especially because he now had a spacious backyard to care for, and had his houseplants spread tastefully throughout their shared home. 

Shared home. He was in a relationship with Aziraphale. It was weird and new and scary, and not at all helped along by Crowley deciding that he would really like to be a foster parent.

He’d been prepping endlessly for weeks for the first kids to come; twin girls, age four, and a boy, age 13. Siblings, so that was easy enough. He wanted to make things cozy for them, make them feel at home, even if that home ended up being temporary.

He knew that his boyfriend- or whatever they considered one another at that point- was rather excited for the two girls- fraternal twins with completely opposite personalities. In regards to tiny people, the age of eight and younger, Azeriphale truly wasn’t very good at the whole ’ relation ’ thing. Though, he was rather good with children aged nine and elder. They would certainly make things work between the two.

“Oh, yes!” He snapped his fingers, and the paperwork appeared in his hand. They’d have to be careful with miracles and their topics of discussion from now on, so he was fully intending to get as much use out of his powers now, while he still could use them freely. “Let’s get a move on, angel! Don’t want to be late!” Though, Aziraphale being in the kitchen gave him a thought.

There was silence for a bit as they drove. Crowley was mostly thinking about how the children would handle this situation. Their parents were under some sort of abuse investigation, so it was possible they’d have to return to them. He wasn’t sure what to expect; he just had to hope the children felt safe with them.

“ You told them that- w-well, that’s quite alright, but we have no marriage certificate. How are we to prove that to the social worker?” Azeriphale questioned, brows knitted together with genuine concern. “ Oh- sometimes I completely forget that we can miracle things into existence. One moment. ”

“ Why, thank you. I believe you have a rather good knack for color selection and decór. Though, I suppose that is no surprise. You have always had an eye for such things. ” He complimented, smiling at the rather nice conversation that the two were having.

As they got closer and closer, Azeriphale began feeling a tightening knot of anxiety start to take form. To sooth such a feeling, the angel usually drank tea. Though, he didn’t want to obnoxiously miracle himself a pot. So, the only reasonable explanation was a mug with endless peppermint tea. Or, until he felt he was to be alright.

He nodded absently at Aziraphale’s compliment. Interior decorating, he knew how to do. He did have a knack for color palettes and furniture (usually of the expensive type, but when you’ve been alive for 6000 years, money is no obiect), and he knew how to set up rooms to give them the most promise. He didn’t know how to live in rooms, per se, but…he was learning.

" Well, I do believe that as new foster parents, it will be trial and error. In a book I read, it spoke of making mistakes; it had a simple solution. It happens. Things won't be perfect, though, they will be whatever we make it. Which, as you're well aware, we plan to make it as good as possible." He took Crowley's free hand, intertwining their fingers gently. " You and I are doing the right thing. These children need a home. We are giving them a place to truly express themselves safely. Crowley, dear, we are doing the right thing." He assured, smiling at the other as he drove.

@celestialnovella

The move to the South Downs was all rather sudden, even for Crowley, who liked to move fast. But there were some things that felt more satisfying if done the human way, and real estate shopping was one of them. Crowley had organically bought his flats and houses over the years, so when he saw the perfect mid-size cottage, he snapped it up immediately.

At first, he wondered what they’d do with all the space. There were a lot of extra rooms, after all, and he and Aziraphale only needed so much space, especially because he now had a spacious backyard to care for, and had his houseplants spread tastefully throughout their shared home. 

Shared home. He was in a relationship with Aziraphale. It was weird and new and scary, and not at all helped along by Crowley deciding that he would really like to be a foster parent.

He’d been prepping endlessly for weeks for the first kids to come; twin girls, age four, and a boy, age 13. Siblings, so that was easy enough. He wanted to make things cozy for them, make them feel at home, even if that home ended up being temporary.

He knew that his boyfriend- or whatever they considered one another at that point- was rather excited for the two girls- fraternal twins with completely opposite personalities. In regards to tiny people, the age of eight and younger, Azeriphale truly wasn’t very good at the whole ’ relation ’ thing. Though, he was rather good with children aged nine and elder. They would certainly make things work between the two.

“Oh, yes!” He snapped his fingers, and the paperwork appeared in his hand. They’d have to be careful with miracles and their topics of discussion from now on, so he was fully intending to get as much use out of his powers now, while he still could use them freely. “Let’s get a move on, angel! Don’t want to be late!” Though, Aziraphale being in the kitchen gave him a thought.

There was silence for a bit as they drove. Crowley was mostly thinking about how the children would handle this situation. Their parents were under some sort of abuse investigation, so it was possible they’d have to return to them. He wasn’t sure what to expect; he just had to hope the children felt safe with them.

“ You told them that- w-well, that’s quite alright, but we have no marriage certificate. How are we to prove that to the social worker?” Azeriphale questioned, brows knitted together with genuine concern. “ Oh- sometimes I completely forget that we can miracle things into existence. One moment. ”

" Why, thank you. I believe you have a rather good knack for color selection and decór. Though, I suppose that is no surprise. You have always had an eye for such things. " He complimented, smiling at the rather nice conversation that the two were having.

As they got closer and closer, Azeriphale began feeling a tightening knot of anxiety start to take form. To sooth such a feeling, the angel usually drank tea. Though, he didn't want to obnoxiously miracle himself a pot. So, the only reasonable explanation was a mug with endless peppermint tea. Or, until he felt he was to be alright.

@celestialnovella

The move to the South Downs was all rather sudden, even for Crowley, who liked to move fast. But there were some things that felt more satisfying if done the human way, and real estate shopping was one of them. Crowley had organically bought his flats and houses over the years, so when he saw the perfect mid-size cottage, he snapped it up immediately.

At first, he wondered what they’d do with all the space. There were a lot of extra rooms, after all, and he and Aziraphale only needed so much space, especially because he now had a spacious backyard to care for, and had his houseplants spread tastefully throughout their shared home. 

Shared home. He was in a relationship with Aziraphale. It was weird and new and scary, and not at all helped along by Crowley deciding that he would really like to be a foster parent.

He’d been prepping endlessly for weeks for the first kids to come; twin girls, age four, and a boy, age 13. Siblings, so that was easy enough. He wanted to make things cozy for them, make them feel at home, even if that home ended up being temporary.

He knew that his boyfriend- or whatever they considered one another at that point- was rather excited for the two girls- fraternal twins with completely opposite personalities. In regards to tiny people, the age of eight and younger, Azeriphale truly wasn’t very good at the whole ’ relation ’ thing. Though, he was rather good with children aged nine and elder. They would certainly make things work between the two.

“Oh, yes!” He snapped his fingers, and the paperwork appeared in his hand. They’d have to be careful with miracles and their topics of discussion from now on, so he was fully intending to get as much use out of his powers now, while he still could use them freely. “Let’s get a move on, angel! Don’t want to be late!” Though, Aziraphale being in the kitchen gave him a thought.

There was silence for a bit as they drove. Crowley was mostly thinking about how the children would handle this situation. Their parents were under some sort of abuse investigation, so it was possible they’d have to return to them. He wasn’t sure what to expect; he just had to hope the children felt safe with them.

" You told them that- w-well, that's quite alright, but we have no marriage certificate. How are we to prove that to the social worker?" Azeriphale questioned, brows knitted together with genuine concern. " Oh- sometimes I completely forget that we can miracle things into existence. One moment. "

@celestialnovella

The move to the South Downs was all rather sudden, even for Crowley, who liked to move fast. But there were some things that felt more satisfying if done the human way, and real estate shopping was one of them. Crowley had organically bought his flats and houses over the years, so when he saw the perfect mid-size cottage, he snapped it up immediately.

At first, he wondered what they’d do with all the space. There were a lot of extra rooms, after all, and he and Aziraphale only needed so much space, especially because he now had a spacious backyard to care for, and had his houseplants spread tastefully throughout their shared home. 

Shared home. He was in a relationship with Aziraphale. It was weird and new and scary, and not at all helped along by Crowley deciding that he would really like to be a foster parent.

He’d been prepping endlessly for weeks for the first kids to come; twin girls, age four, and a boy, age 13. Siblings, so that was easy enough. He wanted to make things cozy for them, make them feel at home, even if that home ended up being temporary.

He knew that his boyfriend- or whatever they considered one another at that point- was rather excited for the two girls- fraternal twins with completely opposite personalities. In regards to tiny people, the age of eight and younger, Azeriphale truly wasn’t very good at the whole ’ relation ’ thing. Though, he was rather good with children aged nine and elder. They would certainly make things work between the two.

“Oh, yes!” He snapped his fingers, and the paperwork appeared in his hand. They’d have to be careful with miracles and their topics of discussion from now on, so he was fully intending to get as much use out of his powers now, while he still could use them freely. “Let’s get a move on, angel! Don’t want to be late!” Though, Aziraphale being in the kitchen gave him a thought.

@celestialnovella

The move to the South Downs was all rather sudden, even for Crowley, who liked to move fast. But there were some things that felt more satisfying if done the human way, and real estate shopping was one of them. Crowley had organically bought his flats and houses over the years, so when he saw the perfect mid-size cottage, he snapped it up immediately.

At first, he wondered what they’d do with all the space. There were a lot of extra rooms, after all, and he and Aziraphale only needed so much space, especially because he now had a spacious backyard to care for, and had his houseplants spread tastefully throughout their shared home. 

Shared home. He was in a relationship with Aziraphale. It was weird and new and scary, and not at all helped along by Crowley deciding that he would really like to be a foster parent.

He’d been prepping endlessly for weeks for the first kids to come; twin girls, age four, and a boy, age 13. Siblings, so that was easy enough. He wanted to make things cozy for them, make them feel at home, even if that home ended up being temporary.

He knew that his boyfriend- or whatever they considered one another at that point- was rather excited for the two girls- fraternal twins with completely opposite personalities. In regards to tiny people, the age of eight and younger, Azeriphale truly wasn't very good at the whole ' relation ' thing. Though, he was rather good with children aged nine and elder. They would certainly make things work between the two.

@celestialnovella

The fact that Anthony Crowley was not a morning person made him question why on earth he had ever decided to become a professor just about daily when school was in session, right on time with his alarm. And, just as every morning, right on time with his alarm, he groaned and turned it off before proceeding to try to bury himself deeper into the sleep warmed blankets. “They should move my intro class and make it a night class. Morning class didn’t discourage anyone from joining, might as well make the class decent for me.” He grumbled, though he knew he would either get the same reaction he usually did from his partner or he would get no reaction, as it was a very common complaint of his.

“ Oh, pish posh, my love. You know that the university wouldn’t allow you to have all of your classes in the afternoon /and/ evening. It’s no fair to those of us who are forced to get out of bed with sun up. ” Azeriphale commented, allowing the other to wrap his arms around him. They faced one another, still tangled within the duvet and sheets. A smile spread across the man’s face. He truly did love his husband.

@celestialnovella

The fact that Anthony Crowley was not a morning person made him question why on earth he had ever decided to become a professor just about daily when school was in session, right on time with his alarm. And, just as every morning, right on time with his alarm, he groaned and turned it off before proceeding to try to bury himself deeper into the sleep warmed blankets. “They should move my intro class and make it a night class. Morning class didn’t discourage anyone from joining, might as well make the class decent for me.” He grumbled, though he knew he would either get the same reaction he usually did from his partner or he would get no reaction, as it was a very common complaint of his.

“ Oh, pish posh, my love. You know that the university wouldn’t allow you to have all of your classes in the afternoon /and/ evening. It’s no fair to those of us who are forced to get out of bed with sun up. ” Azeriphale commented, allowing the other to wrap his arms around him. They faced one another, still tangled within the duvet and sheets. A smile spread across the man’s face. He truly did love his husband.

And yet…

He couldn’t bring himself to look into Crowley’s eyes any longer. He felt it wasn’t safe to fall any deeper than he had already managed to be. It would prove hazardous. “ I’m glad it’s of help, I thought it would be; though I wasn’t sure. ” Azeriphale smiled a bit, placing the small flower back into the water.

He didn’t know whether he wanted to milk the attention for everything it was worth, or be polite in the face of the angel’s kindness, hoping to pull out these memories the next time Aziraphale was cruel to him. Do you care for me as deeply as I do for you? He thought. I wonder, angel, if you know just how much I love you. His heart ached to think of it.

Moments later, Azeriphale was helping his demon counterpart out of the tub. Making his way to the other room, he set down a towel on the bed, placing Crowley on it in a careful matter. Then, he miracled himself a second towel, helping the other dry off, in a gentle manner.

The red locks on Crowley’s brow made Azeriphale feel incompetent to truly help. How could he? They were soft and beautiful. He felt it was a distraction of the main goal.

“ You do feel rather cold. Let me find you something to wear and then we’ll get you under this duvet, nice and snug, hm? ” Within another moment or so, Azeriphale left to only come back with a pair of blue briefs and a grey tee shirt “ He has quite the surplus of guest amenities. I was rather surprised to find an array. ” The blonde commented, helping the other dress just as carefully as he had dried him.

As Aziraphale dried him off with the towel, he sighed, leaning into the treatment. “Think this is the first time you’ve actually touched me in 6000 years,” he murmured. “‘S nice.”

He helped Aziraphale dress him and curled up under the covers with a sigh, eyelids already drooping. Angels and demons didn’t need to sleep, but a body got into habits. Crowley was going to fall asleep quite quickly. Well, it had been an exhausting day, after all.

Then, there stood the second question. It saturated the air between them in sheer density. It was a question that had been asked before, more or less. Centuries upon centuries, Crowley has been asking Azeriphale such a question. Previously, the angel would have made an excuse. He feared being too close, becoming romantically involved in one way or another. There was no possible way that he could do that, now. The other needed him. He had to push fear aside and allow his heart a chance to make the choice.

" I will wake you in the morning, Crowley. Do not worry about that. You must rest." That was it, the confirmation that would bind the promise. If broken, Azeriphale would, more than likely, break Crowley's heart.

@celestialnovella

The fact that Anthony Crowley was not a morning person made him question why on earth he had ever decided to become a professor just about daily when school was in session, right on time with his alarm. And, just as every morning, right on time with his alarm, he groaned and turned it off before proceeding to try to bury himself deeper into the sleep warmed blankets. “They should move my intro class and make it a night class. Morning class didn’t discourage anyone from joining, might as well make the class decent for me.” He grumbled, though he knew he would either get the same reaction he usually did from his partner or he would get no reaction, as it was a very common complaint of his.

“ Oh, pish posh, my love. You know that the university wouldn’t allow you to have all of your classes in the afternoon /and/ evening. It’s no fair to those of us who are forced to get out of bed with sun up. ” Azeriphale commented, allowing the other to wrap his arms around him. They faced one another, still tangled within the duvet and sheets. A smile spread across the man’s face. He truly did love his husband.

@celestialnovella

The fact that Anthony Crowley was not a morning person made him question why on earth he had ever decided to become a professor just about daily when school was in session, right on time with his alarm. And, just as every morning, right on time with his alarm, he groaned and turned it off before proceeding to try to bury himself deeper into the sleep warmed blankets. “They should move my intro class and make it a night class. Morning class didn’t discourage anyone from joining, might as well make the class decent for me.” He grumbled, though he knew he would either get the same reaction he usually did from his partner or he would get no reaction, as it was a very common complaint of his.

“ Oh, pish posh, my love. You know that the university wouldn’t allow you to have all of your classes in the afternoon /and/ evening. It’s no fair to those of us who are forced to get out of bed with sun up. ” Azeriphale commented, allowing the other to wrap his arms around him. They faced one another, still tangled within the duvet and sheets. A smile spread across the man’s face. He truly did love his husband.