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cuubism · 10 months

Note

I have been absolutely loving Bookstore Cryptid Dream! Offline life got rough for a bit there, but this little universe never failed to make my heart happy. Thank you - and I hope you're planning on more!

i've indeed had one in my drafts so i finished it up for you :)

Hob has been waiting with equal parts anticipation and trepidation to find out exactly what ideas Dream will pull from his romance novels. He still hasn't figured out why he picked romance novels as his manuals. Maybe he needs his sex positions to have narratives. Maybe he's into roleplay. God.

But Hob doesn't get to find out.

He's been busy for a few days--new term at the local uni starting up means the cafe's suddenly gotten busier--and while Dream's popped in and out a few times, they haven't had the chance to spend much time together. It's probably good, Hob tries to convince himself. Puts the brakes on things, just a little.

But when he finally gets a break, hands the reins over to his staff for an evening, he heads to The Library. Even if Dream is busy with his own tasks, Hob's content to just sit in his space. Listen to his stories. It's not something the busy cafe environment usually allows, but The Library is like an alternate world, cool, quiet, and timeless.

Hob strides up the steps and opens The Library door.

And there's nothing inside.

It takes several moments for his tired brain to comprehend what he's looking at, and several more for him to decide that no, he's not dreaming. He steps through the doorway into a dim, empty room, old wood-paneled walls and dust gathering in the corners, and no infinite winding paths of shelves like in Dream's bookshop. Just a shell.

Hob presses his palm to the wall. It's cool, and smooth, and very much real. Not some mad hallucination of his, this empty room.

Blinking hard, Hob steps back outside, closes the door again, as if that might change things. Opens it again. Same room. Does it again. Same room. He calls out into the empty bowels of the once-Library: "Dream!"

No answer, of course.

Hob had known that The Library had a sort of magic to it. But just vanishing into thin air...

And Dream wouldn't...

...would he?

Hob spins in place on the stoop, looking out on the darkened street which suddenly feels so much more eerie. He steps down to the road in a daze, looking around as if The Library might suddenly appear in another doorway. Resists the urge to yell Dream's name into the darkness.

And then, well, fuck it. "Dream!" he calls. All that echoes back to him is his own voice.

Hob sits down on the stoop, defeated. If he hadn't seen Dream just yesterday, kissed him on his way out of the cafe not twenty-four hours ago, he really might have started to think he'd hallucinated all of this. Invented someone he'd wanted to know.

But he didn't invent Dream, he swears he didn't--so then where is he?

Hob doesn't sleep much that night. He doesn't do much of anything else, either--it's not like Dream left a note to track him down, or any evidence of his existence. It's not like Hob can put up missing person posters: have you seen this bookshop? Or force it to reappear.

He's having a very sleep-deprived, very over-caffeinated morning shift in the cafe, contemplating how long one's not-quite-human not-quite-boyfriend needs to be not-quite-missing before it's reasonable to start finding out which parts of London harbor demons and sorcerers--when a man he's never seen before stops at the counter, hands folded before him, and says, "Excuse me, but do you know if there's a bookshop around here?"

Hob has never seen anyone else ever go into The Library or even acknowledge its existence, and Hob's anxiety is so high that he almost leaps over the counter to grab this man by the collar and demand, what do you know about Dream?! Fortunately he belays that impulse. This stranger really does look almost laughably harmless and definitely not like a demon or sorcerer, not that Hob's seen one--and getting arrested for assault is not going to help anything.

"I tried the door," continues the stranger, as Hob just keeps staring at him, conflicted, "only, well. It seems to have vanished."

Well, at least Hob's not hallucinating. Not that a disappearing bookstore is helpful to his sanity.

After what was surely a conspicuously long silence, though his visitor just waits patiently, Hob says, "Have... you been there before?" He feels weirdly defensive of The Library, even if it's currently AWOL. He doesn't know if he wants random people to be able to find Dream.

Or maybe that's just jealousy.

"Oh, no, this is my first time coming this way," says the man, apologetically. "I'm just looking for a certain book."

Damn odd timing for it.

Hob comes out from behind the counter and waves him over to a table. He should probably get some tea. Proper hospitality and all. But he's too worked up and way too sleep-deprived.

His guest sits down primly at the table as Hob slouches against the back of his own seat. "Sorry," Hob finally says, "if I'm--" he waves a vague hand. "Dream's had trouble before, that's all." He holds out his hand to his guest. "Hob."

The man shakes his hand. "Hm. A pleasure. I am Aziraphale. To any associate of--" he tastes the name, "Dream's, that is."

It's interesting that The Library's reputation carries further than knowledge of Dream himself, despite how deeply Dream seems to be tied to the shop.

"Is it meant to be there, then?" asks Aziraphale hopefully. "I wouldn't blame him for moving around to protect the collection; I certainly wouldn't want all and sundry picking through the shelves!" He shudders. "Though I was hoping to find that book."

Hob doesn't bother asking what book. Whatever it is, Dream will certainly have it. What's more important is--

"'Moving around?' Do you know how?" And then, realizing if he wants a chance at info he's going to need to offer some of his own, adds, "You just missed him, it's only today that The Library's been... gone."

"Oh, dear," says Aziraphale, now looking troubled.

"Not sure what pointed you towards this place, but if you've heard anything..." Hob continues, "Dream is my--" what is Dream, anyway? They haven't established it, "...friend."

Looking contemplative, Aziraphale says, "Well it is odd timing, now that you mention it, because--"

That's when the door to The Library flies open.

A lanky man comes hurtling down the steps, limbs akimbo, yelling something over his shoulder that Hob can't hear from within the cafe. "Oh dear," says Aziraphale again, with a mix of concern and consternation. "Crowley!"

Dream storms out of the doorway next, expression thunderous, his hair sticking up in all directions like he'd been struck by lightning. That has Hob lurching to his feet, which Aziraphale does as well, and they both rush outside, just in time to hear--

"Look, it's just one silly book, okay?" The unfamiliar man--Crowley, presumably--says, stopping in the middle of the road and turning towards Dream. "Don't overreact."

Dream is, in fact, clutching a singular heavy book, and looks like he's just about to hurl it, except that Dream would never do something so undignified as that, Hob thinks.

Dream hurls the book at Crowley.

Or not.

Crowley catches it against his chest, stumbling back with the weight. "I do not accept," spits Dream, each word the strike of a nail, "surreptitious rummaging in my library."

"Oh come on," says Crowley, tossing the book to Aziraphale, who's just caught up to him and who catches it with a surprised little umph! sound. Crowley makes a shooing sort of go on, run gesture to Aziraphale, which he doesn't heed. "It's not like I was going to burn the place down. You're just prejudiced against demons."

"I am prejudiced against thieves," hisses Dream. Hob finally reaches his side before he can throw another book or something, lays a hand on Dream's arm. Though all he's really thinking is, demons?!

"Crowley," Aziraphale admonishes. "Please tell me you did not." He finally looks at the cover of the book, and gasps. "Crowley."

Crowley shrugs. "You wanted it, he had it."

Hob frowns, confused. "You don't need to steal from The Library. It's not a museum. Just go in and buy it." Not that Hob's ever actually paid for any of Dream's books.

Both Crowley and Aziraphale turn to him. "One could not simply give away such an artifact," says Aziraphale, caressing the book's leatherbound cover.

"Least not for a steep price," says Crowley, which evidently justifies his trying to swipe it. "I won't be beholden to the likes of you." He points at Dream.

Dream looks affronted. "Now who is prejudiced?"

"Let's back up," Hob says, unsure how he became the voice of reason here. He still has a hand wrapped around Dream's arm, it's grounding after the way Dream had just vanished on him. "What happened? Dream-- I tried to come over and you were just gone." The empty room past The Library doorway is going to continue to be nightmare fuel.

Dream makes an apologetic little sound. "I apologize. I closed all access to The Library for its protection. As it turned out, my assessment of the threat was overstated." He glares at Crowley and adds, darkly, "I thought you were from the school board. Breaking in in the dead of night like so."

Hob momentarily gets stuck on the fact that Dream considers the local school board a greater threat than an actual demon from hell.

"Which," Dream continues, "was utterly unnecessary. You could have simply come to The Library as a visitor and sought out what you were looking for. It would have been granted."

"Oh, so I was just supposed to know you actually sell your books?"

"The books will find their rightful recipients," Dream says stiffly.

"Crowley, you have been very rude," says Aziraphale, though he hasn't given up the book, "I think you should apologize."

"Eh," says Crowley, waving this off. Hob supposes it wouldn't really be given to demons to apologize for things. "You apologize if you really want to."

Aziraphale turns to Dream with a sigh. "I am sorry for my companion's behavior. And... grateful for the book."

Dream nods solemnly at him. It seems his ire does not extend to Aziraphale.

Crowley leans back on his heels, closer to Aziraphale. "Mayyybee we should go now."

Aziraphale nods. "Quite." He tips his head at Dream, and then at Hob. "Thank you for your hospitality, Hob."

Then he turns and hurries away, Crowley slinking along beside him. As they leave, Hob hears Aziraphale admonish, "Do you know how few booksellers there are with truly rare volumes? We cannot afford to make such enemies."

"Yeah, you're welcome, angel."

"...Thank you."

Hob shakes his head in bemusement and turns back to Dream. He takes both of Dream's arms in his hands now, holding onto him, looking him over. Unable to fully vanish the lingering panic of The Library just being gone. "Are you alright? I was... worried. When you disappeared."

"I am annoyed," Dream huffs, like it's a greater point of suffering than any actual injury. Then he leans in close to Hob, pressing a hand to his chest. "I apologize. I did not intend to cause you distress. I had to shut the doors rather quickly, but I hoped to resolve the issue before you had cause to visit The Library."

"It's alright, love. I'm just glad you're okay." He kisses Dream, tentative for how new this all still is. Tastes lightning on his lips. Dream hums with pleasure.

When they pull apart, Hob wraps an arm around Dream's back, starts leading him back towards the cafe, or perhaps just to Hob's flat above. Tea solves everything. "So. The school board, eh?"

Dream sighs with the weight of the world on his shoulders. "They are enthusiastic about banning books."

Hob pulls him against his side, kisses his temple. "Dream against the world."

Dream grumbles, but leans his head on Hob's shoulder, and despite the many strange things of today Hob is going to have to internalize, he feels all soft inside at the gesture.

"Don't worry," he says, "next time your many enemies come calling, just yell and I'll create a diversion."

"And be waiting with tea after I've dealt with them?"

"Got it in one."

As they reach the door to the cafe, Dream turns his head to kiss Hob's shoulder. "You are good to me, Hob Gadling."

And Hob will keep being so. Even when the next strange thing happens.

#hob: yep. same shit as always #idk in what type school boards do or don't exist in the uk maybe that's just an american thing #also realized i never named Hob's cafe lol. i guess now it's just called The Cafe. like The Library #fitting for a man who named his tavern The New Inn #bookstore cryptid dream #my writing #dreamling #dream of the endless #hob gadling #ask #lunaris1013 #good omens #crowley #aziraphale

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hereticqueen2000 · 6 months

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Happy Wednesday my friendly

fiendish

heavenly

Good Omens Obsessions

Family of Choice.

“The story in which somebody gets to learn better,

somebody gets to change their mind,

somebody gets to see the world differently—

is a beautiful shape for a story.”

Neil Gaiman

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embervoices · 10 months

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With gratitude to @cuubism for letting me borrow Bookstore Cryptid Dream's Library.

The phone rang.

Once he had determined that it was possible to have a phone only ring at certain times, or for certain people, Aziraphale had seriously considered disconnecting the landline for his bookshop in favor of having the number forwarded automatically to the device Crowley had acquired for him.

This sufficiently worried his vintage phone that it promptly began call filtering for him to prove to the angel its continued worth. Aziraphale hadn't so much noticed, as determined that the landline wasn't really enough of a bother to be worth altering.

Thus, when the landline rang well after the bookshop's (admittedly dubious) business hours when Crowley was already sitting across from him in the back room, Aziraphale nevertheless did not hesitate to answer.

"Aziraphale, I need your help!" Anathema explained in a very slightly (read: incredibly) distressed tone.

"Whatever is the matter?"

"I lost the book."

Aziraphale blinked. Anathema's hands weren't exactly audibly flapping, but Aziraphale had no trouble picturing them nevertheless.

"Well, not lost, exactly. I… burnt it."

"You what!?"

"I burnt it!"

Aziraphale's eyebrows furrowed. "I thought it was already burnt in the fire-that-wasn't? I still have the little slip of loose paper from the final prophecy here in my desk."

"Oh! No, not that one. That one is fine. Yes, singed still, that's true, but I have all the index cards so it's ok." She kindly didn't mention that she'd noticed the missing prophecy. She was a touch relieved to know whose hands it had ended up in. "No, what I mean is, the next day a whole second book arrived, and Newt helped me decide I didn't want to be a professional descendant for the rest of my life. So I burnt it!"

"Oh dear."

"YES 'Oh Dear'! Now everything has gone strange again and I don't have the book!"

Aziraphale nodded to himself, peeking out the windows into Soho. "Things have gone rather strange, haven't they?"

Crowley snorted in the background. Aziraphale waved him away with a hand.

"Hmm. I may know a solution. How soon can you get to my bookshop, Anathema?"

She hummed. "Well, I suppose Newt could drive me. So, what, an hour?"

"That will do nicely. He always did keep late hours."

"Who, Newt?"

"An old friend, of a sort. Or a rival."

"Crowley?"

Aziraphale laughed. "Of course not! Well, perhaps he is a bit like Crowley in some ways, come to think of it, but not in any personal sense, anyway. This is more of a professional rivalry. You'll see."

"Okay, we'll be there soon."

Aziraphale hung up the phone, and turned to his beloved demon.

Crowley raised an eyebrow.

"You're taking her to the Library? At this hour?"

"It's not as if his hours are any more coherent than mine."

Crowley snorted, nodding. "So what's she looking for? An impossible grimoire? You know he won't give those out to just anybody."

"And nor should he, considering what happened last time one of them got out!"

"Right. So you're introducing the known, actually-rather-talented hereditary witch to the Library because…?"

"Oh come now, you know she can be trusted. Besides, this is more a matter of family business."

"Whose family?"

"Hers."

Crowley grinned. "Oh, this should be interesting."

Aziraphale gave him a mischievous smirk. "Indeed!"

#good omens #bookstore cryptid dream #cuubism #Aziraphale #Crowley #Anathema #crossover #riffing #side quest

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aziraphalalala · 8 months

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I visited a large bookstore in the center of Prague today. idk what normal people usually go see when they travel but for me it's geek paraphernalia, bookstores, gothic churches, natural history & science museums and queer hangouts.

Went two floors down to find the English books section (I can't read Czech) and VA-VA-VOOM check the top of the fantasy section

Bonded pair do not separate

So, I was happy I could trust the staff to have good taste. Taking a step back, I saw something that made me even happier. The fantasy shelf was just

...Terry Pratchett. Just. Terry Pratchett.

Luxor Bookstore on top of their game.

#good omens #bookstore #prague #terry pratchett #aziraphale #crowley #ineffable idiots #ineffable husbands #crowley x aziraphale

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jadegr8 · 4 months

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I completely forgot to share what I found in a bookstore when I went to the city on Friday:

Good Omens. In English. In a German bookstore.

Hardest decision in quite some time was which one to take. I went with Crowley though because I thought Aziraphale liked the bookshop ;D

#good omens #good omens book #crowley #aziraphale #books #bookstore #stuff

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the-goddessfighter12 · 10 months

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Good Omens! Pony Town 😎♥️😇

It's a date 🤭

#good omens #good omens season 2 #pony town #crowly x aziraphale #aziraphel #crowley #GO #a date at the bookstore #ineffablehusbands #ineffable husbands #🕊️☕🍰📚#🐍🍷💤🌱

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just-an-enby-lemon · 11 months

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Gabriel: For the crime of betraying heaven and dating a demon...

Aziraphale: Uh. I'm not dating Crowley

Gabriel: Lying is only going to make the situation worse. We have evidence!

Sandalphom: *shows photos of Crowley and Aziraphale lunch dates and holding hands at the park*

Aziraphale: That's just things we do as friends.

Micael: Mayhaps, but aren't you two a queerplatonic couple?

Aziraphale: A what?

Gabriel: *trying to not show he also has no idea what a queerplatonic couple is* hahahaha you're telling the truth.

Aziraphale: Why is this funny?

Micael: Let me get this right. You followed every single dating procedure to the point is punishable. Not only that but you betrayed us for your demon's sake-

Aziraphale: It was also for Earth's sake. I mean of course a part of it was for Crowley and our friendship but also stopping Earth for ending being the endgoal shows that saving the plane and it's inhabitants was a major player on my decision. Clearly?

Micael: *ignoring him* You did all that... and you're not even dating the demon?

Aziraphale:.. yes

Gabriel: *still laughting* Only you, sunshine, only you. Failing to date the demon you're getting punished for dating.

Micael: You know what I think we should send you back... see if you at least suceeds at dating the demon and them we punish you.

Sandalphom: *that really wanted to see a punishement happenig* What? Gabriel say something.

Gabriel: That's... genial, Micael.

Aziraphale: *confused but hey is a free pass* Is it? I mean it is!

Sandalphom: Why? Isn't it better that he didn't date the demon?

Gabriel: It's embarassing. What type of angel fails at a simple task like that? He likes the demon, the demon likes him at least say it to each other for heaven's sake! We trained him better.

Micael: Yeah. That's too much of a loser behavior, I don't want to make an example out of a loser. I'm here to punish a traitor.

Gabriel: You heard the lady, Aziraphale, chop chop, go date your demon so we can punish you for dating the demon.

[back at the shop]

Crowley: Angel! You're back! I was very worried. Had a cool plan to infiltrate upstairs and all.

Aziraphale: *shaking his head foundly* Of course you did, dear boy.

Crowley: Pray tell, how did you escape the archangels?

Aziraphale: *red as a tomato* I don't wanna talk about it.

-//-

[[Bônus ]]

Aziraphale: *reading about queerplatonic relationships* Crowley! Crowley! Look at that, my dear, I think we have one of those.

Crowley: *reads the page Azi is showing him* Yeah. It checks out.

*nothing about their relationship changes at all*

[[[At heaven]]]

Sandalphom: Micael, Micael, we finally can punish Aziraphale.

Micael: Are you sure? They have exactally the same dinamic they did and they weren't dating then.

Sandalphom: I think I heard they say they had a queerplatonic relationship to that wich girl once.

Micael: Did you check with Gabriel?

Sandaphom: He is watching The Sound of Music.

Micael: Oh Lord! You think it will last ten years again?

Sandalphom: I hope not. I still have Do-Re-Mi flasbacks.

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unrighteousbooks · 1 year

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Because of the so-called "werewolf incident" (I'm certain you've heard about it) we have not had an opportunity to post to the blog for quite some time. Rest assured, however, that we will soon have the store back in order and will begin posting again.

#aziraphale #aziraphale's books #aziraphale's bookstore #aziraphale's bookshop #werewolves #werewolves of london

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femme-in-stem · 8 months

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Muriel is hoping that these books might have insight to explain the mood of Aziraphale’s grumpy friend Mr. Crowley (demon).

#muriel #good omens #good omens 2 #crowley #good omens s2 #aziraphale #ineffable husbands #aziracrow #good omens fanart #ineffable spouses #soho bookstore #my art #snakes #dsm 5 #drunk snek #cuppity

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pixelated-pancakes · 9 months

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Hey, hi, hello!

In honor of the second season of the television series Good Omens coming out on Amazon, I've spent the past month working on a few different fan works -- including this floorplan for Aziraphale's bookshop, based entirely on the Good Omens novel!

I've seen many people doing comparisons between characters in the Good Omens novels versus the television series and thought I'd put a spin on that idea with a floorplan!

I have plans to make a second post describing all the work I've put into creating this floorplan, especially the research -- all of which will be posted on a second account dedicated purely to fan diagrams called Fandiagrams!

Side note: Bookshelves are outlined in blue

#good omens #bookstore #aziraphale's bookshop #fandiagram #floorplans #art #fan art #fan design #fan plans

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sing-you-fools · 8 months

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Nina and Maggie are such badasses like

imagine you're at a party in a bookstore and it got attacked by demons and over the course of the battle you discovered that the bookstore owner is a LITERAL angel and his totally-not-boyfriend-yeah-sure-I-believe-you is a LITERAL demon

and the angel did this whole halo grenade thing and a bunch more angels and demons showed up and one of the angels tried to erase you and your friend from existence

are you going back the next day

forcing the LITERAL DEMON to sit down for a talk

and insisting that he come clean about his feelings? are you? ARE YOU?

#good omens #good omens season 2 #good omens season 2 spoilers #crowley #neil gaiman #good omens 2 spoilers #antony j crowley #good omens s2 spoilers #aziraphale #nina and maggie #like sorry no im finding a different bookstore after that #im never going back #the last thing i would care about is their love life #sing-you-fools

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cuubism · 10 months

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I am IN LOVE with Dream and his freaky little bookshop. Mostly bc I would basically move in if it was real, all it's missing is a cat to chill in the window and I'm in heavennnn

Speaking of heaven, how do you think Dream gets on with Aziraphale from GO? Are they besties? Are they (im)mortal enemies bc both of them are battling it out for the rarest books on the planet (and Dream is obviously winning)? They're both my favourite characters ever so if you're into Good Omens at all I'd love to hear your take on it. Personally I think Dream doesn't care bc he wins anyways (except for the Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch, I bet holds a grudge about that) meanwhile Aziraphale LOATHS him for taking his books and then, God forbid, SELLING them!!! To the general public!!! Imagine!! And that's how Hob and Dream walk in on Crowley "robbing" The Library on Aziraphale's behalf but he honestly doesn't know what he's looking for and in the end just buys whatever book it is with Dreams help. Sorry for the bit of the ramble but yeah!!! I love your stuff!!

I think your take is probably right that they have a somewhat contentious relationship but only from Aziraphale's end 😂 he's torn between being lowkey obsessed with Dream and wanting to be his friend and HATING him, because first of all A Kindred Spirit the likes of which he's never met, but on the other hand he just gives books away! Just hands them out to any old person! Even more sacrilegious, Dream is delighted when a book comes back with annotations because it's a sign of a story well enjoyed and it adds to the history of that particular copy. Aziraphale is going to faint.

Nevertheless they are hanging out and talking about books quite a lot. Dream will just give Aziraphale any book he wants and Aziraphale still doesn't understand it for the life of him. It haunts him but he still accepts the books.

I feel like Crowley WOULD rob the shop before Dream and Aziraphale properly know each other. Just wants to take some rare book Aziraphale is looking for, not realizing Dream would just give it to him because his whole ~thing~ is uniting people with the books that they need. Dream and Crowley run into each other when Crowley's robbing him and before Dream can even say that he can just borrow whatever he wants Crowley is flinging a dictionary at his head and fleeing the scene. Then Aziraphale makes him go back the next day and apologize because listen we can't afford to make an enemy of this guy who has all the rare books in the city!! Honestly!!

Dream's only reaction was like "yup, normal risks of being a bookstore owner. I face physical violence on the daily." If Hob was there he would not have found it funny though 😂 he might have been /prepared/ with an atlas in Dream's defense. A fistfight might have ensued. Learning that Crowley was a demon would not have put Hob off from the fight in the slightest. While they're hitting each other, Dream and Aziraphale are having tea.

#bookstore cryptid dream #ask #dream of the endless #aziraphale #catpersonwithatemper

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