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TreeOfJesse (she/her): @Alumni what were your first meetings with Dr Crowley like?
AppleEaterTM: Let's see. The first time I met Dr Crowley, I learned that he was someone who would let his husband tease him mercilessly just so that I wouldn't be embarrassed
TommyThisnThat: The first time I met him, he effectively threw me a lifeline and gave me my hope back
JustEd: Same ^
WouldWorker: The first time I met him, he stopped and offered me help
CassandraProphet: This ^
2Gentle4MyWheels: This ^
NotByTheBook: The first time I met him was when he and his husband took the time to correct some major misconceptions I had
NotAChocolateWar: The first time I met him, I mistook him for one of the groundskeepers, but he let me stay for ages anyway
AncientAbbey: The first time I met him, he stopped in the pouring rain to offer me a lift
LessRamMoreEwe: A friend introduced me the first time I really met him, and he let me shelter in his greenhouse until the shitstorm passed
NotADoorMatt: The first time I met him, he hid me and my then boyfriend from a bunch of bigoted bullies and protected us
TLight: Almost the same for me, except nowhere to hide, so he just tore strips off them until they left
MagnificentPete: My first meeting with him was - not good. He snapped at me, and I absolutely deserved it
JustEd: He was just there when I needed someone to talk to. He gave me some good advice
ToBOrNotToB: This ^
LostDuckling: Same. ^ Mostly
RoadLight: OMG This ^ I was such an entitled jerk back then, and he was blunt enough to tell me directly some stuff I needed to hear rather than what I wanted to
AValiantScar: The first time I saw him, I, uh, thought he looked very soft and kind (later events proved me mistaken about some things, but not that)
Antichrist: The real first time I met him, I was just a kid, and he gave me the support I needed to stand up to my lousy biodad.
Antichrist: Then I met him again as an adult and he kindly pointed me in the right direction
DocToBe: You know he's probably reading this, right?
Crowley choked on his coffee as he backread the chat from the comfort of his home. He reached for the keyboard to deny it fiercely, then shoved himself away from the desk, a spluttering whine emerging from his throat.
Aziraphale came puttering through with a mug of his own. "Something wrong, dearest?"
Crowley jabbed a wordless finger at the screen. Aziraphale came to stand behind him, plump hands soft on his shaking shoulders, peering at the words.
"Oh, my dear."
"Yeah. Stripping me bare, angel. I'll have no reputation left. What am I going to do?" Crowley's hands danced frantically up and down, matched only by the rising fear in his voice. "I can't... They'll want...."
"Breathe, Crowley," Aziraphale said gently. "We'll find a way."
"Unforgiveable! That's what I am! And they're all..." If his leg hadn't been dodgy, he'd have been pacing.
"Yes, dear, I can see that."
"I need to move." Crowley stood and snatched the car keys from their hook. "I'm going for a drive. Don't wait up for me."
For a moment, Aziraphale looked as if he might argue. Then he closed his mouth tight on it and only stretched up to lay the briefest of kisses on Crowley's snake tattoo. "Mind how you go."
"Will do. Promise, angel." And then he was gone.
Aziraphale swallowed back an old fear, and then turned to the chat.
FlamingSword: The first time I met him, he reassured me, in a snarky, sarcastic sort of way, and then proceeded to rant about everything wrong with the world.
FlamingSword: He may have a kind heart somewhere in there, but I can confirm he is most definitely a grouchy old sod, and absolutely vicious if you get on the wrong side of him.
FlamingSword: He utterly destroyed a co-worker once...