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sonkitty · 4 months ago

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The Sideburns Scheme Post #8 v4

(For reference: The Sideburns Scheme)

Crowley, Good Omens 2, Episode 1, The Arrival, finding out Gabriel is in the bookshop

I brighten and saturate some images below to help us see things.

Sideburns Check

The sideburns are both long.

The right sideburn is a length much like what was shown by the car earlier with Shax.

Meanwhile, the left sideburn has lengthened to what seems level with the bottom of the inner ear of the left ear.

Both sideburns will look even longer during the miracle to hide Gabriel, but I think this scene is trying to convey the overall longest-length category since at this point, the length is meant to be noticed with Gabriel, and it's harder to tell such subtle differences without a lot of practice, in my own experience.

For the earlier parts of the story, longest-length sideburns happen when Crowley is in the bookshop and going to have a scene with Gabriel. In episode 5, this length questionably appears during parts of the ball when Gabriel's presence is given more focus and right before Crowley approaches Muriel. Episode 6 is where we'll eventually see more clearly this length is not exclusive to Gabriel's presence without humans around.

During the scene, Crowley says to Aziraphale, "You'll never guess who Shax was asking me about."

Aziraphale looks at Crowley, and he says, "Yes, I think perhaps I will."

During season 2, we never see these two cross the main bookshop threshold together with no one else already inside. Both times, Gabriel was already inside.

We do see two instances of them on the main bookshop floor with no one else around. In the first, Crowley entered from the stairs as Aziraphale was preparing for the ball in episode 5. In the second, Maggie an Nina had just left after Aziraphale entered through the building's main threshold, in episode 6.

In those two instances, the sideburns were not as short as usually around as humans and not as long as when Crowley is around Gabriel without humans.

The story never told us if Crowley would already be having longer sideburns in these types of circumstances.

I think that look from Aziraphale is a recognition that the sideburns are that long on Crowley because yes, Gabriel is truly inside the bookshop with them, and Aziraphale's anxiety about the situation is further confirmed. They react to a supernatural presence, and in this case, they lengthened more than they usually do with an extra supernatural being around.

I'll have more to say on the sideburns in the Story Commentary.

...

Red Streak Check

This story wants the streak scene clearly in this scene. The bookshop is dim, especially with the shades being brought down. Still, despite that dimness, the streak is at one of its clearest points of presence on Crowley's hair.

When Crowley asks, "What...are you...doing...in...this bookshop?" there is a cut that starts where he starts when he is saying the "k" in bookshop and ends the question. During this one brief cut, I cannot find the streak. I can find maybe a little bit of the hair that looks more red where I expect the streak to be.

My theory is that the streak is an after-effect of Crowley performing a Big Miracle on Sunday at midnight or an earlier draft/timeline of the story.

This miracle involved putting the Book of Life into the matchbox. There could be more to the miracle given so much else happening in the story, such as the strange background humans, Maggie, Nina, Muriel, Crowley's sideburns, the Earthly Objects, game, and the alarms firing off later this episode.

But I still think the clues suggest this core result.

...

Hairstyle Changes

The hairstyle is quite different actually though we don't see it as much from the top as from the front. The sideburns are longer for a start, but it's also become more collected and tidy. The top front swoops further upward, like it did in earlier scenes, with a little tilt and curve to Crowley's right.

...

Earthly Objects

(For reference: Earthly Objects | Earthly Objects Study - Crowley's Sunglasses)

We have arrived at our second Threshold Trick!

This one is The Sunglasses Trick.

The Sunglasses Trick is my personal favorite though it seems to me The Pocket Trick is the clear favorite of Mr. Gaiman, Mr. Tennant, and whoever else had a strong role in making the game. I don't know if you've noticed certain recent pictures of David Tennant using pockets, but I sure have. He even made a pocket with a car!

John Finnemore is a co-writer for this story, and from what I have read, he is known for having solved a difficult literary puzzle called Cain's Jawbone while writing puzzles in his own stories too. So, I suspect it is his favorite as well.

The literal actual words, "the pocket tricks" are used in the dialogue during episode 4 in the minisode.

But anyway, let's get back to The Sunglasses Trick. Pockets will be back for extra difficulty soon enough.

Here's a GIF to start us off:

The Sunglasses Trick is the first Complex trick to start. It will not finish until The Final Fifteen of episode 6. It will be the first of three Threshold Tricks completed for that part of that episode.

My best guess for this one's core concept is, "Crowley's sunglasses are his door to himself."

This concept means the sunglasses are Crowley's threshold. His threshold has thresholds. The thresholds are the end pieces. Figuring that out in the game can be found through the subtle demonic hisses he does when removing them (and looking up diagrams of sunglasses since I didn't know this stuff). There are 3 total. For those touches, all five digits are ensured to be shown in the motion.

In the first two examples, the touch has the index finger and thumb focused on the end piece. I long thought the third example did too, but after re-examining it closely at for the previous main version of this post, I realized I was mistaken. In the third example, he actually uses the middle finger and thumb. The middle finger crosses under the index finger for the touch. I suspect there are complex pocket mechanics involved for that part to work as it does too because it is the only touch where the index finger obscures the thumb tip. Thumb tips are quite important for Door Mode.

Thresholds can also have thresholds because edges are thresholds. So, the edges of the end pieces are the thresholds of the thresholds of Crowley's threshold. He will touch those in the last touch.

Every Threshold Trick has things that make it special. A big truly special thing about this one is how it is layered. Certain things are switched along the way to reach that layer. This Threshold Trick has 8 touches total. The Single is one Triple. The Double is two Doubles. The Triple is three Singles. The first 3 touches are actually in episode 1 itself.

This first touch is Crowley removing his sunglasses for the first time in the story. He touches both end pieces with one hand.

Here is a basic run-down of how this one goes without knowing that advanced pocket mechanics are involved, copied and pasted with minor editing from my Threshold Tricks post:

Double #1 of the eventual primary Double (Episode 1):

Crowley removes his sunglasses touching two end pieces with one end. Both doors are opened. He puts the sunglasses on the dark horse statue and is not touching anything else.

Triple Part 1 of the eventual primary Single (Episode 1; Not Hissing):

Crowley removes his sunglasses before being summoned to Hell by touching the right end piece. He did not have a subtle demonic hiss as an added sound effect. His left hand eventually puts the sunglasses on a blurry mirror.

Triple Part 2 of the eventual primary Single (Episode 1; Not Hissing):

Crowley removes his sunglasses before throwing them on a desk by touching the left end piece. Soon after, he rings a bell. He did not have a subtle demonic hiss as an added sound effect.

Single #1 for the eventual primary Triple (Episode 2; Different Sunglasses and Hissing)

Crowley removes the first set of present day sunglasses while holding a Jane Austen book by touching the right end piece. He had a subtle demonic hiss as an added sound effect.

It is a Single because the next two demonic hisses will have different sunglasses.

For these demonic hisses, though I do not know why, I suspect he is actually required to be holding an earthly object.

Single #2 for our eventual primary Triple (Episode 2; Different Sunglasses and Hissing):

Crawley removes his Job era sunglasses by touching the right end piece. He had a subtle demonic hiss as an added sound effect.

While he does not appear to be holding an earthly object, crows are eventually turned into goats. These goats are what he initially transformed through his own power earlier in the story. As such, they are likely to be considered the earthly object he was holding.

Single #3 for the eventual primary Triple (Episode 5; Different Sunglasses and Hissing):

Crowley removes the second set of present day sunglasses by touching the left end piece. He had a subtle demonic hiss as an added sound effect. He is understood to be holding a glass of wine in his hand and later confirmed to still be doing so.

At last, the three Singles are done.

They have something that makes them different—the different sunglasses.

They also have something in common—Crowley hissed.

So, as a player, I figure it's time to merge these Singles so they can become the primary Triple of this Threshold Trick. Time to finish up the primary Double and the primary Single started earlier.

Triple Part 3 of the eventual primary Single (Episode 6; Not Hissing):

Crowley removes his sunglasses and holds them. When removing them, his right hand did so on the right end piece. He did not have a subtle demonic hiss as an added sound effect.

At last, there are three not hissing touches where no earthly objects were touched during the present day. That is a Triple to make the primary Single. The Trick is almost done.

Double #2 of the eventual primary Double (Episode 6):

Crowley puts his sunglasses back on. He touches the edges of the end pieces thresholds with both hands. Edges are thresholds, so he ends up touching the thresholds of his thresholds for his door to himself. On the front view, two sets of fingers are touching each other as one of the fingers of each pair touches each edge. From the back view, there are two visible digit tips with the thumb and index finger.

No earthly objects were touched the entire time before they were put on. That finally gives the primary Double for the Trick.

...

The above ends what was copied and pasted.

Another thing that makes this Threshold Trick special is that it is done by Crowley for Crowley. It is his own special move for himself.

Still another thing that makes this move special is that, instead of a rainbow, Crowley's watch has a notable reflection of white light, presumably due to the Trick's special layering.

This Threshold Trick was the fifth one I found and what made me realize they have names. As stated in a previous post, I realized "perfect" was appropriate for The Perfect Entrance Trick.

Putting these pieces together was the most rewarding part of this game for me because I had given up on finding it. I had somewhat found The Door Trick and The Window Trick without naming them just yet. One of the ways this game likes to trick a player—but clue them in too—is putting those two in The Final Fifteen rather close to each other. They are the two Simple tricks that are not The Perfect Entrance Trick. They start and finish in the same episode. The Door Trick is done for Aziraphale. The Window Trick is done for humanity.

I had started calling them Threshold Tricks and recognized they required a Single, a Double, and a Triple though I was calling them 1, 2-in-1, and 3-in-1 at first.

But in the bookshop argument when Crowley takes off and eventually puts on his sunglasses, there is not a Single, a Double, and a Triple. Knowing me, I probably saw a Single and a Double but was lost on how to find the Triple. I can't verify that's what happened for myself since I think I deleted such drafts in frustration. I know I sensed that scene by itself lacked something like that in common with the other Threshold Tricks.

So, for me, it was frustrating and confusing because shouldn't there then be a Threshold Trick for Crowley? Rule of Three?

I figured I was just wrong and looking for something I sensed that wasn't there.

Eventually, I realized the reason I had such a hard time finding it was because the touches take place over more than one episode. It was one of the Complex Threshold Tricks. Add in the layering described above, that made it so much harder to recognize. I had to have when he takes those sunglasses off memorized or at least be familiar enough to know when and where to check. Then look for a Triple that is three Singles? Not easy! I even had which set was three Singles and three parts of one Triple wrong at first.

When I did recognize the layering, it was a beautiful, mind-blowing realization.

I think there actually is a phrase that is supposed to be found for the move that does include the word, "Perfect". I'm not sure what it is, but my best guess is "Perfect Reversal". I haven't found any other words I would prefer to use.

Before I named The Perfect Entrance, I called it a "beautiful entrance."

For this Trick, I refer to its layering as "beautiful."

But "Perfect Layer" or "Perfectly Layered" still don't feel sufficient.

I don't like "Perfect Reflection," "Perfect Mirror," or "Perfect Switch," either. Fighting games certainly like reversals in their moves.

The word "pocket" might also be meant to be in there somewhere, but if so, I'm not sure how it would go. I wouldn't call it a "Perfect Pocket," "Perfect Pocket Reversal," or "Perfect Reversal Pocket." Maybe "Perfectly Layered Pocket." But "Perfect Reversal" sounds more like a move you'd find in a fighting game.

Still, let's get to the pocket stuff.

The "easy" pocket thing to notice from the start is that this Threshold Trick is pocketed by the Doubles. A Double starts this Threshold Trick. A Double ends this Threshold Trick. In Earthly Objects, that's a pocket.

Here we are at the first of those Doubles to start the whole thing.

The more difficult pocket mechanics in play are trying to figure out how the Tied Hands and Belt Head are managed, along with anything else pockets might give as clues to a player.

The Tied Hands probably retie after Crowley places the sunglasses on the dark horse statue.

Something that's really notable about this initiating Double is the lack of an Overhead Light. Crowley had Overhead Lights during his entrance into the bookshop, but the flow of his scenes was disrupted by a scene of Maggie and Nina.

In any case, he has a visible pocket of hair and visible Belt Head during the cut of this touch, so the Belt Head is nonetheless active.

Crowley's actual left thumb is ensured to not be on screen.

It is extremely hard to tell with the lighting, but as those sunglasses make their way to the dark horse statue, I can eventually see the tassels and clasps of the Tied Hands are pocketed into Crowley's vest. That means those thumbs and thumb joints are hiding. That's something they'll do much later on the exit in Heaven that ends The Bigger Thresholds Trick.

Well, this touch is starting this Threshold Trick instead of ending it. The thumb parts of the Tied Hands are then purposely not shown for the rest of this scene.

I don't know why. I just know that's what Crowley decided to do in the game as part of his advanced play.

The lighting is most interested in some of the books in front of the dark horse statue itself.

I can't really be sure if Crowley's trying to make his left thumb joint more visible despite the left thumb hiding. If he is, it's when he's putting the sunglasses on the statue.

The Belt Head is visible between the vest tips with a little pocket formed above it, thanks to them. There are actually multiple pockets of hair though one is bigger than the others.

...

Here are my guesses for the basic points of standard sets.

The dark horse statue is touched by extension once the sunglasses are on it.

Aziraphale has a touch on the string to bring down the shades over a window.

Crowley says Shax's name.

Aziraphale touches the string to bring down the shades of one of the doors.

Aziraphale says the name, "Jim?" in the form of a question.

Crowley responds with the name twice and a question set, "Jim? Do we know a Jim?"

Questions can be nullified by answering them or maybe even being too similar. Since Crowley and Aziraphale are interacting, there might also be a priority order, such as Aziraphale receiving credit for the name "Jim" whereas Crowley receives credit for the question, "Do we know a Jim?" instead of each receiving credit for both names and questions. I haven't a strong enough feel of the game to be sure, just speculating based on rhythm.

Gabriel says,"Hi there," as his "Hello" for the scene.

Crowley says Gabriel's name.

Aziraphale brings down the shades for the other door.

Aziraphale's right arm touches the shades against the door.

Gabriel says his own name.

Gabriel's bare feet shift slightly on the floor.

Crowley has the question, "What's he doing here?"

Now, something is off or mitigating the lack of touches for a stretch of dialogue and interaction in this scene. Not all touches are physical, but no one is looking through a window. The something could be that the shades are hiding the inner events of the bookshop or the occasional visual touches Crowley and Aziraphale have on the bookshop doors.

Crowley has the question, "What's happened to him?"

Crowley has the question, "What...are you...doing...in...this bookshop?"

Aziraphale has a self-touch with his hands.

Gabriel's answer is, "I...am...dusting."

Statements of place are more often used as a "hello," but I think they can be used as a "good-bye," which is what seems to be happening here since it is the last line of dialogue for the scene.

Gabriel then shows himself dusting, showing the proper earthly object use of a feather duster.

...

Tied Hands

While I have already covered the Tied Hands somewhat for the touch on The Sunglasses Trick, there is one particular cut that has a potential retying because it's the only cut that shows Crowley's actual hands after he removes his sunglasses and has a few retying clues.

That cut is here:

This retying, if that is what it is, is either in response to another character entering the scene or because it's the first time Crowley's head has a visual touch on the bookshop doors. There is an area behind Gabriel that could be a doorway with yet another door against the wall, but that's uncertain speculation. I don't really know and can't really tell. I know where the bookshop doors are though, and I know the timing of Crowley's first visual touch over them with retying clues.

If there is yet another retying after that one, it must be done with Gabriel's assistance near the end of the scene and before Crowley is about to cross another threshold to start the next scene. A clock becomes visible as a time-teller when Crowley is shown with the feather duster.

After that, Gabriel's hands do some things that Crowley's hands tend to do for his retying instances.

What made them untie? I'm not sure. Based on the framing, Crowley's actual head stopped having a visual touch over the main bookshop doors for the cuts showing his head with those doors after the last retying.

...

Belt Head

I am of the opinion that reflected light on pillars and non-door surfaces should not count for Overhead Lights, but this scene does that, just in case such things do count. Or maybe such things count because of how Crowley's left thumb aligned with a line of light when he reacted to seeing Gabriel in this particular scene. It's really annoying. The framing is very deliberate about when Crowley's head reaches the top of the screen as well.

I mean, I don't think reflective objects or surfaces should count in general, but I acknowledge that the Double and Single of The Pocket Trick suggest such mechanics are at work when Crowley has a physical touch on a door indoors. In Crowley's first present day scene, there is a giant reflection in the lake that could be his Overhead Light. So, reflections or reflective surfaces have a role to play, at the very least.

Much like how the thumbs and thumb joints of the Tied Hands stay in their pocket in the vest, the Belt Head stays off screen after it is initially shown in the first cut of the scene.

Crowley does get a more definite Overhead Light when he turns around to see Gabriel, which is just before a theoretical retying. He gets Overhead Lights that are actual lights when he looks at Aziraphale before looking at Gabriel again.

Then he has 3 little lights above and to the left of his left ear in the first video frame when he is shown with the feather duster as another theoretical retying initiates. Crowley gets one little definite pocket of hair containing that light further into the cut.

...

Story Commentary

After watching Good Omens 2, I was left confused and mildly annoyed.

So, I went to Tumblr to get a feel for why I might be feeling how I did and found various fan theories that something more was happening with the end than how things seem on the surface.

One such theory was called The Magic Trick You Didn't See. The link now says I need to request access, which I don't feel comfortable doing, so I'll pass along what I remember. It was quite popular at the time I read it, which was probably October or November 2023.

The core theory in play is that the Metatron was editing the Book of Life the whole time during Good Omens 2.

I think this theory brings up some worthwhile points, and I couldn't have formed my own theories without it. Plus, the title is a lovely match to my own very different theory about the existence of The Door Catch. The Door Catch is a special Magic Trick Aziraphale does at the end of episode 6.

Cool things found in that theory, in my opinion, for forming my own other theories, are that the disappearing Eccles cakes plate teaches the audience the rules of a game, mention of the Rule of Three, and even a mention of that dreadfully key magical word, "pocket".

Then another theory that found its way to me was that this story takes place over months: It's a memory, and it's out of order. Memories were stitched together. Somewhere in the process Crowley, Aziraphale, and Gabriel hid something from themselves. I disagree that the story takes place over several months, but that idea for the hiding something from themselves sounds very plausible, and even likely, to me. Selective memory for supernatural beings is something we are informed can happen when Aziraphale explains learning French the hard way and knowing that Gabriel retained at least some memories.

And these theories, these were the ones that really caught my attention:

Crowley’s Sideburns & what do they mean?

Ok, I love this theory that it could be some sort ...

I read those things, and my line of thinking went, "That [sideburns thing] was meant to be noticed." I am so, so obsessed with David Tennant as Crowley right now—and back then, so that gave me an excuse to do something with my obsession by seeing if I could figure out anything with the sideburns. If something is made that obvious, it shouldn't be that hard. Alas, it is because of pockets, but I didn't know better, obviously. I accepted an invitation to a game without realizing it.

I mean, without knowing the difficult pocket trickery would happen, I figured, even if it were that hard, I'd just give up and move on eventually, right? Sometimes we surprise ourselves.

So, with those things in mind...

Moving onto more on sideburns, when I initially started this project, one of my top questions was, "Who, in this fictional universe, is trying to tell us what they mean?" Because if the Metatron is editing the Book Life, why is he so obsessed with telling us so much about Crowley's sideburns, more saturated red streak of hair, and varying hairstyle changes? As best I can tell, Crowley and Aziraphale—mainly Crowley—are actually the ones telling us about the sideburns. Their message is subtle because it's spread out in puzzle pieces, but it's there. It can be found in the looks, the dialogue, what is seen on screen.

As noted from my post about the scene in the park, based on Crowley's actions in the story—especially here, Crowley does not actually sense when the sideburns change in length. Whatever these sideburns do, they do not alert Crowley "Gabriel is nearby! Gabriel is nearby!" They alert us, for this earlier part of the story but not Crowley himself.

Another question I had was if Crowley needed to look in a mirror to know the length changed, and I now think that, for the most part, yes, he does. His sight is special, but he can manipulate it to get the mirror to show him the sideburns in his car because his car is showing him the mirror. Otherwise, he can get something like a verbal cue from Aziraphale when Aziraphale says Muriel is a "human" police officer with emphasis on the word "human". So then, Crowley doesn't need to look in the mirror. He's been informed that they are short indirectly.

As noted in my main sideburns post, I think the sideburns are related to memory, but I don't have much understanding of how. I suspect their longer length around angels is from a latent memory in the angels because of the rank clues spread throughout the story.

...

That one cut where I think the streak disappeared is very curious. The question in the dialogue is so drawn out, it could be an edit. If it is, it's very good because I can't find any easier tells or discrepancies in the bookshop layout. At most, I think maybe things to the camera's left of the pillar might not line up as easily as things to the camera's right of the pillar.

There are at least two other oddities that could be more difficult tells. Crowley's shoulder obscures where the plate of Eccles cakes would be. It's the only cut where Aziraphale, Crowley, and Gabriel are on screen together with having some of Aziraphale's left side in it and some of Gabriel's right side.

Going back to the earlier mentioned theory about the Metatron editing the Book of Life, a lot of stuff I found in my own analysis clashes with that idea, but some of it doesn't.

The theory pointed out the Metatron referencing things like "makes a good story." I think there is merit to that. I don't remember the other two examples, but the author brought up a Rule of Three.

The theory suggested the Metatron is editing things about Aziraphale and alcohol.

I don't know if he edited those things, but Maggie's expressed disinterest in alcohol does fit as a potential clue. If it weren't for Maggie, I would figure the story is just showing us how Aziraphale's taste and willingness to drink alcohol evolved over time. But there is Maggie.

The theory has a strong association with Maggie being the Metatron's character, and I think a lot of that idea fits. I could see the Metatron being Maggie's editor or writer.

The matchbox is my main hesitance. I mean, it could be some other book in the matchbox, such as a version of the Book of Job to be concerned with since the Book of Job is where the matchbox's quote is from. Plus, what about the briefcase that Aziraphale took to Edinburgh and disappeared? Was the Book of Life or the Book of Job hidden away with the Gabriel statue?

We know Agnes Nutter had another book. She likely knew it would be burned and had another copy wherever it needed to be. Where is it? Does it play a role in this story? Did it give our characters clues on what to do?

Maybe whatever is in the matchbox is not a book but some other type of ominous magical object.

There are plenty of alternatives, and I'm mainly going by clues based on Michael and Muriel instead of the Metatron and Aziraphale.

The next scene has the streak not shown right before Crowley exits the private room where it can usually be more easily found, which is significant other part of where this idea comes from. That would be Draft #1 or Saturday.

I am not sure if Earthly Objects itself is a book that is a game the characters are in, but I at least lean a little that way because of the various readings that can be found in the game. The spaces read Crowley. The bookshop takes Muriel literally in episode 3. The Pocket Trick has hidden messages that require an audience player to figure out the words so that the messages can be read. The literal words in the Job minisode are part of how Job and Sitis keep their children alive. They literally lie aloud even if we can see they know they are lying. And so on.

So, maybe the Metatron isn't editing the Book of Life but a book called Earthly Objects or Good Omens 2. Even if he is, he still has to play the game, Earthly Objects, once he himself enters this story.

...

Alright, moving on a bit from the sideburns and the streak, here's more on this particular scene itself.

This scene is fascinating. Crowley is terrified instantly. We've seen him terrified before, but that included trying to stay composed nonetheless when it came to Hastur and Ligur and not being able to really run when Satan was coming. This context is different, and Crowley is caught completely off-guard, also unusual. Aziraphale had been confused and only took a step back when Gabriel asked to come in. Crowley doesn't have that chance, so he has to just instantly back away.

There is zero doubt in Crowley's head that this being is Gabriel with something having happened to him whereas earlier Aziraphale told Gabriel who knew someone who looked a lot like him. I mean, I'm sure Aziraphale was relatively sure himself, but he gave and acknowledged that inkling of doubt, that there could be something else.

Not Crowley though.

And even though Beelzebub later refers to the fly holding all of Gabriel's memories as "all your you", we know bare minimum there are some things in this being that Crowley—and only Crowley—was able to tap into. That "institutional problem" part sounded like a little bit of Gabriel's actual memory to me. There were no purple eyes needed for it either.

Despite Crowley's utter shock, his Earthly Objects play is still aware enough to manage his Tied Hands and Belt Head during the scene.

For taking note of the odd blocking of this story, the characters are notably separated a great deal in the cuts though not fully.

They interact but are blurred at times when supposedly on screen together. A lot of times only one of the characters is on screen, the audience left to assume it's because of distance and focus of who's talking or reacting.

The streak's disappearance is the one cut I can find with all three of them. That cut would also allow Crowley to be pocketed between the other two characters.

When Gabriel shows up, the blur switches between him and Crowley, ensuring both are not clear when we see them briefly in the same part of the scene together. Admittedly, in Earthly Objects, this type of thing seems to mean they are sharing in the scene.

Yellow is an important color in this story and not just because of Crowley's beautiful snake eyes. Yellow is the color hit twice in the Rainbow Connection during The Door Trick and that connects over to Aziraphale before Aziraphale eventually starts The Door Catch.

What does "Ask him properly!" mean?

Well, in the full context of both seasons, it could be that Crowley is telling Aziraphale to take the same approach Crowley has with his plants in season 1 or that one particular angel took with Aziraphale when yelling at Aziraphale in Heaven during season 1. When Crowley turns to talk to Gabriel again, he raises his voice and enunciates the question slowly. He also maintains eye contact in the cuts where we can see his eyes.

But...since we're playing games, we can let our imaginations run a little further than that to...

Compelling.

Asking him properly could mean that one of them should compel Gabriel for an answer.

Compelling requires eye contact, but for Crowley, it might also require...a demonic hiss.

Crowley will hiss at Gabriel in the next episode, and he will get an answer that takes him by surprise.

More likely, he meant yelling, since that's what he does, but the compelling answer is more fun, for me anyway.

...

That's it for this post.

...

Main post:

The Sideburns Scheme

...

Past versions of this post:

Post #8 v3 (finding out Gabriel is in the bookshop)

Post #8 v2 (finding out Gabriel is in the bookshop)

Post #8 v1 (finding out Gabriel is in the bookshop)

#crowley #david tennant #good omens #good omens 2 #good omens s2 #good omens meta #good omens season 2 #good omens crowley #good omens analysis

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consulting-ghosts · 1 year ago

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You know what's bothering me. So many people are still shitting at Aziraphale. Not necessarily here, but on other platforms.

For those who don't know, it's confirmed by Neil that Crowley never told Azirphale that he lived in the car. That's also confirmed to me that he never told him what happened in Heaven post armageddon or about the book of life. That's wrong for two reasons.

1. Crowley was afraid of staying one night with Gabriel in the bookshop, right? He wasn't sure if he didn't pretend that he doesn't remember anything or he could just restore his memories at any moment. But Crowley was ok with Azirphale staying with Gabriel alone, through the whole season, when Azi didn't know that Gabriel openly hated him or wanted him dead? If you think about it, Azi was in more danger here than Crowley, since he was the one who betrayed heaven and made them look stupid.

2. Crowley had no right to be mad at Aziraphale for wanting to go back. When Azi told him about the Metatron ofer, he should tell him about the second coming, the book of life and other stuff he hid from him. Sure, at the end of the day, Aziraphale might still decide to go to Heaven, but at least Crowly would do everything in his power to explain his point of view and why he thinks it's a bad idea. Wanting to protect someone, doesn't justify withholding information from them, especially if it can put them in danger. The only thing it accomplished was sending Aziraphale to Heaven alone, without all the information about possible danger he would be facing there.

Also, I don't see Azi going back to Heaven as him being naive or going back to his old way of thinking. He knows heaven is toxic, but there are also angels like Muriel, who spend all their existence alone and away from others, and they don't know there's other life. Even if you look at Michael or Uriel or even Gabriel at some point in the past, they all seem to be so bored and done with what they do.They long for something more too, even if they don't know about it. I wouldn't be surprised if they all start a revolution with Azi next season.

Since I watched season 2, I couldn't put my fingers on Azi, because there's something different about him. You know what? He's just happy. Purely, unconditionally happy, like in these few small moments, we witnessed in the past. There's more to that thought. He's comfortable in his skin, he's comfortable with what he does and what he enjoys to do, with his feelings for Crowley. That's where his confidence comes from. In allowing himself to be who he is without worry.

That’s why it saddens me, when Crowley is the one to put him down sometimes. Like when he says that he magic is stupid or with Bentley situation. I know he doesn't mean it, he's just being a grumpy old man, but still.

Azirphale spent all of his existence feeling miserable and like a failure, because he was different. He didn't follow all the rules. He was mocked about human staff that he loved. He had to hide his true self, sometimes even when he was with Crowley. In season 1 we saw how he struggled to be himself and be someone he was supposed to, but probably never was in the first place. If you think about this, Crowley had to hide his true self too, even if for a different reason. That’s why they fit so perfectly together and why they have this deeper understanding. They always have been outcasts in one way or the other.

So seeing Azi feeling so good with himself and just loving his life is amazing to witness.

Also, I know, Crowley is there to save Azi or help him, but he's like a closed book most of the times, when it comes to how he feels. When you look at it, most of their deeper conversations were initiated by Aziraphale. Crowley is there to reassure him, but he rarely shares how he feels. He often turns everything into a joke, so it's hard to tell when he's actually being serious. I mean, Azi didn't even know, that he's Crowley's best friend, last season. I know he's been hurt very badly, but how many times can you pretend that everything is fine, when it's not? The sad thing is, when he finally decided to tell how he feels and what he wants, it was a little too late. I love him and I feel for him, but I don't understand his actions sometimes tbh.

As a conclusion I would like to know what happened to Crowley, that he decided to stay in his car for two and half years? Like WTF man? Did he snap post apocalypse, because there's no logical explanation for that? Did he think so low about Aziraphale, that he considered that he wouldn't let him stay in the bookshop? Even if for unknown reason, he didn't want to leave with Azi, why didn't he find a different apartament? If he loved his old one so much, he could change the next, to look the same. He could even steal his old stuff if he wanted to, so whyyyyy???

If Gabriel didn't show up, how much longer did he plan to play this charade? He's so ridiculous sometimes.

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nicnacsnonsense · 1 year ago

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Hi, can I ask you what happened on go2? I have no interest in watching it but I'm nosy 👀 (if u don't want to answer/explain that's fine too obvs just ignore this <3) hope u have a good day!

Yeah sure. I’m going to focus on the ending since I’m assuming by “what happened” you want the tea that prompted me to say I hated it as opposed to an overall plot summary.

The main plot is centered on the mystery behind why Gabriel showed up at Aziraphale’s bookshop naked and with no memory. Ultimately we find out Heaven was planning on wiping Gabriel’s memory and demoting him to the lowest rank of angel when he used his authority as Supreme Archangel to block their plans for Armageddon 2 without explanation. So he actually removed his own memories first and snuck out of Heaven, ending up at the bookshop because he subconsciously remembered it as a safe place. As to where he stored the memories, they were inside a magic fly Beelzebub had given him, as they had fallen in love in the past few years since the failed apocalypse; that’s also why Gabriel had scrapped the renewed plans for a war between Heaven and Hell.

After that reveal, Gabriel and Beelzebub go off together, and all the various members of Heaven and Hell who were there for it go back to their Head Offices, except Metatron, who asks Aziraphale to go for a walk with him. This leaves Crowley waiting alone at the bookshop (after he sends Muriel off with a book to read) when Nina and Maggie, or two major supporting human characters, come in. They wanted to talk with Azcrow, but decide to give their advice to just Crowley, which is that the two of them need to actually communicate and tell each other how they feel and what they want. He takes this to heart because when Aziraphale returns (Maggie & Nina having left by then) Crowley tries to start that conversation only for Aziraphale to cut him off with his news.

Metatron has offered Aziraphale Gabriel’s old job of Supreme Archangel. Further, he has given Aziraphale the authority to reinstate Crowley as an angel so they two of them can continue to work together. Crowley is appalled by the whole notion, but Aziraphale insists that if the two of them were in charge of Heaven they could fix things and make it good. Crowley confesses his feelings to Aziraphale and tries once again to suggest the two of them go off together and Aziraphale once again declines. It’s the bandstand scene all over again, only this time when Crowley circles back after his initial attempt to leave, he kisses Aziraphale. It is a very aggressive kiss, and Aziraphale seems surprised and overwhelmed and uncertain of how to respond. After the kiss ends he tells Crowley “I forgive you,” and Crowley leaves, angry and clearly deeply hurt.

Aziraphale leaves the bookshop (Muriel is going to be put in charge of watching it for the time being) and meets up with the Metatron. At this point Metatron reveals to Aziraphale that part of the reason Aziraphale was chosen is his familiarity with Earth is going to be an asset to Heaven’s next big plan: the Second Coming. Aziraphale looks uncertain and that, and again hesitates when he sees Crowley is still there, standing by the Bentley, watching him. But then Aziraphale steels himself, pastes on a big smile, and gets into the elevator up to Heaven with Metatron. Crowley gets in the Bentley and drives away. Credits roll.

So you can see why I would be upset with that ending. Especially as the season itself did little to nothing to build up to it as far as I could tell. I understand that Heaven was abusive and people can take time and multiple tries to leave a situation like that, so I don’t object to the ending on principle, but as it stands the whole thing doesn’t feel like Aziraphale the person has regressed due to external pressures or internal struggles. It feels like the writing for the character of Aziraphale has regressed, ignoring the development he underwent last season just for the sake of creating drama and angst. All and all, I was already pretty meh on the season across the first 5 episodes, but episode 6 was genuinely upsetting to me and made me feel betrayed and lied to.

#good omens #crowley #aziraphale #ineffable husbands #good omens 2 #good omens s2 #good omens 2 spoilers

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nice-and-accurate-ramblings · 1 year ago

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⚠️WARNING: Good Omens Season 2 Episode 5 Spoilers below the cut!

Don’t click on the read more if you don’t want spoilers!!

Lmao Shax is NOT getting a legion of hell

“I have a permit” “this just says ‘I can do what I want’” kinda energy

“Can I watch?” Crowley is sooo along for the shenanigans

HE GAVE AWAY A BOOK

TWICE?!?!?!

AZIRAPHALE. WHAT.

Okay no but this circles around to that lovely headcanon that he doesn’t actually mind selling or giving away books as long as it’s to the right people

NOT THE FRENCH AGAIN. AZIRAPHALE PLEASE. SHE IS SO DONE WITH YOU

At least his French is better now

CROWLEY IS SO DONE LMAOOO

Shax scary o_o

“You’ve been together long? You and your partner?”

“IT CERTAINLY LOOKS LIKE THAT FROM HERE”

“HES NOT MY BIT ON THE SIDE, FAR TOO PURE OF HEART TO BE ANYONE’S BIT ON THE SIDE, HE’S JUST AN ANGEL… I know”

MR GAIMAN I AM IN YOUR WALLS FOR THAT ONE

Oh he looks DEEP in thought

Shax is going to commit murders. And then take the stairs

WELL THAT WAS A LOT TO PROCESS BEFORE THE THEME SONG EVEN HIT

Theory while the theme song plays: is it a play by Gabriel and Beelzebub to restart Armageddon? Gabs goes missing, everyone is watching the situation, hell sends an army to attack an archangel, war ensues??

“Smited? Smote?” “Smitten” yeah someone here is smitten alright 👀 two someones actually

*leaves* *grabs the bottle of wine on the way out*

Ohhh Nina honey please please please leave her. This is some Grade A Toxic Shit

I want to give Nina a huggg

CROWLEY. STOP. TALKING. YOU ARENT SUPPOSED TO SPILL THAT SECRET. THAT IS A VERY IMPORTANT SECRET.

Crowley holy shit

Gabriel holy shit

“My head isn’t built for that” kind of like how Job’s wasn’t built for that? Is he human now????

IN A MATCHBOX?!?!

HE TOOK IT OUT FIRST AND PUT IT IN. THE BOX HE BROUGHT HERE.

If it happens again it’ll seem like an institutional problem? GABRIEL WHAT. THE FUCK.

“Do you want a hot chocolate” 🥺🥺🥺

Oh my god the angels know absolutely nothing about humans

MURIEL!!!!

Uriel and Michael have a wonderful silver and gold vibe happening here

Crowley shut the fuck up you are nice

WAIT AND SEE

I HAVE WAITED. LET ME SEE. L E T M E S E E.

OH THAT’S MRS. SANDWICH

oh Aziraphale you are either so oblivious or so incredibly ace or both

Aziraphale really said WE ARE HOSTING A BALL

Ohhh Nina I am giving you the biggest hug. You’re better off, queen 🥺

“For once in your life, trust somebody” “You’re weird!!” Correct response. He is weird. But yeah listen to him.

JIM WHAT ARE YOU WEARING

AZIRAPHALE THIS IS INSANE AND I LOVE YOU SO MUCH

“YOU YOUNG PEOPLE” SHSHDJFJFKG

Oh no Maggie you need to run. Like. Now.

Thank you Crowley 😭

Okay Aziraphale this is uh. Weird. This is getting creepy fast.

Is she… you know… a seamstress 👀

I now understand why choreography was needed for this episode

Aziraphale’s face when watching them dance,, it’s the toesy-woesies face,,,

Gabriel is being flirted with en masse and is entirely oblivious

PERHAPS YOU COULD TELL ME WHILE WE DANCE

I-

I AM

HAJSKDKDKDKFNGKKSKFJGKHLLDKF

Shax I swear if you interrupt this I will find a way to reach through the screen and strangle you myself

“I know I’m hard work” “I’m not afraid of hard work” Maggie and Nina have my whole entire heart agghhh

THEY ARE DANCINGGGGGG

Aziraphale you are really not underestimating how much trouble you’re actually in

Oh fuck oh shit oh no

“You came to me. I said I would protect you. And I will.” Someone explain why I am about to cry.

THE COAT, GABRIEL WHAT

oh no the two tiny half miracles were too effective

T-O-S-T-E. TOAST.

CROWLEY GOING LAWYER MODE AHSHDJDJF

Oh my god he made it up I love him. I love him so much this is 🤌🤌🤌

Oh hi Mr. Brown you’re about to get murdered.

HM. YEAH HE UH. HE DID GET MURDERED.

“Have you got your hand in” “oh I’ve got more than that” “I bet you do”

CROWLEY YOU ARE IN FACT A GOOD LAD. LISTEN TO MRS. SANDWICH

I-

“Make your own plans” “Oh I am! But rescuing me makes him so happy!” I AM GOING INSANE. I HAVE NO WORDS. I JUST. GIVE ME A FUCKING MINUTE.

oh hi Muriel!

“Good job! You arrested me!” “You’re arresting me, why would I be trying to trick you?” If this upsets Muriel I am legally obligated to throw hands

WHAT IS HAPPENING

On to episode 6, I am slowly losing my mind 😀👍

#good omens #good omens season 2 #good omens spoilers #good omens season 2 spoilers #gos2 #gos2 spoilers #good omens s2 spoilers #good omens s2 #good omens 2 #good omens 2 spoilers #good omens liveblog

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averygaefroug · 1 year ago

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I figure I may aswell put out this now and see if anyone’s intrigued, good chance this won’t get finished…

Maggie walked into Give me coffee or give me death and quickly found Nina, who was serving what looked to be a particularly particular customer.

“I’m sorry sir, but I’m all out of vanilla syrup now, so you’ll just have to order something else,”

Nina was beginning to look like she might burst at this point, Maggie stepped forward hoping she could come up with an excuse to diffuse the situation.

“Umm.. Nina I have to talk to you urgently!”

Maggie said trying to sound serious, Nina seemed to pick on,

“Oh yes! Sir, we’re now closed, so I’ll need you to leave”

It was still close to an hour before she usually closed but she didn’t much care at this point. She ushered the man out along with the one other woman who’d been just sitting by an empty tea mug.

“So, what’s up?”

“Well nothing as serious as closing you café,” Maggie said with an embarrassed laugh

“Oh I was going to close early today anyway, you just gave me the excuse I needed. What do you need?”

“I was just wondering if you’d seen Mr. Fell recently, I’m nervous that we did something wrong talking to Crowley, if it was any of our business” Maggie felt that they had been doing the right thing, but she was still quite new to relationships in general.

“Oh I’m sure they’re off honeymooning together; I saw Crowley leave not long after we talked to him… although I don’t believe Fell was with him.”

Maggie looked nervous and started to glance over at the bookshop, while Nina just looked thoughtful.

“But he still needed to hear what we told him, whatever happened they must’ve talked.” Nina knew that they’d gone right with their conversation the previous week.

Maggie was reassured by this until she remembered Muriel.

“ Its just that I went to ask Mr Fell about records this morning and I saw that kid who was dressed in the all white constable uniform and they said they were running the shop now…”

“Ah the constable shopkeeper gram,” Nina said sarcastically, that Fell wouldn’t put someone like that in charge of the shop he loved so much.

Maggie looked between A.Z. Fell and co. And Nina with a grave look on her face. Nina blinked at Maggie,

“You’re joking! He really did that? I guess they decided to suddenly run away together?” He really was a dark horse, Nina thought.

“But Mr Fell loves that bookshop. I don’t believe he would just leave it, even for the Mr Crowley.” Nina wasn’t really sure what their first names were, she felt better just calling them “Mr.”

“Well, they aren’t entirely human, so maybe time works differently for them. I bet he’ll come back in two years feeling like it’s been only an hour. Don’t worry.”

Nina’s insistence calmed Maggie, Nina knew how this sort of thing worked, if she was completely sure of it, Maggie would be sure too.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was a drizzly morning when Crowley woke. Well… it was more of a cloudy- no… it was an almost gray morning, (if you a counted peach and scarlet sunrise -the sort of sunrise poeple took pictures of on their smart phones- as almost gray.) Crowley couldn’t handle it if the sky was happy while he lamented over- while he was living in his car. Crowley knew what he had to do, but every time he tried to drive his eyes would wander, then his God be damned memory would flash to that night and he would grab a flask and drink till he was hammered out of his mind. The routine hadn’t been helping his already exhausted human body and now that he was out of alcohol he knew it wouldn’t do to put it off again (he was not thinking about it, he was just going to it)

~~~~~~

“We have demons set to be stationed all around Manchester Daegan,” said a pale skinned demon with gray frizzled hair

“Good, this should well help to gain Hell, and our dark master souls.” Replied the green scaled demon known as Daegan

“Once we’ve completely defiled Manchester, we can move forward to larger and larger cities, this plan is very awful” the scarlet dressed demon hissed.

“If Crowley was able to accomplish the Spanish Inquisition living on earth,” Daegan grinned with malice “Then what might a hundred do?”

~~~~~~~~~~

#good omens #crowley #good omens 2 #aziraphale #aziraphale x crowley #ineffable idiots #good omens season 2 #good omens season two spoilers

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rcreveal · 1 year ago

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Updated Masterlist

Started: 12/2/2023

Updated:12/15/2024

Good Omens Fanfic

Multi-chapter stories

Shipwrecked with no memory of who we were

Crowley and Aziraphale wash up on an island with no memory of who they were. We get to see them fall in love and be an Us without the baggage. Sweet tenderness with an A03-only spicy scene in chapter 3, but a mystery hangs over them until the final Chapter 5 when all is revealed in a hopeful ending.

Chapter 1 prompts 1)memory loss 2)the crystal ball Chapter 2 prompts 1)Aziraphale's watch, 2)I know what you smell like Chapter 3 prompts 1)Eden, 2)fanart Chapter 4 prompts 1)an argument Chapter 5 mysteries revealed and tie-in to post S2

The Trouble with a Keen Manager

Crowley is having some escalating troubles with his Home Office under a keen new manager. Needing help from old and new friends puts Crowley in some unusual situations as he fights to get his old power and autonomy back...and just to avoid discorporation. But how can he get help without exposing his reliance on any of them? Takes place in 1990's London before the birth of the Anti-Christ (yeah, I know that's not canon compliant for the book, but it could be for the TV series, right?) with canon-typical behaviors for Aziraphale and Crowley growing their relationship to the point that they'd be willing to work together so closely against Armageddon. Down in Hell, Shax and Furfur's acquaintance develops and we find out why no one in Hell was upset that Usher got the Holy Water treatment at the end of S1. Crossposted to A03.

Ch 1, Ch2, Ch3, Ch4, Ch5, Ch6, Ch7, Ch8, Ch9, Ch10, Ch11, Ch12, Ch13, Ch14, Ch15, Ch16, Ch17, Ch18, Ch19, Ch20

(I just can't wait for) Season 3 Good Omens a finished season 3 story arc in 50+ chapters cross posted on AO3. I just haven't posted each chapter here, but if that would help your fanfic reading, send me a message and I will totally do that.

Chapter 1: in which Crowley is on a bender Chapter 2: Earlier the same day: in which Aziraphale goes to Heaven Chapter 3: Heaven and Hell: in which there are divers alarums

2024 Prompt a week Challenge on Sendarya's Discord Server

In the cow byre a deal is struck: England 1020 prompts 1)weather the origin of the Arrangement Feathers and Snakeskin prompts 1)Jane Austen, 2)you're up to something, 3)Crowley's snake, 4) how we said I love you with something we (had made) for each other. Crowley is nervous, really nervous, about...movie night? Nina helps out and we find out what's really worrying him. A Tattoo Temptation prompts 1)tattoos Beelzebub and Gabriel are hiding out in the Pacific Northwest after S2. Humor and angst in this short one-shot, but the fly saves the day! Run! They think we're their Valentine prompts 1)Valentine's, 2)oysters, 3)'Should I say 'thank you'?' Fluff and humor with an unusual premise, Aziraphale and Crowley try to escape the strange thing that happens on Valentine's day. Maggie's Nana's Valentine Birthday prompts 1)Valentine's day 2)Nina and Crowley are the kind of friends who drink together and call each other names Shipwrecked with no memory of who we were Aziraphale and Crowley wash up on an island with no memory of who they were. We get to see them fall in love and be an Us without the baggage. Sweet tenderness with an A03-only spicy scene in chapter 3, but a mystery hangs over them until the final Chapter 5 when they redefine their purpose in a hopeful ending. Chapter 1 prompts 1)memory loss 2)the crystal ball Chapter 2 prompts 1)Aziraphale's watch 2)I know what you smell like Chapter 3 prompts 1) Eden, 2)Fanart Chapter 4 prompts 1) An argument Chapter 5 mysteries revealed and tie-in to post S2 Spring Cleaning Fluff and friendship in post S3 Whickber street. Eric and Muriel have something odd happening and everyone steps into help out and enjoy the beautiful day. Wing grooming. An Adjustment Aziraphale decides to expand the Arrangement. Answers the question from Spring Cleaning-'How long has Aziraphale been grooming Crowley's wings?' Menaced by Memo fluff and work humor. Ever had to fill out a quality improvement work survey? Crowley and Aziraphale get their first ones...Prompt: how you said I love you-with story-telling Static Breakthrough meditation on loss, waiting, pining, with a hopeful ending. Prompt: the invisible, unbreakable line between Aziraphale and Crowley

Nov 2023 Prompt a day challenge: Nanomutt: How you said I love you (find the complete list of prompts in the link below for "Things that make me happy")

How you said I love you Prompt a day challenge Courting in the Stars Day 3 with a scream-fluff and romance Soggy Bread Day 5 over a beer-fluff and humor Punting Day 6 on a sunny Tuesday afternoon with the sun shining in your hair-fluffyfest, tooth-rotting fluff The Quest Day 2 under the covers with a hoarse voice and 7 with a thank you-fluff and humor Complete Choice Overload Day 8 as an apology &9 with chocolate chip cookies-fluff and humor The Anniversary Day 10 not said to me- heavy angst/tragedy Come At Once [Stop] I found it [stop] Day 11 with a shuddering gasp-fanart inspired mystery romance Spring Picnic Day 12 when we lay together on the fresh spring grass-fluff, silliness, humor, and romance Mindfulness Practice Day 14 as a whisper in the ear-soft humor, hurt/comfort All Creatures Great and Small... Day 15 loud so everyone can hear-fluff and humor Movie Night Day 16 over and over again until it becomes unintelligible babble-fluff and humor Research of the Heart Day 17 when the broken glass litters the floor & 18 from far away-fluff, silly humor, romance Night Terrors Day 19 with no space left between us-hurt and comfort Hurricane Warning Day 20 as we huddle together with the storm raging outside-fluff, Anansi boys/GO crossover Bath Research Day 22 muffled from the other side of the door-fluff and silly humor-Muriel At the Royal Albert Day 23 through a song- fluff and romance Wasteland Day 26 Broken, as you clutch my sleeve and beg me not to leave-heavy angst/tragedy S3 speculation Paint Job Day 27 a taunt, with one eyebrow raised and a grin bubbling on your lips-fluff and humor with the Bentley Last Dance Day 28 when I am dead-bittersweet hopeful ending, final goodbye, hurt/comfort First Edition Day 29 slowly, the words dripping from your tongue like honey-fluff, humor, hurt/comfort Muffled Day 30 too quickly, mumbled into your scarf-fluff, humor, pining, developing romance 1941: A New Beginning Day 32 in a way I can't return-hurt/comfort

Demon Eric and Angel Muriel Adventures

Complete Choice Overload fluff, humor Spring Picnic fluff, humor, romance, pining Research of the Heart fluff, humor, romance Bath Research fluff, humor, mostly Muriel At the Royal Albert fluff and romance Muffled fluff, humor, angst, developing romance, pining Spring Cleaning Fluff and friendship in post S3 Whickber street. Eric and Muriel have something odd happening and everyone steps into help out and enjoy the beautiful day.

Short One Shots

Dirty Santa Comes to Whickber Street General audiences-a new gift giving tradition comes to Whickber St New Leadership Crowley totally throws down and takes over Hell after Aziraphale goes to Heaven with the Metatron, S3 speculation A Tattoo Temptation Beelzebub and Gabriel are hiding out in the Pacific Northwest after S2. Humor and angst in this short one-shot, but the fly saves the day! Run! They think we're their Valentine! Fluff and humor with an unusual premise, Aziraphale and Crowley try to escape the strange thing that happens on Valentine's day. Rainy Day tooth rotting fluffy cuddles, Crowley loves watching Aziraphale eat and Aziraphale loves Crowley's snake form

Aziraphale and Crowley through the Ages

I stick to canon compliant fic

In the cow byre a deal is struck: England 1020 the origin of the Arrangement An Adjustment Aziraphale decides to expand the Arrangement. Answers the question from "Spring Cleaning"-'How long has Aziraphale been grooming Crowley's wings?' Unintended Consequences 1827 Edinburgh what happened after Crowley and Aziraphale gave Elspeth all that money 1941: A New Beginning canon-typical relationship building after the magic show from the prompt "in a way I can't return" The Trouble with a Keen Manager 1990's, Crowley loses his powers to a keen manager and fights to get them back, with some Whickber Street human and angelic help.

Aziraphale and Crowley

The Kiss that launched a thousand fics-S2E6 musing Crowley's POVAziraphale's POV

#masterlist #good omens fanfic #cross posted on ao3 #aziraphale good omens #crowley good omens #muriel good omens #maggie good omens #nina good omens #demon eric

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semiramis-audron · 1 year ago

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I have to be honest it actually felt a bit like Aziraphale was kind of taking the point their relationship was at in the moment and its advantages for granted... Like "oh I guess we're free to using each others assets now" without putting any work in himself to develop it?

Calling it "our car" when he had use for it and saying they both get a lot of use out of "the" bookshop... When Crowley was clearly LIVING IN HIS CAR with his plants. Having to move those plants out of the car when Aziraphale wanted to use it.

And not respecting Crowley's boundaries and wishes on how to treat the Bentley until his own belongings were threatened.

This whole season was them not checking what the person in question wants instead of deciding they know better what would be best.

Aziraphale tempts people with desirable things to convinces them to go to a shopkeeper meeting when they have other things to do (running a restaurant which is busy in the evening, having a fucking anniversary with the wife), to get his perfect little Jane Austen ball going

This also applies to them meddling in Nina and Maggie's love life without their consent even after being told that Nina had a partner already! At no point are we being shown that Az and Crowley know Nina's partner is toxic. Nina herself does not want to break it up. A/C just decided these two would be cute together, despite one being in a relationship... and it would help them cover up their miracle.

Both Crowley and Aziraphale have abused Muriel's gullibleness

And this culminated in Aziraphale not taking into account that Crowley doesn't want to go back to Heaven. While Crowley insist they run away together, not taking into account that Aziraphale is still attached to the idea that heaven is inherently good, just wrong decisions are being made. Decisions that he could do better.

Which is why I don't subscribe to the coffee theory. Metatron didn't need to spike the coffee, he just needed to play into Aziraphale's ego.

Aziraphale has been shown to be incredibly selfish and over-confident in this season. People tend to forget that Aziraphale is a selfish bastard too. He insists doing the magic show ignoring any concern Crowley has. He decides selling corpses is bad so he makes sure the corpse is unsellable. When he sees the error of his way, he insists they go and dig up corpses. Also notice how he needed to point out to Crowley that he will go against the rules to save wee Morag, instead of just doing it.

All while having the fucking money to make sure both girls could have lived. There was no need for grave robbing from the beginning.

Ignoring when Crowley tried to warn him about the demons. Insisting that he can handle this himself while talking about how Crowley loves to save him with a tone that implies "I let him believe he saves me, while I am totally in controll of the situation" and then almost starting a war because he did not have things under controll, while Crowley had to literally infiltrate heaven.

Aziraphale has several times been doing things against people's consent or not taking their feelings into account or pestering them until he got his will. Maybe to show us that he has not learnt how to balance his ego vs his desire to do good in this new found "freedom" from Heaven. And will learn that lesson in season 3

The Aziraphale we've been shown this season definitely would decide that he could do a better job at ruling heaven and changing the system from the inside. And that in a heaven ruled by him, Crowley being an angel would be the perfect outcome. If they ruled heaven together, all the things Crowley complained about wouldn't be there anymore.

Oh pardon, Metatron was offering Az to bring his partner, Az actually offered Crowley a "second in command"...

Metatron saw a gray aligned angel, who thinks he has a better idea of how heaven should work... and decided the best way to make other angels see that rebellion isn't working is to let this guy think he can run the place and inevitably crash and burn.

Maybe Az will pull through and get Heaven and Hell into am eternal armistice at the end of season 3, but not before learning that it was Pride that caused the Fall and that relationships mean you have to listen to the other side.

The things is, aziraphale was trying SO HARD this season😭 asking crowley to dance, "our car", etc. He was trying to show that he was willing to pick up the pace.

Im sure if the metatron never showed up everything wouldve been fine😭😭

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under-sedationnn · 3 years ago

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the arcana: main six reacting to injured! reader

anonymous: Could u do m6 reacting to mc coming home injured? I want some hurt/comfort >:))

Warnings: talk of being injured, blood. if that bothers you or tiggers you in anyway, please scroll away! i want this to be a safe place, only :)

thanks for the request anon!! i hope you enjoy!! <3 requests for the kissing prompts and physical affection prompts are STILL OPEN. please send them in with the character of your choice (which could be any character from any series i write for) and i will create an imagine!! thanks and happy reading!!

- tries his very very best to stay calm

- you can see panic bubbling under the surface

- faust is on high alert

- slithers around your shoulders and squeezes you for a hug

- "friend! hurt!"

- doesn't immediately ask what happened, just gets you to a comfortable place to be cleaned up

- then, and only then, will he brave to ask what happened to you

- or who did this to you

- wipes the blood from your skin with very gentle swipes

- winces when you wince, and apologizes profoundly

- "Y/n, how did this happen? i thought you were just taking a quick trip to the market."

- "i fell in the market, tripped over a stone"

- "and nobody helped you?"

- in this case he's disappointed with the bystanders, but does not become angry

- in a situation where someone hurt you?

- oh god

- "Y/n, how did this happen? i thought you were just taking a quick trip to the market."

- "yeah, well, somebody had their eye on the same apple i picked up. somehow, though, they managed to push me to the ground and steal it from my hands."

- i don't even think he would know what to say

- and asra is not really the type to march out into the streets of vesuvia and seek to challenge the one who hurt you

- but he would certainly hold a grudge against whoever it was if he did find out

- and would feel absolutely awful about letting you get hurt

- his mind would race about the possibility of losing you again

- because he simply can't handle it

- and what if that person had been particularly violent or malicious? what if you had been taken??

- you'd have to comfort the hell out of him to make sure he knows that you're okay

- "asra, hey, i'm fine! i can handle myself, you know that"

- "you're right, and i know you're right. it's just hard"

- "it's still hard for me, too. the market still makes me a little nervous and i got caught a little off guard, is all"

- that would make him feel better

- would finish patching up your wounds and would make sure to bring you to julian the next day if they were too bad for him to fix or needed stitches

- would also create a special brew to help with the pain and ease you to sleep

- "why don't i go down to the market tomorrow?"

- "why? so when you pick a fight over apples, i can pay you back for all of this high quality medical treatment?"

- "well of course, surely you didn't expect all this tender love and care to be free" *wink*

- panicked doctor mode enabled

- immediately begins checking you over, asking questions

- something tells me it would be a head injury of some sort

- "oh darling, what happe- you're bleeding!"

- "julian, i'm okay! it's just a little scratch"

- "no no no you might need stitches, come sit down. i'll go get my kit!"

- there's really no use in arguing

- he has cold ass hands, so he tries to warm them up before he begins suturing the wound

- tries to be gentle, and his expert hands move quickly without any snagging

- "so, how did this happen?"

- his voice is literally trembling

- "well, i was in the clinic grabbing the list of ingredients we need for our next grocery trip and there was a puddle of... something on the floor. i slipped and hit my head on the corner of your desk"

- immediately thinks it's his fault

- like "oh shit i should have cleaned better that could have killed y/n and then what would i have done-"

- doesn't necessarily voice this, but you can tell by the silence that follows that he's feeling really guilty

- would kneel for you, head on your knees

- "y/n, i am so sorry"

- "juli, it's really okay, i should have watched where i was going"

- "i'll make sure to clean better from now on, okay?"

- would guard you throughout the night in case of concussion

- nurse juli <3

- but let's say someone had put their hands on you

- would patch you up the same way, and apologize profusely for not being there with you

- tuck you into bed and fetch mazelinka to keep an eye on you throughout the night incase of a concussion

- would most definitely be self destructive and seek that mf out

- maybe not successfully, but would try his hardest

- "i'll be back in the morning, get some rest"

- "I can find them myself if I want to, you know"

- embarrassed blush

- because he KNOWS you can take care of yourself

- "of course, but right now you're hurt. as your partner, i will do what must be done on your behalf darling"

- probably shows up the following morning with battle scars of his own

- the guards found you in the garden, passed out in the maze

- blood trickled down your arm, a large gash marking your bicep

- ran you up to the palace and immediately to the medical wing

- them]n nadia gets word

- the calm, collected queen act disappears

- abandons anything she's doing, anybody she's talking to

- "we will finish this at a different time, i have more important matters to attend to"

- she is so worried and it's honestly adorable

- very much giving "where tf are they?" energy

- god i love her so much

- anyways um

- asks the nurses over and over what happened, if you're okay, etc.

- watches the physicians and nurses like a hawk as they clean the wound and suture the cut

- and they're so intimidated lmao they never come face to face with her literally ever

- brushes your hair back from your face as they do so

- holds your hands

- would demand that you be brought to her sleeping chamber

- so that's where you wake up! how cute

- she's laying beside you, her brows furrowed

- maybe even her eyes are a little hazy

- "y/n, sweetheart, do you remember what happened?"

- patiently waits for your answer, you're still a little groggy

- you were either attacked by an animal and passed out from the fright

- or you were attacked by an armed person and was knocked out

- either way, the guards are on it

- nadia isn't letting whoever or whatever did this get away without a fight

- the palace is meant to be a safe haven for you

- for the both of you

- "well, don't you worry, we'll take care of that"

- you try to sit up but she won't let you

- "oh no, you must stay down, y/n. you are possibly concussed from the fall"

- "oh okay, sorry"

- "is there anything i can get you?"

- the countess of vesuvia, serving you in your time of need

- "just some water would be nice"

- "of course, i'll have some brought up right away"

- i literally feel like he would just start crying straight up

- cause like he has some problems anyway

- he big sad boi

- and you coming home to the hut bleeding from a gash in the arch of your foot is not helping

- picks you and carries you to the bed without a word

- just starts examining the cut

- inanna is also very concerned

- she licks the blood from the cut, she's trying to be helpful

- meanwhile muriel is stumbling around the hut looking for anything to stop the bleeding, disinfect it, bandage it, anything

- but he's not the best about keeping that stuff in stock

- keeps looking back at you with worry in his eyes

- he doesn't know what to do

- "muriel, let me see if i can contact asra. maybe he or julian can bring me a salve. i'm pretty sure i'm gonna need stitches"

- low-key makes him feel worse

- cause he feels like he's unable to care for you and keep your safe

- even tho this was just an accident

- he's breathing really fast, his anxiety creeping

- agrees anyway, but goes to get them himself

- "i'll be back soon, just keep this piece of cloth pressed against it"

- cause you're bleeding like a lot

- inanna stays behind

- he returns very quickly with julian in tow, though he doesn't look happy about it

- leaves the hut without another word

- julian gets to work immediately

- "so, you cut your foot i see"

- smartass.

- "yeah, muriel always tells me to put on shoes when i walk in the woods but i love to feel the grass beneath my feet"

- julian chuckled at this

- "and i'm assuming you, what, stepped on a rock?"

- "...yeah, sliced it right open"

- after julian is done cleaning up the cut, he tells you to just stay off of it for a while and make sure it doesn't get infected

- once he's gone, muriel trudges back into the hut

- "muriel, baby, it was just a cut it's not a big deal"

- but his eyes look hurt, and you beckon him toward the bed

- "hey," your hands on his cheeks, "i'm okay, really"

- "sorry, i just got scared. blood is still a trigger for me and since you got hurt in my woods, i felt like it was my fault"

- "muriel, of course it wasn't your fault"

- he really needed a hug

- after this instance, he made sure to keep medical supplies in the hut and you promised to try and wear shoes in the woods more often than not

- "i'll try my best to be more careful. deal?"

- sweet lil smile

- "deal."

- "oh my god, y/n, what the hell happened??"

- you were tending the garden

- without her supervision

- and the garden sheers might have sliced into the palm of your hand

- deep

- brings you over to the sink and runs water over the cut, covering it with a towel when the dripping blood had been washed away

- girl is on the move

- cause she knows what to do! love that

- low-key a main reason why julian managed to live as long as he has

- pepi is curiously perched atop one of the counters, peering down

- finds her personal first aid kit she had stashed in the bathroom

- guides you over to sit on the counter while she tries to figure out what to do

- "damn, you really cut yourself, y/n"

- "sorry! i think i just got a little carried away"

- she giggles at that, though she is still worried about the fact that it won't stop bleeding

- gently wraps the cut in gauze and adheres it together

- places a kiss to your fingertips

- "all done! no more gardening for you!"

- "hey, why not?"

- "well you don't want that cut to open back up again and again, do you?"

- "no"

- "alright then," she smiled, moving to put away the first aid kit again, "and we're going up to the palace medical wing first thing tomorrow morning to make sure it's not infected"

- eye roll

- "yes ma'am" you mocked

- even though you know it's just because she loves you

- "but since you got hurt, you want me to bake you some cookies?"

- "only if you let me eat the dough!"

- good god do i love this man

- but he is so self-absorbed it's actually insane

- and I feel like he wouldn't even notice at first

- cause he's too focused on himself

- gazing into the mirror without a care in the world when you walked in

- "y/n, thank goodness you're home, how do you feel about these pants?"

- you just hobbled to the nearest seat, hand resting over the gash on your knee

- mercedes and melchior were lazing across a rug at the base of his mirror, their attention set on you

- "u-um, yeah, they look good"

- literally just trying not to bleed out, over here

- "good? oh really, now, y/n don't they look amazing?"

- "yes, they look ama- ow, damnit"

- then he turned around

- immediate shock and worry! oh no oh no y/n is hurt!

- mercedes and melchior walked over first, whining as they took in the cut, brushing around the edges

- lucio raced over, squatting down in front of you, and began examining the cut

- "hey, hey, what happened?"

- "i accidentally tripped on my walk in the garden and scraped my knee on the cobblestone"

- he was lightly touching around the cut, gauging how sensitive it was

- when you flinched he stopped, looking into your eyes with a soft "sorry"

- "i think i need to go to the palace infirmary"

- "oh there's no need, i can take care of you!"

- you were not convinced he could take care of you, at least not well

- "uh, lucio, are you sure?"

- he looked slightly offended, at that

- "you know, y/n, i did fight in battles at one point. i have not only tended to my own wounds, but the wounds of others, as well"

- you giggled at the thought

- "much to your protest, though, i'm sure"

- he moved to the small cabinet of medical supplies in the ensuite to your bedroom, returning to your side with it in hand

- "at points, but i don't mind helping you in the slightest"

- for all of his antics, his soft side was enough to make you fall in love all over again

- and although i know he would take care of you in literally any situation, i can't say for certainty that he would stick around and place nurse lucio for long if a person had hurt you

- attacked you

- much like nadia, the guards would be sent out without a second thought, lucio leading the pack in the search for you aggressor

#the arcana nadia #the arcana julian #the arcana #the arcana imagines #the arcana headcanons #the arcane game #the arcana lucio #nadia the arcana #the arcana asra #asra the arcana #lucio montag #count lucio #lucio #portia devorak #portia headcanons #muriel the mountain man #muriel x mc #the arcana muriel #muriel

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sxftkxssxs · 3 years ago

Note

Hi, I hope you are having a nice day.

Can I request The Arcana main 6 comforting a S/O that has social anxiety?

I completely understand if you don't want to because it's a complicated matter or you simply don't want to. So don't even worry about it ♡.

thanks for requesting! :)

I'll try to write this as best I can, If i get anything wrong please tell me and I'll fix it as soon as possible !! (I got a little stuck on some of the scenarios so I might come back and fix them later on but i hope you like them anyways <3)

M6 With and s/o that has social anxiety

Asra

he understands,

they might not experience it himself but they try to listen to anything you say about it

you end up coming up with a tiny solution, more of a distraction

if you have to do something in public and your social anxiety’s being a pain, He’ll let you mess with their hands, or Faust will make you hold her.

He knows that there’s no way to fully “cure” your social anxiety so they’ll try to help in any way possible.

They try not to let you suffer it alone, he’s always there for you.

At least the shop isn’t the most famous place in town?

You start to feel the pit in your stomach, the nervousness. Before you can even try to overthink anything, Faust is slithering across your hands. “Friend! Calm?” You let a small smile slip. “It’s helping, Thank you Faust.” You drag a finger down her scales and she lets a shiver run through her. Asra is watching, smiling in awe at his familiar and favorite person. Yeah, he definitely got lucky.

Julian

you don't even have to tell him fully

his medical school background included mental illnesses,

while he knows you probably have your own ways of helping yourself, he wants to be able to help as well.

even if helping means just sitting in silence or cuddling at the end of the day

please tell him if he's attracting too much attention to the both of you

it's his natural environment to be in the spotlight, but he'll keep you out of it if you'd prefer

(let's be honest you obviously prefer it that way)

You groaned as you came home. Today sucked. You had to put yourself way out of your comfort zone, which resulted in that awful feeling in your chest and stomach. You had been nervous the entire day. Julian looked up from his stack of papers as you closed the door. He gave a sympathetic look, and opened his arms for a hug. "Let's go get ready for bed my dear." When you finally hit the bed, Julian basically turns you into a burrito. But it’s comforting, and he knows it. let’s hope you don’t mind being stuck with him bc ur kinda stuck in those blankets.

Nadia

She apologizes in advance

unfortunately for the both of you, being the countess and her lover puts you both in the spotlight.

she tries to keep you out of situations if she can but sometimes she either needs you or the situation requires both of your attention

when she does need you to address and issue with her she'll hold your hand, and chandra will be picking at your hair from time to time

please ignore the courtiers, all of them are kind of a pain besides volta

Nadia will give you ways to escape if she can tho <3

You tried to ignore the nausea that hit you as the courtiers all turned their eyes toward you. It was bad enough they were foul in court, but it felt like they were all laughing at you. Nadia placed a hand on your waist for support. “Ah, My apologies. It seems that there’s something we need to tend to. Excuse us,” There wasn’t really anything to tend to. Maybe a relaxing bath but who are you to complain?

Muriel

social anxiety bffs

no fr you both just cling to each other in social gatherings, Asra thinks it’s absolutely adorable

Muriel does know how bad it can be, so he helps in ways he thinks might work for you

Maybe it’s convincing Inanna into making your lap her chair for the day, or letting you hide behind him if you need to.

he’s so sweet about it, but truth be told you both try to avoid the big social settings

If you can’t avoid it you’re either together or complain afterwards

You planted yourself on the bed with a grunt. You’d had to go out and you got separated from muriel. That made today hell for the both of you, especially you. You’d been in the palace at a certain point, having to deal with some problems with Nadia. The palace is the exact opposite of where you want to be. A creak of the door opening pulled you from your thoughts. Muriel walked through the door, walking over to join you on the bed (as best as he could). Inanna laid herself beside the two of you. Even she felt exhausted. You snuggled your way in Muriels arms, finding a way to let Inanna in on the cuddle pile. “I’m never doing that again” “..me neither..”

Portia

oh you poor thing </3

she’s very adventurous, which can sometimes mean trouble, or even confrontation

if she sees that there’s confrontation coming she absolutely hides you somewhere and takes the blame lmao

does not let your social anxiety change her view of you at all, she still bugs you just as much to go out on adventures

pepi is your designated anxiety reliever

she’ll purr and lay in your lap to give you the perfect excuse to not move or go somewhere

Portia giggled at you, looking at the little ball of fluff on your lap. Pepi turned to be on her back. "Look at you two!" She placed a kiss on your cheek, giving pepi a little belly rub. "Pepi's been helping you unwind huh? guess I taught her well!" You let out a little giggle, pulling Portia into the chair beside you. You both spend the rest of your evening babying your favorite kitty and relaxing to the best of your abilities.

Lucio

I apologize for him

he's always gonna be attracting attention and i don't think you'd ever want to be in public with him

but he really does try to keep himself quiet for you!

since he's no good at that he tries to give you times to be alone with him and not bring spotlight to the both of you,

you really try to be near him but it doesn't really work out

the dogs will bark at him if he puts you in an uncomfortable situation, you can bet your life on it

Lucio knew parties weren’t your thing. That’s why you stayed up in his wing, away from where everyone was drinking and cheering. As much as he loves a party, he knows you’re more important. With Mercedes pulling on his suit he’s practically running through the halls to not fall over. She only lets go when you’re all in the same room. Melchior gives his sister a proud huff as you both decide it’s (absolutely) time for the party to end if Lucio wants you to survive in this castle. At least when everyone leaves you and the puppies get to give Lucio a piece of your minds :)

#asra and faust #asra the magician #asrathearcana #countess nadia #headcannons #imagine #julian devorak #julian x mc #nadia satrivana #request.✉️#the arcana julian #the arcana nadia #the arcana visual novel #the arcana main 6 #the arcana m6 #m6 #the arcana headcanons #the arcana imagines #the arcana game

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valhallanrose · 4 years ago

Text

The Red Plague

The art above was created by Nix Hydra, and can be found in the Minor Arcana Art Book (or where I got it - off the fandom wiki page, because who’s going to stop me)

Much of Zelda’s story in the non-apprentice timeline delves into the plague before, during, and in the aftermath of Vesuvia, and I wanted to compile my lore and headcanons for it in one place before I delve into her story fully. I will incorporate as much canon as possible, but given that that isn’t a large amount of info, a lot of this is based off research and personal worldbuilding.

CWs for discussions of disease, death, body horror, I guess spoilers but I’m surprised if it is for anyone considering how the info is everywhere in game in all routes. This is also, again, personal headcanon and I don’t expect it to fall in line with everyone’s thoughts on the plague.

The Timeline

I’m going to go with a comprehensive timeline first, and this part is all based on canon information. I’ll try and provide as many sources as I can as well, but some of this is pulled from multiple books and I might forget exactly where something came from.

As we learn in the Lucio tale, Dawn of the Grub, Lucio strikes up a deal with the wyrm of pestilence (Vlastomil) - his parents’ hearts in exchange for a disease that will allow Lucio to kill them both. The Lucio brought the disease back to the tribe, which weakened his father enough for Lucio to kill him. His mother Morga, however, fights off the disease, referring to it as a ‘summer cold’, and Lucio flees the tribe and joins a traveling mercenary band which allows the plague to spread.

I don’t have a particular reason why Morga would have survived the plague. Her sprites in the game never show any sign of the plague that are generally acknowledged - no red sclera, no veins, no signs of weakness, so on and so forth. The best theory I can posit is that Morga either genuinely had a summer cold, or that the plague only took hold in Lutz rather than them both. Either way, unsatisfying, but we’re going to call Morga the exception and not the rule.

Because Lucio did not fulfill his end of the bargain with Vlastomil, the plague continued to spread, following Lucio as he traveled the continent. This is also the point where the beetles appear - more on them later.

The implication in the game is that the disease reached other countries and areas, but the next canon mention of the Red Plague’s spread occurs in Portia’s route, book X - Wheel of Fortune. A map is discussed where dates, places, and sightings of the plague are noted by Julian in his study of the plague - the Painted Fields, Blue Mountain Ridge, and Annyala Gate are all names that arise.

Nasmira recognizes the name of Annyala Gate and points out that Nazali was at that battle, in which a band of mercenaries was sighted - and their leader needed an arm amputated, which is confirmed to be Lucio. Nadia states that Lucio came to Vesuvia not long after that battle, and the next time the Plague was seen was in Vesuvia.

It is never seen again outside Vesuvia, and this brings us to the three years before the game, where Lucio’s ‘death’ heralds the end of the plague, and it is never seen actively again in the Arcana world.

The headcanons I have are to help establish a solid timeline. Dawn of the Grub tells us the deal is made on Lucio’s 18th birthday, and I personally believe that Lucio’s death occurred on his 40th birthday, giving us about 22 years of time for us to work with for the spread of the plague.

Some more headcanons mixed with canon:

Lucio is newly titled Count in the tale Travel at Night. Based on personal age headcanons, this tale probably occurs at minimum 17 to 18 years pre-canon, putting Asra at (at most) 10/11, Muriel at 14/15, and Lucio at a startling 22/23. It could occur later, as art style can influence perspective on age, but Muriel and Asra really don’t feel like they could be much older than that.

During his mercenary days (sometime between the ages of 18 and 22/23) Lucio was contracted by the former Count of Vesuvia, Count Spada. This battle occurs at Annyala, mentioned above, and is the battle where Lucio

At a certain point, Lucio was contracted by the Count of Vesuvia at the time, Count Spada, for a battle where he "made a name for himself." Story implications indicate that this was the battle during which he lost his left arm. It was amputated by Julian to prevent his death from blood loss. After he won the battle for Count Spada, he became friends with the Count and privy to secrets about Vesuvia and the Palace. Spada would eventually name Lucio his heir, and upon his death, Lucio earned rulership of Vesuvia.

The plague eventually appears and ravages Vesuvia’s population

Plague patients are sent to the Lazaret away from the city and cremated, then scattered on the beach.

Lucio contracts the plague and defies the average lifespan of those who contracted it by lasting a few months rather than 3-10 days.

Lucio dies on his birthday, not of the plague but as a result of the ritual he was attempting to gain a new body.

I tried to map most of that out here, and wow, what a sad little diagram. Nix Hydra, y’all are cowards for not going hard on this. I, however, am not, and I am about to go more apeshit than I already have.

The Spread

Cracking my knuckles on the history degree, baby, I’m borrowing some real life inspiration from across multiple time periods to tie all this together.

I personally think the whole “Oh, the plague arrives wherever Lucio goes and disappears when he leaves” thing is a copout, and we’re drop kicking that out a window.

I do believe, as canon states, that the plague follows Lucio. It spreads obviously to regions he visits, but I don’t think it just disappears when he leaves. I really, really want to believe someone would have been smart enough to see the connection if the plague suddenly appeared and was later yoinked out of existence as soon as Lucio left town every single time it cropped up somewhere way sooner than it was noticed in canon.

I don’t think the plague was as isolated as the game implies, and when it was in Vesuvia, it was probably also elsewhere. The epicenter was Lucio, of course, so Vesuvia faced the worst of it, but I think there would have been pockets with much smaller numbers in other parts of the world.

Earlier I mentioned a few locations cited in Portia’s route as to where the plague had been before Vesuvia - the Painted Fields, Blue Mountain Ridge, and Annyala Gate. I think once these areas were hit with the plague, it would have continued to spread even after Lucio left. Across multiple routes, it’s made clear that the only ‘cure’ to the plague is Lucio’s death, which is why Julian had intended to kill Lucio after making his deal with the Hanged Man. The lack of Lucio’s presence would have kept the plague from continuing to escalate, but in these regions, it probably would have spread when the region’s people attempted to relocate, or ceased when the population died out.

Annyala Gate, or the Great Gate, is a location I can dive a little deeper into. It’s the last location the plague was sighted before Vesuvia, and because it ties into my OC Zelda’s storyline, I have many a thought.

Lucio is in Annyala sometime between year 1 and year 4/5, though I believe it’s on the later end of that spectrum, so let’s say year 4 to clearly predate his title as heir to Vesuvia. For reference, here is a map of the Great Gate as provided by the art book:

Jeebus. Terrible photo quality. Ah, well, on we go.

The Great Gate is situated between the Sea of Persephia (left) and the Salty Sea (right), and as the map currently stands, is the only point on land that gives access to the southern part of the world map. In this area in particular, I feel like a number of factors would have kept the plague alive long after Lucio left.

Narrowest point on the world map for transport of goods between ports and seas, which would be a more efficient route than traveling around the continent to reach the same point

As previously stated, this is the only known access point to the south, and travelers heading through this area could possibly be carriers of the plague or catch the plague from the area

The only way for the plague to stop would be with the death of Lucio, so once it was inflicted upon this area, it continued to spread and infect the population in adjoining areas

The game repeatedly has emphasized the proximity of the Red Beetles (known harbingers of the plague) to water, such as the Nopali village in Asra’s route and the red stains attributed to them in Julian’s route, and we receive further confirmation in Portia’s route that the water supplies are contaminated during the period of the disease

Fun bit of trivia from Nadia’s route - in the Strength book, Nadia mentions that she remembers the beetles, and that once they had been used as part of a pigment used to dye fabric crimson, which was all the rage in Vesuvia. Should this trend have continued, people wearing fabrics dyed with this beetle pigment most likely would become infected, and thus, the cycle continued.

I will also point out here that pigments have been used in makeup across history, and I’m sure applying some beetle-laden makeup would have really fucked some people up. Eyeshadows, blushes, lipsticks...contact with any of these areas, particularly the eyes and mouth, indicate a possibility of infection.

This does, however, leave a fifteen year (ish) period where the plague would have been active in this region until Lucio’s death. Historically, diseases can last such broad swathes of time. For the sake of displaying precedent, I will point out some examples here:

The Black Death, lasting 1346-1353

The third cholera pandemic, lasting 1846-1860

The third plague pandemic, a major bubonic plague like the Black Death, lasting 1855-1960

The HIV/AIDS pandemic, which has been ongoing since 1981 in the US

However, some of the most devastating plagues have lasted only a few years, which I will touch on later when I discuss Vesuvia’s case of the plague. All of the diseases listed above are additionally categorized with death tolls over a million people.

(On a side note, if you would like to contribute to programs searching for a cure for HIV/AIDS, I will suggest donating to organizations like amfAR, the Black AIDS Institute, or the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, all of which are linked accordingly and deserve your support if you are capable of making a contribution)

Remaining question: if the last place the plague was seen was in Annyala, more than fifteen years before it was seen in Vesuvia, what the fuck happened during that time beforehand?

Vesuvia - Before the Plague

Here’s the thing. The timeline given by the devs is a fucking mess. So, what I’m going to propose here is almost entirely theory, and I ask that you keep that in mind.

Lucio ascends to the title of Count by the time he’s about 22 or 23. Spada dies, presumably, and there’s no noticeable mention of his death via plague or the establishment of the court.

For some fascinating lore on how the government in Vesuvia works, I’m going to point you to this post by @sunrisenfool, who has one of the biggest brains and is gracious enough to allow me to reference their work a little for this one.

I don’t think the court as we know it existed when Lucio became Count. I agree with sunrisenfool here that Valdemar has been the Palace’s cockroach for a while - which was actually also confirmed in the Star book of Portia’s route, in which we see Count Prospero (founder of Vesuvia) summon Valdemar and ask for their aid in creating a city that will never die. The remaining courtiers would be gradually established as time continued on, all demons who struck bargains with the Devil in one form or another placed into positions of power alongside Lucio. We also cannot forget Valerius, who made his own deal with the Devil, and played his own role in this scenario.

We know that Lucio was also a pawn, later on, in the Devil’s agenda to bridge the gap between the main world and the Arcane realms. The ritual discussed in Portia’s Star book is described as a vessel to do just that -

“...every 777 years, the physical and magical world will collide...the laws of magic will no longer be immutable, and the world will bend to our will...So long as the Countship and canals remain whole, so shall the power to reshape the world. You need only await the conjunction. Perform the ritual and lead the city to glory heretofore unknown. I, Count Prospero, first of my line, declare the founding of Vesuvia. The city eternal. My legacy.” - Count Prospero

It’s confirmed after this scene that the ritual, using the canals as a conduit, opened a ‘door’ so to speak to the Arcane realms. It’s also said there is a three year window to perform this ritual, and that at the time of game canon, we are at the end of that three year window.

So. Borderline conspiracy time.

Circling back to the lovely sunrisenfool’s work, I’m going to pull a particular excerpt here:

...the Consul of Vesuvia is the second most important/powerful political figure in Vesuvia, directly after the Count/ess. Aside of the political and civic duties I have already explained, the Consul acts as a “protector” of Vesuvia, albeit not in a paternalistic politically-conservative way (which is how paternalistic policies would be understood in our world). Instead, the Consul is meant to rule the City if the Count is absent or incapacitated, therefore being the subsidiary depositary of the secret of the foundation of Vesuvia, and the importance of it’s Canals.

Lucio makes it pretty clear he doesn’t know much of anything about the ritual during Portia’s Star book, but he was told about it by Spada before his death as it was a secret kept close to the court. That gave him something of leverage, even if he wasn’t aware of it,

My thought as to why the plague did not spread in Vesuvia sooner is that Lucio had knowledge of this ritual, however minimal, and the Devil needed him alive to eventually use the ritual for himself. So, as Vlastomil (the wyrm of pestilence who granted this curse) was established in Vesuvia as Praetor, the plague was kept at bay for the time being while the city came under the full control of the Devil’s demons.

I cannot imagine the only person who knows about the ritual is the Count, because that feels like a woefully flawed plan, so I do believe the Consul would have also been privy to such a secret in case the Count was in a position they could not share it due to absence or incapacitation. Basically, a rehash of sunrisenfool’s point, but I digress.

As the window drew nearer for the completion of the ritual and it became clearer that Lucio knew next to nothing about the ritual and how it worked, the Devil decided to take a different approach. The plague was unleashed once again by Vlastomil, with the goal that Lucio become infected and eventually die, and that Valerius take over the Countship. Lucio no longer was useful to the Devil, and should he be removed from power, someone like Valerius - who knew the purpose of the ritual, who was under the Devil’s bargain by this point - would be an ideal candidate to finish the task at hand. Leverage, it works wonders.

I don’t think the ritual performed to gain a new body could have been mere chance. I think Lucio knew more than he let on about the canals and the magic in Vesuvia from Spada. Yes, I know the first three were written before Portia, but come on, the timing is insane. He’s no magician, and performing something that complex and magically charged right at the beginning of the three year window when the ritual is supposed to be performed feels far from coincidental. Fight me.

But, on to what happens in Vesuvia once the plague is free to spread again.

Vesuvia - During the Plague

The first sighting of the plague is in year 20, and I personally believe the plague lasted about two years or 24 months. The period is divided into three ‘waves’ - the first six months, the year leading up to Lucio’s death, and the six months following Lucio’s death.

The First Wave

The first wave begins when the first known case of the Red Plague is confirmed, and in this period, the spread is rather slow.

Here is the introduction of the Lazaret, which I do believe is a building that existed before the plague - this is personal thoughts, but the odds of this being the first major disease Vesuvia experienced feel pretty slim, and I do think this was a previously established quarantine that was renovated/expanded for the Red Plague outbreak. In an effort to get ahead of the disease, the space was designated a quarantine, largely staffed by volunteers when the palace seemed to not acknowledge the growing situation. It would slowly begin to increase until the plague boomed at the six month mark, heralding the beginning of the second wave.

The Second Wave

This is the ‘bad period’ of the plague. I say that loosely, because it’s all bad, but I digress.

I headcanon that the apprentice dies in the beginning of the second wave, when spread of the red plague rapidly begins to increase and the call goes out for researchers to search for a cure. We know how that story goes, so moving on to the details of this wave.

There were two groups at this point in the plague - those assigned to research, working out of Valdemar’s dungeon/lab/carnival of horrors studying the plague, and those assigned to the Lazaret, caring for the sick and dying and maintaining the facility.

I’m going to focus more on the Lazaret for this, as the research aspect is pretty well covered throughout Julian’s route and conversations with him in other routes, and this post is already getting long.

The Lazaret was home to the dying, where they would be cared for in their final days and eventually cremated. My thought is that the remains of the patients were carefully catalogued in the beginning, returned to families willing to claim them, and those left unclaimed were scattered on the beach at the Lazaret. Later on, as more and more people died, less remains were claimed, leading to the black beaches that still mark the shores of the Lazaret in canon. Often the staff here were a mix of healers, doctors, apothecaries, anyone willing to try anything to ease the pain of such a disease.

The staff at the Lazaret began wearing layered masks - the plague mask with its herb-stuffed beak, another facial covering beneath for an added layer of protection, and a head covering that sealed the gaps between the mask and the face. They were also required to wear gloves, tight-fitted sleeves tucked inside, and their pants tucked into their boots to reduce the risk of infection through contact. Their days would start in locker rooms on one end of the facility, removed from the patients, and suit up for the day while leaving belongings in the lockers. The end of the shift consisted of showers and disposal of garments to be sterilized, they’d return home in the clothes they came in, and by the time they returned a new uniform would be waiting for them.

Lucio caught the plague during this period, most likely halfway through. He lasted several months, but the exact length is unknown, aside from he ‘lasted longer than most victims of the plague’ who died between 3-10 days.

I don’t think the averages are entirely accurate. There were most likely some who were asymptomatic until the plague was in very late stages, or those who presented symptoms very early on and survived for long stretches of time. All would die bearing the red sclera, veins, and other symptoms depicted above. Basically, this disease is claimed to be unpredictable, and I think that would also stretch to the duration at which each patient had it. Those who were physically frail likely would have died sooner than those who had been in oprtimal health before the plague, making the times vary rather drastically. I’d suggest perhaps a month at the longest, a few days at the shortest.

Policy wise - during this period, the ports would have closed, and Vesuvia would have shut down. Nobody in, nobody out, not without rigorous inspection and quarantine before exiting to the city to avoid further spread. Often the only people allowed into the city were doctors from other regions affected by the plague called to help research, but during this year, I would estimate Vesuvia lost easily 30% of its population to the Red Plague.

The Third Wave

This wave is the period that occurs after Lucio’s death at the Masquerade, three years pregame. I’ll touch a tiny bit more more on this in the next section, but this is where we see the gradual end of the spread of the plague, and the last cases shown in Vesuvia. It’s the end of the plague period, and I give this about six months for the official ‘all clear’ to have been given by those tracking case counts.

The Lazaret is eventually decommissioned and now sits abandoned, a shadow on the horizon to remind those who survived what had been lost. The city mourned, the gates slowly opened, and gradually, we reach the point of comparative normalcy we see in the game set three years later.

Vesuvia - The Aftermath

Lucio’s death would, ultimately, mean the end of the plague. Rather than immediately disappearing and all those suffering from it be cured, however, I would be inclined to say that the spread came to a halt.

The last wave of the plague, in the six months after Lucio’s death, would have been a decrease in new cases until there were no new ones being reported, and the last of the patients who had been infected finally passed.

The final duties of the doctors at the Lazaret, after all remains are cremated, would have been the incineration of all materials that could not be sterilized. Linens, spare uniforms, unclaimed personal affects, so on and so forth until the time came to return home. I do not remember the exact location, but I am fairly confident of a mention of the MC remembering barrels burning doctor’s uniforms and masks in the days after the end of the plague. It was, for a lack of better words, a purge - an attempt to erase the last physical memories of what the city had endured.

Events like this are traumatic for all involved. They are painful wounds, and for the rate of death I imagine occurred in Vesuvia, the odds that someone lost no one are slim. There was likely a long period of mourning, and as noted in the present of the game, rarely is the plague spoken of outside of the context of the investigation in the primary routes.

Many of those medical staff members who survived were those assigned to research at the Palace. The proximity of the staff to the ill at the Lazaret quarantine likely would have made the rate of infection far higher for the caretakers, meaning that often the staff would end up caring for colleagues in their final days.

Even three years removed, the time of the plague is a raw wound for those in Vesuvia - but I do think the period is fascinating and I love exploring the different facets of it in my own world building. And, well, shameless self promo, but I am eager to write it myself when I get into Zelda’s backstory.

If you made it this far, thank you. Go drink some water or something, idk, wellbeing checkpoint bc what a long ass post

#red plague #worldbuilding #long post #the arcana #the arcana game

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lillywillow · 3 years ago

Text

The Forest Provides

Summary: You and Muriel have been trying for a baby for a long time. One day, Muriel finds a baby alone in the woods

Word Count: 1880

Pairings: Muriel of the Kokhuri x Female Reader

Warnings: Minor spoilers from the main plot, very mild angst at the beginning

Married life with Muriel had been absolute bliss but lately you had felt like something was missing. It wasn’t until you were visiting Asra in town and started noticing the families around that you realised what it was; a child of your own. When you brought up your desire to Muriel, he was surprisingly open to it. After months of trying, you were starting to get a little discouraged.

...

One night, you were lying in bed with your husband, idly tracing patterns on his chest.

“What’s on your mind?” Muriel mumbled, his soft voice pulling you from your thoughts.

“I’ve just been thinking... we’ve been trying for months for a baby and I’m wondering... what if it’s me? What if when I came back... not everything works right? I’m getting scared that I can’t carry a baby... The next time Nazali is in town, I’m going to ask them if they can do a full check up on me.”

“You don’t trust Julian to do it?” Muriel asked, a little surprised.

“It’s not that I don’t trust him, he’s one of my dearest friends. It’s just that Nazali has had more experience. They might be able to provide some answers...” You started to tear up a little at the thought of not being able to have a baby of your own.

Muriel held you tighter. Much like you, he had been having his own doubts about his ability to give you a child. What if it was his fault that he couldn’t give you the child you wanted? Muriel chose not to voice his concerns in order not to worry you further. For now, he would just hold you in his arms and comfort you until you fell asleep.

...

The following morning, Muriel was walking with Inanna in the woods looking for a few more supplies. Suddenly, the wolf stopped, sensing something.

“What is it, Inanna?”

Inanna started sniffing the ground, following the scent in a hurry. Muriel followed, feeling worried about her safety. Finally, she stopped in front of a tree, sitting proudly, tongue lolling out to the side.

“Inanna, what have you...?” Muriel stopped dead in his tracks.

Nestled under the shade of a tree in a basket was a sleeping baby. The infant had a head of soft black curls and was wrapped in green blankets. Muriel gentle knelt down and picked up the precious bundle. Disturbed by the sudden movement, the baby woke and opened her eyes, revealing them to be fawn brown. Muriel froze, afraid the baby was about to cry but instead, the infant simply cooed at him. He noticed a name had been lovingly stitched into the baby’s blanket.

Kalila.

“Inanna, can you see if you can find the parents anywhere?”

The wolf started sniffing the ground and followed the scent for as long as she could but ultimately lost it. Muriel couldn’t help but wonder who would leave a defenceless baby all alone in the woods but then he thought about his own parents and how they gave him up to save his life. Maybe Kalila’s parents were also left with no choice... Muriel decided to bring her home with him.

...

When Muriel arrived home, you ran up to greet him but stopped when you saw the basket he had in his arms.

“What is that?”

“I found her in the woods. Inanna and I looked for her parents but couldn’t find them,” Muriel replied, finding a safe place to put down the basket.

Asra, (whom had dropped by for a visit), poked his fluffy white head from around you.

“A baby...”

“I brought her in. I won’t allow her to end up like us,” he said, turning his head to Asra. Asra gently placed a hand on his friend’s arm with a gentle smile.

You were in absolute awe of Kalila. Carefully, you took her out of her basket and held her close.

“She’s perfect,” you smiled, tearing up a little.

Muriel couldn’t help but smile. At least in some form, he had given you the baby you had so desperately wanted. Then another thought crept into his mind; would he be a good enough father for this child?

“You should get Julian to give her a check-up,” Asra said, gently picking up Kalila for a cuddle.

“Does he have to?” Muriel muttered, somewhat bitterly.

“Asra has a point, Muriel. We want little... Kalila to be healthy, right?” you stated, checking the baby’s blanket for her name.

Muriel grumbled under his breath. He knew you were both right but that didn’t make him like it.

“Right, then. I’ll go set it up,” Asra smiled, handing you back Kalila. “See you in a while!”

With that, Asra headed out the door. You couldn’t help but laugh at the sullen expression on your husband’s face.

“Wh-what?”

“You’re awfully cute when you’re sulking,” you smiled. His face turned crimson.

“I’m not sulking,” he protested, but the pout in his lip told another story.

“Yeah, you are...”

You were suddenly interrupted by Kalila cooing.

“I’m going to be the best mother in the world to you...” The baby seemed to understand you and snuggled up close.

Muriel knew that was true but could he say the same of his parenting skills? Time could only tell and he hoped he would be a good father to Kalila.

...

A while later, there was a knock on the door. You opened it to see Julian standing there with his doctor bag and Asra holding some kind of bundle. Smiling, you ushered the pair inside.

“I hope you don’t mind, but I told Nadia about your situation and she said she was more than happy to help,” he smiled, showing you the contents of the bundle. Inside were all kinds of baby supplies, from clothes to bottles.

“We’ll have to thank her the next time we see her,” you smiled. Muriel made an affirmative grunt.

“So, where is the bundle of joy?” Julian asked, removing his menacing looking coat and gloves.

You went over to where Kalila was cuddled up to Inanna in front of the fireplace.

“I’m going to take her away for a bit, okay? I’ll bring her back soon,” you assured the wolf. Inanna gave Kalila’s head a lick and allowed her to be picked up. Kalila giggled and cooed happily.

“Here she is,” you said, placing Kalila on the table so Julian could examine her.

The doctor began his task but the baby began to fuss.

“Stop! You’re hurting her!” Muriel snapped.

Inanna jumped to her feet, snarling and ready to protect Kalila. Julian raised his hands in defence.

“It’s okay... I’m not hurting her. I think my hands are a little cold. That’s all the problem is...” Julian carefully went over to warm up his hands by the fire, under the watchful gaze of Muriel and Inanna. You kept a hand on both of them to keep them from tearing the doctor apart.

Once they were warm enough, Julian went to continue his examination. Fortunately, that was indeed the issue and Kalila allowed herself to be poked and prodded.

“She’s perfectly healthy. Just come and see me for regular checkups and call me if anything happens,” Julian smiled, putting away his equipment after cleaning it.

“Good. Now get out,” Muriel grumbled.

“Muriel,” you chided.

“It’s okay, Y/N. I’ve got to get back to the clinic anyway. You coming, Asra?”

“Yep! Right behind you. I’ll see you two later.”

Asra hugged the pair of you before leaving with Julian. You had wondered why he would be at the clinic with Julian but you decided that perhaps that question was best unasked.

Inanna trotted back to her comfy spot by the fire and settled down again. Muriel picked up Kalila and placed her back next to her furry godmother. The baby giggled happily and snuggled into Inanna’s fluffy side. Muriel smiled warmly at the pair, happy Kalila took so easily to his faithful companion. He watched them for a while before helping you get the place set up for little Kalila.

...

That night, Muriel had a dream.

He was standing in front of a familiar hut, wondering what he was doing there. Muriel was about to knock when the door was opened by an older woman.

“Muriel!” The woman enveloped him in a tight hug.

“Khamgalai? What are you doing here?”

“What kind of question is that? I live here,” she huffed, bringing him inside. The inside of the hut was just as warm and inviting as he remembered.

Khamgalai bustled about, making Muriel sit down.

“Why... why am I here now?”

“The Hermit told me you seek guidance...”

Muriel’s brows furrowed together. He knew what was troubling him but he didn’t want to be a burden.

“You’re worried you won’t be a good enough father to your new found daughter...” It was more of a statement than a question.

Muriel opened and closed his mouth a few times before simply nodding.

“I’m here to tell you that you will be a wonderful father to Kalila... and to the child your wife is carrying.”

Muriel’s eyes widened.

“Y/N is not... I mean... she...”

“Oh, my! Yes, it is still a little too early to tell yet,” Khamgalai chuckled to herself. “But assure you, Y/N is pregnant. Your prayers have finally been answered.”

Muriel stared at the smaller woman in shock. How did she...?

“I answered them. Dear boy, I know you have doubts but I promise you this, Kalila will grow to be a strong young woman under your guidance. You will teach her all she needs to know. Same with the new baby Y/N will bring into the world.”

“But...”

“No buts! No more self doubt! I will come back to smack some sense into you if I have to!”

Muriel managed a small smile and got up to hug Khamgalai.

“Thank you...”

“You’ve got a long journey ahead of you. I will always be watching over you. Rest assured. Give my love to Y/N...”

...

You woke in the middle of the night to Kalila softly wailing. Stirring, you went to get up to tend to her but Muriel beat you to it.

“I’ve got her...”

You watched as he carefully took Kalila out of her basket to give her a bottle. Muriel hummed to her as he prepared the warm milk for her. The baby stared up at him adoringly as she waited, the sound of Muriel’s rumbling voice gently soothing her. Your heart melted at the sight.

When Kalila was fed, burped and put back to sleep, Muriel returned to you. He wrapped his arms around you, holding you close and placed one hand on your tummy.

“You’re going to make a wonderful father,” you sleepily purred, nuzzling him.

Muriel thought about Khamgalai’s words. He suddenly found himself excited for this next chapter of his life, knowing he had all the love and support of his family and friends.

#muriel x mc #muriel of the kokhuri #Khamgalai #julian devorak #asra the magician #baby #Fluff #the arcana #The Forest Provides #Muriel as a father

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crowtrinkets · 4 years ago

Text

Like a Sailor’s

Turns out when Asra was rehabilitating his apprentice, he may or may not have neglected to teach them a few words. Gender Neutral Apprentice

ALT TITLE: You kiss your mother with that mouth? I don't remember my mom?

Lots of swearing lol, short fic cause I thought the prompt was funny.

Word Count: 1,623

---

The first time I heard the word it was met with a gasp from a mother who whisked her child away from the market. A man was yelling about the price of rice and when he uttered the word it seemed to come as a shock. I couldn't speak at the time so I could never ask Asra what it meant at the time. The man's outburst didn't seem to phase Asra as he continued to peruse the pendulum stand without disturbance. I decided to leave it be at the time.

The next time I was at the docks and a sailor was laughing with his friends, I couldn’t very well have gone up and asked the stranger since it seemed everyone knew what it meant. But I still wanted to know. But again I let my question fall to the back of my mind.

As my life went on I continued to hear the word over and over, still never with an explanation, and with a multitude of contexts. Which further confused me about its meaning.

One day Asra and I had Julian and Muriel over for some tea and it quickly turned into a game of cards. Julian is exceptionally bad at cards, his poker face is terrible. Asra always cheats but Muriel and I know him well enough to call him out when we discover it. At one point Julian uttered it. The Word. The word that has plagued my thoughts with its potential meaning, I decided I was in comfortable enough company and I took the plunge with my question.

“What does that mean?” I turn towards Julian. My question seems to be shocking because Julian gazes at me in astonishment, and Asra looks embarrassed. Even Muriel looks shocked.

“Asra! This is a question for you,” Julian looks uncomfortable trying to shift my genuine question to Asra as he takes another sip of his tea.

“I uh… well I guess I never did teach you everything,” he laughs nervously. Muriel lets out a chuckle. “But maybe it’s best if we talked about this later”

“Asra please!” I reach across the table a grip his hands. “Just tell me” I can see a flush form on Asra’s face. Julian looks to Muriel as they both chuckle, Julian more than Muriel.

“Asra, what does fuck mean?” I plead. Julian starts howling with laughter, nearly spilling his drink. Muriel lets out a snort. This is the most emotion I’ve seen him express ever. I can’t help feeling embarrassed that I'm the only one who doesn’t know. Asra lets out a sigh.

“Well uh, remember when I had to explain some swear words to you? It's like that but it’s a little harsher than other words,”

“Well, what does it mean,”

“Depends on the context my friend,” Julian waggles his eyebrows at me. Asra elbows him in the ribs earning a wince from the redhead.

“Well um, how do I explain it? You use it in multiple ways,”

“Such as?”

“Well, you can use it as an insult?”

“Like ass?” I know that one.

“Y-yes” Asra clears his throat and looks down into his teacup. Julian continues to chuckle as Asra and I go back and forth.

“Oh, you could use it for more than just an insult,” Julian leans in eyes shifting between Asra and me.

“Ilya!” Asra says through his teeth.

“Asra, you have to tell them,” Muriel chimes in.

“Well you can use it as an exclamation,” Asra seems more and more uncomfortable by the second but I can't understand why.

“Like Julian did just now? Cause he got a bad card?”

“Uh yea like that, but I would avoid using it,” Asra reaches for his tea and takes a sip. “You know what we need more tea I'm gonna go make some,” Asra gets up and heads in the completely opposite direction of where the tea is stashed. My gaze shifts to Julian.

“Julian, please tell me what it means,” another snort escapes Muriel and Julian flushes.

“Oh uhh well it can also be used to describe um… activities…” He avoids my eyes as he speaks. suddenly flustered under the pressure of my apparently loaded question.

“Activities?”

"Er yes… you know activities?" Julian gestures like he's trying to get me to finish the sentence.

"I'm not following,"

"You said you heard the word before?" Muriel cuts in.

"Yes, I've heard it used a lot by the docks, and sometimes Julian says it but I never knew what it meant,"

"Well then just use it in that context," Muriel shrugs and then gets up to go wherever Asra is hiding. Feeling defeated I decide that these three won't answer my question.

"Fine, I'll ask someone else, someone who I know will answer my question,"

"And who might that be?" Julian questions, leaning back in his chair.

"Portia," in an instant I whip around and head downstairs towards the door of my shop. I hear a distinctive "NO" from Julian as I run. I slam the door behind me and head for the palace.

I wave hello to the guards as I walk over the bridge into the palace. Portia said she was unable to come over today because she's working. I'm sure me asking a little question couldn't hurt. I poke my head into the kitchen but I don't spot Portia anywhere. I check the ballroom, the library, the verandas, the drawing room. Just about everywhere. I'm starting to loose hope of my search until I quite literally run into a pile of boxes.

"Woah there!" the person carrying to boxes stumbles backwards but then steadies themselves.

"Portia? Is that you behind those boxes?" a tuft of red hair just barely pokes on the side of the boxes. Yup that's definitely Portia.

"Oh hi MC! Yea Milady wanted these boxes moved, and I was the only one available,"

"Would you like some help?"

"Oh thanks but I've gottem! You can help me by opening that door though!" She points her foot at a door a few feet away, to which I walk over and open. Portia places the boxes into the small closet and then dusts off her hands.

"So, not that I don't want you here, but why are you here? I thought everyone was at your shop?" Portia's smile is warm and inviting, but I still shift my weight out of embarrassment.

"They are, but I wanted to ask you a question," Portia gives me an encouraging nod. I wring my hands together and finally speak.

"What does fuck mean?" Portia's smile falls and her eyes go wide. She then bursts out laughing. Not the reaction I expected but better than avoidance. She stops laughing when she notices my lack of laughter.

"Oh! Oh you're serious!" I give her a nod. "Well uh... You can use it a lot of ways,"

"Like as an insult?"

"Yea exactly, but also you can use it to describe an action,"

"What kind of action,"

"Oh, hrm well you can use it like "let's get fucked up" like when you get drunk with friends," I nod quickly, noting the phrase into my memory.

"What else?"

"Oh uh... well um... when two people love each other very much-"

"Pasha!" a voice cuts in. We turn to see Julian, Asra, and Muriel turning the corner towards us.

”Why did your run off like that?” Asra asks me.

“No one was answering my questions!” I shift my glare between the three standing in front of me. They all cringe with embarrassment.

"Oh my, I was not expecting guests today," Nadia makes her way around the corner and stops when she sees all five of us.

"Oh milady! I wasn't expecting them either I apologize," Portia chimes in.

"No need for apologies Portia, my friends are always welcome, but what are you all doing here?"

"Well you see-"

"We were just-" Asra and Julian speak at the same time. Muriel lets out a huff and approaches Nadia. He signals for her to lean in and whispers something in her ear. Her eyebrows shoot up in surprise and her gaze shifts to me.

"Oh my," she says bringing a hand to her chest in shock, composed, but she still seems surprised. Muriel nods in response as he rights himself. "Well I feel I can resolve this situation," Nadia gestures for me to approach her and she leans to whisper in my ear. What she tells me answers the question I've been asking all day. I flush a little in embarrassment but I guess it makes sense.

"That was it!?" my eyes snap to Asra and Julian who are trying to look around innocently.

"My these er, moldings on the ceilings are quite nice, can't say I noticed them before," Julian tries to change the subject.

"Asra, c'mon it wasn't that serious," I say, folding my arms.

"Ah, yea I guess so, sorry for driving you to find other sources,"

"It's ok, sorry for running off," Asra and I exchange warm smiles. Nadia clears her throat.

"Well since were all here why don't we all relax on the veranda?"

"Yknow, all this running around has probably made us all quite thirsty," Julian's signature smug smile plasters itself on his face.

"Well I suppose some indulgence couldn't hurt," Nadia smiles back.

"I'll grab some bottles!" Portia says.

"I'll go with you," Muriel mumbles. The two of them walk off towards the kitchen. Nadia puts her hand on my shoulder.

"You will be joining us yes?" I give her a nod. I look Asra straight in the eyes and try to laugh as I watch the blood drain from his face with what I say next.

"Let's get fucked up,"

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