GO fic: What Men Live By

[the_chloroplast]

Rating: K+
Pairings:  I don't know, maybe?
Summary: Crossover with What Men Live By. The year is approximately 1887, and Aziraphale is getting steadily drunk - and then Michael shows up.

Comments

[hsavinien]

I don't know the non-Good Omens material, but that was very thoughtful. Nicely done.

[the_chloroplast]

"What Men Live By," by Leo Tolstoy. I can't recommend it enough. Read it! Read it! XD

I'm glad you liked the fic! I had fun writing it.

[hecateb1]

Great story. I specially liked the line about happiness and contentment not being the same.

[the_chloroplast]

Thanks! I think the happiness vs. contentment thing is kind of interesting, I've noticed it a lot in fiction and life...makes me think.

[possibly_thrice]

Unfamiliar with the other fandom, but this did make me want to read it, which is perhaps the best thing a crossover can do for the uninformed. But this is a lovely fic on its own-- sort of quiet, and sweet, and containing just the right amounts of hard liquor.

[the_chloroplast]

I'm so glad you liked it! The original What Men Live By is such a beautiful story, I love it so much and I just had to do something with it, and so I am really happy you liked this fic. :)

[ladymouse2]

Your own story is a novel one among GO fandom in that it focuses not on angel and demon but Aziraphale getting something he needs from another angel and the interpretation of Michael is very different from the usually amusing and rather obnoxious one seen most often in this fandom. He owes something to the Tolstoy short story that inspired this.

I have to tell you, since I was unfamiliar with that story, I was moved to go and find it on the internet. It's quite short, very tender and is a beautiful fable. Thank you so much for sending it my way.

I put it next to another fable I've loved since my Grandmother gave me her own little book, The Story of the Other Wise Man. Wish someone would tackle THAT one for GO too.

[ladymouse2]

Sorry, brain dead! I forgot to include the link to the site where I found the story if anyone else is interested! I'm sorry I don't know how to place it as a link, but if you copy and paste the address below in your finder, you'll get there.

http://www.online-literature.com/tolstoy/2735/

[the_chloroplast]

I've read a lot of fics where the other angels were either worried about Aziraphale or annoyed that he was playing outside the norm. The heavenly opposition makes a good plot device, but then I read the Tolstoy story and I got to thinking (a dangerous pastime) about how it might change Michael's viewpoint.

Not many people have read it; I only found it in the past year or so and it's become one of my very favorites. I'm really glad you liked it, too!

Hmmm...I haven't read that one. (I just googled it, actually - is it by Henry Van Dyke?) I'll have to go and do that. Maybe I could do something with it...*starts thinking again*

[ladymouse2]

It is indeed by Henry Van Dyke. And it would be wonderful if you came up with something.

Since Aziraphale has had his moment and it would be so expected for him to be the one behind the scenes in this story, I wonder how it would work if the one "inadvertently" making things come out right were the demon instead.

[sunflower_mynah]

So after I read your fic I had to go dig up What Men Live By on Project Gutenberg, and having read it, I must say I do appreciate your fic more.

I like how another angel starts to understand Aziraphale's point of view and offers him comfort - it's a different take, but it worked so beautifully! - and I really loved how Aziraphale put the book with his bibles.

Thank you for this fic, and thank you for introducing me to a lovely piece of literature!

[the_chloroplast]

I'm glad you liked the fic enough to read the inspiration. It's a beautiful story, one of my favorites.

Living with humans (and as a human) for six years would have to change the angel in question at least a little bit!

Thank you for reading and reviewing!