#Aziraphale can’t just decide to leave Heaven.

[runnerfivestillalive]

This is from the book, while Crowley is trying to talk Aziraphale into helping him stop armageddon, and does his drunken ramble about eternity. Apparently God enjoys The Sound of Music.

“You’ll enjoy it. You really will. You won’t have a choice.”

I feel like this line gets overlooked a lot. It’s an important line, for sheer horror potential.

Whatever the control mechanism is, clearly it isn’t running on every angel at all times, because if that was the case, a rebellion never would have happened. Aziraphale wouldn’t have six thousand years of doubts piling up to critical capacity. Gabriel wouldn’t have been able to escape.

But it’s also clearly very easily turned on, since they both accept that it would be used for something as petty as enjoying a movie. This lack of will can be rolled over angels at any time, for any reason.

Aziraphale clearly has some dread of this. *Crowley* knows it, and used it to convince Aziraphale to help him stop armageddon. But Aziraphale is very good at letting one part of his brain know something while another part of his brain denies it, so it’s not clear how much *Aziraphale* knows he dreads it, even as that dread shapes his character.

He’s never really broken free of Heaven. Even when he was being called a traitor, he wasn’t fallen, and so he was expecting to be called home eventually. And he’d be happy, of course. He won’t have a choice.

Aziraphale’s been trying to walk away from Heaven for at least six thousand years. He walked away from guard duty. He gave away his sword. He lied straight to God’s face about it. He lied to the archangels, and then straight up told Crowley he was ready to go to Hell. Several millennia of trouble-making and demon-fraternizing later, he stood in the middle of Heaven, declared he wasn’t going to fight in any war, then escaped via the demonic act of human possession. He is ready to GO.

And still his wings are snowy white. He’s just as angelic as when he first worried the pretty starmaker might get in trouble, and tried to protect him with a warning.

But he can’t escape. Heaven isn’t letting anyone else go. And he knows what his future holds. Eventually, no matter how many times they put it off, eventually he will be called back to Heaven.

And so, what promises can he make Crowley?

To stay with him always? Of course not. To love him? Can he even promise to love him? No. He’ll eventually be dragged back to Heaven, and he’ll be happy to go, and he won’t even miss him. *He won’t have a choice.*

And perhaps that’s the problem. He loves Crowley too much to make promises he can’t keep.

[cornchrunchie]

After rewatching the Final Fifteen over and over again, I don't think Crowley wanted to kiss Aziraphale.

Look. I know we’ve all read a lot of different readings of ✨the kiss✨ and why it happened the way it did. It’s just that none of the posts I’ve seen so far captured exactly the feeling I was reading into the scene, so I thought I might as well share my interpretation. Because I don’t think Crowley wanted to kiss Aziraphale, actually. I mean of course he wanted to, but– let me explain.

I brought gifs and a little more heartbreak :)

First of all, I do agree with most of the interpretations going around. Crowley wanting to change Aziraphale's mind? Totally plausible. Wanting to show him what he’s losing? Probably. Taking the last chance he might get to finally kiss him? Yes, please!

What I mean when I say I don’t believe Crowley wanted to kiss Aziraphale are essentially two things, one of them being that Crowley didn’t plan on kissing him. He planned on leaving.

We know this because it’s exactly what he does.

The moment I come back to over and over again is when Crowley puts on his sunglasses and heads for the door.

Look how close they are to each other. Usually, you would expect the kiss to happen in a moment like this. All it would take Crowley is to lean forward. If he wanted to kiss Aziraphale and change his mind, he would do it right there. But he doesn’t. He nods in a way that screams: Right. This is a losing game.

Aziraphale had just told him that nothing lasted forever (so why should he stay) and he already put back his wall of defense (the sunglasses). Of course, we can't tell for sure but everything in his appearance tells us that for him, the moment between them is gone. The only chance he had decided to take had slipped through his fingers. It is time to leave. So he does.

Crowley does not stop until Aziraphale cries out his name and wants him to come back. He is not held back by his own desire but by his incapability to resist Aziraphale’s cry for help. Not that these things can’t be connected – but look at his body language, look how reluctant it seems, annoyed almost.

It looks like he really doesn't want to stay. At the same time, he doesn’t want to hurt Aziraphale. He wants him to know that he cares. It’s not easy for him either. So he stays. Listens to what Aziraphale has to say.

But it hurts even more. Crowley doesn't even bear to look at him. Aziraphale just doesn’t understand him, doesn’t understand the way Heaven works, even after all these years. At least, that’s what Crowley thinks. Everything that made the air around them vibrate, every nightingale that ever sang, is now dead silent. Crowley says so himself.

This is not him pathing the way for a kiss. This is him saying goodbye.

And then he says: “You idiot. We could have been –“

Maybe he doesn’t quite know what exactly he wants to say or maybe he does but he doesn’t know how.

“– us.”

His voice is trembling. He lets the words linger in the room between them. Note how he is already speaking in the past tense. We could have been. But we’re not.

However, Crowley admits that the possibility of them being an Us was there, hence the possibility of everything that being an Us means to him. It drips from his toungue, every moment and every feeling he connects to the sense of being an Us. You have to remember the feeling to voice it, even when you do it to say goodbye.

And I think – we’re getting to the essence of this post – I think what happens is that Crowley gets overwhelmed by his own words, or rather: by grabbing his feelings and putting them into words, by the implication of them as an Us and everything he imagined it would have been for them. And what it means to lose it.

And I don’t think he consciously decides to kiss Aziraphale. I don’t think he wanted to kiss him in the sense that he didn’t want to take this step and actually do it. He had already lost.

(We could have been us but we’re not.)

They are still too far away from each other.

(We’re not. But we could have been.)

Eventually, Aziraphale averts his gaze, and turns his head to the side.

And this! This is the moment Crowley steps forward! Let me emphasize it once again because I do believe it’s crucial to Crowley's change of heart.

Aziraphale looks away. And Crowley snaps.

He snaps like a rubber band you pull at for too long, like the clip of a ballpoint pen cap you push too hard upside. It’s not a conscious decision. It’s a reflex. Like closing an app on your phone and opening it again directly after. Like someone calling your name and you turn your head in the direction of the voice. You don’t think about it. It just happens.

And I think Aziraphale looking away was the last straw that held the rubber band in place. The last thing that kept Crowley from falling once again. I genuinely don’t believe he would have kissed Aziraphale if the latter had continued to look at him. Too scary, right? Too real. Too close.

So this is the second thing I mean when I say that Crowley didn’t want to kiss Aziraphale. Of course, he wanted to but he didn’t make a deliberate decision. He just … gave in.

And when he pulls away, he knows that everything between them has changed. He waits for Aziraphale’s reaction, everything about him is tense.

And if he dared to hope for anything at all, it surely wasn’t this.

Forgiveness.

"I forgive you."

I forgive you for giving in.

Don't bother.

So Crowley does what he wanted to do in the first place – and leaves.

He didn’t plan on kissing Aziraphale. He wanted to leave, maybe even to prevent this from happening. And when it happened, I don’t think it’s because of ulterior motives like changing Aziraphale’s mind or grabbing the opportunity as it presented itself to him.

I’m not saying these motives aren’t there – in fact, I pretty much believe so! I'm just saying that maybe he didn’t think about them when kissing Aziraphale and that he didn’t decide to kiss him because of that.

Maybe this is more than obvious to everyone else already and I'm stupidly rambling to myself. Also, I'm truly sorry if I overlooked another analysis of this.

I just don’t think there was time in Crowley’s head to reflect on any of his feelings.

I think he was just not holding back anymore.

[theelastword]

i saw a very interesting post recently from @fellthemarvelous about how Aziraphale is often treated the way female love interests are— likely because his hobbies and emotions are more traditionally feminine whereas crowley’s style and anger are more traditionally masculine despite the fact that neither of them are gendered. the thesis of the post was essentially that because crowley is the one who fell, fans have decided that aziraphale only exists to comfort and protect and bring peace to crowley rather than be his own person with his own emotions and ambitions. i’d never been able to put this into words, but it’s like this person stole what i was feeling right from my brain and i am so thankful to their eloquence.

but it did get me thinking about the end of season 2— specifically how many fans, even people who defend aziraphale for what he did, believe that the “only” way for his choices in the finale to be valid are if he did them for crowley’s safety/well-being. i’ve seen so many arguments along the lines of “oh, he has to go back so he can fix Heaven for Crowley and make him heal from falling” or “oh, he has to go back to Heaven because if he doesn’t, Metatron could go after crowley and he needs to keep him safe”. and while both of these very popular aziraphale-defenses are valid (this is not an attack on anyone’s opinion!) and i wouldn’t be surprised if they played into his reasoning for leaving, i can’t help but think of that lovely person’s female-love-interest argument.

i don’t actually think aziraphale leaving for heaven needs to be related to crowley at all. it can, of course— and likely does— but aziraphale has gone through just as much Heaven-induced trauma as crowley has, something that many fans (and even the characters themselves, sometimes) like to forget. aziraphale knows first-hand how abusive Heaven is to young angels and humans who they deem unworthy of being saved. and so to me, it is just as valid if it turns out aziraphale going back to Heaven wasn’t “for” crowley at all, but rather a way to protect these other generations from the abuse of Heaven that aziraphale has witnessed and been victim to. is it so hard or unacceptable to think that aziraphale could make a choice that doesn’t have to do with his love life? he is not obligated—nor is crowley!— to live entirely as though he’s making something up/repaying/protecting his love interest. that kind codependency is not something to idolize. i guess what i’m trying to say here is that there are other reasons to go back to Heaven having nothing to do with keeping crowley safe, and while that is a perfectly valid interpretation, i’m not personally a fan of the widespread belief that it’s the only interpretation that makes what aziraphale did “forgivable”.

EDIT/ADDITION: i ALSO think that this is why i’m so bothered by the argument that while Crowley being “selfish” and choosing his own path at the end of s2 is perfectly valid, aziraphale doing the exact same thing is not. i do not blame either one of them for making a different choice, but in my opinion far too many people believe that crowley had a right to his own autonomy and do what he thought was best for himself, whereas somehow it was Aziraphale’s job to choose the same thing in accordance to what was most healthy for CROWLEY and not for himself/his own ambitions as regards to Heaven. people think that crowley has an obligation to do what is best for crowley, but that aziraphale’s subsequent obligation is to also do what’s best for crowley. no one seems to particularly care what may be best for aziraphale. at the end of the day, if one of them can make a self-prioritizing choice, the other can, too. aziraphale is his own person, not a love interest!!!!

[fuckyeahisawthat]

on switching places

So I’m sure you have noticed that during the whole end of episode 6 there is this beautiful bright light coming in the bookshop windows. From the east. Because it’s morning.

(Even if we didn’t know what time of day it was, we know what direction the light is coming from, because these windows are right above Aziraphale’s desk, which faces east.)

And after Crowley leaves the bookshop, he goes across the street, and Aziraphale keeps glancing toward the door and window, looking over at Crowley, hoping he’ll come back. (He always comes back.) The blocking in the scene with the Metatron, the one where Aziraphale almost decides to stay, is set up so that he’s looking the wrong way, toward the windows on his right instead of to his left, where Crowley should be. (And, when he seems closest to saying no, he steps back, right to the edge of that beam of light that almost seems like it’s from Crowley.) And we know that their blocking stays reversed (Crowley screen left, Aziraphale screen right) for the rest of the episode.

But also, Aziraphale is looking east. To what is normally his position, as guardian of the eastern gate.

Which got me thinking. What if they have switched places? Not literally in a bodyswap sense, but metaphorically in terms of their relationship to humanity.

They’re the serpent and the sword, right? Those Biblical symbols are already subverted in the story of Good Omens. The sword is something given to humans for their protection, not something meant to be used against them, to keep them out of paradise. (And in the world of Good Omens, leaving Eden looks a whole lot like escaping.) And the apple is framed as a positive symbol too. It’s knowledge, questions asked and answered, the ability to make your own choices. It’s freedom.

So what if they’ve switched roles, and by the end of season 2 Crowley has taken up Aziraphale’s position as the protector of humanity (as we saw him do with individual humans many times this season). We all know Crowley won’t actually be able to abandon humanity and the Earth when the chips are down. I think it’s highly likely that some part of season 3 will feature Crowley on the side of humanity against Heaven, probably in what he considers at that point to be a suicide mission, but he can’t just walk away.

And then what if, in season 3, we see Aziraphale take up whatever the equivalent of Crowley’s position would be in that plotline, as the character who grants freedom and choice to humanity in some way. (By freeing Earth from Heaven and Hell’s power? By figuring out how to give humans the choice to interact with angels and demons only if they want to? I don’t know exactly how this would play out, but it’s a fascinating idea to poke at.)

Of course I think they will ultimately end up working together and whatever happens will require their combined power, but I think it would be amazing if we saw this kind of role reversal. And it would fit with their character arcs: Crowley being the one who is ready to stand and fight even when it looks hopeless, and Aziraphale being the one who gives humanity the power to question, challenge and disobey Heaven.

Protection and freedom—those are their gifts to humanity. (The Bible might call it temptation, but there never was an apple that wasn’t worth the trouble you got into for eating it.) And it turns out that those are the exact same things Aziraphale and Crowley need for themselves. You can’t have one without the other. “Protection” without freedom is just control, and freedom without the ability to defend itself gets crushed by the forces that don’t want it to exist. And so their fates are tied to humanity, as they were from the beginning. And maybe humanity will be able to give them the same gifts in return.

[aziraphales-library]

Hi folks, new here. Do you know if there are fic with Aziraphale seeing everyone love "aura" except for Crowley? Also, there are fic like this for Crowley? 

It's nice to find a place like an archive for gomens fic. Thank you for creating it.

Hello. We have some aura fics here, and you might also be interested in our #aziraphale can sense love tag for similar kind of fics. Here are some more fics about their auras...

Aura of love by Endless_Torment (G)

Crowley, despite being a demon, has always exuded a particularly strong aura of love.

A Light In The Dark by entanglednow (T)

Even after six thousands years, Crowley still hasn't discovered all of Aziraphale's secrets.

oh, your love is sunlight by Mallowleaf (G)

Crowley sought out warmth in his own time. He lingered by fireplaces, brushing his hand out to grab the sparks that leapt from the logs. He basked in the light of the sun, face turned upwards at the sky. He lost himself in crowds of people, drawing heat from contact with their flushed skin as he passed. But by far the greatest source of warmth came from a rather unexpected source - Aziraphale himself. (OR crowley can't handle the cold, but thankfully there's a certain angel who can help him stay warm)

Parting Gift by Aliencritters (T)

“Crowley, you don’t have to lie to me any more,” he said. “There’s something wrong, I can feel it in your aura.” “Just— just leave me, angel,” Crowley said. “You don’t need to see this. I can get through it alone.” “Get through what alone?” Aziraphale asked desperately. — OR: Crowley suffers from chronic pain, and Aziraphale eventually finds out at a suboptimal time. He helps Crowley through it, and they learn something about each other.

Be Cool, Relax, Get Hip by amamini (T)

“If all is correct, this should take away any outward characteristics of your angelic nature, while still allowing you miracles and such. And it will keep you hidden from prying occult forces.” Aziraphale uncorked the vial. “Well, I wouldn’t say Heaven is occult, it’s ethereal.” Gabriel’s face fell somewhat. “I didn��t mean Heaven, Aziraphale. Demons wouldn’t be able to sense you.” Aziraphale raised his eyebrows. “Oh. That’s interesting.” In which Heaven can’t find out that an angel and a demon are in love, but what would they care about a demon going on dates with a(n angel disguised as a) human?

Sunlight or Demise by verovex (T)

Anathema had once said she couldn’t see Adam’s aura, and it should’ve been more of a red flag, but the reality was it had just been so large she couldn’t see it for what it was. For Crowley, it was the same thing with trying to see reciprocation from Aziraphale. * The enormity of love was, by all accounts, indecipherable. Aziraphale had known what love felt like in this world. At least, he thought he understood it. He felt it all around him. He always had. Sometimes, it was stronger in particular places than in others. But, there was something blurred about it all if you looked too close. He’d realized that Heaven never felt like this, yet it’s where you were taught that it should exist. Aziraphale had started to wonder. He couldn’t decide when the thought first came around that perhaps the love he felt had actually been what was sifting between him and Crowley. At some point, it was easier to be humbled by the complacency of what they’d always been showing each other than outright admitting it for what it was. But that wasn't enough anymore.

- Mod D

[noforkingclue]

Desperation

Summary: The end times are near and Crowley has come to you with a proposition.

Author's Note: decided to publish this as it was sitting in my WiP folder for too long and since I've also started re-watching Good Omens I thought now was as good as time to publish it!

You always knew when Crowley and/or Aziraphale were in your flat. Call it an instinct that developed from knowing them for over thousands of years. Which was why it was so surprising to see Crowley standing in the middle of your flat without any prior warning.

You paused when you saw the demon standing there and you carefully shut the door behind you. He twitched at the sound but didn’t turn around. You slowly made your way towards him, nervous about what was going to happen. You frowned briefly at the unfamiliar feeling coiling in the pit of your stomach, it had been years since he had made you feel like that.

“Crowl-“

“Everything’s fucked.”

You blinked at Crowley’s sudden outburst. While you’d heard him swear before it wasn’t that usual. You winced as you heard the sound of cracking wood and looked down, realising that he was gripping your table so hard that he was splintering the wood.

“Why don’t you sit down?” you suggested, worried about your friend as well as the future of your table. It was an antique after all.

“Have a cup of tea and tell me what’s happened.”

“What’s happened?” Crowley let out a bark of laughter, “What’s happened is the world’s ending and Hell knows that all of this,” he spun around and waved his hands about, “Is because of me! I misplaced the antichrist and now they’re coming.”

“Oh.”

“So I’m leaving.”

“That’s sensible.”

“And I want you to come with me.”

You froze, midway through making that cup of tea you promised. You looked at Crowley out of the corner of your eye. He walked over to you and put a hand over yours, forcing you to lower the kettle.

“It isn’t safe anymore,” he said, “Everything is going to get destroyed. Hell and Heaven are going to war and it isn’t going to be pretty. We can escape. Be safe.”

“What about Aziraphale?”

Crowley, who had rested his forehead against your shoulder, tensed behind you. His arms wrapped around your waist as he pulled you against him.

“He think he can stop this,” he muttered, “He isn’t coming.”

“Oh.”

Suddenly you were spun around and pushed roughly against the counter. You gasped in shock and Crowley tilted your chin so you were looking directly into his eyes. It was the first time you had properly seen him and you could see the desperation etched across his face. His sunglasses were gone and you were forced to look into his yellow eyes. He grabbed your chin and forced your head in place.

“Come with me,” he said quietly, “It’ll just be the two of us.”

“But what about-“

“Shh, don’t think about him.”

You opened your mouth to protest but Crowley seized the opportunity to press his lips against yours. You squeaked in surprise as Crowley wrapped an arm around your waist and pulled you roughly against him. You put your hands against his chest but found them trapped between your bodies. Crowley broke the kiss but remained close. You felt his lips brush against yours and he said,

“Just think about me.”

“And the world.”

“We’ll be safe.”

“We’ll be on the run.”

“We’ll have each other.”

“And Azira-“

Crowley covered your mouth with a hand. He pressed his forehead against your shoulder.

“I thought I told you not to think about him.”

He removed his hand and brushed your cheek with the back of it. He smile softly and his gaze dropped back down to your lips.

“If Zira thinks that there’s hope then there must be.”

“So you’re choosing him?”

Crowley shook his head and gave you a bitter smile. He stepped away and you gave him a pained look. You took half a step towards him but he put his hands up to stop you.

“I understand,” he said, “one last hurrah.”

“Crowley-“

“It was fun while it lasted.”

“We can still beat this.”

“No we can’t.”

And with that you were once again left alone with only your hope to keep you company.

[psychoticpossums]

Good Omens Season Two Finale Rewrite

Crowley stared at the man in front of him. Could he truly believe what he was hearing? It felt like his soul had shattered deep within himself.

“Oh, we're better than that, you're better than that, Angel! You don't need them. I certainly don't need them! Look, they asked me back to Hell, I said no. I'm not gonna be joining their team. Neither should you.” Crowley could feel the resentment that he had for Heaven and ‘the Metatron’ grow more fiercely as he looked at Aziraphale, his angel.

“But... Well, obviously you said no to Hell, you're the bad guys. But Heaven... Well, it's the side of truth, of light, of good.” Aziraphale held so much hope that Crowley would see that he only wanted to make Heaven good enough for him. Make Heaven see that it was wrong to make Crowley a fallen angel in the first place.

“When Heaven ends life here on Earth, it'll be just as dead as if Hell ended it. Tell me you said no. Tell me you said no.” Crowley hated feeling like he had to beg for anything, but none of that mattered in this moment. All that truly mattered to Crowley was Aziraphale. If he had to beg for him to see how much he meant to the demon, then that’s what shall happen.

Aziraphale held a look in his eyes that was foreign to Crowley.

“If I'm in charge... I can make a difference.” Aziraphale only wanted the best for everyone. Especially Crowley.

“Right. I didn't get a chance to say what I was going to say, I think I'd better say it now. Right, okay, yes, so… We've known each other a long time. We've been on this planet for a long time. I mean, you and me. I could always rely on you. You could always rely on me. We're a team, a group. Group of the two of us. And we've spent our existence pretending that we aren't. I mean, the last few years, not really. And I would like to spend… I mean, if Gabriel and Beelzebub can do it, go off together, then we can. Just the two of us. We don't need Heaven, we don't need Hell, they're toxic. We need to get away from them, just be an us. You and me, what do you say?”

“Come with me... to Heaven. I'll run it, you can be my second in command. We can make a difference.” Aziraphale knew what he was asking would be difficult for Crowley to comprehend, but he needed him. Maybe more than he needed Heaven.

“You can’t leave this bookshop.” You can’t leave me!

“Oh Crowley. Nothing lasts forever.” The angel had a sad smile on his face as he looked at the astonishment on the demon’s face. Crowley looked past Aziraphale and put his glasses back on. The last thing he needed was for Aziraphale to see the tears welling in his eyes.

“No. No, I don’t suppose it does. Good luck.” And with those two words, Crowley could practically hear his heart crack as he pushed past Aziraphale to make his way out of the bookshop. As he was racing out, the demon’s hand was grabbed and the angel pulled him to himself. Aziraphale looked into the eyes of his stunned demon and decided that this was as good of a time as any. Before either of them knew it, their lips were touching. The emotions in the air were a complex swirl of adoration and hurt, guilt and giddiness, and most importantly, passion and desire. The two pulled back to look the other in the eyes. Before Crowley could say anything, the angel embraced him and started speaking.

“Heaven isn’t worth having if I have to choose whether or not we are in each other’s lives.” Aziraphale had tears pricking at the corners of his eyes. He couldn’t imagine his life without Crowley in it.

Crowley couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He finally won. He didn’t need Heaven. Crowley didn’t need Hell. They only needed each other. Crowley let a tear fall as he pulled his angel impossibly closer to him. Aziraphale had chosen him, and that’s all he had ever wanted.

After Aziraphale made it clear to Metatron that he was no longer interested in the position, (which Metatron didn’t take very well), the angel and demon pair sat together in front of the pond. Crowley had a bag of frozen peas in one hand and in the other was Aziraphale’s hand.

[onceuponapuffin]

Fanatic Intervention Part 19!!!

Okay SO, that last poll was insane. Everytime I tried to break the tie by calling in a friend, you all tied it again! Even after the poll ended! You talented lot, you. In the end, the only way I could think to do it, was to split the difference. AND SO we get a half-and-half situation. Honestly, I legit love the way all of you keep me on my toes. It makes writing this so much fun.

Alrighty then. Let's do this.

Beginning || Previous || Next

***************************

The toilet seat art museum took more out of you than you thought. Anathema too, as it happens, because you find out very quickly that she snores. Not wanting to wake her up, you tuck your phone away so she can sleep in the quiet, and weirdly enough, her snoring becomes like white noise, and after a few minutes, you find yourself drifting off as well. It isn’t long before both humans are asleep, leaving the celestials to their own devices.

For a while, they continue on in silence. Well, “silence” is technically the wrong word, but the point is, they don’t talk. Crowley is driving, Aziraphale is in the passenger’s seat, and Sardis sits in the middle of the backseat. For a while, there is nothing except Anathema’s snoring. Honestly, they put up with the sound for a surprisingly long time.

Crowley’s patience runs out first. He needs to hear something that isn’t snoring, so he goes for the radio. Which, as it turns out, is a bit of a mistake. You see, the SUV has now had the benefit of Celestial Energy for a couple of days, and has started to wake up – slowly mind you. With you being in charge of the music with a playlist, it’s had some time to listen to a wide variety of music. It is now developing its own mind and its own taste. Remember that this is not the Bentley. The Bentley likes Queen. The SUV is a significantly younger model, and has decided it rather likes Taylor Swift. And when Crowley turns on the radio for the first time, it’s the equivalent of handing the car control of the playlist. So it decides to lead with Wildest Dreams, which, for those unfamiliar, goes like this:

He said “Let’s get out of this town,

Drive out of the city, away from the crowds.”

I thought “Heaven can’t help me now”

Nothing lasts forever

But this is gonna take me down

He’s so tall, and handsome as Hell

He’s so bad, but he does it so well.

I can see the end as it begins

My one condition is

Crowley slams the OFF button, intentionally with more force than necessary. Finally, after days of forcing them to listen to your songs, the brainrot is spreading.

“Are you alright there, Crowley?” Aziraphale asks gently.

“Fine, Angel,” Crowley mutters through gritted teeth, “Just remind me to throw that human’s blasted phone out the window next chance I get.”

“As long as they are also willing to play my symphonies, I will do no such thing.”

Crowley humphs, and settles back down. Sardis is smiling in the back seat. He waits a moment before speaking.

“So how long have the two of you been together?” he asks. Crowley swerves, but Aziraphale grabs the steering wheel to hold the car steady. Aziraphale gives Crowley a chastising look.

“Crowley, do get a hold of yourself dear, the humans are sleeping.”

“Why should I care?” he growls, definitely because he is a demon and definitely not because if the humans were to wake up there would be a buffer so they wouldn’t have this conversation. Definitely.

Aziraphale sighs. “We’re not, I’m afraid,” he says, “Sorry to disappoint.”

“Can’t fool me, sunshine. I’ve been around too.”

“Can I at least throw him out the window?” Crowley mutters. Aziraphale ignores him.

“It’s best not to discuss it,” he says instead to Sardis, “Rather a dangerous topic.”

Sardis hums to himself thoughtfully. “I mean, we’re staring the end of the world in the face,” he says, “But sure.” And he leaves it there. Silence returns. Actual silence, as Anathema has finally stopped snoring. Suddenly the air feels thick and uncomfortable. Aziraphale clears his throat.

“It’s very kind of you to be helping us,” Aziraphale tries.

“Yeah well,” Sardis says with a shrug, “Not exactly keen on the world ending. I’d rather not go to Heaven OR Hell if I can help it.”

“Oh come now, Heaven’s not all that bad.”

“You ever been?” Sardis asks with a chuckle. Crowley snorts a laugh despite himself. “There, you see,” Sardis says, pointing at the demon, “He gets it.” Aziraphale sits back with a harumph, and decides that staring out the window is the better option after all.

This time the silence lasts another hour at least. The sky is darkening, the stars appearing over the sparse Texas landscape. Out here in the middle of practically nowhere, the sky is hardly sleeping. There are millions of stars out here. Far from the light pollution they even have different colours, and there is a faint white swipe across the sky – the Milky Way Galaxy, visible to the naked eye from one of its own resident planets. Dear Reader, if ever you get a chance to get away away from the light pollution, do so. It is breathtaking.

At least, it is until Anathema snorts and grumbles awake.

“My neck hurts,” she complains, still half asleep. She blinks herself into a more-coherent state. “If we don’t pull over so I can get a good sleep, I will curse every single one of you.” She rolls her head to the other side and mutters “I will. I know how.”

The celestials look at each other.

“I think,” Aziraphale says, “That perhaps resting for the night would be a good thing.”

Crowley nods, if only because he doesn’t want to test Anathema’s threat. It doesn’t take long for them to find a convenient motel conveniently located just off the road they are currently on. Conveniently. Because I say so.

This is also when you wake up. You’re groggy and sore, but the lights of the motel bring you out from the lull of sleep, and as soon as your brain realizes you are at a motel, you wake up fast. Why? Because you are at a motel. While on a mission to save the world. Your fan-brain is already going at a hundred miles an hour by the time Crowley parks. You practically jump out of the car. Does this place have a weird gimmick or theme? Does it have a pool? A sketchy lobby? Local supernatural lore?? You have questions and you need to know. But, ah, not alone. At a random sketchy motel. In the middle of nowhere. At night. So you hesitate and wait for everyone else to get themselves together and exit the vehicle. Crowley pops the trunk so you can go get your bag, and by the time you get back, Sardis and Aziraphale are already gone – checking you all in, no doubt.

Under the questionable fluorescent lights, you can see a wooden gate. Well, I mean...curiosity such and such, right? You saunter over, and peek between the boards. It looks like...Yes! A pool! Will you be swimming in it? Absolutely not. Are you excited that this place has one anyway? Absolutely yes.

“Okay,” Sardis calls behind you. You turn around and see him waving a card key against a door. “I’m all set. Good night folks!” You wave to him as he disappears into his room and the door clicks shut behind him. Aziraphale walks to the next room and opens it with a similar card key. You follow. Honestly, you’re expecting him to have expanded the room into another Royal Suite or something, but when you follow him into the room you find...a normal motel room with two beds. Oh, this is excellent. You turn to face Crowley and Aziraphale with a huge smile on your face.

“I am not sharing a bed with either of you,” You declare, “Because you,” You point at Aziraphale, “Will definitely be awake all night reading with the light on. And you” You point at Crowley “Are exactly the type to take all the blankets. I will share with Anathema because we actually need to sleep. SO as far as YOU TWO are concerned – THERE’S ONLY ONE BED!!” You stand there with your hands on your hips. You are triumphant. You have won. There is only one bed. A fan’s dream! Fanfiction trope come to life! Everything seems possible and wonderful for a moment…

Until Aziraphale hands you another card key.

“You and Miss Device are in the room next door,” he says. Damn. Logic. You deflate really quickly and take the key with a huff. As you approach the door, you turn to look at them over your shoulder.

“I hope you share anyway,” You mutter, before you exit.

The room next door is identical. Anathema, apparently, is able to fall asleep pretty quickly, but you can’t settle your brain that easily. So you may or may not spend some time trying that trick where you put a glass up against the wall to try and hear what’s on the other side. Not that you want to snoop, but, well, yeah okay you want to snoop a little. Unfortunately it doesn’t work, so you give up and watch tik tok on your phone instead. Your battery hasn’t needed recharging since you started hanging out with supernatural entities. Funny, that. Between Tik Tok, Reddit, and Tumblr, you’re able to eventually wear out your brain enough to make closing your eyes a good call. And from there you fall back asleep with no issue.

And yes, Dear Reader, Crowley and Aziraphale did share a bed. Just so you know.

❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ 🖤

Beginning || Previous || Next

[nicolegmattos]

Requested by @khlara

(I’m really sorry about the giant delay! Hope you like it 🙏🏻❤️)

Aziraphale had never been to Crowley’s flat that much. He could list that one night after the “Almost-geddon” and just a few other times before that. But that was all. They were used to spend more time in the bookshop.

Still, he was certain his plants were greener then. And there weren’t so many empty bottles on the floor. The smell of alcohol had already impregnated the air.

- Crowley? - Aziraphale called. For Heaven’s sake, this place is a mess, he thought.

- I’m here - The angel found him lying on the floor, surrounded by more empty bottles.

His sunglasses were a bit crooked on his face, so Aziraphale could see his eyes were shut. He probably didn’t recognize Aziraphale’s voice. And was way too drunk to ask what a stranger might be doing in his flat.

- Hey! - Crowley protested when he took his sunglasses.

The look of pure shock on his face when he realized Aziraphale was standing there was heartbreaking. Suddenly, it was like they were replaying their last meeting on their heads. At the same time.

- Ang… - Crowley stood up and recomposed himself. - Sorry. Supreme Archangel.

- Crowley… - Aziraphale started, and then stopped himself. It wouldn’t help at all. - I need to talk to you.

He handed Crowley his sunglasses.

- Take your time - He put them back -, Archangel Aziraphale.

- Can we not do this, please?

- Do what? - Crowley opened his arms. - Talk? That’s what you wanted to do, right?

- This is not how I imagined it - Aziraphale murmured.

- What?

- I need your help, Crowley.

Pause. An awkward silence.

- Oh… - said Crowley, at last. - So that’s why you’re here.

- Crowley… - Aziraphale started.

- You need my help? - He confirmed. - My help?

- That’s what I’m saying.

- My help? - Crowley continued. - After you left me? After you chose to leave me?

- It’s not what it seems… - Aziraphale tried.

- And for what? Heaven. Of all things - He lowered his head. - You know, after everything… I thought you had changed. For once, I thought you finally saw Heaven as it is. But I was wrong. Like always.

- I had to go back.

- No, of course - said Crowley, sarcastically. - You’re the good guys and Heaven is so ineffably wonderful. Why stay on Earth when you can enjoy the holy loneliness up there?

- Crowley, I need you - said Aziraphale. - I can’t do this without you. We’re a team, remember?

He reached for Crowley, in an attempt to make the demon look at him. But he flinched.

- No, Aziraphale. Not anymore.

He had barely looked at Aziraphale during the whole conversation. Now Crowley had decided it was better to turn his back to him. That almost made Aziraphale lose his hope.

- They’re planning the second coming.

Crowley hesitated. That seemed to truly scare him for a while.

- Good - He said. - It was about time they found a way to destroy this place once and for all.

That made Aziraphale’s knees weaken. Crowley didn’t mean it. Did he?

- I know that’s not what you want. You love Earth just as much as I do.

- Not much then - Crowley spat. - Since you chose to leave us for the greater good.

- Listen to me - Aziraphale stopped right in front of him, making him look away. - I have a plan. I know how to stop it. But I can’t do this alone.

Crowley kept looking at everything that wasn’t Aziraphale.

- If you’re going to say no you could at least do it while looking at me.

- I can’t.

- Why not?

- Your eyes…

His eyes. The eyes that used to be blue, but that he now knew were a sickening shade of purple. Gabriel’s eyes. The thing that marked him as Supreme Archangel.

- Oh, Crowley… - said Aziraphale, lowering his head. - I’m sorry.

He began walking towards the door. There was nothing he could do. But Crowley stopped him, grabbing his wrist. Aziraphale slowly looked at him.

- I forgive you - said Crowley.

He took off his sunglasses and placed them on Aziraphale’s face.

- There. Much better - He managed to put a sad smile on his face. - They look good on you.

- So… - Aziraphale was afraid he could suddenly say the wrong thing and ruin everything. - Are you helping me?

- Yeah… - said Crowley, putting on another pair of sunglasses. - Someone has to put an end to this madness. And it won’t be either of our sides.

- Crowley, we don’t have a side - said Aziraphale, extending his hand to him. - We are on our own side.

That made Crowley smile. A true smile. The one he hasn’t been able to show since the angel left him.

- So I guess we have a world to save.

- One more time - completed Aziraphale, his hand still between them.

- One more time - echoed Crowley, taking Aziraphale’s hand. - Together.

And together they went. To save the world once again. For the last time.

[aangelichaos]

I love how you can see the exact moment that Aziraphale realized that he was in love with Crowley.

Nobody really talks about this scene, maybe because they didn’t spot it, but this is the moment where it hit Aziraphale not only that celestial beings can be in love, but that an angel and a demon can be in love, and that’s what he was feeling. He sees himself and Crowley in Gabriel and Beelzebub. I’m sure part of it was shock as well, but the way he instantly reached for Crowley says a lot.

This is only further proven when Aziraphale starts looking at Crowley like he hung the moon.

He’s in love. It’s clearly written all over his face. And that only makes the scene at the end hurt more, because he really does need Crowley. He loves him, he wants him, he needs him. Nothing is more important to him than Crowley.

Even after Crowley leaves he keeps looking for him. Constantly looking just so that maybe he’ll be able to see him one more time. Wondering if maybe he should just go after him. He almost does, when he goes “I think I- …Nothing at all.” But he decides against it, probably still convinced he’s doing the right thing. I can’t wait for him to realize that his life on Earth, his life with Crowley, is more important than this job in heaven.

[ourflagmeansheartbreak]

Crowley’s last letter to Aziraphale

“I’ve had some holy water left”

Dear Angel,

I heard about Heaven. It seems you’re doing wonders! Well, I never doubt that. Not even for a second. They’re lucky to have you. Anyone would be. I’m more than happy to hear how well things are going, I really am! They’d be lost without you. As am I

I’m sorry for only contacting you now and I promise to never contact you again, but I thought you should know. I want you to follow your lucky star, Angel, and it’s a shame I can’t see them for you. I was never able to, I don’t think I was able even back at the Heaven, certainly not after I saw you. Somehow you were bigger and brighter and more beautiful than anything I could have ever imagined, anything I could have ever created. And since I can’t see the sky, I followed you as my guiding star. And that wasn’t fair to you, no, it certainly wasn’t. I can see that now and you must forgive me for taking so long to realise. I’ve always been blindsided to the most obvious things.

I’ve had some holy water left. I stared at the bottle for what seemed like hours if not days. Weeks, perhaps. Time got a little blurry after you left. I stared at it and it seemed like it wanted to tell me something that I just… couldn’t understand. In a language I wasn’t fluent in. So I tried to look at it the way you would. And I see it now, it’s funny. Holy water, it’s… it’s a sign of life, of new beginnings, of all things sacred! Something that was home for me long time ago. And I know you want me to be that Angel again, but… I couldn’t be. I can still remember screaming as I fell, the pain of my wings burning as I plummeted through the skies. Funny thing, it was the last time I remember seeing stars in the sky. Even then they couldn’t compare to you. Nothing ever could.

Isn’t it funny, though? I fell and as I was burning and screaming in agony I was… I was still thinking of you. And I knew, then, I really did. Part of me wanted to never tell you, so you could only see your guiding star and reach for heavens where you belong. Part of me wanted to leave you blind and deaf, leave you thinking I never loved you, so you would never be distracted, never be tempted. Because I know, I’m a demon. There could’ve never been an “us”. But that didn’t stop my dark demon heart from hoping. I never needed heaven because the hope you gave me was bigger than anything god could ever promise. I found home within you, I found peace. And I held onto it, perhaps for too long. And that wasn’t fair to me, no it wasn’t.

So I decided to give myself a new beginning. A clean slate. I hid the memories of past 6000 years somewhere safe, far away. Perhaps I’ll go to Paris, haven’t been there ever since Van Gogh. I’m not sure yet. Next time you’ll see me I won’t remember you, I won’t recall your name. And I am sorry about it, but I think it’s the only way.

Although I’m afraid love like this cannot be forgotten; I’m afraid my atoms will recognise yours. Such disgusting, rotten love, like falling canines, something out of control, something that exists outside space and time. Something with the power to create and to destroy. You know, even Venus, the planet of love, destroyed itself. I’m afraid I’ll be pulled towards you, because against all odds some unstoppable force keeps bringing me back to you. I’m afraid one look at you and I’ll be back, falling through the skies again.

If that happens… don’t tell me. Rather leave me blind. I don’t think I could handle losing us one more time. That’s why I kept holy water in I know you won’t look for me anyways and that’s okay, I want you to follow your guiding star. I’m just sorry I couldn’t be one.

Thank you for forgiving me.

For the last time,

Yours,

Crowley

[canarybell]

Archangel Michael in Season 3  

You know, I really am interested in Archangel Michael future contribution to the story. For some reason I think they have a chance to be a bit more relevant in S3.

The reasons for this assumption…are not that big. But still, listen to me.

 We know that at least some of archangels from S1 were brought to the script from sequel drafts. At the time nobody knew that the show will be successful enough to have S2 and S3, and the unwritten sequel might be created in any form. But the idea of what these characters could have done if the book had been written still was there. Probably not too detailed, but still existent. And now these characters have the ability to do what they were first intended for.

So…this why I was interested in this particular moment from the cut bookshop opening scene:

Isn’t it interesting that with that promotion Aziraphale was going to be replaced not by any other angel, not even by any archangel, but by “fancy” Archangel Michael themself? What position was he even going to be promoted to?  Would Michael like it – go to Earth, manage the bookshop? I suspect, no more than Aziraphale would like to go back upstairs in that cut scene.

And isn’t it interesting that throughout the season 2 we saw Michael not only wanting the position of the Supreme Archangel, but actively acting as if they were already promoted - only to have the position snatched out from under them at the last minute by Aziraphale? Isn’t it interesting how similar these situation are in a way?

I have a theory this one was a plot point from the sequel – Aziraphale got the promotion, and that pissed off Michael (or unnamed angel that later became Michael, not necessary an archangel at that point?). Be it because Michael wanted this position themself, or it caused some troubles for them (could it be that ‘Michael’ was supposed to be sent to the bookshop instead of made-for-S2-Muriel?). And that plot point was important enough to bring it up while writing the script for the first season, and leave it as a sort of mythology gag when there was no hope for the continuation; and then return to it while writing the second season with the lead-in to the third one aka the implementation of the aforementioned sequel.

So…if this is a plot point – what it might lead us to?

The simplest idea – Michael would just be antagonistic to Aziraphale in Heaven. As will every other archangel (they all know Aziraphale is a traitor who somehow got big..maybe in a book it would have been 'some nameless angel who somehow got big'), but it will have a special flavor in case of Michael who will just feel robbed. And that will lead to all kind of shenanigans.

It is worth to notice that Aziraphale, in return, has a few reasons to dislike Michael the most amongst other archangels:

They were the one to bring the holy water to Hell for Crowley’s execution - in front of Aziraphale’s eyes; and we know Aziraphale’s feelings about the possibility of Crowley dying by holy water;

They are threatened him with a Book of Life despite having no authority to do it, just out of spite;

And most importantly, they were the one to call Aziraphale ‘a bit of a fallen angel’, shaming him for collaborating with a demon – all while working with demons themself, sharing information and such. Aziraphale probably doesn’t know all about it yet – only about them specifically going downstairs to bring the water. But once he find out? Don’t you think this hypocrisy on Michael’s part will make him at least a bit angry?

 The more convoluted idea – Michael will became angry. But not only at Aziraphale, no. It was The Metatron who made a decision to promote the traitor, ignoring all the reasons to make Michael the Supreme Archangel. Why not be angry with him?

….the thing about Michael – in S2 they already showed too much non-really-angelic desire to grab the power without any approval from above. “We aren’t in charge” – Uriel is right by all means:  you can’t just decide this vacant position is yours because you’re the best, you need to be appointed first, even in a human society; not to say anything about Heaven, built on subordination to the hierarchy!

So there is already not that much respect for the authority of The Metatron underneath all Michael’s holier-than-thou attitude as it should have been. And if Michael decides that The Metatron's decision was wrong, or that he was the one to specifically rob them of their promotion…

There are a lot of possibility for this to become entertaining. One idea that came to my head is that Michael might start to work with Hell more actively, just to out of spite– they already got some contacts downstairs after all. Maybe even specifically finding a way to Fall – there is a vacancy of Grand Duke of Hell downstairs, and isn’t it better to reign in Hell, than to serve in Heaven, especially than to serve to Aziraphale, in Michael's eyes?

The most ridiculous yet fun idea though is…..Michael and Aziraphale teaming up against The Metatron.

Yes, I know. It sounds as much possible, as, I don’t know, Gabriel’s redemption? Oh, wait…

But still. If we assume that Michael might become angry specifically at The Metatron…and that Aziraphale will consider him his enemy too…and considering that it’s not the first time for Michael to work with ‘an enemy’ (the demons, again) to achieve a common goal…and if we’d assume that Aziraphale is not all that bad in persuasion (as we can see in S2E5 and the fact that he was fulfilling his part of the agreement by doing temptations)….

….yeah, it still sounds unlikely. But it might be a fun twist of events. Especially with them still hating each other, but hating The Metatron more.

[skyefullofdaisies]

I wish I had any writing talent whatsoever

I have these two ideas that are barely anything, lol, but if I had any writing prowess I think they could be good.

1. Aziraphale has been The Supreme Archangel for anywhere between 2-3 years. He is very good at the job. To the shock, and fear, of the other archangels and even The Metatron. He rules with an absolute iron fist. He tolerates no disrespect. His kindness is still there but it’s under a layer of ice. This is what being robbed of Crowley, and being forced back to Heaven against his wishes, has done. (It’s OOC for him, I know. I don’t actually think in the show he or Crowley would be robbed of their base personalities without the other but it’s fan fiction, so…🤷‍♀️). He’s been watching Crowley from Heaven however. Just to have some piece of him. Until Crowley disappears completely one day. Az goes to earth and can’t find a trace of him. He even checks Heaven over to make sure Crowley wasn’t abducted & being held there. Aziraphale, who is angry and tired of being without his demon, knows there’s only one other place he’d be: Hell.

During the time Aziraphale has been in Heaven word of his iron fist rule has gotten to Hell. Who have been, quietly, panicking. They laughed at first hearing of the “soft” Angel being made Supreme Archangel. Figuring he’d be The Metatron’s puppet for The Second Coming. Just for The Dark Council (using their back channels) to realize how wrong they are. So they decided they needed a plan. Given who is important to Aziraphale they go after Crowley. The members of the Dark Council knew Crowley when he was an angel. They remember he was powerful (I know we don’t know his identity but for the sake of this story he’d have been someone very powerful before The Fall) and acknowledge that if Crowley wanted he could be a Duke of Hell, easy. If he put any effort whatsoever in being an actual Demon Hell would have had a powerful weapon.

The Dark Council abducts Crowley and tells him this. Our demon scoffs and goes through his usual bravado before realizing he can’t get out of this. Miracle blocked and bound to a table he is forced to drink water from the River Lethe. Unconscious and robbed of his memories for the last 6,000 years Crowley has new memories forced into his head (no idk how they would do this, I’m not a writer remember lol).

Aziraphale arrives in Hell in all his The Supreme Archangel splendor. Dagon meets him not the least little bit impressed. Az demands to know where Crowley is, if Hell has him. Dagon says that falls under the jurisdiction of their Prince. Az demands a meeting expecting Beezlebub’s replacement while a bad feeling niggles at the back of his head. They enter the throne room just to have the new Prince of Hell on his throne be Crowley much to Aziraphale’s shock and horror knowing Crowley would never agree to this. It doesn’t take Aziraphale long at all to realize Crowley’s memories are gone and the ones he does have are wrong. Crowley believes he’s been Prince of Hell since The Fall. Azriaphale has no choice but to leave Crowley where he is for the time being. As he’s still his suave, charming self but there’s a cruelty that has never been there before and he loathes all angels. He’s certainly not about to trust the new Supreme Archangel.

That’s as far as I’ve got. Somehow this would lead to Aziraphale bringing Crowley back to himself. A fabulous kiss and smutty times. Lead to the defeat of The Second Coming and the two of them in love and together in the end.

Thanks for reading this far if you have! I have another idea I’ll write up and post. This one is already too long to add it here

[church-of-lilith]

Vinylatte Good Omens Fic Masterlist

the maggie/nina tag on ao3 post season 2 has been almost impossible to navigate if you’re trying to find actual fics of them. so i decided that i would compile all of them i could find and put them here in one place for anyone who’s been looking.

**denotes fics where they’re more of a background pairing, but still prevalent

Pre-Season Fics

Shrinking Violet by deathbymistletoe

Really cute one shot written and published after the early screening of the first two episodes. Explores Maggie’s feelings for Nina but is canon divergent after 2x02

divine intervention by literary_lesbian

In which Nina thinks her intentions are pretty clear, but Maggie needs a bit more reassurance.

all this (and heaven, too) by literary_lesbian

5 times Nina & Maggie assume Aziraphale & Crowley are together + the 1 time they actually are.

Collections/Series

Atlas (then suddenly, I saw you) by Andnever_ever_eatpears

A collection of fics set throughout Maggie & Nina’s relationship. Currently at 8 works but the author says there’s 11 planned so definitely keep an eye on this one!

When I’m Ready I Hope She’ll Be There by gutsandglitter (@applebottomclaudiajeans)

A collection of fics that take us through Maggie & Nina’s relationship as it develops. Currently at 4 works and they’re some of the sweetest most well written stories you’ll ever read.

One Shots

The times, they are a-changing by WrittenMemxries

4 times Nina enters Maggie’s shop + 1 time she enters her house

i’m begging for you to take my hand, wreck my plans, that’s my (wo)man by Lavenderknives (@lavenderknivess)

Maggie is closing up the record store, but Nina has something she wants to say.

lost in your current like a priceless kombucha by Lavenderknives (@lavenderknivess)

Short crack-ish fic where Maggie makes her own kombucha and brings some to Nina.

my, my, how can i resist you by Lavenderknives (@lavenderknivess)

Maggie and Nina have a silly little movie night because they deserve it!

and she aches (just like a woman) by literary_lesbian

A year after The Whickber Street Traders and Shopkeepers Association meeting, Nina comes to terms with what she really wants.

and yet it moves by literary_lesbian**

Aziraphale knows he should leave Earth behind entirely, if he means to take his role in reforming Heaven seriously. But when Maggie calls out to him, he can’t help but listen in. He never was very good at following the rules, even his own.

a new light by literary_lesbian

Nina has always hated the holiday season and the decorations her fellow Shopkeepers on Whickber Street enjoy utilizing to the extreme, year after year after… Until Maggie comes along and sheds some light on a few things.

terms of endearment by literary_lesbian**

In which Crowley learns something new about humanity, and he and Aziraphale finally come to terms with their feelings.

hymns for a broken heart by andiwriteordie

Five records Maggie gives to Crowley, plus one she gives to Aziraphale

worm-hearted by findmebythemilkway**

“Would you still love Mr. Fell if he was a worm?” Maggie blurts out and immediately blushes. Nina snorts in her respective corner. Crowley, who’s been busy eyeing both the television and the bookshop, redirects his eyes to her. Maggie offers him a toothy grin. “I’m… sorry?” Crowley asks. He can’t wait for Aziraphale to arrive and hear this.

I’m ready by Culties

Nina has a confession to make and reminisces on her relationship with Maggie so far.

Like Real People Do by My__name__Leo**

Aziraphale and Crowley are on a double date with Nina and Maggie. But what happens when Crowley gets overwhelmed?

who wants to live forever? by lovelosvers**

“Maggie,” he turns mock serious. “Would you describe The Velvet Underground as bebop?” She looks bewildered. “Never in a million years,” she says. “So you see my point, then,” Crowley grins.

Tilt by DoonaRose

Maggie tells Aziraphale that her and Nina have started a relationship but that he can’t tell Crowley because Nina doesn’t want to hear ‘I told you so’. Aziraphale tells Crowley because he can’t help himself and then Crowley decides to show Nina that him and Aziraphale are also now doing the kissing and being a couple thing.

a little uncertainty by TheTellersEye

Maggie and Nina talking about the future and being cute.

Mr. Fell is Back by ughdotcom

Mr. Fell is back. Nina and Maggie have a few comments.

Multi-Chapter Fics

Moving On by neowitcher

Maggie and Nina have endured a lot in a short amount of time and now that Aziraphale is off to Heaven, any heavenly or demonic threats seem to have departed. Now, the two women are left spending their days in each other's company and are steadily growing fonder of each other. Maggie fears she's moving too fast when all Nina wants to do is move on.

The Third Fall by cordsycord

The Second Coming of Jesus Christ, son of God, came to Earth, against the predictions of dozens prominent religious scholars, on the relatively normal day of June 21st 2024, four months before the Earth's 6028th birthday. It was raining in London. The M25 was backed up. The Tube was late arriving to one station, and early arriving to another. Tourists took pictures at all the places that tourists enjoy taking pictures at.

Coming Back Around by CLOVERTOWN3

After Aziraphale leaves Earth, Crowley is left to drown in his sorrow. Together, Maggie and Nina weigh the tasks of keeping Crowley in check and solving the mystery of Aziraphale's strange and sudden promotion. All the while Muriel learns more about love, heaven, and the nature of humanity.

Whickber Street Relationship Counseling (And Rescue Service) by staroversea

The incredible true story of how 8 shopkeepers become responsible for a very emotionally fragile demon.

Uncharted Territory by Justanothernerdsstuff

Seven months after Aziraphale took his new position in heaven, Crowley is coping the best he can.

Most Ardently by borealisaurora**

Aziraphale brings Pride and Prejudice with him to Heaven, and with its help and the help of some friends, he realizes where he went wrong with Crowley and what he needs to do to fix it.

We Could’ve Been Us by elusive_ellipsis**

Aziraphale's last words to the one being he could ever say he loved were "I forgive you," but he knows that Crowley will never forgive him. Nina and Maggie try to convince him that he can make it up to the demon, but Aziraphale is only staying on Earth until he accepts that their relationship is truly over.

You’re Crashing but You’re no Wave, You’re Just an Angel Cast out of Heaven by Blueleaf12

Where is Crowley supposed to go after the Metatron whisked Aziraphale away to heaven? Bunk across the hall from where the Archangel Gabriel once resided in Aziraphale’s bookshop? Fuck no, now was the time to mope with those two human women you royally messed up trying to get together.

Something lasts forever by Aidaran

After Aziraphale leaves, Crowley is left to drink himself to death and be just as miserable as he can be. Lucky for him, Nina doesn't have patience for drunk demons in his shop, and Maggie is always willing to give a helping hand.

what it all comes down to by dollsome**

Aziraphale starts sneaking out of Heaven to visit Give Me Coffee or Give Me Death. It helps immensely.

Shepherds of the Damned by angelwithawand**

After Aziraphale leaves, Crowley carves out a life of his own.

on the inside and no sunlight by the_moonmoth**

In which Crowley makes some friends, Aziraphale does some thinking, and they both learn a thing or two about communication

[erraticopeninghours]

Crowley and Beelzebub Talk

Thoughts on 1.13: Crowley and Beelzebub talk

I feel so badly for Crowley that his “precious, peaceful, fragile existence” cannot be.  It’s interesting to contrast Heaven and Hell’s approaches to Aziraphale and Crowley, both as workers and later as retired/traitors.

Heaven treats Aziraphale’s bookshop with the same apathy that they do other earthly possessions (and beings.)  First, in the 1800 deleted scene, they almost take it away from Aziraphale, and even when they decide not to, it is never treated as an important matter.  Second, though Shadwell definitely plays a role in it, the bookshop fire would have been preventable if not for Heaven / Metatron insisting on leaving the portal open.  Following the fire, the bookshop is returned to Aziraphale (this time by Adam / earthly intervention), and what Aziraphale temporarily lost is never addressed as important.  

Both of these incidents dovetail nicely with Heaven’s approach of killing Job’s three children, then expecting gratitude after they “make it better” by giving him seven new children.  Heaven is careless with what Aziraphale values most and dismisses the importance that he chooses to place on things and people, but generally does not seek to destroy things for the purpose of tormenting Aziraphale.  Instead, they’re cruel through callousness. 

On the other hand, we see Hell actively work to violate Crowley’s boundaries and intentionally (mis)use his possessions to hurt him.  In Season 1, there’s the orders from Satan; Hastur and Ligur’s invasion of his flat; and Hastur’s appearance in the Bentley and removal of Crowley’s sunglasses.  In Season 2, we learn that Hell has continued this pattern into Crowley’s “retirement.”  Despite Crowley being “persona non grata,” Hell repossesses his flat, and Beelzebub begins their conversation by appearing in the Bentley.  

For me, just the presence of another demon in the Bentley was very unsettling and felt much more dangerous than Crowley’s earlier talks with Shax in the park and on the street.  I also feel like it was a definite power play by Beelzebub – them making a point – given that they clearly have the ability to “call” Crowley to Hell.  The fly that flew inside of Crowley’s mouth also felt like an invasion, especially since one of Crowley’s main strategies for staying safe is through quick-talking. 

Lastly, there were several phrases that Beelzebub used which I really enjoyed. 

(1) “What if I said Hell was willing to forget everything you did, that we were willing to accept you back, no questions asked with a hefty promotion?” is fantastic! Partly because it demonstrates Hell/demons’ knowledge that having past misbehavior “forgotten” is generally worth more than any token “forgiveness.”  It also completely avoids the word “forgiveness,” while clearly offering more absolution than Heaven tends to offer (at least to demons. Consider: “Unforgivable, that’s what I am.”)  And thirdly, this is what Metatron offers Aziraphale at the end of the season, except that Aziraphale - for whatever reason(s) - accepts the offer!  

(2) “[Y]ou find Gabriel for me and you can have whatever your nasty little heart desires” is also a great line because during my first watch, my instinctive reaction was that Beelzebub can no longer offer Crowley anything that he really wants.  His heart only desires a certain angel and perhaps select Earthly pleasures.  On rewatch, however, the line was even better because while Beelzebub can’t give Crowley whatever his nasty little heart desires, Crowley theoretically could have given Beelzebub whatever their nasty little heart desires - Gabriel! 

(3) “So, if you hear anything, come to me first, yeah?” is a fun line because we know that Crowley will not come to Beelzebub first.  Even though Crowley has just argued with Aziraphale over helping Jim/Gabriel and stormed out of the bookshop, we as the audience have no doubt that Crowley will go to Aziraphale first with any important information. (At least, until he doesn’t…)  Despite the accompanying frustration, Crowley is committed to their side, and that commitment is obvious to both the audience and to Crowley himself.

(previous) (next)

[i-only-ever-asked-questions]

Like many others, I have a lot of thoughts about different things in Season 2. So many things that I want to write about that I end up not writing anything at all. So if I am ever going to get things out I should start now. Maybe I am crazy, maybe I am not, but I read the conversation between Aziraphale and the Metatron a little differently.

The first thing we see is the end of that conversation: M: You don't have to answer immediately. Take all the time you need A: I- I don't know what to say M: Well then, go and tell your friend the good news I don’t think this is about taking his time to decide whether he is taking the job or not, Aziraphale already said yes.

That is why the Metatron ends with a confident “Well, then go and tell your friend the good news”. When Aziraphale turns around and walks towards the bookshop, his face is like that of a student going to defend their thesis in front of their committee or an accused going to their trial. It is scary but you can’t turn back.

The “Take all the time you need” is about breaking it to Crowley that Aziraphale is going to Heaven and that “Crowley can become an angel again.” Take your time to have this conversation. Aziraphale doesn’t know it is a goodbye yet; Metatron does. That’s why he comes in immediately after Crowley leaves and innocently asks “How did he take it?” meaning “how did he take the news that you are leaving?” He didn’t ask “Is he coming?” or “did he accept?” or anything of the sort. He knew Crowley wouldn’t come from the very start.

“I don't know what to say” may then be a “thank you, I am so very grateful for your generosity.”

Aziraphale said yes without discussing it with Crowley first, which is a very Aziraphalean thing to do. Remember how he lied to Crowley about Adam’s whereabouts? Crowley and him were not having an argument about it then, they weren’t fighting, in fact Crowley was sure they were on the same page, in the same team. Aziraphale unilaterally decided he was going to tell Heaven because Heaven were the good guys and they would stop the apocalypse if only they knew where Adam was.

At the bench Crowley offers his place and Aziraphale responds “I don’t think my side would like that" He hasn’t forsaken Heaven yet, he still has hope, he still believes Heaven can correct course and become what Heaven is supposed to be because underneath, the core of Heaven is inherently good. He went rogue because he didn’t trust Heaven’s current management, but he didn’t lose faith in the Heaven-that-should-be.

In the first episode of Season 2, at the coffee shop, he sheepishly says "It’s nice to tell someone about the good things you’ve done now that I’m not reporting to Heaven". He misses Heaven, he misses his job, his purpose. He is unmoored and Crowley is not being the supportive friend Aziraphale needs right now. Aziraphale is going through a crisis that Crowley went through and moved on from a long long time ago. Crowley forsook Heaven after they kicked him out and metaphorically forsook Hell very early on ("I'm on my side" in Job’s times already). He's peachy! And he can't understand that Aziraphale cannot just walk away.

Metatron exploited Aziraphale’s doubts, validated and encouraged them. "But Heaven. Well, it’s the side of truth, of light, of good" is a line that Aziraphale would never have uttered if not for the encouragement that the Metatron gave him. “Like the old times. Only even nicer” is Aziraphale’s imagination running wild, after the beautiful picture Metatron painted. The Heaven-that-should-be is the Heaven-that-was before the rebellion, the Heaven that Aziraphale can make happen again. How can Crowley not see that?!

“But… obviously you said “No” to Hell, you’re the bad guys” is also Metatron’s fueling Aziraphale’s doubts. “you’re” instead of “they are”. If Heaven is inherently the side of good, then Hell is inherently the side of evil. Angels are inherently good and demons are inherently bad. Crowley is at heart a little bit of a good person, Aziraphale has 6000 years of proof. His Fall must have been a mistake or something. How can Crowley not jump at the opportunity to go back? To right that wrong!?

Metatron is not stupid, “The name of your establishment Give Me Coffee or Give Me Death. I assume they always ask for coffee [...] so predictable”. He doesn’t say it outright, but in urging Aziraphale to take the post, he is also implying that the alternative is “death”, it’s a threat, bad things would happen to Earth, to humans, to Crowley. See how Gabriel messed up, he was a bad Supreme Archangel, he led Heaven astray, he didn't work out. if you don’t step in, everybody will suffer, you are the angel for the job, only you can bring Heaven back to the light, to what it should be. For Aziraphale it is a bit of a no-brainer. Now he only needs to convince Crowley.