#I have the whole story in my head

[windfighter]

Still alive

Kouji stepped off the train in Italy. His stomach hurt a little. What if no one was there? He wouldn’t be surprised. How long had it been since he talked to them?

If no one was there he’d just take another train and leave again.

His backpack felt heavy, despite only containing a change of clothes, a towel and his camera, along with painkillers for bad days and a small toolbag for emergency repairs. There wasn’t even any food in it since he’d be in the city. Perhaps that was to be expected after a three years long break. Even a light bag would be heavy at that point. He turned his eyes to the sky. Bright blue with some cirrus clouds.. The sun was warm and he closed his eyes.

Part of him hoped no one would be on the station to meet him.

He missed Frenci. Frenci, who hadn’t left his side for three years, helped him through recovery, helped him as he relearned how to walk, helped him when everything felt hopeless. Kouji’s shoulders fell. As much as he had complained about being dependant on someone else, it felt wrong to be alone again.

”Kouji!”

Kouji opened his eyes and took another step. His leg protested and pain radiated from his thigh. Maybe he should have taken a more scenic route with places he could stop to stretch his legs. Too late now. He looked around for the source of the voice. Kouichi ran up to him.

Kouichi looked absolutely furious.

”I hate you so much!” Kouichi said and pulled Kouji in for a hug.

Kouji wrapped his arms around Kouichi and buried his face in Kouichi’s shoulder. He had missed his brother so much.

”Three years!” Kouichi pulled away. ”Three years without a word!”

He put his hands to his sides and glared. Kouji looked at the ground. He already missed someone to lean against. Something to take weight off his leg. But he had worked hard for this moment, he wasn’t going to ruin it.

”I thought you were DEAD!” Kouichi continued.

People were staring at them. Kouji scratched the back of his head. His hair had started growing long again and he needed to decide if he was going to cut it or let it grow out. He’d probably let it grow out, short hair reminded him too much of the hospital. Kouji took a shaky breath.

”Je suis navré”, he said.

An apology for all the pain he had caused Kouichi. Kouichi didn’t look impressed and Kouji didn’t know what he did wrong this time. Three years away and he had already forgotten how to talk to people.

”I don’t speak French”, Kouichi said and put a hand against his face.

He shook his head and pulled Kouji in for another hug. Kouji held on until Kouichi pulled away again.

”I’m sorry”, Kouji said and tried to formulate an explanation. ”A lot of stuff happened, so I got kind off… cut off from the world.”

It was the best he could do without explaining the whole thing right at that moment. It wasn’t something he wanted to talk about on the train station with a bunch of strangers in close proximity. Sure, most wouldn’t understand, but there was always a risk that someone would.

”I expect a 30 minute presentation with a power point”, Kouichi said.

Kouji snorted and leaned his head against Kouichi’s shoulder again.

”I’ve missed you”, he mumled.

He was getting emotional. Not great for his reputation.

”I’ve grieved you”, Kouichi whispered back.

Kouji wished there was some way he could take away the pain he had caused.

”I won’t do it again”, was all he could promise.

He’d been so focused on surviving and getting better that he hadn’t even thought about contacting anyone. Frenci hadn’t reminded him, also focused on making sure Kouji got better and not do anything to wreck what little progress he had done. Three whole years it had taken for Kouji to get his independence back. He swallowed and stood up straight again.

”No one else wanted to meet me?” he asked instead.

He could understand if they didn’t. They were probably at least as angry at him as Kouichi. Kouichi shook his head.

”They’re preparing a party at the restaurant. Izumi closed it for the day just for you.”

”Excessive”, Kouji said.

Kouichi poked his side hard and Kouji took a step to the side.

”You were dead for three years. We’re having a party for you and you’ll be grateful.”

Kouji lifted his hands and laughed.

”Yeah, yeah. I’m happy. I’ve missed all of you.”

They started walking. Kouichi tried to ask Kouji about what animals he’d taken pictures off the last years and Kouji did his best to avoid answering. His leg felt a little better after they had walked a bit and he’d gotten used to walking on it again. The pain was still present and he put his hands into his pocket to not grab Kouichi for support.

Kouichi stopped. Kouji took another three steps before he noticed it, but then he turned around. Kouichi tilted his head.

”Why are you squeaking?”

”...what?”

”There’s a squeaking noise coming from you when you walk.”

Kouji frowned. He had completely forgotten about that happening when it was too hot or too cold. He didn’t hear it himself, his brain had learn to ignore it.

”It’s nothing”, he said.

”What do you mean nothing?” Kouichi crossed his arms over his chest.

”It’s… fine?” Kouji tried instead. ”It happens sometimes.”

”But why?”

Kouji gestured at the sun and started walking again.

”Metal swell when it gets hot”, he said.

Kouichi caught up to him and they kept walking. There was no more questions about the squeaky sound. Kouji tried to ask Kouichi about his work, but he was absolutely not interested in the answers and Kouichi knew as much.

When they’d been walking for an hour Kouji’s leg started hurting again. He let out a groan. They should have just taken a cab. Kouichi looked at him.

”You okay?”

”Yeah”, Kouji pulled a hand across his face. ”How long until we’re there?”

”You already tired?” Kouichi asked and his mouth twitched.

Kouji assumed it was hilarious from an outside perspective, he had always been fit and able to walk for hours. He rolled his eyes and gave Kouichi a shove.

”It’s been a long trip.”

”Yeah, why didn’t you just take a plane?”

”Trains are great”, Kouji answered. ”Much better for the enviroment.”

He also wasn’t sure how flying would work with his leg. He wasn’t interested in finding out yet, although one day he would have to. They started walking again.

”Where were you even before this?”

”Canada, with Frenci.”

”Were you filming bears again?”

Kouji didn’t answer. His leg locked up and he took a stumbling step. He cursed in Hausa and looked around. Nowhere to sit nearby. He held a hand towards Kouichi.

”Can I borrow your arm?”

”Why? What’s wrong?” Kouichi asked but held an arm for Kouji to grab.

”Nothing”, Kouji said and grabbed the arm. ”Knee’s locked up, it’s fine.”

”That’s not fine”, Kouichi got his worried look and Kouji rolled his eyes. ”Let me take a look at it.”

”You can’t do anything.”

Kouji limped onwards and Kouichi had to start walking as well.

”I’m a doctor, if there’s something wrong I’m the best person of us to do something.”

”I just need a bench, then I can fix it.”

”A bench?”

Three years and he still couldn’t walk for more than an hour. He held on harder to Kouichi’s arm.

”A bench”, Kouji confirmed. ”Don’t think too hard about it.”

”Are you a robot or something?”

Kouji snorted, stumbled and groaned in pain. Kouichi wrapped his arm around Kouji’s waist instead.

”Here, lean against me.”

Kouji did and let out a relieved sigh. They really should have just taken a cab.

”So how far is it to the restaurant?” he asked.

”Only about 15 minutes”, Kouichi answered and looked around for a bench. ”But I’d like to take a look at your knee before I force you to walk all the way there.”

”It’s just the heat”, Kouji muttered.

He noticed a bench another 20 meters ahead and gestured at it. Kouichi helped him over to it and he sat down. His knee didn’t bend and Kouichi’s worried face grew more worried.

”When you said it locked up you weren’t kidding.”

Kouichi reached for Kouji’s pant leg and Kouji shooed his hands away before grabbing his backpack and pulling out the toolbag.

”I need to get a new model”, he said as he looked though the bag, ”but there’s something sentimental about your first.”

Kouichi’s worry changed into confusion. Kouji grabbed his leg and twisted it. Tension released from his thigh and he let out a relieved sigh before putting the leg in his lap. Kouichi stared.

”Prosthesis”, Kouji laughed and freed it from the pants. ”I’m a cyborg.”

”What happened?”

Kouichi sat down next to Kouji and grabbed the leg. Kouji leaned back and closed his eyes. He was tired.

”I’ll tell you in the 30 minutes power point presentation later”, he said.

Kouichi tried to move the knee hinge. It squeaked and Kouji grimaced.

”Please don’t destroy it, I need it to walk.”

He grabbed the leg again, loosened a couple of screws and put some oil in the joints. He packed the tools in the backpack again and put the leg on the ground, leaning it against the bench.

”I can ask Junpei to come pick us up”, Kouichi suggested.

”A little late”, Kouji said with a laugh.

”Well, you didn’t tell me you were one leg short.”

Kouji patted Kouichi’s leg.

”I can walk, just give me a couple of minutes.”

”I have so many questions”, Kouichi shook his head. ”...want me to take your bag?”

Kouji put the backpack in Kouichi’s lap and screwed the prosthesis onto his leg again. He sighed and pulled a hand across his face.

”I didn’t want to talk about it among all the people on the station”, he said. ”And I don’t want to have to tell the story five times.”

”Understandable”, Kouichi nodded.

”Technically it’s my second”, Kouji continued and stood up. ”But the first one was so illfitted and terrible to walk on that I don’t want to remember it.”

Kouichi also stood up and Kouji grabbed Kouichi’s arm for support, although it was easier to walk now that the leg had been oiled. They walked for a couple of minutes in silence and then Kouichi suddenly started laughing.

”’I won’t do it again’”, he said.

Had Kouichi lost his sanity completely because of Kouji? Kouji looked at him.

”What?”

”That’s what you said. ’I won’t do it again’.”

”...yeah?”

Kouji wasn’t sure where Kouichi was going.

”I’m really hoping you’re not planning on losing your other leg as well”, Kouichi said and laughed so hard he had to stop.

Kouji chuckled. That was one way to take his promise.

”Wasn’t really planning on losing the first”, he said.

”I shouldn’t make fun of it”, Kouichi said but there was still laughter in his voice, ”but you have to admit it’s a bit hilarious.”

”A bit”, Kouji admitted and leaned heavier against Kouichi’s arm. ”Sorry for… you know.”

Kouichi bumped their shoulders together.

”I forgive you. I’m sure you have a good reason for going MIA for three years.”

”I’ll add you as an ICE contact if something like this happens again.”

They started walking again. Kouichi talked about Junpei’s latest performance on the opera and Kouji mentioned his plans about going to Antarctica to see penguins. They could see the restaurant down the street and Kouichi gestured excitedly towards it. Kouji took a shaky breath. He wasn’t ready, didn’t know how to tell them what had happened and didn’t know how angry they’d be. They probably didn’t hate him, since Kouichi said they were preparing a party, but he would probably have to apologize profusely for forgetting to let them know he was alive.

Kouji rubbed his eyes. Tiredness creeped through him as he thought about all the things he would need to explain. Kouichi stopped walking.

”Are you in pain?”

”A little”, Kouji answered. ”Mostly I’m just… anxious about seeing everyone again.”

He shivered. Kouichi pulled free from Kouji’s grip and gave him a hug. Kouji held on to Kouichi.

”It’ll be fine. They’ve missed you and got very excited when you said you were coming.”

Kouji took a deep breath.

”Yeah, okay. I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.”

He pulled free from the hug and they walked side by side the last few meters. Kouji didn’t grab Kouichi’s arm again.

Kouji’s stomach hurt. It had been so long since he talked to them. What if they didn’t want to talk to him now? He sighed. If they didn’t want him he’d just take a train somewhere else.

Kouichi patted his back and opened the door for him.

[raynewolferune]

DC x DP Prompt: Bruce is bad at emoting but at least ghosts are empathic (too bad bat kids are not)

Was reading Twincognito on AO3 when I stumbled across this gem again:

~

" “Danny, Tim. I was just…checking in. Is everything alright?” Curse his inability to make meaningful conversation when it wasn’t a life or death situation.

They glanced at each other and shrugged.

Then Danny hauled himself out of the bed and walked over to Bruce.

Bruce tried not to let too much excitement show on his face. "

~

Now I really want to read a story where Bruce adopts Danny post Meta trafficking and is being his usual emotionally constipated self. His kids keep getting mad at him because he's treating their new meta brother who was trafficked poorly (generally being stilted in conversation with him, walking away hurriedly mid-conversation, avoiding Danny when he's feeling really awkward, etc). They think Bruce is discriminating against Danny for being a civilian, meta, dealer's pick, but really it's just Bruce being horribly socially awkward. Danny knows this because of ghost empathy and find the whole thing hilarious. The whole thing comes to a head with the Bat Kids staging an intervention in the Bat Cave.

[drenched-in-sunlight]

i love the DLC man

[charlietheepicwriter7]

"Grandfather."

Ra's knew who the boy was the moment he'd snuck into the room. He'd allowed the child--more man than child now, but everyone was a child compared to him--moments to steel himself while Ra's refrained from acknowledging his presence. The boy's breath was barely audible but unsteady, and a drop of something fell to the floor.

His grandson was injured. "Danyal," he greeted and finally gazed upon him for the first time in seven years.

Danyal had grown into his father's height, yet stayed lean in regards to his musculature. His black hair had grown out of the League-regulation haircut, held back in a messy braid. He held himself as strong as he could, but kept an arm wrapped around his stomach. His shirt--standard American teenage garb, he dismissed--was spotted with blood and he could see bandages poking out from under the cloth.

With great care, Danyal knelt before the Demon Head and recited the Oath of Loyalty.

Ra's watched.

The boy's tongue, fat with English, spoke the League's variant of Arabic with the grace of a mace to the head, yet his words were clear. He took his time speaking the oath, carefully sounding out words, working hard to avoid mispronunciation. The Oath in question was the older version, from before Deathstroke's insurrection, but Danyal spoke it with a calm certainty that it would be accepted.

And without a doubt, it would be accepted.

Talia's eldest son had been born from her body instead of through science, a mistake that nearly cost her the child and damaged him upon birth. While the best doctors in the world saved his life, Danyal Al Ghul would always be weak in a fight, always prone to illness, always struggling to excel. When it became clear that the boy couldn't become the next Demon Head, Ra's sent Talia to create a replacement while arrangements were made for her first child to be taught business and science, for the betterment of the League. Danyal, very much his father's child, thrived in his intellectual pursuits while Damian grew and developed into a budding assassin.

But Danyal was more like his father than he'd ever knew. Ra's couldn't miss the signs of one of his family turning away from the League. Not the mission--Danyal had written several university level papers defending the environment by the time the boy was 10--but Ra's methods...

Ra's had a conundrum. Danyal was a dedicated conservationist; once the boy was an adult, Ra's was certain he'd take the world by storm and bring the League to new heights. But if he forced his methods onto Danyal, he could create an enemy of him, just as his father was.

Ra's gave Danyal an offer; Danyal would be allowed to leave the League and live a normal life if and only if he faked his own death in such a way that reinforced Damian's loyalty to the League of Assassins.

Danyal had been hesitant at first, but past his test with flying colors. Instigating one of the more unstable assassins into organizing a coup, cutting the insurgents off near immediately, but "dying" protecting both his younger brother and mother. It was a masterful performance. Even Talia hadn't known about the deceit.

And yet, here he was, on his knees, pledging loyalty. Danyal knew what that meant, knew what he was returning to, which morals he would be allowed to keep.

"And what do you bring with you, child of no one?" Why should the League accept the return of this child, who left once before?

Danyal met his eyes. "I bring with me, my team, who are loyal to me and me alone. I bring with me, research surrounding the Lazarus Pits, in origins and further uses for the waters." Ra's raised an eyebrow, and Danyal smirked. "I bring with me, my knowledge, nurtured within this very home and sharpened in the world outside. I bring with me, my weapons, built with my own hands. I bring with me... my body, finally healthy and whole." He brought his head down to the floor, trembling with pain. "I bring my whole self to the Demon's Head, for Him to accept or reject."

Ra's smiled. "By the shadows that guard our order and the blood that binds us, I accept this oath. From this day forward, you are an instrument of the League, a harbinger of justice, and a weapon in the hand of Ra's Al Ghul."

Danyal returned to his feet, swaying percariously. He needed immediate medical attention. Despite this, he continued, "Long live the League of Assassins. Long live Ra's Al Ghul."

And he collapsed onto the floor.

[future-crab]

It's been said before, it will be said again, but it's still worth saying: the fact that art centering on straight romance is allowed to just be bad, but art with queer romance in it always has to be indicative of A Serious Problem With the Way We Tell Queer Stories makes being a queer person making queer art deeply stressful

[maybmila]

Um,,,, guys,,,, Uhm,,,,,

[quikyu]

Portia meets a local, Pt. 1

Pt. 2

[katabay]

original thief series basso & garrett :)

ngl, it's about quality over quantity for me. an npc can have a total of three minutes of screen time, but if they have a cool name, they can live rent free in my head and I'll spend several hours trying to decipher drawable features from a blurry screenshot of pixels

there is a vague hint of a story here, and that's because every time I try to play thi4f, I get incredibly frustrated with how Not Fun the game play is. like, is the story good? well. but it has a PLAGUE. that should've given it instant 'I'll replay this once a year' status in my heart, but the game play sucks so bad that I've never finished it. I can't believe Not Fun gameplay beat out my obsession with narrative plagues.

anyway, the idea is basically if the original era had a game with a plague centric narrative and some other stuff I liked out of thi4f thrown into a narrative blender, with a heavy dash of horror thrown in because some parts of the thief games were scarier to me than entire dedicated horror genre games.

⭐ places I’m at! bsky / pixiv / pillowfort /cohost / cara.app

[gingermintpepper]

Obsessed with the way Evadne's relationship with Apollo is described. Obsessed with the way Apollo was especially gentle with her because she was sheltered, hidden away and hadn't had any sort of experience with love prior to Apollo (and due to it being described as her 'first learning Aphrodite's joy' through Apollo', it was probably her first time even being attracted to someone). Obsessed with the way when she runs away, she stops in a violet patch to give birth. Y'know, violets, very famously the flower so strongly associated with Aphrodite that they were used in love potions? Those violets. Obsessed with the way that when Apollo realised his lover was going to have to deliver their child alone, he sent BOTH the goddess of childbirth and ALL THREE OF THE FATES to help and support her. Obsessed with the way that Apollo sends snakes to feed his baby honey straight from their fangs because Evadne abandons their son out of straight primal fear when her stepfather finds her and how the description of that honey is 'sweet venom' [ἰός] of the bees and is DEFINITELY a poetic pair/pun with [ἴον] aka violets and that every single thing about this relationship, conception and birth is a complete and utter fairytale down to Evadne's insanely overprotective stepfather having an immediate change of heart when he learned Evadne's child was an actual, legitimate Son of Apollo and the babe, after being cared for by his dad's honey-fanged snake buddies, was found perfectly healthy five days later swaddled in a blanket of violets (y'know the flowers so strongly associated with Aphrodite that they were used for lo-) and they called him Iamus aka Boy of the Violets which is AAAAAARRRR I AM GNAWING AT MY ENCLOSURE

Iamus was made of love. Everything about him was surrounded by deep and profound love and like, let's not even talk about his whole Thing of when he came of age and was like "I need to find out what my purpose is" and he literally had a Disney Protagonist moment where he ran out into the wilds and was like "Father!! Grandfather!! Tell me what I'm supposed to doooo!!" and then APOLLO FUCKING ANSWERED AND LED HIM TO ONE HIS TEMPLES ENTIRELY BY TALKING WITH IAMUS AND LETTING HIM FOLLOW HIS VOICE FOR THE WHOLE JOURNEY LIKE -

What do y'all know about the kind of SSS tier romantic escapades Apollo had fr?

[natjennie]

i think mostly we as a culture need to stop pretending media is for us and instead recognize that it's for the people making it. "the show didn't do the thing I wanted it to" is so not the point. did it do what the people making it wanted it to do? did it tell the story they were trying to tell? than it was successful. if that doesn't align with what you wanted to happen, don't get up in arms about it. don't badmouth the creators and throw a tantrum. that's what fan works are for. the text is the text, and it told the story it was telling. you wouldn't be like "ugh shakespeare is insane for act v btw like there was no reason for juliet to kill herself she should've just waited and then her and romeo could have been together wtf this ruined the whole play" like no!!! the themes were there the set-up was there the foreshadowing was there shakespeare did what he intended to. just because it wasn't a happy ending and just because you thought it should've went differently doesn't mean it was bad. read a fic where juliet lives and move on.

[aka-indulgence]

So, Ramattra huh? :3c

Ok so um. He’s completely taken over my mind for the past month 😭 I’m in love with this man

Usually I’m a sucker for the villains who are evil mostly for the sake of being evil or aggressive monster types but he’s like… morally gray complex? My (personal opinion) least favorite thing about supposedly morally grey characters is when they’re basically just evil except they go “oh but my backstory,” >:/ But here you can see why, there’s a lot of injustices towards omnics in the overwatch universe and you can see why he’s fighting so hard to make a change, even through any means necessary.

I’ve only started playing recently and every time I play as him I just find every little thing he does attractive orz the way he moves is so determined and confident, the way his hand strains when he’s shooting his primary fire/raising his shield… his scarf makes him look so majestic when he runs… his hair, gives him this effect that makes him look elegant? I want to tie his hair back for him huhuguhghuh

And oh my god don’t get me started on his nemesis form I’m dead 💀 He turns into this huge beast of a robot with big arms?? And his voice gets an extra.. filter to it that makes him sound scarier and growlier? I used to not like how his original arms were still visible, but now it’s yet another thing why I love him uhghehgfg he looks so confident with his arms crossed while he’s pummeling his enemies into submission and his cable hair flowing in the wind liks swoosh… and things get ramped up when he’s doing his annihilation ultimate, he can just run into the enemy team and suck their life force(?) Also this is a meta reason but I think it’s hot when he ults and the team scatters away from him 😳

and ough HIS VOICE AUGH HIS VOICE!! He always sounds so controlled and collected, and when he’s in nemesis form it’s like his restrained rage gets unleashed, phew… ngl I’ve been rewatching “Ramattra Voice Line” videos so much jkdshfnejf I love all versions of his ult line, whether its “SUFFER, AS I HAVE!” or “Rip them to pieces,”, or even the april fools line bc I just think he’s silly and dramatic in that one 🥺

I also watch a lot of his interactions, because despite his (understandable) hatred for humans, he’s respectful and polite to a lot of the other overwatch heroes. I imagine it’d be easy to write him as someone who dislikes all humans, but he shows appreciation to humans he thinks are kind and helpful to omnics, even if they might not like him. Even to humans he isn’t a fan of his conversations are still polite and reserved, or at the very least, he’s passive aggressive- but he never gets into a “grr I hate all of you” thing that Reaper has (lol)

His conversation with Venture especially makes me soft… he sounds encouraging to a human who wants to go to the Shambali monastery.

And of course his interactions with Bastion and Zenyatta are soft and gentle because omnics and knowing Zenyatta from the monastery.

I just- what if I’m his favorite person? What if I’m his exception to his hatred for humans? What if he was contrasted by a soft human? What if he says “Only you,” to his human? What if the hands he used for violence were also used to gently hold a delicate human he loves? uhuguhguhuhgufdgdfhgjdfhgd

I’m being self indulgent here and I say I wanna kiss Null Sector’s leader !!!! I want him to press his forehead to mine!! I want him to dink his mouth on my cheek and I do the same on his cool faceplate! I want him to cradle me with his nemesis hands! I want to hold his face when his faceplate gets cracked and his handsome, intense eye is visible and looking at me like I’m his treasure! ARGHRGHRG

[the-labyrinth-of-me]

Wait did both Alice and Zane record Alan when he was at his lowest point? Didn't Alice make her exhibition to show the world what she sees? To show Alan the truth about himself? That it never was Scratch visiting and terrorizing her, but Alan himself? Did she depict his "self" and Zane depicted his "persona"? The two sides of him that he wishes he can eliminate bc they brought him into trouble (Scratch representing anger and the fallouts with paparazzi and stuff, Zane representing his self-destructive behavior with alcohol and drugs and the party nights)? The both sides that caused his marriage to start falling apart? Was that the reason Zane made that video of Alan when they were on that booze and drug-fueled bender while working on the Return manuscript? Is this party video the companion piece?? Alan's downward spiral, same as Alice's photos? Do they fucking work together aasdffjfjfkfk

[somegrumpynerd]

Good heavens, look at the time! (Points to a clock where every hour is replaced with "gooptales")

@topazshadowwolf's boys will be the death of me please read it it's so good

[bakapandy]

scribbles out my wishful thinking

[letoscrawls]

Haven't drawn much these days but have some sheeanaposting

[topaziraphale]

"Stop saying Crowley won't help Aziraphale in S3 he'd go back to him in a HEARTBEAT and nothing would stop him" I get it no one likes the idea of Crowley being bitter after what happened for a long period of time but like can we at least acknowledge that he's currently going through probably the most emotional pain in his life since falling? Can we agree that he's opened his heart entirely - something you couldn't pay him to do unless the world is literally ending and he's desperate - to Aziraphale, and got shot down? Can we understand that he did it AGAIN only to lose Aziraphale again? Not that what Aziraphale did isn't without Crowley's own shortcomings (hiding the truth of Heaven's cruelty from him) but like,,,,

The appeal here isn't Scorned Crowley Doesn't Love Aziraphale Anymore, or Never Wants To Help Him Again, the appeal here is Crowley learning enough self respect to not just walk back right to Aziraphale like nothing happened after Aziraphale has had a pattern of consistently refusing him. Going years ping-ponging between "We're not friends I don't even know him" to "That's what friends are for right?" and "We're friends, why would you even say anything?" and "Friends? We're not friends. We are an angel and a demon!"

Like I get it, Crowley is a heartbreakingly forgiving person. Of course he's gonna forgive Aziraphale, I'll be surprised if he didn't forgive him by the time he walked out the bookshop door, but gdi he could at least grant himself the luxury of being at least a little irritated for longer than however long it takes to make a globe and some books float and angrily cry out to God in his flat. But due to the change of pace and dynamic that is establishing part of the conflict for Season 3, I just really like the idea of him for ONCE prioritizing himself and being like "Okay, fine. We'll get back at it when you're ready, then," instead of just taking Aziraphale back like his words and actions meant nothing to him, when clearly they have an effect on him.

What is Aziraphale going to learn if Crowley just accepts what he did so quickly, like he always has the entire time they've been friends? Idk maybe I'm just projecting too much darkness on their dynamic but I mean, if the pattern of Aziraphale pushing Crowley away/disrespecting him one day and then being fine with his friendship the next + Crowley never stopping to be like "Hey, that's not cool, at least give me a little credit" or smth was fine all along and will continue to be fine in the future, then why, after 6,000 years of being friends and loving this demon, can Aziraphale still not accept that Crowley is just fine the way he is, and instead got excited to promote him to an angel in a heartbeat once the opportunity presented itself? You can't blame all of it on Heaven when Aziraphale has demonstrated his free will/defiance to Heaven so many times. Or, I don't know, I guess maybe we can? Maybe I'm just craving too much angst to the point where I'm letting it cloud my analysis of canon. Idk.