Elysium Leo

(Yay another chapter finally! Been plucking away at this in between all the things I've been handling IRL so It's fun to finally upload a new one. Thank you everyone for joining me on this little romantic adventure. Onto the chapter! Kudos to @goodomensafterdark for putting up with my nonsense. Extra kudos to @daneecastle for the AMAZING cover art! And huge thank you to @ireallyneedmoretea for the wonderful beta work! Thank you both so much for helping me out!)

The Long Road to You

By: ElysiumLeo

Rating: E

CW for story (additional warnings will be placed in notes as we progress): Alternate Universe - Human/Road Trip, Road Trip Across America, Crowley is from Chicago, Aziraphale is a British Anthropology Professor, Fear of Flying, Grief/Mourning, Trauma Recovery, Second Chances, Found Family, Disabled Crowley/Crowley has POTS, Crowley Whump, Aziraphale Has An Anxiety Disorder, Bentley the Service Dog, Meet-Ugly, Strangers to Friends to Lovers, Smut Tags (please heed them), Slow Burn Romance, Fluff and Humor, Humor as a Coping Mechanism, Emotional Hurt/Comfort

Summary:

Aziraphale Ffaelen wanted one thing in life: to survive a miserable transatlantic flight, drag his cheating fiancé back to London, and salvage the “happily-ever-after” he thought he was meant to endure.

What he got was Tony Crowley — a smart-mouthed Chicago redhead with a stolen diamond, a loyal service dog, and a talent for turning disaster into something strangely charming.

With no cash, half a tank of gas, and two thousand miles of wrong turns and revelations ahead, Aziraphale will need to choose between clinging to a past he’s always known or embracing the uncertain road toward change — and perhaps, the unexpected love of a man who teaches him that letting go might be the only way to truly live.

Chapter Excerpt:

Realising that the man was in need of a little trust to open up, Crowley decided to just let his seat partner come to terms with that reality on his own and make the first step. That might be the only way to rectify their tense positions at all. 

So with a shrug, Crowley looked away once again, carefully looking down at his phone as he pretended to read, just to give the illusion of distance and open that door a little wider. 

Sure enough, just as Crowley counted down from ten in his head, he heard it when the man suddenly sighed heavily and finally turned to face him as he spoke. 

“Alright, I suppose I did have a question for you, after all,” the blond finally said as the words tumbled out of him—lest he chicken out at the last possible second. Taking the opening for what it was, Crowley casually looked up from his phone as he offered him a small smile. 

To his delight, the stranger relaxed at that smile, his own lips turning up in a sheepish curve as he scrubbed his fingers nervously over his bearded chin. “About earlier, that is. I hope it isn’t too much to pry a little further.”

“I had a feeling that’s where you were going with all that wind-up,” Crowley said easily, adjusting in his seat slightly to face him head-on. “I’ll answer whatever questions you want, but first, I have one of my own. Are you ever going to tell me what your name is, or am I just going to keep calling you every British stereotype I can think of for the rest of the flight? If we’re stuck together for four more hours, it might feel a little less awkward. Or if you’re not too keen on that, I can use other nicknames like… pookie, or cupcake, or… angel?”

Tickled pink by the idea of teasing the man next to him with those sappy monikers, Crowley couldn’t help but feel entirely amused when the stranger suddenly flushed deep red at the last nickname. 

‘Oh that’s interesting… I wasn’t expecting him to actually like that,’ Crowley thought to himself, as he patiently waited for the man to splutter through the nerves.

Get yer hot, fresh chapter here!:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/77772771/chapters/211048421

Start from the beginning? Click here, traveler!:

(Hello all, I am back with a new chapter at long last. I'm so sorry for the delay, I've been dealing with a lot on my plate, and recently been handling medical issues that we still don't have an answer for. I've not abandoned the story, but it's taking me a little longer to write the chapters than I wanted, so I appreciate your patience and support! Anyway, not many notes here, we're jus gonna jump right in and get to the good stuff! The world continues to turn in Aziraphale and Crowley's life. Will it be kind to them? Thank you to @goodomensafterdark, @she-makes-things for beta, and @gleafer for the gorgeous art!)

Lay Thee Sinner, Neath The Cross and Pole

By ElysiumLeo

Rating: E

Story CW: Age Gap Romance, Priest/Stripper Romantic Affair, Trauma Healing, Religious Trauma, Relationship Trauma, Smut (a lot of smut), Pole Dancer AU, Priest AU, Human AU, Younger Crowley, Older Aziraphale, Priest Aziraphale, Stripper Crowley, "The Arrangement" (But it's all smut), Non-Binary Crowley, Crowley has Chronic Pain, Surprise Cameos, THIS STORY HAS A SOUNDTRACK!

CW for chapter: Heed the AO3 notes and tags, it's pure sacrilege this chapter

Summary:

Aziraphale questioned how he got to this point in his life. With a quick mental check, he realised that there were four uncomfortable truths he had to come to terms with in very quick succession:

1. He was 50 years old, and had never done anything as insane as this in his quiet, celibate life.

2. There was a pretty obvious reason why he'd reluctantly chosen a career as a priest.

3. He didn’t particularly hate the fact that his bastard friend thought a strip club was a good idea to celebrate his Golden Birthday.

4. He might be irrevocably in love with the half naked, 30-something red-head currently giving him a lap dance in the middle of said strip club.

Chapter Excerpt:

“Almost. I want you to meet me somewhere. A bar, more exactly,” Crowley replied. He sounded almost hesitant as he spoke now, as if he were nervously excited to reveal the true nature of their night out together. “And… I want you to officially meet my friends. I know you’ve run into all of them at the Needle as a client, but… I think it’s time we told them the truth about our new partnership. I trust them with my very life, and it would be incredibly important to me to finally reveal the truth to them.” Crowley then paused, his voice soft as if he expected Aziraphale to say no. “Please.”

Goodness, how could Aziraphale ever say no to such a plaintive, little plea? Hearing the hope in Crowley’s voice, Aziraphale’s heart clutched with adoration. While the very idea of revealing his new position in Crowley’s life to such important people did give him pause, he knew without a doubt that he would do anything to make Crowley happy. If that meant meeting his friends on even ground, even facing backlash for their drastic age difference and possible shame for his own place in life, then so be it. 

Besides, he had some faith that Crowley’s friends would be just as welcoming, loving, and accepting as Crowley was. Somehow, these near-strangers just seemed like the types that would welcome Azirpahale’s oddity with open arms, simply because they loved Crowley just as much. 

Surely, it was a far cry from his own lived experiences and the judgemental eyes and hearts he’d cowered to for long enough in his life. 

As the truth settled in his thoughts, Aziraphale relaxed with a reassuring chuckle. Clearly, it was fortuitous that he’d chosen to dress more casually that day, rather than risking questions by having to return to the rectory to change. And as the thrill of the unknown waiting for him that night loomed in his heart, that wild rebellion forming in his growing heart began to beat a drum of excitement in his chest as he finally spoke at last. 

“Absolutely, my dear. I’m looking forward to officially meeting your loved ones at long last.”

Newest Chapter Here, my loves!

Start from the beginning? Click here, Traveler!!!!

(I’ve returned with a new chapter! Life’s been a bit chaotic lately, so this one came together in pieces — thank you so much for your patience. I’m really excited to finally share the next part of the journey. What sort of trouble will these two get into now, you wonder. Read on to find out! Thank you @goodomensafterdark, @ireallyneedmoretea for beta, and @daneecastle for the amazing cover art!)

The Long Road to You

By: ElysiumLeo

Rating: E

CW for story (additional warnings will be placed in notes as we progress): Alternate Universe - Human/Road Trip, Road Trip Across America, Crowley is from Chicago, Aziraphale is a British Anthropology Professor, Fear of Flying, Grief/Mourning, Trauma Recovery, Second Chances, Found Family, Disabled Crowley/Crowley has POTS, Crowley Whump, Aziraphale Has An Anxiety Disorder, Bentley the Service Dog, Meet-Ugly, Strangers to Friends to Lovers, Smut Tags (please heed them), Slow Burn Romance, Fluff and Humor, Humor as a Coping Mechanism, Emotional Hurt/Comfort

Summary:

Aziraphale Ffaelen wanted one thing in life: to survive a miserable transatlantic flight, drag his cheating fiancé back to London, and salvage the “happily-ever-after” he thought he was meant to endure.

What he got was Tony Crowley — a smart-mouthed Chicago redhead with a stolen diamond, a loyal service dog, and a talent for turning disaster into something strangely charming.

With no cash, half a tank of gas, and two thousand miles of wrong turns and revelations ahead, Aziraphale will need to choose between clinging to a past he’s always known or embracing the uncertain road toward change — and perhaps, the unexpected love of a man who teaches him that letting go might be the only way to truly live.

Ch. 3 Excerpt:

“Okay, I gotta ask, are you one of those?” Crowley inquired, raising that eyebrow again as he stared into Aziraphale’s eyes.

“One of… t-those? I’m sorry I don't know—” Aziraphale started, momentarily distracted by the random question before he was interrupted again.

“Hey—no, it’s fine if you are. Some people get airsick. I just… don’t handle it great. So if you’re a puker, give me a warning and I’ll turn away or something. Hell, I’ll tie myself to the wing if it helps. Just—heads up, yeah?”

Blinking in utter shock at the question, Aziraphale stared at Crowley, his eyes wide and his attention drawn away from the rumble of the plane beneath him as he turned his attention fully on Crowley for the time being. “What? What on earth kind of question is that?” he quickly demanded as he felt his face flushing red.

Crowley laughed in response, grinning at Aziraphale as he crowded into his space to talk into his ear over the plane engines. “C’mon it’s not that big of a leap in logic. You’re practically vibrating out of your seat, so yeah, it seemed like a reasonable ask. To be honest, I’m kind of impressed to see you facing your fears as it is, since you’re not exactly the type of person to do that so… good for you, I guess I misjudged you after all.”

“What the hell are you blathering on about?” Aziraphale demanded, feeling his cheeks heating up for a very different reason now. The nerve of this man to speak so candidly to him, as if he knew anything about Aziraphale, to assume something so ridiculous. “You don’t even know me, what do you mean ‘the type’? What type is that?”

Raising his hands in a mockery of surrender, Crowley grinned as he leaned back in his seat, his attention already drifting as he casually petted the dog seated between his legs.

As if he’d grown bored of talking to him after saying something so incredibly rude!

“Ah it’s nothing, don’t worry about it. You’re probably right, and I have no idea what I’m talking about.”

“Oh no, you don't just say something like that to a complete stranger and then pretend it’s not important,” Aziraphale snapped, now feeling utterly heated with Crowley’s attitude. The nerve of him—typical American, he thought to himself with a scowl. “Now you’re going to explain yourself. What do you mean by ‘type’?”

“You really wanna know, huh?” Crowley asked, glancing sidelong at Aziraphale. When Aziraphale only offered him a sharp glare, Crowley grinned as he winked at him. “Alright, you asked..."

Are the boys fighting again? Check out the chapter to find out!

(Hellooo, readers, I have returned from the abyss! And I have returned bearing a new gift: A BRAND NEW STORY!!! *streamers and confetti* 🎉🎉 I’m still working on updating Lay Thee Sinner (the start of the new year was a bit chaotic for me), and I’ll be posting a new chapter of that soon. In the meantime, I’m very pleased to start sharing this story as well. It’s a lighter affair than my previous work—though if you know me at all, there will still be tense, emotional rollercoaster feels, because my drama-bone cannot be contained. Is it a rom-com? Is it an emotional study on grief and letting go of one’s past? Is there an adorable, hard-working service dog named Bentley? Are the lads being idiots about love again? You bet!!

Kudos to @goodomensafterdark for putting up with my nonsense. Extra kudos to @daneecastle for the AMAZING cover art! And huge thank you to @ireallyneedmoretea for the wonderful beta work! Thank you both so much for helping me out!)

The Long Road to You

By: ElysiumLeo

Rating: E

CW for story (additional warnings will be placed in notes as we progress): Alternate Universe - Human/Road Trip, Road Trip Across America, Crowley is from Chicago, Aziraphale is a British Anthropology Professor, Fear of Flying, Grief/Mourning, Trauma Recovery, Second Chances, Found Family, Disabled Crowley/Crowley has POTS, Crowley Whump, Aziraphale Has An Anxiety Disorder, Bentley the Service Dog, Meet-Ugly, Strangers to Friends to Lovers, Smut Tags (please heed them), Slow Burn Romance, Fluff and Humor, Humor as a Coping Mechanism, Emotional Hurt/Comfort

Summary:

Aziraphale Ffaelen wanted one thing in life: to survive a miserable transatlantic flight, drag his cheating fiancé back to London, and salvage the “happily-ever-after” he thought he was meant to endure.

What he got was Tony Crowley — a smart-mouthed Chicago redhead with a stolen diamond, a loyal service dog, and a talent for turning disaster into something strangely charming.

With no cash, half a tank of gas, and two thousand miles of wrong turns and revelations ahead, Aziraphale will need to choose between clinging to a past he’s always known or embracing the uncertain road toward change — and perhaps, the unexpected love of a man who teaches him that letting go might be the only way to truly live.

Ch. 1 Excerpt to Start:

Exhausted by the whole conversation, Aziraphale didn’t move from his spot, his eyes drifting shut as he reached up to touch the locket around his throat with a frown. 

Well… there was no getting out of it. As much as he despised the idea of spending a dinner with Gabriel’s colleagues, he’d already disappointed his fiancé enough for one day. The least he could do, especially after denying the incessant requests to ‘just get over his phobia and get on a plane’, was to play nice with Gabriel’s friends for one night. 

Sure, he may not get along with any of them. He barely understood anything they blathered on about when it came to marketing finances and commerce. But for Gabriel he could at least suck it up and act the benevolent partner he had been raised to be by his parents. 

Even if he did ignore Gabriel's request to shave the beard he'd grown to love over the past year—he had standards, after all.

‘After all, what’s the worst that could happen?’ Aziraphale thought to himself as he closed his eyes, fist tightly curled around his locket as he began to drift to sleep again. ‘Being nice to his friends once in a while isn’t so bad. Doing things that Gabriel likes is just part of being in a relationship. After all, it’s only the rest of your life. At least you’re not alone and unwanted by anyone in this world…’

Get yer hot, fresh story here!:

(MERRY CHRISTMAS @smutkeeper!!!!! I'm really quite excited about sharing this story as I had so much fun diving into this one. It's a holiday horror story! It's a Christmas romance! It's absolutely inspired by Guillermo Del Toro MOFU romance prowess, and I had so much fun getting to dive in! Seeing the suggested gift ideas I received, I knew exactly what I was going to do for this one and I'm so happy to share the fruits of that labor! Thank you to @goodomensafterdark for the opportunity to participate in another holiday exchange, to @ireallyneedmoretea for beta'ing, and to S_keeper, the prompt ideas. I hope you enjoy it so much!!! )

The Søslange Bride

By: ElysiumLeo

Rating: E

CW for story: INSPIRED BY DANISH FOLKLORE, A semi-realistic depiction of an historical shipwreck (no graphic injuries or deaths shown, only brief mentions of casualties), Senses of Impending Dread and Doom, Near Death by Drowning, Cosmic horror elements (no body or graphic horror), Can Aziraphale decide between being terrified, and attracted to the giant snake? Not in the slightest, Depictions of shame, guilt, and worthlessness, MOFU Smut (Heed AO3 tags and warnings), Angst with a Happy Ending

Summary:

In the year 1811, Christmas arrives in treachery for Aziraphale Faoloen as he finds himself trapped aboard the sinking ship St George. Faced with the mortal peril of all sailors lost before him, Aziraphale prays to the sea itself for mercy, promising his vow of devotion to any god that would listen to spare the lives of the men aboard.

But no spirit answers the call of the sailor, and God is not listening on the day of His Son's birth. What does answer, however, is the might of a creature known only in tales of old folk stories. A terrifying, cosmic being of primordial beauty and danger.

As Aziraphale finds himself faced with the knowledge that his vow to the sea must be kept, for the first time in his unremarkable existence, Aziraphale wonders if every step he has taken in his life has led him to this single, irrevocable choice. And with that choice, he discovers at last, what the meaning of miracles are to a man who lost faith long ago, and that prayers can be answered in the most unlikely of places.

Excerpt:

All sounds seemed to cease as Aziraphale craned his neck up to the demonic entity that towered above him. The søslange was as still as a statue, water running from its shimmering iridescent black and vermillion scales. Around the great beast's head stood a large frill of spines and fins that looked sharp enough to slice through stone, and as the beast huffed a deep, bone-crumbling growl, the massive maw opened to reveal rows of razor-sharp teeth, larger than Aziraphale’s torso and deadly enough to devour giants. 

The splashing of the water that cascaded back into the pool was hardly loud enough to dull the reverberating snarls that escaped the monster’s jaws. Lowering its head, it levelled those devilish eyes at him with sharp slits of black in the golden irises. With the intensity of that stare, Aziraphale found himself frozen, shocked by the sheer magnitude of the creature’s size, and awed by the cosmic power that seemed to radiate from it.

It was the eyes that mesmerised him where he stood. Harkening from the fading memory of his dreams, it was the gold that he remembered drawing him in with promises he could scarcely understand. They were bright, calculating, intelligent eyes that held mysteries and wonder in them. Like twin beacons of hypnotic beauty, they swirled with the wisdom of years long past, bottomless vortices of an ancient one that knew too much and drove lesser deserving souls mad with that knowledge. 

For Aziraphale, however, he found himself momentarily enthralled by the sight of the monster that ruled over the waters. Feeling so small in its presence, the name Jörmungandr came back to him again, and a wild mania overcame him as he realised he truly was staring into the face of a god beyond imagination. He felt seen in those golden eyes in a way he’d never felt before, and with unbridled loss of control, he felt the urge to reach out and touch the creature, to welcome it and allow it to take him wherever it so desired in the universe, if he just asked it to be so...

STORY HERE:

(We've finally reached phase 9 of the twelve phases of this romance, and boy howdy what a start to it. It's the last flashback of the story, so everything going forward will be all in the present day. Is it a fun start to the phase? Weeeeeellll..... Fair warning for this chapter: heavy topics will be handled and revealed in this chapter. While nothing is explicitly shown and no characters are physically harmed in the present, the darker history is explored and the traumas there are talked about and referenced after the fact. Just as a heads up for readers! Thank you to @goodomensafterdark and @she-makes-things for beta! Special thanks to @gleafer for the beautiful artwork!)

Lay Thee Sinner, Neath The Cross and Pole

By ElysiumLeo

Rating: E

Story CW: Age Gap Romance, Priest/Stripper Romantic Affair, Trauma Healing, Religious Trauma, Relationship Trauma, Smut (a lot of smut), Pole Dancer AU, Priest AU, Human AU, Younger Crowley, Older Aziraphale, Priest Aziraphale, Stripper Crowley, "The Arrangement" (But it's all smut), Non-Binary Crowley, Crowley has Chronic Pain, Surprise Cameos, THIS STORY HAS A SOUNDTRACK!

CW for chapter: Heed AO3 warnings and beginning note in this chapter please!, Discussions/references of past domestic violence/s**ual abuse, Discussions/references to past grievous bodily harm, Severe Relationship trauma, Mental Trauma/PTSD, Ambivalent/Complicated Grief, Emotional Shutdown, Very tiny Crowley/Rare Pair coupling this chapter! (Read on to find out who!), Basically it's a Dead Dove Chapter

Summary:

Aziraphale questioned how he got to this point in his life. With a quick mental check, he realised that there were four uncomfortable truths he had to come to terms with in very quick succession:

1. He was 50 years old, and had never done anything as insane as this in his quiet, celibate life.

2. There was a pretty obvious reason why he'd reluctantly chosen a career as a priest.

3. He didn’t particularly hate the fact that his bastard friend thought a strip club was a good idea to celebrate his Golden Birthday.

4. He might be irrevocably in love with the half naked, 30-something red-head currently giving him a lap dance in the middle of said strip club.

Chapter Excerpt:

Maggie spoke first, her expression soft with worry as she approached the sofa. Sitting on the little coffee table, she offered Nina a pointed look before glancing back at Crowley. As she wrapped her hand around his wrist, Maggie gently squeezed the joint for a second before releasing his wrist again. “Are you alright, dear?” Maggie asked, shaking her head. “You just vanished yesterday morning without telling us where you were going. We hadn’t heard from you, and you didn’t answer your phone. Did something happen while you were gone?”

“Nothing to worry about. I just needed to get out for a while and enjoy myself. Managed a nice little hook-up with someone, so that was a pleasant surprise. If you’re worried I slept somewhere rough, don’t worry. He’s got a nice flat of his own, so I was comfortable,” Crowley muttered, pulling his hand away from Maggie’s as he sighed. “I’m just exhausted now. I could use a nap, if that’s alright.”

“It’s not really alright,” Maggie interjected, her expression grim with her worry. “You’ve been disappearing a lot more recently. It’s not that we don’t want you to go out and live your life, knowing everything Luke did to you, but we just want to make sure you’re okay and not acting recklessly. You’ve survived one bastard, we just don’t want you to run into any more while you spend your time with people you don’t know.”

“And I’ll be fine. You said it yourself, I survived once before, I can do it again. The world is full of strangers, but not all of them are out to kill me,” Crowley snipped as he looked up at her.

“But they could do equally terrible damage in other ways. What if something happens where you’re no longer in a position to say no to someone? What happens then?” Maggie asked, her voice rising with concern as she stared helplessly at Crowley. “When are you going to stop pushing us out and avoiding us, when we just want to help you–”

“Look,” Crowley snapped, looking up at her as he tried to allay her overt concern. Sitting up slightly, he met Maggie’s gaze again. “We’ve had this discussion before. Anything that happens to me in a stranger’s bed is my choice, no matter what. If I really feel like I need help, I’ll come to you. But hounding me because you’re ‘worried’ about me isn’t exactly going to win you the results you want. In fact it just might make me do the exact opposite.”

Huffing a breath, Crowley slumped back against the sofa pillows again, staring up at the ceiling as he shook his head. “Now if you don’t mind, I’d like to get some sleep. I won’t bother you today, and I’d appreciate it if you gave me the same courtesy...”

Newest Chapter Here, my loves!

https://archiveofourown.org/works/59046808/chapters/197763171

Start from the beginning? Click here, Traveler!!!!