no but i'm still thinking about this post and now i want a fic that's just duke of hell crowley and archangel aziraphale somehow always ending up in the elevator together, having a silent fight over whether they go up or down first in the mornings and tense silence in the evening when they both return to earth.
because they're not talking. about any of it. aziraphale is in the bookshop with muriel whenever he goes back to earth and crowley has his (renovated) flat. it's horrible. they miss each other. crowley refuses to cave and it's a matter of pride, spite, and heartbreak he needs to process. aziraphale still went back to heaven, even if he's technically 'living' on earth. he went back to hell because fuck it, he might as well try to stop the second coming himself.
it starts slow. aziraphale brings him a coffee one morning and crowley looks at it for a long while before taking it just before he gets off. crowley brings him a muffin the next day. they do small talk, they begin to say "good morning" and "see you tomorrow" and most of it is lingering looks and almost-touches, but it helps.
then one evening, late, later than usual, they're both exhausted and had horrible days caused by the same bureaucratic bullshit, and when they part in front of the pub, aziraphale hesitates.
nightcap? he tries to smile, tries to not seem too hopeful, tries to ignore the way his heart beatsbeatsbeats.
sure. crowley decides one drink can't hurt.
(it's not just one drink. it's a bottle. they talk about nothing important, complain about work and idiotic celestial beings.
two bottles in, aziraphale grows brave.
two bottles in, crowley grows desperate.
crowley, he says in that tone of voice that means something big is about to follow, and he cannot do that, not tonight, not yet. so he kisses him, leans into his instincts to shut him up, and as it does, one thing leads to another, and the next morning the elevator ride is awkward.
they both come out of the bookshop. not a single word is spoken.)
two things happened that night, and i have only told you about one of them, but it's the other one that changes things.
they figure it out eventually, they always do, but for now their fingers brush when they both try to go for the buttons, and crowley flinches back like he's been burned. aziraphale swallows apologies and tears, and, after a moment of thought, presses 'down' first.
it's a start.
Oh sweet baby Jesus, where is the full blown fic? WHERE?! Seriously, I'm so bad at writing, I need someone to do it, please 😭