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A room is cast under a blue glow, washing over all surfaces like water. There’s a street lamp outside the window, beaming a yellow light that spreads out from the gap in the window shades and falls over comforters and pillows and hair, like morning sun shimmering in beams from the gaps between tree branches onto a patch of grass below. It makes the bed appear bigger than it really is, or perhaps a miracle had been performed to allow two grown adult bodies to fit on a twin-sized mattress. The bedroom is warm, in part due to being upstairs in the building, and in part due to the two beings currently laying together in bed, both nervous. Aziraphale’s back is to the window, the soft orange glowing in his blonde curls. Crowley is facing him, eyes half-lidded with sleep, golden in a bit of that light that escapes past Aziraphale’s side. There’s a glow that outlines the angel’s form, very much awake. Crowley thinks it quite fitting for his boyfriend, if not a bit ironic. Fitting and beautiful.
“‘Ziraphale..” mumbles Crowley, half of his face squished by the pillow beneath his head.
“Crowley.” Aziraphale responds, blinking at the other.
“Why are you so awake?”
“Why are you so sleepy?”
Crowley shrugs.
“Wanna sleep.”
“Is that how you do it?”
“What? Sleep?”
Aziraphale hesitates, and then nods. Crowley’s eyes open a little more and his eyebrows crinkle.
“You don’t know how to sleep, Angel?”
He shakes his head. “Should I?”
“You don’t.. Have to. I’m just surprised. You tend to connect to humans via other means, like eating or getting your hair trimmed.”
“Crowley?”
“Ngk?”
“Could you teach me how to sleep?”
“Teach you?”
“Yes, you must have taught yourself how. It doesn’t come naturally to us.”
“Sssatan, i’w’so long ago, Zira. I could try though, I s’pose.”
“Oh thank you, my dear!”
Aziraphale’s smile erupts and he wraps his arms around his boyfriend. Crowley chuckles into his shoulder.
“Alright, turn around angel.”
“Turn around?”
“Turn around. I’m not going to hurt you.”
Aziraphale made a small noise of hurt as he shuffled onto his other side, back facing Crowley.
“I would never think such of you, Crowley. I know you wouldn’t hurt me.”
Crowley snaked his arms around Aziraphale’s torso and tugged, pulling the angel until his back was flush with Crowley’s stomach. Aziraphale sighs, quite comfortable with this new closeness.
“Close your eyes, Angel.. Good. Take a few deep breaths.”
Crowley’s chest rises and falls against Aziraphale, the angel’s soon coming to sync with Crowley. They didn’t need to breathe of course, but they had been doing it to blend in for so long that it had become somewhat natural.
“You’re doing wonderful, love. Let your mind empty, all those thoughts can be packed away. Bookmark them for tomorrow. You have all the time in the world. Focus on that warmth settled between us. My chest rising and falling against your back, my voice rumbling by your ear. My arms squeezing your torso,”
Aziraphale chuckles, squirming slightly at the squeeze around his middle.
“There you are, shh,” Crowley kisses the back of the angel’s head. “Focus on the warmth of the bed reflecting your body heat and mine. Listen to my breathing when I don’t speak. Listen to your own breathing.” his voice is hushed, barely a whisper in Aziraphale’s ear.
“Relax your toes… and your calves.. And your knees, thighs, hips. Good. Relax your back and core, your shoulders, neck. The pillow will hold you. I’ll hold you.”
Aziraphale lets out a long sigh, body relaxing as Crowley guides it to.
“Fall into that, Angel.” Crowley whispers, pressing another gentle kiss to Aziraphale’s curls.
Crowley listens to the angel’s breath as it fades, becoming a shallow sound as Aziraphale becomes deadweight in front of him. A smile blooms on Crowley’s lips, and he allows himself to slip into that state too.
The room is silent, and the two figures on the bed have gone still in the glow of the streetlamp, the room filled with gentle breathing and the occasional snore from a certain angel.