Brothers in Arms, Michael & Raphael, Gen, #3 Contrasts
Title: Brothers in Arms
Author: Falling_dominos
Characters/Pairing: Michael, Raphael
Genre: Gen
Rating: PG
Theme Set: #3 Contrasts
Prompt: #11 Freedom
Dominos Table
Summary: Archangels understand the meaning of silly human concepts, more than anyone would like to admit.
Michael was disappointed. He'd had such high hopes for Dean. He knew that Dean would eventually say yes. This was all such a mess. Michael had paced so often in heaven, back and forth and back again. His footsteps caused thunderstorms, his anger, the lightning strikes. THIS was all WRONG. His younger brother was going to ruin the world on one man's stupid, stupid stubbornness. One man's need to rebel against forces so much greater than his mere human brain could even understand.
"Ignorant child. Dean Winchester." Michael's rage was palpable. Lesser angels were afraid to come near him, they averted their eyes, bowed low in his presence. They treated him as they would treat Father, because Michael for so long had been as close to Father as Heaven had. The apocalypse was coming ever nearer. Watching his brother running around freely...it gave Michael both pleasure and immense pain. Michael didn't pressure Dean nearly enough, because Lucifer had been locked away for so long, it seemed appropriate to allow him this small amount of freedom.
Freedom...what a word! None of them were free, not the humans, certainly not the angels, not even the demons. Michael didn't want to kill his brother any more than Lucifer wanted to go back to the pit, anymore than Gabriel wanted to see any of it happen, anymore than Raphael had wanted to take his vessel, and then leave him a vegetable like that. None of them wanted to do it, each of God's first children had shouldered a burden than none of them liked. No one said any of them were bad sons, they weren't, and it hurt so bad to play out their roles so flawlessly.
"It's Destiny, Brother, we cannot stop it anymore than we can find Father. You know that, Michael." Raphael stood next to his eldest brother, looking down at Creation. Michael tossed his sword away from himself, it's fiery glory clattering down to the ground impotently. Raphael and Michael had grown closer since Gabriel had left heaven all those years ago. Michael had always been distant, over-protective, ever vigilant, and it didn't breed closeness or conversation.
Raphael had been closer to Gabriel, before, since Gabriel was youngest of the archangels. Raphael had always admired Gabriel's humor, Gabriel's ability to learn from others by merely watching them. Gabriel had always had the easiest smile, the most ability to forgive of all the archangels. Raphael was kind to a point, but once his ire was raised...once he had a reason to believe you unfit, that was it. Justice was unforgiving that way. It didn't ever seem to have quite that effect on his younger brother.
"Do you think that I do not know that, Raphael? After all of this time. After everything, do you think I don't know that?!" Michael ran a hand back through his hair, or he would have if he'd had hair. He did a similar frustrated gesture with the fiery essence that made up his being. Michael would have been crying had he been human, would have been struggling with performing his duty, but he wasn't. Michael was his Father's dutiful son, if nothing else would bring Father back, then this most certainly would. Truth was, Michael was startled that Father hadn't stopped them before now. This whole thing, ending the world like this, was a really big cry for attention from the sons of a very absent Father.
"After this...we will finally be free, Michael. Free of all of this, and I cannot thank you enough for shouldering this burden." Raphael's voice was so tired, exhausted. Raphael didn't have the heart that it took to run heaven on the day to day basis. Michael had, for so long, taken the burden of dealing with the business of running heaven; dolling out orders, picking the prophets, sending visions, planning battles. Raphael had the duty, and the honor of protecting the prophets. Raphael had found that the hardest thing to do was kill a rogue lesser angel, Castiel, when he was interfering with a prophet, Chuck Shurley. He'd done it, even though it hurt a bit after the fact, seeing one of his brethren spattered all over that humans meager dwelling.
Michael could only scoff and turn to his brother with a sad look, a look that cut Raphael to his soul. A look that spoke of too many years with too much on his shoulders, a weary look. "Brother, none of us, not a soul in Creation knows the meaning of the word 'Freedom'. Father saw to that long ago. It will just simply be over, that is all we can hope for. Over." with that, he turned and picked up his sword and left with a whisper of six wings.
Author: Falling_dominos
Characters/Pairing: Michael, Raphael
Genre: Gen
Rating: PG
Theme Set: #3 Contrasts
Prompt: #11 Freedom
Dominos Table
Summary: Archangels understand the meaning of silly human concepts, more than anyone would like to admit.
Michael was disappointed. He'd had such high hopes for Dean. He knew that Dean would eventually say yes. This was all such a mess. Michael had paced so often in heaven, back and forth and back again. His footsteps caused thunderstorms, his anger, the lightning strikes. THIS was all WRONG. His younger brother was going to ruin the world on one man's stupid, stupid stubbornness. One man's need to rebel against forces so much greater than his mere human brain could even understand.
"Ignorant child. Dean Winchester." Michael's rage was palpable. Lesser angels were afraid to come near him, they averted their eyes, bowed low in his presence. They treated him as they would treat Father, because Michael for so long had been as close to Father as Heaven had. The apocalypse was coming ever nearer. Watching his brother running around freely...it gave Michael both pleasure and immense pain. Michael didn't pressure Dean nearly enough, because Lucifer had been locked away for so long, it seemed appropriate to allow him this small amount of freedom.
Freedom...what a word! None of them were free, not the humans, certainly not the angels, not even the demons. Michael didn't want to kill his brother any more than Lucifer wanted to go back to the pit, anymore than Gabriel wanted to see any of it happen, anymore than Raphael had wanted to take his vessel, and then leave him a vegetable like that. None of them wanted to do it, each of God's first children had shouldered a burden than none of them liked. No one said any of them were bad sons, they weren't, and it hurt so bad to play out their roles so flawlessly.
"It's Destiny, Brother, we cannot stop it anymore than we can find Father. You know that, Michael." Raphael stood next to his eldest brother, looking down at Creation. Michael tossed his sword away from himself, it's fiery glory clattering down to the ground impotently. Raphael and Michael had grown closer since Gabriel had left heaven all those years ago. Michael had always been distant, over-protective, ever vigilant, and it didn't breed closeness or conversation.
Raphael had been closer to Gabriel, before, since Gabriel was youngest of the archangels. Raphael had always admired Gabriel's humor, Gabriel's ability to learn from others by merely watching them. Gabriel had always had the easiest smile, the most ability to forgive of all the archangels. Raphael was kind to a point, but once his ire was raised...once he had a reason to believe you unfit, that was it. Justice was unforgiving that way. It didn't ever seem to have quite that effect on his younger brother.
"Do you think that I do not know that, Raphael? After all of this time. After everything, do you think I don't know that?!" Michael ran a hand back through his hair, or he would have if he'd had hair. He did a similar frustrated gesture with the fiery essence that made up his being. Michael would have been crying had he been human, would have been struggling with performing his duty, but he wasn't. Michael was his Father's dutiful son, if nothing else would bring Father back, then this most certainly would. Truth was, Michael was startled that Father hadn't stopped them before now. This whole thing, ending the world like this, was a really big cry for attention from the sons of a very absent Father.
"After this...we will finally be free, Michael. Free of all of this, and I cannot thank you enough for shouldering this burden." Raphael's voice was so tired, exhausted. Raphael didn't have the heart that it took to run heaven on the day to day basis. Michael had, for so long, taken the burden of dealing with the business of running heaven; dolling out orders, picking the prophets, sending visions, planning battles. Raphael had the duty, and the honor of protecting the prophets. Raphael had found that the hardest thing to do was kill a rogue lesser angel, Castiel, when he was interfering with a prophet, Chuck Shurley. He'd done it, even though it hurt a bit after the fact, seeing one of his brethren spattered all over that humans meager dwelling.
Michael could only scoff and turn to his brother with a sad look, a look that cut Raphael to his soul. A look that spoke of too many years with too much on his shoulders, a weary look. "Brother, none of us, not a soul in Creation knows the meaning of the word 'Freedom'. Father saw to that long ago. It will just simply be over, that is all we can hope for. Over." with that, he turned and picked up his sword and left with a whisper of six wings.