#and for some reason there are more scenes of gabriel browsing his bookshop than aziraphale himself

[fearandhatred]

what i like to do to assure myself that i am unique, and not just one of many small, white, indistinguishable, perfectly cylindrical checker pieces in jesus and satan's backgammon game, is — i'll say a group of words that i think no one has ever said, in that order. -bo burnham

good omens + textposts, part 2/?

[lililovesthings]

How did I miss this??? (Part 2)

Now previously I said that I think these two have been together (and I mean TOGETHER together) for a very long time.

I have had some more thoughts/theories...they just keep coming and to be honest I'm not even sure where to start but I'll give it a go.

I do not expect anyone to read this but in all honesty, I just need to get it out. This has been going round in my head for a few days whilst I attempt to form it into a path of logical reasoning. I think I am there and there are holes but hopefully you lot can help me fill them in. So, get comfy, we might be here a while…

Assuming the meeting in Rome was a date...they have been doing this for a long time. Now at first they were extremely careful but over the centuries they became a little more brazen with being seen in public together, knowing what they could get away with. Again, nothing too obvious.

Now, many have been talking about the bookshop as a metaphor for Aziraphale and Crowley's relationship, but I think it's more than that. I shall explain:

Before I get into it, a few pieces of information that are relatively common knowledge and/or I have come across in my daily browsing (I can’t find where I saw all of them, so anyone please help):

Neil Gaiman has said that the scenes we see between Aziraphale and Crowley aren’t all the times they’ve met. This is just the meetings we see – which is understandable considering they’ve been on the planet for 6000 years.

Zira and Crowley evidently have some form of connection or awareness to their respective head offices. Even going so far as to know when they are being watched (S1, EP 6) just before they swap back.

We can all agree that there is almost nothing that is not there for a reason; details, easter eggs, acting choices, props, set etc.

We also know that the story is pretty much plotted out so it stands to reason that there will be a few story threads that go through all episodes, however subtly.

OK. So.

Aziraphale bought the bookshop in the 1700s, up until then where did they hang out? I'm thinking they were using the various 'rendezvous points' anyway regardless, we know Crowley has a flat but we also know that hell has a sort of direct line to it.

Anywhere is very open and somewhere they can be watched. Celestials have materialized inside the car, on the street, in the flat, even on the TV. The only place they never seem to materialize? The bookshop. Even Metatron came in through the front door (when he isn't a floating head summoned through a portal). note it has no TV and no radio if I remember. The only time any demons have materialised is at the end when Gabriel got his memories back. I believe that's because the demons were "invited" in earlier on.

Here's my point. The bookshop is their safe place, it's THEIR space. Remember we don't see everything, we haven't seen everything. Every time we see them, they are in a public place, with someone watching or in the bookshop...with the curtains open. And remember, they KNOW when they're being watched.

Allow me to draw your attention to Season 2, Episode 1. Crowley is already on the way to the bookshop when Zira calls him, and when they meet in the coffee shop he is rather confused as to why they aren't in the bookshop. (Then of course we have the whole naked man friend fiasco and Crowley's reaction to that...)

When they do go to the bookshop I noticed Crowley DOES NOT EVEN QUESTION WHY ZIRA IS CLOSING THE BLINDS. He has no idea Gabriel is there, (he just knows something about a naked man, which is another conversation). Now this suggests to me that this is something that is done often.

They go into the bookshop and have their 'us time'.

This also helps this make sense:

All lovers meetings would be in the bookshop. That was their space. Alone. Where no one was watching.

Now you may be thinking “We’ve seen them alone in the bookshop before when no one was watching and they weren’t behaving like a couple.” But someone was watching. WE were watching. And as we’ve established g-d only shows us what she wants us to see. She is telling the story.

I also think they have gotten so good at pretending in public that they have developed a code of sorts. For example, I think 'Breakfast/dinner at the Ritz' means something totally different.

They care for each other so deeply that they cannot stand putting each other in harms way.

They are celestial beings so their idea of love and relationships is something that is totally different and beyond the understanding of humans.

They saw Beelzebub and Gabriel be together openly in front of everyone and Zira grabbed Crowley’s arm. To me that is a very ‘familiar’ gesture. It’s saying ‘Look, they’re doing it. We can do that too.’ He then proceeds to look at Crowley with such loving adoration as if he cannot see any reason that they can’t be together openly and honestly.

Aziraphale then goes to coffee with Metatron whilst Crowley waits in the bookshop and tidies up. There is something strange about this. Throughout the time he is taking care of the bookshop whilst Zira is in Scotland, we see him chucking books all over the place. Even at the end we see him chuck a tray of food on the chair. So why is he tidying up now? – he tidies up because they are going to USE it.

He says, they are going to an ‘Extremely alcoholic breakfast at the Ritz.’ So if they are not going to be at the bookshop, why would it matter if Muriel is there or if it’s tidy? They do need US time. It’s a euphemism, it’s code. “Breakfast at the Ritz”, “I’ll give you a lift”, “Waiting inside”.

This is why it shocks Crowley so much when Nina thinks they’re a couple. They think they have been hiding it so well for a VERY long time and he can’t believe that someone has thought that for real. Yes we have all done it and been on the receiving end when someone thinks you’re a couple and you aren’t, it happens. But Nina just flat out refuses to believe that they’re not.

That is when Crowley goes to the winebar. Zira asks him why he isn’t ‘waiting inside’ “You like waiting inside.” As in “We never have a date in public, they can see us.” Then Crowley explains it’s because Jim is in the bookshop but in reality it’s probably partly because he’s realised that they haven’t hidden it as well as they thought they did, so they may as well sit there.

That reaction when Shax says to Zira, that hes not Crowley’s type? Seriously, that is a very much a “That’s what you think.” look.

We are a group of the two of us and we’ve spent our existence pretending that we aren’t. – They really were pretending. He wasn’t talking about being in denial about their feelings for one another, he was literally saying they were PRETENDING not to be together. Now he wants everyone to know. He doesn't want to pretend anymore.

He thought Zira felt the same way until he told him about the whole 'going back to heaven' situation. Not sure how it would have gone if Crowley spoke first.

Aziraphale did not seem shocked by Crowley's confession. He already knows. What he doesn't understand is why he doesn't want to go to heaven.

Zira still believes in the fundamental goodness of heaven because he has nothing to compare it to. Crowley has been on both sides and knows they are both as bad as each other “Life on earth would be just as dead, if heaven ended it.” That’s is why Crowley wants so stay on earth or go away with Zira.

Zira wants to go with Crowley to heaven because as others have pointed out, that’s where he believes they will have the best life and be able to be together. Crowley knows different, he was cast out into a pool of boiling sulphur just for asking questions. So he walks away and says ‘good luck’. Zira has not had the same experience of heaven Crowley has, Crowley has experienced the worst of the universe on both sides and can’t live like that anymore.

So "You can't leave this bookshop" yes, indeed, as we have established means "Don't leave US."

We could have been ‘US’. But Aziraphale won’t see it. So Crowley does the only thing he can think of and kiss the love of his entire existence. Whilst they are being watched. That is why Aziraphale says ‘I forgive you’. It isn’t just an ‘I love you’ it’s an ‘I forgive you for telling them our secret.’ I forgive you for trying to change my mind.

More in Part 3...

[go-events]

GO Rom Com Spotlight: @bilboo

The lovely @bilboo (also perkynurples on AO3) has claimed The Vow to adapt for Good Omens in the Good Omens Rom Com Event.

For reference, here’s a little background about the source material!

About The Vow: Paige (Rachel McAdams) and Leo (Channing Tatum) are happily married newlyweds, but their idyllic life together suddenly shatters when a car accident leaves her in a coma. When Paige awakes, she has severe memory loss and doesn't know Leo. She also has a confusing relationship with her parents (Sam Neill, Jessica Lange) and still harbors feelings for a former fiance (Scott Speedman). Despite these difficult obstacles, Leo is determined to renew their bond and rebuild their marriage.

We spent some time chatting about how the adaptation is coming so far, as well as future plans for it! Now, get to know @bilboo a little better!

* * *

goromcom: Beginning with a bit about you, or at least, what Tumblr thinks it knows about you. Tumblr says you post “about #thorin and #ovw". I do indeed enjoy discovering what other fandoms the romcom participants enjoy. What if I made you choose only one of Good Omens, The Hobbit/LotR, and Overwatch? (What an evil question that is!)

bilboo: One might think that’s a difficult question, but compared to a lifelong obsession with everything Tolkien, Overwatch was only a short foray into a different fandom. I’ve been reading Tolkien all my life, and same goes for Terry Pratchett’s Discworld, which is how I came across Good Omens many years ago, of course. I choose Tolkien without a moment’s hesitation, because it’s transformed from the stories my father read to me and my brother at bedtime, into this hugely inspirational experience which has helped me become a better writer, and meet many amazing people. The Good Omens fandom feels like visiting a familiar place after a long absence, in a way :)

goromcom: I had an early bonding moment with the person I went on to marry over the fact that I recognized an obscure Tolkien quote in his email signature, so I understand. :)

But on to your romcom!  You chose to adapt The Vow. Has this movie been a favorite of yours, or is there some other reason you chose it?

bilboo: Funny story actually, I came to this event a bit late, and I was browsing the stories still available to be claimed, and I didn’t even recognize The Vow at first - clicked on it and realized, hey! I’ve seen this before! And it has an amnesia storyline, of course I need to adapt this. Cue me rewatching it half a dozen times and coming up with a Good Omens adaptation :)

goromcom: I love that! What's your favorite moment of your movie, and are you looking forward to presenting it in your adaptation? Any loose plans for that scene that you can share?

bilboo: I absolutely adore the scene where Leo takes Paige on their first date - all over again. He’s so adorable, but there’s this undercurrent of heartbreak - he tries so hard throughout the entire movie to just make her happy, hoping but at the same time daring not to hope too much that she will remember him, and it really shines in this one scene. He wants Paige to fall in love with him all over again, and I think in a way, the same is happening to him.

goromcom: Aww, it sounds sweet. Other than that, do you plan to stick very closely to the beats of the original story, or make bigger changes?

bilboo: It’s definitely going to stick to the main beats of the original in that it will be a modern human AU, but other than that, my adaptation will be a little bit more… subdued, I suppose you could say. Not too many big family gatherings, a lot more introspection. Aziraphale takes Paige’s role, and he doesn’t have an art studio, but rather a familiar cozy bookshop. :) Crowley still owns a recording studio, because I thought that would be perfect for him as a music lover.

goromcom: What's an interesting decision you've made in your planning so far--a notable casting decision, a changing of venue, or some other plan you have to paint Good Omens all over your rom com?

bilboo: Working off the last question before this one, some changes do occur to involve the many-splendored list of characters from Good Omens in this fic. I’m kind of looking forward to writing Beelzebub as Crowley’s close friend, instead of their usual villainous role, and on the other hand, Gabriel will take the part of Aziraphale’s very questionable ex-boss (and perhaps ex-more). The amnesia storyline really speaks to me, and without spoiling anything, I love that the original movie didn’t take the easy, cheesy way out in the end. I mean to implement that as well.

goromcom: Interesting! But let’s not give too much away and move on to the final question, which I am blatantly stealing from The Good Place: The Podcast.  Tell me something "good". It can be something big or small. It can be a charity you think is doing good work, or you can talk about how great your pet is.

bilboo: I’ve been seeing lots of pictures of people’s pets in these interviews, and I adore that. My pets are a bit unusual, because they’re actually a hive of thousands of bees - I became a beekeeper just last year, and I was very anxious for them to survive the winter, which I’m happy to report they DID, and I can’t wait to watch them grow, and actually harvest my own honey this year!

goromcom: That’s amazing! What a lovely, constructive hobby! :)

Speaking of lovely, it’s just a short wait until the lovely GO adaptation of The Vow will begin posting! Stay tuned.