Cheers To The Fact That We Get An Ending, However It May End (please Don't Break Our Hearts)

would you put a discarded fruit sticker on my forehead in whimsical jest yes or no

Today, Aziraphale felt self-conscious. He wasn't usually one for vanity, but he caught his reflection in the mirror and just stood and looked for a moment, frowning. Crowley spotted him, approached him rapidly, grabbed his shoulders, and kissed the daylights out of him until he was pink-cheeked and bright-eyed and had completely forgotten there was anything else to think about before.

Rating: teen and up

Words: 12760 + two fluffy epilogues set in same au

Gabe, where are you? I can't see you and trying to work out this telephone is very confusing. My costume is uncomfortable and, to the frustration of your friend Michael, I have not a clue what I am dressed as.

Which costume?

My costume. Gabriel, where are you?

Remind me what costume you’ve got?

You’re the one who gave it to me. It’s that silly Obey One from that film you like.

Send a pic.

Fine.

[Sent: Picture]

Cute. You’re an angel.

No. It’s the Star Battle film. Gabe, where are you?

Oh, this isn’t Gabe.

What? Who is this? Have you stolen Gabe’s mobile device?

Nah, sorry. You got the wrong number. Love the costume though

Is there already a karaoke fanfic of good omens?

I have decided that that is what is needed to fill my procrastination dive.

Something like:

They both do not want to be in the damp cellar with orange and pink flickering lights. Ugh. Their mutual friends have convinced them to come. Anathema has lured Crowley to be there. Crowley knew what she was doing but still could not resist a perfectly executed lure like that. So he slunk along. Newt simply asked Aziraphale, gently saying he would really like him to be there and slightly opening his eyes, knowing the angel would never say no. And carefully not answering when the angel asked if karaoke meant modern music.

Which is why they find themselves at 1am, slightly unsteady because of alcohol, on a stage meeting each others eyes for the first time.

It's all about the (hungry) ✨eyes✨

The bookshop is closed today🔥✨

Notes: expressions study, but I got carried away~ (like always)

WIP TAG GAME

I was tagged by @anatomic-girl to share a sentence or excerpt from my WIP(s) that start with the letters POSH. I had to really delve in for the O but I found one in the end yeay! All in good omens wips.

No pressure to do anything but if you want to play … tag along! Maybe @copperplatebeech @foolishlovers @sapphosewrites @di-42 Listen well, the next word is HARK. 😉

P. WIP ficlet from the bookshop years between s1 and s2. Gentle domestic fluff. The plants seem to be taking over my writing.

O. WIP loose retelling of Diana Wynne Jones fantasy story. Tanacrow and his family of travelling entertainers sometimes smuggle things to the North. This time the packet is a posh blonde.

S. WIP short story set in early 1800s, or a bit later possibly. Regency era! Aziraphale is sold off to lord Crowley for a gambling debt.

H. WIP short story. Crowley is pressured into giving a lift to a friend of a friend, who turns out to be an irritating fribble.

………

P. Prowling around the bookshop muttering to himself Crowley finally settles the plant in the corner of a well-lit reading nook in front of a north facing window. The brugmansia waits expectantly (this day was progressing far differently than he had assumed, in as far as it had had expectations. Less doomfull for sure). The demon shakes a finger at him and splutters. "Look. You-. Hmph." He angry-walks a small circle. "You keep on growing and blooming okay! No spots, no mold. For him", he hisses.

………

O. One could not say certain things in the South, you had to be careful in choosing your words. People were always watching. And listening. And reporting.

He stood up at the exact moment when Shax opened her mouth to admonish him for dreaming yet again. She let out an irritated hiss and he felt her mild glower following him into the wagon. Bee chuckled from the driving seat as they softly murmured to the horse pulling their home towards the next village, their next show.

………

S. Swinging their hands gently to and fro the redhead smiled winningly up at him. “I’m quite drunk y..know.” For the first time since the angel had entered the room his face softened infinitisemally as he spoke in a soft yet clear voice. “Yes, I can see that.” Crowley’s smile grew.

Ignoring the rest of the intoxicated company around the gaming table the blonde spoke without ever taking his eyes off the slightly swaying man in front of him. “I will go and pack my things, Gabriel, since you’ve apparently sold me to Lord Crowley. We will be off to Gretna Green I suppose.”

………

H. He stared. Surely this was not the same ill-clothed, rude, boring, irritating person that had stepped in his car? These clothes fitted him, flattered him, suited him. The clothes did not suit the time perhaps but they certainly fitted Aziraphale. The velvet waistcoat delectably fastened around his sturdy middle, just waiting to be… (no. Nope. Not going there. ) The angelic vision gave him a coquettish smile when he strutted out into the street and loosened the bowtie around his neck. Crowley swallowed, repressed the urge to help him loosen his bowtie (nope, stoppit, not going there either you dimwit) and stared some more. His elbow slid of the roof of his Bentley and he staggered slightly. The angel, observing the effect he had, widened his smile a fraction. “Well, my dear,” Aziraphale murmured, “now I think I am ready for this trip as well.”

………

You can find me on AO3 as thechangelingsea. If you’re excited by any of these projects let me know. I’ve been on a forced digital detox bc of concussion. Now I am slowly getting back to writing more than scattered sentences in notebooks and I am dithering between all of these projects, which to continue first?!?!

Shrugs. Thought you* might be interested in this little snippet from last Sunday.

*waving to any and all lurking Hozier fans.

BTW has anyone done the statistics on how many fanfics contain hozier lyrics?

“We’ve seen a lot, haven’t we?” said Crowley, contemplating the New Year’s festivities on the telly. The cottage was quiet, a gas fire going against the damp chill. They’d foregone any local celebrations for a bottle of port indoors; if Aziraphale noticed the miracle that caused it to refill every time they poured out another glass, he didn’t comment.

“A good many calendars too,” said Aziraphale. “It’s properly 5784 in the old reckoning, isn’t it? – or, no, eighty-five. And four thousand and something, I think, in China. Until sometime in February. The only constant is they all celebrate. Though I can’t think the Earth itself takes much notice.”

“Ah, humans. Any chance to get smashed.” Crowley gestured with his glass. “Or laid.” Eyebrow lifted.

“Is that a grandly romantic proposition? My, my. How old and married we’ve become.”

“Show you married.”

The handclasp that followed was, regardless of commentary, very fond, and very married.

“I think,” said Aziraphale, “it’s because humans tumbled to something early on that Heaven and Hell never did. We got to it in the end, you sooner than I, I fancy.”

“Wot’s that?” Crowley settled back against the cushions, regarding the blue glow of the London Eye on the screen, soon to be engulfed in cascades of fireworks. It always took him back to moments before Time started, though he never mentioned that to Aziraphale. Maybe he should.

“Well, that things can change. All those centuries, our Head Offices were playing what I believe is called a zero-sum game. A certain number of souls, a certain number of blessings and curses, a final reckoning where one side would win or lose. Eternal perdition or eternal glory. The best to be hoped for was a static and, to my mind, rather dreary perfection.”

Crowley hummed the opening bar of “Climb Ev’ry Mountain” (his pitch was execrable, but Aziraphale recognised it).

“Exactly. And then Adam came along and upended everything. Because he was, ancestry regardless, to his bones human. He’d learned humanity from the way he was raised. And the best thing Humans do, I think, is imagine that things could be different.”

A presenter was breathlessly advising viewers that in a few minutes, the display would commence, as if this were unexpected.

“They blunder and they do horrid deeds, and far too often they put your old firm to shame -- to say nothing of mine -- and yet somehow enough of them always seem determined that it doesn’t have to be that way. That misery can have an end, and cruelty isn’t inevitable. And even the least thoughtful of them mark these rather arbitrary dates with celebrations, and vows that next year they’ll work to become better. Even when there’s very little to celebrate, and everything seems to be dragging them backward into the dark, there are always those who carry on. That wonderful defiance that they do so well.”

“Lot on their plate this time,” said Crowley. “Let’s hope they don’t make a bollocks of it.”

“Here we go,” said Aziraphale, as flowers of fire began to bloom, blue and gold and crimson, across the small screen. Crowley chinked his glass against the angel’s.

“To hope,” said Aziraphale. “Happy New Year, darling.”

Comment and toast on AO3

The Sleeping Beauty - my latest cartoon for Guardian Books

Quick PSA, because there seems to be some severe lack of education regarding Asexuality among a certain bunch of opinionated people, who frankly have no place having such strong opinions about something they've demonstrated to be so ignorant about:

Asexuality =/= a lack of libido, sexual appetite, sexual drive, or sexual activity.

Asexuality does = no experience of sexual attraction.

There are many forms of attraction. For example, some of them may be: romantic attraction that you'd experience towards a romantic partner. Aesthetic attraction that you may experience when you see someone's fashion style or overall appearance. Platonic attraction that you may experience towards a close friend. Etc.

Asexuality IS a spectrum, we call it the Asexuality Umbrella; SOME people under the ace umbrella may experience no interest towards sex/intimacy whatsoever, some may experience disgust re anything sex/intimacy related, some may be indifferent or neutral about it, and some are positive or even enthusiastic about it. These things may include acts such as kissing and physical touch of the non sexual kind. ALL of these people are still asexual, and their sexual activity or lack thereof has nothing to do with it.

Asexual people may choose to engage or not in sexual activity, and the circumstances under which they choose to do so, and the reasons why, are very varied: physical pleasure, closeness to a partner, emotional connection, finding pleasure in pleasing a partner, etc, etc.

The ways in which an asexual person may choose to find their pleasure is also very varied. And yes, it may be through fiction, because it can be a safe way to do so without being expected to behave or perform in a certain way that may be uncomfortable for the individual. Nothing wrong with enjoying a good smutty book or fanfic, or comic. Harms no one involved. Enjoying this doesn't mean you're not asexual.

Asexuality does exist, and it's way more nuanced and varied than just equalling it to "not getting any."

Now read all that again, but switch Asexuality for Aromanticism. Also a spectrum, also varied, also incredibly nuanced.

So, yes. A fictional character CAN be asexual, AND also engage in sexy times with the chosen ship partner. A Queer Platonic Relationship is also a very valid option, because NEWSFLASH, sex is not the only valid bonding point of a relationship. It can be a strong, important one depending on each individual, but it's not the only way to connect with a partner.

And, NO. Asexual people are NOT "repressed." Asexual people do NOT need anyone to "change their minds". Asexuality is NOT a problem, a symptom, or a sign of trauma.

Some sources to know more about the topic:

AVEN - Asexuality Visibility and Education Network

The Invisible Orientation - by Julie Sondra Decker

The ABCs of LGBT - by Ash Hardell

ACE: What Asexuality reveals about Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex - by Angela Chen

There are many more sources out there, support groups and communities on social media that you can find mainly through AVEN, or with just a simple search about Asexuality on any search bar nowadays.

There's too much info about it now compared to some years ago to remain so ignorant about it.

Do. Better.