starsandlightning

[starsandlightning]

Do you ever have those conversations that you know are friendship-ending? And even as you’re having them, you’re like, “wow this is so terrible!! I didn’t realize this would hurt as much as it does, can we stop now?” But the deeper in you go, the more you understand that there’s no turning back. They can’t unsay what they just said. And you can’t change their mind.

So afterwards you just sit there like. I can’t believe that just happened. We exchanged Valentine’s baskets last year. I was at your last birthday party. You send me funny reels and reply to all my notes. You check in on me. You know about my mother. And this is how it ends?

Idk it’s been a rough year

[starsandlightning]

Today, I saw a cybertruck in person for the first time. I was not impressed. It's just so big and blocky and the silver had like...stain marks??? Yeah.

[starsandlightning]

"democracts always say that this election is the most important one yet" yes because we're in the flaggy bit of the history book that could either end with "end of american democracy, lead up to war world iii" or "tensions fizzle, beginning of post trump restoration" depending on how you vote. like every election since 2016 has been "the most important election yet" because trump won in 2016 and trump has made his desire to be a dictator clear.

in fact, i don't think 2008 or 2012 were given the same weight of "this is the most important election ever" because we were not living in the dangerous time of a dictator literally trying to take over the united states

[starsandlightning]

if i see one more article, post, or news anchor talking about how joe biden is old, i'm putting my fist through a window. i feel like i've gone through the fucking looking glass.

this is project 2025, trump's plan for what he'll do if elected. whatever you think is in there, it's worse. watch a breakdown of the highlights here. this man wants to unravel the fabric of our democracy for good - this all aside from his vitriolic hatred of poc, his determination to start ww3, and the fact that he can't string a sentence together without telling outrageous and easily verifiable lies. his administration will start their crusade to exterminate trans people on day one, and they won't stop there.

do not talk to me about how joe biden is old, as if that could ever matter to me more than my life or the lives of my friends and family. my little sister is 14, she's trans, and i don't know what to tell her when we talk about politics, because one of these people wants her dead and the other one is old and some of you are still acting like those problems are equals.

i can't fucking stand this. i'm not hearing it this time, we are not repeating 2016. refusing to vote is not an act of protest, it is an act of complacency, and our most vulnerable will suffer for your negligence. vote like your life depends on it, because for some of us, it really fucking does.

[starsandlightning]

As a hardware store worker, I feel compelled to add that The Elderly also make up at least 20-30% of the population of a hardware store at any given time. I wouldn’t know their exact place in the ecosystem or specific classification, as I’m not sure if they would just be seen as DIYers/Crafters/etc. in the later stages of life or if they are a class unto their own.

What I can say is that they tend to be seen throughout the day but are most commonly found early in the morning (specifically the asscrack of dawn) and are typically in pairs, although they can be solitary as well. Be warned—they are predators. Most times they aren’t looking for a fight, but they will not hesitate to become aggressive when they feel threatened. I’d advise any hardware store shopper, be it Dad, Lesbian, or anyone in between to exercise caution when they are near. Try not to engage them unless you are certain they’re friendly.

*releases pack of dads into home depot* go……be free

[starsandlightning]

Hey bro/ster I'm super sorry to have to be the one to break this to you, but uh sometimes being a socialist means, you know, putting your dreams of terrorism down for a minute and talking about public policy and how your proposed form of government would like, uhhhhh................ work.

[starsandlightning]

if you don't do anything else today,

Please have a moment of silence for the people who were killed instead of freed when news of emancipation finally reached the furthest corners of the american south.

have another moment for the ledgers, catalogs, and records that were burned and the homes that were destroyed to hide the presence of very much alive and still enslaved people on dozens of plantations and homesteads across the south for decades after emancipation.

and have a third moment for those who were hunted and killed while fleeing the south to find safety across the border, overseas, in the north and to the west.

black people. light a candle, write a note to those who have passed telling them what you have achieved in spite of the racist and intolerant conditions of this world, feel the warmth of the flame under your hand, say a prayer of rememberance if you are religious, place the note under the candle, and then blow it out.

if you have children, sit them down and tell them anything you know about the life of oldest black person you've ever met. it doesn't have to be your own family. tell them what you know about what life was like for us in the days, years, decades after emancipation. if you don't know much, look it up and learn about it together.

This is Juneteenth.

white people CAN interact with this post. share it, spread it.

[starsandlightning]

GUYS I THINK WE’RE ONTO SOMETHING HERE

Hey so I was just taking a looksee at this cause oooo Aziraphale looking fierce with his sword and also I love the way the demons describe him BAHAHAHA

But also um. Take a look at that little bit at the bottom there.

…

Y’all are seeing what I’m seeing, right?

Dominion. Angel of the Sky. Hair an eye burning ginger.

UM?????

Like it could be nothing. But. It could also. Not be nothing.

HAS ANYONE ELSE NOTICED THIS????????

[starsandlightning]

GUYS I THINK WE’RE ONTO SOMETHING HERE

Hey so I was just taking a looksee at this cause oooo Aziraphale looking fierce with his sword and also I love the way the demons describe him BAHAHAHA

But also um. Take a look at that little bit at the bottom there.

…

Y’all are seeing what I’m seeing, right?

Dominion. Angel of the Sky. Hair an eye burning ginger.

UM?????

Like it could be nothing. But. It could also. Not be nothing.

HAS ANYONE ELSE NOTICED THIS????????

[starsandlightning]

I love you,I love you,I love you

[starsandlightning]

there's a very thin line between bodyguard boyfriend and trophy wife and Crowley is balancing on it like a goddamn funambulist

[starsandlightning]

Busy brunch.

[starsandlightning]

The thing about romance is, it makes a good story.

As soon as Neil described season 2 as "quiet, gentle, romantic" I figured we'd be in for it, because as he's the first to point out, writers are liars. And the best way to deceive is with truth.

Season 2 is romantic. The trappings of romance are everywhere. Crowley tries to set up Nina and Maggie by trapping them under an awning during a rainstorm, a classic cinematic bonding technique. Aziraphale's chosen method comes from his beloved books: the ball, the dancing, appearing as a pair in public, hands held as you twirl gracefully with your heart thrilled and racing. If they can set up a sensational kiss that will unlock the happy ever after. They've lived on earth, they've studied the tropes, they know how romance works.

The problem is a story is only a story.

Nina and Maggie had the classic romantic setup completely by accident before Aziraphale and Crowley ever began trying to interfere with them. They get locked in Nina's coffeeshop. They can't escape or communicate with anyone else, they end up talking by candlelight because there's no electricity, Nina offers wine. Maggie mentions how she'd hoped for a chance to talk to Nina, and now here they are. It's every bit as much a standard as what Aziraphale and Crowley attempt to arrange. Blanket scenarios galore exist because of that starting point. We love that story. And there's nothing wrong with that.

But it's still only a story, it's not enough. Because once that moment of connection is over, however lovely it was, all the rest of the world comes flooding back in in the form of dozens of angry text messages. Nina's messy entrapping relationship hasn't magically gone away just because she and Maggie shared a romantic encounter.

And it's so tempting think oh well, that's easy. We'll just give them more romantic encounters and eventually those will overwhelm the rest of the baggage. Must do, because it'll make them fall in love, and once they realize they're in love that trumps all other considerations, right? So it'll be fine. Love Conquers All.

Neil also mentioned Pride and Prejudice.

Darcy knows he's in love early on and makes a disasterous proposal that shows that he has no understanding of Elizabeth's perspective, possibly hasn't even thought about it. They've been meeting in forest lanes for walks, conversing, had tete-a-tetes in the sitting room, danced at a ball. And while his turn of phrase isn't as flattering as he thinks, he's still offering her everything he thinks she wants and needs: affection, security, his good name, wealth, an escape from the embarrassments of her situation, the world. How can there be anything to object to? Why would anyone ever refuse so much of value?

Elizabeth quite rightly cuts him to pieces. He lashes back with a few hard truths of his own and they separate. During that separation, he thinks and he learns. He takes to heart the criticisms she offered, re-examines his assumptions, opens his eyes. Thinks about her perspective and how sometimes the only difference between pride and arrogance is where you're standing. He does the work. When they meet again he tries to demonstrate that he's learned--not in order to court her again (yet), but because the only real apology he can offer, the only one that would have weight, is to show that he's grown, he listened to her. He changed.

Elizabeth of course has her own journey, accepting that many of her own conclusions about Darcy were erroneous because they were formed without her having the full picture to hand, and once she's done that she has to apply it to her own situation as well. She loves her family, but they do place her at a disadvantage on a number of levels, leading eventually to full-out disaster as her younger sister carelessly ruins all of their reputations. It's hard to admit, it's mortifying, but Darcy was offering her a great deal she needs. His offer did have worth for all that she dismissed it as an insult. And as she learns to value his own character more highly, and then as she sees that he did listen to her even though she insulted him so thoroughly...well, she grows too. And when they do eventually come together it's not because of courting and balls. There's a big romantic gesture in his rescue of her sister but even that isn't why they'll get their happy ever after. It was just the catalyst for the conversation. They win because they've learned how to understand each other and how to communicate for the future. How they can strengthen and support each other, how to balance their strengths and weaknesses. The films leave them at the wedding, but the book shows a bit of their marriage too, and during it they keep learning from each other. Their relationship is held up as a superior love story for good reasons.

The end of season one was romantic too. Crowley stopped time rather than face a world where Aziraphale would never speak to him again, Aziraphale walked into hell to protect Crowley, they dined at the Ritz and toasted the world. But then they stopped. Sure they spent time together, talked, enjoyed each other's company. But if they were talking about important things would Crowley still be living in his car? They had a bit of respite but all that real world baggage that exists outside of the romantic moment hasn't been faced, none of it. Four or five years sounds like a long while but for beings who are quite literally older than the earth? That's just an intermission.

Nina's relationship ends, leaving her with a tangled mess; Maggie realises the sweet dream of love she's been longing for isn't as important as the real Nina. They talk. They plan. Nina will sort through her life, get closure, figure out what went wrong with Lindsay and what she wants from a relationship, learn how to ask for respect instead of just bending under her partner's demands. Maggie will support Nina the way Nina needs, which sometimes means helping her get oat milk for the shop and sometimes means giving her processing space. They're on the same page; they're going to do the work. That's why most likely they'll succeed. To quote one of my favourite fanfics: it's not happily ever after, but it's a chance. It's all going to be okay. (The Profane Comedy by Mussimm, who absolutely nailed this theme)

The romance is nice, it's lovely. We need it to keep ourselves going. To give ourselves the dreams that help us get through the days and nights. But it's not the relationship. It's not enough on its own. The wedding can be the grandest most beautiful ceremony ever with doves flying and sweeping music and bells ringing, but that doesn't guarantee the marriage will last.

Crowley and Aziraphale have had their romantic gestures, oodles of them. One wing raised to protect the other from falling stars, another from rain. Shared ground, shared interests, hands offered in friendship and held on a bus. They've tried to get to the same page, they really have. They just aren't there yet. The biggest most important things still haven't been talked about, and season 2 showed there are even more of those big important things than we'd realised.

The show paints Maggie as Aziraphale's foil and Nina as Crowley's, even to the point of Nina casually calling Maggie 'angel'. But Aziraphale's baggage is Nina's. The toxic relationship has to be processed and understood and closed, and it hasn't been, despite season one. Lindsay never really liked Nina very much, for all that they tried to keep her trapped; Heaven never really liked Aziraphale very much for all that he believed in it. They both let themselves be used. But Lindsay left Nina and went to their sister's, whereas now the head of Heaven has reached out to Aziraphale and said here, we can fix this, you can fix this, don't you want to fix this? Others are already writing about that and maybe I'll add to it later, not sure. And Crowley, like Maggie, has had a sweet dream that he has to set aside. Maybe he'll be able to pick it up again eventually, maybe not. But sometimes you offer support by buying oat milk or rescuing your beloved from the legions of hell, and sometimes you do it by standing back while they sort through their shit.

Quiet, gentle, romantic. It was.

But that's only part of the story. Now they have to do the work. They thought they had, but they were wrong, because there's so much they just hadn't touched yet and tried to cover over with relief and sleight of hand and alcohol and forgiveness. The apology dance doesn't mean much without showing that you listened and learned. They've faced so much trauma already and that should have been enough, we wanted it to be enough and so did they and it's such a blow for it to turn out that there's still more to do, that the baggage hasn't just gone away and can't be hidden under blankets or soothed with cocoa. The texts are still coming in and demanding answers.

But it'll be okay. It will. It's still a chance. And one that in the long run makes them better, builds something real that lasts.

The best stories, the ones that last longest and become classics, are the ones that don't end with the kiss under the awning or the blanket scenario or the wedding. They're the ones that heal us while the characters heal themselves. It's hard to accept that there's still more to do. Harder to imagine how it can possibly work out. And yes, bloody frustrating to wait and see.

And we'll get through that interim by telling even more stories. Because the story is never just a story. It's how we get through the work, it's what we tell ourselves so we can do the damn work. Stories are what we cling to and how we remind ourselves we're human and connect. A book is a person you can carry with you. We're not alone, none of us, stories connect us because we love them and see ourselves in them, which means we see each other.

Aziraphale's back up in Heaven to deal with his unfinished baggage; Crowley left his behind long ago and it's clearly going to come back and bite him in the arse however much he tries to go his own way. And they can't help each other with that. Not yet.

But they'll get there. So will we.

[starsandlightning]

People worrying is their fic is too self indulgent like....... that is the point of fanfiction. You are supposed to indulge . Every fic is self indulgent

[starsandlightning]

Er yes. You seem to have good taste in GO fics. Got anymore faves I can read when I should be working or paying attention to my child? 😝

I'm really flattered you asked! And I also have 50 pages of fics bookmarked and no idea where to begin aaahhhh! So I'll just, errr, lob a bunch onto here: Obviously there's the trifecta of GO fic brilliance, Slow Show, Pray For Us Icarus, and Demonology and the Tri-Phasic Model of Trauma: An Integrative Approach. Everyone knows them, you don't need me to babble.

Other faves in no particular order and of all types because if I try to be organized about this I'll spend months at it and never post it:

Be As You've Always Been - by gyzym

It Was Always You - by mltefry

Truth or Dare - by @kanna-ophelia (also Stay) What God Hath Wrought - by @saretton

What We Make Of It (Shotgun Wedding) - by @charlottemadison42 (this fic made me a better parent, I'm not kidding) (see also Or Be Nice because choosing between them would leave me screaming for weeks)

In the Pocket of the Universe - by @indieninja92

Choose Your Faces Wisely - by @featherquillpen (this fic changed my life in ways I find it very difficult to express)

Dark Roast Espresso at the Purgatory Cafe - by @copperplatebeech

Thieves of Mercy - by @amuseoffyre

Oh Maker - by @voluptatiscausa

Lunacy - by @snae-b

a lighthouse, burning - by @books-and-omens

The Book of Ruth - by @racketghost (the whole Strange Moons series but for me especially this one)

Scales From the Eyes - by @yoites-good-omens-blog

Love in the Days of an Ill-Timed Plague - by @scrapbramble

Of Boxes, Boas, and Bastards - by @hkblack

Saltwater - by @heycaricari

Demon and Angel Professors - by ghostinthehouse (this looks long and intimidating but chapters are very short and entirely worth it)

oh god I'll stop there or I never will even though I've left out SO MANY of my favourites ahhhhhh /smashes post button

[starsandlightning]

NOVEMBER FIC RECS: Below you'll find a list of all the Good Omens fics I've read and enjoyed this November.

You can request more fic recs here.

A Good Book by Butwhymustiputaname (G, 1k)

It’s not that Crowley can’t read. He can, for a little while. It’s that he’s not quite built for it, something about the snake eyes and what not. They’re not meant for looking closely at little words in print. He squints, and it gives him a headache. He can read menus and street signs, sure, can fumble through the paperwork Hell’s bureaucracy sends him. But getting through a novel or a thick biography? It takes too long and his eyes start to swim. Aziraphale finds out.

There Were Too Many Beds by AppleSeeds (G, 2k)

After the apocalypse has been averted, Aziraphale decides he'd like to try sleeping and enlists Crowley's help with shopping for a suitable bed.

The Piano Serpent by journeytogallifrey (T, 3k)

Aziraphale owns The Flaming Sword, which is one of the premier gay bars in London. Everyone knows this… except for their pianist, Crowley. While the regulars take bets over whether he's the clueless straight person he seems, Aziraphale just tries to prevent himself from falling further. But one night Crowley plays a song written specially to honor their regulars, and Aziraphale can't hold the truth in any longer. How will Crowley react? Will the truth really set them free? --- Based on the post where Billy Joel's The Piano Man is really about a clueless straight pianist in a gay bar. Or in our case, 'straight'.

The Italicised Oh (Flower of Scotland) by tinkerty_tonk (M, 6k, WIP)

Crowley will not let Aziraphale drive 'their' car to Edinburgh and so they embark on a 'family' road trip. With Jim. And the plants. Meanwhile a still-oblivious Crowley hasn't had his big 'oh' realisation of love yet, Aziraphale thinks they are on the same page and is keen for them to take the next step, and Shax has watched too many romantic movies and has come up with a sinister plan to drive a wedge between them.

Once Upon a Time by TawnyOwl95 (E, 14k, WIP)

Anthony Crowley has made some bad life choices. Possibly none so bad as agreeing to play the pantomime villain in his hometown's production of Dick Whittington. Aziraphale East has arranged his life just as he likes it, and he's in a position to do some good. He can help an old friend out of a tight spot, and in turn, Anthony Crowley's name can put some much-needed bums on seats, maybe even save the theatre. It should be the perfect arrangement, except there are dark forces gathering over Llanfair Bay, and the past is never really behind you.

Trial & error by fellshish (E, 15k)

The Metatron brings in the demon Crowley to stand trial in Heaven. For tempting an angel. Uhhhh. Awkward.

Caramel Delight by AJ_Constantine (E, 16k)

After years of enduring hellish neighbours, Crowley is delighted when they finally move out, and even more delighted when their replacement is easy going, friendly, doesn’t leave his bins on the kerb for weeks, and… attractive in a way that causes a fluttering in Crowley’s midsection like a battalion of butterflies attempting to form ranks. Crowley knows that hooking up with the person who lives next door to him is a Bad Idea. But a jar of his Nan’s famous caramel sauce as a ‘welcome to the neighbourhood’ gesture couldn’t hurt. And what’s he supposed to do when Aziraphale continues to show up at Crowley’s door with an irresistible smile, asking for more?

Simmer (The Long-Awaited Reply to a Lingering Kiss) by LemonTart (M, 17k)

Aziraphale Fell is an accomplished food writer and book collector who leads a quiet life. Anthony Crowley owns the Grand Duke Distillery, maker of Wanton Sinner Whisky, and has a reputation for living on the wild side. As former culinary school classmates, they share a love of food and drink — and a long ago kiss that neither one has ever quite forgotten. Are they just too different to ever make it work? (I bet you can guess.) Aziraphale rises from his chair, takes a few steps towards him, then hesitates. Crowley knows a hundred different emotions must be flickering across his face, reflecting all the turmoil between his head and his heart. His heart is loud, insistent, nudging him to see the earnest hope in Aziraphale’s expression, to remember the beatific boy who lent him a pen and kissed him on a stair step, urging him to not let go of this man with ink-stained fingers and rare books who constantly surprises him. His shoulders tense as his breath hitches, his voice hoarse. “You need to tell me exactly what you want.”

Press L in the Chat (for Love) by Djapchan, Phoenix_Soar (E, 29k)

Bickering fan-content creators Aziraphale and Crowley only have three things in common — they are both avid fans of a new revolutionary TV series about pirates, they are popular for their fantastic fanfiction and fanart… and they are members of the same discord server. Neither of them likes the other, but across the chaotic virtual world of a discord chatroom, who knows what can happen when these two unlikely fans are paired up for an exciting collaboration? Us. We know ;) Discord Server AU — a collaboration between Phoenix_Soar (fic) and Djapchan (multivoice podfic organization & editing) for Pod-Together 2022

Mon Horrible Chéri by ghostrat (E, 39k)

Apparently, Crowley could ruin his good mood. Crowley was just about the only thing that could ruin it. “Right. So. You and I, is it?” Aziraphale confirmed, just to be clear. “That’s right.” “And how long is this trip, exactly?” “One full week,” Crowley enunciated too clearly, stretching his lips around the words and sharply clacking his k. “Seven whole days.” “Great,” Aziraphale breathed. They both smiled, all teeth and no joy. (Human AU / Enemies to Lovers) • English Teacher Aziraphale gets roped into the sixth form Paris field trip, not realising his worst enemy Science Teacher Crowley is the accompanying chaperone. Are seven days of forced proximity really enough to undo a truly vitriolic relationship? Or, let's be real: How quickly does it take them to fall head over heels for each other?

First Class (Hons) Christmas, University of Tadfield. by heloluv (M, 40k)

Dr. A.Z. Fell is a renowned literature tutor at the prestigious University of Tadfield. December is upon the University, and Dr. Fell is leading the Christmas Charity Drive. He needs volunteers. Dr. A.J. Crowley is a skilled plant ecologist who recently began his tenure at UoT. He can't stand Christmas, and nothing at all could ever possibly convince him to partake in "festivities". Until a certain literary expert catches his eye. A Christmas and New Years fic, in which Aziraphale teaches Crowley how to enjoy the most wonderful time of the year.

Married at First Sight by Aracloptia (T, 137k, WIP)

“Well, that was a thing,” Crowley said once they were out of earshot. Without talking about it, they were both heading down the field, towards the lake where the photographer (and likely a few more people from the TV crew) was waiting. “That was a wedding,” Aziraphale replied, surprised at his own annoyance that somebody called a wedding a ‘thing’. “Yeah, obviously, didn’t miss that part,” Crowley said with a shrug, and waved abruptly in Aziraphale’s general direction. “Neither did you, from the looks of it, since you’re dressed like a wedding bride and everything.” “Excuse me, I am a—“ Aziraphale stopped himself, and started over. In which Aziraphale ends up marrying a rude stranger who wears sunglasses.

[starsandlightning]

Autumn-themed fic recs! (good omens)

Blueberry Muffins by Ina_Sirena G, 883 words, fluff, baking, cuddling, blueberry muffins, south downs cottage Aziraphale and Crowley spend a cozy autumn afternoon in their cottage and enjoy some blueberry muffins.

Books and Trees by Lunasong365, sous_le_saule G, 1.5k, cozy, autumn, forest walks, reading together, ponds, discussion of a shared future, bookverse In short, this is a humble declaration of love to trees, that sometimes in their second lives are lucky enough to become pages in books that tell stories as good as Good Omens.

An Ineffable Halloween by The_Space_Pirate T, 1.6k, halloween, fluff, bookshop, movies, pumpkins, pumpkin carving It's Halloween and the Ineffable Husbands are carving pumpkins and watching movies in a fic so self indulgent you'd think someone else wrote it.

stay inside our rosy-minded fuzz by unwholesome_gay T, 1.9k, cozy evening, fluff, recreational drug use, weed, domestic fluff Crowley has a gift of sorts for Aziraphale. They spend a cozy evening together in the bookshop.

Gold in the Air by nutmeag83 G, 2.3k, autumn festival, pumpkins, cider, popcorn, pre-slash, fluff Aziraphale coos all over autumn and Crowley tries to pretend he doesn't find it adorable.

Autumn Leaves by VennVidici G, 2.7k, ineffable wives, autumn, walks, vibes, character study In a breezy autumn day Aziraphale finally learns why autumn is loved by humans despite it being a fleeting moment in time.

The Pumpkin Patch by AppleSeeds T, 6.5k, meet-cute, autumn, pumpkin carving, farmer!crowley, fluff, its toothrotting, terrible pick up lines, (terrible) flirting, implied sexual content, kissing Aziraphale visits a pumpkin patch and meets Crowley, a farmer with a fondness for cheesy seasonal pick-up lines. After a while, he starts to get the impression that Crowley might actually be flirting with him, and tries to work up the courage to reciprocate.

Anthony of Arcadia by Azira_Amane E, 19k, 19th century, human AU, farmer!Crowley, scholar!Aziraphale, tadfield, kidfic, disability, chronic pain, autumn, harvest Anthony Crowley is a farm owner with an old injury, a prickly temper, and a young new farmhand to raise alongside his flock. Ezra Fell is a former Oxford scholar who retired far sooner than he would have liked, finding himself in the idyllic village of Taddesfild. After a tense first meeting, they soon discover they are more alike than different. An English countryside AU, set very loosely somewhere around the 1800s.

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Hey guys! Autumn is here (at least in continental Europe) so I decided to share a bunch of autumn-themed fics I enjoyed/written hehe. I may post another part since I am really deep in this rabbit hole.