“Announcing Amsterdam's newest chocolatier!” Esther announces upon seeing Aziraphale walk down the stairs the next morning.
The angel freezes, before replying awkwardly, “So, you know?”
Esther nods, “Anthony and I go way back.”
Which suddenly makes Aziraphale bold enough to ask, before he can kick himself for it, “Then perhaps you can clear something up for me. Has he always been so...much?”
But thankfully, Esther isn’t offended by this, just smiles knowingly and answers, “If you’re trying to be modest for his sake, then yes.”
The angel smirks, “Knew it all along.”, then moves onto something more important, “I wanted to ask you to extend my stay for another week. I apologize for not giving more notice...”
“Oh no, not at all!” Esther’s quick to say. “Easily arranged. No problem at all.”
“So, Crowley. Tell me. First, what is this competition? And second, how do we win by human standards with no frivolous miracles?” The angel asks, as he ties an apron around his corporation.
Behind him, Crowley explains, as he starts tempering some chocolate, “Essentially, Princesses Catherine and Elisabeth are going to visit every shop entered in the competition one by one, and the chocolatiers have to bring their entries to the palace.”, then carries it over to where Aziraphale is waiting, finishing, “And they announce the winner the following night at the All Hallow’s Eve ball.”
Aziraphale nods along, to show he’s listening, then asks, “And the winner?”
Crowley gives him an incredulous look, “What else? Bragging rights. It’s the highest compliment a chocolatier can be given, to be named Royal chocolatier.”
But once he sees Aziraphale isn’t fully grasping the concept, the demon adds, “You also get a plaque.”
Aziraphale chuckles, “Oh of course. Who wouldn’t want to compete for a plaque?”
Crowley adds, “Which means we only have…” he counts on his fingers, then says, “Only a little over a week to put together a chocolate that is Halloween, and the essence of who the couple is all in one.”
The angel’s eyes light up, like he’s just been inspired, “Then it’s not really a chocolate, is it? It’s a metaphor.”
The demon tilts his head in thought, then nods, “Yeah, suppose it is.”
Aziraphale nods towards the tempered chocolate, “So what do we have to work with?”
Crowley admits, “Not a whole lot.”, ignoring Aziraphale’s put out look as he tells him, “I wrote a bunch of ingredients down, but...”
Aziraphale takes this as an invitation to reach towards the only book on the counter, and starts flipping it open, then pointing an accusing finger at the demon.
“Unless it’s written in invisible ink, there’s nothing in here.”
Crowley plays along, “Or it’s door number three, which is me tearing out pages when I didn’t like something.”
Which seems to be what finally gets Aziraphale to understand exactly what it is he’s signed himself up for.
Crowley claps his hands together. “Right. We’re starting from scratch.”, then gestures to the bowl, “Here’s our chocolate base.”
Aziraphale moves closer, reaching out a hand to grab a morsel, only to be smacked for his troubles.
“Oy! Stay focused. No sampling today.”
YOU ARE READING
Falling in Chocolate
RomanceLondon bookshop owner and foodie Aziraphale is heartbroken when his boyfriend leaves him before their planned romantic getaway to Amsterdam for Halloween. Crowley and his fellow chocolatiers are in the midst of a competition to create the most roman...
