#mirjam recs go human au

[foolishlovers]

With 2024 coming to an end, I just wanted to give a quick shout-out to my favourite fics I (re)read this year. I have so so much appreciation for all writers creating beautiful works about our beloved angel and demon pair. Reading these sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes sappy, sometimes deliciously filthy stories has been a constant source of joy. I truly can't even begin to describe how thankful I am to be part of such an incredibly creative and loving fandom. So so much gratitude for all the different versions of them, all the genders, all the tropes, all the canon fics, and all the human AUs. There are so many more amazing fics I read this year and there are so many more to explore in 2025, but the following few have made themselves a home in my heart. I promise they're worth a read! 💜 [I do fic recs all year long, check out this tag for more.]

Date by @ddagent (2.5k, T)

Every year, Aziraphale is spoiled on his birthday. This year, he decides to do the same for Crowley. There's only one problem - he's not actually sure when Crowley's birthday is.

Roller Derby Queen by @summerofspock (2.5k, M)

Crowley skates for Hell on Wheels and she's pretty good at it too. She'd be better if she weren't so distracted by the new skater on the opposing team.

Sweet Nectar of the Eldritch Gods by @brenna (3.2k, G)

Azira writes a letter to the purveyor of her favorite honeys and sweetness ensues. No offence, but who says “by the by,” by the way? It’s adorable? By the by, do you like wine? Crowley

Poor Men by @why-not-go-with-style (3.9k, G)

What To Do When Two of Your Professors Are Hopelessly in Love With Each Other: an instruction manual by Adam Young (featuring Pepper Moonchild because someone has to be the voice of reason here).

!False (It's Funny Because It's True) by @mirjam-writes (6.4k, E)

Aziraphale drew a long breath through his nose. Crowley, of course it had to be Crowley. The new guy in the sales department, who would promise potential customers just about anything to close a deal. Arrogant, annoying – and wildly, stupidly attractive. Aziraphale hated him.  Aziraphale is a stellar software architect and a project manager, who is so done with the sales department selling unrealistically scheduled and budgeted projects. And he definitely doesn't have a crush on anyone, thank you very much.

Show me where the Nightingale sings by @sabotage-on-mercury (6.5k, G)

After settling into their new home in the South Downs there are still things to process for Aziraphale and Crowley before they can start a new chapter of their life. But winter is turning into spring. There is magic abroad in the air. And finally, the nightingale is back.

The Art of Human Nature by @ineffable-doll (6.5k, T)

Crowley is a painter who has only ever had an eye for nature. That is, until a client named Aziraphale commissions her for a painting to boost her self-confidence, and Crowley discovers that her client is as beautiful as the Earth itself. Then she goes and catches feelings, because she’s a disaster.

Lit by @fellshish (12k, T)

Crowley takes a university course on literature and surprise! The book they’re discussing is Good Omens. Uh oh.

Paradigm Shift by @hakunahistata (13k, E)

“Apologies, apologies! The time got away from me.” Aziraphale Fell entered the room brightly, a binder in one hand, tea mug in the other. Crowley’s languid sprawl went rigid as the senior accounting analyst who had been the indulgent secret in the back of his mind took the seat opposite him.   Or, Crowley Pines at the Office: An AU.

Feast by @ashfae, mostlyjustgoose (15k, E)

Crowley's spent the whole of lockdown asleep. Aziraphale has spent the whole of lockdown baking, cooking, and becoming increasingly frustrated with his solitude. Which eventually leads him to the perfect way to solve all his problems at once... Or, Aziraphale attempts to seduce Crowley with a truly excellent meal, and Crowley is amenable.

Ever-Fixed by @hkblack (19k, E)

Aziraphale Fell had a plan. Go to school, get his degree, and start his life with his beloved at his side as man and wife. Until one day Crowley disappears. Decades later he meets a man, and finds the love of his life again. Anthony J. Crowley, suave, cool, masculine, in control, unflappable, has spent decades building himself up. He refuses to let his confident facade disappear for Aziraphale, who once almost tumbled down the stairs to certain death because his nose was stuck in a book. It’s just sex, and they’ve been dating for months, this time around. There’s no need to get his knickers in a knot. But the past isn’t easy to let go of, even if you’re both avoiding it. A story about love, intimacy, and finding each other again. (Alternatively: Tender smut, but then I wrote love story flashbacks, and now it's just emotional and there's plot in my pornography)

Fireworks by @optimistic-starlight (19k, E)

He had to get himself under control. Aziraphale needed him. That prick boyfriend of his drained so much of Aziraphale's time and energy, dampened so much of the gentle, beaming happiness that Crowley had always adored about him. He needed Crowley there to support him, to do the things a best friend should be there to do. And, well, if Crowley needed him too, if he had to subsume his own pain to focus on making Aziraphale happy, that was something he could bear quietly. He could do it for his angel. Crowley groaned and dropped his head against the tiled wall of the shower. His angel. He had to stop thinking of him like that.

Maybe Next Christmas by @flamingbentleyy (21k, T)

Airports were tricky business, but waiting in airports was as close to hell as one could possibly get. Nobody knew it better than Aziraphale, whose luck had made him end up in one right on Christmas Eve of all days. Although his airport experience turned a little less hellish and a whole lot more entertaining after he ran into an old college friend in that same airport. And then again. And again…

The Small Ad by @theladydrgn, @sylwritesstuff (32k, E)

WORK WANTED: Partner For Hire. Tall, lanky ginger of arguable gender available to be your significant other to keep pesky relatives, nosy coworkers, or well-meaning friends at bay. Able to be as annoying or as polite as you like. Causing a fight over Christmas dinner with your odd, bigoted uncle/aunt/cousin will require an extra £200 up front. £50 for the first hour, negotiable otherwise. Ciao.   It isn't the sort of advertisement Aziraphale usually paid any attention to, but desperate times do indeed call for desperate measures.

Heavenly Wicked Cafe by @waitingtobebroken (33k, T)

There is a terribly rude barista that makes amazing coffee and a saint of a barista, whose coffee tastes vile. And they are in love.

Petrichor & Parchment by @katnoggin (33k, E)

“Mr. Crowley, I presume?” Aziraphale asked in lieu of an introduction, which was not forthcoming. The guy hadn’t even removed his sunglasses. Oh God, he had a tattoo on his face. Aziraphale wasn’t one to judge, but… what kind of gardener had a snake tattoo on his face? Now also available as a podfic from Literarion  [Huuuge recommendation for the podfic!!]

The Heart of the Forest by Kalimyre (33k, E)

Retired librarian Aziraphale moves into a small, isolated cottage deep in the forest with a strange history. He soon realises he's not alone in the woods; a presence watches him. But as he begins to befriend the stranger that lurks in the trees, Aziraphale comes to understand there's more to him than appearances suggest - and Aziraphale's own destiny may be tied to the mysterious creature with the golden eyes.

in your own time by @ineffabildaddy (33k, E)

Aziraphale and Crowley grew up together as next-door neighbours on Hogback Lane, classmates at the local Catholic school, and inseparable best friends. By the age of eighteen, both were hopelessly in love with the other, despite the knowledge that they were doomed to live apart, as Crowley aimed to pursue university study in London and Aziraphale committed himself to remaining in Tadfield, dedicating his life to the Church. After almost twenty years spent away from his hometown, renowned botanist Crowley decides to come and visit Tadfield again at a moment's notice; the purpose of his visit is to speak at a Careers Day for the school he and Aziraphale, now a beloved priest and a frequent helper at the school, attended. The twenty-four hours that follow will change both of their lives for ever.

Between Comfort And Chaos by anathxmadevice (45k, T)

“And how long have you two been a couple?” “Oh, I—” Aziraphale panics. “Ha, well, that’s a funny… We’re not actually—” “We’re just friends.” Crowley says, their voice clear and calm and lightly amused, either because of or in spite of Aziraphale’s flailing attempts to divert the conversation. “Ah, yes, quite.” Aziraphale says, then takes a sip of his drink just for something to do, instead of focussing on the way Crowley said just friends, and how it causes a painful throb in his chest that he has never fully got used to. His memory can only scrabble at the edge of a time where being just friends with Crowley didn’t feel like a particular form of torture. * Or, Aziraphale has been desperately in love with his best friend and housemate Crowley since they were students, but is too scared to do anything about it.

Loving You Slow by @tawnyontumblr (46k, E)

Crowley just wants to dance, but he's not prepared to sell his soul (and other things) at Mayfair's Hellfire Club to do it. Tending bar at The Bookshop in Soho is just the escape he needs, providing Crowley can convince the club’s owner he really belongs on the stage. Unfortunately Aziraphale Eastgate is not quite the generous guardian angel Crowley has been led to believe. Welcome to The Bookshop, where it always pays to look under the covers.

A Billion Points of Light by akitsuko (50k, E)

The firefighter lifts the visor on their helmet, and Crowley may not be able to see very well, but those are the most beautiful eyes he’s ever seen in his life. Crowley has never been one for the whole 'love at first sight' business, but he may need to reassess after Aziraphale - a gorgeous firefighter - saves his life.

More Than by @naromoreau (55k, E)

Crowley would like to spend another year without marrying, especially when thrust-forced to pick a husband. She refuses to cave in on a matter of principles. She refuses to cave in specifically on a matter of not wanting to be married to Lucien Morningstar. But she might need a hand to break free from such a burden. And who knows? She might even find something else along the way.

Lavender Apiary Of Your Honey Eyes by @snek-of-eden (66k, E)

The first thing Aziraphale registered was fiery red hair matted with sweat. The second thing was the man’s face, sharp and intelligent and a little guarded, sunlight dappling a spray of freckles. Upon seeing this, two contradictory thoughts crossed his mind: ‘Gosh, he’s pretty’, and ‘I don’t believe I’ve ever heard a man use that many expletives in the space of a minute’. “Oh,” he said, swallowing hard. “Hello, then.” __________ When Aziraphale inherits a small, cosy cottage in the countryside, he finds unexpected company in a gardener he didn't even know he had. Crowley is sweet, and strange, and about as foul-mouthed as you can get. Before he knows it, he's falling pretty goddamn hard for a man whose friendship he's terrified of risking. Ah, the foils of love.

Old Vines by @sevdrag (189k, E)

A.Z. Fell, one of the most respected names in wine and food blogging, has been sent on assignment with his assistant Warlock Dowling to spend six months in California Wine Country. Under direction (by his boss, Gabriel) to use this experience to double his blog followers and write a novel, Aziraphale is both excited and anxious about the opportunity. Anthony J. Crowley is the owner and viticulturalist of Ecdyses, a winery that unexpectedly fell into his lap eleven years ago when he hit rock bottom. He may be in debt, yeah, but he’s paying off his loans — and despite pressure from his lenders and their team of inspectors, Crowley has found a kind of contentment tending his little corner of terroir and producing extraordinary wine. Crowley’s old vines are the heart of his vineyard, and he’s never let anyone in. Crowley finds Aziraphale intriguing; Aziraphale finds Crowley enthralling. Turns out a famous wine expert and an experienced viticulturalist can still learn things from each other. The summer of 2019 unfolds. [Big recommendation for the podfic here too!!]

[mirjam-writes]

Good Omens Fanfic Rec: Demon and Angel Professors (series)

Demon and Angel Professors (series) by Ghostinthehouse (@ineffableghost)

Rating: G

Words: 133 200 (divided in 666 word ficlets)

Summary (by the author)

They're professors. They're married. Their students don't realise. Cue shenanigans.

Multiple short arcs with one-shots (and often pauses) between them. Characters continue from one arc to the next.

Any ambiguity between being human and being occult/ethereal is entirely deliberate.

I tagged this under human au’s even though it is never actually mentioned if they are human or not. Actually, considering how many students start and graduate while they continue teaching, over how many years the story spans... well, it’s up to our imagination, just like the writer said!

This series has  taught me so much about genders, sexualities, disabilities, neuroatypical traits and trauma. It has given me a lot of vocabulary to google with, and also affected on my view of myself as an adhd person somewhere on aro and ace spectrums. Definitely one of the most important fics I’ve ever read!

To put it simply, the plot of the series is that Aziraphale and Crowley are so different that nobody realizes they are married, and they have some fun with their students just to see how long it takes and how obvious they can be before the students figure out the truth. As every year brings new students, they can do it again and again, in different ways.

During these story arcs dozens of marginalized students are also seen and accepted, and they get the support, validation and respect they need and crave. It is absolutely heartwarming how big of an impact Aziraphale and Crowley have to the community and to their students lives! The familiarity, closeness and wordless understanding between Aziraphale and Crowley is also so well written I’m absolutely speechless with it. They have a tumultuous past (which is only hinted at, but at least for me that gave a lot of food for imagination!) and that has shaped their relationship. Nothing can come between them, and they both know it. They are The Most Important Person for each other (and they know it and appreciate it) and that’s my favourite trope in Ineffable Husbands fics, be it AU or not.

The series is long, 200 episodes (so far?) of 666 word ficlets, but the story arcs are short and the series is perfect for moments when you want to read something quick and wholesome. It’s like returning to old friends. 

This series ticks a lot of my boxes, it has many outsider pov moments, delightful humor, strong mature relationship between A & C, and it taught me something new. What else can I wish for?

Read it here: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1412962

[mirjam-writes]

Good Omens fic rec: Hired Heart

Hired Heart (illustrated by many artists) by GayDemonicDisaster ( @scrapheapchallenge​ )

Rating: E Words: 112k+ Summary (by the writer):

As a result of his sheltered upbringing, Aziraphale made it to 50 without exploring his sexuality or coming out. After 50, all that changed - he's gay, he's out, and wants to find love. He also wants to have sex. He's a tad nervous about that. His friend Agnes suggests he consult a professional and get some no-strings practice and advice, and build some confidence. And her friend Tracy runs an agency…

Crowley has quite the breadth of sexual experience: he’s a high class escort. He’s been in his line of work for a long time, though in this industry, that’s not exactly an advantage. He likes his work, but the more he’s reminded that he’s not as young as he once was, the more he contemplates his exit strategy. When his bookings manager and friend Tracy gives him a new, nervous client, Crowley finds him unexpectedly captivating. In fact, Crowley can’t seem to get him out of his head.

A Smitten Crowley is also a very silly Crowley, so prepare for giggles and fluff along with your love story and smut...

This fic is sex worker positive, disability positive, & a variety of genders and sexual preferences are referred to in back story.

So, here’s what I have to say about this:

After reading this some time ago, the first thing that came to my mind was how wholesome this story was. Never in my wildest dreams I would have thought there would come a day I would call a sex worker AU wholesome, but here I am, and I’m going to tell you why! The fic does not glorify the sex work and it does not dismiss the problems in the industry, even though it depicts a safe and very much consensual side of it. Every sex worker in this fic has chosen their profession voluntarily, and can leave it whenever they wish to. The rules and safety precautions are explained and followed to the perfection, and no exceptions are made, not even in the name of true love. Their situation feels very safe and supported, but it is not a coincidence, the fic does not depict a perfect world where sex work is unproblematic and easy, it depicts a world where the rules, precautions and responsible actions can make it so for these people.

But wholesomeness for me was in the relationship between these two! They both are confident adults (seems to be my favourite trope!), and while Crowley is more confident in bed, Aziraphale is a fast learner. There is of course the pining (can you have a GO getting together fic without some pining?) and some uncertainty about the other’s feelings, but in the end, instead of hiding it they reach out and communicate! They do care for each other and they are not afraid to show it. And the best thing: there’s no real jealousy even though it’s so incredibly common in the sex worker trope and that’s why this was so refreshing take on that. 

And the communication during sex deserves it’s own paragraph: wow! At the beginning it’s of course more about Crowley explaining and teaching Aziraphale things, so it’s a bit given that there’s discussions, but IT DOES NOT END THERE! They keep communicating they have FUN while doing so, and it does not break the mood. I love the fics where expectations, preferences and boundaries are openly discussed, even when it’s not always easy for the characters. I wish I had read fics like this years back, maybe then I’d realized sooner that COMMUNICATION IN BED IS SEXY! I wish everyone who has sex with a partner, regardless of their sexuality, would know this. Communication and laughing is allowed in bed, and while the hot spontaneous first times look hot in movies, communication makes things so much better in real life.

Sorry, got into a rant mode, trying to rein that in! 

This fic is explicit, the sex is hot and there’s a lot of it. It is a good example that writing communication to a sex scene does not break the mood, and for me that made this fic really stand out. It also falls in the category of the fics that have taught me things about different people and life situations, which I also love. And the art, there’s art included in almost every chapter of the fic and it’s so good! Please go and check the list of artists at the end notes! So many talented people!

This was also a really comforting read, like a warm E-rated blanket. No big disagreements, no looming threats, no huge drama... Yes, I also love all that, and I will rec those fics too, but sometimes you just want to trust that the fic keeps holding you in a warm embrace. The first half of the story is more about the plot, and the second one is a bit more slice-of-lifey, which adds to the safety-blanketness of this story. 

I also love the fact that Agnes is here as a character! I’ve read a lot of human AU’s lately, and they have used almost every possible combination of the show cast as friends for the husbands, but Agnes is a rare treat!  So, if you want to read a fic where sex work and disability are treated with respect (as far as I understand the writer themselves is disabled?) and where there’s a lot of hot, responsible and thoroughly communicated sex (with matching art!), this is your jam!