for salutosinedelectat

[sauntered_downward]

Follows this.

They couldn't just teleport themselves there. Any miracles, demonic or otherwise, would attract too much attention. No, Crowley was actually going to have to sit there, plugging their information into an online search engine, and do it all manually. Fluctuating airline prices were demonic work, and right now a trip to Japan was over six thousand pounds more expensive than if he had bought it three days earlier, which was totally outrageous. Crowley didn't know a lot about money except what it made men do to each other, he'd never had to. But now, making money appear out of nothing could turn the wrong eye on them if he wasn't careful.

Luckily, he had quite a few credit cards that never needed paying or had a limit on them. They would work in a pinch for a moment like this. He didn't know if that sort of perk-of-being-a-demon could ever be taken away from him, but he hoped not.

The flight itself was a long one, and Crowley settled himself in for it by making sure they were flying at least first class. That way they could see everyone coming at them and have a few glasses of wine on the journey.

"I don't think they know about these passports," Crowley says. "They might, but I doubt it. I had them made back during the last World War, just kept them in good condition."

The second World War was something that Crowley took responsibility for, but he hated every moment of it, and what his side did to make it worse made him sick. He was more than prepared to hide away if he needed to when things went wrong back then. And, at the time, he had also created a passport for Aziraphale, in case he wanted to come along. No other reason for that, he told himself.

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[salutosinedelectat]

He would like to pretend, too. He would like to have time to delve not just in their impromptu holiday as something to be enjoyed rather than simply an escape rote, but also on the recent...developments between them.

Some time to think, is all. Some time to explore it, to question and to find answers, together. But there’s always going to be something hanging over them, and they’re always going to be on their toes. He tries not to show it too much when he smiles far too faintly when he glances over at Crowley, picking up his waistcoat to put it on.

“What do you suggest?”

[sauntered_downward]

"Apart from a fast miracle and a bit of prayer, I can't think of a faster way," Crowley admits. "Could try to run through the phone lines, but this is a network I'm not familiar with like I am the system of London."

He steps over to Aziraphale, lowering his hands to button up his waistcoat. They have all of the time in the world, as two immortal beings do. And no time at all, as two beings on the run do. How unfair life is to them both.

"We have the advantage that they can't see this place. We can."

[salutosinedelectat]

When Crowley stops closer, the angel stops, letting his own hands lower. He watches Crowley's hands, feeling his heart warm with the nice intimacy of the gesture. It makes his chest flutter.

"We can only hope we're faster than them." A true comment, but his focus is still mostly on Crowley's hands.

[sauntered_downward]

"We will be," Crowley says, quietly. His voice is firm, but he doesn't really feel the confidence he's trying to portray to his companion. They have to be faster. They have to be the fastest.

He can't give up what he's found with Aziraphale. This closeness. This love. And he loves Aziraphale with everything he is. He's not about to lose that.

"Besides," he adds. "No matter what cockups we can be, we're both smarter than our bosses ever were. And that's indisputable."

[salutosinedelectat]

Well, if there's anything they're good at, as it keeps being necessarily proven, it's pretending. Sometimes, anyway.

"That is true." He admits, far more directly than he ever has, but the truth will always lie in what the two of them know that the rest of their kinds don't.

He brings his hands up to gently set on Crowley's as he finishes up with the last button. Just a soft, coy touch.

"...about last night." While his tone is quiet, it's not unpleasant; blue eyes stay on their hands as his gently envelop the demon's.

[sauntered_downward]

At first, Crowley is utterly petrified that Aziraphale is about to apologize for it. Say they should forget it ever happened. It's something they might've done before, if they'd drunkenly gotten close, or admitted they cared for each other. Don't mention it, no problem, not a thing. But this, this thing between them that they've finally reached into, finally touched? They can't----they can't brush it away.

But Aziraphale's hands are on his. He's not looking away from him, not pulling away. That means Aziraphale doesn't want to pretend, right? They're not pulling away from each other, right?

"I meant it," he says, pushing the words out in a rush. "Everything that I said, everything we felt. I meant it."

[salutosinedelectat]

Crowley's already talking before Aziraphale can say his piece, making the angel look up and meet his eyes. There's a tinge of alarm to the demon's words the angel thinks he can hear, although he does quite hope that he's wrong.

But it throws him off for just a moment, like he's forgot whatever he was going to say - not that he had words planned in particular.

His look lingers and words falter. Instead, he finally opts for a more direct, wordless approach. He brings his hands up to Crowley's cheeks, leaning halfway, hesitating for just a moment, then all the way in for a gentle kiss.

That'll do it, right? He hopes. He doesn't really know how to do this.

[sauntered_downward]

Crowley looks down at Aziraphale somewhat desperately. Willing him to agree that they shouldn't change it, that they feel this way, that they shouldn't apologize or just go back to being at arm's length forever. Please, he wants to say. Please don't take this away from us. It's all in Aziraphale's hands.

It is astounding, in moments like this, how much power Aziraphale wields over Crowley. How much power he has always had over him.

And then Aziraphale is touching his face, leaning in for a gentle kiss. Sometimes, actions are far better than words. Crowley makes a small noise in his throat and kisses the angel back, wrapping his arms around him to pull him close.

[salutosinedelectat]

Aziraphale wonders, in that moment, if he can tell Crowley all the things he doesn't know how to say, much like they did the previous night. Let him know what he feels, without having to search for words that sound adequate. It wasn't something he reached into entirely consciously, so he doesn't know how to do so now, but hopefully some part of them is still in that place and getting a better understanding.

Or, if nothing else, he hopes his actions are a bit clearer than he can be.

Pulled in, he's pressed close against the demon and lets the kiss linger, for how long, he doesn't know. But, eventually, he does have to pull back, hands still cupping Crowley's face, eyes lingering closed for a couple of seconds before they flutter open.

A lull. Then a polite clear of his throat.

"I, uhm. I did, too."

[sauntered_downward]

Crowley's never felt love like what he feels for Aziraphale. Even the love of God, which is supposed to be unconditional, has all sorts of conditions that Crowley never knew and boundaries he wasn't told about when he crossed them. Aziraphale loves him without boundaries and conditions, though, and he thinks he should be terrified of that, but he isn't. He just feels welcomed to it, embraced by it.

A slow smile spreads across Crowley's face as he looks at Aziraphale, hands still cupping his face.

"They won't take it away from us," he says. "Even if they catch us---which they won't---they can't take that away. Hell can't make me not love you, angel."

https://youtu.be/AGTUSYMTbIc

[salutosinedelectat]

If they ever wanted to talk about unconditional love, for as much as Aziraphale has it for the demon, the truly terrifying and overwhelming level of it that has poured from Crowley for so much longer, with much less fear and hesitant, cannot go unnoticed. Aziraphale had had his limitations, they both had, but Crowley had always been a step ahead, and willing to take a step back the moment the angel had let him know he wasn't ready.

Well, here they are now. Free, but wanted. But, most importantly, finally, together in ways they hadn't been until now.

The smile that blooms on the angel's face is bright and sweet. Crowley's words resonate in ways that threaten to stick for a very, very long time, to bring him comfort even in the darkest moments that may come ahead.

"Crowley..." He utters in a sweet, loving tone.

[sauntered_downward]

They can't stay here forever.

The miracle of finding this airbnb, the place being a perfect hideout, all of it, it won't last forever. They'll have to go out, they'll have to find other places to hide, they'll need to get back to living their lives again. They can't stay here forever.

But Crowley, looking at that smile on Aziraphale's face, could easily stay here for a long, long time, just looking at him. Drinking in his presence, feeling him there, close. They could just stay in this bedroom, go back to bed, and pretend that their problems didn't exist at all. Maybe deal with them in August or something.

"We'll find anything you want," he says. "Take the tour of Japan."

[salutosinedelectat]

He'd like to, really. He'd like to stay in the quiet, to explore this new thing they have, to have the time to stop and figure themselves out, to breathe, to not feel like danger is around every corner. But, being here, knowing that it would be because of what can await them outside, would it really be their choice? Would it really be for the right reasons? And what about all the wonderful things out there that they could see together?

They love the world. And they love each other. They deserve the freedom to enjoy both, together.

He admires the demon for a little bit longer, thumbs brushing over his cheekbones. "We'll find our way around."

[sauntered_downward]

"Get lost in the crowd," Crowley says, leaning just a little into the angel's touch. "Two humans just enjoying a holiday together."

And they could have that, he thinks. They could just be two beings, enjoying their time together in a country they haven't been to in a while. Seeing the sights. Taking in the food and the culture. They could have that.

If it wasn't for the anger of their sides. Because they didn't like how Aziraphale and Crowley did the right thing. They didn't like how much the two of them loved each other.

Well, for all Crowley cared, they could go fuck themselves. He was going to enjoy every moment he had with Aziraphale.

[salutosinedelectat]

While fretting is unfortunately an intrinsic part of Aziraphale's nature, he does still fully intend to at least dedicate a portion of his time to simple enjoy Crowley's company. After so long of having it be conditional, of not letting himself dive deeper into concepts he didn't think were allowed, he refuses to have that stripped away from him again. Not after everything they went through. Are going through. And after what they've found together.

He's gazing softly into those yellow eyes and he could really just call them home.

Another kiss, a quick one, and another fond stroke of his thumbs over Crowley's cheeks. "Why don't we start with breakfast and...see where the day takes us?"