Chapter Text
It was a nice day. In fact, it had been many, many nice days, all in a row of each other. If anyone could realize in an instant how gratifying true freedom and love could be- well, that wouldn't feel as nice for those who had to realize it on their own. After all, it's the wait that makes it all the sweeter.
In Clydebank, along a river named accordingly, there was a home that hadn't been there for long, but contained two creatures as old as time itself. They had waited, both of them, and they had found freedom in each other. They would have moved out to a lonely star system far away from Heaven and Hell's reach where they could be completely and utterly alone, but Gabriel couldn't get a decent hot chocolate anywhere except Earth, and since he'd gotten Beelzebub hooked on it as well, they chose to find the cafe they liked best and settle down near it. Every morning they walked along the docks to people-watch as they got their morning fix, however they had found regular human activities to be quite dull, so they invented a new version of people-watching that pleased them more, where the only people they watched were each other. They simply liked it better that way.
Beelzebub had seen a change in Gabriel since his time as an amnesiac, now he had even more words to describe what he was feeling, and perhaps a bit more humility. He only visited his statue once or twice throughout the year now, especially since they had both discovered "mirrors".
"I'm honestly surprised what these humans come up with," he'd called from where they'd hung the mirror in the hallway, "we specifically made water reflective for them to see themselves, but this is so much more convenient"
"Don't go falling in love with it, sweet," the former prince replied, "I don't want to be replaced, hear me?"
Gabriel turned away from the surface.
"If I'd liked my image that much, I wouldn't have been so happy to have found you"
The prince had only smiled, accepting and relishing the affection.
Gabriel had performed a small miracle to get them this house, and within a day the city forgot who owned the property, or that it existed in the first place. The house had been empty at first, a one story two-bed two-bath, and although they enjoyed it for several weeks, they couldn't help but feel that it wasn't right.
"I mean when I was staying with Aziraphale, he had things everywhere. Tables, lamps, chairs, sofas, so, so many books . And I had a bed, we both did"
"Yeah, but he lived in a bookshop," Beelzebub objected, "what about regular human houses?"
Through some investigating- by way of a small fly problem in the neighborhood -they slowly gathered the essentials.
"Agh," Gabriel smacked his head as his partner set down a small stove, "I feel silly bringing this thing in here. I don't know how to make hot chocolate, I really should have asked Aziraphale how he made it"
"We can figure it out" Beelzebub reassured him.
After the essentials had been brought in (a bed, a table, two chairs, a bathtub, the stove and a sink), they didn't think there was much else to do. But of course that didn't last.
"What on the Earth-!" Gabriel exclaimed as they walked into the Resurrectionist Pub, only to see a very familiar jukebox being loaded onto a dolly.
"Ah, thing's broken, won't stop playing that American song," the bartender shrugged, "although it is sad to see a classic go"
They'd only been there to visit what could rightly be described as the place they got engaged, but as they watched Beelzebub's gift make its way out the door, it became personal.
An hour later, a very confused garbage man tenderly heaved the jukebox into their home before going back to his regular schedule.
"Everyday… everyday… everyday…"
"Bee, what are you doing?"
Beelzebub looked up, sharpie in hand.
"Oh. These buttons all have song names on them, but they all play our song, so I'm relabelling them all"
"Good thinking"
Gabriel had found a ceramic ashtray in the shape of a fruit fly, and had bought it with a coffee table. Beelzebub, in response, had labeled it "Gabriel's memories". Gabriel stored his wedding ring in it.
They slowly gathered more meaningful things, things that reminded them of each other, that came to remind them of home. Their home filled up, enough to look lived in, if you didn't mind the fact that the only things in the cabinets were one mug with bees on it ("'Bee', get it? Because- because your name!"), another mug that read "Jim's Mug", and a can of Nestle hot cocoa mix.
Even after living on Earth for three straight years, they still somehow found so much more to learn about how to live.
"Beelzebub," Gabriel announced, in a tone he'd use to assemble a meeting, or fire someone, "could you come here?"
Beelzebub appeared from the kitchen looking at Gabriel inquisitively, but still obeyed. Gabriel looked at them for a moment, before remembering what he had to say.
"So- I learned something new today, and it's about us "
"Us?" they repeated back, "What about us?"
"Well, we've been calling ourselves romantic partners- married, if you will-"
"We are married"
"Well not technically, you can't walk on consecrated ground, and I'm not sure what a priest's blessing would do to you"
"Probably I'd burst into flames"
"Anyway- well there's something that humans who are married do, and I- I'm going to try it with you"
Beelzebub's interest was piqued.
"Go on then, sweet"
"Well?"
"I uh… ha, I'm nervous and I- I don't know why!"
"Don't be nervous, it's just me, remember?"
"Yeah um… that's kind of why I'm nervous, I mean it's- it's you "
"I trust you, go ahead"
After another small moment of hesitation, Gabriel gently laid his hands on Beelzebub's shoulders, and even gentler still laid his lips on theirs. Beelzebub, the demon prince that had never received even a pat on the shoulder in appreciation, felt their stomach suddenly fill with flies as their cheeks burned hotter than hellfire. Gabriel in turn, hadn’t really known what it would feel like, and he could have yelped in surprise at how exciting it was. His heart, after millions of years of life, had discovered how to beat even faster than ever in response to the feeling.
When they finally pulled back, Beelzebub’s eyes were just as wide open as Gabriel’s mouth. His lips were… soft, plush being a good word to use. They were aware that their own lips were chapped, but Gabriel didn’t really look like he minded, so Beelzebub chose to take what they could get.
“Humans call it a… a kiss” Gabriel breathed, although he didn’t know where exactly all the air in his lungs had gone.
“What is it… for?” Beelzebub whispered, almost afraid to break whatever bubble had formed around them.
“Oh you know… greetings between romantic partners, goodbyes, and apparently they can do it just for fun”
“I’ve never been… given a kiss before”
“Well- well neither have I, of course not, but-”
“I should give you one back. Return the favor, and all that”
Gabriel straightened up with a surprised chuckle, certain his heart was about to break down from overworking.
“Oh- if you want to, I’m… more than fine with it”
“Angel”
“Hm?”
“I can’t bloody reach”
Gabriel blinked, remembering suddenly the angle at which he had to bend his neck to look down at the demon, and how they’d often have to go up on their tiptoes to reach some things around the home.
“Right- right right right…”
Gabriel leaned down once again, just as Beelzebub stretched themselves up to meet him halfway. Their kiss lasted far longer this time, both of them far more curious about this brand new thing they’d found. Gabriel, remembering that humans would move their lips, tried it out, and swiftly found out just how tight Beelzebub’s grip on his scarf could get. They likely would have stayed there all night, but a sudden, loud sizzling from the kitchen forced them apart.
“Fuck- fuck!” Beelzebub exclaimed as they stumbled backwards, a bit dizzy, “I was trying to make us- shit!”
Gabriel couldn’t help the quiet laughter that came from his chest as the demon ran shakily into the kitchen to try and save their poor hot chocolate. As they commanded the stove to “Quit it!”, they noticed the shiver in their voice, the weakness in their whole body, and the smile that they hadn’t even remembered forming. They wondered if they’d ever really smiled before, or if this was the first true, meaningful smile they’d ever had.
They found that their hot chocolate had been closer to what Gabriel had described Aziraphale’s hot chocolate tasted like, although still not quite.
“You know, the demon Crowley made me a cup once”
“Huh, go figure” Beelzebub said before they sipped.
“It tasted like he used the whole can in the one cup”
“Is that… a good thing?”
“It was a thick thing. The consistency of… mud”
“Ah. But we’re getting closer though?”
“Definitely”
And so they were.
After three years, they’d thought that they were done with both Heaven and Hell, happily banished. They had lived and learned together, and although they had tried very hard, they would once again find themselves in the middle of an Angelic, Demonic war, and dealing with the problems that they’d tried to run from.
“Something feels… strange”
“I feel it too,” Beelzebub said quietly, “maybe they’re just watching us, making sure we don’t cause any trouble. We did that with Crowley”
“Ah” Gabriel confirmed, still unsure. He was less uneasy with Aziraphale in command of Heaven, he knew they wouldn’t bother them, but Hell was something that he had no experience with. They’d let Aziraphale and Crowley be after they’d defected, but Beelzebub was a prince , would Hell let them go as easily? Every loud step on the sidewalk felt like it was giving away their position.
“Love, calm yourself,” Beelzebub called, grabbing onto Gabriel’s hand, “we’re fine”
Gabriel looked down at them, before heaving a sigh and letting his shoulders relax.
“Besides,” Beelzebub added, satisfied to have calmed their husband, “what I’m feeling isn’t evil, if anything it’s one of your old crowd”
They reached the door of their regular cafe, and Beelzebub elected to choose a table outside.
“Our usual?” Gabriel asked.
“That and- what are those things in there called? They’re like- wiggly biscuits, you know?”
Gabriel gave them a look before blinking, “I’ll know them when I see them, I’m sure”
With that, he went into the shop, leaving Beelzebub outside to save their table. They scanned the street, not finding anything of interest until they spotted something quite familiar. A certain walk, a slow, sure stride, someone here just to sight see, perhaps just enjoying the day. Beelzebub was out of their seat the moment they saw the face of the person they were watching, and with their regularly quick pace they’d already caught up to him.
“It’s you!” they exclaimed, a slow smirk on their face, “I thought you’d fucked right off to Heaven for good!”
Aziraphale, caught by surprise, smiled weakly. “Beelzebub, good to see you’re doing well”