Work Text:
You wanna know something that grinds my gears? About good omens? Of course you do, come hither.
Everything that happens to them, is ultimately, their own fault.
That's right, I said it.
Your pookies? Your baby girls? At fault. ENTIRELY.
It's mentioned at the end of the book where they listen to Adam speak about how celestials really shouldn't meddle in human people's business cause it usually just makes things more complicated, they admit Adam had become balanced anyways, despite all their meddling, all their attempts were futile, and the were pretty much just idiots.
Well, thankfully they were idiots, because imagine if they actually HAD any effect and changed this welcome outcome, but idiots none the less. They may have just been doing their jobs, but their choices are their own in the (literal and actual) end (of everything). Crowley just existing the way he is and does is a shining example of that. Aziraphale also but less so due to heaven and religious trauma and bla bla bla (I'm sorry Aziraphale I love you I promise.)
BUT,
With that being said,
I propose to you the thought that this sentiment extends to season 2.
If they hadn't drawn so much attention to themselves with all they're "averting the apocalypse", Gabriel and Beelzebub wouldn't have caught onto the arrangement,(or the idea of it at least) started meeting up to chat shit and figure out what to do about things. They wouldn't have fallen in love. Gabriel would have still been in favor of Armageddon and never challenged his fellow archangels, leading to the whole mess(/pos) of the plot of season 2.
But most of all, there wouldn't have been an empty archangel seat. The metatron wouldn't have come down to fetch (home wreck) Aziriphale to fill that space.
They would still be together.
Another thing that grinds my gears is when people say the story is about them "averting the apocalypse" and therefore not also a love story.
1. Neil himself has stated it is in fact a love story.
2. As I literally just stated, they didn't save shit. Literally what else could it be about.
If you really read the book and think about it with your big strong human brain, it's right there, I promise.
All they actually DO is interact with each other over thousands of years and in the end try, in vain, to save the world they grew to love each other in. That's it. They kinda like humans. I guess. they're kinda worth saving. It's certainly a good excuse to save the world together without having to talk about your feelings. it's still beautiful though because it's clear from an outside perspective it's only for each other(as shown by comments from multiple characters WITHIN THE BOOK ITSELF ). they're so stupidly in love with each other they can't even see that.
Two idiots down horrendously.
And that's it.
Simple. Yet, so heartbreakingly complicated.