Chapter Text
Crowley never understood the logic behind the Eastgate property on the Blackwood Mountains. The very mention of this mountains made him shiver, why would someone build a house like that kilometers away from any civilization?, and it was SO cold, they were snowy mountains, too cold for his taste.
The biggest reason he hated that place were the legends surrounding it, it wasn’t a secret for anyone that the mountains had something strange going on. Disappearances, accidents, and an eerie atmosphere. Despite all of the investigations nothing out of the ordinary was ever found, but you could count with the fingers on your hand the number of brave people who dared spending the weekend there.
Crowley was going to be one of them, not on his own volition, just as a consequence for being compromised with his only group of friends. Crowley and Beelzebub were childhood best friends, the most chaotic duo in school, a day in which they didn’t break something or hit someone was a boring day, but Crowley had left that life behind a long time ago. They had always been neighbors and saw each other every day, even now that they were 19 and in college. Crowley considered Bee a sister, and they shared the same group of Friends made up of Hastur, Ligur, Shax and FurFur (all those nicknames invented by Crowley over the years)
Crowley didn’t remember the exact moment when things changed so radically, just a year ago his group still kept an old rivalry with Gabriel, Uriel, Michael and the youngest Eastgate brother, Aziraphale. The first three were assholes, specially with Aziraphale, who was a recurrent victim of their practical jokes. Aziraphale didn’t have much friends apart from them, Crowley never understood why, from his perspective the boy was the most interesting person on campus. He looked like an angel, with messy almost white curls and bright turquoise eyes. It only took one casual conversation in the library for Crowley to fall on his knees.
A few months ago Gabriel and Bee started talking, and as shocking as it was, a rivalry evolved in a relationship, and both groups were forced to get along. To accelerate this process Gabriel invited everyone to spend one weekend together at the gigantic house. Truly, Aziraphale was the only reason that motivated Crowley to travel with them, it was the perfect excuse to get to know him better and have a decent conversation without looking like a nervous wreck.
“You don’t need to join an idiocy like this to talk to him” Anathema’s voice took him back from his reverie of thoughts, they were in the living room, Crowley was sprawled on the end of the couch and Anathema was sitting facing him.
They had been discussing Crowley’s plans for the weekend. They lived in the same apartment since last year. Anathema, after many incidents with previous roommates who didn’t know about her esoteric practices, was very happy with Crowley’s company, who didn’t seen to mind the candles, crystals and ocasional rituals.
“Even if Aziraphale didn’t go, i must be there for Be, i promised it to her” Crowley sent a tired look to Anathema, the woman had complete knowledge about Crowley’s feelings for Aziraphale, she had a special instinct for that sort of things, and Crowley wasn’t discreet.
“Believe me when i tell you that the idea doesn’t excite me, but I don’t have an option”
“You really don’t know what you’re getting into, neither of you all do” Anathema didn’t sound as arrogant as usual, there was a tinge of worry in her voice, and Crowley would be lying if he said that this didn’t woke some fear on his stomach.
“Ana, its the Eastgates house, they built that mansion decades ago, yes, it’s creepy as fuck but it can’t be that dangerous”
“They never lived there Crowley, no one lives in that mountain, the construcción of that house was a mistake”
“What’s in there Anathema! You can’t even tell or explain it to me, we won’t leave the house, its freezing outside, no one will even know were there”
It wasn’t the first time Anathema warned Crowley about these sort of misterious dangers, they had been having this discusión since the woman found out about Crowley’s plans for the weekend. She was always so ambiguous about the sort of danger Crowley would expose himself to that the had nightmares about killers, cannibals or even zombies waiting for him and hiding in the shadows.
“Whatever is in those mountains is a mystery Crowley, since I remember Agnes thought me to avoid them, i would explain it to you if i could but you know how Agnes was, I don’t know anything else about it” she spoke honestly
“I’m just left with speculation and investigation, and the more i do those things the more i worry, what an ignorant family is the Eastgates one”
“Except for Aziraphale…” Crowley whispered
“Yes… youre right, I don’t even know how he tolerates his brothers that much” Anathema knew Aziraphale, they shared the same literature class and often studied together.
“I know you're worried, and I get it, i really do” Crowley knew Anathema cared about him as much as he cared about her, he trusted her.
“But i don’t have an option, I’m gonna pack everything you told me to and follow your advice, I’ll be careful, not a single vampire will stand a chance against me!” Crowley laughed, and received a bad look from his friend.
“Don’t think youre funny, and by the way, I’ve read many encounters with tall humanoid creatures so don’t surprise if you encounter one”
“Ngk”
Crowley jumped form the sofa and headed to his room to finish packing, he’ll need some stakes to calm down his roommate. Despite everything, he was chill, Anathema’s ideas scared him time to time but deep down, the feeling that conquered any other was excitement. He was finally going to spend some time with Aziraphale, he had waited so long for a chance like this, and he wasn’t going to ruin it.
Crowley’s room was covered on band posters, half of his clothes and spiked accessories were on the bed and floor. He didnt need many clothes for two days, but he had had trouble choosing his best outfits. He putted on his black ripped jeans, he would die of hypothermia before loosing his style, he folded his band shirts (The velvet underground and Queen), sweaters and a black puffer jacket.
He closed his backpack and fixed his black eyeliner and hair, he loved the sharp contrast between his bright red hair and yellow eyes, when he was ready he entered the living room to say goodbye to his friend
“Try not invoking anything weird while I’m gone, I don’t want any demons watching me sleep when i come back” Crowley said while checking his phone, his uber was about to arrive, suddenly a tiny briefcase crashed on his arms
“Listen to me and put this on your bag, i know you have room left for it”
Crowley wide eyed and looked at her in disbelief “You can’t be serious” he laughed to keep his sanity
“It has some tools you may need, call me if you need anything”
“You never cease to amaze me really” Crowley sighed in defeat, he wasn’t going to lose any more time arguing
Anathema hugged him “Good luck with your future boyfriend”
“Ngk, stop it” Crowley’s cheeks turned red and broke the hug, “You can’t be serious be so dramatic when you want to”
He left the apartment and went down the stairs to the street.
Only five minutes had passed, Aziraphale knew this trip would be eternal. They were in the family van, the landscape was beautiful, they were surrounded by the unending forest, full of old pines, almost magical.
On his left was Michael, who seemed very occupies talking with Uriel about a party from last week. Gabriel was the one driving , as usual. The van never went quiet, everyone talked, but no one never speaked to him.
“Aziraphale, did you bring the drinks i asked you to get?” Gabriel asked him, of course, the only case in which they would include him in a conversation would be to make sure he did what he was asked to do.
“Yes”
He was used to this, it didn’t really bothered him and there wasn’t much to do about it. He wasn’t good at making new friends and, as his family always told him, he should be grateful for keeping the same group of friends over the years, no other group could be better, after all they were his family and no one would get to know him better.
But deep down he knew this wasn’t true, they never bothered to listen to him to claim to know him, they only used him, day after day.
“Oh and Aziraphale?” Uriel asked, with her eyes on the road
“Yes?”
“Could you take care of heating the whole house once we arrive? We will be busy
“Doing what?” He frowned confused, how was he suposed to heat the whole house alone when they were four people?
“We want to go to the cable cars, its been years since we went there”
Aziraphale supposed they would visit the cable cars, he should have also known they wouldn’t invite him.
“Ok”
He wasn’t in the mood for arguing, he putted on his AirPods and choose a book from his backpack, maybe he had packed to many books for a weekend. He was hoping Jane Eyre and the car window would distract him enough to enjoy the trip. Apart from the books, he brought his journal, he planned on working on his poetry, after all he was going to have the perfect inspiration, at least he would get to spend some time with Crowley, Be’s
Aziraphale hadn’t had many opportunities to spend time with Crowley, apart from a few small talks on parties and the library, but the boy had completely captivated him. His presence was intoxicating, he was mysterious, always wearing sunglasses and an outfit straight from a concert. Actually, Crowley lived in concerts, so it wasn’t strange.
What amused Aziraphale the most was how kind Crowley was with him, despite being known as a rude person in the campus, the boy was always so gentle with him and he never understood the reason, he wasnt used to that.
He was the type of guy his family would never approve, it would ruin the Eastgates fragile reputation. But fortunately it was already ruined, Gabriel, the oldest son, also seemed to have a taste for people like Crowley.
Love had united two totally opposite groups, but this did not scare Azirafel, rather it felt like a respite, after almost drowning in the hermetic group to which he was dragged since his childhood.
Azirafel hoped to have the opportunity to spend time with Crowley, maybe, if he managed to get a little closer to him, get to know him better, this trip would be worth it.