#he’s so excited about his nebula and all the stars that could be created there (on their own!) if given the chance

[tiredgoblingalore]

Crowley creating the stars and nebulae shows how much love he has for creation itself. He's so excited to create and so mesmerized when everything comes into existence. He's so excited at the thought of stars forming on their own, of creations creating, only to be then told that no, all of this will only last for 6000 years. And he knows that that's nothing and he starts asking questions because what's the point in not ever giving existence a chance? What's the point of creation if it doesn't have a chance to start creating itself, if it doesn't even have a chance to reach its potential? It's not some fancy wallpaper, it's the universe. All he wanted was for it all to simply exist, because to him, that in and of itself is marvellous. He knows he cares and he doesn't want to destroy it all so it doesn't make sense to him. How could the Almighty care about their creations if the plan has always been to just destroy them all? He fell because he wanted to give existence a chance when God didn't.

[yoonsdoll]

his star - yjh

content : n-i!jeonghan x gn!reader ; friends to... something more idk ! ; fluff n romance ; 1.3k words warnings : reader is called 'pretty' - actually, he was your star too . an : i miss hannie already SIGH i am not taking the news well

When Jeonghan invited you on a date randomly, you didn’t know what to expect but somehow it was so fitting. It was something different, but he still took into consideration all he knew about you, creating something ideal for you both — a date at the planetarium. The evening began as you met him outside the building, the city’s soft glow casting a golden light over his pretty face. He stood there, waiting with a smile that always managed to make your heart flutter, his hands tucked casually into the pockets of his jacket.

“You ready for a little trip through the stars?” he asked playfully.

Of course you were. You were ready to go anywhere with him. You nodded soon after, excitement bubbling in your chest. There was something magical about the idea of spending the evening together beneath a sky full of stars, even if it wasn't the real one.

As you stepped inside, the planetarium was dimly lit, casting a peaceful, almost dreamlike atmosphere. Jeonghan led the way, finding the perfect seats in the centre where you’d have the best view of the projection. You sat down beside him, the armrest between you feeling like a small barrier, though the warmth of his presence was (as always) unmistakable.

The lights dimmed further, and the dome above you both began to fill with stars — thousands of tiny, sparkling lights stretching across the ceiling like a canvas of the night sky. A soft voice begins narrating, guiding you through the wonders of the universe, but it’s Jeonghan’s quiet voice beside you that captured your attention more than the show itself.

“This is pretty amazing, right?” he murmured, leaning in slightly, his voice barely above a whisper. “It’s like we’re floating in space.”

You glanced over at him, and even in the low light, you can see the soft smile on his lips, his eyes sparkling thanks to the stars above.

As the presentation continued, Jeonghan couldn’t help but make lighthearted comments, whispering them so only you could hear. He pointed out constellations, giving them silly names instead of their real ones.

“See that one over there?” he whispered, leaning in closer, his shoulder brushing against yours as he pointed at a cluster of stars. “That’s the constellation ‘Sleeping Bunny.’ It’s super rare.”

You stifled a giggle, your heart warming at his playful nature. “You’re just making things up now.”

“Hey, I’m an expert at this,” he joked, his tone light. “I could guide tours here if I wanted.”

Despite his teasing, there’s something about the way his voice dipped to a softer tone as he talks about the stars that made your heart race a little. He’s close—closer than before—and it feels like, in this quiet space filled with the cosmos, the universe has shrunk to just the two of you.

As the show transitioned to a slower, more awe-inspiring segment about distant galaxies and nebulae, the mood shifted into something more cryptic, almost surreal. The narrator talked about the vastness of space, about how small we are in the grand scheme of the universe, and Jeonghan grew quieter, as if the beauty of the moment had settled into his bones.

You both sat in comfortable silence, watching as galaxies swirled and stars exploded in brilliant colours. Jeonghan’s hand, resting casually on the armrest between you, inched just a little closer. You could feel the warmth of his fingers, almost brushing against yours, and your pulse quickened.

Then, just a moment later, his pinky softly hooked around yours, the smallest of touches but one that sent a rush of warmth through your entire body. He glanced at you out of the corner of his eye, and when your eyes met, he gave you a gentle smile—one that’s almost shy, but full of hope.

“It’s kind of crazy, isn’t it?” he said, his voice barely above a whisper now. “How vast everything is… and yet here we are, together.”

There was something deeper in his words, an unspoken connection forming in the quiet between you two. The stars above seem to shimmer a little brighter, and for a moment, it felt as if you both noticed the connection between you, just like two stars in a constellation.

Impulsively, you gently shifted your hand to meet his, your fingers lacing together naturally. The soft touch felt right — like it was meant to happen all along. Jeonghan’s thumb brushed over the back of your hand, slow and deliberate, as if savouring the moment.

“I’ve been wanting to do that,” he admitted quietly, almost playfully teasing you for being the braver one of the two.

The two of you stayed like that for the rest of the show, your hands intertwined, the warmth of the gesture grounding you both even as you watched distant galaxies millions of light-years away. Every now and then, Jeonghan gave your hand a gentle squeeze, and you couldn't help but glance at him, catching him smiling to himself.

Once the show ended, the gentle hum of the planetarium faded as you and Jeonghan stepped outside into the cool evening air. The night was quieter than before, the city’s distant sounds barely audible as the two of you lingered just outside the entrance. Above, a few stars peeked through the clouds, not nearly as breath-taking as the ones projected inside, but still worth admiring.

Jeonghan’s hand remained in yours, a soft, steady connection that had your heart fluttering. “They aren’t quite as impressive as the fake stars.” he hummed with a playful sigh, tilting his head towards the sky. But there was a lightness in his tone, as if the real stars didn’t even matter — because in that moment, his attention was on something else.

“You’re like a pretty, bright star, just on earth… so I'd say you make up for it.” he added quietly, his voice soft, as if he was letting you in on a secret.

His words caught you off guard, a rush of warmth spreading through your chest. Jeonghan stepped just a little closer, and before you could respond, his free hand gently lifted, brushing a lock of hair behind your ear. His fingers were soft against your skin, lingering for a moment longer than they needed to. The way he looked at you under the dim street lights made your breath hitch — like he was admiring something precious, something close, something real.

“I liked tonight a lot — I mean, I like being with you in general but…” he shared softly, his voice laced with something so genuine it made your heart swell. “I think I could sit under a sky full of clouds and still find it beautiful as long as you were sitting beside me.”

You couldn’t help but feel flustered, your cheeks heating up as Jeonghan’s gaze lingered on you, his thumb tracing a slow, soothing line across your knuckles. He watched your reaction, his eyes twinkling with the tiniest hint of mischief, but also something deeper, something meaningful. It’s like he knew exactly what he was doing — flustering you with the sweet sincerity of his words.

Before the moment could get too overwhelming, Jeonghan let out a soft chuckle, his usual playful charm peeking through again. “Okay, I'm getting a little cold now, let's get going, hm?”

You laughed, the tension easing as his words brought that playful atmosphere back. But even as you smiled, you couldn’t shake the feeling that something deeper has settled between you, something as steady and constant as the stars themselves.

It wasn’t difficult to agree, not when he smiled so sweetly at you, not when you both knew that night changed what you were previously into something more, something closer, something you both wanted. It didn’t have to be then when you’d figure exactly what that connection was, that was a conversation for the future. Maybe another evening under the stars, maybe a movie date or a picnic. It didn’t really matter, because if you weren’t confident of it before, you were now : there will be a future where you explore those feelings, because he wasn’t going to let you go now.

[darlingdaisyfarm]

just a little sneak peek of my Ford x villain!reader fic I’m working on, never felt so excited to share it 🤞🏻😭!!

You glance at him, teasing. "do you know what it feels like," your voice sounds like stardust scattered in the wind. "to be kissed by a galaxy?"

He doesn’t answer, no, he can’t. How could he? He’s mortal. He’s human. Small human. Bound by rules you don’t care to follow. But you, oh, you can bend the stars, twist time, create new worlds and he’s standing there, wide-eyed, in awe of your every move. 

You smile dangerously and with a simple flick of your fingers, you send him an air kiss.

At first, it’s light, Ford could state it's just a breeze of a thing, barely there. But then it grows, expands. Stanford feels it before he understands it with that smart brain of his, the weight of a thousand stars pressing against him, not just his lips, but whole body. His knees buckle, his breath catches in his throat. This is more than a kiss, it’s a cosmic storm, an embrace from the universe itself. His lungs burn and he swears he feels galaxies spinning inside him, pulling him in every direction at once, like a star caught in the death grip of a black hole. 

He's so lost, but captivated, trying to make sense of it, but he’s drowning in the stars, in the kiss you’ve gifted him. 

Warmth of dying suns, the icy of black holes, the crushing weight of entire solar systems — that’s probably how Ford will describe it in his journal. It's everything. Everything. And it’s all you.

You smile, the matter around you shimmering with the light of nebulae, galaxies swirling lazily in the depths of your eyes. You approach him with one hand on your hip. "Too much, Stargazer? or are you just not used to being kissed by eternity?"

"How—" Ford gasps, the words barely escaping him, caught somewhere between desperation and fascinations. "what are you. . . doing to me?" his hand grips the space where air should be, trying to ground himself, but there’s nothing, except for the weight of the universe pressing down on him.

He’s so lost, so he can’t really hold his emotions. Because then, Ford tries to laugh, but it comes out breathless, more like gasps for air, like a man stranded in the vacuum of space. "Is- is this what it feels like for you? Oh god—" he takes a sharp breath, chest heaving as if he's trying to fill his lungs with stars. "its fascinating, i can feel every star, every galaxy, all at once!”

You laugh, knowing exactly what you’ve done to him. "You’re not wrong, but don’t worry about it, Ford. You’re still standing, aren’t you?"

He can't even nod. Yeah, hell, barely, Ford can barely feel his own legs. He’s trying to hold onto his sanity, but it’s hard when the universe itself is pressing into his skin, seeping into his bones, filling every breath with the taste of stars and planets.

"Is this how you see the world?" there’s awe in his voice. "Is this what it’s like to be. . . you?"

"You couldn’t handle what it’s like to be me, Stargazer. But this—" you gesture to the swirling galaxies around you, to the cosmic ballet you command with a snap of your fingers. "This is my gift to you. Just a taste. Consider it a privilege." 

Ford’s eyes meet yours and for a moment, despite the overwhelming weight of the cosmos pressing down on him, there’s a spark of that insatiable curiosity in his gaze you’ve always admired in him. That hunger to know, to understand the unknown.

"You’re a lot more dangerous than you let on," Ford smiles. "but I suppose I already knew that, didn’t I?"

You chuckle, stepping back. "Oh, Stargazer," you say, shaking your head with that playful but evil spark in your eyes. "you haven’t seen anything yet."

And he knows that he’s at your mercy. Always has been. Always will be.

[desultory-novice]

...Needs Therapy? Tierlist

I don't often do these but I happened to see @icedragonlizard ‘s list and liked it enough that I wanted to do my own take on it based around my own HCs for the cast! (in a light-hearted way!)

[BREAKDOWN OF THE WHY'S BELOW!!]

-

[Row 1 / Doesn't Need Therapy]

I almost put Kirby in his own tier for "...is the therapist" but I thought it might look like he was giving up on the last row! (And in some cases he kinda did but still! XD) But anyway, yes. I think Kirby is just as strong mentally as he is physically. He doesn't need someone to talk to about bad dreams. He's the one who eats up bad dreams. ^_-

OG Animal friends (Rick, Coo, Kine) are all good in my book. Maybe they're just blissfully unaware of some of the chaos from the later games or maybe they're just okay with it cause they've got such a good foundation of support built up already? And despite creating "Apologies," I think Adeleine is not all that troubled on the day-to-day and is being an adventurous kid living her best life right now! Ribbon went through some trauma but I actually think she'd be handling it okay? She could arguably be moved down a tier though. Gryll MIGHT could be moved down a tier too, depending on whether you see them as a compulsive thrill-seeker or not! Elline is also doing great. That notebook-diary of hers is peak good mental health routine!

-

[Row 2 / Got Sorted Out in a Few Sessions]

I don't think Gooey's actual -problems- would/could be solved in a few sessions, but it's clear to me he's living his best life and I think our fictional therapist would see that and encourage him to keep going! Just let the guy know that it's okay to not know who you are. Bandee by my judgement has some issues, but he seems the type to respond really well to therapy and healthy suggestions!

Pitch could maybe be moved up a tier if he really is just a baby bird. But I look in those eyes and I just...wonder sometimes if he's okay up there?? Vul definitely needs someone to talk to, but I don't think his issues are all that severe either? Voted #1 Regular Guy on this entire table. The Fairy Queen and Claycia could use someone to talk to about possession trauma, I think. Void's here instead of a lower tier because the way I see it Void already GOT therapy in game! Clawroline and Gorimondo could be moved up a tier as well, but Carol may want to talk about seeing her partner, y'know, lose his soul and Gorimondo's routines MAY be slightly unhealthy?? (How many times are you going to let Meta Knight curb stomp you, man?)

-

[Row 3 / There's a LOT to Unpack Here...]

Whispy Woods has got a long history with Kirby, sure, but the whole attacking people as soon as you wake up? I think life's taken a toll on him and that's gonna need some discussion. Dedede is...obvious. Nothing unique to add here! Chuchu's placement depends on if she's still crushing hard on Kirby after all this time or not or just sees them as friends now. Kind of a joke placement at her expense! I’m sorry, Chuchu! I really do think you’re great! Best flapjack octopus!!

Skirby could maybe be moved down a tier as their coping methods are leaning a little into the sketchy as of late! Have they turned to violence for kicks or are they just challenging their mainverse self to grow stronger? Daroach is less here for Dark Nebula and more for all the OTHER stuff he lets slip in Mass Attack! (When did your hatred of tomatoes first start, Daroach?) Prince Fluff is here entirely because of the unused missing mom lore. Without that, he's so fluffy (haha) I'd moved him all the way up to "Doesn't need therapy." Flamberge definitely has issues, as the who~le cult does, but she still strikes me as the most balanced of the three mages? As I recall it, she actually sounded kinda excited to see the Star Allies during their second fight, as opposed to the first, which was just revenge for Fran. Leongar could be bumped down a tier, since he had his soul shattered in addition to being body-puppetted and forced to speak and adopt a foreign culture for years (?!) by an evil alien lifeform(!!) but...I dunno, he seems so chill in the ending and is seen back with the support of his pack? I think he'd be really receptive?? Elfilin also has sooooo many issues, but he's demonstrated so much growth already that I think with some help processing the return of/unification with his other self, his prognosis is very good!

-

[Row 4 / Gonna Be There for the Long Haul]

It's not that I think the lonely/jealous thing for DMS is particularly damning, but when combined with the ~Dark Matter~ thing and the fact that it may be nearly impossible for them to willingly go against hive programming/defy Zero is what's gonna give them a difficult road ahead. (Gooey's a sign it can be done though.) Honestly, Drawcia might could maybe be moved down a tier? I mean, if you see her "art therapy" as the World of Drawcia then... :sweats: But I have a lot of positive Drawcia HC and I want her to be happy ^^

I think Magolor is another self-explanatory one. Even Merry Magoland makes you wonder if he's still, y'know, "okay" on the inside. Taranza and Sectonia are obvious ones too. Susie is the only one I would consider maybe moving up a tier because she's got issues but the only one she was clinging badly too in my mind was the stuff with her father and she's moved on from that better than Taranza, who was still looking to resurrect Sectonia circa Star Allies. Was tempted to move President Haltmann down a tier simply because...I don't think a therapist can do anything about the evil super computer induced brain damage/LITERAL MIND DELETION.

Francisca gets here because of the corpse-sicle thing but maybe she should be moved down a tier too? ^^ I think most of the fandom has similar feelings on Zan and her level of damage. (/loving) And while he would have deserved it mid-game, I didn't want to put Hyness in the bottom tier now because that felt kinda cruel given the guy is trying his best to get better in the end of Star Allies!

-

[Row 5 / "...Well, I think we're done here."]

I don't think there's ANY reasoning with Kracko. Kracko is just a lifelong hater! (And we love him for that!) With Marx and Meta Knight, of course the joke is that they're both irreparably unhinged (/pos) but I think there's an element of, "Well, you SEEM to have your life sorted out according to priorities that make the most sense to you (...even if those aren't what the rest of society feels is healthy OR safe...) and you seem happy where you are so, best of luck to you!"

Zero is either emotionless or made of negative emotions and neither feels receptive to therapy, I'm afraid. With Galacta Knight... I just think it's best for the therapist to get out of there before the office is destroyed! Why risk the chance it doesn't work out?! And while I don't think Dark Meta Knight is hopeless myself, I DO think the therapist would be totally valid to politely tell them, "...I don't think you need MY help ^^; Have you considered checking out your local SCA chapter?" (Alternatively, DMK could be raised a FEW levels because between the joy with which he goes at those crayon drawings and the wing-sunning flappies, he may know how to treat himself better/ know better self-care than MK - hilariously.)

ShaDe may a walking bundle of possessions in a body and I don't know how you would tackle that in therapy?! Get him an exorcism?! Sillydillo is also living their best life with, um ...a-art...therapy... so I think they're fine...? Yes. Fine. Let's go with fine. (I love you so much, Sillydillo. I love you and your only-boss-in-Kirby-with-a-one-hit-instant-kill-attack-and-it's-shockingly-brutal-in-a-still-safe-for-little-kids-way! Shine on, you crazy star!) ...Attempting to talk down Fecto Forgo nearly led to the destruction of TWO planets so let's give them a little more time centuries to cool off first, yeah? Sounds good!

...Lastly, I almost moved Morpho Knight up to the first tier because, I mean, THEY don't seem to have any problems. THEY'RE just doing their job! Maybe their problems are everyone else's problems?! XD

-

As stated before, this is more my HC (with a dash of humor) rather than an entirely objective view of the Kirby cast and is all meant in fun! (Especially the placement of guys like Meta Knight XD)

I hope it amuses/inspires rather than upsets...!

[rascalentertainments]

Wish Granted: The Startosphere 🌙🌠🌌

Since Star will be coming in chapter 3, I thought it'd be a good time to talk about Star's home, which is The Startosphere!

In this special space, its located in a cosmic space between the the mesosphere and thermosphere. In this space, millions of stars travel across the galaxy as nomads. They go around seeing different nebula formations, constellations and other wonders of the galaxy! All of the star people have cosmic power, but its never been used to the extent of actually changing their own form, let alone turning into animals or a human.

They don't have solid forms, and since there's no gravity, the star people sort of glide across space. Their outer appearance look like human people, but they're outlined like constellations with a blue, white or yellow tint. (See this Helluva Boss GIF below as an example.) Like when a person draws an animation test for a character's movements.

It can however, be a lonely life. Especially for our Star(boy). See, Star has a family. A big one in fact, but he hasn't seen them in years. And because stars are nomadic, its hard for him to make friends. He could be pals with one, but the next day he won't find them again. So he just wanders by himself, even though there are plenty stars around.

Many of the star people can see Earth from afar, but none of them have ever visited the planet itself. The stars just admire it from afar and go on about their business. Star however, was fascinated by Earth from the start and dreamed of going down there and meet the humans who all looked fun to him. He could spend hours watching them below, go away somewhere else, but always come back to Earth as if something there pulled him in like some kind of wind.

When stars reach 18 years of age, and they can pick their own names to go by. Sometimes they get them from the humans, and other times they create their own. Our Star hasn't chosen a name for himself yet, so Asha nicknames him "Star" to make things easier. Though after the adventure is over, he just might have an idea of what to call himself...

Normally, stars can't grant wishes, that's a human belief. However, Star creates his own way to do it: Going right down to Earth and helping Asha however he can. Lastly, there are a few star nomads who heard rumors of a star with more power than any other in the galaxy. One so powerful, they could grant wishes to not only humans, but other stars. But none of them have actually seen this so called "Wishing Star".

Star nomads can hear humans, but only when they pay attention to Earth. Most of the time they're too busy looking for the next exciting thing, so Earth just doesn't hold their attention like it does for our Star. However, there is one human that ends up catching his attention the most, through beautiful singing...

In the Wishverse, Star is excited to meet other Starboys because not only have their been others who've been to Earth, but now he can make Star friends and he knows he can see them again, no matter how long it's been. Not only does he gain Earth friends, now he has star friends too. He couldn't be happier. 😁⭐ (Plus he loves to hang with Suñeo and Cielo the most, surprisingly)

Hope you enjoyed this little worldbuilding here. Like I said, this is my first fantasy story. I mostly write and watch media that are sci-fi, superhero, and action. I do like fantasy, but there usually has to be a twist on it to get me invested, and Wish's concept was one of them! So I took the sci-fi part I know and used it to create this system for the star nomads. More will be revealed as the story goes on, so I hope you continue to read Wish Granted as it unfolds!

Stay awesome! 😉

@uva124 @oh-shtars @signed-sapphire @chillwildwave @tumblingdownthefoxden

@annymation @spectator-zee @lazytitans-world @kenihewa

@mythartist21 @gracebeth3604 @flicklikesstuff @emptyblog7

[crowfootwrites]

Diel

I am definitely not capable of writing a fic every day in the month of December, but today I came across @creativepromptsforwriting's December Prompt List and was immediately struck with an idea, so I picked a handful of prompts for the month of December and am going to try to put out some fics inspired by them!

Diel (adj): of or relating to a 24-hour period, especially a regular daily cycle, as of the physiology or behavior of an organism.

December 1: Starry Night (Taurik x Fem!Reader)

Warnings: none; not beta'd we die like men. | Words: ~870

One of the things you missed the most about Earth was night. On the Enterprise, drifting through space for long stretches of time, there was no day or night. Only the inky vacuum between pinpricks of distant stars. 

You weren’t really one for being homesick. Your exploratory nature made every new discovery, every new command to explore some previously unknown area of space, a reason for excitement. Nebulas, anomalies, first contacts – they all made your heart race in a way that stopped you from dwelling on what you might be missing out on back home. 

But sometimes, when all was quiet and you were between missions, or there was some occasion that needed remembering (birthdays, holidays, anniversaries), it tugged at your heart that there was no sunrise to greet you. That you couldn’t really remember what dusk was like. That the Terran moon was lightyears away. 

You’d mentioned it once, to Taurik, who merely reminded you that it was illogical to dwell on what was missing and to instead focus your attentions on the present circumstances. And you’d sighed and rolled your eyes, affectionately damning his Vulcan logic, before moving on to other topics.

You supposed he was right after all, but you were Human, not Vulcan, and you couldn’t really help the occasional bouts of nostalgia that filled your mind with memories of camping beneath starry night skies, or watching shooting stars fall over the horizon, or mapping constellations on your very first telescope. 

---

Your days had been busy recently, and you didn’t notice how Taurik watched you, far more observant than he’d allowed you to think when you first spoke to him about missing “night”. Taurik had always valued your resilience and, although he didn’t particularly understand your current plight, it was apparent to him that your discomfort was lingering more than was customary for you. And so he did as any dutiful mate would, and sought a solution to your distress.

“I think it should be just about ready,” Geordi announced, handing Taurik the isolinear chip as he rushed around the central console in engineering. “You might need to tweak a few of the parameters for the environmental controls, but other than that, you’re all set.”

“Thank you for your assistance, Commander LaForge,” Taurik replied, standing at attention. He’d given his commanding officer little information when he’d first approached him about creating a holodeck program to a very specific set of criteria.

“Happy to help, Taurik.” Geordi glanced up at the Ensign from where he’d busied himself making long-overdue adjustments to the EPS. “I think she’ll love it.” 

With that, he strode toward the warp core, leaving Taurik standing alone in Engineering with an eyebrow raised in surprise. It seemed that his commander was more perceptive than he’d previously given him credit for. 

 ---

You smoothed your sweater nervously as you arrived outside the doors to Holodeck 3. You weren’t sure what you were walking into; you only knew that Taurik had requested your presence via combadge for an outing he’d called a “courtship event”. Supposing that meant “date”, you’d changed out of your uniform once your shift had ended and made your way to the holodeck, wondering all the while what Taurik could possibly have planned. 

You pressed the control to open the doors and as they slid quietly open, your jaw dropped. 

Taurik, dressed down in casual pants and a soft-looking shirt, stood before you in front of a sky bursting with color – deep oranges blazed across a backdrop of dark blue that plunged into black night overhead. His stoic expression gave way to the barest hint of a smile as he observed your response to the holodeck program. 

He held a hand out toward you as you stepped into the holodeck, still speechless. The prickle of tears pressed behind your eyes. 

“I was hoping,” Taurik offered quietly as you slipped your hand into his, “that you might enjoy experiencing a Terran night with me.” He guided you carefully through the tall grass that covered the hillside he’d chosen. A lone tree, its limbs heavy with green, presided over the hillside, stretching its branches toward the darkening sky, and Taurik led you to a blanket laid out at its base.

Lying on your back on the blanket, you could just make out the sparkle of the emerging stars between tree branches. It was strikingly similar to a childhood memory of yours – you gasped as realization dawned on you, before staring slack-jawed at Taurik, who was settling himself beside you.

“You saw it?” you asked softly. 

Taurik nodded as he reclined, his arm pressed against yours in his closeness. He turned to look at you.

“I have seen this memory many times in your mind, ashayam,” he murmured. “It would seem to be very important to you… When you expressed that you missed experiencing the Terran cycles of day and night, I was able to perceive the depth of your longing. And as your mate, it is my duty to protect your well-being.”

At your side, you felt Taurik’s fingers brush against yours, and you returned the gentle caress, the ozh’esta sparking a warmth that flooded your limbs. Overhead, the sky settled into a gentle black, flecked with the stars you now called home.

[mimisempai]

You are the wind beneath my wings 2/?

Chapter Summary

Aziraphale and Jophiel become closer and closer, so much so that Aziraphale can't stand the sadness on the archangel's face and decides to ask some questions. 

Unfortunately, by the time he realizes his mistake, it's too late.

Notes

My nemesis, writing angst, here we go...

On Ao3

Rating G -  3472 words

Master post for this story here

"Oh, Aziraphale! You're just in time!"

Aziraphale flew toward Jophiel and raised an astonished eyebrow, "Why? Another crank to turn? Another star to heal?"

The red-haired angel shook his head and replied, "Something far more amazing!"

Aziraphale's first instinct was to tell him that what was amazing was that Jophiel was asking for his help, but he remained silent and listened to the one he now liked to call his friend. 

Amused at the archangel's excitement, he said, "Tell me?"

"Today we will create a binary star system."

As so often since his regular visits to Jophiel, Aziraphale didn't understand a word, and in a now well-honed routine, the red-haired angel explained with a flourish of gestures.

"It's a double star. If you prefer, the union of two stars that formed together. The two stars in these systems orbit around a common center of mass, which means they're tied together by gravity. It's a bit like a dance that goes on for millions of years and never ends because these stars can't exist without each other."

Aziraphale, who had been listening intently, murmured, "It's beautiful..."

"Oh yes, you'll see, they'll shine like -"

Aziraphale shook his head and interrupted, "I mean, it's beautiful that they can't exist without each other. To have such a deep and lasting and strong bond, it's incredible. I didn't know it could exist."

Jophiel hummed, then added in a whisper, "Just as I didn't know an angel like you could exist."

Aziraphale turned his head sharply toward him and asked, "What do you mean?"

Jophiel turned to the colorful sky before them and made a few gestures to move a star or two before answering without looking at Aziraphale, "I'm an archangel, but I'm not particularly respected among my peers. I mean, they don't tell me anything, but I feel it. The only one who listens to me a little bit is Saraqael. But I know that's only because they needed me to develop the Horsehead Nebula. Not exactly a common interest. But you... ever since I've known you, you listen to everything I say, ask me for explanations when you don't understand, compliment me on my job."

"Isn't that... quite normal?"

Jophiel shrugged self-deprecatingly.

"Not for me anyway."

Aziraphale was speechless. 

He had never imagined that someone like Jophiel, such a brilliant archangel, could feel as inadequate as he felt most of the time. 

He replied gently, "I have nothing to gain from this, so please know that when I listen to you, ask for explanations, or even compliment you, it's all from me and absolutely sincere."

"Thank you."

"So, this binary star system."

"Oh, I see you've picked up the vocabulary."

Aziraphale nudged the other angel with his shoulder and replied with a wink, "I have drunk your words, my dear."

"Cheeky angel."

Jophiel turned toward the sky and with a gesture sent two small particles flying toward them, so small that Aziraphale could not really see them until they landed in the palm of Jophiel's hand.

The archangel said softly, "Like last time, with the 'sick' star, but this time..."

He took Aziraphale's hand and placed it over his own, the two small particles between their palms, and continued, "Put your other hand underneath and I'll put mine on top."

Aziraphale immediately felt the same warm sensation as their hands touched.

Then Jophiel continued, "And now, like last time, infuse your power, just a little more, because it's about creation."

"Do you think I will be able to-"

The archangel gently stroked the back of Aziraphale's hand with his thumb and said kindly, "Absolutely. I have no doubt."

Then, squeezing his hand, he added, "Are you ready?"

Aziraphale nodded.

"Together."

Aziraphale closed his eyes to focus his power and directed it at the two particles between the palms of his and Jophiel's hands.

He heard a small gasp that caused him to open his eyes to see the same purple glow surrounding their joined hands. The glow was even more vivid and radiant than on the previous occasions, and Aziraphale couldn't help but gasp.

He and Jophiel bent their faces over their clasped hands and could feel the tiny particles transforming and growing beneath their palms.

The archangel said gently, "Let us open our hands now."

Aziraphale obeyed and removed his hands to see the two small particles in Jophiel's palms, now beautifully glowing. 

Jophiel lifted his hand upward and said softly, "Come, my little ones, come, fly together."

Then he sent his hand forward, and Aziraphale watched in amazement as the two particles flew off into a corner of the colorful sky. At first the two little stars appeared to be one, then they separated, as if each were taking a different path, before circling back to each other, and so on. Turning and turning in an endless dance.

He murmured, "Bound forever."

Then he looked down at his hand and continued, "I did that."

Suddenly, Jophiel's hand came to rest on his and his voice said softly, "We did that."

Instinctively, Aziraphale's fingers closed around the archangel's hand, and when he realized this, he wanted to pull it away, but Jophiel wouldn't let him and intertwined his fingers with Aziraphale's.

Just like that, hand in hand, they gazed at the two little stars circling each other, and Aziraphale once again felt that perfect sense of adequacy he felt every time he was in the archangel's presence.

Suddenly, the harmony of the moment was shattered by a sigh from Jophiel.

Aziraphale turned his head in concern and asked, "What is it?

Jophiel turned his head to look at him and said in a sad voice, "What's the point?"

"What?"

"What's the point of what I'm doing if it's doomed to disappear?"

Aziraphale didn't know how to answer, for what was there to answer? Even he now realized the absurdity of the situation. Even more so now that he had actively participated in the creation process. Creating stars so that men could worship the God who had created them, when God herself had done nothing. 

He asked Jophiel, "Do you still intend to ask questions?"

The archangel nodded.

"I just need to find the right time."

How Aziraphale hated the veil of sadness he saw in the other angel's gaze, and once again blamed himself for putting it there.

He murmured, "I'm sorry."

"Why should you be, you're not responsible. You were just telling me the truth."

"Yes, but..."

Jophiel, letting go of Aziraphale's hand, turned fully to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, saying gently, "No but, you didn't do anything wrong."

"But this isn't fair. "

"Where is that angel scrivener who so passionately told me not so long ago that the plans of the Almighty are not to be questioned?"

Aziraphale replied earnestly, "The scrivener opened his eyes, thanks to an handsome, slightly mad star maker, and realized that the universe is much more than inexplicable plans."

Seeing the archangel's eyes widen in surprise, he wondered what he'd said to make him react this way.

Handsome star maker

What an idiot.

Once again, his mouth was working faster than his brain.

"Do you think I'm handsome?"

The archangel leaned toward him, their faces now close enough that Aziraphale could feel his breath on his skin.

He swallowed and nodded slowly.

"Scrivener Aziraphale!"

Aziraphale and Jophiel jumped and parted just as an angel Aziraphale didn't recognize appeared.

The angel maintained a rigid posture and addressed Aziraphale.

"37th Degree Recording Angel Muriel. I have been asked by Archangel Michael to remind you that you must complete the reports for scrolls 200 through 235 immediately, and that they won't tolerate any further delay."

With these words, the angel Muriel disappeared as quickly as she had arrived, and Aziraphale looked sheepishly at Jophiel.

"It seems I must go."

The archangel grinned impishly as he replied, "Saved by duty, hm?"

Aziraphale replied, "Saved from what?"

Jophie answered cryptically, "Who knows?"

Then his expression softened as he added, "Thanks Aziraphale, I really had a lovely time with you."

Aziraphale shyly replied, "Me too."

"Go on, do your duty."

Aziraphale was about to leave when he couldn't resist.

"Can I come..."

"Do you want to come-"

They both laughed in embarrassment, then Aziraphale motioned for the archangel to speak first.

Jophiel asked him softly, "Do you want to come back when you've finished your reports?"

Aziraphale nodded eagerly and replied, "I was going to ask you if I could come back."

"It's a deal then."

Jophiel held out his hand and Aziraphale took it.

Again, the same warmth as their hands touched.

They let the handshake linger, then Jophiel let go before sweeping his hand away, "Come on, shoo! Or they'll scold you again."

Laughing lightly, Aziraphale flew away and couldn't help but look back before he left for good.

He saw that Jophiel was sighing again, the look of sadness back on his face.

As Aziraphale flew to the archives, he whispered to himself, a new determination in his eyes, "I will be the one asking the questions."

**********

And so, having done his duty, not without a reprimand or two from Michael, he found himself in the vestibule of Metatron's office, waiting to be met.

"How much trouble can I get into just for asking a few questions?"

Jophiel's words came back to Aziraphale and gave him courage. It was true, they weren't prying questions. They simply wanted to know why. If it was really necessary to stop everything.

"Aziraphale, 38th degree scrivener, you may enter."

Aziraphale rose and entered Metatron's office, who beckoned him to sit down with a benevolent smile on his lips.

"What can I do for you?"

"Uh... um... I wanted to know if it would be possible to have an audience with Her?"

"With Her?"

Aziraphale cleared his throat and replied, "The... the Almighty."

The Metatron leaned forward and said in a friendly tone, "And why do you want to meet Her?"

Aziraphale, encouraged by the Metatron's kind attitude, replied in a slightly more confident voice, "I would like to ask her some questions."

The Metatron rose and leaned against the desk next to Aziraphale before asking, "What kind of question?"

"Well, I was wondering... about shutting everything down, if it was mandatory, you know? I mean, what's the point of creating something so beautiful if it doesn't last? And I..."

Aziraphale had to stop because the Metatron had grabbed him by the collar and forced him to stand up. The face of the highest angel in heaven had lost all benevolence and his features were now distorted with anger as he almost spat in Aziraphale's face.

"How dare you! How dare you, you pathetic scrivener, question Her plans! What impudence!" 

He dropped Aziraphale, who barely caught himself on the chair where he'd been sitting just before, as Metatron resumed, hammering his finger on Aziraphale's chest as he continued, his anger seeming even stronger, "It's him! I'm sure he's the one who polluted your mind! That cheap archangel! That star-maker! Stars? Useless in my opinion! One of his whims! She's the one who wanted him to be an archangel! What a mistake! But I'll fix it, right away!"

He called, "37th degree angel scrivener Muriel! In my office!"

Aziraphale saw the angel appear and stand at attention, awaiting Metatron's orders.

"Get me Archangel Jophiel, immediately!"

"Yes, your reverence."

Muriel left as quickly as they had arrived and Aziraphale was filled with fear, wondering what Metatron's plans were.

Why had he spoken?

Why had he not followed the advice he had given Jophiel?

He had no time to wonder any further, for Jophiel entered the office, followed by Muriel.

"Helloooo, Your Reverence. You asked for me, it's annoying because you see the nebula I had to start for-"

"SILENCE!"

Jophiel realized that Aziraphale was also here and was about to approach him when Metatron continued, "So you're not happy with God's plans? Do you question her decisions?"

Aziraphale tried to intervene, "It's not him, it's me-"

"Aziraphale, what have you done?"

"I'm sorry, you were so sad after I told you what was going to happen. I tried to undo what I had done."

"Oh Aziraphale..."

"ENOUGH!"

The two angels turned to Metatron, who was addressing Muriel behind them, "Scrivener Muriel, take a scroll and please write down the following words."

Muriel grabbed a scroll and stood ready to write.

"Archangel Jophiel, Star Maker and Architect of Heaven, by this edict you are dethroned for the crime of high treason and rebellion against the Almighty. You are stripped of your flaming sword, your name, and everything that makes you an archangel... Your memory will be erased, and you will forget everything you've ever been and done. Everyone in heaven will forget that you ever existed.

Aziraphale cried out in despair, "No, no, I've asked the questions! Punish me, not him! He hasn't done anything. You can't..."

Metatron sarcastically replied, "Oh, yes, I can, and don't worry, you will be punished as well. You'll learn the cost of trying to thwart God's plans. Muriel,  give me the scroll.”

Muriel handed the parchment to Metatron with a trembling hand and resumed their seat, casting both frightened and desolate glances in the direction of Jophiel and Aziraphale.

Suddenly Metatron raised his hand and said, "Now Muriel, you are going to walk out of this office and by the time you are through the door you will forget you were there and what you saw and go back to your work. Saraqael will be notified and will assign you to a new place of work...more remote. " 

Muriel had no time to protest as the Metatron brought his hand down and Aziraphale and Jophiel felt the flow of power pass between them, reaching Muriel behind them.

Stunned, they saw the angel's expression turn blank before they left the office.

Then Metatron said in a cold voice, "Aziraphale, 38th degree scrivener, you are to remain in this position until further notice. Under no circumstances are you to discuss anything to do with Archangel Jophiel or his disappearance."

Metatron smirked and continued, "No one will believe you anyway. If you tell anyone, if you even question the Almighty's plans, Jophiel's name will be erased from the Book of Life. While the one for whom you did this will know nothing, you will remember everything. So you'll never forget that the plans of the Almighty are unfathomable and that you have no right to question them."

While Metatron was speaking, Aziraphale hadn't noticed that Jophiel had grabbed his hand, and it wasn't until he squeezed it that he realized.

Metatron added, "Since I am magnanimous, I will give you a few moments to say your goodbyes. Do not attempt to flee, this place is surrounded by a protective ward that prevents anyone but me from exercising power."

With these words, he disappeared, leaving Jophiel and Aziraphale alone.

Aziraphale immediately turned to the archangel and, ignoring the tears streaming down his cheeks, said, "I'm so sorry, I never should have done this."

He was interrupted by Jophiel's finger on his lips, "Shh, don't be. It was you or me. I'm the one who got you involved in the first place. Listen to me, we don't have much time and..."

Aziraphale gasped and saw that the archangel's lips didn't move, but heard his voice continuing in his head.

"There's so much I wanted to say to you. Can you hear me, Angel?"

Aziraphale whispered aloud, "Angel?"

Jophiel smiled, his voice echoing in Aziraphale's head.

"In your head."

Aziraphale tried to answer mentally.

"How can you do that?"

"It's in the archangel's starter pack. Aziraphale, let's not waste time, would you mind if I took you in my arms? That way we can communicate without arousing suspicion if we're being watched."

"Yes."

"Good."

A little stiff at first, it was the first time he'd done this, after all, Aziraphale let Jophiel wrap his arms around him before instinctively wrapping his own around the archangel's waist. 

"Is that okay?"

Aziraphale nodded against Jophiel.

"In your head."

"Ah... Um... Yes, that's good."

"Okay, now listen to me without reacting. I think there's something much bigger behind the old bastard's overreaction."

"But how..."

"Let me continue. I can feel it. Unfortunately, Angel, it's all up to you now. You're the only one who knows, and you'll have to keep it a secret. Probably for a long time. You'll have to show that you're obedient, regain his trust."

"But what about you?"

"I don't know, but what is certain is that I will be somewhere and alive, otherwise why use blackmail with the Book of Life?"

"It makes sense."

"Of course it does. Then you'll find me, tomorrow, in a thousand years, it doesn't matter, but you will, and then you'll have to wait again. Until you're sure you're safe from Metatron, don't tell me anything. It's far too dangerous. Do you understand?"

"I... I think so."

Jophiel's arms tightened around him as his voice echoed in his head again.

"You'll have to be brave, Angel."

"I don't know if I will be ab-"

"I do. You're special. Remember our magic. And when you doubt, when you falter, think of the two stars that have their own orbits and never stop circling each other. Kind of like us, except I'll be off course for a while and you'll have to bring me back into orbit. Do you think you'll be able to do that, Angel?"

Aziraphale pressed himself a little tighter against the archangel's chest, drawing all the strength he could.

"Yes. I will. I, Aziraphale, 38th degree angel scrivener, do solemnly swear that I will never give up."

"An official oath? Then I'll make one, too. Although I probably won't remember it until you give me my memories back. I, Archangel Jophiel, Star Maker and Architect of Heaven, solemnly swear to do everything in my power to protect Aziraphale, 38th degree angel scrivener."

"How will you do that if you can't remember?"

"You'll find a way to make me remember, I'm sure."

Suddenly, Jophiel held him even tighter.

"He's back. I can feel it."

They let go immediately.

"Remember our vows, Angel. I believe in you."

"I promise you, Jophiel, I'll do everything I can to find you. One day you'll remember me. You'll remember that I l-"

"Well, the goodbyes are over. I think I've given you enough time. Aziraphale, you may leave us."

"Your Reverence, I'd like to stay until the end."

"Angel, no!"

"I want your last memory of this moment to be my face and not his."

Metatron nodded, "As you wish."

He raised his hand and, as with Muriel, lowered it, and Aziraphale felt Metatron's power the moment he touched the archangel.

"Angel?"

For the first time since the beginning, he saw and felt the fear in Jophiel.

"Look at me. Just look at me."

"Never forget our promise."

"Never."

Aziraphale saw the moment when all memory vanished from Jophiel.

"Ang..."

"Who are you?"

Aziraphale's heart shattered into a thousand pieces as Jophiel continued, looking terrified, "Who am I?"

Metatron replied coldly, "Nobody," and Jophiel vanished from view.

The angel gasped and couldn't help but reach out into the void where Jophiel had just been.

"Jophiel?"

There was no voice in his head anymore. He really was gone.

Aziraphale turned to Metatron and whispered, "What have you done with him?"

"Nothing that concerns you."

"But..."

"You have something to say?"

Aziraphale shook his head and Metatron added, "You can retire and go back to work."

"Be obedient. Regain his trust. "

With Jophiel's words echoing in his head, Aziraphale murmured, "Very well, Your Reverence," before turning and leaving the office.

Then, instead of going straight to the archives, he made a detour, a final transgression, and a few moments later he was looking at Jophiel's stars. The only physical proof of his existence. That he had not been a figment of Aziraphale's imagination.

Aziraphale, heavy-hearted but refusing to give in to despair, took one last look at Jophiel's work and, watching the movement of the two stars they had created together, murmured, "Wait for me, I'll find you again."

Then he turned and sank into the black web before flying back to the archives.

Present time

"Aziraphale, we're here."

Metatron's voice beside him in the elevator snapped him out of his thoughts and memories.

"I'll let you get settled at your desk, I need to see the other archangels and tell them we have a new supreme archangel..."

Aziraphale nodded affably, a smile on his lips, but as soon as Metatron was gone, his smile disappeared, giving way to a determined expression as he muttered silently, "Crowley, wait for me, it's time for me to fulfill my promise."

"In your head, Angel."

_________

Still not beta'd

Still not my native language

Still hoping you'll enjoy this story  🥰

Still thanking you for bearing with me 😝

Ineffable fan fictions Masterpost : here

[bakerstreethound]

🎻Send me a song 🎻 I’ll analyze it and tell you what fictional it reminds me of and the scenario that comes to my mind.

I know how much you love Sleep Token, I will pick their song 'Alkaline' for you. Have fun. 💙 ~ Bluebellinbakerstreet

I hope you are buckled up for the ride on this one because I adore Sleep Token’s music and will probably not shut up about it for a long time, so I thank you for sending one of their songs for I am chomping at the bit. I hope you enjoy some angst here! There is some softness if you squint.

Heart of Molecules

Contains spoilers for Good Omens Season 2; you have been warned! This is perhaps a love story, but not one you were expecting. Graphic by @firefly-graphics

Every once in a while something changes, and she's changing me. It's too late for me now, I am altered. There is something beneath. 

In short, Alkaline reminds me of a love story between Angel Crowley and the stars and nebulas he created. The absolute joy he radiates at his creations and the wonder and joy on his face are unmatched. He’s so unbelievably poud and happy at his gorgeous conjurings he worked on for who knows how long, before the beginning of time itself!

I’ve said this is a love story (and will continue to say so) this nebula and stars he falls in love with the complexity of the universe, knowing the significance of it that it’s too important to be erradicated. I would go so far as to say Aziraphale and the nebula Crowley created are both loved equally in Crowley’s eyes. 

She's not acid nor alkaline, caught between black and white. Not quite either day or night. She's perfectly misaligned. I'm caught up in her design, and how it connects to mine. I see in a different light the objects of my desire.

Again, it is Angel Crowley’s love letter to the universe he created and this ends up all being in a dream. Then he gets the notion this is the universe beckoning him home (even though he’s now a demon and needing refuge), and when he wakes along some old country road, asleep in his Bentley, and it all crushes back into him everything he lost and he wonders about the possibility of escaping back to his first love, the wonder of the stars, because he finds confort in them, as if it was a fragment of a memory long gone but he can’t pinpoint them. He knows the dream he has is definitely a call back to where he could be welcomed back with open arms, without judgement. 

It was comforting to him, yes and he could nurse what was left of his shattered heart. Which is  a reason the nebula poked at his dream, there’s still a connection to the universe he holds dear and he can’t stop thinking about them, for a creator cannot forget their creation. 

Ooh, let's talk about chemistry, 'Cause I'm dying to melt through to the heart of her molecules, till the particles part like holy water. If anything, she's an undiscovered element. Either born in hell or heaven-sent. Either way I'm into it. 

When he does return to Alpha Centuri the nebula there welcomes him, burning bright, welcoming him into her embrace. His glorious nebula burns brighter than ever, shifting in its form (almost human but not quite), wrapping him in their own sort of embrace, though he doesn’t feel the burn of them or is singed. He offers them a small smile, his glasses resting on the bridge of his nose. 

 “Gosh,” he holds back a tear, “You’re gorgeous as ever.” 

The nebula swirls around him once again, in a show of excitement, bathing him in a cloakof stars and sunsets he recognizes. Almost akin to Joseph’s coat of many colors, it drapes along his shoulders shimmering and dancing amongst the stars, colors enhanced and forms to him as if it was always meant to be. In a way it was, for the creation had crafted it for their creator when they were no longer an angel, waiting for the day when they would return to return what rightfully belonged to them. 

Not acid nor alkaline, caught between black and white. Not quite either day or night. She's perfectly misaligned. I'm caught up in her design, and how it connects to mine. I see in a different light, the objects of my desire.

Crowley chokes back more tears for this was the more than he thought he deserved. Eons of having his heart broken the almost eternal pining for his angel up above. Perhaps one day they would meet again, but for now, he’s back where he belonged in a universe of his own creation, safe amongst the stars. Here they welcomed him home tenfold. Here he could perhaps find the peace to mend his broken heart. 

******

Ace's 5yr Celebration

[tonydaddingham]

another batshit theory for the ages...

though tbh it's just a summary that interweaves a variety of them. it's long and rambly im sorry

so @booksandmate added this increíble addition to what was honestly meant as a half-hearted shitpost, and then allowed me to pepe-silvia at them in their DMs, but it's been spinning in my head ever since - because if we consider if crowley had managed to reach ten before the lightning strike, and managed to control his temper... well, what would have happened?

but that's not necessarily what im looking at here, specifically. i am however gonna start with ep1 and the lightning strike, because im somewhat dogged by nina's words in ep6 that now suddenly feel like a healthy helping of foreshadowing:

that everything started with the locked-in-the-coffeeshop-incident, which of course was precipitated by crowley losing his rag, summoning (?) lightning, and it bouncing off the café.

noting a couple of things: the lightning definitely appears to originate from crowley, right? it may well be calling like-to-like, but either way the lightning starts in him, and we suddenly then have either a) a bolt summoned from the heavens, channeled through him, and hitting the café, or b) two bolts, one of which relays back and forth from the heavens, and a further bolt rebounded on the café.

but what... is the point? im relatively on the team that it could just be building crowley-lore, playing into the "crowley is a very powerful demon 💅" characterisation, and it has the ultimate byproduct of kick-starting the events of the s2 plot; like @booksandmate said, without crowley counting to ten and controlling his anger, we wouldn't have the above, wouldn't have nina and maggie locked in the café, etc etc. but.

this locking-in business could easily, i hubristically presume (albeit less exciting, admittedly), have been written as caused by something else, or not occurred altogether (and maggie would still have shared with aziraphale that she thinks she's in love with nina, gave her the LP etc)... so why specifically did it require crowley, and such a raw display of 'demonic' power?

with that in mind, do we assume it serves a different purpose, or at least has another layer? well, we collectively seem to be surmising the latter, given god's words in the job minisode:

do you know the rules of the heavens? did you set the constellations in the sky? can you send lightning bolts and get them to report back to you?

obviously the last two now, in retrospect, seem very significant in the context of what we find out about crowley in both s1 and s2; he created nebulae and hung stars and planets, and now can seem to summon lightning. i originally wondered if it were simply a message to crowley or at least the audience that god was still watching, and had not forsaken crowley at all, but i do now ponder if its something more.

the first one is iffy, but actually... well, it definitely seems that crowley has the better measure of heaven than aziraphale or indeed anyone else has - what its motivations and limitations are, to say the least. even his line about the bees; in this respect, he is deeply perceptive of the intragroup dynamic of heaven in a way that the angels are not. and then, if we hypothesise about crowley in a pre- to post-fall context, that he Only Asked Questions, an action that may turn out to have precipitated the Big Bad, then yeah - maybe crowley does in fact know the rules of the heavens, and learnt it the hard way.

and this doesn't even take into account the whole general parallel between job and crowley in receiving undue punishment "and not even to know why". whilst i do still hold that the minisode flashbacks may well be crowley's POV, that is largely irrelevant; we know crowley displaces his emotions surrounding the fall/god onto his plants in modern day, and we are immediately introduced to the minisode with the display of him doing the same to job's goats.

either way, i think that we can be reasonably certain that whilst maybe unintentional at the time, god's words were a direct mirror to events unfolding/character history revealed for crowley at the very least in s2. even if we step outside taking god's action/inaction literally in job, and see it as a parable, it's a lesson that sometimes suffering occurs for no reason, that the universe is not always explainable and certainly not always good, but trust in god and god's power. icky to think about, at least for me, but the same passage (job 41, god's answers) then brings me to my next thought: the matchbox.

i wrote a follow up to a fab post looking at where i feel the matchbox might come into play (specifically, job 41:19 that is inscribed on the side of it), but here is the précis of sorts:

given that the matchbox features the quote before being dropped in heaven, it was potentially placed there in the pub as a long-standing direction for gabriel 'for when the time came', a mark of omniscience

the passage itself may refer to the leviathan as per job, but imagery-wise refers to the heaven trial in s1, where crowley-as-aziraphale spits out fire at the archangels

it's the last thing gabriel reads before he heads down to earth. he still thinks it's aziraphale (ie. heaven is presumably not aware of the body-swap at that point), and so heads to where he knows aziraphale will be - the bookshop - to seek... protection?

if the message however was put there by god, who is omniscient (and the narrator of s1), they would have been directing gabriel towards crowley, not aziraphale... crowley who is homeless living in his car, but whose own last sanctuary is that same bookshop

and lastly, it seems that it's only crowley that is able to unlock gabriel's memories... we know that crowley definitely has some kind of hypnotic, trance-like power, and this might be key... especially as gabriel then starts recounting memories (and prophecies...?) that he wasn't present for - only god, job, aziraphale and crowley.

(tbh, i then wonder how far the 'signs from the almighty' might extend to buddy holly playing in that bar, for beelzebub to introduce the concept of music to gabriel, 'information in a tuneful way'.)

i also want to pay some attention to the 25-lazarii miracle, because im still obsessed by the idea that the miracle didn't quite work as intended, or at least not in the way crowley ends up describing in ep6. summary:

gabriel took his gabrielness and put it in the fly, and the fly followed him into the bookshop and continued to chill there quite happily for all of s2

michael and shax seem to be able to sense gabriel to varying degrees - michael in ep2, and shax in ep3 - where i think it's possible they're sensing the consciousness of gabriel stored in the fly. in any case, they are all able to perceive and acknowledge jim as a inconsequential human, which in any case goes directly against 'not noticing' him in that form

when aziraphale and crowley do the miracle, they hold hands with jim - where gabriel definitively isn't - and attempt to hide gabriel. but if gabriel isn't in there, and it didn't work on jim, and yet a miracle still registers up in heaven, what did the miracle actually do? did it hide someone else?

if god is somehow channelling themself through jim, as we see in ep2 and ep3, did the boys - in fact - hide god?

but then, now that im thinking about, would a miracle of that magnitude only take 25 lazarii? what if instead it's the son of god, who has the power of words to give eternal life? the power, when he returns, to grant humanity eternal salvation, or eternal punishment? john 6:68 (yes, the verse number struck me dumb for a minute):

hold that thought (sorry) for a minute though, because the lightning strike came before hiding anything... so, does the lightning serve a different purpose, in the wider narrative? well, let's consult matthew 24 and break it down:

lighting strike? ✅* (more on this later on)

carcass around which eagles (or vultures depending on the version) gather? im gonna hazard a ✅

or considering the more metaphorical:

sun shall be darkened, moon will not give her light? bit of a stretch, but darkness fell pretty quick in ep5, certainly more rapid than would be warranted for 6.30pm, and lasted that way, presumably, until the demons had all been eviscerated... so, tentative ✅ (though given the green lighting... it could have all just been the demons, sure)

stars from heaven, and powers of heaven will be shaken? not too sure on the stars, unless you potentially count it in with the above darkness thing, but the metatron making a surprise appearance would suggest that the powers definitely be shooketh ✅

if we look at verse 30, this suggests that this hasn't happened just yet; that whilst we may be gearing up towards the second coming, it hasn't actually happened*, and this is where we'll lead into s3.

but if we continue matthew 24 (discussed in this post and this post too by @paperbunny):

days of noah: okay so yeah this could well be a literal flood, and tbh i still think (i wear glasses, so full disclosure ok) that that little snippet behind aziraphale in the first link looks like an optical illusion of a flood, but the chapter continues to clarify a little more about what was happening before the great flood, that humanity will exist in a similar bliss until the second coming arrives... so, a tentative ✅

eating and drinking ✅ there is a lot of eating and drinking imagery in s2, no doubt, but i feel like the coffee and eccles cakes in ep1, before the lightning, play a potentially major part here* (again, more on this later on)

marrying and giving in marriage ✅ if you take into account the whole maggie/nina subplot, gabriel/beelzebub subplot, and then The Big One that is crowley's marriage proposal in ep6

one shall be taken, the other left ✅ 💀 i don't need to explain this surely

two women grinding at the mill, one shall be taken, the other left ✅ ...ish. grinding maybe as a reference to how maggie and nina end up in the café together, working together, then visit crowley and end up Not Getting Together for Good Reason, but where crowley leaves them is that maggie is back in the record store, asleep (and waiting for nina to heal)

but where i come back to the *s is twofold:

nina says eccles cakes would calm someone down. aziraphale seems to consider it, and believe her. he takes the eccles cakes with him, deliberately hands them off to crowley so he can open the door, and the last interior shot before crowley loses his mind is the cakes, untouched, on the table. we know aziraphale seems to have a knack for unconscious miracles/reality manipulation, so what if by believing the eccles cakes would in fact calm crowley down, they actually magically take on the attribute that they would calm him down? im calling this diversion-from-matthew-24 #1

and then the lightning strike itself; crowley fails to rein in his temper, and the lightning shenanigans happen... but matthew describes that it cometh from the east, and shineth unto the west... but in crowley's case, the lightning strikes the bookshop, which lies to the east (going by the compass in aziraphale's bookshop) (actually technically north-east i guess)... diversion-from-matthew-24 #2.

this where im wondering a few things, as a culmination of all of the above...

did god foresee a good portion of all of this, and the events that follow, and warn gabriel ahead of time to seek out aziraphale and crowley via the medium of the matchbox?

does crowley, having not eaten the cakes, summon lighting because he did not Calm Down, constituting as the first sign of the second coming - and was just a wee bit ahead of schedule?

and did he botch it, à la s1 baby swap, by it hitting the coffeeshop instead of the bookshop (going to the east, not the west)? and is the lightning reaching upwards towards the heavens significant?

did crowley's lightning summon jesus, yank his... spirit? soul? out of heaven, and bring it earthside, and it attached itself to jim, currently a vacant vessel?

aziraphale and crowley hide said jesus spirit inadvertently with the 25 lazarii miracle, expecting to hide gabriel?

when jim goes all purple-eyed-mystic-meg, is that jesus speaking? speaking as an omniscient being with his mother's voice, and prophesying the rest of the second coming with "a tempest... great storms"?

and yet, despite this, all the signs of the second coming continue throughout s2, and possibly even kick-start the last judgement, with the various mentions of people going missing? hell being understaffed?

if you've made it this far, kudos

[sparkplug02]

Good Omens Theory that I will work into a fanfic one day (S2 Spoilers)

Disclaimer: I just binge-watched the show, and only once, and I have not read the book yet. It's on hold at the library, I promise. I have been in the fandom officially for all of about a week now.

Angel!Crowley (the most popular theory I've heard is that he used to be Raphael) did in fact march up to God and 1) create a suggestion box and 2) immediately fill it with questions. I think this is before Satan/Lucifer fell with the other demons, and God did, in fact, answer Angel!Crowley's questions. All except for one, which was "what's the plan?" God didn't need a plan yet because Lucifer hadn't fallen yet. She was just going off of vibes at that point, and the vibes were, for the time being, good.

Angel!Crowley has lots of questions about the humans, one of my favorites being "are the humans ever going to appreciate my nebulas or are they not going to be smart enough to figure out how to see them with their tiny eyeballs that only see in the visible spectrum?" She assured him that they will, eventually, appreciate his nebulas. Not really the important part. The important part is human nature, because angels already know what is good and right, but how will the humans know? God explains that She and all the angels will teach the humans and they will learn. Smart little things, they will be, She tells him, and we will teach them everything in the Garden of Eden.

Except Lucifer falls. Lucifer wants to corrupt the humans and a lot of the demons get on board with him. Angel!Crowley does not, but he is the one to raise the question (unsurprising at this point) "What's going to happen to the humans?" He's becoming fond of them, after all, and he was going to teach them about the stars. "What if the Lucifer and the demons get to him first? Won't they teach the humans to be evil, not good like we will?"

This is true. Angel!Crowley is exactly right, and it's at this point that God realizes She needs a plan. An Ineffable Plan, to be precise. Angels and demons are going to crowd the Garden of Eden, trying to vie for the attention of the humans to teach them either good or evil. This is not only a problem but a headache. If She doesn't come up with something, the humans will follow the teachings of whoever they hear first, or whoever they have heard most recently. Not good.

"Well, if we're teaching them what is right, won't they know?" Angel!Crowley asks. "Can't they just choose to follow the angels instead of the demons?"

"No," God says, "because they do not know the difference between good and evil. They do not have that knowledge. We were supposed to teach them."

"What if they did?" Angel!Crowley asks. "What if they could choose for themselves?"

That was the most important question Angel!Crowley ever asked God.

"I cannot give them knowledge of evil," She says, trying to think. There must be a way to make this work. "Only Lucifer or a fallen angel could do that. I cannot put that burden upon any angel, and whoever gives them the knowledge of good must also give them the knowledge of evil if they are to be able to choose. They must have free will."

She thinks. There must be a solution. There must be a way to enable Her beloved humans somehow.

"What if I do it?"

"Angel, I told you. Only a demon could-"

"What if I Fall on purpose?"

That question very nearly broke Her heart on the spot. Angel!Crowley usually sounded so confident, so curious, so excited about his questions, but not this one. This question was timid, even a little scared, but oh so brave. "What if I Fall and become a demon and give the humans the knowledge of good and evil? What if I give them free will?"

It would work, She realizes. That is perhaps the worst part. It is the only thing that might work. The first part of the Ineffable Plan is in place.

Angel!Crowley writes his last question on a piece of paper along with his angel name: "What if I Fall on purpose? -Angel!Crowley." For his sake, God takes Angel!Crowley's memory as he Falls, and when he lands in Hell, he only knows two things: that he Fell for asking questions, and that he must tempt the humans into eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

He succeeds. In those days, many angels and demons were preparing to teach and tempt Adam and Eve, but Crawley beats them all to it. Upon his successful temptation, God demands that all angels and demons leave the Garden of Eden, and Adam and Eve are cast out. The angels are corralled into Heaven, and the demons sink back into Hell, unable to match the achievement of Crawley the Snake. The humans have free will.

This raises another problem. Now, angels and demons realize that humans can judge for themselves what they want. Now each side wants to be better. Metatron, in particular, is determined to win another Great War, and he immediately begins writing his plans. God ignores him. This isn't about winning, but about the humans. Angel!Crowley understood that better than Metatron ever will.

Still, She worries. If such a war were to ever happen, surely humans will perish in its wake. The first war was terrible and shook the universe. Humans are fragile, breakable creatures. Even with their knowledge, they are much weaker than angels or demons.

God never speaks to Crawley again (or Crowley, as he would later call himself), but She listens. She always listens to his questions, even missing them as the centuries go by. One of the first ones he asks, just after his temptation when he leaves the Garden of Eden, is none other than, "So what's the deal with the angel? The one who gave away the sword?"

She hadn't heard about this yet. Sure enough, when she looks at the Principality she assigned to the Eastern Gate, he is patching up the entrance but doesn't have the flaming sword he was holding mere minutes ago.

"Aziraphale, Angel of the Eastern Gate," She says, shining down upon her angel.

"Yes, Lord?"

"Where is the flaming sword I gave you, Aziraphale, to guard the Gate of Eden?"

"Sword? Right. Um... uh..."

An amused smile tugs at the corner of Her mouth.

"Big, sharp, cutty thing. Yes. Uh... Oh, must have, uh-- must have put it down here somewhere. Um..."

God has heard enough, and she is laughing as she hears Aziraphale remarking something about forgetting his own head. This angel has lied to Her, to the Almighty, about giving his sword to humans. Aziraphale, too, understands the purpose of the angels better than the Metatron. How remarkable!

It suddenly dawns on Her that this is the piece she was missing. With the flaming sword, the humans will have power to protect themselves, to resist their own destruction. They will be able to fight war, pestilence, pollution (though hopefully not for a long time), famine, and even death.

Without realizing it, God had found the second piece of the Ineffable Plan.

She keeps the slip of paper, the one with Crowley's most important question on it, though he does not know it, in her pocket. It holds his memory, and She protects it. For over six-thousand years, somehow, a certain sword is never destroyed, never rusts, and has a tendency to suddenly catch fire. It never strays far from London. Metatron has long since stopped listening to Her. The Antichrist is born in Tadfield.

Three children pick up Aziraphale's sword and face down three of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The Antichrist, Adam, in all his humanness, stares down Death. Death leaves. When Lucifer's rage escapes Hell and invades Earth, Aziraphale and Crowley are standing at Adam's side to help him and give him strength. Aziraphale holds his sword again and remains steadfast as Adam rebukes his Father-Who-Is-No-Longer-In-Heaven. Crowley stops time just to tell Adam that he has a choice, that reality will listen to his choice.

The Supreme Archangel that replaced Lucifer, Gabriel, has run off with Beelzebub, Duke of Hell. Aziraphale very nearly starts a war by using his halo to protect a pair of lovely lesbians, and Crowley makes up a law the other demons are too stupid to check. In six-thousand years, they have become so human that they love each other, but Metatron is still insistent upon his Great War. He tears Crowley and Aziraphale apart. First, he threatens to write any angel found helping Gabriel out of the Book of Life, and Crowley fears he will lose his angel. Then he implies that Heaven is talking about blaming the rogue demon for Gabriel and writing him out of the Book of Life, and Aziraphale fears he will lose his demon. Crowley tries desperately to get Aziraphale to run from Heaven, and Aziraphale tries desperately to bring Crowley back. Neither of them succeed. Metatron is determined to bring about the Second Coming.

She keeps Crowley's question in her pocket. She makes sure Aziraphale's sword is still safe, out of the hands of angels and demons and instead in the hands of humans. Not yet, She knows. One day, She will return Crowley's memory. One day, she will explain why She did not get angry at Aziraphale for giving away his sword.

One day, She will explain her Ineffable Plan to the angel and the demon. One day, God will tell Crowley and Aziraphale that they ARE her Ineffable Plan.

But not before they redo that kiss properly. She has been watching them for six-thousand years, and by Herself, they WILL eventually figure it out.

Bonus:

Crowley: *replaces Job's old children with his old children three new children*

Gabriel: Aziraphale, are these new children?

Aziraphale: Yep! Totally! For sure, new children.

God: Good to know nothing has changed. Carry on

[themosleyreview]

The Mosley Review: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Ladies and gentlemen, we have witnessed a master storyteller achieve something that is increasingly rare these days. When a director has a set vision and direction he wants to take a story, it is harder nowadays to succeed in executing it without studio interference. From what I can tell, writer and director James Gunn fully had his hands on the reins and he delivered a much darker, topical and emotional story that I haven't seen in the MCU since the first 10 years of Marvel. The tone of a ragtag, dysfunctional and yet functional family has continued throughout their films and in their mini adventures in other appearances in other MCU films. What I loved about this film is that it lets you know right away that this was gonna be a different tale of pain, love and growth. The first film was all about the group getting together. The second film was about Peter Quill's origins and now this film pays off the many illusions to a certain characters' traumatic past to say it lightly. The trademark comedy, soundtrack and action is all their and it is even more exciting and brutal than ever before and the stakes are actually high. I actually feared that at anytime the characters could die which is a safety net that needs to be pulled more often in comic book films. All the events these characters have been through and the effect it has on all of them is on display in the most devastating and sometimes heartwarming ways.

Chris Pratt returns as Peter Quill/Star Lord and he is more depressed and heartbroken then ever. I liked seeing him take on the fact that he was falling apart with the love of his life gone, but her younger self if is alive. The insane emotional turmoil within him was refreshing and matured the character to another level. When his family is under attack, you get to see him fully unleash his killer rage. Zoe Saldana returns as Gamora and she is more blood thirsty and more in line with how she was in the first film before she met Peter. Zoe takes the character in a much harder edged direction and she created a new identiy to the character that was tough to watch. Her scenes with Peter were truly heartbreaking as he would express his love to a woman whom has no idea about their past. Karen Gillan was exceptional as the constantly irritated Nebula. She tends to take the lead at times and I liked her tenacity. The growth this character has had truly pays off in so many subtle and abrasive ways. Dave Bautista was just as fun and loveable as Drax the Destroyer. He may be a big goof most of the time, but this film speaks to the heart of the character and how he has grown away from the vengeful spirited fighter to a loving father figure. Pom Klementieff was so much fun as Mantis and more involved this time around. She turned into the voice of truth in the family and their is a particular scene where she lets it all out. Her, Drax and Nebula together have the biggest fight in the film between each other and it was rough to watch, but important. Families have their fights and arguments and that was an important moment for this crew to have. Nathan Fillion was fun as Master Karja, an orgosentry and I loved his comedic timing in the middle of an otherwise tense scene. Vin Diesel as Groot was good and I loved that he had some of the most badass and intense action scenes. Elizabeth Debicki returns as Ayesha and I liked seeing her fulfill her mission from the end of the second film. Will Poulter was fun as Adam Warlock and I liked that he insanely over powered, but he wasn't the typical antagonist. He may have had the mentality of a child, but throughout the film you get to see him mature. I'm curious to see where he goes from here. Sean Gunn was great as Kraglin and I loved that we get to see him fully embrace his talents as a leader and how he handles the needle given to him by Yondu. Maria Bakalova was fun as Cosmo and I loved her scenes the most with Kraglin as their chemistry grows throughout the film.

Like I said before, the first 2 films had a center point, but this film had a central focus on one of the most complex characters of the family and that was Rocket Racoon. Bradley Cooper gives a heart shattering performance as the character and his backstory is fully explored. If you could not tell from the trailers, this was going to be something so much more personal and it truly was. The amount of experimentation, physical, emotional and psychological torture Rocket was subjected to was on full display and was not for the faint of heart. His story broke me in a way that I haven't felt since the original 1987 film Robocop. You see where his brilliance and inventiveness was created, but it is full of sorrow. His friends were the heart of him and I loved their scenes together. Asim Chaudhry and Mikaela Hoover were adorable as the voices of Teefs and Floor. Their character designs as the heavily experimented on walrus and rabbit were horrific, but their personalities were sweet. Linda Cardellini was amazing and heartwarming as the otter, Lilah. Her kindness out shined their harsh reality and I loved her chemistry with Rocket the most. Their love story was so engaging and beautiful and will bring tears to your eyes. Chukwudi Iwuji as the High Evolutionary will go down as one of the best villains of the MCU. His performance was truly brilliant and unhinged as he perfectly portrays a monster of a zealous man with an insatiable God complex. He is the new definition of a mad scientist and I hated him the moment we saw his creations. He was a smart man, but cruel and unrelenting. His scenes with Batch 89 and especially with Rocket were truly the most soul crushing parts of the film.

John Murphy's score was out of this world and emotionally charged. It was big, operatic and enhanced the sadness and dread of Rocket's scenes and all the emotional turmoil of the Guardians. Even listening to it now, as I type this review, it brings tears to my eyes and joy as we get to hear the "Guardians Theme" once again in epic fashion. Visually, the film has its trademark colorfulness and inventive cinematography. The action in this film is bigger than ever and there is an epic one take corridor action scene that was insane. Writer and Director James Gunn had made a promise to deliver a personal and engaging story for the final film in his trilogy with the Guardians and he did just that in the most epic way possible. The studio truly gave him carte blanche to his vision of how it will all end. No matter how intense, violent and soul crushing it may be. This is hands down, from start to finish, the best Marvel film I have seen in a VERY long time. Yes there have been good films in the recent state of the MCU, but this film shows that you can focus on story first instead of spectacle and it will work. There are 2 credit scenes and they're both fun in their own special way. This was definitely one of the best films of the year and I highly advise parents that this film isn't the kid friendly tone of the past films. Its more mature and bring a lot of tissues. Let me know what you thought of the film or my review in the comments below. Thanks for reading!

[flameraven]

Good Omens S2 - Episode 1 Notes/Thoughts

Spoilers under the cut! I made notes while watching + my extended thoughts after the fact:

-I did not expect the show to open with the scene from the Beginning!

Very interesting that Crowley is the one saying Let There be Light. God is really hands-off in this universe, huh?

Angel not-Crowley is adorable, Tennant was definitely channeling his Doctor Who mode as he explains all about the stars and nebulas, he's so excited! I confess that I am disappointed that Crowley's wings were white. It looked better for the scene in space, it makes his change to his current self more obvious, I just find All Angels Have White Wings a little boring and cliche. I will probably continue to draw him with black wings. And now we know what sort of questions he asked that led to him Falling! CROWLEY YOU ARE RIGHT AND YOU SHOULD SAY IT. A good boss SHOULD accept suggestions! Otherwise you end up with Elon Musk. And creating a whole universe only to destroy it 6,000 years later is a bad plan! ***

-People were very resistant to the idea of Landlord Aziraphale, but man, this is exactly the kind of landlord he'd be. "Oh you missed rent for 8 months? I didn't notice. Let me have this record and we'll forget it." Also deliberately keeping the record shop there so he can have easy access to records. Peak Aziraphale. Arranging the whole neighborhood to his tastes. Gabriel! I appreciate that Aziraphale's first reaction to him coming inside the shop is a panicked "NO!!" The only thing inside the box was a fly. But Beelzebub doesn't seem to know what's going on?? Interesting. *** Coffee shop: Honestly I love that Crowley immediately knows something is wrong from Aziraphale's tone of voice. Crowley has a spot in the bookshop where he habitually puts his glasses! Honestly Aziraphale you could have given Crowley more warning besides SURPRISE ARCHANGEL when he's already a bit stressed out and knows something's wrong! But the AAAAAH GABRIEL remains hilarious. *** Maybe too much espresso there, Crowley. I can't blame him for being extremely stressed, though! And I like that he did make an effort to calm down. And there was only 1 coffee shop! The Nina/Maggie plot is such a fanficcy setup. *** The matchbox is empty?? Baby Muriel is adorable, she's so demure, I honestly look forward to her getting recruited into the Ineffables' shenanigans. *** Neil Gaiman promised us no maggots this time but AAAAAGH FLIES. It's only marginally better. D: Eradicated from existence?? Yeah, that's the kind of threat that will drag Crowley on board. It is interesting that Hell is like "we can give you anything you want" and he's just not interested. He just wants to be left alone!! *** Honestly getting the vibes that Nina's partner is kind of controlling/abusive and D: *** Crowley driving at 110 mph, he IS stressed. "I'm back" remains peak dramatic bitch energy. But like. UGH there's such great characterization here. They're angry but they've fought enough times that they've got a routine AND A SILLY APOLOGY DANCE worked out. Amazing. The "half a miracle" to hide Gabriel moment is also hilarious. "No one will notice a thing!" [cut to ALARMS BLARING IN HEAVEN] XD Very interesting that Heaven assumes it must be Gabriel, because Aziraphale's not powerful enough to manage it, though.

[distopea]

It had been a long and exciting trip, full of inconvenience due to language barriers, having to run with suitcases around the airport, dealing with spiciness in food that shouldn't be spicy at all, fearing for their lives in the traffic, and Autumn paranoid about how close people would get to them. But, once in the hotel, with a traditional drink in their hands, they both agreed it had been the most fun they had had in a while. 

However, this was just the beginning of Autumn's plan. Now, the most challenging event of the day was in front of Autumn; to convince Astra to wear a blindfold in the crazy traffic they had just experienced. It was losing too much control on his end, but Autumn had plenty of tactics that included but did not limit to kisses, whispers, bites, and promises he would fulfill. Damn it, would Astra be taking advantage of the sweet attentions now? 

It didn't matter; it had worked. 

One of Autumn's promises was that he would not guide his lover by holding his hand but by being attached to him in a big hug. Of course, they weren't people of public displays of affection, but being so far from their area, hidden from the danger in a way, allowed them to explore this side. Besides, it was only the path from their room to the basement where they parked their rental car, nothing to worry about.

Autumn's second promise was that Astra could keep his hand on Autumn's thigh for as long as he wanted to; they would also play jazz and only jazz during the ride. He sort of regretted that part, but his regret went as far away as possible when he noticed Astra at ease in all of this. It was always lovely to catch how their trust in one another opened the door to places of them they hadn't shared with anyone else.

It's why Autumn had been planning this for months, researching, conversating with translators, making appointments, and keeping (for the first time) a secret from his boyfriend so they could arrive at this unique hideout Autumn had been in charge of its construction.

He parked by a small cabin with what they would need for the night: a small fridge, a comfy bed, and plenty of blankets. But, in fact, the real magic surrounded the cabin, a fire pit, and a Celestron telescope, to which Autumn conducted Astra's hands. 

When Autumn caught the surprise on Astra's lips, he revealed the sight to him. They were at Atacama's dessert in Chile, one of the best places to stargaze in the world, with 330 clear nights per year. Autumn needed February 14th to be one of them, and while his eyes weren't on the telescope, he could tell it felt like being out of the earth and orbiting space, next to this outstanding and tempting star standing by—with him.

"I heard you can observe nebulas and even galaxies here." Autumn was proud of himself. But what was filling him with joy was to be next to his love, appreciating him through his interest on the most beautiful starry night he had ever seen, and sure, they have stargazed a lot. "I figured you won't leave this place until the sun comes out, so we have a little tour of the ALMA observatory in two days." No wonder why the southern hemisphere built entire powerful civilizations through messages given by these Astros. Right now, Autumn wanted to know what messages were on Astra's head with everything he was glaring at, but they had all night to discuss that. What Autumn truly wanted was for Astra to give use of that telescope and begin exposing his enthusiasm for astronomy, speaking with that confidence of his knowledge that made him so attractive. "Tell me. Show me something that you haven't taught me about yet." 

@kissmeau

Jumping in the unknown wasn’t something Astra was comfortable with, but he was also a risk taker. For Autumn, he had discovered that he was able to push deep and anchored limits, only because he was driven by a certain trust regarding the young man’s intentions. Through time, missions, and other crucial moments, they had both created a singular atmosphere where only the two of them could trust each other like this. Astra was still a dangerous individual, the secret phantom leading a criminal organization, and Autumn one of his best assets, cunning and violent enough to embrace their shared goal - yet, while they landed in this foreign country, they only looked like two normal individuals stepping out of the plane. 

He didn’t like to be the one blindfolded - such a strange reversed situation - but he trusted Autumn to know where his comfort might stop. He only relied on the warmth sensation of his hand, guiding him among a Spanish talking crowd, with an accent he wasn’t sure to grasp entirely. Well, he had calculated that these six hours of plane travel would lead them somewhere far from their usual home, and he was somehow appreciating the change of settings. Did Autumn know there was a rather critical transaction coming for the Cleaners? It was best for Astra to be away from the city during those times. 

“So, our adventure is clearly not done…” Astra said when he entered the car, a little frown crossed his features. Even though he was in a vulnerable position, he didn’t experience that usual rush of adrenaline pushing him to calculate every next step in order to survive; he trusted his partner to be genuine. Yet, old habits die hard, and he still registered the path they followed, mapping the road while they took numerous turns. The more they were driving, the more he understood they had left the city for a potential secluded place, his excitement peaking as he wondered if Autumn didn’t find quite a spot to observe the universe. 

Finally, the outcome of his mystery appeared in front of his eyes, while he understood with one glance the beauty of Autumn’s gift. He was in awe, for sure, observing the area with candy eyes, the immensity of the sky and the view from the cabin only a promise of the best observation. He chuckled, and looked back at Autumn, who seemed eager to describe everything, as if his actions only wouldn’t prove the deepness of his attachment towards Astra. The blond offered a tender smile, sliding both of his hands right onto his face. 

“You may believe you’re not the romantic nor the generous type, but you prove twice today that you are both. Not only you were planning this little escapade for months, but you picked a hobby that might lead me to be too focused on the telescope rather than you. You’re selfless in every action.” He said, and eventually pressed his lips right onto Autumn’s. “But even if you’re tickling my scientist heart, I must say that you still steal my attention fully and entirely.” 

He kissed the tip of his nose, and wrapped his arms around his shoulders. “We’re in the southern part of the star map, and it’s February, a perfect winter sky. I’ll show you the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, which are the two nebula companions of the Milky Way. Plenty of nebulas composed the Milky Way itself so the night will be bright even without industrial light…” He paused, continued to smile and caressed Autumn’s hair. “The main dish might be the Scorpio constellation though, because it looks unique and so bright in this particular area of the world.” 

For a moment, to continue to elaborate more, before he eventually stopped. “My gift is far more humble, and I hope it wouldn’t look bland compared to your level of romanticism.” He extracted a black velvet box out his bag, placing it within Autumn’s fingers. Inside, he would find a particularly elegant watch, yet, it wasn’t a common one. “For your next missions. You have very sensitive data regarding the Cleaners, along with other details I asked Gambit to download.”

He hugged Autumn, then he whispered. “I also asked him to let you know my real name.” 

[dinoace2]

"I know the angel you were."

"The angel you knew is not me."

That was true, wasn't it? No matter how badly Aziraphale wished it wasn't. Those beautiful brown eyes that shimmered with wonder in Creation's light, forever replaced by serpentine yellow and slitted pupils. Cast out of God's light and condemned to monstrosity.

He felt partially responsible for it, sometimes. Back then, it seemed as if Aziraphale was the first person who held a conversation with them. Perhaps he could have tried harder to silence the questions that the little Starmaker had asked. 'How much trouble', indeed. If he had managed to talk them out of asking, maybe they wouldn't have Fallen.

He remembered that angel well. They were so sweet, so innocent. They stared in awe at the wonder before them, as if they themselves weren't responsible for making it. They giggled as countless nebulae took shape, forging by their hand permanent pieces of the infinite universe. Their very being radiated with love and, although they had yet to know the name for the feeling, pride. Not the sort of pride that inflates oneself and breeds arrogance, no. They were proud of the stars. Proud of their creation.

They were happy.

Aziraphale had only ever seen them smile like that once, and it was when they were marveling at their own creation. That smile went away the moment he told them that it was all temporary. Six thousand years...for an immortal, that's nothing, isn't it. Yet...six thousand years without seeing them smile that way again...it felt...empty, somehow.

Then Aziraphale was made an offer.

"He said...I could appoint you to be an angel!"

It didn't even seem possible. The very idea of restoring a demon didn't, until now, even bear thinking.

It's not as if Aziraphale didn't like Crowley as he was, quite the opposite in fact. Whether or not he cared to admit it, he loved the demon more than anything else in the world (and perhaps, one may argue, even more so than Her, but that's a dillema to unpack another day). He adored everything about him, his curious nature, his imaginative mind, his boldness, his bravery, his kindness that he refuses to acknowledge, even those striking golden eyes that Aziraphale once felt uneasy around. In a general sense, Crowley was just...so perfectly Crowley, that the angel couldn't do anything but utterly Fall (figuratively!) for him.

When the Metatron first made the offer to make him Supreme Archangel, he smiled, politely shook his head, and said: "I dont...want to go back to Heaven." I dont want to leave Crowley behind, he's more important to me than choosing sides. But then the Metatron told him that Crowley could come with him, and-

And be an angel.

That changed everything! He could work with Heaven, to change things for the better, and he would have his dearest Crowley with him. Not only that, Crowley would be an angel again. They could work side-by-side, without fear of retribution from their superiors. He could be like he was before, he could...he could be the Starmaker again.

He could forge galaxies and nebulae at his fingertips, breathe life into empty space, and marvel in the wonder of existence. Just like before.

He could be happy.

Maybe Aziraphale could once again watch his eyes light up and hear him squeal with excitement in the endearing way he once did. Maybe they could work together, officially, and create something marvelous hand-in-hand.

But when he told Crowley the news, he...didn't look nearly as thrilled as Aziraphale had hoped. He seemed...upset, even. Had he done something wrong?

...and Crowley asked him to run away. Together, of course, but fleeing nonetheless.

But...why? They had just been given an option to remain together, without the need for secrecy or fear of punishment! They could do this, together! They could fix things! They could help people!

"Come with me! Angels, in Heaven! Doing Good!" He pleaded, hoping to somehow convey the absolute depth of his desperation and longing. "I-I need you!"

Then...

"You can't leave this bookshop."

The bookshop...? Well, sure, change was always a big and frightening thing for Aziraphale, but...this change was going to be a Good thing. A rather important thing. Besides, thanks to this proposal, no matter where he went he'd always have Crowley with him. As much as he loved his books, they were, after all, just books. He'd found something much more important.

"Oh Crowley...nothing lasts forever." This bookshop doesn't have to last forever. Nothing does, and I'm sure nothing will. But no matter what, I'll have you, and that's all I need. We can last forever.

And then....then he left. After all that. He left, and Aziraphale was suddenly alone. The space across the street, between the elevator and the car, only a few meters apart, felt almost as if the entire universe was between them instead.

What had he done wrong? Was it something he said? Something he did? He offered for Crowley to return to God's light, to join him where he wouldn't have to be afraid anymore.

He offered for him to be happy again. That's all Aziraphale wanted. He wanted to bring him back to a place where his smile shone brighter than the stars he made, where his eyes glittered like swirling galaxies. But...it seemed that wasn't what he wanted anymore, clearly.

"I know the angel you were."

"The angel you knew is not me."

They aren't, are they...he realized that now. That angel is long gone. And no Miracle could ever bring them back.

oh, crowley... nothing lasts forever.

print link: https://www.inprnt.com/gallery/verbaticles/oh-crowley-nothing-lasts-forever/

[that-0rb]

Mine, Ours, Yours.

Flashes of the past flicker through his vision, memories of a time long forgotten by all. all but him.

their morning sun speckled bed. the visage of divinity beside him, basked in a ray of honeyed light. the divine form that lay next to him shifts in gentle rousing as he closes the book he had been reading. the contents of witch is lost upon him as the other rolls to gaze at him, their eyes like astral bodies caught in the blaze of a thousand dyeing stars. removing his reading glasses and placing both them and the book on his night stand he sifts to lean over his beloved, pressing his lips to their forehead breathlessly, wordlessly praising their very being. he leans back to admire their lustrous features through a canopy of his own long dark hair. they smile and try to brush back as much hair behind his ear as they can, it falls back down after a moment. he cups their face, treasuring this moment, etching every minute detain into his memory.

the night was warm, the willows hosting fireflies jamborees. he was sat under his favorite one, the oldest and tallest. he remembers planting it, he built the little bench that sits under it, to this tree he interned his deepest desires, his greatest secrets, his most depraved fantasies'. a hand comes through the leaves and catch's his attention. a head pokes through, the celestial visage of his heart puts him at ease. they spot him, sat on the little white bench, and smiles. instantly light up the expanse beneath the willow a hundred times over and then some, putting the fireflies to shame tenfold. his heart saunters over, so casual, effortless. as they place themselves next to him he takes a moment, a moment to admire the one who has captures his heart and soul. they tilt their head, smile growling a bit cheeky. he clears his throat, a bit embarrassed, beginning to tell them of the history of this, his, willow tree.

It's all ready! He was so excited! He had been for weeks, ever since he asked them to dinner. Them, the beauty he had been so nerves to speak too when he had first met. The floor boards creaked as they stepped into the room. That ethereal glow they had about them spilling over everting in sight, illuminating the corners of the room. He turned, hand out to guide the constellation of elegance to their seat. He took his beside them. They ate, laughed, drank, and he fell further for his sky. Them, in their dignity. Charm. Magnificence. Dressed like they created the universe itself. Adorned with jewels like the night sky with its stars. Smile like the sun itself. Eyes like never-ending nebulas of beauty and grace.

A moment ago the room was warm, he was eagerly waiting for his cosmos to return home. He had taken the day off to prepare his proposal. He was going to ask the stars in his sky to marry him. The door bell had rung, when he opened the door, though, it wasn't them. It was a dower looking officer, they handed him a letter and bid him a good night. He remembers thinking it was odd "An officer delivered a letter and not a currier?". He retrieved a letter opener from his office. As he read the damned thing tears streamed down his face. It was a notice of death. He collapsed, it was as if his soul, and body couldn't take the weight of the black hole that had just swallowed the stars from his sky. He could do nothing but sit on the floor of his cold office and sob. The proposal, the ring, the plan's all dashed in an instant. His core ached with lament for his sun. He hadn't even gotten the chance to tell them "Goodbye", or "I Love You" that day. They where gone by the time he woke up.

That house would stay empty for two decades after that day. T

he flowers bought for the surprise where still sitting rotted in their vase when the place went up in flames. The brilliant blaze a shadow of the grief and sorrow those walls still held. They where saturated with them, no matter what you could have tried, you couldn't have cleansed that house.

He watched the glowing house from his, their, willow tree. He held the ring he was going to prepose with, tracing the gems setting with his fingers absentmindedly. He wears both rings now. They match. They nestle together like cats curled around one another. He will never return that burning house. He'll never see their, the, willow tree or this little white bench again.

The world dimmed when that house grew cold, when it stopped being a home. When the letter came. The light of the wretched thing up in flames will never replace the star, the sun, it stole. But for just a fleeting moment it can be a guiding glow, a warm glance on the back of a husk of a man.

Now? Now he's sitting on the shore of an unfamiliar city, watching the waves roll by. He wont swim, he's never liked the water. He sawm for you, but it hurts him too much, still, to do things you liked. He wears the rings, he'll never stop. How many centuries has it been? Two or three, maybe. He misses your willow tree, and your little white bench. He misses the mornings he could wake up beside you, the little moments. He's crying now. It's too late at night for anyone to be around to witness his emotion.

At least… our moon hasn't changed.

[thedxckpond]

Star Keepers were known for a few things, Doctor Sung knew. The most obvious were their prismatic cores, a miniature star in perpetual supernova encased in their chest that fueled their body, similar to a heart in a human. Sung wasn't quite sure how long his species lived (he was only a few million years old when Boredom wiped them out), but he was well over 13 billion years old (time travel made it so hard to keep track) and was still considered a young adult. He had seen deaths of Star Keepers in person, watched their cores turn dark as their supernovae had collapsed into a black hole. It was pretty messy, watching a body seem to almost implode as it gets sucked into the black hole at its chest.

He likes to visit his mothers' black holes if he's in the area. Pay his respects and all.

The other thing Star Keepers were known for, Sung was told, were what was known as their Traits. Everyone had one, and everyone's was unique. His Mother had large, beautiful white wings that shimmered with starlight as his family floated through the space of the early universe. His Mom grew flowers from her skin, ones Sung had never seen since. She would tell him about each one when he asked, their names and the planet they were native to in the universe that had just died to give birth to the new one. His Maman had spiked thorns on her skin, useful in battle and a bit of a pain when he'd try to hug her. She was so kind, though, easily weaving her arms around him so that he wouldn't get poked.

Sung himself had a little tail. It was curled and fluffy, very similar to that of a Shiba Inu dog from Earth. It wagged when he was excited (which was often), and his mothers would tell him it suited the little cyclops so well, and fit very nicely with his mop of brown hair and his golden freckles that glowed whenever he felt his face heat up.

The Star Keepers had never been a populous species, even while alive. Only a few hundred had managed to escape their dying universe into the birth of a new one. Sung had never seen the old universe, being born the moment the new one came into being. He loved this universe, his twin sibling of sorts, and loved learning about everything he could. It seemed to work much like the old, according to his mothers, though the sound was very different. It was an indescribable difference, though a very important one, and the Star Keepers quickly learned to only speak their native language among themselves. For species born of this universe, hearing sounds from another was like being ripped apart in a molecular level.

But they were happy, for a while. The Star Keepers all kept relatively close together, not wanting to lose anyone that they hadn't already. They'd float through nebulae and star nurseries, and Sung loved watching the cosmic dust swirl together and create baby stars. It was all so pretty.

And then the Boredom hit.

Boredom wasn't of this universe. It had killed the last, and the Star Keepers thought they'd escaped it when they left. As it turned out, one of the older Star Keepers who had made it through was already sick with the Boredom, and no one knew until it was too late.

They were the first black hole in this universe.

The Boredom didn't spread quickly, but it was steady and all consuming. No one was quite sure why Sung never caught it, though his mothers theorized it was because he was born of the new universe, before Boredom has arrived.

But eventually, his mothers caught it too. And suddenly Sung was all alone.