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Aziraphale had just sat down with his book and a freshly brewed cup of tea. He is relishing in the quiet of the bookshop and the smell of his hot tea when he hear the doors open and someone come rushing in. He peers from where he sits at his desk at the door and sees it is actually two someones. They looked like young men, one in a button down and jeans the other in a t-shirt and jeans. They must not have seen him because they were both peering out the window.
“Do you think we lost them?” asks the blonde one, in a posh accent not dissimilar to Aziraphale’s own.
But the one with curly brown hair was very clearly not looking out the window anymore. He appears to be scanning the other up and down with his eyes in a manner… well he was certainly *looking*.
---
Alex has definitely lost the original plot of why they came into this bookshop in the first place. Maybe it was muscle memory from all those times they were running around sneaking into rooms to fuck. But he is looking at Henry’s slightly windswept hair falling in his face, his cheeks a little rosy from running from the photographers (“we’ll just run and dash into a shop and loose them” it was Henry’s idea) his throat where the top button of his shirt is undone. Alex is bringing his hand up to touch Henry’s face when he hear someone clear their throat. Alex is facing Henry so he only needs to turn his head a little to the man who very clearly is the owner of this bookshop (the bowtie, the vest, the cup of tea, etc.). Henry on the other hand is still looking out the window and needs to do a full 180 to face the man. In that split second where Henry is still turning around, the man gives him a pointed look which Alex can only describe as meaning something like “I know what you are” or even “I saw the way you were looking at him just now”. Not one to be ashamed, Alex shoots back a look which he hopes conveys “so what, you old fart? He’s my boyfriend I’m allowed to look. You’re just jealous you don’t have a boyfriend to gaze lovingly at”. But he quickly smiles as Henry explains, “oh hello, sorry we’re just…trying to avoid someone.”
“So not looking to purchase any books today?” The man says a little too happily for someone whose job it is to sell books.
“No, but we might just look around a little”
“Of course, just shout if you need anything” the bookseller says with a polite smile. And he goes back to sit at his desk.
He catches Henry’s hand just as he starts to wander into the bookshop and brings his mouth close to Henry’s ear “you look really pretty” he whispers. Henry keeps walking towards the shelves but shoots back “darling” in a warning tone Alex knows means “please shut up before we embarrass ourselves”. Alex giggles. He doesn’t mind being private, in fact he prefers it, but it’s nice to not have to worry anymore about holding hands and giggling together as they wander through the bookshop.
---
Crowley was walking over to Aziraphale’s when he spotted two young men bound into the bookshop. He thought a detour to get eccles cakes was in order. You know, incase they buy anything and azirphale has to part with one of his books and needs the support. That’s how Crowley ends up sauntering across the street, eccles cakes in hand when he sees yet more people trying to get into the bookshop. Perhaps he should’ve bought a few more cakes.
“Hello lads,” he says to the two boys trying desperately to make sense of the bookshop hours taped to the front door. “Something I can help you with?”
“Oh yes do you know if this shop is open?” The blonde freckly one asks. A blush creeps across his face as he look at Crowley.
Crowley usually answers this question with “absolutely not open, and don’t bother coming back” because that is what his angel would want. But he just can’t seem to say no to kids. And especially these adorable lads.
“Yeah, yes it is. Go on,” he motions to the door.
---
Henry is telling him about pride and prejudice again as they flip through a very elegant set of Jane Austen novels. Alex could listen to Henry talk about Austen for hours. The excitement in his eyes, the soft tone in his voice when he meets a point in the plot that resembles their own story, the way he explains his favourite characters. They hear the door open and two of the cutest British kids come walking in. But Alex is immediately distracted by the man that walks in behind them. His red hair, his skinny jeans, his dark blazer - and to top it all off his sunglasses. Alex only hopes to look so cool when he’s older. (Somewhere distantly he remembers once long ago when he thought he was straight and laughs to himself).
“Aziraphale,” the man directs at the owner who instantly smiles so bright Alex thinks the lighting the bookshop might actually have changed?
“Crowley, are those eccles cakes?” Aziraphale asks. Crowley - god even his name is cool? - nods, looking just the tiniest bit proud of himself.
“I was reprimanded, though, by Nina, for stealing her plates.”
“My dear are you not returning them?”
“That is, angel, so obviously your job.” Angel? Angel…
He walks - swaggers? Slinks? - over to where the owner is sitting and sets the cakes down and gives him a quick kiss on the top of his head.
*Oooh* Alex **thinks maybe he was wrong.
“oh. My. God. they are so cute” he whispers to Henry.
But Henry is smiling sweetly at the two high schoolers that walked in before Crowley.
---
Charlie thinks he might be dreaming. The prince of England? The GAY prince of england? Prince Henry? Is in this bookshop? And he just smiled at him?
He looks over at Nick who is very much still staring. “Nick” he shout-whispers “stop staring”. Nick blushes and looks at Charlie.
“Oh my god,” he says in disbelief “ it’s the prince and his American boyfriend”.
“Ok lets just try to act normal”
“yes yes of course”
“what were we going to get?” Charlie’s mind has gone blank. Literally all he can think about is that Prince Henry is standing a few meters from him. Charlie and Nick absolutely adore Prince Henry and his boyfriend. Nick swears its not true but secretly he thinks Nick only took spanish because of Alex Claremont-Diaz. Let’s just say individually and as a couple they are big fans of the prince and the first son.
“We were looking for Oscar Wilde books” Nick offers.
“Right, yes. Maybe we should ask the owner?”
“I think you mean owners?” Nick motions to Aziraphale and Crowley, who are talking. Aziraphale is eating the ecceles cake at the desk, while Crowley half sitting half leaning on the desk very intently watching Aziraphale.
“Wow they are a super cute couple, huh”
“I bet we would look that cute if we owned a bookshop together.” Nick grabs charlies hands a presses a delicate kiss to his knuckles, looks up and meets Charlies eyes as he says “angel”. Charlie’s heart melts and he’s pretty sure he’s blushing a lot. How did he get such a perfect boyfriend? Nick grins and turns to head to where the owners are sitting. As they get nearer Azirphale and Crowley both turn to look at them. Charlie thinks it sort of feels like they are being interrogated by two dads. But Nick seems unfazed with his golden retriever personality.
”Hiya, we were just wondering if you had an Oscar Wilde books?” Nick says with a big smile.
“Ah,” say Aziraphale “yes we do”.
“Angel, please stop saying *****we do*****” Crowley says to Aziraphale. Turning to Nick and Charlie he says “I do not have any part of owning, buying or selling books”.
“Now, Crowley, you know that is not true. What about that time I went to Edinburgh? You stayed here, even answered the phone”
“Angel when you got back you yelled at me for several days about all the books that I had tossed on the ground”
“I didn’t yell. I would never yell. At you, anyways.” At that Crowley softens. “So,” Aziraphale continues “the Oscar Wilde books”. And he stands up presses a quick kiss to Crowley’s cheek and leads them to a different part of the store.
---
“H”, Alex is explaining to Henry, “we literally accidentally came into the gayest bookshop in all of London. Did you see them? Their an old married couple!”
Just then Aziraphale and the two British boys turn the corner. The two boys both clearly recognize him and Henry but are trying to act like they don’t.
“They are absolutely adorable” henry points out. “Maybe we should go say hi?”
“I mean we are pretty famous” Alex says with a huge grin.
“Oh don’t let it go to your head” Henry says rolling his eyes.
“I think it’s a little late for that…”
---
Aziraphale is explaining each Oscar Wilde book mostly to explain the ones that are definitely not for sale and they should not even consider buying. When the two hooligans, who came running in earlier, walk over.
“Ah Oscar Wilde, a great choice,” says the blond one.
The two younger boys just stare.
“Well, I thought so too,” Aziraphale says. “great novels although he was a bit of a drama queen.”
They look at him a little confused. “I’ve heard,” Aziraphale quickly amends. He can hear Crowley chuckle from somewhere else in the bookshop.
The curly hair one from earlier smiles wide and says to the two young boys: “Hi you two, I’m Alex…although I get the feeling you might already know that” and he winks at them.
The two smile and nod. “Well I’m Nick and this is Charlie.” He motions to his companion. “yeah, we’re, uh, big fans I guess.”
“Amazing!” he narrows his eyes and says, “you haven’t read the emails thought I hope?”.
“Alex!” Henry gasps, shocked. “please ignore him. and don’t answer that question.” He looks between Aziraphale and the two boys.
“Sorry, sorry” Alex says, not looking sorry at all. Aziraphale has no idea what any of them are talking about and decides to leave them to their conversation to go finish his eccles cakes (and to be by Crowley).
“Well, um, here you are. I’ll leave you to choose, just come find me when your ready to make a purchase.” He smiles at the four of them.
“Oh uh, before you leave could I ask you a question?” Alex says to him.
“God help us” henry says under his breath and then to Alex: “babe, please.”
“What?” Alex pretends to be offended.
“No worries, go ahead.” Aziraphale smiles - they are a sweet couple.
“How long have you been with your husband?”
Just then Crowley walks into the aisle on the opposite side from where they are all standing. They look at each other and Aziraphale softens and smiles.
“Well, lads. We’ve known each other a very long time.” Crowley smiles a sort of sad smile at that, he know they are both remembering all the years they pretended nothing was between them. “but we’ve only been together a few years” at that Crowley’s smile widens and gives him a little wink, making Aziraphale blush and look away. “and we’re not actually married.”
“Anytime you want, Angel. Just not in church,” Crowley says matter of factly and saunters off.
“Okay I think that is quite enough questions from you babe,” Henry says pointedly at Alex.
“Ok, baby, whatever you say” and then to Aziraphale: “thank you for indulging me, don’t let me keep you here.”
---
As Aziraphale walks off Alex turns to the three others and exclaims “did you hear he calls him Angel…its so fucking cute”
“Language, my dear” Henry reprimands him.
“Oh, yeah right, sorry boys” he gives a sheepish grin.
“So Nick and Charlie…not to make an assumptions but are you two together?” Henry asks the two younger boys.
“Yeah we are” Nick says and they smile at each other and Alex is reminded of when he first saw his and Henry’s official photoshoot, it was looking at the sun it was so bright and tender.