#wanting aziraphale to develop better opinions

[winepresswrath]

I do gotta say tho, even tho I’m mad at aziraphale because he’s being a terrible boyfriend like what you said about the “I forgive you like” because WHAT. But also I really like the way the show really demonstrates the underlying cruelty of heaven and it’s angels. Really shows the hypocrisy of a group of beings who are supposed to do good, especially aziraphale who really buys into the heaven propaganda, who hurts people, particularly the person who means the most to him. Because like you said he fully just takes advantage of that devotion Crowley has for him. Insane, this shwo makes me INSANE

I missed this anon and yeah! The angels were one of my favourite parts of the season, and I think the strongest element aside from Neil Gaiman deciding he's just a simple man who wants to put his otp in situations. They are deeply awful and I kind of love them. They are the exact kind of moralizing hypocrites who are callous and cruel precisely because they think being on team good means everything they do is justified and it's actually impossible for them to be in the wrong (they're angels! is it even possible for them to do the wrong thing?).

but!! To me, they also seem like they're basically kids? Obviously they're not literally children, but there is this very consistent reoccurring joke about how childish/sheltered/immature they are. Muriel is the most obvious example, but the archangels come off like bratty twelve year olds to her sweet little kid.

Gabriel is basically teenager in love flipping off his family as he runs away with his backstreet guy. Uriel is constantly picking at Michael, Michael is playing at being in charge like it's a game, and it's ridiculously easy for both Aziraphale and Crowely to trick them obvious half assed lies. They're not allowed to ask questions! The Metatron treats them like badly behaved kids out past their curfew. At any point an old man with a beard may pop up to scold them and send them home, and they're all scared of doing something wrong by his standards and getting in trouble with this guy who is pointedly not God but who lines up exactly with the pop-culture idea of god the father, and who offers Aziraphale, among other things, a respite from the hard work of figuring out what the right thing to do is for himself. It's fine! You don't have to question the belief system you were born into or make a painful break with everything you've ever known! Aziraphale has had six thousand years on earth to grow up, but the other angels have been sitting in a sterile white box playing "i'm not touching you" games with each other and filing paperwork.

And I think that's extra interesting because this season also really emphasizes:

Heaven has Institutional Problems

Aziraphale isn't the only angel who's unhappy in heaven. Gabriel and Muriel were both completely miserable. They just didn't understand that they were unhappy because they'd never experienced anything else.

Angels who aren't Aziraphale can change and grow! There's very explicitly Gabriel being changed by love and Muriel growing up a bit on earth, and from a more fan-theory angle there's also Jimbriel, who I think is probably basically Gabriel minus the war and six thousand years of playing referee for Michael and Uriel while unleashing an assortment of plague and calamities on earth because that's God's will! Buck up champ.

We also get Gabriel and Beezelebub talking about how their underlings basically live for Armageddon, "if you can call that living." This is so bleak. They've all been on a six thousand year time out just dreaming of the day they get to beat the shit out of each other until they feel better, but it won't work because eternity is just more of the box.

Anyway I think it's going in a distinctly eden adjacent direction. Aziraphale is going to tempt those angels with knowledge and the capacity for change. I have veered so far from your ask anon i'm sorry you're right heaven really went all out on sucking this season & while Crowley and Aziraphale are both fucking it up Crowley refrains from being spectacularly cruel to Aziraphale about it and Aziraphale should learn to return the favour. I forgive you!! I forGIVE you. I forgive YOU. "you can be an angel again" is actually a worse thing to say than "you're a demon. i don't even like you." when he finally picks crowley over heaven i'm going to lose my mind.

#good omens spoilers #good omens season two spoilers #idk it makes me sad that i didn't like the humans very much this season because i think ideally they're central to this whole how to be #a person question i also hope we get to see more of hell next season because i do think they're stuck in basically the same place #with a different aesthetic! and the stick being #thrown into a torture pit instead of thrown into hell #or like. mindwiped and locked in an office for all eternity #gabriel broke my heart which is embarrassing but when he goes from not even understanding what music is to experiencing #the simple pleasure of sharing a song with someone for the very first time and almost immediately hits repeat for eternity... baby. baby bo #i would also like more crowley! this was very much the season of aziraphale #which is fine but i missed him yelling questions at god and the bits where it seemed he really wanted aziraphale's opinion instead of just #wanting aziraphale to develop better opinions #next season had better be crowley wrestles with the universe i am telling you!!! #remember three months ago when i was like eh... another good omens season #i bet it'll be cute but i'm content with my book #i don't go here i said strapping on my clown shoes #seriously though i do think crowley is scared to admit to wanting to be good both because god rejected him and he doesn't want #to be a sucker for her (he is only interested in being a sucker for aziraphale) #and like. chase after something he's barred from and has already been told isn't for him. #and that's why it's so hard for him to admit even to himself that he too would be unhappy ditching earth #in ways that parallel aziraphale's unwillingness to let go of heaven as a source of moral authority and goodness #but the way aziraphale goes oh no! i cannot trust my own judgement and desires. They are suspect! #my judgement is that crowley is good and also funny and sexy. my desires are for his company and also his body #therefore the source of these desires is also maybe bad. i mean he's a demon. he's got to be bad #right??? but no. but i saw him do a good thing. but maybe i didn't? I should probably take a stance on this. #and he makes this crowley's problem until the apocalypse but then the second he gets the chance to cram crowley and his feelings for him #back in a heaven approved box he jumps at it in a way that requires just being WILDLY insensitive and dismissive of crowley's feelings #he's not just being a dick about their relationship he is being a dick about crowley as a person. and he should know better but is choosing #not to because he wants the easy out so badly. anyway i love him he was my favourite character all season no notes #good omens

[nightgoodomens]

The ugliness of some people is really showing. I basically left the GO fandom because I was so tired of seeing Crowley reduced to nothing and now I’m seeing that the same people who wrote those awful takes are spitting on David's nomination. I wonder if the same thing would have happened if Michael had been nominated and David wasn't, since many here are defensive of Aziraphale and apparently can't separate the actors from the characters. People are taking the “they’re a set, don’t separate them” a bit too seriously and by “people” I’m also including Neil. I wouldn't have wanted to see them against each other in the nominations, but that's just my opinion. I also read a comment from someone who thinks that Neil's post confirmed that Aziraphale's role in season 3 will be bigger and more important than Crowley's. I hope that if David wins, people will be happy for him and the show, but for now the vibes are really weird.

Neil fucked up big time.

Of course it’s the same people who hate on Crowley. Where all these people came from? They weren’t here when the season was released. All they’re here for is to find reasons to hate on Crowley/David because they want to prove that Aziraphale/Michael is better than him because they can’t comprehend that Aziraphale’s character is meant to make mistakes and requires character development for the story’s sake. They’re so deep in their hatred and putting Aziraphale on pedestal that they’re now taking David’s nomination as an attack on Aziraphale too.

Fuck off honestly.

If Michael was nominated instead of David they wouldn’t have a problem at all.

People aren’t separating characters at all and it’s time to do so when it comes to awards and actor recognition.

It would be a nightmare to see them both nominated in the same category.

I’m disappointed in people, including Neil. I’m glad David has Michael because that’s the only person I trust that won’t ruin this for him.

What a fucking shame.

#this was meant to be celebration #NightGoodOmens answers

[good-omens-classic]

I just watched all 6 episodes of season 2 in a row and I am having a very hard verbalizing the way I'm feeling.

I am speechless, and not in a good way.

For five and a half episodes, I was on board. I didn't expect to like this, but despite myself I found myself laughing and getting emotional and getting invested in the story, in a way I haven't been since first reading Good Omens and falling in love with it all those years ago. Nearly a decade ago at this point. I had problems with season 1 and the way the fandom changed, but that felt mostly natural and just like differences of opinion and interpretation.

The ending of season 2 feels actively malicious. Especially coming from someone who couldn't stop touting over and over on Twitter about what a nice queer love story this is.

Everything wasn't perfect--but it was...nice. It was something. It was engaging and I was starting to feel excited again, not like I'm going to start writing fanfiction again excited but at the very least I'm thinking, I can enjoy watching people enjoy this from the sidelines.

And then the second half of the last episode came. And Aziraphale wants to go back to Heaven to lead the angels. Not only is that a completely nonsensical thing for Metatron to invite him to do, but Aziraphale's entire character is that he's happy on Earth. He's happy on Earth with Crowley. OF COURSE CROWLEY REFUSED TO GO BACK TO HEAVEN. The entire fucking point is they belong ON EARTH, together, with the humans. Our own side, their own side, the humans' being neither good nor evil but full of potential and power and them learning they can be that way too.

That's the point. That's always been the point. NEIL GAIMAN KNOWS THAT'S THE POINT. Aziraphale was clearly very unhappy with this decision, and hesitant. The show made it VERY clear he was unhappy and unsure after Crowley gave him a reminder of what they were supposed to be about...and he just went anyway.

And he did this right as Crowley declares his love and FUCKING KISSES HIM. In this, supposedly the cutest best queer love story. Nobody can even say "Well they just don't have that kind of relationship, they don't need to say I love you or kiss or hold hands" anymore because THEY LITERALLY DID KISS. And then IMMEDIATELY said goodbye to each other.

Tragedy is not just about making the audience unhappy. Tragedy is making the audience ache because of something sad and unavoidable, of knowing the characters could be happy in a better world. Good omens has always been about building that world, to me. I thought maybe they were going to go in that direction, with Aziraphale and Crowley building a non-apocalypse, at peace world on Earth together, with Aziraphale's newfound authority to teach all the angels and demons the benefits of humanity. That is, in my mind, the culmination of the themes of the original story, and the one I thought season 1 mostly got right except for some stumbling blocks. But this... This feels like a slap in the face.

The tragedy here is not that Aziraphale and Crowley can't be together, but that the writers....that Neil Gaiman threw away everything in the original story, everything from season 1, Hell, everything from earlier in season 2, about Aziraphale's character development and the most important themes of the story. And for what? Who finds this ending narratively satisfying, let alone is happy with it?

I was enjoying this. Maybe it was just because so much time has passed since season 1 that I've been able to more effectively separate the versions and think of them as different stories, and just enjoy them for what they are separately, or maybe it's because there was no other version of this story for me to silently constantly compare it to, but I was enjoying this...a lot more than I enjoyed season 1. I thought it was cute, I thought Gabriel and Beelzebub deciding to basically do WHAT CROWLEY AND AZIRAPHALE SHOULD HAVE DONE and make a "third side" was a great extension of the themes of the story, and all the Aziraphale and Crowley flashbacks set it up so perfectly for Aziraphale to realize at the end: The problem IS systemic, and Heaven isn't the "good guys." and Aziraphale clearly realizes this! And yet he doesn't act on it. If the last half an hour had just been Aziraphale going "I don't want to lead Heaven actually, I belong here on Earth if you want to come to me on how to run things the Earth way," and then he skips off holding Crowley's hand. To me that would be not only the happiest AND most narratively neat, wrapped up conclusion for season 2, but also THE ENTIRE FUCKING POINT OF THE ENTIRE FRANCHISE. and ALL the character development s2 had been setting up in the first five fucking episodes.

It just all got thrown in the garbage.

I'm tired. This could have been such a good, good story, and I was prepared to be disappointed, but nothing could have prepared me for this. When the clip of Aziraphale and Crowley kissing got leaked, I was bracing myself for it to be some sort of like....joke, or dream sequence that didn't actually happen. I was not prepared for THIS.

Someone please convince me it wasn't this bad. Someone please spin it in a way I hadn't thought of before that makes it make sense. Someone please disagree with me and explain why.

#spoilers

[thatlonelycactus]

Look, as we all know, Aziraphale and Crowley have differences in opinion when it comes to heaven and hell and that’s because whilst they’ve had similar experiences with them- they’ve also had really different experiences with them too.

Let’s start with Aziraphale because I feel like, heading into season 3, we’re going to see some change in his opinions on above. Compared to Crowley, Aziraphale’s experience with hell is fairly limited and mainly manipulated by Heaven and all. This opinion was supported when he went to hell at the end of season 1 and presumable by all the times they’ve kidnapped (and supposedly tortured) Crowley. Hell is simple to understand to him. They’re the ‘bad guys’ as he painfully reminds us in the final fifteen. That’s understandable- everything he’s ever had to do with hell, that he has considered to be connected with hell, has been bad. But Crowley’s different. He could still be an angel- right?

This is where we get on with Aziraphale and heaven because, deep down, he loves what he still thinks heaven stands for. It’s just been corrupted. Sure, it has been cruel to him on multiple occasions but that’s not heaven- that’s just the archangels. In his mind, Heaven as a whole has never done anything necessarily bad to him, there are only a few corrupt individuals. Plus, forgiveness comes easily to Aziraphale. He’s forgiven Crowley too many times, he silently forgives Jimbriel, and he arguably forgives the Metatron. Thus, for Aziraphale, forgiving Heaven, who from his pov has never directly wronged him, is super easy. That’s why he still thinks Heaven can be redeemed.

Alternatively, Crowley was outcast from Heaven- almost told he wasn’t wanted there because he asked questions/whatever else he did to fall. This is why I wish we knew more about Crowley’s fall because I feel like it would tell us so much more about his character development but alas. But he was cast out of the only group he had ever known because he did what he thought was right. We don’t know what else happened to him in Heaven so there could be plenty more times that he was mistreated etc. Crowley doesn’t forgive as easily as Azi put also we can assume that a large part of Heaven would have turned their backs on him after he fell with Aziraphale being one of the few to still treat him like an equal.

To Crowley, hell was an escape. It was a way to express himself and allowed him to have some sense of companionship after his fall. It was a way of not being alone. Yes, hell went to shit, it was always going to go to shit. Maybe Crowley knew that and he recognizes it. He doesn’t think hell is better than heaven. He thinks their equals because they have the same purpose. As he states in the final fifteen:

When Heaven ends life on earth it will be just as dead as if hell ended it.

Neither opinion is necessarily right or wrong but they’re both opinions informed by experience and thus arguably are just as valid as the other.

(NOTE: bc Im a little bit unhealthily obsessed with Angel Crowley and his identity Id also like to point out that if he was a high ranking Angel (like supreme archangel status yk) his experiences in Heaven would have been totally different to Aziraphale’s because he also would have been in a lot more contact with the higher-ups than, say, a principality. We know that Heavens corruption permeates the higher circles and that the lower ranking angels still stand mainly for what Heaven is supposed to stand for so this may have also impacted their experiences anyway sorry lol)

#Sorry for my ramblings #good omens #ineffable husbands #ineffable divorce #crowley #aziraphale #good omens shitpost #aziracrow #angel crowley #the starmaker

[aceofwhump]

(Go2 spoilers)

THE LAST EPISODE? opinions about the episode?

SPOILERS BELOW THE CUT!!! Mildly incoherent keyboard smashing below

OH MY GOD!!!

I AM HEARTBROKEN!!! I was crying during the entire end scene!!!! Legitimately sobbing sitting on the edge of my, mouth hanging open in shock!

But it's like a good heartbroken? Okay so first of all I fucking love angst. I think that's pretty obvious here lol. So watching all the angst between the two of them in last few minutes was a delicious kind of heartbreaking! And I fully plan on making gifs especially of Aziraphale's angsty face. Cause god its beautiful.

And David Tennant and Michael Sheen are just so so amazing at their jobs and their acting during that scene was PHENOMENAL. They had me on the edge of my seat, crying like a heartbroken teenager. It takes a lot to get me to react like that to a show especially lately but David and Michael destroyed me.

And I personally think this is AMAZING writing/plotting. Of course this will on depend on Amazon giving us season 3 so everyone better watch the crap out of this season okay! Because season 2 focused a lot on Crowley and his realizations of feelings so I'm expecting season 3 will see Aziraphale let go of this picture of Heaven = Good and Hell = Bad thing and realize he loves Crowley and wants to be with him forever and the teo of them will talk and apologize and work things out and end up in the cottage in South Downs. That's the ending I'm sure we'll get. But we need to get there and there was bound to be angst on the way. This kind of angst feels so in character to me and feels right. Not all things are happy all the time and sometimes angst is good for plot development. This is GOOD ANGST! This will further the plot, create a viable route for character development that will inevitably give us our happy ending!

I know a lot of people are upset by it in like an angry why kind of way but I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT A LOT!

And a few random thoughts:

I never pictured Crowley being the first to make a move and I was so proud of him for putting himself out there and asking Aziraphale to stay with him and they can just be an us and then going further and showing his feelings by kissing him! It was beautiful and deep and scary and wonderful and I DIED! And his face and body language after Aziraphale did the thing was SO HEARTBREAKING! DAVID AND MICHAEL ARE SO GOOD AT THEIR JOBS!

And Aziraphale! Oh my god this angel is killing me! All he wants is to be with Crowley! He didn't give a shit about the Metatrons offer until he said Aziraphale could make Crowley an angel again and they could be together. Look at his smile in that scene! That made him so happy! He could be with Crowley and they could go home and be good angels again! In his head thats the perfect ending! They would be home together, doing good work and Crowley could make things again and ask his questions without fear of retaliation. Aziraphale remembers how happy Crowley was at the beginning, making his stars and galaxies, and believes Crowley wants that again. He also always believed in Crowley's goodness AND Aziraphale is still stuck in the belief of Heaven and angels being inherently good and the good guys while Hell and Demons are inherently evil and the bad guys. So he still believes that they should both be up in Heaven.

But Crowley knows the truth! Crowley sees that both sides are toxic and that for the two of them to be happy they need to be just the two of them like they have been these past few years. And they were happy! So he tries to get that through Aziraphale but Aziraphale isn't ready to hear that.

THEN THE KISS HAPPENS AND AZIRAPHALE ISN'T READY FOR IT AND HE ENDS UP BREAKING CROWLEYS HEART EVEN THOUGH AZIRAPHALE DOES LOVE HIM AND YOU CAN SEE HIS HEARTBROKEN CONFUSED AND IN LOVE FACE AFTER CROWLEY LEAVES AND AZIRAPHALE TOUCHES HIS OWN LIPS!!!

I AM FUCKING DYING NONNY!!! I'M DYING!!! IM LOSOMG MY MIND AND I KNOW THERE ARE OTHERS THINGS I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT. IT I CANNOT THINK STRAIGHT!!!

#good omens spoilers #good omens #good omens season 2 #mod post #ask #my thoughts #ace rambles about her favs

[robinwithay]

I'm mean this very /gen, but I've seen a lot of posts recently talking about how fans need to think more about Aziraphale and not baby Crowley and based on these posts fans seem heavily skewed towards Crowley but... I'm hardly in this Fandom, I pop in from time to time to see art and fic and meta for like a week or two, go away for a bit, and then come back and check in again, and generally what I've seen more than anything, is posts about Aziraphale and his trauma and why he's suffering the most and Crowley should have Done Better and Aziraphale Defense no matter what, any aziraphale critique seen as hate...

So I'm not sure where this disconnect is happening. We're apparently seeing completely opposite sides of the Fandom, but it seems like the overwhelming majority. So I see posts that are like, okay let's focus more on Aziraphale, and I'm like, that's literally all I'm seeing......this isn't meant to start something, bc I honestly am curious how this is happening and how everyone is either miscommunicating or idk something

hi anon! first of all, sorry it took me so long to get to this ask - it's partly because i really don't know the answer. i've spoken to others about this phenomenon of everyone seeming to only see the opposite of whatever "side" they've personally chosen, and it does seem to happen a lot. i have a theory it's partially confirmation bias - as in people ignore what they see that agrees with what they already think, and only focus on/remember what doesn't because they want to believe there is opposition to their opinion - partially temporal (maybe especially temporal for you, if you only dip in and out!) - as in more people have come around to seeing Aziraphale's side of things the more time has passed after the initial pain of s2 making a lot of people side more with Crowley - and partially that there is a real divide.

personally, i think that choosing "sides" between two characters who love each other is...silly. i think both of them were wrong and right in different ways, they both hurt each other, and they both have some development they need to do to forgive and earn each other's forgiveness.

however, i do think there was a huge initial wave of hatred thrown at Aziraphale that some folks are still very much riding. since season 1, i think Crowley has always been the fandom favourite, and i say that in full appreciation of the fact that in terms of fandom, the GO fandom is a rare one where the disparity between fandom favourites is much smaller than in most. plenty of people love Aziraphale, but he doesn't tend to get the same treatment as Crowley. and it's understandable - Crowley is a sad wet cat of a demon, and people love an underdog, an antihero. i think a lot of folks really relate to Crowley in his bitterness, his depression, his resent. he's been treated badly, rejected, tossed aside, and persists regardless, and - unfortunately - a lot of people know how that feels. it helps that Crowley is very easy to read (despite his best efforts), especially to the audience. his motivations are clear and relatable.

Aziraphale, on the other hand, is...kinda more complicated. he's generally operating on so many layers of deceit and denial that i don't know if he himself fully understands how he truly feels half the time - he's not honest about his emotions to the audience or himself. that doesn't make for an accessible, relatable character for most people, but for those with whom it resonates, it really resonates.

let me be clear: Crowley is not a bad character for being easier to read. Aziraphale is not a bad character for being harder to read. they're just different and appeal to different people.

#good omens #ask

[fellthemarvelous]

The case for Aziraphale (perception matters and this is just MY opinion)

Spoilers ahead.

It's a bit sad when you think about the fact that Hell is busting at the seams with the damned. Hell is an absolutely miserable place.

And it's because Earth is miserable as a whole.

And humans continue to struggle because Heaven does not care about humanity at all.

Heaven is supposed to be a place of love and light.

Heaven is, instead, a place where the elite few exist. They stand in their tower over the rest of the world, watching, but not caring about the damage their apathy is causing. Humans continue to suffer because the angels look down on humans almost as much as they do the demons.

They even look down on the angels they consider lower class.

They are CRUEL and they are VILE (see Gabriel).

Behind the scenes, you realize that Heaven is worse than Hell. In Hell, they know they are the "bad guys", so they behave accordingly. They are Heaven's cast-offs. Heaven justifies their cruelty by saying they are doing God's will even though the only angel we've seen actually converse with God is Aziraphale, however briefly.

Aziraphale spent 6,000 years existing around humans. And his only friend through all of it was a fallen angel, so they were never able to openly express themselves around each other.

Aziraphale constantly fears doing the wrong thing because all angels are fearful of doing the wrong thing. We saw this when the Metatron revealed himself and Uriel immediately asked if they had done anything wrong. They were terrified, and the Metatron refused to confirm or deny.

But Aziraphale, who has spent 6,000 years with humans, developed a set of morals that none of the other angels in Heaven possess.

His relationship with Crowley gave him a perspective that not one other angel in Heaven has. Aziraphale has always loved Crowley. There is not a time he has not loved Crowley, but Aziraphale knew Crowley when Crowley was still an angel. He remembers when Crowley was happy and when Crowley created beautiful nebulas. He remembered the look of awe on Crowley's face and the way Crowley covered him with his wing to shield him from flying stars.

And then he remembers when Heaven cast Crowley aside and turned him into a demon. Aziraphale loved Crowley before he fell and that love never changed after Crowley fell.

Aziraphale is an angel who truly represents love and light the way Heaven should because he has empathy, a trait you see none of the other angels possess.

Why else would God send Aziraphale to live among the humans? He's the one who gave Adam and Eve a fighting chance when they were cast out of the Garden of Eden. He gave away his flaming sword so Adam and Eve could survive in the unknown. He was looking out for humanity from day one. He understands humanity better than anyone else. And he knows Heaven is the problem.

Hell was created by Heaven.

And Heaven is supposed to be better than this.

The Metatron might have manipulated the conversation, but Aziraphale is not stupid. He wants to make Heaven a better place.

Gabriel walked away from Heaven to be with Beelzebub.

Yes, Aziraphale and Crowley could do the same thing, but Aziraphale cannot abandon humanity. He still has hope that Heaven can change for the better because no one deserves to suffer needlessly.

His duty has always been to humanity.

He wasn't being selfish when making the choice to go back.

He and Crowley were not having the same conversation because they had never been good at communicating their feelings. They've never been allowed to.

Crowley loves humanity too, but nothing matters more to him than Aziraphale. He retained his kindness even after he fell, but Aziraphale was the only one he could trust completely.

I feel like huge chunks of Crowley's memory are missing though.

And I think Metatron is the reason why.

We saw the look that Metatron gave him before his conversation with Aziraphale.

The Metatron is calculated and good at hiding in plain sight. He knows how to blend in and knows how to manipulate others into doing what he wants.

The Metatron isn't wrong. Aziraphale is the most logical choice. He has spent 6,000 years with humanity.

But he thinks Aziraphale will fall in line without Crowley around.

Aziraphale is going to have to stand up for himself without Crowley there to rescue him.

But because Aziraphale and Crowley have never stopped to talk about their feelings, neither of them realized they were having two different conversations.

Aziraphale's duty has always been to humanity.

Crowley loves humanity, but everything he does, he does for Aziraphale. Aziraphale is his only friend.

But Aziraphale cannot abandon humanity no matter how much he wants to be with Crowley.

It never occurred to him that Crowley wouldn't be on his side for this. Because they never talk to each other about their feelings.

Regardless of whether or not you think Aziraphale made the right choice, Aziraphale is doing what he believes is right. Aziraphale always tries to do the right thing.

Heaven is fundamentally broken and Aziraphale wants to repair it.

He saw what they did to Crowley. He sees the way they treat other angels, including him. He sees how very little regard Heaven has for anyone else, and it won't get any better if he doesn't try to make things better.

None of this is to diminish the pain Crowley feels either. Aziraphale is hurting too though.

And I think all of this is going to bite Metatron in the ass. He thinks that Aziraphale will be easier to control without Crowley around, but no one has ever been able to control Aziraphale.

Heaven has become a prison for the angels. They tried to wipe Gabriel's memory when he decided to leave Heaven and had plans to demote him instead of allowing him the free will to make the choice for himself.

Heaven forgot how to love because they are all far more concerned with being right than being compassionate, but once Gabriel fell in love with Beelzebub, he realized he cared more about that than taking sides and going to war.

This is what Aziraphale wants to correct. If Gabriel can change, then the entirety of Heaven can change, but Heaven needs to be exposed to love again if it stands a chance of being better than it is now.

I have a million other thoughts about Good Omens, but it will take me forever to cover everything.

Everything is going to be okay in the end. The love they have for each other is not easy to destroy. They will find their way back to each other.

#good omens #go2 #aziraphale #crowley #good omens spoilers #ineffable husbands #literally this is just my take so don't come at me and tell me it's stupid if you disagree #i just have a lot of thoughts and feelings okay

[munsons-maiden]

do you believe in the coffee theory?

I don't, no. In my opinion, it would be a magical bullet, and it would undermine the perfect storytelling immensely. Good Omens is and has always been about overcoming oppressive systems and indoctrination, religious trauma, the entire narrative that the world isn't black and white but a complex pattern of shades of grey.

Crowley fell because he asked questions; he fell because he noticed that things went wrong in Heaven and spoke up about it, stayed true to himself, and got punished for it - but he's free of Heaven's toxicity. Hell might be bad, but at least Hell never covered up that they're the bad guys.

Aziraphale, on the other hand, lives in his own bubble. He knows, and always has known, that Heaven isn't what the archangels want you to think it is, but he has chosen to ignore it, or rather, he keeps holding on to the hope that Heaven can be better because Aziraphale wants to believe in good, he wants Heaven to live up to his ideals. It's very much like being trapped in a toxic relationship, always hoping to change them for the better when in reality, that's not possible.

The very point of these final 15 minutes was the miscommunication between Crowley and Aziraphale.

They both WANT to choose each other - and that's the beautifully tragic point. What Metatron offered Aziraphale wasn't just safety and the opportunity to do what he always wanted: change Heaven, but do it WITH Crowley because in his opinion, Crowley should never have fallen. He wants to stay true to his ideals with Crowley by his side, and he doesn't (want to) see what Crowley has alread seen way before creation and time started: Heaven is rotten. Heaven isn't good, and it can't be saved.

That's how Metatron got Aziraphale: he offered safety for him AND Crowley and the opportunity to turn Heaven into the home Crowley DESERVES without seeing that it was Heaven that never deserved Crowley in the first place, blind to the fact that going back to Heaven was never what Crowley wanted.

Metatron didn't need to spike the coffee - Aziraphale's character is so complex and beautifully developed that his own goodness being twisted against him is enough and, frankly, far more powerful than drugging him into agreeing to the deal.

What Aziraphale did, he did out of love. And if that isn't a very human thing, to do the wrong thing for the right reason, I don't know what is. Perfectly mirrors the scene in tbe garden btw, when Aziraphale gives his flamind sword to Adam and Eve. He does it for the right reason, to protect them, and it's the wrong thing because it ends up humanity's first weapon of war. Beautiful foreshadowing. Neil Gaiman is a genius for that.

I created a Good Omens/Crowley main btw, it's @stargazing-crowley so if you want to talk theories etc, feel free to send asks to this blog please 🖤

#kiki answers #good omens #good omens 2 #aziraphale #crowley

[risetherivermoon]

So, since i've finished watching Good Omens, and im obviously a gay nerd, i have thoughts!! 😇

cw: my opinions 😱 + Good Omens 2 spoilers ⚠️

Aziraphale hasn't been ruined, honestly what happened makes so much sense with his character, like??

As we go through the series, Season 1 & 2, he still shows signs of being hesitant to not being a part of heaven, or of hell.

He's an angel originally and that's what makes sense to him. He's lived with how the concepts of heaven and hell work for his entire life, that's not something he was able to un-learn, and it probably won't be something he can do quickly.

I believe that the theory he's been brainwashed by metatron, is just throwing out all of his character development throughout the series. The fact he's so hesitant to being a part of a third, ulterior group with Crowley is pushed so much onto us i'm so shocked people think it was out of character???

He knows there are problems with heaven, he can see them, but he doesn't see it like Crowley does. Crowley has been given the worst treatment by God and Heaven in general, being cast out. He's fallen, so it makes sense that he's used to being betrayed by large groups like heaven and hell, so it makes sense he's already come to the conclusion that being in a third group of just him and Aziraphale is the best course of action.

Aziraphale still has hope and faith for God and Heaven, he disagrees with a lot of things that they do, but he still has this faith, and hope. Which is why when he was given the opportunity to change it for the better? he took it. He wants to make a difference, he wants to make Heaven be what it should be. They are the good guys, he knows this.

Because of him not being used and comfortable with the thought that angels and demons don't have to be fundamentally good or evil, he thinks this is the better way of doing it. Because heaven is the good guys, so if Crowley is reinstated as an angel? then Crowley would be a good guy with Aziraphale.

Crowley, sees this as a betrayal because he thought that Aziraphale knows that neither side is good. Aziraphale, because they both suck at communicating, as thats been established, never expresses his doubt in Crowley's ideology, and Crowley never fully explains it.

Aziraphale wants to make heaven a place where Crowley can come back. He wants to make heaven inhabitable for Crowley, and he wants Crowley to help him make a difference because he thinks thats what Crowley wants. (BECAUSE THEY WONT TALK TO EACHOTHER!!!)

Crowley thinks that Aziraphale wants him to change, to be an obedient pawn in God's game, again. Crowley takes it as Aziraphale thinking he needs to be controlled. Crowley goes "too fast" for him, he's unpredictable and evil.

That whole ending scene was just them not getting eachother AT ALLLLL and Crowley was so desperate for Aziraphale to understand him that he kissed him as a last measure, the gesture was him screaming at Aziraphale to just listen. That's why it was ugly, that's why it was hurtful rather than sweet. They weren't understanding eachother.

Aziraphale says that he forgives Crowley, he chooses those words exactly. "I forgive you." i see that as Aziraphale telling Crowley that he can be an angel again, that even though he's fallen, and God may never forgive him, that Aziraphale does. Aziraphale thinks that Crowley can be an angel again, despite everything. He thinks that Crowley deserves to be accepted back into heaven.

He's wishing that his acceptance of Crowley is enough, but it isn't. And he watches Crowley from afar, and he decides that (sadly) if Crowley doesn't want to listen, than maybe he isn't worth the sacrifice, he isn't worth giving up the opportunity to save humanity and change heaven and hell spontaneously.

Aziraphale looks at Crowley, and he sees their future crumble, he sees their past and present, he sees how much he loves Crowley...and he dismisses it.

Aziraphale is a manipulated child, that strives for the attention and acceptance, thinking that this is the way to finally get it. He has hope.

Crowley is the abandoned child, the reckless and rebellious one. He's adamant on showing both heaven and hell that they don't have control over him. He's been betrayed too many times to ever trust an angel, or a demon.

Crowley thought he'd found someone, finally someone, he could trust, and he watches that crumble in front of him.

anyways, i hope that makes sense :) i love them, they should make up and make out next season, xx

p.s; im so ill abt them

#good omens 2 spoilers #good omens #good omens 2 #aziraphale #crowley #aziraphale x crowley #crowley x aziraphale #ineffable husbands #aziracrow #me rambling like hell

[diminuel]

I stayed up until half past 1 AM to watch Good Omens season 2. Very short and superficial thought under the cut.

I don’t really feel like the format this show has taken really lends itself all that well to a “cliffhanger” ending. If I knew another season was coming in like half a year I might be chill but if I have to wait like 4 years for it then its unfortunate pacing.

That said it just... it just wasn’t very satisfying?

Maybe I shouldn’t have binged it, but watching is this quickly has given me the opinion of pretty disjointed story telling. Also, it wasn’t very... delicate to give us three examples of love stories and not really properly develop any of them...

Also, what was the point of the flashbacks if Aziraphale was not going to learn to at least question his faith in Heaven.

Sorry, for the messy thoughts, I might have something better to offer tomorrow when it’s not almost 2 M.

If someone wants to share their thoughts or hype it up a bit so I can more be appreciative on my second viewing, please do so X3

#Effi stuff #good omens #spoilers #sort of

[lickthecowhappy]

Playlist Analysis: #8 - Two Men In Love

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#8. Two Men Man-Shaped Beings In Love – The Irrepressibles 

This is an Aziraphale song.

Overview:

Heads up: this is a long one. I don’t blame you if you don’t get through it, but I think you’ll enjoy it. 

One of the most important things about this song that I will refer to many times is “The Heartbeat.” Throughout most of the song there is a percussive beat present that sounds like a heartbeat. At times it is soft and slow, sometimes it’s too quiet to hear, or it speeds up and gets louder. This signals levels of emotional arousal, especially when compared with general musical harmony, discordance, volume, and emotions expressed by the vocals. If you are reading this without listening to the songs, this is the one I feel most strongly that listening to the music itself is equally as important as analyzing the lyrics. I would absolutely love to hear more analysis of this from someone with more musical education.

To accurately understand my analysis of this song you need to understand my opinions/assumptions on what’s happening at the end of episode 6. I don’t believe that Aziraphale was mind controlled but I do believe he was manipulated. Despite manipulation to ply him, Aziraphale knows they are still in danger being together as angel and demon and he believes that two angels in love is the only chance they have for peace. That bringing Crowley to heaven to be reinstated as an angel* won’t change anything about who Crowley is fundamentally, it’s just a matter of citizenship. During Companion to Owls when Aziraphale said, “I know the angel you were,” he believed that Crowley was still the same being inside despite the change in teams, and Aziraphale still believes that about him. Crowley is only Evil™ because it’s been a requirement to his survival after being cast out. Crowley doesn’t understand this is how he feels. All Aziraphale’s language is too coded because he knows they are still not safe despite the last few years of non-interference and despite seeing Gabriel and Beelzebub go off together. 

Crowley has asked Aziraphale to run away from their home (the world) three times in order to take whatever small amount of time they have left to be together while it all burns down. Every time Aziraphale chooses to fight instead because he was created to be a guardian. If he’s running things with Crowley by his side they could not only be together openly, they would have the authority to protect their home and all its inhabitants.

Placement for this song was tricky because it represents the entirety of the final minutes of episode 6. It begins when Aziraphale interrupts Crowley’s rambling start of a confession and it ends with the smile in the elevator. I ended up putting it where I did because I had two Crowley songs back to back and I needed to sandwich an Aziraphale in there.

*I also believe that restoring Crowley’s angelic status would never have happened.

Lyrics:

If I asked you now Will you be my prince? Will you lay down your armor And be with me forever?

The Heartbeat is audible.

It’s steady, but it’s there in Aziraphale’s ears. He’s excited but composed. 

Let me rephrase the above verse: If I asked you now Will you be my angel? Will you take down the defenses you’ve developed And be with me forever?

Aziraphale is (misguidedly) asking Crowley to take down the protective barriers he’s rightfully made for himself and switch teams for Their safety. 

When you open me All the power in me moves How you want to see All the depths of me real When you open me All the power in me moves

The Heartbeat is still audible.

Crowley knows Aziraphale better than any other being. He sees Aziraphale’s true self. Crowley can open him like a book and read every page. I dare say he could recite much of it from memory. During the trial in s1e6 Crowley played his part perfectly, only really giving him extra confidence. When the two are synced up, Aziraphale’s heart is stirred. I can even hear this in a literal way, that Aziraphale is more powerful when they are fully “Them” like in s2e1 performing the half-miracle each. Crowley is still hostile to Gabriel at that moment, but he is much more desperate to protect than he is keen for revenge.

I feel real

The Heartbeat is present but softening.

When Aziraphale knows Crowley is seeing him for who he is, he feels real. Not ethereal. Real like humans are real, with free-will and the ability to grow and change and make mistakes and for those mistakes to be forgiven. Able to be what he knows himself to be, unbound by Heaven, not fitting the mold of Goodness™ he’s about to have to stuff himself back into. He needs Crowley by his side in Heaven in order to have the courage to be who he really is and fight for what he knows is really truly right. 

The Heartbeat softens to become inaudible before the next verse.

I love you Love you I love you Love you

The Heartbeat has been replaced by a soft, slow melody. This represents calmness, earnestness, self-assuredness, and tenderness, delicacy.

This is Aziraphale losing himself in the fantasy he’s trying to sell to Crowley. He has let himself believe that this is their ticket out of danger. This is Aziraphale saying “I love you” in his mind trying desperately to get his coded message across, knowing he can’t say it directly. Even saying it to himself the way one might finally admit it in words when they’ve finally let themselves give in to emotions they thought they could never be allowed to have. 

[Here the words have stopped, the soft, serene music becomes sharp and discordant, borderline unpleasant before returning to some level of gentleness.]

Everything is going wrong. Crowley is angry and he isn’t willing to hear an argument. He hears that Aziraphale is once again abandoning “their side” and his emotional reaction prevents him from decoding the offer of battle for which Aziraphale is trying to recruit him. And at the worst possible time, Crowley begins to confess his tender, fragile feelings, out loud, probably in full view of the Metatron. 

When I look into your eyes There's a danger inside When I see the edge I can never hide

The Heartbeat has returned. The music is gentle but uneasy. It evokes a sense of concern.

Crowley avoids eye contact for most of the confession but Aziraphale can barely look away from those yellow eyes he loves so much. He only looks away from them to look out the window (to his sinister side) where he KNOWS danger is waiting and watching. He understands where Crowley is going with this and shakes his head no, but Crowley is so uneasy and nervous and emotional, he misses all of Aziraphale’s body language that is very clearly (to the audience, at least) screaming that they are not safe. Aziraphale knows the danger is real, it is currently present, it is watching, and they can not hide from it. Not now, not ever.

See me Running, running, running, running, running Running, running, running, running, running Running, running, running, running, running To you, from you, to you

The Heartbeat is still present as before but begins to speed up with every line in an increasingly faster time signature into and almost stabbing piano notes throughout this verse.

Aziraphale wants to run to Crowley. He does it all the time, figuratively and sometimes literally. But he also runs away from him. Pushing him away to keep him out of harm’s way or staying at arm’s length because of the danger Aziraphale could bring down upon him. But no matter what, he can’t stay away. Aziraphale will always run towards Crowley in the end.

There's a strange love inside It's getting louder louder louder louder louder There's a danger I can't hide Who I am, it's who I am, it's who I am, it's who I am

The Heartbeat continues at this fast, strong pace but is slightly drowned out by the choral music and peals of stringed instruments.

Crowley has finally said all the things they have both been thinking for years (though really, for all his hemming and hawing and stuttering, he hasn’t said anything other than, let’s run away from the broken system like we just saw Gabriel and Beelzebub do). Aziraphale is feeling that strange love I talked about in Love Like You. He’s heard the love Crowley is trying to express and that strange love of his is getting louder, crashing in his head. But he can’t seem to communicate the danger to Crowley. Can’t communicate that they can’t hide, that even if they did run they wouldn’t be free, they’d be looking over their shoulders constantly. But Crowley is done; the shades on, the walls up. Aziraphale’s love for Crowley is a part of who he is now and he will be incomplete without him. Aziraphale is desperate and resorts to begging and petulance while his feelings continue to crash in his head.

I'm in love, I'm in love I'm in love, I'm in love I'm in love, I'm in love I'm in love, I'm in love I'm in love, I'm in love I'm in love, I'm in love I'm in love, I'm in love I'm in love, I'm in love Ooh, I'm in love, I'm in love, I'm in love I'm in love, I'm in love I'm in love, I'm in love I'm in love, I'm in love I'm in love, I'm in love I'm in love, I'm in love I'm in love, I'm in love I'm in love, I'm in love I'm in love, I'm in love Love, love, love

The Heartbeat is fast and loud. The music is swelling and grand but still there’s something wrong with it. A discordance? Like all the different instruments are playing slightly different parts of the same song. They momentarily seem to sync up but again become discordant with crashing symbols, strange vocals, and errant trills.

Aziraphale is screaming "I'm in love" in his head but he can’t say it. This is a declaration to himself. He’s never been more sure of it before. It’s on repeat over and over and over. 35 “I’m in love”s. THIRTY FIVE! There are hurtful words exchanged and weaponized nightingales and the kiss is a full 17 seconds of desperation and pain and regret and all the while I think they both have this phrase crashing over and over in their heads in some way. But neither can express it properly and Crowley leaves and Aziraphale is left alone to processes what the fuck just happened and how it all could have gone so wrong so quickly, while Crowley is out by the Bentley probably doing the exact same thing. 

[There is a brief, echoing melodic refrain here before the beat and tone suddenly shift in a jarring way. A way that feels like it’s a totally different song for a moment.]

The Heartbeat is still fast and strong.

Aziraphale has had only seconds to taste his lips and process what just happened when the Metatron comes back in the shop and he has to compose himself immediately. Based on blocking, I don’t think the Metatron saw the kiss, but he walks in fully knowing that Crowley isn’t going. But then, he knew that before he offered it anyway, didn't he? Aziraphale walks to the window and sees that Crowley is still there. He tries to leverage the bookshop to get out of the job but the Metatron has that covered. 

Gonna build you up, gonna help you believe, sonny Gonna build you up, gonna help you believe, sonny

The Heartbeat is fast and strong and pounding and very present alongside the spoken vocals and minimal music.

Aziraphale almost rejects the offer but takes one last look out the window and knows he has to fight. He sees Crowley out there and knows without any doubt how they both feel, despite the pain they just caused each other. He knows he has no choice but to fight for it, even if it means that Crowley believes that Aziraphale has rejected him. He resolves to protect Crowley and make sure that one day Crowley believes in him and the only way he knows he has the authority to do it is as Supreme Archangel. Aziraphale loves being rescued by Crowley but now he knows he has to do this on his own. So he accepts and goes with the Metatron and doesn’t take anything else with him.

There's a strange love inside It's getting louder louder louder louder louder There's a danger I can't hide Oh, it's who I am, it's who I am, it's who I am, it's who I am

The Heartbeat remains fast and sharp but begins to be drowned out by music which is still crashing but now harmonious and confident.

This is a confident version of the previous instance of this verse. Aziraphale’s resolve is growing. He’s psyching himself up. That kiss was a desperate, frustrated temptation but it turned into an inspiration to protect what Aziraphale loves. He knows it’s dangerous, and Crowley won’t be by his side this time. He has no choice but to become the soldier he was created to be. To protect his love and his home. His courage is being bolstered by the love he now has no question is there and is mutual. It’s who he is and it's what he was created for.

I'm in love, I'm in love I'm in love, I'm in love I'm in love, I'm in love I'm in love, I'm in love I'm in love, I'm in love I'm in love, I'm in love I'm in love, I'm in love I'm in love, I'm in love I'm in love

The strong Heartbeat and confident, harmonious, powerful, joyous music continues.

Aziraphale’s body language and facial expressions as he ascends in the elevator tell such a story. At the start he’s breathing heavy and setting his jaw with a barely brave face and by the time the images blur, he’s standing more confidently with his war face on. He’s going to burn the system to the ground. 

(Also this brings us to 52 “I’m in love”s, if I counted right.)

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#good omens #aziraphale #crowley #brain rot #music analysis #i spent a normal amount of time on this #therapy for good omens 2 #good omens meta #ineffable husbands #ineffable divorce

[metaphysicpareidolic]

OPINION TIME because i need to know i'm not the only one who feels this way:

i'm gonna be perfectly honest and many of you might hate me for this but. i. did not like good omens season 2. so if you don't want to read, i'll just write my essay under the break dlsjfdh

OKAY.

i mean i understand why people like it, the two (mostly) male-presenting characters that everyone has been smashing together like barbie dolls for decades finally get a canon kiss, great. yeah, as a trans gay guy, i can't deny that i love seeing any kind of queer representation, especially from such a popular show, from such an influential author. but this? did not. feel good to watch. and it's not just because of the soul-destroying cliffhanger ending.

i lived and breathed good omens when the show first came out, it was one of the most intense hyperfixations of my life, i was completely obsessed with it and i recommended it to everyone i knew, both the show and the book. it's the entire reason i got tumblr in the first place and the first fandom i actually participated in. quite a good portion of my waking thoughts were consumed by the ineffable husbands and all the other characters. i was a young teenager at the time and this story shaped my view of the world for over a year, and i will always love it. but even then, i hoped to god (ha) that they wouldn't make a second season. but inevitably, they did.

i went into the first episode hoping i was wrong, and i finished it just feeling disappointed. i kept watching and got through the whole thing, hoping it would get better as the season went on, but it just got worse and worse. granted, i did enjoy the little historical throwbacks (i think the entire second season should have just been aziraphale and crowley through the centuries with michael and david improvising the whole thing like that one post) but the actual plot was bland, the characters had lost all their depth, and on top of that the budget was obviously cut by a lot so the rich visuals that were so captivating in the first season were gone, as well. that and issues with sound, which probably were more noticeable cause i was wearing headphones, but this is one of the most popular and profitable shows on a leading streaming service owned by one of the biggest fucking companies in the world. shouldn't they be putting money into it?

i'm not upset that beelzebub was recast. i'm upset that their entire character and personality was forgotten in favour of a romantic side plot, which exists, why? again?? to somehow emphasize a point already made by the other rushed romantic side plot?? that has barely anything to do with the actual story other than being accidentally dragged into it by aziraphale, whose entire character development from the first season has been entirely pushed aside because we need a third season, because we want more money! hehe they are kissing, gay people kissing ooh look, give us your money and attention so you can see them kiss consensually this time! i could continue but i will spare you the entirety of my spiel because i could write. PAGES. about how much this season hurt my soul not because Oh No They Broke Up but because i believed in this world and i believed in these characters and i don't like seeing them like this, wrung out and milked for cash and fanservice. everything that made the first season good is dampened by the knowledge that i now have to consider this fucking thing canon, that this is what the story turns into.

neil gaiman i love you but for the love of god get off of tumblr. he just wrote a fucking fanfiction of his and terry pratchett's work because he knew he would get money from it. and we are eating it up, because we love the story, we love the characters, and we love the author and we always want more. if you want more, draw fanart. write fanfiction. create your own version of a story. please, don't give your money to a company just because it's Officially Legit Canon when you could create a much better, more compelling, and more satisfying ending for yourself, for free. i lied earlier, i don't understand the appeal of this season. i don't understand why people like it. it feels fake. it feels wrong. it feels like an entirely different universe than the first season, and the book, and that wouldn't necessarily even be a bad thing if it was at least done with some level of concern for quality and consistency.

i know not everyone wants to be critical of their favourite show and would prefer to just enjoy it for what it is. i understand that, at least. i don't want to ruin anyone's fun. if you enjoyed this season, good. i'm glad you did and i love seeing all the fanart and fanfictions happening everywhere. i just really wanted to talk about this and maybe spark a little discussion if anyone's interested. anyways if you read all of this, thank you.

tl;dr: i hate capitalism, i hate streaming services

#good omens #good omens spoilers #good omens 2 #good omens 2 spoilers #neil gaiman #good omens season 2 #also i don't understand. did it get explained why sister mary loquacious now owns a cafe and goes by nina #is this an inside joke i'm not aware of??? #was i just supposed to not notice????? #is it supposed to be a subtle nod?? oh look nina sosanya is back because we can't reasonably find a way to bring back her previous characte #cool?? #i don't get it i don't understand somebody explain it to me i don't. understand #AM I JUST STUPID I FEEL LIKE I'M JUST STUPID THEY WOULDN'T HAVE JUST. DONE THAT WITHOUT EXPLAINING IT RIGHT??? #i was paying attention i swear #okay i googled it and neil just. likes her a lot i guess. #okay? #alright wes anderson but maybe like. put her in sandman or something #i stg i thought i was going insane half the time

[gayward-son]

GO Season 2 Episode 4 Thoughts

Spoliers under the cut!

Pretty good, pretty fun times all around. This episode felt like a quick break in the middle for some breathing room before the end of the season, which I think is good to have before it all goes pear-shaped.

Seeing Aziraphale and his magic act was great, and the mini plotline in this episode was fun and showed even more of how Aziraphale realized he was in love with Crowley at this time. It also filled in more of the gaps of how Crowley and Aziraphale's relationship deepened and developed, with also showing how real their fear of being discovered was. Loved the zombie gags and seeing more of Shax's character. I really love how calculative but also utterly evil she is, she's really raising the stakes with her want to take Crowley down for her own gain.

Miracle-blockers are an interesting development to mention. Honestly, you'd think the angels and demons would use them more (the moment they caught Crowley and Aziraphale in the last episode of season one comes to mind). I also wonder if they'll come up again in the season, as they feel like very plot-helper objects. Hmmmm

And gah, poor Nina. With only two episodes left, I really don't know what it will take to get her out of that toxic relationship and in a much better one with Maggie

We seem to be in territory now that I really cant predict much more about how the plot will develop. In the trailer, Crowley ends up in heaven, which I assume will be some plot to try and stop whatever 'war' Aziraphale mentions in the trailer, though i can't imagine that that plan will go smoothly at all. It's exciting how much I don't know! While the first season made pretty clear the trajectory of events to occur, this season is almost as mysterious as the mystery itself. Though I do hope the pieces fall together at least somewhat in the end.

A side note that I can't help but mention: Shax saying she thought Crowley and Aziraphale were "an item" (?!) It really makes me wonder/hope that there's going to be more explicit confirmation of their love for one another. I know people have mixed opinions on the topic, but with all the ways that Crowley and Aziraphale show that they share more in common with humans than angels and demons, I don't think the idea that "they aren't human so they can't love like humans" really holds up. Aziraphale isn't supposed to like food and lie to his fellow angels, and Crowley isn't supposed to enjoy cars and rescue others from harm's way, but they both do anyways. I don't think falling in love would be out of the question as a thing they are able to do (as long as either one of them can finally admit their feelings after 6000+ years of pining). Anyway, rant aside, I can't wait for episodes 5 & 6! Honestly sad about how it will be over soon, but I'm excited to finally be able to see other posts about the season and hopefully there will be a season 3!

#intellectual monologue #not c*rry on #good omens spoilers #go2 spoilers #go2e4 #good omens s2 spoilers

[ingravinoveritas]

The comparisons between Zira and Stead confuse me but the comparisons between Crowley and Ed are even more confusing. They both share a darker aesthetic in fashion yes but that’s about it.

Thank you, Anons. I was so hoping that folks had read my post about OFMD, and I’m glad people have (as well as this post, which is where the tag you are referencing is from).

I do definitely feel a sense of confusion around the comparisons between Aziraphale/Stede and Crowley/Ed. I have thought about it more since writing that first post, and I feel that I again need to emphasize how much I enjoy both Good Omens and Our Flag Means Death, but that to me, they are completely different shows and characters and therefore shouldn’t be compared because they deserve to stand on their own.

The entire conceit of Crowley, in my opinion, is that he is not beholden to the standards and gender roles that humanity has created. He is a supernatural entity, and while he has plenty of other things that he is dealing with (such as the pain of Falling and not being “good enough” to stay in Heaven), the human part is what he has fun with, and is why he can play with gender so readily and embrace that androgynous beauty that we all know and love.

Ed, however, is completely beholden to those gender roles and is shown performing traditional “masculinity” throughout the show. He wants to be more like Stede and tries to dress like him and learn the niceties of aristocratic table manners, but he is still operating within those specific standards. In some ways, I feel like Crowley is what Ed wishes he could be, but for all his pirate-y badass outlaw ways, Ed still has that urge and need to conform.

In contrast, Crowley never wants to be like Aziraphale. He doesn’t want to fit in with the angels (and would probably miracle a Whoopee cushion onto Gabriel’s chair every single time he goes to sit down). Nor does Crowley long for “finer things,” but instead wants Aziraphale to be himself, to see how wonderful he actually is, and that he doesn’t need Heaven or any of it because they are on their Own Side.

It’s two different characters who, while on similar journeys of self-discovery and identity, take very disparate paths on those journeys. And the relationships that both of them are in or starting to be in (Crowley with Aziraphale, Ed with Stede) have an influence on those journeys, but again, in very different ways. Crowley has known Aziraphale for thousands and thousands of years and it’s a relationship of familiarity and having been through so much together and slow, steady growing attraction and love that has developed and deepened over time. Ed and Stede have only just met, so theirs is a relationship of newness, of seeming intense initial infatuation that strongly has the potential to grow into more, but hasn’t gotten there just yet.                              

Another moment that comes to mind when I think of the differences between Crowley and Ed and their relationships is the moment in OFMD where Stede and Ed share clothes paralleled with the moment in GO where Aziraphale and Crowley switch bodies. Of course, Stede and Ed dressing up as each other was fun and it was cute and silly, but to me, it represented them still only knowing each other on the surface. Aziraphale and Crowley, however, have (literally) been inside each other’s skin. The amount of trust Aziraphale places in Crowley and vice-versa is only something that can happen when you’ve known someone for a long time. It’s deeply intimate and personal, like letting someone see your innermost soul, or your underwear drawer.

So, yes. Two different moments that reflect two different characters and two very different--not better or less--relationships. Again, I know there are some similarities on the surface, and my goal in writing this was not to deny those, but to highlight how, when you look more closely, Crowley and Blackbeard do become quite different, and they deserve to be recognized for the unique, wonderful characters that they are.

I hope this all has made sense. Thanks for writing in, Anons! x

#anonymous #reply post #good omens #crowley #our flag means death #ofmd #blackbeard #edward teach #aziraphale #ineffable husbands #stede bonnet #blackbonnet #i actually probably could've written more because there is so much to unpack #but oh well #cinematic parallels #thoughts #discourse

[gingerteaonthetardis]

writing tag game

i was tagged by @kelkat9! thank you, dear!

how many works do you have on a03? not many! just 25, though several of those are longer collections.

what’s your total a03 word count? 426,054.

what are your top 5 fics by kudos?

5. a sign : rose & aziraphale, general audiences

4. 'til you come (into the water) : fremione, explicit

3. grass : fremione, teen

2. some people just need a push : fremione, general audiences

1. the contingency plan : ninerose/tenrose, mature

do you respond to comments, why or why not? i really try to, but much as i enjoy getting feedback, it also tends to motivate me to put more pressure on myself... which isn't particularly conducive to me getting stuff written. so, sometimes i won't check comments until the next time i'm ready to update and then i catch up on what everybody's thinking. i am one of those few authors who isn't motivated by kudos and comments, but in spite of them, lmao.

what’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending? probably the contingency plan? which... i don't think it's very angsty personally, but some people seemed surprised by the ending. even though, in my opinion, it really only could've ended one way. but i think that's about as close as i've gotten to angsty endings.

what’s the fic you’ve written with the happiest ending? hm, that's a hard one! since i tend to go in pretty hard on fluffy endings, you could probably say 'all of them.' for you, you hungry thing. (fremione, general audiences) and the common tongue of me loving you (eightrose, mature) are both pretty high on the happiness scale, i'd say.

do you write crossovers? if so, what is the craziest one you’ve written? i do, on occasion. i was once prompted to write a good omens/doctor who body swap crossover fic, so that was fun.

have you ever received hate on a fic? i am very fortunate not to have ever received hate, basically of any kind, on my fics! probably because i spend my time in very specific, curated spaces (and, like, half my writing is for a rarepair ship crewed by the nicest people alive). occasionally, i'll get criticism that's probably supposed to be constructive (but is actually incoherent). but that's pretty rare.

do you write smut? if so, what kind? yes, i do. i wish i was better at it, honestly; it's a difficult skill for me to develop, since i'm very in my own head about sex. i've usually stuck with m/f stuff (because that's mostly what i'm prompted to write), but i have a few f/f things in the drafts... maybe someday they'll see the light of day. one of my favorites to do was a m/f/f scene, prompted by a beloved friend.

have you ever had a fic stolen? not that i'm aware of, but who knows? like i said, i'm pretty small and unnoticed in my various fandoms. (for which i am thankful, tbh.)

have you ever had a fic translated? no, but i've had requests to do it. honestly, i'm not sure i'd be comfortable with letting someone translate my fics unless i knew them beforehand and felt i could trust them.

have you ever co-written a fic before? yes, with the lovely and amazing and spectacular and fantastic and brilliant @lotsofthinkythoughts, whomst i adore. take the money and run (eightrose, teen) remains a very fun fic for me to look back on, and a particularly creative point in my life.

what’s your all-time favourite ship? you would make me choose from among my children?? not likely.

what’s a wip that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will? oh god, so many. basically every wip i have?? i have a witch!bella new moon rewrite in the drafts, a tenrose d:bh crossover situation, two... yes, two fremione marriage law fics, a doctorrose retelling of lavinia, a tenrose stardust au... literally 90% of the writing i do is doomed to live forever in the docs and none of those fics will ever see the light of day unless my adhd suddenly gets cured or i get a beta reader who works overtime as my personal ass-kicker.

what are your writing strengths? making everybody fucking communicate for once in their lives. oh, overblown emotions. and banter. i think i can manage some pretty bangin' banter. AH, also making everybody so bisexual they can't function.

what are your writing weaknesses? what else! plot. smut. finishing anything, ever, for any reason. also, sustaining motivation; i lose interest in ideas fast.

what are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic? i've done, like, maybe single words or short, well-known phrases, but i would not be willing to do more than that, holy god. i already made an ass out of myself writing german dialogue once. never again.

what was the first fandom you wrote for? harry potter. dramione, to be specific. my friends and i passed around a composition notebook and i always wrote people either fighting or kissing. nothing in between. (i still pretty much do that...) my first pUbLiShEd fic was on some harry potter website and it was a songfic and i'm pretty sure hermione fell out the window. i don't really remember much from middle school, and thank fuck for that.

what’s your favourite fic you’ve written? probably grass and the contingency plan are my favorites. they're definitely the most self-indulgent and had the most fluid writing processes. almost no editing went into the former, and the latter was such a passion project that i was willing to really put my back into it. i wish i could get that motivation back, honestly, but... life is life, i suppose.

if you made it to the bottom, you're a hero and an icon. here's payment in the form of a snippet from a ninerose prompt i'm working on:

“Anything?” A sharp, Scottish accent came promptly down the line.

“Nope. You?”

“Nothing.”

“I’m telling you, Amy, Wilson’s having us on about this so-called ‘maintenance guy.’ If there is one, how come I’ve never seen him before?” It was far more likely Wilson just wanted to offload his responsibilities onto someone else—even if that someone else was a fiction.

Her upstairs neighbor pretended to consider, giving a thoughtful hum. “He could be a ghost?”

“Oh, I quite like that. Explains all the moaning you hear in the corridors.”

“No, that’s just Jack and his boyfriend.”

tagging: @deardiary17, @saecookie, @loupettes, @lizann5869, and @ialwayscomewhenyoucall <3

#writing tag game #abbey.txt #this is ABSURDLY long. i am so sorry lmao. but there's a little snippet at the end as reward. <3

[spelling-checked-mostly]

Idk if you do fic writing but maybe GO -because I'm obsessed and "nanny, why are you crying?" Idk. Kinda feeling angsty. If you don't do fic that's cool too. Idk, feeling bored in here on this Friday afternoon... iloveyourworkpleasestartpostingagainokaythanksbye

Oh uh... wow okay hi. I do write fic, thanks for the prompt. I'm not great at angst /lies/ but I can try. Note that I am typing this on my phone. Warlock was singing- internally of course. Nanny wouldn't approve of the future ruler of hell literally singing. Unless of course, he sings queen. So Warlock sang internally, voicing his joy only in his head. “Yes father, I would love to go.” It’s the first time he has really been allowed to go to an event like this. “I can behave. I promise.” “I’m sure you will not embarrass me. Especially with your nanny there to keep you in line.” Crowley's head shot up. He had very little interest in going to these events. Of the very few things humans did that he actually had an influence in- he hated dinner parties the most. He just found them dreadfully boring. “Yes sir, of course.” He wanted to sit in his room and drink that night out of existence. “I'll make sure Warlock is the perfect son.” As soon as his father had left Crowley told Warlock to go play in the garden. He followed of course. Hunting down the one being on this planet who would understand his opinions on the matter. “Sometimes, Francis, I really hate being perfect.” Crowley ‘leaned’ against a shrubbery and watched Warlock chasing after a rabbit he had found. “You are far too vain, my lady. Though that may be your only flaw.” Aziraphale stood, wiping the dirt off of his hands. “To what do I owe the pleasure of your company this afternoon?” Crowley sighs dramatically and looks away. “Do you recall, oh it wasn't that long ago of course you do, when politicians and debate first started developing into a less- er… civil manner. I suggested to some minister or some such that they all get together for a party.” Azira nods. “Honestly, they do seem to resolve things better when they are all in a good mood.” he sighs, “I suppose I should have thanked you for that.” Crowley shrugged. “But are the decisions they are making actually good ones? I had to use a lot of questionable logic to not get in trouble for that.” Aziraphale laughs, only a little. “Well anyway, I have to go to one with the antichrist. I can't imagine it will be enjoyable in the slightest.” And Crowley can see the way his angel physically deflates. Because something is wrong. “Everything alright Angel?” “Hmm? Oh yes, everythings just… tickety boo.” And Crowley rolls his eyes- not that you can tell, but he does it anyway. “We have been over this. No one who is tickety boo actually uses the term tickety boo. What's wrong, come on now tell me. We’re partners aren't me. If you have concerns about the child… or something else?” And aziraphale sighs, and frowns and crowley doesn't like it at all. “It's just… I've been thinking recently… Warlock is getting older and- and well he's not spending so much time at home anymore and you always go away with him and I-I just feel like when you go… I feel- you get more chances to tempt the child than I do is all.” And Crowley laughs. And Aziriphale will never tell him how much it hurts when he laughs at him. “Oh Angel, you should have told me sooner why- we could have certainly found some excuse for you to come with us. Might need a miracle but I can certainly work something out… If that's really what you are so down about.” And Azira forces himself to smile. And Crowley can see through it but he doesn’t say anything. And Warlock comes running over. “Nanny, nanny come look, I’ve killed it.” And Crowley smiles. And Azira gasps. And they go together to find the poor creature. “Very good.” “Now now, Warlock. We should respect and love all of god's creatures. How about a proper burial.” Aziraphale doesn’t give him a chance to argue. He takes the rabbit up in one hand and leads him over to a steadily growing wildlife cemetery. “But Nanny says that-” “The one thing you should respect is your elders.” Crowley smiles softly over at his Angel, even if there is no acknowledgement of what he has said. “Yess nanny, I’ll get the shovel.” “Thank you for that dear.” Aziriphale says it quietly and doesnt turn around. ~~~~~Convenient time skip for exposition~~~~~ “He called me dear. Can you believe that? I mean I know he does it all the time. It’s just his nature. He calls everyone dear. It just felt different this time, you know?” He continued gently misting his plants. “He's a terrible gardener, but I can forgive that.” There's a light rustling and crowley stops. Resting his hand on his hip with all his demon sass. “We have been over this. It’s not like that. Satan though, I wish it was. But could you imagine?” He laughs and goes back to tending his own little garden in his room. “I’d have to teach him how to dance though. Angel only knows one dance and-” “Nanny who are you talking to?” Crowley shrieks and spins and nearly sprays Warlock in the face with the spray bottle before catching himself. “I wasn't talking to anyone. Do not sneak up on me.” He sets the spray bottle down and leads them out of the side closet into the main area. “Sorry. I’m jsut bored because i was listening to father talk about work and i started thinking and - Oh yeah i came up to ask you something.” Warlock grins and Crowley can't figure out if he is proud of or afraid of the demonic gleam in his eyes. “Do you have a date for the party Nanny?” Crowley nearly falls out of his chair. “No-I- Well- Am i supposed to?” He straightens out his skirt and tries to compose himself. “Well, I was listening to father and he was talking about how one of his partners got a new girlfriend and father hates her but he just knows that his partner is going to bring this girl with him and it got me thinking that you are a fairly pretty woman. At least, far prettier than my friends' nannies so i figured you must be seeing someone.” Warlock pauses for air so Crowley takes the chance to cut in. “Well, if ruling hell doesn’t work out I suppose you could make a career in flattery.” He decides he is definitely not going to address the issue of his love life with the antichrist. “It's just that i'd really like to meet him. So i asked father if he hated all boyfriends and girlfriends or if it was just the man he works with and he said that they weren't all bad and he wouldn't even mind people bringing dates to things like this if they weren't so insufferable as that girl so i asked if he would let you bring your boyfriend and he seemed really confused but he said that your boyfriend couldn't possibly be as bad as that girl so as long as you do your job and i really want to meet him nanny.” And again warlock pauses for breath. This time Crowley doesn’t speak. He thinks for a moment before opening his mouth. “Say you’ll take him to the party or I- I’ll- when i take over hell i won't let you have sweets.” Crowley laughs. “Would it still be as exciting if you had already met him?” Crowley could laugh from the look on the boy's face. “You aren’t dating Clyde are you? It would be just like you to date another nanny and he's just so bossy and he doesn’t even believe ill take over hell and… I don’t like him or stupid Jackson and his stupid new toy train.” Warlock folds his arms over his chest and pouts. Crowley does laugh this time. “No, Clyde is too… too much of a nanny. No Warlock, I would be bringing Francis.” Warlock does not look as surprised as Crowley would have expected. “The gardener? I mean I guess I see it but he's so soft and you're so- uh..also soft. But like dark soft.” and crowley nearly growls. “I. Am. Not. Soft. And if you say it again you’ll be going to bed early.” He can hear the plants rustling behind the door. “Well it's just… he looks like he escaped from a male convent.” “A monastery?” “And you look like… you. Like you are waiting for people to find the body of your ex husband who disappeared three years ago so you can play the grieving widow and inherit his fortune.” “You are very creative, warlock. I am eager to see what your future looks like. Yes, seeing as I am aloud I will be bringing Francis as my date to the party. Go play in your room for a but, Nanny has something to take care of.” As soon as Warlock is gone Crowley pops back down to the garden. “Brother Fran- Oh don't scream Angel, it’s just me.” Crowley waits for him to calm down. “I told Warlock we are dating.” “You did what!” “Oh for Satan's sake angel I said don’t scream.” Crowley smiles and brushes his hair back. “Yes, Miss Ashtoreth, I won't scream but I must ask dear. You did what?” “Its brilliant really Angel. And Warlock gave me the idea. Maybe you really are having an influence on him.” The comment goes right over the angels head. “I've told him we are dating. Then you can be my date to parties and things. It’s fine with his father by the way. No miracle needed. You can have just as much chance to influence the boy as me.” And Azira smiles. And Crowley knows it's still fake but he can’t possibly figure out why. So he leaves it alone. “I guess when you put it like that it’s okay to lie.” Oh. Oh right. “Of course Angel. So may I tempt you to join me for a dinner party?” “I suppose. Yes. You could.” ~~~ Time skip because i hold all the power ~~~ “He said yes. Can you believe that. Of course he says its all a lie so he doesn’t really love me but i suppose we've known that this whole time haven’t we? Yes I suppose we have. We’ve been over this.” Rustling. Crowley sneers. “Oh you know what, shove it up your roots Phil. I would run you through the disposal if you weren’t the second most perfect specimen i’ve ever seen. Don’t tell the others of course. How will i strike the fear of- uh- me into them if they know i treat you like this.” ~~~ Time skip because that was just self indulgent~~~ "Oh, Miss Ashtoreth, who's your friend" Crowley cringes at the sound if that voice and grips Aziraphale hand a little tighter, trying to sink into the wall. "Not now Clyde, I'm trying to watch Warlock. Unlike some people, I take my job seriosly." "Oh please, what trouble can they really get into here? Be polite, introduce me." Crowley pouts. Legitimately pouts. And Azira pulls his hand away to offer it to 'Clyde' "I'm Francis, Lady Ashtoreth' partner." Warlock watches Crowley's mental battle to not rip Clyde's hand off when he reaches out. "Im Clyde, of course. I nanny for one of Warlocks friends. Miss Ashtoreth and I are very close, funny she didn't mention you." Azira laughs nervously. "Yes well, as a couple were fairly-" "Private." Crowley takes his hand bag and drags them away. "I hate that man. Honestly, he dares question the legitimacy of our relationship. We are perfect together." And Azira forces are smile. Because he knows. And Crowley can tell it's forced, but he doesn't press it. Because he doesn't know. "So this is the uh… boyfriend Warlock talks about" they spin to the new person, crowley doesn't let go of his hand. It's an awkward turn. "Yes Mr. Dowling." Crowley is beaming. And Azira hates it because his adversary is trying to tempt him again and he can't get in trouble. "I must be honest, I never would have suspected. Of course, my wife always has more of a sense for those things" he nods a little, like that makes sense. "Well sir, we do try to be professional at work." Wonderful excuse Crowley. A genius you are. "Thank you for allowing him to come with us though." "Yes well, you seem to still be watching after Warlock so I don't see the harm in letting you have some life" he sighs, looking around. "Er… would you mind telling Warlock he can't stay for dinner. There are really some important decisions to be made so we are rereading some ending the children home early." "Of course sir" Crowley was not looking forward to upsetting the antichrist. He resigned himself to it, and set about locating the boy again. Every person who cast doubt on his relationship with aziraphale upset him more until he was eager to get out. But of course, every time he looked back at his angel, Azira seemed to be having fun. Laughing and chatting with whoever they had bumped into. And of course, there were people who weren't entirely surprised. Which made it a little easier for Crowley to stomach socializing. Every chance he got to tell someone that he and Azira were dating, he took. He adored being able to say it. Although, he noticed, it did seem to put his date a little on edge. Finally they found Warlock. Or... he found them. "Nanny this is boring, I want to leave." Crowley sighed. "Well you're in luck. Your father is sending you home. Come on now, let's get your things." If crowley were anything other than a demon he might be ashamed to admit that he used a minor demonic miracle to get than hem out without people noticing. As an angel Aziriphale is rather distraught over his own use of a miracle to keep people from noticing them. On the drive home even Warlock can tell that it's tense. Azira waits for Crowley to put the child to bed before saying anything. But as soon as he walks down the stairs. "I can't do this." And he can see Crowley break. Anthony Janthony Crowley, demon from hell, nearly starts sobbing on the stairs. But only for the fraction of a second when that wave of emotion first hit's him can you tell. Then he carefully packs it away. "Can't do what Angel?" And Crowley knows. And aziraphale gives a sad little smile, because he knows. "We aren't right Crowley. Every single person could tell. You could tell" "Aziraphale it's not about what some stupud humans think. We are doing this because- so that you can spend a little more time with the kid. Put us on even ground. Who cares what people say. We can do this." And Crowley hates that he's practically begging and Aziraphale hates that he's practically begging and they both hate this situation. "I can't do this Crowley. I. Me. I cant. I'm an angel Crowley and it's just wrong to lie about something so... intimate. So human. It's wrong to lie to everyone." And Crowley can see that tidal wave comming in again. So why not swim out to meet it. In a flash he's right in front of his Angel. Holding his face. Pleading. "Why does it have to be a lie?" And he hates himself for leaning foreward and kissing that stupid, stupid angel. But for the briefest second he sees heaven. Then Aziraphale pulls away. "I've said it once, I'll say it hundreds of times. Until you understand. You go to fast for me" It crashes over him and he's drowning. "Go. Go away. Go back to your own house tonight. Don't bother comming in tomorrow. Itll be too rainy for you to get any gardening done" "Oh, Dear don't-" "Get. Out. Aziraphale." And he leaves. And the door closes. And Crowley barely makes it up to his room. He doesn't make it up to his room. "Nanny, why are you crying?" Warlock steps out of his bedroom door and puts a gentle hand on Crowley's arm. "That party was just so dreadful" and -for the first time since Warlock had learned to walk- his nanny picks him up, carries him to bed, and tucks him in. "Thank you, Warlock." And then he leaves. ~~~Time skip brought to you by a lazy author and stuff~~~ "He HATES me Phil." Crowley sits in the corner. To dry to cry. He just sits there, staring at the plant. "He he's me and you know what I hate me too and I bet you hate me. Warlock doesn't hate me though. The one person that I need to hate everything doesnt hate me." A dry sob shakes his rib cage. "I've made a discovery though. I do believe angel saliva is some weird form of holy water. I thought ink he was about to kiss me back. Right before he pulled away. His eyes were closed I know it." It's silent for far too long. "I love him, Phil." Ahnhdmhxnabdh I haven't gotten a prompt in like ever. I love you sm. I haven't written GO fic in forever. I did more research for this than for my actual writing projects because I did not preciously know what a male nunnery was called. This was fun. Btw- Phil is a fake plant. Crowley doesn't know yet.

#I know it's been forever #eat my ass #I'll be posting again soon okay #calm down #anyway #good omens #crowley #aziraphale #fake dating au #???