not the coolest but a little interesting

Throw away all that bullshit of Nina going bankrupt, get it out of your head it never happened okay? okay cool.

Now the exact same scene where Aziraphale gets a dressing down from Mrs. S and she walks away, and Aziraphale is just left standing there.

The camera pans around a hurt Aziraphale to the sidewalk where a blurry figure approaches.

"Oh my goodness, it is you! Mr. Fell!'

Crowley sleeping in an alley and drinking himself to oblivion night after night can work as comedy when he's a handwave away from a comfortable bed and sobriety. And that's the tone it's presented to us in, as comedy. Which fits because that's the tone of the previous seasons as well. We know he's not human, the usual human rules don't really apply.

But then we learn he can't do miracles. He can't sober up, so he's getting the full blackout drunk experience, including waking up the morning after. He can't miracle his clothes clean. He's sleeping rough, exposed to the elements. Even if we assume his corporation isn't subject to hunger, temperature fluctuations, and the negative effects of that much continued alcohol consumption, waking up soaking wet because it rained again in London, with a hangover, isn't going to be a fun experience. And it's been a few years! So throw winter weather into the mix. The more you consider the implications, the worse it gets.

There are things he could be doing to improve his living situation, but they're more work than a snap of the fingers, and he's depicted as severely depressed. Motivation to make things better, even if the task required isn't particularly difficult, tends to be thin on the ground once that sets in.

If you start ballet at 16, you are too old to ever expect to be able to do it seriously. If you start at 12 you’re too old. If you want to do ballet as a serious thing, as a career, you need to start at like eight years old or even younger, because your bones and joints need to be trained while they’re still flexible in order for you to be able to perform many of the required motions and stances of ballet. In particular, you need to be able to perform turnout of the hips, but all of your joints in your legs and feet will be affected, and this irreversibly changes your body.

And yet! Nobody talks about this as a negative thing! Little girls say they want to be ballet dancers, and if their parents have enough money, that’s what they get to be! Does it cause problems in later life? Yeah, sometimes! Often, even! But nobody talks about that because it’s a thing for cis people to do and so naturally it’s all fine!

By the time I was done dancing at age 18, I had been through physical therapy for 3 separate issues caused by ballet. The worst one was because of how my hips and muscles developed and it cause discomfort in my knees so bad that I couldn’t walk very far without pain, much less climb stairs. One time at a pt session, a neighboring patient, who was elderly, said I was “too young to be here”. I was in middle school so I rolled my eyes. It was/is funny to me.

I am 23 now, and I still get stiff in some places, and I’m sure it is related to dancing as a kid. I snap, crackle, and pop like Rice Krispies.

I have no regrets because ballet and was a big part of my life. I just know that it will have long term effects on my body and there is nothing I can do to change it.

I’ve grown up in an age that told me that denying yourself was good. Oh, you want cake? Here, have this chalk-dust square of not-cake - fewer calories, don’t you know! You want to lay on the sofa and read? Don’t you think you ought to clean the entire house first? Then perhaps you’ll deserve ten minutes. Make sure it’s approved book though - no reading purely for pleasure!

And most importantly - you must work hard to maintain yourself and your life in a certain way or no one will love you!

You know, the sort of thing S1 Gabriel said.

And then there’s Aziraphale who loves food and books and peace and his comfy clothes and his music and he is deeply loved by his demon who wants him to love all that. Aziraphale just wants a soft, sweet, delicious life - not a soldier or a leader, to just be him.

And Crowley loved that about him.

I just think that was very important about S1 Aziraphale (and not something that made much of after that) and it felt like I was being given permission to enjoy my life and I would still be able to be loved and to achieve things, even if I’d rather eat cake.

I think S2 and S3 forgot that about Aziraphale but I think that soft hedonism is a hugely important part of his character

The way the final decision was made, for me, felt like Crowley gave up on the relationship with Aziraphale. He didn’t believe they can ever be happy together, and never truly forgave him. That is why he never even acknowledged Aziraphale’s confession, not with a single word. I know this is not the only interpretation, and there are moments that feel contradictory to it, but overall this is how I see it. And you know what? I find it terrifying that when Anthony meets Asa, they can be together because Anthony doesn’t remember that Crowley was so hurt that he didn’t want to fight for Aziraphale and their love. Because Crowley's decision is magically removed. (I am not saying that Crowley was right, or that Aziraphale is to blame here. I am just trying to follow the story and see where it gets me.) Do you understand what I am trying to say? Maybe I am babbling.

More series 3 #fix-it fics for the pile...

Their Choice by thelamespaceace (NR)

“What is a person if not their memories?” A story may not need to exceed more than its ending, but just this once God allows an open ended epilogue.

or alternatively, a Good Omens Finale alternate/fix-it ending

Adjacent Moments in Time and Space by polymona (T)

Asa Fell and Professor Anthony Crowley may not yet consciously remember the Angel of the Eastern Gate or the Serpent of Eden, but the echos shine through. déjà vu [noun] : the distinct sensation that one is currently living through a situation or conversation already experienced, though one knows, logically, it must be the very first time. “You can stay at my place if you like.” It was all there, just underneath the surface.

Flying Ostriches by petrichor (T)

At the end of everything there was a bookshop and in it two complex entities who still had a lot to talk about.

With Golden String by Mischel (T)

“Did she . . . I mean, did the Almighty just declare us gods?” “Ngk.” Crowley shook his head, showing his teeth in mild disgust. “I don’t—I mean, I don’t want to be a god, but—“ “I think she just declared us gods, Crowley." A version of the ending where God does indeed create a new, godless universe, only our universe still remains standing, and God is officially done with it. Now it's up to Aziraphale and Crowley to pick up the pieces, and fill the books in the bookshop with the right words to restore their world to how it used to be. (With a few love confessions, proper apologies and dances along the way, as well as improvements to, finally, make the world a better place.)

sometime is now, someplace is here by Path_Finder (T)

Crowley arches a brow. “Do you have a better idea?” Aziraphale dares a small smile. “Surely, you of all people already know this one,” Aziraphale says. “We offer the first choice.” -/- Aziraphale didn’t really mean to try and outsmart God but, well, perhaps She had a point when she’d called him prideful.

if it's meant to be, then it will be by cryptidgenderman (M)

It started off as the strongest sensation of deja vu Asa had ever felt in his life, which was ridiculous, considering he didn't even know who he was, yet Asa felt something quite indescribable. Ineffable, even. OR: Asa starts having dreams and visions about his past life as an angel. The problems with humans is that they aren't mean to remember anything about past lives OR: The post Season 3 finale, where Aziraphale and Crowley get their memories back

Why is he still wearing tartan, why didn't he immediately help Crowley up in the alley, why didn't he want to eat, why did he ultimately say yes to Heaven, why did he insist the car is theirs, why is he forgiving Crowley when he calls him an idiot, why is he trying to turn insults of god into praise of who Crowley has always been. Why is not everything he does perfect and perfectly curated to please Crowley? Yes, the writing is terrible and the treatment of Aziraphale in S2 and especially in S3 even worse. Yes, they are both written ooc. We know them better. At least I hope we do. Crowley is mean and cruel and doesn't seem to love Aziraphale at all in S3. And it starts in S2. He threatens and promises and then does nothing about either. Waves Aziraphale off to talk to Metatron who he just watched wanting to remove Gabe's memories.

But when it's discussed, there's always the undertone of - 'it's understandable' to it. Crowley was heartbroken. Aziraphale is not enough. He's not trying hard enough. He's not understanding enough. Ah, poor demon.

Crowley's actions are always excused, always reasonable. He drinks, he gambles, he yells at Aziraphale, he's sarcastic with him, he mocks him for the magic tricks (that saved his skin). That's all fine. He's a demon. And he has a lot to deal with and then he has this angel full of faults who's just not good enough. He can't be good enough or they would already be happy together. Right? Whatever Aziraphale does is always dubious. Is he doing this because he still believes in Heaven? Because he's scared of not being 'good'? Does he need more lessons to learn? More explanations? Maybe more pain to endure? Surely he couldn't like tartan jusst because he wants to set his own family away from Heaven. It's not possible he strongly hints at the car being theirs to establish they are an 'us', a group of the two of them. Like with the bookshop that Crowley was always free to enter. Surely it's not possible Aziraphale does things and says things out of caution rather than a strong need to belong to Heaven he can't shake off (which we see him despise and be scared of). He just can't let go of the cult he's in. Right?

Crowley's flaws are often treated as states of being, while Aziraphale's flaws are treated as moral or intellectual failures.

Crowley drinks because he's hurting, runs because he's scared, gets angry because he's frustrated, lashes out because he's heartbroken, withdraws because he's traumatised. It's all internal. It's about him.

Aziraphale wants to fix things, holds on to hope, seeks safety, hesitates, compromises, finds technicalities. Puts on breaks. The explanation is always - he still hasn't learned. His flaws are things to be fixed from outside. Preferably by Crowley. Who knows everything.

Crowley is described with compassion - why is he acting like this? While Aziraphale is looked at with judgment - why hasn't he figured this out yet? this ends up in people trying to understand Crowley. And correct or fix Aziraphale.

Aziraphale and Crowley go thorugh misunderstandings. Yes. And the fault is always laid on Aziraphale. Why didn't he communicate better? Why didn't he understand what Crowley wanted? Why didn't he fix it? Why didn't he just do what Crowley wanted? What is wrong with him?

Meanwhile the angry rebel gets all the grace. His flaws mean he's true to himself. His anger proves he cares. His recklessness proves he's passionate. His refusal to compromise proves he's principled. His descent to despair proves how much he loves. Right?

Aziraphale never gets the same luxury. He's not happy? He just didn't try hard enough. It's his fault.

Crowley says - let's leave. And everyone thinks, yeah, finally, be free! But Aziraphale always asks - and then what? And everyone goes - booo, you are hurting your demon, finally leave your side silly angel!

Fanart based on a bittersweet fic I read about Crowley and Aziraphale sheltering during the flood.

The fics called "Pull Up the Ladder When the Flood Comes" by midnightdragons on AO3. I just really liked the scene as a whole.

Scroll for close ups and some minor spoilers (it's a quote I liked)