#queer guardian angel aziraphale

[aziraphales-library]

Any fics featuring religious sects that worship Crowley or Aziraphale (or both)? And if not that then something like myths being made around them?

These are the fics that came to mind, but I think you'll enjoy the fics on our #queer guardian angel aziraphale and #cryptids tags as well...

Ever Dreamed this Angel? by YoureMySunshine (G)

A thread of people discussing a reoccurring dream about a guardian angel who encourages them to ask out their best friends.

Reclamation by hapax, miraworos (T)

Years after the failed apocalypse, Aziraphale struggles to come to grips with his unintentional role in inspiring a centuries-old religious sect. It hardly helps that he only sees Crowley once a year on the anniversary of their Arrangement. The more time goes by, the deeper he slips into a mental fog he can't seem to climb out of. Can he find peace with himself after so long? Or will his inability to accept who he truly is cause him to lose Crowley forever?

So Much to be Consoled as to Console by Arokel (T)

“What are you,” Crowley drawled, “the patron saint of queer kids?” A series of lost souls over the centuries who prayed, whether they knew it or not, to the Angel Aziraphale.

- Mod D

[ramblesandrambling]

@neil-gaiman

Obviously, Neil Gaiman is aware (and approving) of fanfiction. But I wonder if he's aware of just how wholesome a lot of it actually is. When the world is on fire, it's kind of nice to spend a day browsing under the "Queer Guardian Angel Aziraphale" tag <3 (I will happily take recs, btw!)

[janeway-lover]

Are you telling me that we get Queer Guardian Angel Aziraphale in canon?!? Do you know how many fics I've read about all the queer folk of SoHo flocking to AZ Fell’s shop? Do you know how many people have wrote about these young queer kids having someone to talk to about their crushes and their families? And now we've got a character who's actually going to do that! Maggie's gonna tell Aziraphale all about how she's got a big crush on Nina from the coffee shop and he's gonna meddle and AAH!

[extraaa-30]

just like Crowley calling Aziraphale "angel" was probably the start of that pet name

"Many people, meeting Aziraphale for the first time, formed three impressions: that he was English, that he was intelligent, and that he was gayer than a treeful of monkeys on nitrous oxide."

Aziraphale is older than modern gay culture. it has to be at least considered that he alone was the inspiration for everything camp

[badass-queer-couples-battle]

Sword gays showdown, round 2 of bracket one

*Several different versions of Zorro were submitted, I decided to count them as one guy. I don't know enough about him to judge if there are any significant differences between those versions.

Propaganda:

For Zorro:

Has been an iconic swordsman for over half a century. Ask any Spanish-speaking person and they'd tell you how loved he is. Has strong bisexual energy regardless of which version of him you're watching. His mask is very cool.

An entire arc is just him wondering about the risk/benefit balance of coming out (being able to openly be with the one he loves, but at the cost of lifelong danger for himself and everyone who associates with him). The inherent queerness of secret identities. The also inherent queerness of hiding your real self and opinions from everyone except your closest friend, only for your parent to later admit they knew about it for a long time and just waited for you to be ready to tell them. The swordiness? Being one of the best swordsmen around is fundamental to every version of Zorro. He's so famously known for being good with a sword that One Piece translators were worried their Zoro character would be mixed up with him so they changed that other guy's name to Zolo.

Zorro = Fox in Spanish

All you need is a gif of him making the 'Z' with his sword

For Aziraphale:

Is issued a flaming sword as the Guardian of the Eastern Gate of Eden, then gives it away to Adam & Eve for their protection when they're banished from the garden. While he never attacks anyone with it on the story (he would much rather not fight), he wields it again at Armageddon and it's pretty obvious that he fought with it in the Great War in Heaven. As for queer, he's in love with his demonic counterpart Crowley and one of his descriptions in the book is "gayer than a tree full of monkeys on nitrous oxide"

He had a flaming sword - but then lost it lol. He got it back briefly for the end of the world at least but the guy was too busy being a gay angel on earth to ever go looking for it before that.

Had a flaming sword which he gave to humanity and sort of the reason for war because of it. Currently in superheaven.

[beerok23]

It's Fan Fic Friday!

In the aftermath of the worst news ever, this week I want to suggest a few WIPs!

If you want a movie themed AU, my very own silly Runaway Groom

Anthony J. Crowley has been writing a column about queer facts in The Guardian for 15 years, but lately he has lost his touch. One day, when he’s struggling to meet a deadline, he hears a story from a man in a pub, and he writes an unflattering article about Aziraphale Fell, a mechanic who has apparently left a number of fiancés at the altar in the small town of Tadfield, earning the unfortunate nickname of ‘The Runaway Groom’. When Aziraphale, who’s getting married again, has Crowley fired, the journalist has no other option but to travel to Tadfield in pursuit of vindication. But he will find so much more than that. A human ‘Runaway Bride’ AU.

2. If you love fun and jokes, my friend @ineffablerainstorm's Sweeter than Fiction AU

It wasn’t so bad, misinterpreting the bookseller’s intentions. Sure, Aziraphale had a partner, and sure, Crowley had gotten his hopes up for a meet-cute straight out of one of his romance novels. But at least he’d walked away with an idea to break his latest spell of writer’s block. It wasn’t as if Crowley would ever see the angel again. No chance that Aziraphale would discover that he’d been the inspiration for N. Ashtoreth’s newest love interest. No possibility that Crowley’s creative gamble could come back to haunt him. ***** “Shit!” Crowley swore as the manuscript pages fluttered to the ground. “You?” Aziraphale asked with a laugh. “What are the odds of bumping into each other twice? I’m so sorry my dear.” Ohshitohshitohshit!

3. If you want some fluff, my friend @pookasluagh's Dead Right AU

“You are not selling your books to try to get back what’s already yours! Listen, Aziraphale. I know you’re opposed to the idea of an arranged marriage—” “A fake marriage,” he clarified, voice like ice. Ana ignored him. “—but it’s time you see sense. You will find someone, and you will marry him. You will inherit your property properly, and after a reasonable amount of time to deal with any legal challenges, you will divorce. It won’t destroy anyone’s future, and hell, maybe you’ll actually fall in love.” Aziraphale snorted. “Don’t count on it.”

[penig]

1920s? The shop opened in 1800, at which time it was a literary hub because rents were cheap.

Most likely he picked that spot for that reason, and gradually attracted gay neighbors till they achieved critical mass.

It was also full of working class people, small factories, and so on throughout the 19th century, which is why a certain minisode sticks in my craw, but that's a separate matter.

I cant understand people who are like "why is everyone in aziraphale's neighbourhood gay" like my brother in christ he lives in soho

[time-travelling-chaos]

Good omens fic recs

So in a previous ask game, I have been asked that question (thanks @fierceyetflawed )

🥤 ⇢ recommend an author or fanfic you love

But of course, I wasn't able to choose only one, so here is a full list of recommendations with no particular order (brace yourself, it's gonna be long)

Charming never so wisely by Hapax

AU where Aziraphale is a cryptid and Crowley has been hired to tame him. Absolutely beautiful, some angst, and an amazing worldbuilding, if I had to choose, it would probably be somewhere in my top 5. Or even in my top 3, it's one of my absolute favorites

https://archiveofourown.org/works/46204543/chapters/116321455#workskin

Crazy Little Thing Called Love by krowtenretsnom

One short, focused on the relationship between Warlock and Crowley as Nanny Ashtoreth. Absolutely beautiful, and a tiny bit heartbreaking

https://archiveofourown.org/works/53699422

The Godfathers - Or storge and other words for family by bluebirdboy

Crowley and Aziraphale as queer guardians for a young trans man. A story about healing and queerness, and a lot of other things, absolutely comforting, and has been so helpful at times, once again, pretty high in my list of favorites. [As a note, I've only read fully the V1 as I haven't found the time yet to read a lot of the V2, but from what I've read, I'll trust it will be as good as the first one, if not better]

https://archiveofourown.org/works/54947194/chapters/139285795

Shine bright like a diamond by LadyAJ_13

Pre-canon, Crowley observes Aziraphale that is always helpful and always alone. I loved it so much, but it is also somewhat heartbreaking, because the story ends before the actual one, so nothing is resolved yet at this point, but please go ahead, it's absolutely worth it.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/20000173

An author for that one: AppleSeeds

They write amazing stories, and I particularly enjoy how they write Aziraphale and Crowley in various (human) AU. Two of my favorites are Never too late, where Crowley is a rockstar and Aziraphale used to be a fan when he was younger and Your virtual companion, that occurs in a post-apocalyptic world where humans cannot interact together anymore and Crowley finds some comfort in a virtual companion: Aziraphale.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/52576741/chapters/132992890

https://archiveofourown.org/works/52576741/chapters/132992890

The Good Demon, by Dannye Chase (HolyCatsAndRabbits), HolyCatsAndRabbits, smolalienbee

Crowley is turned mortal as a punishement for not being evil enough and needs to make Aziraphale fall to get his status back. With some queer guardian angel Aziraphale that is absolutely delightful, very soft story, and quite funny as well, with a really nice lore and the relationship being built amazingly. Once more, quite high on my favorite's list.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/24932368/chapters/60341929

Touched by HolRose

Aziraphale is given as a mission to help some autistic child. Very soft, very comforting. Aziraphale is autistic himself and it makes the interaction absolutely brilliant. It's very short (around 500 words) but so much is said in such a small story, without any bad pun, it absolutely touched me as well.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/40487874

Like a spiral sea unending by Hapax

It's an astronomy AU (yes it exists) where Crowley is a black hole and Aziraphale a bright star. It's a really poetic story, really original and (I feel like I spend my time saying that here) absolutely beautiful.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/48704143

How to make friends on Halloween by not_vatican_approved

Aziraphale is human, Crowley is a demon, and Aziraphale's shitty friends decide to summon him to scare Aziraphale. It's a really cute one with protective and comforting Crowley, quite fun as well. (And yes, the shitty friends get what they deserve)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/50473762?view_adult=true

The art of human nature by IneffableDoll

Human AU with fem!Aziraphale and fem!Crowley, Crowley is a painter and Aziraphale commisions her to make her portrait. It's absolutely beautiful, with some fat positivity and queerness (Crowley is trans in this one), gorgeous talks about nature. It's also really poetic. It's not love at first sight, but it takes a bit more time to settle, which I absolutely love. (It's also the fic that convinced me to give a chance to good omens human AU)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/48191107

'Tis the Damn Season by KiaraMGrey

Human AU, after an awful proposal on Christmas Eve, Crowley ends up boarding on a train with no plan in mind and meets Aziraphale there. It's very cute, soft, and a really comforting hollidays fic.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/28213518

The Ones Who Walk Away From Nevaeh by soft_october

Fantasy AU, inspired by a story of Ursula Le Guin. To keep suffering away from the city, Crowley is kept alone in the dark in a cell, without any human interaction. That is, until Aziraphale becomes the new guard and starts listening to him. It's quite angsty, but with soft elements and a happy ending. And also, I adore the worldbuiling on that one, and the context of the story.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/21485824/chapters/51206389

Fond(ant) by ddagent

Human AU, Aziraphale pretends to have a fiancé and to be getting married to be able to enjoy Crowley's cakes. It's funny and soft, I love ddagent's way of telling stories and their portrayal of Crowley and Azirphale, but it's the first one I read from them, so it's the one I'm going to recommend here.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/49257229

crossed wires by tealeafthief

After 6000 years of emotional abuse by Heaven, and internalized ableism, Aziraphale learns about autism and start to embrace who he is with Crowley's help. It wasn't the easiest read (at least for me, because it came a little bit too close from home) but it was an amazing one. It's wonderfully done, the progression and evolution of the character is beautifully done and Crowley is so caring on that one, I can only recommend it.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/25135141

Sorry (Not Sorry) by ineffablefool

Human AU, Crowley and Aziraphale were friends when they where younger and end up reconnecting at a friend's wedding. It's so soft, with fat-positivity, and a really beautiful story.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/40584780

My Safe Place by IneffableDoll

Aziraphale wonders if, being an angel, he can be queer or not. Crowley is really supportive on that one, and the discussion about queerness is so interresting and comforting. It's also an asexual relationship, which I love to see, so yeah, quite an amazing one.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/43258482

Pieces of Creation by angelwithawand

Crowley gets attached to Jemimah after seeing that the thing she made is the most important thing to her. It follows their relationship all through her life, and it's really soft, I love seeing Crowley or Aziraphale interacting with humans. It's, of course, slightly heartbreaking at the end, but it's so much worth it. And there is also some backgroud Aziraphale/Crowley relationship that is very soft as well.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/49046113

So that's it for now, I hope you'll enjoy those fics!

[robinwithay]

robyn's top/bottom/sub/dom azicrow analysis or Nobody Asked: The Post

so. i think it makes the most sense, thematically, for Aziraphale to be a sub(ish) bottom, and Crowley to be a dom(ish, service) top.

a bold claim, perhaps, i grant you. hear me out.

i'm gonna start by saying that ultimately, i think they are both very capable of switching - i just believe they also both have strong preferences. also that this is just my opinion, and i'm not trying to attack anyone in particular or piss anybody off by making this post. i'm writing it for fun, feel free to ignore it.

let's get something straight, shall we? top, bottom, dom and sub have NOTHING to do with the way that you look or move. nothing. zip. zilch. nada.

being a top, a bottom, a dom or a sub, and indeed the ability to switch between and combine any of those, are all in your personality and dynamic(s) with your sexual partner(s), and even sometimes whether you are physically able to take a particular role. your body type and look can contribute to those dynamics if you participate in certain gay subcultures, but even then, it isn't exactly set in stone.

there are implications to topping/bottoming in terms of angel and demon characters specifically, i think. there is duality in both; topping can be seen as dominating, subjugating and taking, but it can also be a selfless act of service, of giving, even of worship. bottoming, likewise, can be seen as lazy and self-indulgent, letting the focus be on you and your pleasure, or it can be seen as passive and innocent, an inactive role. it's probably worth mentioning that it's usually in cishet sex that topping is seen as taking and bottoming is seen as passive, and the opposite in queer sex. obviously, A+C are undeniably queer as fuck, no matter your headcanons.

considering Aziraphale and Crowley's characterizations, where they generally align with what you expect of an angel and a demon but also rebel against those expectations in their own way - Aziraphale being a hedonist, bastard angel and Crowley being a kind, moral demon - i think it fits best for Crowley to be the selfless one, and Aziraphale to be the one indulged. this is also what we're shown is their dynamic canonically, as well.

Aziraphale likes to be rescued, Crowley likes to be his rescuer. Aziraphale passes over the opportunity to do something good and selfless, something that a demon would otherwise have no reason to do, to Crowley every time he gets himself in trouble, and how intentional that is is another discussion entirely. he loves to be the damsel in distress, and we have no idea how long that's been going on, really - how long he might have been doing that just for an excuse to see Crowley before realizing that Crowley liked it, too. that's getting into the weeds of speculation a little bit, but based on what we see in the show, the fact remains that Aziraphale indulges Crowley in his fantasy of being a protector while he is vulnerable and swooning.

i have no doubts whatsoever that Aziraphale is actually capable of rescuing himself, but that's not the point - it's one of their rituals. it's a scene. Aziraphale textually acknowledges the fact that he likes to be taken care of, and that he knows Crowley likes to take care of him, in S2E5 - "rescuing me makes him so happy!"

we all agree he's Anthony J. "Acts of Service" Crowley, right? why would that not translate to the bedroom?

i think this also relates to their respective purposes given by Heaven and Hell. we know Aziraphale is made as a guardian, a warrior, a fighter with a flaming sword. as an angel, Crowley is a creator, a studious inventor, and then as a demon, he is the tempter, a sssneaky sssnake who uses words and manipulation; someone who uses brains over brawn, either way.

in their relationship, Crowley and Aziraphale allow one another to shed these given roles and embrace the opposite of their purpose. Aziraphale was MADE to fight, it's what Heaven expects of him (he's expected to fight in the war at Armageddon, after all) but he's...soft. he gave away his sword out of selflessness and refuses to fight in the war, openly dislikes conflict, violence and tbf, exercise as well. Gabriel calls him soft in s1 and appears to be referring to his physicality; regardless of the fact that an angel probably shouldn't particularly understand or care about human beauty standards, Aziraphale seems to feel some guilt about the fact he's soft, both physically and mentally. it's not what he was built for, but he also clearly likes the way he is - he could change it, but he doesn't. he likes to be soft, a creature of comfort. it just doesn't gel with what Heaven made him for.

(as an aside, i think this is part of the reason that the widely-accepted headcanon that Aziraphale is secretly very fit and buff bothers me, personally.)

but because Crowley loves him, it's alright. Crowley in his role as protector takes the responsibility of being that strong warrior Aziraphale is supposed to be away from him, says "it's okay that you're not what Heaven made you for, you don't have to be. i'll do it for you." and in return, Aziraphale allows Crowley to be something a demon is not supposed to be - a hero of the story, a saviour. Aziraphale IS fiercely protective of others, still, especially humans, so this is arguably also Crowley saying "you protect everyone else, but who's protecting you?"

Crowley isn't physically strong either, but he doesn't have to be to protect Aziraphale. Aziraphale clearly has so much faith in Crowley's ability to think and talk his way around a problem, to put those devilish smarts to good use. again, in S2E5, he says "Crowley will be back in a moment, he will have a plan."

this swapping of roles, to me, supports the idea that they would also swap roles when it comes to sex. Aziraphale is indulged, Crowley indulges him.

i think fandoms have a problem - well okay, they have a lot of problems actually - but the problem HERE is the knee-jerk reaction that expectations MUST be subverted.

sometimes expectations don't need to be subverted, sometimes tropes exist for a reason. it can in some cases even be actively unhelpful, disregard authorial intent and clear characterization to attempt to subvert tropes via headcanon. i see this issue A LOT as a masculine lesbian; masculine sapphic characters are often softened and feminized ("they secretly love makeup and fem things") by fandom because it makes them more palatable, under the guise of subverting expectations. that's not to say that there aren't masculine sapphics who do like traditionally feminine things, of course there are, but when i see it happen repeatedly to masculine sapphic characters, it starts to form a disconcerting pattern. there is nothing wrong with masculine sapphics who like feminine things - i am one myself - but nor is there anything wrong with masculine sapphics who fulfill every stereotype and expectation in the book.

i, unfortunately, often find myself thinking the same thing about Aziraphale and Crowley. don't get me wrong, the GO fandom is very different from others i've been in, and a lot of the fluid gender representation i see in the fancontent here is absolutely wonderful. unfortunately, i do still feel like i see a lot of railing against the idea that Aziraphale is how he is portrayed in canon; a soft, fat, feminine, perhaps sometimes borderline stereotypical pansy-esque gay man(-shaped being) who traditionally would also be assumed to bottom and/or sub, and force him to fit headcanons that frankly don't seem in-character at all or defy what we are shown to be the truth in canon, all in the name of subverting expectations.

i could honestly say more but i fear what i've said already is confusing enough so i'll stop there. if you get it, you get it, i guess, and please remember that i'm not trying to upset anybody here. i sort of half-joked about making this post and a couple people actually showed interest in reading it, so i wrote it!

don't even get me started on how i think Aziraphale is a brat, i have the receipts

anyways, i'll leave you with the Word Of Sheen;

[holycatsandrabbits]

Looking for season 1 Good Omens fics?

I have some lists!

Good Omens Human AUs. These were posts on Tumblr that I did for quite a while. You can search them all right here (google doc) so you can find all the librarian or high school AUs, etc. I stopped doing the lists, but I kept up my bookmarks. So for more recent human AUs check out my Ao3 human AU bookmarks.

Good Omens fic recs: I ran this rec series for a couple of years. All season 1 stuff. There were also artist recs!

I am a GO writer myself. My two most popular post-canon season 1 fics are Stranger in Paradise (70k pine forest romance with a happy ending) and the Mr. Fell's Bookshop series (outsider POV queer guardian angel Aziraphale).

Ao3 ~ DannyeChase.com ~ Linktree ~ Weird Wednesday writing prompts blog ~ Ko-fi ~ Newsletter

[aziraphales-library]

Hi Mr. Aziraphale. I hope your having an absolutely splendid day/night today!

I was hoping you could suggest some good fanfics that involves either Crowley or Aziraphale adopting/mentoring a child?

I'm a absolute love dug for cute fluff

You will find loads of fics of this nature on our #kid fic, #adoption, and #queer guardian angel aziraphale tags, so check those out! Here are more to add to the collections...

The A.Z. Fell and Co. Queers by alexander_adele (G)

Being queer is hard. Aziraphale and Crowley know this, and do what they can to help some queer kids in the Soho area. Found Family-esque. AKA I wrote this cuz I'm a queer kid who needs a hug from Azirpahale.

(so let's be sinners) to be saints by PacificSeaOtter (G)

Unbeknownst to them, Crowley and Aziraphale have, throughout history, become something of patron saints to the gay community. They are completely oblivious to this until Warlock Dowling walks back into their life. Or: Warlock discovers the saints they've been praying to are actually their godparents.

A Miracle of Our Own by TheNerdyBirdie (G)

After the almost apocalypse, Crowley and Aziraphale can finally live the life they always wanted together. However, it seems The Almighty has other plans for them when she delivers them a baby.

Only If You Want To Be Kept by Sodium_Azide (T)

Mitchell, a long way from what used to be home, has a terrible night before stumbling outside of his understanding and into an ineffable pile of fur.

Is This Normal? by deviltownresident (T)

An angel and demon spend time together in Ancient Rome and adopt a child.

Our Own Side by probably_publius (T)

"Crowley groaned. He never had luck dealing with feelings. Especially with the feelings of a particular fussy angel. But nevertheless he approached Aziraphale and placed his hands on his trembling shoulders. 'Hey, maybe it’s not that bad. Maybe you’ll only turn halfway demon? We’re on our own side, remember? Not demons or angels.'" It's five days till Christmas and Crowley and Aziraphale have a problem. A problem not as big as Armageddon, but still a big problem. The angel's wings are slowly turning black and the demon's wings are slowly turning white. Feeling separated from their previous sides, the duo has to finally understand what it's like to be on their own side. And if things couldn't become anymore stressful, it seems as if the two have accidentally adopted an 11-year-old boy who just so happens to be the third child born in the Satanic church.

- Mod D

[finleycannotdraw]

5. Aziraphale ~ be as you’ve always been (lover be good to me) (x)

Anyone else feel like queer people might love Soho because Aziraphale, self-proclaimed preeminent southern pansy, guardian angel of gay people, has lived there for over 200 years?

I wasn’t quite sure what to draw today, because I rarely draw characters on their own, but I figured I’d draw our favorite queer angel with a rainbow bowtie. as a treat. he deserves it <3

[samioli]

I Love all the fics where Aziraphale is like a guardian angel for all the queer kids, BUT have we considered him also being a guardian angel for fat kids??

[ineffable-kelpie]

An AU in which Gabriel and Beelzebub are the earthly representatives for heaven and hell instead of Aziraphale and Crowley. Over the millennia, they wile and thwart and compete in a complicated game of their own devising. Eventually, they discover that they have a lot in common.

Series rating: T

Works: 6/6

Total wordcount: 105,063

Another series self-promo for the end of aro week! This series focuses on the development of a platonic relationship between this AU's Gabriel and Beelzebub. Some later works in the series, namely "A Critique of Abstract Minimalism" and "Green Stripes," explicitly discuss Gabriel's aromanticism (and are fairly short, if you're looking for aro fic but aren't up for reading the entire series).

(Keep in mind that this was written long before season 2. I'm not interested in comparing this to their canon relationship.)

(Breakdown of individual fics under the cut)

Ineffable Rivalry (rated G, 37K words, 15 chapters)

Gabriel, the guardian of the Eastern Gate, and Beelzebub, the fly of Eden, get off on exactly the wrong foot when they meet in the garden, kicking off a six-thousand-year competition of thwarting and counter-thwarting. Hijinks ensue.

Choose your Faces Wisely (rated T, 56K words, 17 chapters)

After Gabriel and Beelzebub thwart Armageddon, Aziraphale and Crowley team up to get them off the hook, and realize that they both much prefer Earth to their home offices. Crowley hatches a scheme that will let him stay there for good, and give Beelzebub a chance at their dream job. It's win-win. Nothing can go wrong. Everything goes wrong.

Animal Hamlet (rated G, 5K words, 1 chapter)

Being asked on a date by Aziraphale is the best thing that has ever happened to Crowley. It's also completely terrifying.

A Critique of Abstract Minimalism (rated G, 3.6K words, 1 chapter)

Valentine’s Day is an awkward time for Gabriel, since he’s never felt that kind of love and recently found out that isn’t true of all angels. He wasn’t planning to leave his apartment today, until his mortal-enemy-turned-friend Beelzebub convinced him to go make fun of abstract art with them. Now he’s stuck explaining the exact thing he was trying to avoid thinking about.

Green Stripes (rated G, 1.5K words, 1 chapter)

After they save the world from Armageddon, Gabriel and Beelzebub attend their first pride parade, and talk about the queerness of their identities.

In Another Life (rated G, 1.6K, 2 chapters)

Crowley wakes from a vivid dream about another life, in which he and Aziraphale have known each other for six thousand years.

[badass-queer-couples-battle]

Sword gays showdown, round 1 of bracket one

Propaganda:

For Simon Snow:

His main weapon is a sword, but he can make any random object into a weapon. He once used his boyfriend's wand to stab someone. He also has large dragon wings and a devil's tail.

A quote from Wayward Son, the second book in the series: "…Simon has some sort of scythe. He looks like the grim reaper. Drenched in blood, his T-shirt as red as his wings. One of his wings is drooping, I don’t think he can fly. He doesn’t really need to. Unarmed, untrained vampires aren’t much of a match for Simon with a blade - any blade will do…"

For Aziraphale:

Is issued a flaming sword as the Guardian of the Eastern Gate of Eden, then gives it away to Adam & Eve for their protection when they're banished from the garden. While he never attacks anyone with it on the story (he would much rather not fight), he wields it again at Armageddon and it's pretty obvious that he fought with it in the Great War in Heaven. As for queer, he's in love with his demonic counterpart Crowley and one of his descriptions in the book is "gayer than a tree full of monkeys on nitrous oxide"

He had a flaming sword - but then lost it lol. He got it back briefly for the end of the world at least but the guy was too busy being a gay angel on earth to ever go looking for it before that.

Had a flaming sword which he gave to humanity and sort of the reason for war because of it. Currently in superheaven.

[penig]

No Difference

One of the things fans must prepare themselves for when new content comes out is that their favorite headcanons may have to be modified on the fly. This can be dismaying in the moment, and there is a point at which the violation of a headcanon or interpretation requires detachment from the media entirely (cf anything involving JJ Abrams, certain seasons of the X-Files, that other thing you immediately thought of), but most of the time most of us can adjust and move on.

Every once in awhile, having a headcanon invalidated can be immensely clarifying.

I have long held the headcanon that Aziraphale accepted Crowley entirely, as a demon, and had no wish for him to rise and be an angel again. It seems straightforward that this is so in the book, and goes hand-in-hand with the Guardian Angel of Queers reading of Aziraphale. It is essential, in queer spaces, to accept people as they are and where they are and not make a bunch of drama when the category they file themselves in shifts.

When the show came along, and I had to deal with the bandstand, I briefly considered adjusting this headcanon, as it provides a basis for a relatively simple reading of the complex mental processes Aziraphale was going through at that point; but I ultimately rejected that reading as disrespectful of the relationship in a way I didn't see elsewhere, and went for a more complicated, but more nuanced, reading. So I was disappointed when Aziraphale proffered Crowley the opportunity to be reinstated as an angel as an unambiguously good thing in the Final Fifteen, and had to deal with that disillusionment on top of all the rest.

And then I put it together with the E1 teaser and the Job minisode and had a revelation.

Aziraphale does not detect any difference between Demon Crowley and that starmaker he met that time.

He tried to, when they encountered each other on the wall. Distracted by his own guilty feelings for giving away his sword and his worry about Adam and Eve, he nevertheless recognizes Crowley, and even if he thinks about it at all assumes that Crowley recognizes him. After all, why would a demon slither up to a strange angelic guardian out of the blue, without knowing anything about him? So Aziraphale clocks him as having no memory loss and probably never thinks about that issue again. He keeps reminding himself that things have changed, and trying to read Crowley's behavior as Evil, but Crowley does nothing to support that reading, instead speaking Aziraphale's secret rebellious heart out loud. Which must mean...that Aziraphale is a bad angel? Secretly agreeing with a demon?

It has to have struck him that the questions the starmaker set off to ask God are small potatoes, compared to giving away a sacred charge and then lying to God's face about it. So he struggles to do his duty and be a good obedient angel in the teeth of his own doubts about the Garden and the Flood and who knows what else, and to see the Evil in the fallen angels he encounters. Which is probably not hard if he runs into the generality of demons, but is very hard indeed when he runs into the ex-starmaker.

And then comes Job, and the ex-starmaker is actively exerting himself, killing blameless goats and children because he wants to, and God is making bets with Satan and deserting Her faithful favorites that She claims to love and every fiber of his being is screaming that this is wrong this is all wrong how did everything get so wrong -

And then the crows bleat. And light dawns in Aziraphale's anxious heart again.

It's a small and glimmering light, because - he now knows that God has behaved unjustly. He knows that Crowley didn't deserve to Fall and that the Fall has not changed his fundamental nature. Moreover, he knows that he himself, the Liar of Heaven, has transgressed as much as Crowley has, and more. If he isn't being dragged down into Hell (a fate he is perfectly prepared to face and accepted as just, mind!), then Crowley shouldn't have been sent there, either. And if becoming a demon didn't change who Crowley is, and wouldn't have changed who Aziraphale is - then angel and demon are just job titles. Roles to play.

He cannot discuss this revelation with Crowley. He can't discuss it with anybody. By the time he is free to talk about things like that, it has informed his behavior and shaped his decisions to such a degree that he never thinks to bring the matter up.

In the original "Hard Times" cold open, there is a clear point at which Aziraphale's whole outlook on life changes, and it happens between the scene of them watching Jesus get nailed up, and the moment he and Crowley meet in Rome. We don't see any brilliant Aziraphale lighting up with enthusiasm faces until that point. So what happened in between? Why, the Resurrection! Redemption is an option on the table! The Rules can change! It's all so beautifully ineffable and in a good way for once! So he asks straight out: Still a demon? Why not? Maybe Crowley's been recalled from his demon job! It could happen!

This assumption underlies every single decision he makes, and once we view his behavior in this light, it is immensely clarifying.

A human audience, hearing Crowley address Aziraphale as "angel," hears an endearment; but Aziraphale will only hear it that way after the years wear the edges off. Crowley may or may not have fallen in love with Aziraphale on the wall, but when he calls Aziraphale "angel" in "A Companion to Owls" he isn't doing so lovingly. It's just a label, no more personal than "book girl" or "army human." We hear Aziraphale address Crowley as "demon," remind him that he's a demon, and it sounds pejorative, either performatively - because Heaven and Hell can't know about their association - or sincerely, depending on context and the amount of generosity applied to Aziraphale.

But to Aziraphale, who assumes on such convincing evidence that demon is just a job title - it is only ever that.

A lot of post-Armageddon fic have Aziraphale addressing Crowley as demon or foul fiend as an endearment; but when we see them post-Armageddon in canon, he has stopped using the term. He is instead doing everything in his power (apart from discussing his assumptions directly with Crowley, which on the one hand is a lapse but on the other hand how often do we discuss basic realities like gravity or the shape of the earth with our loved ones? We only dig down to identify our axioms when we have to do so to solve a problem.) to bind them together and separate them from their old job titles. Crowley is the one saying "angel" all the time, and maybe Aziraphale hears it as an endearment - but he definitely hears it as a reminder of a gulf between them.

A gulf he thought he had eliminated.

Aziraphale isn't an angel anymore, not in his own mind. Didn't he reject obedience? Didn't he Fall on purpose, jumping out of Heaven without waiting to be expelled? Didn't he openly oppose the Great Plan? Didn't he put on a demonic guise and walk into Hell? What is being on Our Side, if it isn't rejecting the whole moral binary?

Yet Crowley can't let go of it. He still accepts that division between them as something real, despite everything Aziraphale has done to eliminate it. It's entirely possible that being called "angel" hurts Aziraphale like a rejection every time he hears it.

We, as audience, see some evidence that the process of Falling did change Crowley somewhat. His memory of Heaven and the War is spotty at best. He doesn't seem quite sure why or how or what happened when he Fell. He remembers "helping" to build a nebula, not being the one to crank it up and get it going after anybody else working on it had left. Does he even remember meeting Aziraphale and getting him to hold the scroll? It's not clear. It will be even less clear to Aziraphale, because they don't talk about Before. It's a sad, sore subject and it was a loong time ago. The only times we see Aziraphale start to maybe bring it up, Crowley cuts him off.

What is Aziraphale supposed to think, but that Crowley is still hurt by the injustice of his Fall? That he can't get past it. "Unforgiveable," he says; but Aziraphale forgives him, multiple times, and it's not enough.

How can we blame Aziraphale for thinking, for hoping, that if Heaven admits the injustice of his Fall, reinstates him, and puts him in a position of power where the two of them can fully be together and make Heaven a less toxic place, that Crowley will finally, finally, finally stop making that stupid unnecessary wholly performative distinction between them?