Good Omens One Shots 1

Nightmare 3: Tea and Tears

After a few moments of listening to Crowley bustle around the kitchen, Aziraphale finally worked up the energy to follow his friend.

Afraid to meet his eyes and see that anger and pain again, the blonde just stared fixedly at the ground and the marble counter as he went to sit at the bar just outside the kitchen.

Crowley didn't say anything as he slid a cup of tea into the angel's field of vision, sipping at a coffee he made for himself.

"Thank you." Aziraphale whispered.

Crowley swallowed and took a deep breath before beginning.

"It keeps coming back... the dream."

Aziraphale tried to keep his expression blank, not wanting to do something that would cause Crowley to run off again.

The demon laughed softly, resembling more of a hiss, "You'd think I'd be used to it by now, like it wouldn't hurt as much. But if anything it hurts more each time." Aziraphale looked up, watching Crowley carefully. "It always starts the same, but lately it has been going on longer, forcing me to watch..." With a shaky hand, he raised the cup to his lips and forcing back the rest of his drink.

"You don't have to..." Aziraphale spoke softly.

Crowley shook his head, "No. You're right, you deserve to know. You're in it. Hell, you're the only one in it."

Aziraphale gulped, doubting if he actually wanted to know what Crowley was dreaming about; but he let the demon continue, sipping at his tea.

"It starts with the bookshop, your bookshop... burning. Which, is just an awful sight. Everything you love and kept over the centuries burning to a crisp in just one moment."

Aziraphale eyes widened ever so slightly. Crowley never actually told him about when his bookshop burned down, just that it did.

"So, of course, I'm running through it trying to find you. Things are falling: books, beams, glass, etc. I'm dodging it all until I find you-"

Crowley laughed again, sounding more like a sob. Tears were threatening to spill over again.

"When I first started having these dreams, it was like straight out of my memory. I couldn't find you, assumed you were dead and just screamed and cried until I woke up. That's why I call you in the middle of the night, to make sure you're alive..."

Aziraphale nodded, trying not do dwell on the fact that Crowley had actually done that when he found his bookshop burning.

Crowley grimaced at the memory. "But lately, it's changed. I started to see something in the smoke." The demon took a shaky breath and continued. "Eventually, I got close enough to realize it was you. After that... it just got worse. You... you were cut, right across here." Crowley traced along his body where he saw the gash in his dream. "And you were bleeding- you were bleeding ichor, angel."

Aziraphale wanted so desperately to embrace the crying demon, let him know again that it wasn't real. Crowley was shaking with the effort to fight down his sobs.

"And I'm trying to comfort you, to tell you it's alright..."

Aziraphale shook his head, when an angel bleeds ichor, the only possible way to save them is for an archangel or god herself to intervene. Without that, an angel would burn itself out of existence in a blaze of heavenly glory. Aziraphale had only seen it happen once, a long long time ago, before the fall.

"but- but you say- that phrase the 'I th-thought you would never l-lie to me' thing you just said."

The angel now understood why Crowley had reacted that way to what he said. The demon took a deep breath, calming himself slightly.

"I just couldn't lose you, you told me to leave but I couldn't. I wouldn't. I didn't care. If you were taking me with you, at least we would be together... until the end."

Crowley shyly looked up at Aziraphale, tears flowing freely. Aziraphale was trying not to make a noise as he choked down another sob.

"There was something I always wanted to tell you, something I could never say during these past 6000 years. I... I try to say it, but- but before I can... you-" Crowley broke eye contact and cried loudly.

"My dear..." Aziraphale moves to touch his friend tears streaming down his face.

"Th-there's li-light, and then- and then I wake up. Usually a-alone."

Aziraphale breaks into sobs clutching at Crowley, both entities crying their hearts out. They ended up on the floor, huddling against the counter, gripping eachother tightly.

The angel burrows his head into Crowley's shoulder murmuring, "I'm sorry. I am so sorry," over and over again.

They both struggled to calm themselves, slowly loosening their grip on each other. After a few deep breaths the two sat side by side, shoulders touching. Both were utterly exhausted.

Aziraphale turned to look at Crowley, "What was the thing you wanted to say to me, that you couldn't for all the time we've known each other?"

Crowley smiled kindly at Aziraphale, "Another time, angel. Not today."

The angel nodded, willing to be patient. He would do anything for his demon.