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edosianorchids901 · 1 year ago

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Forget How To Feel

Ace Omens Hugfest 2024 prompt - "a silent hug"

St. James’s Park, 1860

“Ooh, and I thought perhaps we might go to the theatre soon! That would be lovely, wouldn’t it? We could go see Hamlet again.”

Crowley grunted in response to the enthusiastic chatter. His only audible contribution to their meeting so far, aside from grunts of agreement, was the tap of his new cane. The silver snake head handle wasn’t exactly comfortable to hold, and definitely not practical, but it looked cool. Very fashionable.

“Or-or-or perhaps something a bit more cheerful,” Aziraphale said with a sideways glance at Crowley. Crowley averted his gaze, studying the ducks instead. They seemed a lot happier than he was. “I know Hamlet isn’t precisely your favorite thing. I do adore it, especially because it reminds me so much of your kindness.”

Crowley hissed softly.

“Well, it was kind. And don’t argue with me, Crowley.” Aziraphale stopped, and Crowley jammed the cane down to slow himself without toppling over at the sudden change. His legs hadn’t been very reliable this week. “Actually, I would feel somewhat better if you argued with me. You haven’t said a single actual word, and I’m not sure whether it’s because something’s wrong or if I’ve simply been babbling too rapidly for you to sneak in a response.”

Aziraphale waited for him to reply. Crowley stared at the ducks and didn’t reply.

When Aziraphale just kept standing there, waiting, Crowley finally caved. “S’ not you. But nothing’s wrong.”

“Something certainly seems wrong. I-I am aware that I’m often chattier than you, but you usually at least, well. Chat.” With a little sigh, Aziraphale searched his face. Crowley found himself grateful for the new sunglasses that shielded his eyes from the side, too. “Quite frankly, I’m starting to worry.”

There it was. The phrase that would always get him to reply at least a bit, even if he masked the worst of the trouble. “You don’t need to worry, angel. I’m just… kinda down. S’ not a big deal.”

Ducks splashed in the water, totally absorbed in their own lives. It looked peaceful.

“Yes, well. You’ve been ‘kinda down’ since that whole incident in Edinburgh.” Aziraphale swallowed hard, twisting his gloved hands together. “Of course, it’s not that I can blame you, considering the trouble you were in. I merely wonder if I could be of assistance.”

After a minute, Crowley shrugged. Then he looked around nervously for observers. No one seemed to be paying any attention at all to them. “D’ya think ducks ever have a bad day? Or are they just, y’know… happy as a duck, as the saying goes?”

Aziraphale gave him a baffled look. “I’m not entirely sure that is a saying, my dear. Although I’m not always entirely on top of slang…”

That was an understatement. Normally, Crowley would have teased Aziraphale a little about that. Right now, it seemed like too much work.

When he didn’t answer, Aziraphale gave a little huff. “Well, would you rather we met up another time? If you’re having a bad day?”

“I didn’t say I was having a bad day. I was just asking about ducks,” Crowley protested despite knowing that Aziraphale would never buy it. Aziraphale gave him a look. “Okay, okay. Yes, I’m having a bad day. But I just want to…”

He snarled in annoyance, unable to admit it. He just wanted to be with Aziraphale. Not doing anything, not talking. Just together, where the world didn’t feel so bleak.

“Oh,” Aziraphale said softly. “Well, in that case, I’d be more than happy to stay together. We don’t have to talk, if you’d rather not. Why don’t we go sit on the bench for a bit? It’s actually quite a nice day, sun and everything.”

“Nnnh.” Crowley glanced towards their usual bench. It was usually comfortable. “My legs are killing me today. Sitting on wood doesn’t sound terrific. But I don’t really wanna walk back to the shop, either.”

“I could carry you.”

“I am not letting you carry me. That would definitely make people look at us.”

“No, I mean…” Aziraphale snuck a quick look around. “Not in this form. You could turn into a serpent. We could even sit on the bench like that, if I’d be a more comfortable place to rest.”

Biting his lip, Crowley regarded the angel beside him. Aziraphale was definitely the most comfortable place around, no question about that. “People would still look at us.”

“And then they would assume that I’m merely an eccentric, taking my pet snake out for a walk on a nice, sunny day.” Aziraphale held out his arms. “Shall we?”

Crowley snorted. “You’re not even gonna let me sit down first?”

“We can, if you feel like walking.”

Oh. He really, really didn’t feel like walking.

With a soft hiss, Crowley leaned his cane against the fence and laid his hands on Aziraphale’s forearm. “Okay. Okay. But I swear, if you let any humans pet me…”

Aziraphale beamed. “No humans petting you. I promise.”

Reassured, Crowley shifted into his rarely used snake form, coiling around Aziraphale’s arm as he did. The pain in his legs morphed too, distributing to most of his body. But at least it was different, and less intense.

He opted for a pretty big snake, big enough that he would probably scare most observers away. Aziraphale cooed and hugged him close, supporting him carefully. “Oh, my dear. You’re so adorable in this form.”

Crowley hissed his disapproval.

“My apologies. You’re… very striking. Handsome. Stunning. Also quite large.” Chuckling, Aziraphale shifted Crowley’s weight to one arm, then picked up his cane. “Shall we?”

That didn’t mandate a reply, so Crowley didn’t bother getting one. He was too busy being a snake, enjoying the way it sanded the sharp edges off his mood.

It shifted his priorities. Sure, he was still depressed and exhausted and in pain, not to mention constantly worrying about everything going wrong again. But all of that receded. All the snakey side of himself cared about was warm angel, and he definitely had warm angel.

“Here we are.” Aziraphale sank down onto the bench. He leaned the cane nearby, then wrapped both arms around Crowley’s coils. “Would you like me to talk at all, or be silent?”

Right now, talking was too much to process. Crowley hid his face under Aziraphale’s fluffy cravat thingy.

Aziraphale gave a soft chuckle and stroked his coils, then simply wrapped his arms around Crowley and lapsed into silence. Crowley emerged from under the cravat, resting his chin on Aziraphale’s arm.

The previous pileup of anxious worry faded, retreating deeper into the background as he sank into the comfortable lack of conscious thought. Right now, none of that seemed to matter much. He was with Aziraphale, being hugged to incredible warmth. Nothing could be more important than that.

#good omens #ineffable husbands #crowley #aziraphale #ace omens hugfest 2024 #snake crowley #disabled crowley

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tonydaddingham · 1 year ago

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What is your take on the whole "the Metatron threatened Aziraphale off-screen & Aziraphale lied to protect Crowley" theory that seems to have become very popular in the fandom? Personally, I think it does raise some interesting points, but I'm not sold on it for a variety of reasons. I love your metas btw! ❤️

hi anon!💕 thank you so much, that's very kind of you!

gosh, been a while since i've had a meta ask!✨ hmm. tbh, im in two camps, and i do think there's some merit in the two of them matching up. i wrote a couple of posts on this, breaking down the final fifteen practically shot-by-shot, and have read countless different takes from other brilliantly observant people, but essentially my thought process is this (lengthy explanation under the cut, im afraid - im a bit meta-rusty):

aziraphale did not want to go to heaven. that much is clear from the two refusals he gives the metatron. furthermore, he rejects heaven for what it currently is and what it stands for (and, arguably imo, reaches the end of his tether with god, too) in s1, when he realises that heaven is also firmly working to bring about armageddon. that it wasn't just the agenda of the archangels; the metatron, the voice of god, confirms that war is the goal, no matter the collateral. and god does not intervene. this continues throughout s2; aziraphale is notably still disdainful of heaven, is happy enough being separated from it... but it should be noted that he has replaced heaven, and the structure and comfort it offered him, with crowley ("it's nice to tell someone about the good things you've done... now that im not reporting to heaven...")

i do think what we're shown on screen is accurate. there's allowance for the fact that the flashbacks to the aziraphale-metatron conversation may be biased and therefore unreliable, being from aziraphale's pov, but... i don't think there will be anything necessarily revealed that wasn't shown to us in the FF. there might be snippets of that conversation that he's kept from crowley, but has essentially seen fit to share with the audience... so personally i think it's accurate, and nothing is missing. and tbh, if nothing else, it would feel narratively cheap if the 'solution' to the FF was in something being purposefully withheld from the audience. in that respect, i do take the FF at face value

we know that aziraphale has a low evaluation of himself. it's presented to us that he's evidently hedonistic and enjoys earthly pleasures just as much as crowley does, but i don't think it's as evident until shax's jabs during the demon raid just how much aziraphale actually might be - frankly - ashamed of these things. i think on a fundamental level he likes being an angel, it's all he's ever known. but even if he accepts that he may be a bit of a bastard - is even slightly proud of it - i think he's equally self-conscious of the fact that who he truly is will never be enough for heaven, god, or to warrant his own angelhood, and all these things he enjoys equally serve as a source of shame in how far it removes him from what his belief on what a good angel should be

in the same vein, he's caught between the devil and the deep blue sea in that he might feel that he's not enough for crowley, either. case in point for me, unfortunately, is that crowley has constantly reaffirmed that they are both on their own side, but when aziraphale opts to shelter gabriel, arguably the right thing to do for many reasons but ultimately because that's the kind of person aziraphale is (imo), crowley retracts it... possibly unconsciously, and completely understandably, but aziraphale definitely notes it ("i thought we carved it out for ourselves!") and his resulting petulant, bratty dismissal is textbook responding to rejection with rejection. especially when aziraphale clearly was not totally on side with "our own side" at the end of s1, but has come around to it and accepted it in the four years since. so, it feels like aziraphale has done what he considers to be the right thing to do, a core principle of who he is in modern day (having learnt some very hard lessons along the way) but that's enough for crowley to take back everything he had said previously

aziraphale loves crowley, that much is evident. and he may well remember the angel that crowley used to be with some degree of fondness. however, a) im not sold that the pre-fall flashback is aziraphale's POV, and b) that does not mean that aziraphale preferred crowley as an angel. imo, he fell for crowley whilst he was a demon, but because crowley was crowley. a demon that pretends otherwise, but is at heart, just a little bit, a good person. the concept of good is important to aziraphale, but he hasn't removed it from being a purely angelic trait. ergo, i think he considers crowley to have fallen unfairly, that it was a gross injustice (and i say this fully believing that 'just asking questions' may not have been the reason why crowley fell), and that if anyone deserves to be restored - to be forgiven and essentially be asked for forgiveness in return - its crowley

similarly, i think we can be led to assume that aziraphale doesn't actually know anything about crowley's fall, nor his actual thoughts and feelings on the matter. all he knows is what crowley told him - "sauntered vaguely downwards" - and up until the FF crowley hasn't truly (as far as i can recall) ever declared that he doesn't want the chance to be an angel again. he's obviously derisive of heaven, that is very clear, but when he states "unforgivable, that's what i am", i think that registered to aziraphale that crowley might feel like he won't be forgiven, but doesn't mean he wouldn't want it. all the sneers crowley has volleyed at heaven and the archangels might have been, up until now, simply been anger and resentment for something that was unfair in the first place. add to this that crowley has been placed in danger on multiple occasions by hell, and again i think the offer of restoration - to be beyond the reach of hell altogether - is lucrative to aziraphale... and it's now within his power to give.

so. i do think that there is an implicit threat in the aziraphale-metatron discussion. aziraphale visibly becomes very uncomfortable when crowley is brought up, the exact nature of their relationship heavily implied as not having escaped the metatron's notice. aziraphale is not happy as he walks back to the bookshop, and he's erratic and scattered when he delivers the news and offer to crowley. a threat may not have been intended, let alone been vocalised, but i do think aziraphale feels under threat of some kind... that any way you slice it, he doesn't feel like he has any choice in returning to heaven, and instead chooses to make hay whilst the sun shines etc.

but equally... i think aziraphale believes the best in everyone and everything. he has constantly been ostracised, mocked, or ignored as being irrelevant to heaven - and even himself perhaps wonders if he should be an angel at all. but here the metatron is, recognising that aziraphale might be "the angel for the job". whilst i don't think aziraphale buys in to the metatron's flattery, because im fairly sure that the angel as demonstrably intelligent as he is would potentially consider that the flattery is superficial and overplayed (especially given how nearly all of it contradicts the s1 conversation that he and the metatron had), i do think aziraphale might be thinking '...yeah, i am the angel for the job. just not the job you're intending'.

metatron mentions nothing about 'making a difference', but that's exactly what aziraphale tries to implore with crowley; that they could change things, and him being in charge - with crowley by his side, in on the subterfuge - might just be what is required. exactly as the people they currently are. there is something about heaven that aziraphale believes is worth saving, and i think that's where the "its the side of truth, of light... of good" comes in. qualities that he thinks heaven should be, was always meant to be, and he could restore. crowley however considers the endeavour to be utterly pointless.

i also think there's an element of doublespeak going on... kinda. more specifically, that aziraphale is speaking to two audiences in the scene (three, if you count us!); he's talking in a way that sounds entirely like he's dancing to metatron's tune, that he's heaven's man through-and-through... but also in a way that he's trying to sell the idea to crowley in turn - and is speaking in a way that won't tip either audience off to the full reality of the situation as he sees it. i wouldn't go so far as to say it's a code, though - e.g. i personally don't accept the ''time out' signal but crowley missed it' theory - but instead that he's trying to lead the metatron into underestimating him, and also perhaps downplay the exact truth of the situation from crowley. if crowley were to know that aziraphale is frightened or uneasy, or felt under threat in any way, i think he might be afraid that crowley would do something drastic, or at least inadvertently give 'the game' away. nonetheless though, he has to reveal some of his true intentions to crowley, in order to bring him on side - just very subtly.

regarding the restoration offer - kinda went over it above, but i do think aziraphale genuinely thought that crowley would want it, and would take it not just so he could be an angel again, but also in order to help change heaven and be with aziraphale. that being said, as he walks into the bookshop, i think a part of him recognised it might be a hard sell, and instead aziraphale would need to frame it in a way as being like... a disguise, or a cover, or some sort? but aziraphale severely underestimated crowley's feelings on heaven and angelhood, even if i don't think it was an unfair assumption to make, either. aziraphale was excited about it because it was something he could actually give crowley, something within his power to bestow - to right a wrong that he's possibly always thought was a gross injustice ever since job.

god im sorry this has taken so long but - no, i don't think the metatron threatened aziraphale off-screen, but i do think aziraphale feels threatened by the discussion and implications within it, and whilst feeling that he has no way out, instead opts to return to heaven to exact his influence - as an angel that's not like the rest of them - and to play his own game... to do the right thing, and make a difference.

and no, i don't think he lied to crowley to protect him. i think he had to toe a line between 'the metatron might somehow be able to hear and observe us, so i have to speak in such a way that makes it seem im on heaven's side', and 'what i say to crowley has to be without cottoning him onto the fact that i feel threatened, bc a) he might do something silly and b) the metatron would know, but what i say also has to be worded so that he can see why i truly want to go back'.

thank you for the ask, i really enjoyed it!!! sorry you have to read an essay tho oops💕

#good omens #ask #feral domestic/final fifteen meta

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novthewolf · 2 years ago

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Two’s company, three’s a family - Part four

Summary : As a cupid, an angel of love, your mission was to make sure everyone was paired up with the right person. Yet you couldn’t get your two most ancient clients to finally end up together. And despite the 6,000 years spent on the case, you couldn’t bring yourself to give them up, oblivious to the reason...

Pairing : Aziraphale x Crowley / GN!Reader x Crowley / GN!Reader x Aziraphale (polyamorous relationship).

Parts : First - Previous - Next

Masterlist : Here

Warnings : foul language, gun use (none violence), mild nudity (chest), description of a scar, adapted non-con touching, slow burn, english isn’t my first language.

Words : +4k

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(5 years later)

Okay, let's go through the plan one more time: You had successfully made them head to the park and sneaked on them with the blindness spell. Now all you had to do was send a wave of empathy and tenderness their way to set the mood, then tiny little memory balls of their favourite moments together. You had tried to send them a huge orb, the happiest and most wholesome memory they share, but it didn't result in the desired effect. No, you had struck them with your arrows, and instead of finally confessing, they went to grab a bite and called you to join them. The facepalm was so audible that it worried them.

You grunted discreetly and took a deep breath. Let's do this. You sent the orbs their way and waited for the right moment to shoot. In an effort to calm your nerves and heavy breathing, you closed your eyes and threw your head back to watch the ever-changing clouds. Their backs were riddled with arrows, and that was not enough to complete their bound. One might argue that this bond might not be as physical as others, that it was platonic, or that it was deeply spiritual. But you were a love angel. Maybe a bit atypical, yes, but a love angel nonetheless. You knew what type of relationship they shared: it wasn't passionate or sexual, but there was deep and affectionate love. The one who lasts Why else would they still be stuck together ?

You were a lot more serene now, as you caught a whiff of compassion coming from below. You soared up in the sky and slowly backflipped mid-air, enjoying the reassuring scent of fudge and marjoram. A few minutes passed before you detected the smell of snowy nights: worry. You sighed and landed.

Okay, let's try again.

Bow in hand, the strongest of your arrows grazing against the wood and the cord. The rough material digged in your fingers as you sought the pain to distract yourself from your thoughts. Instead of staying behind, you stood up in front of them, with enough space between the three of you. You stretched your arm, and you felt the muscles of your back tensing and flexing in a soft burn. You steadied your breath and focused on the goal. You kept your head high as you watched. It was thick yet vaporous and deeply stunning. It didn't have a colour, and they didn't really need it; it was already beautiful just the way it was. You just need to seal it.

And without further ado, you shot them right in the sternum. Striking right in the heart was definitely not recommended; the reaction might be too strong and violent to bear. It was equivalent to using a dagger. You shivered at the thought. But it would be the subject of another chapter.

You observed the bound ripples, both of their energies intertwining. The bound gained light as the two were talking about God knows what. But the smell of snowy nights remained. So you gently sent a wave of peace their way to sooth things down.

However, like every previous attempt, it didn't work out. It was like it wasn't enough ! Every time the light reached its peak, it would immediately die down without any reason. And it had been like this for 6,000 years. Understandably, you were slightly irritated. You stared at the pair with wide eyes. You were boiling with exasperation, and the repressed squeal that threatened to pass your lips was the perfect summary of your annoyance.

Oh, just end up together already ! What's stopping you ?

Hands and eyes twitching, you morphed your bow into a machine gun and absolutely gunned down the two out of pure frustration. You twirled around them so many times, hitting them in the shoulders, stomach, thighs, etc. You knew it was foolish and counterproductive, but you just... You felt so overwhelmed. You growled.

How can someone be so dense ?

For fuck's sake!

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After running in circles like a goldfish in its tank for about twenty minutes, you finally felt dizzy enough to let yourself collapse on the ground and throw a tantrum like a child. Soon enough, you got up, face blank, after your nervous breakdown. You decided it was of no use anymore. Maybe you were just incompetent, not strong enough to complete a bond between an angel and a demon. And the thing is, you can't just ask another cupid to help you out. As helpful and understanding Mihael is, she still wouldn't accept to sort things out. It wasn't allowed. So maybe the best thing is to just let things be. You looked up to their banch and inspected them. Azirphale was seated on the left side, and Crowley was in the middle. He seemed to sit pretty straight too, not that it really mattered; it was just a rare sight.

You shook your head. Contemplating things from afar had never been your thing, whether you were stuck in heaven or right now. You enjoyed spending time with them so much. And if you couldn't seal their deal and the end of the world was approaching, the only thing you could really do was, well, be by their side. So you called off the spell and climbed up to their little spot.

"Y/N ! Oh, it's good to see you ! We were wondering where you were." Aziraphale got up to greet you. Yeah, you kind of disappeared for the last five years...

"I haven't seen you for a while; how've you been ?" Crowley asked, and he slouched back a bit to look up at you.

"Heh, fine. My department was quite demanding recently. Sorry, I couldn't help you more with the kid."

You sat next to Crowley, with the angel doing so as well. You hold back your laughter at the image of three birds on a wire, watching the world from afar.

"Oh, don't worry, the kid's perfectly normal." Aziraphale chirped, proud of their work.

"Well, we've done everything we can." He tilted his head towards the young boy and his mother. Wow, you didn't even notice them. Careless was what you were.

"So, all we've got to do is wait for his birthday?"

Crowley simply hummed in response before crossing his arms. You looked over at Aziraphale when you caught the scent of worry, grapefruit, and oregano—the smell of nervousness. You sent a soft wave of reassurance his way.

"The hellhound is the key. Shows up at 3:00 on Wednesday."

"R-Right... You've never actually mentioned a hellhound before."

Cough. Thank you, Crowley. Really helping.

"Oh yeah. Yeah, they're sending him a Hellhound to pad by his side and guard him from all harm." He stated as if it were a matter of fact.

"Aw, what a nice gift... And thanks for the heads up, by the way." You glared at him.

"Oh I would have loved to warn you, sweetheart. If only you had shown up a little bit more often..."

You two simply stared at each other in a childish competition. In the end, you grunted and rolled your eyes. Mmph.

"Well, won't people remark on the sudden appearance of a huge black dog ?" Aziraphale asked. "His parents, for a start ?"

"Don't think so; I'm sure if you pressed your ear against theirs, you could hear the sea..."

"They're right; no one will notice a thing. It's reality, angel." He held his breath for a second. "And young Warlorck can do what he likes with that, whether he knows or not."

A heavy silence fell between the three of you, your apprehension clear.

"It's the start of it all: the boy's meant to be named." Hum..."

"Widow Maker, or Throat Ripper, or Black Death..." You started to suggest names. You liked Black Death, actually...

"Well, aren't you creative?" Aziraphale eyed you.

"But !" He exclaimed to gain your attention back. "If we did our job properly, then the boy would send it away unarmed." He explained.

"What if he does name it?"

"Then we have lost; he'll have his powers, and Armaggedon will be days away.."

You knew he was just pretending his indifference, but it never failed to surprise you how good he was at it. Aziraphale brought his hand to his face and rubbed the sides of his nose. He exhaled loudly before talking.

"There must be some way of stopping it."

You hummed in agreement. Though Crowley seemed to already have planned something too. He turned to Aziraphale first.

"If there was... no boy, the process would stop."

"Yes, but there is a boy." He pointed towards the boy. You spotted him behind the trees as well.

"Oh yeah... He's writing a rude word on a description of a dinausor." You mumbled. Maybe you could have taught him a thing or two about being furtive.

"Well, there's a boy now." He rolled his eyes and turned to you. "That could change." You knew he was implying something. You just couldn't quite put a finger on it.

You shot him a quizzical look, asking for more information.

"Y'know, something could happen to him."

You observed his features for a few seconds... Yep, you were still not good at solving riddles. With a bit of a pout, you shook your head, showing you didn't get it. In response, Crowley growled, threw his hands in the air, and slammed them on his thighs.

"I'm saying you could kill him !" He alternated between Aziraphale and you, awaiting your reaction to the obvious.

"Oooh..." Mmh. Yeah, killing wasn't really your thing. You'll have to pass on that one.

"I've never actually killed anything." He scanned the area to avoid the idea itself. The poor thing It's hard to believe that he was originally given a flaming sword.

"I don't think I could." The last word was almost strangled in his throat. He was so wan... The thought of killing a child made him ill. It sickened the three of you, actually. You smelled the dread on Crowley too.

"Not even to save everything ?" The demon kept staring at him, pressuring him to consider the idea.

"One life... against the universe ?"

You heard him grunt so softly, and you got scared he might faint. So you tried to calm things down.

"Mh.. If this, uh, Hell Hound doesn't find its master or vice versa, maybe it could stop the process too." You nudged your elbow against his vest.

"Right, yes. We should be there ! Y/N and I could stop the dog." He gestured your way with a big smile painted on his face. His brown/green eyes suddenly lit up as an idea flashed through his brain. "In fact, I could entertain."

"Oh no, no, please no."

"Oh yeah! That would be so cool. You cheered and got up from your seat. You loved his magic tricks! And even if he hadn't performed publicly in a while, Aziraphale would usually show you his progress when you would find yourselves alone together.

"Yes ! I just need to get back into practise." He pulled out a coin and immediately dropped it.

"Oh no, no. Don't do your magic act."

"Psst, don't ruin it. C'mon, scoot over!" You pushed him a bit with your hip. He made an offended sound but did as you said.

Azirphale rolled the coin a few times, faking its disappearance. You giggled at his expression of astonishment while grumbling in the background.

"Please ! I'm actually begging you." He said this as you captured the falling coin. "Ugh, you have no idea how demeaning that is."

Rather than listening to Crowley's incessant pessimism, Aziraphale stood up and tried to impress him by pulling the coin out of his ear.

"Woah !" He whispered.

"In your finger." Ever so pragmatic. You growled, but the angel was more patient.

"No, it was in your ear!"

"It was in your pocket."

"It was, mh, close to your ear."

"Never anywhere near my ear."

Disappointed, Aziraphale returned to his seat next to you. You nudge your shoulder against Crowley's.

"You're no fun." You smirked.

"Fun ?" Aziraphale hummed while looking away.

"It's humiliating! You can do proper magic. You can make things disappear." He tried so hard to convince him; that was also amusing to watch.

"It's not as fun." The angel grinned his way. Crowley simply scoffed.

"Make you disappear." He waved your way. You stuck your tongue out.

Mmph !

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(Wednesday)

The hellhound was a minute away. Your clammy hands tuck behind your back. The rough fabric of the black security suit triggered the small nerves in your fingers, making them spasm. You inhaled deeply and held your breath for a minute. Anticipation had you chocking; exhaling was so painful. You groaned, annoyed by your own anxiety.

"Where has he got to? Is he in here, somewhere?"

You felt your lips twitch upward. Aziraphale was tapping the top hat with his wand, glancing at the children to catch their reaction. But there was no point; the sea of children was bored to death.

"What's this?" He reached into the hat and slowly grabbed the bunny. Yes, you gave it to him. As well as the dove. Which you haven't seen in a while...

"Could it be our dear old furry friend, Harry the Rabbit?" You glanced at him to show how gently he handled the critter. You hummed and nodded. You sneaked a bit of food from the nearby buffet. Crowley was eyeing his watch, his brow raised. You sighed.

"You're rubbish." Warlock asserted himself rudely. Adorable little thing.

"Excuse me, excuse me." Another kid called out, "He's right, you know. You are actually rubbish." Backing up your friend—how sweet!

Quietly, you heard Crowley count down. You tensed up and smelled myrtle and dust make their way to your nostrils. Breath. Your teeth glared, and your jaw was hurting, but you couldn't care less.

"Three, two, one..."

...

Woah.

You kind of felt like an idiot standing there, ramrod straight, awaiting something that either took its sweet time or was simply not coming at all.

Heh.

Yeah, let's not tempt the devil.

You abruptly sent a wave of mischief to the closest kid around. And so began the end of Warlock's birthday; may it rest in peace. You dodged the food as much as you could, but you still received cake on your neck and cheek. The bunny was still hopping around, and you quickly seized him. Shouts and screams filled the whole tent as you joined Crowley outside. Lucky for him, his white suit was as clean as could be. A cake flew by, but the redhead hastily put his hand on the back of your neck and helped you escape it. How kind.

Finally, you stopped at the Bentley, wanting Aziraphale to catch up with you. You softly put the rabbit down close to the hedge. Mmh. Be free, little buddy.

"It was all a bit of a disaster, I'm afraid." He was himself covered in cake and cream.

The angel was searching for something through his sleeve.

"Yeah, maybe it wasn't the best plan." You rubbed the back of your neck.

"Nonsense. You gave them all a party to remember." He opened the car door and grabbed a tissue. He wiped the bit of cream off your cheek. Your lip twitched, and you looked over at Aziraphale. Still, you accepted the tissue to clean your throat. He shrugged.

"The last one any of them will ever have, mind."

He opened the door for you, but you kept staring at Aziraphale, who pulled the dead dove out of his sleeve. M-My baby. Your lips quivered, and the angel's eyes were terribly filled with guilt. Rusty metal and tuna, ugh. He swiftly turned the dove on its back and tapped its chest. Miraculously, the bird woke up, and Aziraphale gently helped it take off.

The angel gave you a sorry smile, but all you gave him was a sharp look. And, stubborn as you were, you kept staring in the back seat. Crowley chuckled.

"I told you putting it up your sleeve was a bad idea."

Aziraphale just grunted and took his place in the passenger seat. With a sigh, you let yourself fall back.

"It's late." You simply said:

"It's five p.m." Crowley simply answered.

"Not that, the Hell Hound." You bolted up and rested your arms on both of their seats; your hands brushed against their backs.

The demon incites you two to stop talking. Instantly, the radio sizzled. Both angels went silent as a voice called for Crowley.

"Hello Crowley."

"Mh, hi. Who's this ?" You unconsciously grabbed the side of Aziraphale's collar and started twirling it around.

"Dagon, Lord of the Files. Master of Torments." Heh, sweet job.

"Yeah, just checking in about the Hell Hound..."

"He should be there by now."

You were a fool. That is what you three were trying to confirm by exchanging glances as you realised the huge mistake you had made. Aziraphale and I looked frantically all around the car to maybe catch a glimpse of black fur.

"Why ? Has something gone wrong, Crowley?"

"Wrong ? No, no. Nothing's wrong. What could be wrong?" He bit his upper lip. "Oh no, I see him now, yes. What a lovely big hellhound!"

Oh for the fuck of...

"Yes, okay, great talking to you." He finished before exhaling the breath he'd been holding.

The three of you look straight ahead, mouths agape. You were ready to laugh and cry at the same time. Seriously ? Why did this have to be so complex too? The angel slightly turned his head towards you.

"No dog." Aziraphale said, despondent.

"No dog." You said, glazed. You slightly turned your head towards the demon. "Wrong boy."

"Wrong boy." Crowley said, Gloomy.

You leaned your head against the window and closed your eyes. In the corner of your eyes, you saw the little rabbit jumping around; you also spotted a small snake and a swallow looking at them from above. You chuckled at your lack of attention.

Your life has never been a long, quiet river; why would it change now ?

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

The rain leisurely dropped on the bookshop door. You couldn't take your eyes off the street; all the humans were walking through the droplets, trying to escape something that would stain them anyway. Still, the colourful way they have to shield themselves from it is so particular and beautiful. Your eyes caught the sight of a couple hiding beneath their shared umbrella. Laughing, nudging each other, kissing... How could you not want to save those precious moments?

"Y/N ? Do you plan to leave already ?" Aziraphale asked from behind you.

You turned around and sent him a reassuring smile. No way. The carpet fell soft on your bare feet. Nice change, given that the last time your skin touched this floor, your cheek burned from rubbing the rugged fabric. You snatched Eden's brush and called for her as you sat down.

"No, don't worry. I won’t leave, especially since Armaggedon is days away and you'll need all the help you can get." You winked as you stroked your miniature cow's fur.

"I can't believe we lost the Antichrist," Crowley groaned. His forehead rested on his hand in a dejected manner. "Why did the powers of hell have to drag me into this anyway ?"

Aziraphale disposed of three glasses next to the bottle before picking it up and serving the drinks.

"Well, don't quote me on this, but I'm pretty sure it's because of all those memos you kept sending them, saying how amazingly well you were doing."

He gave you your drinks and sat down. Crowley scoffed.

"Is it my fault they don't check up ?" You gently slaped his hand—he kept messing Eden's coat—and murmured : 'pet her head'. He tsked. "Everyone stretches the truth a bit in memos to head office."

"Yes, but you told them you invented the Spanish Inquisition." Aziraphale reminded.

"And started the Second World War." You added, taking a sip of your drink. Crowley's nose scrunched, not ready to admit anything.

"So the humans beat me to it. That's not my fault."

You and Aziraphale shared a knowing smile and look. The angel shook his head and bowed his head to drink. Yet you not only heard sipping but also sniffing. You directly glanced at Crowley.

"Something's changed." He stated it darkly.

"Oh, it's a new cologne. My barber suggested it.

"Not you. I know what you smell like!" Crowley snarled and kept sniffing around. You didn't think much of it, actually. You could smell emotions, so it was totally possible for Crowley to at least remember his linked smell. One day, after a few drinks, he confessed that Azirphale's scent was cedarwood and sundae. The smell of comfort—it's just so cute! He even surprised you when he told you your scent was valley and nectarine, because, you know, you've always been a meadow person. Meh.

Crowley froze.

"The hellhound has found its master."

"Are you sure ?"

The tension rose again as the angel asked with dread.

"I felt it. Do you really think I would lie to you ?"

"Well, obviously. You're demon. That's what you do." He didn't really mean it, but the grapefruit smell couldn't fool anyone.

"No, I'm not lying. The boy, wherever he is, has the dog. He's named it." He sighed. "He's coming into his powers."

"We're doomed." You squeezed Eden. She mooed, agitated by your fear. Crowley petted her head.

"Well, then, welcome to the end times."

You all cheered for that.

Fuck...

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Sleep was just a bastard, wasn't it ? You didn't really need it, but it allowed you to free your mind from intrusive thoughts. It just kept slipping away from you, leading you to lay there on your bed, the blanket barely covering you.

Inhale, hold, and exhale.

You were tapping your heart rhythmically. It was the most efficient method you found to calm yourself. If you're wondering, no, you shouldn't feel this way. You shouldn't feel anything at all. Especially you... No fear, nervousness, joy, or anything! Not because you were a cupid... Your emotions should only be put in the background but still be there. But it would only apply to you if you have... You just wish you hadn't lost it. A single tear rolled down your cheek. You did your best to keep the memories away. It just hurt too much.

You couldn't help but scratch your scar. If Aziraphale saw the extent of your wound, he would never let it go. Almost your whole arm was covered with the same scar. It runs diagonally from the shoulder down to the upper arm, marked by a combination of raised and discoloured tissue. The pattern was irregular, a mixture of claws and mild burns. The skin around the scar might be slightly darker and sometimes lighter. The weird mix of smoother and rougher textures as the scar tissue blends with your normal skin has always disturbed you.

"You know what ? You should just cut it and get a clean one. Your arm is just plain disgusting." A voice mocked you from your window.

You knew who it was, and you were even surprised. You sat up and sighed. Just your luck... You were too emotional for this.

"Hello, Adriel." You were absent and vague.

"So, how have you been doing ? Still empty, as always ?" His back collided with the window frame. Just go away.

"I am fine. Thank you. I too hope you are doing well." You looked straight. His face was too punchable for his own good.

"Yeah, yeah.. So ! Are you ready for war ?" He was so eager to mock you. "Remember: you don’t attack us; you know cupids, okay?" His smile was so fake, you wondered if his heart was broken. He scooted down on your bed, too close to you. Honestly, you were not bashful, but your bare heart was just too exposed, and his hands were too unpredictable.

You were running out of time. And fucking patience.

"Wow, I'd never seen what your heart looked like before!" He laughed while openly stirring at it. "It's so disturbing; can you even look at yourself in a mirror?"

Still, you knew what to expect from Adriel. Cruelty and absolutely no consideration for others. Apart from Mihael, obviously.

Your grip was iron, and your eyes were made of ice. You couldn't take it, not tonight. He wouldn't get his filthy hands on your heart.

"I'm going to fight for my side, Adriel. I hope you'll be ready to fight for yours." You growled. He gasped and freed himself from your hold. His pink eyes scanned yours, but you didn't look away. He tumbled back, landing on the window frame.

"D-Don't ever touch me again, you freak !" He spat, disgusted and terrified. You watched as he flew away, but no smile managed to appear on your lips.

You're right... I can't bear to look at my heart; I'm too afraid to find every bit of it crumbling down on your hands.

But I would be damned if I didn't use the remaining pieces to feel the love those two have for one another.

You laid back, caressing softly from the side of your heart to your belly. You didn't know love angels could so strongly bind and love others, but you're so glad you do.

Your mind finally drifts away, and you finally sleep. Rocked by flashes of Aziraphale and Crowley and... the surprising smell of love.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Oh, Y/N... What happened to you ? U,w,U

Hope you enjoyed it ! Bye !

Parts : First - Previous - Next

Tag list : @legendary-maddie @kpop-athena @drugs-for-memes @emo-queer-boi @cunning-girl @mochikofi @brain-has-left @cup-of-tee007 @anonymoussherlockandmarvelgeek @somekale08 @liyacreate @msyolocat-blog @scoliobean @notahappystan @nebulagoddess @ray-rook @brain-has-left

#good omens #crowley x reader x aziraphale #crowley x aziraphale #aziraphale x reader #crowley x reader #david tennant #micheal sheen #ineffable husbands #good omens s2 #neil gaiman #twoscompanythreesafamily #lgbtq

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nofomogirl · 1 year ago

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One of many roots of ineffable husbands' misunderstandings

There are many reasons why the S2 finale took us by surprise so much, and one of them is that we gaslighted ourselves into believing that Aziraphale and Crowley understand each other on the deepest possible level.

They don't.

Because they never talk. Not openly. Not about things that really matter.

I'm sure they've made a plethora of accurate observations about each other over the millennia, yes, but at the same time missed just as many things and formed just as many wrong assumptions.

We know that now.

For the last five months, we've been collectively shattering the illusion (most of us, anyway), and today I wanted to add to that noble effort. Something occurred to me while I was working on another post and I think it deserves to be its own thing rather than a sidenote in another lengthy meta.

It's probably going to be an unpopular opinion, but here I go.

Crowley doesn't actually understand how Aziraphale makes decisions.

I was rewatching season 1 to confirm some things for my next analysis, as one normally does, and I had a minor epiphany about the scene where Aziraphale agrees to get involved in stopping Armageddon.

Let's recall how it went.

Crowley started listing things Aziraphale would lose along with Earth, and things he would have to endure in Heaven.

Aziraphale rejected his idea and tried to leave.

Crowley hooked Aziraphale back in by inviting him for lunch.

Crowley let Aziraphale enjoy his meal and relax.

Crowley bought himself more time by inviting himself over for drinks.

Crowley started giving more examples of things Aziraphale could enjoy on Earth that he wouldn't have in Heaven.

Crowley went on a rant on how nasty Armageddon would be.

Once more Crowley described just how miserable Aziraphale's life would be after Armageddon, for eternity.

Aziraphale cracked and admitted he didn't want Armageddon to happen. However, he insisted he could not disobey God's will.

Crowley pointed out that it might be God's plan for Armageddon to be prevented, that Aziraphale's duty as an angel was to stop whatever the demons were planning to do, and since right now they were planning to bring about Armageddon, he should stop that.

Aziraphale finally agreed and shook on it.

Until now I never questioned that it was a masterful temptation by temptation master Crowley and every stage was purposeful and absolutely necessary to achieve the final goal.

First Crowley made Aziraphale really want to prevent Armageddon and then helped him reframe the situation in a way that would allow the angel to do what he wanted. He gave him an excuse. A plausible deniability.

But what if that wasn't it?

What if what Crowley was actually doing was taking one approach after another until something finally worked? What if Aziraphale didn't really need any softening or priming, and Crowley had just wasted a whole day on ineffective tactics because he didn't know what would do the trick until he finally chanced upon it?

The more I thought about it the more convinced I was that that was the case, and right now I can't believe I was clinging so tightly to the idea that Crowley knew what he was doing with Aziraphale.

Because if he really did understand his angel as well as I used to believe, why would he be so unsuccessful at reaching him when it mattered the most?

A popular interpretation is that in those crucial moments, Crowley simply lacked time, and convincing Aziraphale always required time. When time was lacking Crowley's finesse was useless against the angel's stubbornness, so he failed.

I can see how that makes sense, but as I've said, personally, I changed my mind.

The interpretation I'm suggesting is that Aziraphale never needed all that much time to be convinced of something. It only took Crowley so much time because he was pushing his buttons blindly until something worked. Because he didn't know what the right one was, and when he had only one chance he would always push the wrong one.

So, how does Aziraphale make decisions?

He chooses what he thinks is right.

Yes, it can get rather complicated. On the one hand, he is heavily indoctrinated, and it impacts his judgment. He can just embrace the most ridiculous piece of celestial propaganda on occasion and stick to it stubbornly. On the other hand, we know that his sense of right and wrong isn't really tied to Heaven or even God. We know because we've seen choices he'd made in the Job minisode.

But while it may not be easy to predict what Aziraphale will deem right in any given situation, the fact remains that this is what it comes down to. This is what ultimately informs his choices, especially the big ones, and the most effective way to persuade Aziraphale to do something is by proving to him that it would be the right thing to do. Or that the other option wouldn't.

I don't think Crowley realizes it. And there's a good reason why.

A great many choices aren't about right and wrong. They're just choices between two equally neutral options. Sometimes two equally ambivalent options. Either way, not really moral choices.

The problem with Aziraphale is that while he's managing perfectly fine small morally neutral choices, he's not very good with big ones. I believe that he expects all big choices to be moral choices and he has trouble making them when they're not. I've seen quite a few posts here arguing that Aziraphale is incapable of choosing his own happiness for its own sake, and I wholeheartedly agree.

And Crowley doesn't understand it.

He's not that far off the mark when the choice really is a moral one. When he was trying to convince Aziraphale to the Arrangement his arguments were about how the end result would be the same, ie. how it wouldn't be wrong. When he was trying to convince Aziraphale to kill Adam, he was pointing out how it would save everybody.

But when the choice isn't inherently a moral one, he doesn't understand why it's difficult for Aziraphale.

And in the most dire situations, he doesn't understand he could maybe try and go this route.

#good omens #good omens 2 #good omens meta #crowley #aziraphale #ineffable husbands

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drconstellation · 2 years ago

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Portable People

Muriel: "Can I...Can I take a book with me? I was looking at one earlier. They're like people, only portable." S2E6

Crowley's yeeting them around while stress-cleaning the bookshop, Jimbriel is trying to sell them to the investigating archangels, and Muriel just wants to read them all. Should we give a second thought to any of these books?

Er, yes. Yes, we should, I say.

In Crowley's case, both times he tosses the books aside (both in S2E3) it is adjacent to a conversation about memory.

In the first one he remarks to Jim that he doesn't remember why "they" invented gravity. He tosses the books - records of the past, records of (human) knowledge - then moves right back into the present, observing Rodney the Stunt Fly with Jim and then describing his Operation Lovebirds plan to him.

The same with the second GIF - Crowley has to make a decision between answering the phone (which is Aziraphale calling from Edinburgh) or the books. The present wins again, and he has the phone conversation with Aziraphale.

Crowley: Pffft. Humans. You don't let yourself get too attached. Aziraphale: No. No, I suppose not. Um… You haven't actually been selling any of the books, have you?

While we get the impression of Crowley not wanting to hang on to the past, as if its something that's hurt him before and he doesn't want to repeat that, on the other hand Aziraphale was having a lovely time remembering Mr Dalrymple the Scottish surgeon from 1826. This from an angel who hates getting rid of memories books, and we learn keeps a diary! Hmm.

I suppose the question is, is it a real memory problem on Crowley's side or an affected one to get around certain...awkwardness to do with his history? Such as not remembering working with Saraqael or fighting next to Furfur before the Fall?

Jimbriel, on the other hand, is more like Muriel. He is having a wonderful time discovering the delights of Humanity in the bookshop for the first time and is sooo excited to show it to the archangels when they arrive on Aziraphale's doorstep!

[btw, do you notice which side Jimbriel is standing on here? Its actually interesting to pay attention to which shoulder-side he is on in S2, because he is rarely on the left - even in S1, as well]

So while Aziraphale tries to, um, explain what humans do, Jimbriel "fans" one in Saraqael's face and then tries to (horror!) kill Rodney the Stunt fly with the Wicked Bible - the one with the printing error that says "You Shall Commit Adultery." *ahem* (not looking at you Jimbriel, oh no, not all...) Good thing it never works, Jimbriel declares, as the dust flies dramatically.

Edit: This book-banging episode is also a Monty Python reference! I found out over in my Assistant Bookseller meta that Jim's Fair Isle's style vest is a nod the Gumby characters, who all wear that style of vest and have the catchphrase "My brain hurts!" They also bang bricks together occasionally. *sigh* The things you didn't expect to find...Gabriel the Gumby...

The angels take no notice of Jim's antics. Since when do they take any notice of what goes on with humans, anyway? Oh, yes, they are going to keep a close eye on Aziraphale, but some idiotic human - nah! Don't care!

Then there's this travesty:

Aaah! The horror! Aziraphale reluctantly lets Maggie and Nina throw the books of human knowledge at the demons. But that doesn't work in the long run. Only the angel himself can solve this crisis.

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parasauro · 2 years ago

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AN ANGEL, A DEMON, AND A PLATE OF ROAST MEAT - QUEER INTIMACY IN GOOD OMENS’ “A COMPANION TO OWLS”

Spoilers for S2 EP 2 of Good Omens below the cut!

A “Companion to Owls”, the minisode pertaining to the second episode of the second season of Good Omens, brings us a significant reveal in that Crowley was the one to introduce Aziraphale to food. Deftly using the audience’s foreknowledge to bring illuminating tenderness to an otherwise simple scene, Aziraphale discovers the bliss of human food while hiding out an overhead storm. The scene plays out reminiscent of Hades and Persephone, a temptation and entrapment through food presented underground, or in this case a cellar. A more Christian-aligned interpretation of the scene lies in the particular observation that Crowley tempts Aziraphale into an innocuous bite that swiftly becomes an act of gluttony- a deadly sin not unlike the Garden. Just as humanity got quite a lot out of the whims of Crowley’s temptations, Aziraphale’s very first experience with food, which he comes to love deeply in arguable moderation, was an act of indulgence and gluttony. At a defining moment in his relationship with Heaven, his love for human food is not only contrary to the behavior of an angel, but sinful in itself.

Since the act of Aziraphale eating is doubly characterized as a deviant behavior, it bears credence to analyze how this scene fits into the broader themes inherent to Aziraphale and Crowley’s queerness. Throughout the first season, Good Omen’s themes of ostracization, divergence from expectation, rejection of the accepted, and a connection transcendent of standard human definition permeate the queer experience. Both Crowley and Aziraphale have been consistently coded alongside the queer expressions of the various eras they’ve lived through. In relation to each other, Crowley is arguably more experienced in the then-seedier parts of Soho and the elements of queer life that entailed. Aziraphale doesn’t lag far behind, but his experience lies solidly with a different crowd of queer folk. Contextualized within their continuing relationship to queerness, the scene in the cellar takes on an additional interpretation. In the simplest terms available that preserve the content of the scene: Crowley offers Aziraphale his meat, and Aziraphale gobbles it down.

Blunt, but accurate.

In a more nuanced discussion, queer intimacy on film has historically necessitated deep coding and subtextual theming to convey representation. While contemporary queer film has seen significant bounds in this regard, the long canon of coded queer intimacy has remained a staple of queer storytelling. Among the most commonly coded activities is eating, ostensibly a quotidian task with romantic and even sensual connotations depending on the people involved- thus the discussion of this scene. In the act of presenting Aziraphale with a plate of food, Crowley takes on an introductory and mentor-like role, stewarding Aziraphale into an experience familiar to himself but novel to his companion. Aziraphale reacts in a manner of initial repulsion at the temptation, to concession to his desire and curiosity, to performance of expected disgust, and finally to uninhibited indulgence. Beat-by-beat, this sequence in the cellar follows the rhythm of an experienced queer person guiding someone’s “first time”. Notably, this scene is intense and invokes a strange sense of voyeuristic discomfort, but remains a non-sexual display of intimacy, adhering to many fans’ (myself included) interpretation of Aziraphale and Crowley as asexual and exploring what non-sexual modes of intimacy look like. As Aziraphale eats, Crowley holds the plate and watches with a smug smile on his face– Aziraphale has accepted and is now joyously partaking in the nonconformist behavior he discovered long ago.

Even beyond this particular scene, the pairing’s frequent outings are frequently justified by a “temptation” to lunch, dinner, or a drink often initiated by Aziraphale (e.g. Aziraphale “tempting” Crowley to try oysters in Rome, and Aziraphale “tempting” Crowley to “a spot of lunch” after switching back corporations as the most explicit examples). As such, the act of eating remains an act of intimacy between the two, if nothing more than a pretense to spend more time in each other’s company while hiding their true sentiments from Above and Below.

#good omens #good omens season 2 #go s2 #crowley #aziraphale #good omens 2 #good omens 2 spoilers #good omens season 2 spoilers #s2ep2 #a companion to owls #neil gaiman #good omens spoilers #ineffable husbands #queer theory #queer analysis #film analysis

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canarybell · 1 year ago

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Crowley's POV, Part I

I've been wanting to write a post about several cases of camera in S2 being filmed from Crowley's point of view and why I find them curious for a while, but lately there just hasn't been time to put my thoughts together.. However, totally not because I'm heading to the deadline and heavily procrastinating I will try to point out at least one of them now, probably the most obvious.

Let's start with this one:

I call such moments 'Crowley's POV' because they are seemingly shot in the way we can see exactly what Crowley sees with his own eyes. In comparison, the shot below is made the way we still see the same picture as Crowley, but we also can see Crowley himself, so it is not the same thing.

Interestingly I can't recall 'Aziraphale POVs' moments, at least in S2, but I will touch on that in later parts.

But, let's return to Crowley watching Aziraphale leaving. So, what I want to point out here?

It's the fact that Aziraphale stops The Metatron and and turns around in front of him in such way that Crowley is able to see both of their faces (or at least, Aziraphale's face for sure). Whether this is intentional on Aziraphale's part or not is a matter of speculation for another time - however, all Aziraphale's expressions when he asks The Metatron what his job is supposed to be, and his reaction to the answer are perfectly visible to Crowley, not just the angel's final glance, which is once again is shown from Crowley's POV:

Crowley definitely does see how Aziraphale asks something - and that after The Metatron's answer his face falls, he seems shocked and scared, and he cautiously looks at Crowley; and then Aziraphale puts the smile on his face (again, visibly for Crowley) and steps into elevator.

So....regardless of any theories about the finale, one thing that is definitely true is that Crowley knows - something is up. There is some kind of information shared by The Metatron that was unexpected to Aziraphale, scared him, and made him try to send some kind of message for Crowley. And yet this something didn't change Aziraphale's choice about going to Heaven.

There is definitely something to think about - that's why I do think that in the end credits Crowley is not only sad, but also thoughtful and focused.

.....now, there are at least two more instances of Crowley's POV that I find curious, but the observations I made from them are more...on the speculation side. I wanted to make this one separately, because it is less of a speculation for me and more of just a simple observation. I hope I will find a time to write about two other moments in a few days.

#good omens #good omens season 2 #good omens s2 #crowley #ineffable husbands #good omens analysis #two of the remaining ones deal with my favorite theme - windows and the placement of the main players in a final fifteen #and also try to put all of it into one theme #this post is not a theory (but the next one certainly will be) only an observation

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ineffable-sideburns · 2 years ago

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In this post, I'm going to tie numerous observations on screen together to make a single season 3 prediction

it relies on this premise, which i'm about to build a case for:

the way the characters interact with the story is informed by the mythical/historical figures they are directly and indirectly coded as, but it’s not always in the way you’d expect, and some characters are coded in more than one way. we can still use these relationships as Clues to postulate where the story might go and how the characters will interact with one another.

this is by no means exhaustive, obviously. i’ve seen people say that Crowley is coded as Jesus, Aziraphale as Mary, and numerous other figures. i’m just pointing out some things i’ve noticed that I haven’t seen brought up as often.

we’ll start with Crowley, then go on to Sandalphon and Saraqael, then Gabriel, then Aziraphale. yes, it'll all lead up to something and i chose these characters in this order for a reason.

Crowley

so we obviously know he’s coded as Ashtoreth when he dresses up as Nanny Ashtoreth in season 1. yes, we will note that in the book, it’s very vaguely implied that Crowley and Aziraphale both hired Ashtoreth and Francis

in season 2, when trying to get the deets on bae, Beelzebub offers Crowley a “hefty” promotion and then later tells him “you could be a duke of hell".

in researching Beelzebub, at some point I found out about Milton's Unholy Trinity in Paradise Lost, which includes Lucifer, Beelzebub, and Astaroth as the first heirarchy in Hell, and which has (seemingly) lent that idea to demonology in general.

Astaroth is often referred to as the "Great Duke of Hell."

so now with season 2, Crowley has been coded in the show as both the feminine and masculine demons derived from the eastern goddess Astarte.

note: coded != Crowley is literally Astaroth/Ashtoreth. it means we can infer things about the story through the coding

the obvious would be him becoming a duke of Hell somehow in season 3. i personally am not convinced the story will take that route, and it would be sad to see him end up back in hell. this coding is the least compelling for me. it could just be a Milton reference, or maybe, since at this point in season 2, we don’t know why Beelzebub wants Gabriel, this could be a Clue that Beelzebub was sincere. maybe it just shows how powerful Crowley could have been if he’d accepted the deal. or maybe it just adds weight to parallel the decision Aziraphale makes later when offered his own position of power. people have analyzed Crowley and Ashtoreth/Astarte before, and the book/show discrepancy is always brought up, so i'm ignoring that and just addressing the added layer of Astaroth coding. anyway, let's move on to the more interesting observations.

Sandalphon and Saraqael

i’m doing these two together because i’ve found what i believe to be a major connection between them based on Neil’s answer to this ask, a shared trait their mythical figures have, and Saraqael’s actions in the show.

when Sandalphon is introduced in season 1, we learn that he was smiting and turning people into salt during Sodom and Gomorrah. then we see the direct connection Saraqael has with Sandalphon at the end of season 2, when Michael asks her to turn Maggie and Nina into salt pillars and her hand flys up.

but that’s not secret, is it?

you know what is, though?

the fact that she immediately recognizes Metatron in his human form, looks scared shitless for multiple shots, and then proceeds to act like it never happened when he starts addressing all the angels. she doesn’t let anyone know that she recognized him.

do check out this post by @most-normal-eccles-cake-ignorer with more shots and analysis of her reaction to Metatron.

still don’t believe me and think that reaction is nothing?

well, let me tell you something both the mythical figures Sandalphon and Saraqael have in common.

they both saw Metatron in his human form.

according to one source, Sandalphon was Metatron’s twin brother, and Sandalphon, like Metatron, was originally human.

in the book of 2 Enoch, Sariel/Saraqael was one of the angels who brought Enoch (human!Metatron) to Heaven.

if Sandalphon had been in that room at that moment, he’d also be secretly recognizing Metatron.

obligatory: remember what I said at the beginning of this post? we are using this coding to analyze the story and how the characters interact with it and eachother. you don’t believe that Sandalphon or Metatron were literally human at one point in GO? that’s fine. i’m just giving a reason why the author may have chosen Saraqael and Sandalphon to serve the same purpose in this scene

it isn’t crazy to think that a lot of the historical lore was used to inform the characters, and if you think it is, at least read about Gabriel first.

Gabriel

Gabriel is being coded…as the actual archangel (fucking) Gabriel. (and as Lord Jim from the novel of the same name by Joseph Conrad - the book Aziraphale glances at before choosing to call Gabriel Jim. but you can google the plot of Lord Jim and how it relates to Gabriel on your own time. it’s too much to get into right now.)

Gabriel is an archangel with the power to announce God’s will to mankind. He is associated with messages, vision, telecommunications, and revelation…

…and in the Bible he announces the birth of John the Baptist, and later, Jesus.

30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.

31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS

Luke 1:30-31

"hey Sithis dude you will not believe this… God now grants that you may conceive seven more children…yippe!!”

let’s get back to that thing about him delivering messages and revelation though.

Gabriel starts off season 2 carrying a box to the book shop (that we think was empty but later find out had a fly in it as well as a message scrawled on the bottom about where his memory is)

he also tells Aziraphale that something terrible was going to happen to him so he had to give him something. you can take that as being the fly, and consciously it probably was, but throughout season 2 Gabriel is unconsciously and unintentionally giving other people messages.

ex.

technically, a message “delivered” (dropped) by Gabriel, found by Muriel

after Crowley not-so-nicely commands Gabriel to remember, Jimbriel says, in a voice that shifts to sound like God’s voice, “I remember when the morning stars sang together and all the angels of God shouted for joy." Crowley recognizes this as what God said to Job, and then another flashback of Job begins.

later, during another vision caused by Crowley mentioning the word tempest: "There will come a tempest then darkness and great storms and the dead will leave their graves and walk the earth once more, and there will be great lamentations... every day it's getting closer."

in the Hebrew Bible, Gabriel appears to the prophet Daniel, and explains his prophetic visions. in Good Omens though, Jim IS the prophet having prophetic visions through Gabriel.

when in the book shop with Aziraphale, Jimbriel starts to hum every day, which is what causes Aziraphale to search down the pub with the jukebox playing that song on repeat. we know from what Terry and Neil have said about every day that it’s the song of the apocalypse, but none of the characters know that, Gabriel included.

what does a song do?

each message the archangel of (fucking) messages delivers is unconscious. not how you’d expect him to live up to his name, right? of course, if they are actually God’s messages, it makes sense that they’re useless, vauge, and well, ineffable. one last thing: spiritually, Gabriel’s messages and prophecies are often believed to be delivered through dreams (or in other words, the unconscious)

edit: this post by @noneorother actually inspired me to look at the mythology of archangel Gabriel, so it’s crucial you check it out. i’ve also seen a post somewhere that posits Gabriel shouldn’t even have some of the memories that go by really quickly before the flashbacks of him and Beelzebub, but i lost the link to it.

edit II: just wanted to add this post by @drconstellation, which analyzes the symbols coded into Jimbriel's clothing.

Aziraphale

it’s hard to ignore the fact that Aziraphale’s name is similar to Raphael, and that we’re missing an archangel Raphael. i’ll link some analysis on the meaning of Aziraphale’s name and share a quote from Terry, but this has all been said before. i want to look at who Raphael is mythologically to see if there’s similarities in Aziraphale’s character, and i also want to see if we can find out the relationship between Gabriel and Aziraphale, and why the latter was a suitable replacement.

Terry said about the name's origin:

"It was made up but... er... from real ingredients. [The name] Aziraphale could be shoved in a list of 'real' angels and would fit right in..."

For instance, Islam recognizes the Archangels Jibril, Mikhail, Azrael (see also the annotation for p. 9 of Reaper Man ), and Israfel (the subject of Edgar Allan Poe's well-known poem of the same name), whereas from Christianity we get such names as Raphael, Gabriel, Michael, and Uriel.

the excerpt above was taken from here

NOW that that’s out of the way, who is archangel Raphael, the mythical figure?

Raphael’s name means “god heals.” it’s believed he helps people heal and overcome their struggles spiritually, physically, and mentally, and that he protects people on their journeys. he’s also considered to be the angel of joy, love, marriage, matchmaking, and travels.

as an example, in the Book of Tobit, God sends Raphael on a journey with a man named Tobias so that he can meet and woo his future wife. Raphael is also sent to heal her and Tobias’s blind, ageing father.

all the people and things i can count just off the top of my head that Aziraphale has healed or protected:

Anathema (healed)

Anathema’s bike (healed)

the dove he accidentally killed (technically healed by Crowley in the book)

Jimbriel (literally tells Jim he promised he would protect him)

Maggie and Nina when the demons enter the bookshop (tells them he will protect them)

bonus: in a scene cut from season 1, he stops a baby’s stroller from crashing

…and one he couldn’t:

collection of gifs of Aziraphale being full of joy:

you just have to look at Aziraphale smiling, especially at Crowley...

...to know that he represents joy and lo--

oh, but wait, he’s known for hooking people up, right? in case you forgot: Maggie and Nina va voom? originally his idea

similarly to the book of Tobit story I mentioned earlier, who did Aziraphale protect on his journey to meeting his beloved?

remember: the characters don't know they're being coded as anything and they don't know what kind of story they're in, so while Aziraphale didn't know he was going to be reuniting two lovers when he protected Jim, he played the role Neil made for him. it doesn't matter that he didn't know in the same way that it doesn't matter that Crowley could have (potentially) been powerful, or in the same way that it doesn't matter that Gabriel's messages were delivered unconsciously.

one more thing. Raphael heals people spiritually, physically, and mentally, right?

so is it any surprise that Aziraphale thinks he can heal the *ahem* spiritual corruption in Heaven?

we're going to tinfoil hat theory-land now ya'll, but I swear all of these observations are leading up to something cohesive...

Why did Aziraphale replace Gabriel?

i'll spare you all the long theories about Metatron's reasons, although i quite like the idea that Metatron was listening in ever since Aziraphale opened the portal to discorporate the demons attacking the bookshop, and he saw Aziraphale use his halo to declare war in order to protect Maggie and Nina. this shows Metatron that when pushed into a corner, or when it means protecting someone, he can force Aziraphale's hand...even to war.

But can we find a link between Gabriel and Raphael mythically to explain it instead?

if you've made it this far, you know i've got an answer for you. i withheld one detail about Gabriel earlier. in Christianity, he is often associated with blowing the trumpet at the end times to announce Judgment Day.

"okay, so?"

well, do you remember the quote from Terry and the excerpt from lspace I mentioned earlier? when mentioning the origins of Aziraphale's name, the excerpt mentions both angels in Islam and Christianity. the counterpart to Raphael in Islam, is Israfil/Israfel...

who blows the trumpet to signal the Day of Judgment.

"but Aziraphale wouldn't do that!"

he wouldn't intentionally do it. he's not a villain.

you remember who didn't intend to start the apocalypse in season 1, but who was there and given a role to play, regardless of whether he wanted to?

…the one who said no to heaven and hell and refused to be their pawn this time around when offered powerful positions by both?

Aziraphale, after nuking some demons with his halo, with painful foreshadowing: "I think I may have just started a war."

obligatory reiteration: the way the character-coding manifests is not literal, and it isn't always in the way you'd expect. there may be no literal trumpet. but i'm just pointing out the potential symmetry with season 1 in it being Aziraphale who "starts" apocalypse II.

one last thing: Raphael protects people on journeys, and helps them overcome their struggles — but now Aziraphale is on his own journey, and he will have to overcome his own moral struggles (ironically what Crowley helped him with)…alone.

#good omens theory #good omens season 3 #good omens speculation #good omens 3 #good omens analysis #good omens meta #good omens sequel #good omens spoilers #good omens #good omens clues #gabriel #aziraphale #anthony j crowley #crowley #sandalphon #saraqael #raphael

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