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Of all the things Aziraphale had expected to see when he'd followed Crowley, he hadn't expected this. Technically he hadn't known what to expect, but certainly not this. And yet, the unexpected shouldn't have surprised him, in and of itself. Ever since they'd retired and begun a relationship, Aziraphale found himself learning more and more Crowley.
Two days ago, Crowley had announced he was leaving London for the holiday season and would see Aziraphale in the New Year. While Aziraphale didn't observe any of the winter holidays that mortals did, he enjoyed watching them celebrate and the cheerful air that accompanied them. Every year the neighborhood merchants had a celebration at a nearby restaurant and they would ask about the attractive red-haired man that lingered around his shop.
This year he'd planned to bring Crowley, until the demon's abrupt departure. It was disappointing. But more than that, Aziraphale was worried. The night before Crowley left, he'd kissed Aziraphale for the first time. There had been hand holding since they rode the bus back from Tadfield, and after their celebration at the Ritz, there had been a brief brush of lips and mutual blushing. From that point forward, they had daily outings accented by hand holding and kisses on the cheek.
Crowley giving him a proper kiss had been both wonderful and overwhelming. Had he done it wrong? Was Crowley upset that Aziraphale said he liked it a lot, but wasn't ready for more?!
Nervousness gave way to panic when Crowley left London after a kiss on the cheek and quick farewell the next morning. For several agonizing hours, Aziraphale tried to reassure himself before giving up and expending a multitude of miracles to follow him. Gabriel would have considered them frivolous, but Aziraphale didn't care. This was Crowley and the sense of anxiety was overwhelming him.
A series of miracles had gotten him on a flight to Iceland and finally in the passenger seat of a Land Rover that he'd snapped to drive him. He'd gone beyond the Drangajökull Glacier to the furthest reaches of the Hornstrandir Peninsula. Even though it was only tea time, the sky was dark and the snow glowed softly. This time of year so close to the Arctic Circle, darkness stretched for hours. Aziraphale struggled with what to say to Crowley when he found him. Nothing sounded right and he bit his lower lip as he fretted.
The vehicle came to a halt and the unexpected stop drew Aziraphale from his reverie. A massive house with huge expanses of glass loomed ahead. As the angel got out, he felt a blast of Crowley's demonic energy in the air. Anyone else of an ethereal or occult nature would have thought twice about going any further. But he'd come too far and this was too important.
Snow covered the ground except for the driveway where a vintage Bentley pickup from the late 30's sat, and a walkway that circled the house. Crowley had similarly miracled his parking space and the sidewalk around Aziraphale's shop last week. London rarely got much snow, but it was thoughtful and the demon had insisted. Surely Crowley wasn't planning on leaving him for good?
Crowley had always been there for Aziraphale except when the angel pushed him away. And even then, the demon would patiently wait and come back. This wasn't like Gabriel offering a rare crumb of approval and snatching it away.
Even if he hadn't kissed properly and blushed, Crowley wouldn’t abandon him. He ought to return to London, trust his demonic companion to return, and talk to him then. But a sudden burst of green light behind the house drew his attention. Aziraphale followed the walkway around the house and stopped in awe as the scene came into view.
Standing at the edge of a stone patio, Crowley drew one hand upwards as he appeared in deep concentration. High above, the stars seemed to stretch out forever as though they were observing the universe from the heavens. Emerald green light pulsed between the trees and above towards the sky. Crowley moved his other hand and the light began to move faster and a bit of purple light started to appear above the green.
Aziraphale gasped in wonder at the dazzling display.
"Angel?"
Panic washed over him and words failed as Crowley closed the distance between them. Amber eyes regarded him with surprise, but a warm smile curved the demon's thin lips.
"What in Heaven are you doing here?" Crowley took Aziraphale's hands in his. "You're freezing!"
Aziraphale blinked. Freezing? Oh yes! He'd been so worried about getting to Crowley, he hadn't thought to have the vehicle turn on the heat, much less to miracle a coat. Crowley had on a black wool coat that looked buttery soft with an elegant crimson scarf around his neck. His hands were covered in soft gloves that left his fingers bare for miracling.
"I- I hadn't planned on coming here-"
"Obviously." Crowley snapped his fingers and Aziraphale was suddenly enveloped in a warm cream fleece coat and hat. A set of golden gloves and a matching scarf provided additional warmth. They could miracle their body temperature, but heaven had viewed it as a frivolous miracle and Aziraphale preferred wearing weather appropriate clothing.
"Thank you."
Crowley continued to look at Aziraphale and the angel shifted uneasily. He had to say something, but words collided like the snowflakes that had begun to cascade around them.
"Angel?"
"You left the day after you kissed me and I-"
Crowley shook his head and hissed.
"You're mad at me."
"Only with myself, angel. I hadn't realized you would assume my leaving was connected to our kiss."
Aziraphale felt slightly relieved, but couldn't help asking, "Are you sure?"
"It was perfect," Crowley said and brought his fingers up to caress Aziraphale's cheek. "Didn't you enjoy it?"
"Oh yes, but I thought maybe you hadn't. Or that you were upset when I said I wanted to take things slowly."
"Angel, I've waited six thousand years for you to acknowledge you have feelings for me. I'm not in any hurry." The demon dropped a reassuring kiss on his forehead. "I'm sorry for not telling you sooner that I was going to go away or asking if you would mind."
Distress gave way to slight irritation. "I don't mind, but you scared me and I didn't like it."
"I promise to consider your feelings in future. But as long as you're here, I would love for you to stay and watch the lights with me. Come."
Aziraphale allowed Crowley to take his hand and lead him to the spot where he'd been directing the lights. The demon moved behind him and pointed at the sky. The lights were still shimmering, but Crowley gestured and miracled them brighter.
"I saw the lights once on a job in the Yukon. But they weren't like this. They're beautiful."
"The lights are just electrically charged particles from the sun as they enter the atmosphere But if you add a bit of solar wind, you get an aurora," Crowley explained.
"That makes them curved?"
"It does. And if you add a few clouds, you have something that resembles a nebula."
As Aziraphale watched, he was aware of Crowley moving closer. Since Eden, the demon had orbited around him. It should have felt menacing, but it had always felt oddly protective. There was something in his energy that was different from other demons. Over the years he had considered it many times, but understanding dawned on Aziraphale now. It was love. A constant ever deepening well of affection with overwhelming flashes of love. Why had he doubted Crowley's affections? His shoulders eased and he allowed the aura of Crowley's affection to envelop him.
"And you're a fan of nebulas?"
"Oh yes. Before I fell, I made many stars and nebulas. A single star is a miracle, but a nebula? An interstellar cloud where stars are born? They're indescribable."
"You were a star maker?" Aziraphale asked as he leaned back against Crowley's chest. His companion slid one arm around his waist. It was unfamiliar territory but not unwelcome.
"Not a star maker, angel. I was THE Star Maker."
Crowley's voice was almost inaudible but there was an emotional weight in the words. It was something that Aziraphale knew instinctively would take a while for him to open up about. He resisted the urge to ask a flurry of questions.
"You miss it," he said after a moment of careful consideration.
"I do. It's the thing I miss the most from before. But there are still stars being born from nebulas I created."
"And that's why you come here?"
Crowley snapped his fingers and green light danced across the landscapes in waves. “Not a nebula, but the next best thing.”
Aziraphale gasped and tipped his head back in wonder. He lost his balance and two seconds later, they were on the ground. Crowley laughed as Aziraphale scrambled above him in the snow and blushed.
“Well, there’s one thing better still, angel.”
Time froze as the lights pulsed around them and the snow fell softly. Their eyes locked and Crowley pulled Aziraphale close. A moment later, their lips met. Slowly and sweetly, they kissed. Aziraphale felt his heart fluttering and dancing in time with the lights. He wasn't sure if they were on another plane as they'd been at Tadfield briefly or if they were still on earth, but either way he felt a glow as they kissed.
When the kiss finally ended, Crowley reassured him, "Whether we wait six months or six thousand years, I'm content. Knowing you love me is enough."
Aziraphale leaned in to whisper in Crowley's ear. "I think I'll be ready before then."
The angel kissed his cheek and was rewarded with a demonic grin.
Crowley stood up and helped Aziraphale to his feet. "Six thousand years is a long time, but I would wait."
"Actually I meant six months," the angel replied with a blush. He walked to the patio and called over his shoulder. "I don't suppose you could miracle a spot of cocoa while we watch the lights?"
***
Aziraphale stood with his arm outstretched as Crowley held him by the waist and raised his free hand in tandem. Angelic and demonic power mingled in the air around their hands. Snow whirled around them and the lights pulsed in the air through the trees and stretched towards the stars.
"Now, I'm going to add a bit of nitrogen to collide in addition to the oxygen," Crowley said. "If you add a few clouds, nice soft ones that won't interfere with the view."
Snapping down then moving his hand across to distribute the clouds as requested, Aziraphale watched the sky. Additional waves of color danced across the sky, violet with a few pulses of blue as Crowley manipulated the atmosphere high above.
"Excellent. Now we add a little solar wind and there we are, angel!"
The sky was filled with a massive aurora in the shape of a green dragon haloed in violet and blue. It was breathtaking. They had made it together with their miracles.
"We don't have to come back every year, angel. It's a strange way to spend the holidays."
"It can be our way, Crowley. Let the humans have their celebrations. This one shall be ours."
"Making dragons and imitation nebulas with the Northern Lights?"
"And flashes of love."
"Love."
"Yes, love, you silly serpent."
Crowley grumbled, but kissed Aziraphale's neck and added another swathe of light to the sky. Aziraphale beamed happily. Perhaps he would host a Valentine's dinner for the Soho merchants then. They had found a holiday tradition of their own. Hands moving through the air, they miracled a symphony of light across the sky as the stars twinkled approvingly above.