Archive of Our Own

Anna hadn’t worked at the Ritz for long. She was a relatively new server, but luckily, she was a quick study, and she liked the work. Her supervisors liked her well enough, and she regularly covered some shifts of her coworkers, causing her to be well-liked by all the staff in the restaurant. Well, all the staff, except for the grumpy sous chef, Meredith. But Meredith liked no one, so Anna didn’t take it to heart.

Anna loved her job. It equipped her to meet many interesting people and get acquainted with the rich and famous of London’s high society. They were peculiarly funny if nothing else.

However, only one pair of customers had reached fame within the restaurant. No one knew their names or their exact ages, for that matter, but everyone agreed they were by far their loveliest customers.

They tipped handsomely, had never once made a staff member cry (which is quite a feat) and were friendly company to be around. They never made outlandish requests that were unable to be fulfilled. In fact, they only ever had one request: if the band would play ‘A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square’ at least once during their visit.

Even Meredith didn’t have a single bad thing to say about them.

As a joke, the entire staff had begun to call them the Angels of the Ritz. Not only reflecting their attitude but also because of that one line in A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square: “There were angels dining at the Ritz”.

At the time, none of the staff knew just how close they got to the reality of the situation.

And they got even closer when George remarked that the goth one of the pair reminded him far more of a demon in all but attitude. “He’s far too nice for a demon.”

Anna wasn’t sure if she imagined it, but she would bet her week’s wages that the redhead’s expression soured at George’s remark, even though he was far out of earshot. Anna even thought she heard him mumble: “ I’m not nice. Nice is a four letter word.” To which his partner gently patted his hand: “ of course, dear boy. ”

They were incredibly adorable together. The entire restaurant staff thought so, Anna included. As Anna’s time as a waitress continued, she was included in the staff’s little games. All of which revolved around their Angels.

For example, whoever raked in the most tips the day beforehand was privileged to serve them when they next decided to visit. Serving the Angels of the Ritz was a guarantee to have a lovely rest of your shift. It was as if their kind smiles blessed you with the best of luck with customers. So, the privilege of serving them was highly coveted by the staff.

Another game, though this one was usually reserved for the cooking staff, was to come up with new and exciting recipes for the blond Angel to try. It was no secret that he profoundly loved the culinary art that the Ritz presented. The chef took every order from the kind, tartan-bow-wearing Angel as a challenge to produce her best work, even offering dishes not on the menu for any other guests simply because the Angel had asked for them.

Somehow, the red-headed Angel rarely ordered anything besides alcohol. Everyone had seen him snatch little bites of his partner’s plate, but he only occasionally ordered for himself. No one on the staff even thought to ask him why. It obviously didn’t have anything to do with money. The man drove a gorgeous black Bentley that would put any millionaire’s car to shame, even if Anna thought so herself. Some of the staff whispered that, perhaps, he was recovering from an eating disorder. Maybe that explained why his partner would often subtly shove his plate towards the redhead,  silently encouraging him to eat a little. Ruth was the first to notice this, recently having had her own recovery process. Since then, Carmen, the chef, took care to add a little more to the plates she prepared for their table.

There was also a run for those who could correctly figure out their names and ages. They hadn’t decided how they’d check, but not a single staff member had any clue so far; it didn’t matter. The staff had opted to give them names of their own making for the time being. They’d made a voting bill and practically forced the entire staff to participate. After much arguing and banter, they decided to call the blond angel Francis and his partner, Oliver. And so it was settled. Kind of.

“He doesn’t look like an Oliver,” Mary whined as Carmen revealed the results.

“He doesn’t look like anything , Mary. I can’t even say for sure he’s a he .” George sighed.

“Well, his partner doesn’t exactly look like a Francis either.” Ruth softly remarked.

Anna nodded: “They’re ineffable. ”

Carmen clicked her tongue: “I think Anna here is the only one with some sense in her head. Now, back to work you four. I have dishes to make and you have guests to serve, chop chop!”

Then there were the bets. So many bets.

Were they married? Engaged? No one knew. Some even speculated they weren’t even together. However, everyone with eyes quickly discarded the notion. There was no way the two Angels weren’t at least dating. The staff regularly spent their cleanup time after all the customers had left squabbling over their marital status.

“Oh come on , Mary, not every married couple nowadays has a wedding ring. Maybe they’re a sort of open relationship.”

Anna snorted: “Have you seen them, George? Do you really think either would have a bit on the side?”

George threw his arms in the air, accidentally flinging the cloth he wiped the tables with directly in Meredith’s face. 

The entire room got silent.

Anna felt her heartbeat in her throat as Meredith picked a bread crumble from her cheek and let it fall to the floor Mary was cleaning. Meredith and Carmen were the only two kitchen staff members who stayed at this hour to prep the cooking area for the next busy day. Unusually, Carmen had left early tonight for a date with her adoring husband, which left a pissed-off Meredith to clean up double the mess she usually had to deal with.

With the composure of a tyrannical queen, Meredith took a deep breath, turning to Anna, who tried her hardest to not cower in fear.

“Congratulations, new girl, you’ve earned the most tips today. The next time Francis and Oliver show up, you’ll be the privileged waitress who gets to serve them.” And in a flurry of permed curls and clicking heels, she left.

As soon as she was out of the door, George flung himself around Anna’s neck. “Oh, you lucky bastard! I can’t even be jealous of you!” Anna laughed as George let her go. Everyone left at cleanup was beaming at Anna, even Mary, who was quite bummed now that she had to redo a spot because of George’s clumsiness and Meredith’s temper.

Anna’s heart was no longer beating out of her chest with fear but anticipation.

That night, they left the building after everything had been nicely cleaned. Mary heaved a sigh: “Well, I better be off. I’m already late to pick Frankie up for daycare, and I’m not paying that hellhole one more cent than I already do.” She scoffed, but it kind of came out as a yawn. “The fuckers, how dare they take advantage of a single mother. Well. I’ll be off. Take care now!” And with that, Mary beelined for her car and left.

“Well, I suppose I’ll follow suit. It’s late, and I need some cuddles from my boyfriend to destress.” George yawned. “Try to get some sleep tonight, all right, Anna? I promise you that serving our Angels is an otherworldly experience. You don’t have to worry about anything .” He bumped her arm encouragingly. “Bye, my loves!” And soon, George was out of Anna’s line of sight.

“Well, I suppose it’s just us two now.” Ruth smiled shyly. Suddenly, it struck Anna how pretty Ruth looked with the winter cold painting a pretty blush on her cheeks. Suddenly remembering that Ruth didn’t have a car, Anna decided to do something stupid.

“Can I give you a ride home?” Anna blurted out, almost immediately regretting her brashness. “Oh, I… I don’t live far from here, I don’t want to be a bother.” Ruth tried to shrug it off.

“You aren’t! A bother, I mean. You aren’t a bother. It’s cold and snowing. I could drop you off to make sure you get home safe.” Anna doubled down despite all her instincts telling her she shouldn’t.

“If you’re sure. My cat will be most grateful.” Ruth smiled.

“Yeah, I’m sure. My car’s over there.”

The car ride was barely ten minutes long, but it might as well have been an hour with how nervous Anna was. Queen’s ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love’ blared through the speakers of Anna’s old car as she nervously glanced at Ruth, who quietly hummed along to the song.

“Do you like Queen?” Anna asked breathlessly.

Ruth nodded vigorously: “I love Queen. My father used to play their albums all the time before he died.” She fell silent.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Anna said softly, wishing they weren’t in a car where Anna had to keep her eyes on the road. She would’ve hugged Ruth if she could.

Eventually, they got to Ruth’s flat. “Well, I’ll be off now. Thanks for the ride, Anna.” Ruth unbuckled her safety belt and moved out of the car before stopping. “I’m glad you won today, you know.”

Anna furrowed her brows, so tangled in Ruth’s presence in her car she’d utterly forgotten about the staff’s game.

Ruth continued: “Getting to serve our Angels is truly wonderful. I hope you find it as nice as the rest of us.” She smiled one last time at Anna, then turned around and left.

Anna stayed put for a while. She sighed, putting her head on her steering wheel. She had to admit that she was ultimately and utterly in love with Ruth. And it sucked. But it was so wonderful at the same time.

She hoped that serving the Angels of the Ritz would allow her to let her thoughts wander far, far away from Ruth.

~ ~ ~

The next day, Anna decided to check into work early, which earned her a half-approving glance from Meredith and a smile from Carmen. She didn’t know if the Angels would show up that day but decided she wanted no surprises. Anna did not want to mess up her first impression with the Ritz’ most famous couple.

They didn’t appear that day. Or the day afterwards. Or the week after that. But Anna kept checking in 30 minutes before she was supposed to start her shift. Meredith’s look became closer to annoyance than approval every day, and Carmen’s smiles turned slightly pitying.

After two weeks of this, Carmen took her aside one day: “Anna, I know you’re a dutiful worker and a nice girl, but I can see how tired you’re getting. This isn’t good for you. Your shifts are already nerve-wracking without showing up as early as you do. I understand you want to make a good impression on our Angels, but I assure you, you don’t have to work yourself to death for them.”

Anna blinked, trying to hold back a yawn. She hated that Carmen was right. “I’ll be fine, miss.”

Carmen sighed: “Listen, Anna, I didn’t want to do this, but I order you to take the rest of the week off.”

“But-“

“No buts! You’re exhausted, Anna. Even a wonderful waitress like you needs her rest. I promise you will get to serve Francis and Oliver the next time they show up after you’ve rested up. And I do not want you here any sooner than ten minutes before your shift, am I understood?”

Anna nodded, knowing it was pointless to argue against Carmen. Carmen sighed in relief, enveloping Anna in a motherly hug. She was taller than Anna was, and her tanned skin contrasted with Anna’s. Carmen was nearing her fifties, but she still worked with the vitality of a woman who loved every second of her job. Anna admired Carmen avidly, as did the rest of the staff, even if they never said it outright.

“Go home, Anna,” Carmen said softly. 

Anna started to protest, trying to say she had to at least finish her shift of the day, but Carmen didn’t pay her protests any mind. “I’ll call George, he’ll be happy to fill in for you after you covered a shift for him last month so he could celebrate his anniversary with his boyfriend. Don’t worry. Now, please get some rest Anna.”

Anna finally relented, packing her stuff and putting her uniform in her locker. There was a little package at the reception with a note attached. Abigail, the receptionist who had calmed Anna’s nerves when she first applied for a job at the Ritz, smiled warmly at her. “This is for you, Anna. Rest well!” 

Anna took the package. It was warm and smelled of apple beignets with a touch of cinnamon. She brought the box to her nose to smell it and was reminded of the note when it bumped against her nose. She opened it and smiled when she recognised Ruth’s neat, curly handwriting.

Dear Anna

Carmen said you were heading home to rest for the week, so I asked Meredith to put some of her apple beignets aside for you to take home with you. I remember you told me these were your favourites. Get well soon.

~Ruth

PS: Meredith hopes you get well soon, too

Now, Anna highly doubted Meredith feeling anything but contempt for her, but she decided not to question Ruth. It was probably told in good faith to not make Anna feel guilty for eating Meredith’s famed apple beignets without paying for them. Even if it was a lie. 

Anna exited the building, breathing little clouds into the cold. Just then, Anna noticed a familiar Bentley brusquely parking in front of her. Anna froze as the two people who had not left her head casually turned up just when her supervisor sent her home to rest. The blond, who stood closest to Anna, took a deep breath, sniffing up the delicious smell of the apple beignets in Anna’s hand. 

“Oh dear girl, is that smell coming from you?” The man laughed heartily as he approached Anna. “Angel, please , we came here for lunch. Not to harass random people on the streets.” The redhead slumped against the car. Anna marvelled how he did not get hypothermia dressed like he was in but a turtleneck and a jacket. Contrary to him, his partner dressed more appropriately for the weather, with a cream-coloured scarf wrapped around his neck and some mittens adorning his hands. 

“Oh don’t be silly , Crowley. I only want to ask where she got that delicious smell from.” The blond smiled warmly at Anna. “Oh, I… I got it from my co-worker at the Ritz. I was instructed to go home and rest for a while because I had been working too much lately.” Anna frowned, wondering why she had felt so comfortable sharing all that personal information. 

“Oh dear, I do hope you find yourself well-rested soon. Did you say you worked at the Ritz?” Anna nodded shyly: “These apple beignets are a limited offer on the holiday menu,” she said weakly. 

The blond beamed at her: “Well that’s wonderful! We,” he motioned at the redhead - Crowley - “were just on our way to get something to eat.” 

“Aziraphale, can we get on? I’m freezing my arse off.” Anna blinked. There was no way she just learned both of their names in one go. No way. George would be so jealous.

“There really is no need for such language my dear boy.” Aziraphale chided his partner before turning to Anna. “What is your name, dear?”

“Oh, uh, my name is Anna. Anna Delannoy.”

“Oh, are you French by any chance?” The blond asked.

“ Angel ,” Crowley complained.

“Yes, I grew up in France, with my father after my mum— achoo!” Anna sneezed and promptly slapped her hand over her mouth before apologising profusely. She must have caught a minor cold with how exhausted she was. 

“Bless you, dear girl,” Aziraphale said softly, and Anna miraculously felt herself get warm inside and any other sneezing impulses subside.

“Well, it was nice meeting you, Anna,” Crowley said. It was the longest sentence Anna had heard him speak in the entire conversation. “ Now let’s get moving, Angel .” 

Aziraphale waved goodbye: “I hope to see you on our next visit, dear!”

Anna stood there for a moment, watching the couple enter the Ritz. For a brief moment, she considered running after them and begging Carmen to let her do her job for at least this day, but she quickly decided against it. She preferred not getting mothered anymore than she already was, and anyway, Carmen surely wouldn’t let her.

Instead, she opened the little packet of apple beignets and ate one for comfort while mulling over the strange conversation she’d just had.

Aziraphale and Crowley. Those were their names. They were undoubtedly strange names. Like she’d said all those months ago: ineffable. 

She took a deep breath, decided to leave it for what it was, at least for the time being, and go home to rest. 

~ ~ ~ 

The week home wasn’t as bad as Anna thought it would be. She wasn’t used to not being busy every second of every day. She worked at the goddamn Ritz, for Heaven’s sake! Her job description was quite literally walking around stressed and being very, very busy all day long. So she thought that sitting at home like this, doing nothing of use, would he Hell. 

Funnily enough, it wasn’t. Anna had texted the group chat (which included George, Carmen, Ruth and Mary) that she found out their Angel’s names and would reveal them when she got back, but other than that, she forced herself to not even think of her work. 

Anna felt like she finally had time to actually be busy. Busy with things she’d long since stopped doing because after coming home from work, she’d usually just collapse onto her bed  (or the sofa on particularly bad days) and fall asleep. But now, Anna got time to put aside for some of her passions again. 

She started a new painting. It had been ages since she’d painted something. And it was far from perfect, but it felt good. Anna didn’t realise how much she’d missed this. So, she made five more imperfect paintings.

The week was over before she knew it, and as she promised, she only showed up ten minutes before her shift started. Carmen smiled warmly when she saw her, nodding approvingly when she noticed Anna’s eyebags were a little less dark than they had been a week ago. Meredith almost smiled when she saw Anna. The corner of her lips went up very, very slightly.

George enthusiastically threw himself around Anna when he noticed her. “Oh my God ,  my dear! I am so happy you’re feeling better. I really missed you, sweetie pie.” Anna couldn’t help but smile at George’s ridiculous antics. He had worked as a waiter the longest out of the four of their small friend group. Other servers at the Ritz’d done the job longer than George, of course. But no one in their friend group. 

“I have been waiting impatiently ever since you texted. Pretty please tell me what our Angels are called?” George batted his eyelashes and pouted. Anna laughed: “I’ll tell you once everyone is here.”

Ever the drama queen, George wailed and slid down on the nearest flat surface. “You are a cruel woman, Anna Delannoy. Wait until I tell Noah.”

Noah, George’s boyfriend from over 6 years, was a lawyer, and a successful one at that. George liked to playfully threaten the staff by telling them he’d send Noah after them with a court case, but no one took it all that seriously. Except Meredith. But that was Meredith. 

Anna had met Noah only twice, but as far as she could tell, George and Noah were a beautiful couple. They somehow worked marvellously. George would make Noah laugh, and in turn, Noah kept George with both feet on the ground. 

Anna also knew that George was planning to propose. And that he had tried four times already. He kept chickening out, thinking Noah was too good for him. Last time, he had called Anna, sobbing and having a panic attack in the bathroom of some fancy restaurant he’d reserved for him and Noah’s 6th anniversary. It was that one time when Anna had covered his shift. 

She’d helped him through it, trying to hype him up and tell him that if Noah thought their relationship was a waste of time, he would probably already have left George. Noah didn’t waste time on anything or anyone. So if he was still there with George after six long years, that had to at least mean something .

George had thanked her profusely the next day, telling her he’d again chickened out on proposing but that, thanks to her encouragement, they’d at least had a nice rest of their date. Anna smiled and told him it was all okay. 

George’s antics were interrupted, however, by Mary barging into the locker room: “Anna! You’re back! Oh thank all the unholy lords of Hell! Our Angels are here! Come on be quick!” 

Anna’s heart nearly beat out of her chest. She quickly fixed her black tie, glanced one last time in the mirror to check if she looked all right and then dashed out into the dining room.

She spotted Aziraphale and Crowley quickly, seeing as they were always sitting in the same spot. Reservation Services worked genuine miracles to make sure that one particular table was always free if the Angels decided to visit that day. Perhaps it all sounded a bit overkill to care so much about two normal humans who just happened to be very kind regulars at the restaurant. But not a single soul within the Ritz questioned it. 

Anna took one last breath before approaching them, mentally scolding herself for suddenly feeling insecure. She’d already met them once, merely a week ago, and she knew their reputation. She had nothing to be afraid of. 

“Hello, and welcome to the Ritz. What would you two gentlemen like to start with?” Aziraphale looked up and positively beamed at Anna. “Oh it’s you, dear girl! Did you rest well, miss Delannoy?” Anna nodded, perplexed by the fact that he remembered her: “I- yes, of course. The rest worked miracles.” 

Crowley snorted: “I bet it did.” giving his partner a rather pointed look. Aziraphale shrugged, feigning innocence. For what, Anna couldn’t have guessed. 

Aziraphale opened the menu, remembering Anna’s earlier enquiry. “Hmm, well, I am rather craving some St. Ewe’s hen’s eggs, with wild mushrooms and lovage for the first course. Do you have any drinks you’d recommend with this dish?”

Anna was caught completely off guard by Aziraphale’s question. It wasn’t an unusual question. Many people asked it, expecting the staff to be well educated on culinary matters. And Anna was. It was one of the main reasons she’d been hired. But somehow, she’d gotten so lost in the calming presence of the Angels that she was so surprised she nearly dropped the little paper booklet she was holding.

“Oh, I suppose a Pinot Blanc would do this particular dish the most justice.” Anna stumbled through her sentence like she hadn’t since the first week she started working at the restaurant. She felt like a trainee all over again, with Mary’s exasperated sighs trailing after her as she embarrassedly ran back to the kitchen.

“Dear, are you all right? You look a bit pale.” Aziraphale’s worried eyes mirrored his partner’s, who was sitting a tad straighter in his chair as if ready to catch Anna should she faint. “I’m okay, Mr …” Anna fell silent, suddenly realising she didn’t know his last name.

“Mr Fell,” Aziraphale helpfully subsided. Anna smiled, saying his name in her mind: Aziraphale Fell. Well, didn’t he have some humourous parents? Outwardly, Anna curtsied, smiling politely. “Pleased to make your acquaintance, Mr Fell.” 

Aziraphale smiled warmly: “You’re quite sure you’ll be okay, dear girl?” Anna nodded and turned to Crowley, who immediately said, “Nothing for me, thanks. I’m not particularly hungry.” Anna inclined her head understandingly.

“If I may be so bold…” she started, remembering what Carmen had said to her on her first day after hearing she would serve the two men in front of her, “to suggest a Plaice with cider butter sauce and pickled trout roe ? It’s not on the menu, but it’s a shared plate that serves two people and would pair wonderfully with a Chardonnay. I could ask our chef to make it for your second course. It’s also available in single servings, naturally.” The latter statement was directed at Crowley.

Anna anxiously fidgeted with her bracelet as Aziraphale shot his partner a questioning look. Crowley glanced at the menu, back at his partner, then at Anna, and shrugged: “Anything’s good for me, Angel. You know I trust your culinary judgement.” Aziraphale blushed and smiled: “Then we’ll have that. A shared plate does sound delightful. Thank you, dear, for recommending it. I do always get tangled in the endless options on the menu.” 

Crowley gave the two menu cards back to Anna with a small smile. Anna couldn’t see his eyes, but she could make out enough on his face to see that his smile was genuine. Which reminded Anna that she’d never seen the redhead without his shades. Suddenly, as she walked back to the kitchens to give Carmen and the rest of the cooking staff their orders, she pondered what Crowley’s eye colour could be. 

She didn’t think they were blue. She was fairly sure of it. Aziraphale had blue eyes, though. Blue like the morning sky after a sudden bout of rain. Anna could imagine Crowley with green eyes, but they didn’t seem to fit her picture either. Brown eyes seemed the only logical option left, but not even that felt right to Anna. She decided she’d have to be extra observant from now on.

“Did you recommend them the dish?” Carmen asked, loosely scanning over Anna’s scribbles. The only thing Anna did not have going for her as a waitress was her abhorrent handwriting. She could understand her own writing, but no one else, not even Carmen, trained in translating various handwritings fast, could make up any coherency in it.

Anna nodded: “They accepted. I told them it would do well with a Chardonnay.” Carmen hummed approvingly: “Ask Gabrielle if we have it in our cellars. I picked up somewhere that our Chardonnay was low in stock. You could always opt for a Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc if we are out of it.”

Anna nodded. She’d also heard of the limited Chardonnay stock and stood prepared to tell Aziraphale and Crowley that it would most likely become a Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc. Or, well, actually, she was just hoping really hard that Gabrielle had a hidden stock of Chardonnay stacked somewhere in the cellars.

Carmen nudged her: “Say, Anna what did they order for starters? I really can’t read what you put here.” she pointed at the paper. Anna blushed: “Az- Francis wanted the St Ewe’s hen’s eggs. With wild mushrooms and lovage. I recommended a Pinot Blanc?” 

Carmen nodded: “Good thinking. I’d expected him to go for the sea bream, though. Didn’t Oliver want anything?” Anna shook her head, “All right, I’ll get to it. The  eggs should be ready in about 15 to 20 minutes. In the meantime you can check the cellars.”

Anna nodded but stopped mid-turn when Carmen called her back: “I forgot to mention. If you’re serving our Angels, you’re free to take on less tables than you usually do. It might relieve some of your stress. Now off to Gabrielle, you!”

Anna smiled and happily skipped down the stairs to the wine department of the Ritz. Gabrielle, a young woman with soft, amber skin and bright green eyes, greeted Anna happily: “Anna, ma chérie! I heard you were absent to rest! Oh, I did miss you. My cellars always light up when you’re here. Est-ce que tout va bien , mon ange ?”

Gabrielle was the only other employee at the Ritz (that Anna knew of) who was also French. Anna often made an effort to speak in French whenever she talked to Gabrielle, as it made her eyes light up with delight when she could freely speak French with her.

“ Oui, Gabrielle, tout va bien. J’étais seulement un peu fatiguée, c’est tout. ” Anna said reassuringly. Gabrielle hummed: “All right then, ma cerise . Now onto business. What can I help you with today?”

“I’d like an appetizer’s size of Pinot Blanc for two people, please.” Anna looked down at her booklet. “And do you by any chance still have some Chardonnay?” Gabrielle breathed through her teeth: “Oh, I’m not sure, ma mignonne , but I’ll check. I’ll already bring up your Pinot Blanc as well. Appetizer for two people, n’est-ce pas? ”

Anna nodded, and Gabrielle disappeared between the racks. After a few minutes, she returned with a chalice of what Anna assumed was Pinot Blanc. Gabrielle smiled: “We have two bottles of Chardonnay left, so I’ll put them aside for you. Here’s the Pinot Blanc, two people, appetiser’s size. Careful now, ma chérie !”

Anna thanked Gabrielle and carefully went back upstairs to put the chalice in the cooler for the time remaining until she’d serve it up to the Angels. She knew from experience that Pinot Blanc worked best if it was lightly chilled, and looking at her watch, Carmen would be ready with her dish in about 10 minutes, so it all worked out perfectly.

In the time Anna had left, she walked around the restaurant, asking some people if everything was to their wishes and if she could bring anyone some extras. That is until Aziraphale motioned at her with a smile. 

Anna manoeuvred through the many tables and waiters to the Angels’ table: “Can I be of service in any way, gentlemen?” she asked with a bright smile, automatically feeling some stress leave her body as she got near their table. 

Aziraphale smiled: “Yes, rather. I forgot to ask you, dear girl, if you could put in a music request for us.” Anna smiled, knowing what was coming but staying wisely quiet. 

“We wanted to ask if the band could play a particular song: A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square by Vera Lynn.”

“Naturally,” Anna smiled “I’ll notify the band immediately.” As she walked away, Anna caught snippets of their conversation.

“Angel, what is it with you and that song?”

“It’s a pretty song. And I happened to quite like Miss Lynn. She was always such a joy to be around. And anyway, you were the one who first recommended the song to me.”

“That was before I knew you’d get obnoxiously obsessed with it.”

“Don’t be so silly, dear boy. I know very well you like the song as much as I do. If not more.” 

After that, all Anna heard were some nonsensical grumbles from Crowley. She furrowed her brows slightly as she replayed the conversation in her head. How would Aziraphale have known Vera Lynn personally? As far as Anna’s limited knowledge of old music stretched, Vera Lynn died somewhere in 2020 at the ripe age of 103 years old. She didn’t know how old Aziraphale was, exactly but guessing around 50 years old…

Then again, was it such a stretch? The fact that they could afford to be regulars at the Ritz, of all places, indicated some sort of wealth or influence. Perhaps he’d met Vera in his earlier days as a young man at some fancy cocktail party. Anna decided not to pay it any more mind and beelined for the band. 

John, the band’s supervisor, saw her coming and smiled: “Let me guess, they requested A Nightingale Sang in Berkerley Square from Vera Lynn?” Anna smiled and nodded. 

“Right. Then we’ll give our Angels their wish, shall we?”

Anna turned to the kitchen to check if Carmen had already finished the appetiser. “It’ll be done in a minute,” Carmen answered when she asked, “You could already bring them their wine in the meantime.”

Anna nodded, plucked one of the napkins next to the cooler to take the Pinot Blanc, and took the wine chalice out of the refrigerator. Even through the napkin, she felt a gentle chill in her hands as she held the chalice. 

“All right, gentlemen, here is the Pinot Blanc. The St Ewe’s hen’s eggs will arrive shortly.” the last statement was directed at Aziraphale, who smiled warmly at her. “Thank you dear girl. You’ve been most wonderful already.”

Anna blushed at the compliment as she poured the wine into their glasses and put the now half-full chalice on the table. “It’s my job,” she stammered shyly. Anna quickly dashed back to the kitchen and nearly bumped into Ruth. 

Luckily, Anna caught the stack of menu cards before they all fell on the floor, disrupting the entire atmosphere. “Oh god, Ruth, I’m so sorry. I wasn’t looking where I was going, I didn’t mean to inconvenience you.” Ruth patted Anna’s shoulder: “It’s quite all right, Anna. Nothing really happened anyway, thanks to your quick reflexes. How’s serving our Angels?”

Anna smiled involuntarily: “Honestly? I’m a tad stressed, but so far, it’s been amazing. I didn’t know rich people could be so kind.” Ruth laughed, a melodious and heavenly sound to Anna’s ears: “Yeah, they tend to have that effect on people. Well, have fun! I’ll be off now.” Ruth sent Anna one last smile before disappearing into the crowded dining room.

Carmen raised a knowing eyebrow, having caught the entire interaction: “You and Ruth seem to be close.” she remarked. Anna blushed deeply: “Oh- oh no, I- you’ve got it all wrong. Ruth and I are friends. Just friends. I mean, it would be crazy that I think of her all the time, right? I don’t- I don’t do that. Think of her, I mean. I don’t think of her.” Anna rambled, a blush still adorning her cheeks.

Carmen shrugged, deciding it wasn’t her priority now, and carefully put a beautifully decorated plate of St Ewe’s hen’s eggs on one of the trays: “If you’re sure. Now, off you go. You have work to do.”

Grateful that Carmen didn’t press any further, Anna took the tray and carefully danced through the tables to reach her destination without disturbing a single leaf of lovage on her way there. She smiled warmly at Aziraphale as she gently put the plate down before him. “Here you go, sir. St Ewe’s hen’s eggs with wild mushrooms and lovage.” Anna took the chalice of wine and refilled Crowley’s glass, which had run dry in the five minutes she was gone. 

“Is there anything else I can fetch for you in the meantime?”  The two looked at each other, seemingly having an entire conversation with their eyes alone. Aziraphale seemed to ask a question, which earned him an exasperated look from Crowley, who shook his head. Aziraphale’s look became more adamant, resulting in his partner's relenting sigh. 

“If you could bring over some bread and butter, that’d be nice.” Crowley said, sulking like a young child. “Of course! I’ll nip over there and bring the bread trolley over here. Anything else I can bring?” Crowley shook his head: “No, that’ll be all, thank you.”

Anna nodded, and as she walked away, she overheard their conversation, but just a little .

“There. I ordered appetizers. Happy now, Angel?”

“Very.”

Once again marvelling at how precious they were, Anna walked back to the kitchens with a smile. The rest of the dinner went by without a hindrance. She brought Crowley his bread and butter, which he ate while glaring at his grinning partner. Later, when the main dish was almost ready, Anna returned to the cellars and brought up the Chardonnay that was still somewhat in stock. Well, not anymore, but she was sure Gabrielle would handle it. 

“I already made a request to the…, oh putain, I forgot the word. What do you call it? Uh, man that manages financials? En francais c’est le responsable des achats , ah, ou peut-être le trésorier?”

“Do you mean the treasurer? Or the procurement manager?”

Gabrielle lifted her hands up in defeat: “ Je ne sais pas! I will never understand English. Jamais! Ils sont tous fous! ”

Anna grinned, silently agreeing with Gabrielle. English was one weird language if you thought about it too long. But then again, so was French. And any other language in the world. Languages, in general, were weird. 

The day went on, and Aziraphale and Crowley eventually finished the main plate as well. Anna took their dishes away, as well as the second empty bottle of Chardonnay. She didn’t know where the hell they’d put all that alcohol while managing to stay fairly sober but decided not to question it.

“Shall I bring you the dessert cards?” Anna asked cheerily, surprised at her own happiness. Aziraphale smiled: “I would be most grateful, dear girl. And on another note, the food was delightful, as always. Be sure to thank Carmen and the rest of the kitchen staff for their hard work.” Anna smiled and nodded: “I will. I’ll be back in no time with the dessert menu.”

Anna hesitantly stepped into the kitchen, technically a no-go zone for servers, but she needed to ask Meredith something. Anna knew Meredith would not leave the kitchen during work hours, not even if the building was on fire. So trespassing it was.

“Uhm, Meredith?”

“Anna.”

“Are the apple beignets still on the menu for the holidays? Christmas was nearly two weeks ago.”

“Technically, they aren’t, but if Francis would like some, I’ll make them for him.”

Anna was taken aback by Meredith’s response, not expecting the stern cook who ran the kitchens with an iron fist and had made more than one trainee cry, to go out of her way to make something nice for the Angel. 

“You would?”

Meredith sighed: “Listen, Anna. You haven’t been here long. I was a server before I started working in the kitchens. The Angels have been our regulars for ages . They’ve been more supportive of my dreams of working in these kitchens than anyone else in my life. Including my parents. I’d lay down my life for them without a second thought. I will surely make some goddamn apple beignets that aren’t technically on the menu if they ask me to do so. Now, out of these kitchens before I start throwing knives at your head.”

Anna quickly darted out of the kitchen, mulling over what Meredith revealed. She didn’t think that Meredith had ever spoken so many words to her. Like, ever. Not in the eight months Anna had worked at the Ritz. 

She decided to drop it for now. Maybe she could ask George later. George and Meredith were roughly the same age anyway.

Anna grabbed some dessert menu cards and headed to the Angels’ table. 

“Here you go, two dessert cards. I’d like to mention that apple beignets are still available, even though they’re not on this menu.”

Crowley’s lips quirked up: “Meredith’s still making those then? Well, if the apple beignets are hers, I’d like some. What about you, Angel?” Aziraphale’s eyes lit up: “Oh, jolly good! I haven’t had one of her pastries in a long while. I’ll have some apple beignets, too. And if it’s not too much, could you also get two fresh mint teas, dear?”

Anna nodded: “Not a problem, Mr Fell. Will that be it?”

Aziraphale hummed: “I believe so.”

“Angel, why’d you order two mint teas? You know I don’t drink your fancy leaves .” Crowley turned to Anna, “Can you make one of those tea’s six espresso shots in a big cup?”

“Crowley! Tea helps to digest the food, especially mint tea. It’ll calm your stomach down and allow you to enjoy dessert more afterwards. I insist you drink at least one cup.”

Not knowing what to do, Anna looked between the two men, wondering how it would be to have someone care about you so much . To have someone who loves you as much as they loved each other. 

“Ngk, fine . One cup of fancy leaves. But only if you get me my espresso from Nina’s when we’re back at the bookshop.”

“Of course, dear.”

Anna smiled as she wrote down the orders. “All right, That won’t take too long. I’ll be back shortly.”

“Thanks, Anna,” Crowley muttered with a slight smile dancing on his lips. 

“It’s no problem at all,” Anna smiled and returned to the kitchen to pass the orders on. After another 30 minutes, the Angels left, paying their bill and leaving a generous tip that nearly equalled her pay for one day. Stunned, Anna accepted the money, almost feeling bad for doing so. 

“Here you go, dear, you’ve been truly wonderful,” Aziraphale smiled widely. They left the building, waving at Anna and talking animatedly about something Anna couldn’t overhear. She stared at them for a while, even when they had already left. 

“Now, how was it?” Anna turned around, seeing Ruth standing behind her with a smile. “Ruth! God, you should really stop sneaking up on me.” 

“Sorry. Were they as friendly as you hoped?” Ruth fidgeted with her ginger hair, tucking it back behind her ear. Anna smiled, enamoured by how cute Ruth looked, her freckles like tiny stars on her face. “Yeah, they were wonderful. Better than I thought they would be. They tipped insanely generously. I think I could share it with the rest after the end of everyone’s shift, and it would still be fair.” 

Ruth laughed: “Yeah, they tend to tip handsomely. On a slightly separate note, I heard you uncovered their names?”

Anna grinned: “So all this attention is just to discover their names? I’m deeply hurt, Ruth,” Ruth smiled and looked down: “Well, not only that. I like to spend time with you, too.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, you’re like, my best friend here,” Ruth chuckled, “Well, George told me you’d tell us their real names after everyone’s shift ended, so I won’t push any further.”

“Aziraphale and Crowley,” Anna blurted out. “What?” Ruth’s eyebrows furrowed.

“Those are their names. Francis is actually Aziraphale and Oliver’s name is Crowley.” Anna didn’t really know why she’d just said that. Or maybe she just didn’t want to find out. 

“Why are you telling me this right now?” Ruth asked, obviously confused. Anna shrugged: “I don’t know. Maybe I’m not very good with secrets.”

Neither really said anything for a few seconds.

“Well, I-uh, I got some customers waiting for me, so I gotta go,” Ruth awkwardly started to walk away.

“Yeah, uh, me too.” 

~ ~ ~ 

In the following months, Aziraphale and Crowley visited the Ritz more often than they had before. Anna served them several times, getting to know more of their quirks and gimmicks. Days when their Angels visited the Ritz were good days, whether Anna served them or not. She had revealed their names to the other staff members, which caused confusion initially, but a few weeks later, everyone got the hang of their names. 

Ruth and Anna danced awkwardly around each other for the rest of the time. It was painful the way Ruth would sort of avoid Anna. George noticed, as he always did. Mary invited Anna for a girl’s night with Ben and Jerry’s to cry over a relationship that hadn’t existed in the first place. Meredith also started to be kinder to Anna, which felt weird at first, but Anna gratefully accepted Meredith’s reluctant friendship.

And then, one day, Crowley showed up alone.

The entire restaurant was in a frenzy. Neither of the Angels had ever been spotted standing more than two feet apart. Did they break up? Did something drastic happen to Aziraphale? Did he die? No one knew exactly how to react.

They let Ruth handle the distraught redhead that day, seeing as she was the team's most considerate and calming person. After Crowley left, they all hounded Ruth, desperate for answers. 

“Calm down, everyone!” Anna yelled, “Let her finish, for God’s sake!” Ruth smiled at Anna for perhaps the first time in months. “Thank you,” she mouthed.

“I don’t know much…,” Ruth started, “I know Mr Fell has left. I know Mr Crowley has taken over the bookshop they seemed to run with an odd person he considers his child, I guess? No, I don’t know where Mr Fell is. I don’t know if he’ll come back. From what I could make out, it doesn’t seem likely. I know Mr Crowley is miserable. And that he’s worried about Mr Fell’s safety. He said, quote: ‘They’ll tear him apart up there, those blasted hypocrites. And I can’t do shit to protect him,’”

The kitchen erupted in worried chatter.

“Oh god, what if Mr Fell’s been kidnapped?”

“Did he get a promotion that required him to move out?”

“They had a child together?”

“Does this mean he’ll stop visiting the Ritz?”

Ruth shrugged helplessly: “I don’t know anything more than that, I’m sorry.”

“Well, this is obviously tragic,” Carmen started. “But we can’t let the personal lives of two clients ruin our restaurant’s atmosphere, guys. We have work to do, all right?”

Everyone murmured a choir of affirmative responses and trickled out of the kitchen. Only Anna and Meredith remained.

“Are you all right, Meredith?”

Meredith heaved a big breath: “No, not really, no. One of my two favourite people mysteriously disappeared and left my other favourite person alone and miserable.”

Anna hesitantly shuffled a little closer to Meredith: “I’m sure it’ll be all right.”

“I’m not. I have never seen them apart. This… Aziraphale leaving him business? I never thought it possible,” Meredith curled tighter into herself as her voice got quieter.

Anna carefully put an arm around her: “Maybe they’re just taking a little break? You heard Ruth. They apparently have a child, they won’t just let them grow up without both of their father figures present. Does that really seem like something Aziraphale would do?”

Meredith shook her head: “I don’t know. I thought I knew them. Perhaps Aziraphale wasn’t all he made himself out to be.”

Anna sighed: “I have an idea. Why don’t you go talk to Crowley next time he’s here? Maybe he’d be willing to give you some more closure.” 

Meredith wiped her tears: “Yeah, maybe. Thank you, Anna.” 

“No problem.”

“Don’t you have a job?”

“Mhm. Yeah.”

“Shoo, then.”

Anna smiled and left. 

~ ~ ~

The next weeks turned into months, months turned into a year, and one year turned into two. The Ritz adjusted to their Angels being reduced to just the one. They learned not to mention Aziraphale at all . Not even when they were certain they were out of earshot of Crowley. Somehow, he always heard, and a stormcloud would settle over him. 

They’d met Muriel, Crowley’s (and presumably Aziraphale’s) child. They were rapidly becoming a favourite regular at the restaurant. Some quietly remarked how alike they were with the Angel who shall not be named. They were kind, clumsy and awkward and immediately the apple of the Ritz’s metaphorical eye.

Muriel liked sweet things, so Meredith went out of her way to prepare fun desserts for the little Angel. Meredith had talked it out a little with Crowley, just like Anna advised, but she refused to disclose anything said to the rest of the staff. Ruth and Anna got closer again. Carmen mothered the staff even more than she did beforehand. The band hadn’t played A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square for years.

The Ritz had changed in Aziraphale’s absence. It was almost as if it was in deep mourning. 

Many things changed. George finally had the guts to propose to Noah, and Mary finally found a man who treated her right. There were two weddings that both Anna and Ruth attended. Eventually, Ruth would be the one to make her move on Anna and propose they tried to give dating a shot. 

Ruth had moved in only three months ago, and talks about engaging were already floating through the air. But they both knew that they’d have to take it slow. 

Ruth’s cat died, and she got a new one after a while with Anna. Anna painted more these days. They were saving money for a trip to Italy in the next summer and could not have asked for more supportive friends.

One of the most surprising things was Meredith and Gabrielle developing an unexpected friendship. Eventually, their friendship morphed into a relationship. They were sweet together, and Anna couldn’t be happier for her two friends.

And through all of this, Crowley remained alone.

No one dared ask him if he’d ever want to consider getting another partner. Lily, a newer waitress who had never known Aziraphale, once suggested it and got an Eccles cake hurled at her head. She was fine, and Crowley apologised to her. But no one dared to bring romance up to the Angel ever again.

Carmen was insanely protective of both Muriel and Crowley, threatening to hunt Aziraphale down and ‘give him a piece of my goddamn mind, because how dare he leave two wonderful people like that behind!’

Muriel started to create a personal style and developed a strong affinity for stars. Their makeup looks were always wonderfully inventive and involved some kind of star imagery. When asked about it, they giggled: “It makes Crowley so happy to see stars. He can’t see them anymore after… he was kicked out of his home. So I wear them for him. That way he can always see stars.”

The staff took Muriel’s words to heart, and Ruth suggested that Anna could paint some starry skies to subtly place inside the restaurant to cheer Crowley up. Anna did so, and soon, paintings of stars were all around the Ritz. She wasn’t sure if Crowley would like it, but the next time he entered the restaurant with Muriel, he smiled knowingly at Anna and inclined his head to her in thanks.

Three years had gone by since Aziraphale’s disappearance. 

~ ~ ~

There was a strange period of time where neither Crowley nor Muriel was seen in the restaurant. The staff got worried, wondering if they’d lost them too. But after a few weeks, they appeared again. And Aziraphale was with them.

Mary was the one to spot them first, dropping the tray she was holding. 

“Mary you clumsy-” George dropped his tray as well.

“What the fuck you guys,” Anna whipped around the corner, thankfully, without holding a tray.

“Am I hallucinating my biggest wish right now? Can someone pinch me?” Mary stared with wide eyes as Lily led them to a table that hadn’t been used for three years. “You  pinch me first,” George replied. Anna just stared in pure shock.

“What do we do?” Mary snapped out of her trance, instead looking around, panicked. “Anna, you’re good with emotions right?”

“No? Where’d you get that information?”

“Your mum, now hurry! I’ll take your table.”

“I don’t want to!”

“I don’t care! Just go!”

For some reason, Anna did what she was asked, walking to the table and getting flashbacks from years back. “Hi, Crowley! Hello Muriel! Would you like your usuals?” Anna cheerily said, deliberately ignoring Aziraphale. Maybe she was being unprofessional. She didn’t care.

“Anna!” Muriel exclaimed happily, standing up to give her a quick hug. “Do you think Meredith would like to make some macarons for me?” Anna smiled: “Of course! How about you, Crowley? Eccles cake?”

“Ngk, I don’t know, Anna.  Could you just bring me some good whiskey?”

“Sure thing. Gabrielle just restocked our Four Roses Bourbon Whiskey; that all right?”

“Uh, yeah, yeah.” It was clear that Crowley wasn’t really there with his mind. 

“Anything else I could bring?”

“Could you be so kind as to bring us some hot chocolates, dear girl?” Aziraphale asked. Anna flinched at the endearment. It had become something bitter, making her stomach turn. “Of course, sir. I’ll bring that out for you in a moment,”

Anna returned to the kitchen, where she was almost immediately deluged with questions from her colleagues. It was Ruth who calmed the crowd with stern words. Anna smiled and mouthed her a ‘thank you’.

“Yes, Aziraphale is back. No, I don’t know if they’re back together. Muriel is fine, yes, thank you for asking George. They want macarons, can you ask Meredith to make them? Aziraphale ordered hot chocolates for himself and Muriel. Crowley wants some Four Roses whiskey. Lily, please ask Gabrielle to prepare the whiskey. For fucks’ sake, you guys, stop asking me these questions I can’t answer!”

Ruth rubbed Anna’s back reassuringly: “I’ll take it from here, love. You can rest, all right?”

Anna took a deep breath: “Yeah, all right. I’d like that. Thank you, sunflower,”

“Don’t mention it,”

~ ~ ~

Crowley and Aziraphale talked for a long time. Anna didn’t know what it was about, but it seemed emotional. Tears were shed, bittersweet laughs were exchanged, and apologies were made. Ruth changed with Mary eventually. Mary changed with George after a while. 

After all the other guests had left and the restaurant was being cleaned, they were still talking. Muriel popped her head into the kitchen, where most of the staff was hanging out, and smiled: “You might want to see the next part.” Curiously, they followed Muriel as they skipped back to the table where Crowley and Aziraphale sat.

It was already dark out, and the only light sources left were candles burning. Aziraphale and Crowley were seated close to each other, too engrossed in each other’s presence to notice the staff of the Ritz watching them.

“Crowley… may I take off your glasses? I’d like to see you. Really see you.”

Hesitantly, Crowley nodded, and Aziraphale gently took his shades and carefully placed them on the table. Then he knelt before the redhead, looking up at him with such devotion that one could almost forget they’d spent the past three years apart.

“Anthony J. Crowley, my dearest friend I’ve ever had. I know that I have hurt you so much. And I understand that words alone cannot compensate for that, no matter how well I mean them. You’ve stuck with me for longer than anyone else ever has. You were my first and only love.”

“This sounds an awful lot like a proposal,” Mary quipped. 

“Shush!” George lightly hit her arm to make her shut up. 

Aziraphale continued, not having heard them. Meanwhile, tears fell from Crowley’s eyes, his face a mask of insurmountable grief and love. 

“Crowley… I haven’t been a good friend to you, let alone a good partner. But I will try my whole eternal life to be better. To deserve you . It was never about you not deserving me, or Heaven. I don’t want you to change. I want you to always be you. Because I love you, Crowley. I have always loved you. And I want to spend the rest of my days loving you. Perhaps you think this is silly or strange, but will you marry me?”

The entire staff, plus Muriel, held their breath. 

“You know, Angel, you have made me go through the worst period in my goddamn life. Not even Falling was as painful as you leaving me.”

Aziraphale looked down at the ring in his hand, understanding his defeat and accepting it.

“But I’ll be damned if I let Heaven take you from me again.”

Aziraphale’s head whipped up, a hopeful look on his face.

“Do you really mean that?”

Crowley sighed: “Fuck help me, but yes, I do. I love you, Aziraphale, I always have.”

Crowley gently helped Aziraphale back up, letting the blond put the ring he had been holding on his finger. Then, ever so gently, he pulled him in for a kiss. The kiss was so heartbreakingly pure and intimate, coming from a place that could only be described as want . 

As if they’d been starving for each other since they had taken their first breaths. 

The staff turned away, granting them some privacy. All of them were happy with how it eventually worked out.

Back in the kitchens, George handed a triumphant Mary five pounds. 

The End