Chapter Text
“Any day now,” Crowley muttered to himself, as he looked in the mirror at his long curling hair, dark copper all the more brighter in the fading afternoon light that came in through the little bathroom window. It had taken a few years to grow it out to this length, the best and happiest years of his existence to date. He could not remember a time when he had been happier, when he had lived so freely, doing as he pleased.
No, there was that time after Eden. That had been a long, far longer stretch of enjoyment as well. But it was different now too; he wasn’t doing this alone. He wasn’t wandering lonely across the face of Creation; he had someone holding his hand, someone who would hold him close when he needed them there.
Someone who he could wander with together.
“Dearest, the tea is ready.”
He could hear Aziraphale’s voice calling to him from the kitchen, along with the familiar, pleasing rattle of porcelain cups and saucers.
“Just a moment.” In the golden afternoon light, Crowley tilted his head and saw in the mirror how his eyes warmed in the rays of sunlight, as if tenderly caressed by the light.
He had never been happier.
And now it was all coming to an end.
“You look rather upset, my dear. May I ask what are you doing?” Aziraphale asked after he cleaned and put away the tea things, as Crowley stared at his phone, eyes narrowed and scowling.
“Trying to decide on flights. I mean, I could just…whoosh my way over. Blink of an eye, fold reality, that sort of thing. But somehow the torture of flying seems more appropriate.”
“Torture? What do you mean, torture? Flying is fun.”
“I meant in an airplane,” Crowley hissed. “Not with wings.”
“I meant in an airplane as well. I love all the little electronics, the little knob that controls the airflow of the fan, the button for the steward, the little panel in the back of the chair with all the touch screen video entertainment. The smell of fancy durable industrial plastics. Fascinating and fun, even when the entertainment is just a little video panel that folds down from the ceiling that everyone has to share. Oh! And while the food is quite mediocre, I quite like how it’s been scientifically measured and engineered to satiate exactly one (1) average human being and modified with care to take into account differences in altitude in terms of flavor and heating and—”
“Do you want to come with me?” Crowley blinked; that had not been in his original plan.
“Of course, I love flying.”
“I don’t think you should.”
“Why not? And why would you ask if you didn’t want me to come?”
Crowley sighed. “You know what, I don’t know why not. Why not? Party for everyone. All right, two. Business class, I’ve already been through the fourteenth century, we’re not flying economy. Both our legs are too damn long for economy and I don’t feel like changing the length of my legs just to travel.”
“Where are we going?” Aziraphale wondered.
“We’re going to Malibu.”