Crowley’s asleep on the sofa again.
Aziraphale can’t help but to close the shop up early, to sit across from him and watch as the late afternoon sun tracks across his face. He’s a little graceless in sleep; his arms and legs tend to get away from him, folding up in strange ways. His forehead smooths out and his mouth tugs down a little at the corners, and he looks warm and soft and peaceful.
That’s how it feels, these days, to love him. Warm, and soft, and peaceful. That’s how it feels to be loved by him.
“You’re staring,” Crowley says, without moving. The edges of his mouth start to curl up.
“The view is nice,” Aziraphale says primly, which is mostly for show. He’s not really embarrassed to be caught looking, but they have their little routines. The comfort of it betrays him, though–Crowley can hear the repressed smile in his voice.
He stretches over the sofa, long and lean: the routine progresses. “S’probably nicer over here.”
Aziraphale doesn’t bother hiding his smile as he goes to investigate this supposedly nicer view. He sits on the sofa by Crowley’s hip, looking down at him. Crowley still hasn’t moved at all, except for the grin curving across his mouth.
“Hm,” Aziraphale says, pretending at thoughtfulness. “Not bad, I suppose.” He reaches up to brush Crowley’s hair back from his forehead. His fingers trail down, over Crowley’s cheek, over his jaw. Crowley is relaxed under his touch, entirely without tension. It’s an addictive sensation: Crowley, warm, and soft, and peaceful.
“S’probably better a little closer,” Crowley says. His hand finds Aziraphale’s wrist, his thumb rubbing smoothly over Aziraphale’s pulse. Not pulling him in, but holding on, keeping him close.
Aziraphale leans in a little, hovering above Crowley. “This close?”
“A little closer.”
Their noses brush. Crowley sighs; his lips part in anticipation. “This close?” Aziraphale asks, hushed and teasing. He withdraws an inch just as Crowley’s chin raises, seeking. “This close?” Aziraphale repeats.
“Very nearly,” Crowley huffs, playing at irritated, and Aziraphale takes the opportunity to close the distance.
Crowley makes a small, surprised but pleased noise; Aziraphale kisses it out of his mouth, cupping his face. It’s a slow, familiar sort of kiss, the sort of kiss that feels like saying, hello, good morning, the sort of kiss that feels like saying, I’ve missed you, even though you’ve been right here.
It’s the sort of kiss that feels like saying, I love you, all of you; I love you, with all of me.
“What do you think?” Crowley asks, when Aziraphale finally draws back. His eyes have finally opened, and he’s smug and smirking and so obviously happy that it ricochets back into Aziraphale’s own chest and grows there. “About the view, I mean.”
Aziraphale leans in and kisses him again. “Best view in the world,” he says, stroking a thumb over Crowley’s cheek. Crowley doesn’t blush, because he never blushes, but he leans into Aziraphale’s hold. “My most favourite view of all.”