I Don't Know What The Better Crossover Is:

this thread absolutely killed me

Aziraphale blinked rapidly. “One of…” he trailed off in realisation. “You—You made…? Before you…?”

The demon turned away. “Yup.” He popped the ‘p’ sound, shrugging. The light in his eyes shuttered a little, flickering behind something deep and aching. Aziraphale started to move his hand before he realised what he was doing, then pulled it back and let it fall into his lap.

“I could show you, if you like.” Crowley’s tone was flippant, but the tension in his posture was unmistakable.

“Show me…?” asked Aziraphale.

Crowley held up a hand, flexing his fingers in a jerky wave. “The nebula. If you wanted.”

Aziraphale’s eyes widened. “Oh. Oh.”

Crowley waited, hand help up in offer. Aziraphale’s heart hammered in his chest. He felt altogether too human, some unknown chasm gaping at his feet.

“…alright.”

- from ‘An Angel who did not so much Fall In Love as Settle Into It Gradually’ 7.5k words - on AO3 at works/19324027

Just finished watching this, and I can honestly say it’s the best Bollywood movie I’ve watched in the longest time. I wasn’t too impressed by the trailer when I watched it, but Nai Lagda came up on a random playlist I was listening to recently, and I’ve been obsessed with it since. So I decided to give the movie a try today (thanks to @chahat-ke-safar 💗💗💗) and it was completely worth it!

A gorgeously shot movie, sweetly written (the humour in the first half reminded me of Malayalam films), and the performances are pretty great too. I wasn’t expecting much from Bhai’s nepotism launches (especially considering the history *cough* Hero, Loveyaatri *cough cough*), but man, did they turn out to be a pleasant surprise. Pranutan has great screen presence, and I really liked her dialogue delivery in particular. (I dislike the dialogue delivery of almost all Bollywood actresses launched post 2007 and at most, tolerate them in their movies.) Zaheer is a little wooden, but likable, and has a nice chemistry with the children. Oh, the children were another reason I was wary of watching the movie, coz I tend to dislike the precociousness they’re forced to perform; but the children in this movie were all great actors, and adorable to boot (especially that one little girl who takes her pet fish Dingu everywhere!) Another notable factor: movies set in J&K always have that stereotypical conflict angle looming, but this movie thankfully subverts that trope. There are mentions of the Kashmiri Pandit exodus and other conflicts in the area as character-building background details, but not in a gratuitous manner that most showcase in “a Kashmir movie”.

I just cannot believe a wonderful little movie like this; focusing on a simpler life and the joy of little things; with a smart, strong, empowering female lead; and a heartwarming bond based on respect; is so woefully ignored, while toxic, misogynist bullshit like Kabir Singh is going on to make 250 crores. Please rectify that, and watch this if you’re in the mood for something that’s sweet, and simple, and fills you with warm, happy feelz!

Aziraphale: doesn’t remember which side was responsible for a historical period 🤔 🤔

also Aziraphale: remembers exactly what food they were eating three centuries ago on his lunch date with Crowley 😍 😇 😈🥞

That’s it.

So tonight I joined my parents, and the neighbours, at the local pub quiz. We won, and won the bonus round, much to the annoyance of the other teams. Apparently my parents and their friends win every other week. Nerds. So to prank them the landlord had a special “Super Hard Pub Question” for us for double or nothing on our prize (vouchers for a gallon of beer) to let the rest of the pub feel better because we were “guaranteed to lose” since there was “no way we could know the answer.” I got picked to answer it because I’m the youngest and have less General Knowledge.

The question?

“What is the word for beer in Ancient Egyptian?”

Pub: *loud raucous laughter and cheering*

Landlord: *looks smug*

Me: Do you want that in English or in the original Hieroglyphs?

Landlord: The hieroglyphs of course!

Pub: *more laughter*

Me: *scribbles quickly in the 10 seconds I had to answer*

Landlord: Fuck. Me. 

Pub: *utter silence broken only by someone at the back exclaiming WTF* 

Landlord: How did you even know that?

Me: You picked the one person here who can read them?

Landlord: Oh shit it’s you isn’t it?

Dad yelling from the back: SURPRISEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

It’s safe to say we’re simultaneously fucking legends/not very popular at the local right now.

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In case you missed this heart warming exchange

Prompt: Sita & Rambha (victim of Ravana who cursed him, thereby protecting Sita)

A woman remains behind when the gods descend upon Lanka to bless the captive Sita with security and sustenance, and Sita need only look once at the stranger’s eyes, bright as the dance of sunlight against water, and her hair, shining like the waves of the river to know: an apsara.

“Their Queen, in fact,” says the woman–Rambha herself–confirming Sita’s guess, and inclines her head in response to Sita’s folded hands.

All the world has heard of what she suffered at the hands of the demon king, but Sita must know for sure. “Did he–Did Ravana try–” She breaks off, unsure of how to phrase her question delicately, but it is unnecessary. The apsaras are hardly undiscerning, and Rambha no exception.

“He did more than try,” she says bluntly, and Sita, now knowing all too well what it is to know such powerlessness, shudders with sympathy.

“I am sorry,” she says awkwardly, words insufficient to express what she feels, but Rambha shakes the words away.

“Perhaps, it was for the best. At least it is now such that he can never do so again, not on pain of instant death. If my suffering was necessary to bring that to be, then as Queen I would have accepted the cost regardless.”

Sita marvels with this, enough to dare ask the question that has haunted her. “And your husband–he forgave you?”

Rambha shakes her head. “No,” she says, “for he said there was nothing for which he needed to forgive me. His punishment fell solely on Ravana’s head, to ensure it should be split into pieces should he attempt such atrocity again. Ah yes,” she confirms, smiling at Sita’s clear relief, “such is the nature of my gift to you; to us all, I suppose. And even were it not so—allow me to reassure you again, dear one: you are blameless and innocent, come what may. Whatever sin has been committed is on Ravana’s hands; you need carry none of it.”

“As are you,” Sita dares reply, and Rambha’s smile in return—the smile any number of gods, sages, and demons would have died to earn—remains with her, even into the flames.