Aziraphale had been curating a new selection of books for his shop lately, having exhausted the pleasure of reading his older volumes countless times over. Among the new arrivals, a book on reptiles caught his eye. Aziraphale found the section on snakes particularly fascinating, especially the part that mentioned how they enjoyed being petted. He tucked away this curious bit of information, not knowing when it might come in handy.

When Crowley visited the shop that evening, the two settled into their usual routine of wine and conversation, their topics meandering from the mundane to the profound. The wine had loosened Crowley's usual guarded demeanor, and he let slip something unexpectedly sweet. Aziraphale's eyes sparkled with affection as he reached out, gently scratching beneath Crowley's chin. The demon froze for a moment, his defenses briefly rising, but then he melted into the touch, a contented sigh escaping his lips. His eyes fluttered closed, and a tiny, satisfied flick of his snake tongue revealed just how much he enjoyed the angel's tender gesture.