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Crowley wakes to the sounds of battle outside his tent. Groaning, he pokes his head out to see how close it is.
Not too close. He still has time.
Groaning again, he collapses into his bedroll and goes back to sleep.
*
Crowley wakes to the sounds of battle outside his tent.
He doesn't bother getting up. No one is close to him, not even Aziraphale. He still has time.
He goes back to sleep.
*
Crowley wakes to the sounds of battle outside his tent. Someone, they're taking a long time with this battle. Aziraphale is close though.
His eyes heavy, Crowley tries to miracle his tent invisible to humans.
It probably works. He's already too asleep to notice.
*
The next five times Crowley wakes to the sounds of battle he doesn't manage to open his eyes before he's falling back to sleep.
*
“Crowley!”
Blinking awake, Crowley manages to open his eyes a tiny bit. His head is too heavy to move, but luckily he is facing the doorway so he can see a blood covered Aziraphale standing in the middle of it.
“Angel,” he says softly, reaching out a hand. That takes a lot of energy, so he closes his eyes.
“CROWLEY!”
The last thing Crowley hears is the sound of someone falling to the ground in front of him.
*
“Crowley,” Aziraphale whispers. Crowley opens his eyes. He can hear the sounds of battle outside the tent, but his eyes are too heavy to stay open after he confirms his angel is before him.
“No, please don't close your eyes. Crowley, please you have to listen!”
“Always listen to you angel,” Crowley mutters. “Whatsgoingon?”
A hand runs down his cheek and Crowley turns into it, his eyes opening a slither. “Angel?”
“There's a circle around this tent. One of these sides is using your powers to power a time-loop, trying to win this battle but it's not infinite. It can't be. We're at eleven loops already and I doubt you can manage even one or two more.”
That is a lot of words that Crowley is too tired to process. “Angel?”
Aziraphale leans in, eyes bright and glowing. “Do you trust me?”
“Yes,” Crowley says, without hesitation. A part of him knows he should have some, but he is so tired. Too tired.
“I'm sorry,” Aziraphale whispers. “This is going to hurt.”
He leans in and kisses Crowley's forehead. Fire burns through Crowley.
“ANGEL!”
*
Crowley wakes to the sound of battle outside his tent. He bolts upright, heart pounding. Beside him, Aziraphale groans as he rises.
The floor beneath them smokes, markings burnt into the ground from the force of whatever Aziraphale did.
“Crowley? Are you okay?”
Nodding slowly, Crowley rises and leaves the tent. He doesn't feel anything as he crosses the circle just outside it.
Around him, the battle wages a final time.
“Crowley?”
“I need a drink, Angel,” Crowley says softly. There will be time to process everything later.
Aziraphale smiles softly. “I think I know somewhere safe.”