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oh holy hell please stop me. trying to do an art project and a wing study and my brain. D: again, no proofreading because it's more me just trying to get ideas down, i guess.
Title: Reunion.
Rating: PG-13.
Characters/Pairings: Michael, Gabriel. Lucifer shows up in a small flashback.
Warnings: Slight cursing, otherwise safe.
Spoilers: Up to 5X18.
Disclaimer: Characters and such belong to CW and Eric Kripke, the writing's mine.
Summary: The continuation of this crazy stuff, Michael visits Gabriel.
Gabriel is a big fan of the term 'lying low'. He has been ever since he's crash-landed on Earth and had to mingle about with the natives. Well, of course, there are those times where he just really had to kill some of these humans because they were just being such uppity fuckers and Gabriel can't stand that. Before then he was more of a talker than a fighter--not that he never fought--but there was a reason he was the messenger. (Thinking about this reminds him a lot of Before The War. He doesn't really talk about that. Bad memories.)
Angels are used to being emotionless...for the most part. After all, there is a reason angels want to stay in Heaven. They are content. Happy. They like the way the world turns up there. Everyone gets along. Got along, rather. It's a different place now that the Host of Heaven runs the show and God is dicking around somewhere on Earth. At least, that's the rumor that is floating around the grapevine; God's not really dead but just roaming amongst the humans. (Gabriel didn't lose his Grace. He wasn't forced out of Heaven. And with his Grace comes that nice little telephone to Heaven. He never calls, but sometimes he picks up the receiver and listens in.)
It took him a while to get used to the whole human thing. After all, they don't teach you in angel school that when you Fall (either involuntary or of your own volition) you get the whole package deal. You start feeling things. Gabriel is probably the most in-tune out of the archangels. After all, he visited Earth often to give God's word. On Earth, it's hard to stay in the neutral angel zone. Humans have a way of growing on you with their hope and smiles and laughter. He had felt some things before. He remembers Mary's confused face as he tried to make her understand that it would be God's own child she would be having and that He would even grace her barren sister with a child. He reached out for this poor human-really, she was only but a child with an earnest face-and felt for her. Gabriel remembers taking her face in his hands and kissing her closed eyes and telling her she would forever have a place in eternal bliss for this. He remembers her grateful smile. And after he was back up in Heaven, it was only a matter of a few minutes before he gazed upon her from on high like a statue, passive and cold. Heaven was a different place for angels. It wasn't everything that humans thought it was.
Down here, emotions flood his system. When Gabriel landed for good, it was like he was constantly drugged. Back then, he could hardly help himself from binging on these amazing feelings. After a while, he got used to it. Indulges every once in a while but now Gabriel keeps a good balance. Took him a good five years to get to a good balance like this, actually. His vessel helped but not by much. There's a difference between a fallen angel and one who wants to fall. Fallen angels mope around the planet in their vessels before getting into the swing of things. Those who wanted to fall binge and purge and take everything from their vessels before getting some damn common sense. Gabriel's vessel did not like to see his body abused (nor see his image slandered) so he did his best to keep Gabriel on the right track. Nowadays he's relatively silent. It was actually his vessel that first mentioned the Trickster to him. “You're like those Tricksters,” he remembers, “getting into everything around you and taking matters into your own hands.” Of course he had to chose a theology scholar as a vessel. Then again, that was somewhat of a rare occupation when Gabriel came to Earth.
“I don't understand,” Gabriel replies. “I merely just gave that guy what he was asking for. Always harassing that girl from the shop, he deserved to be trampled by a bunch of women.”
“Give them what they've been asking for, huh?” his vessel counters with a sarcastic tilt. “Giving them their just desserts?” And with that, Gabriel became intrigued. After all, didn't people deserve justice? He never took to thinking the persona appealed to his heavenly righteousness. Even if he had considered it, Gabriel would never tell. He would just smirk and wink and then disappear in front of your eyes. That's just his way. So he drowned himself in the Trickster character. He now has a sweet tooth and doesn't mind indulging in pleasures of the flesh every so often. He doesn't get crazy over it like he first did, he knows what too much is and acknowledges it (and even sometimes ignores it). He likes this planet now, has grown fond of its inhabitants. Of course, some of them need to be punished but Gabriel thinks that if he hadn't of done it to them someone along the line would have. His vessel doesn't really speak anymore. It's been so long and his vessel has been watching people die around him for so long that eventually he stopped caring. He stopped wanting to care. He even forgot his own name. Gabriel feels a little bad about this, but only at night. Only when he thinks about home. What home used to be, at least.
Home might be a little closer these days, what with the end of the world coming and all. What Gabriel didn't tell the Winchesters is that angels don't have the luxury of standing by and watching the world end. No, angels can't stay neutral. They are either on one side or the other, a fact Gabriel has always hated. Besides, neutrality in this case meant certain punishment from both sides because eventually one would come out the victor and they would remember who fought and who didn't even bother. Maybe he could hide, but that would mean ripping out his Grace. Can't fight if you don't have your Grace. But inside, deep inside, Gabriel needed his Grace. He still loved his brothers. He just didn't agree with them at times. That's why he kept his Grace. He only wanted to run and hide. He didn't want to become completely disowned. (If he had been, he would have known.) And there was always the only reason he couldn't leave, not really.
Gabriel's hairs on the band of his neck suddenly stand on end. A light breeze whips around him but all he really feels is the electric energy that's in the room. “It took me a while to find you, Gabriel.”
He can't help saying his brother's name in a whisper. “Michael.” His brother's Grace is filling the room and he can hear the glass of the windows cracking.
“You hid yourself well. It's impossible to find you in Heaven.” Gabriel can hear Michael moving around behind him, examining his surroundings. “On Earth it was fairly easy.” He can feel Michael staring at him. “You shine.”
“It's because of my Grace, of course,” Gabriel remarks, turning around. “And what brings you down to my side of purgatory, brother?” He says the last word with a sneer.
A smile curls on Michael's face and Gabriel holds back a shudder. Michael's been frighteningly cold ever since Lucifer's fall, and he forgot the chills he got when Michael did show some semblance of emotion. “Purgatory, I forgot about that little joke. Brings back memories,” Michael says in a flat voice and just stares at Gabriel until the latter has to avert his eyes downward.
“I'm surprised you're here,” Gabriel says. “Well, surprised you're here and not Dean.”
“Dean's refusal is unfortunate, but you know it's not enough to stop me from walking the earth.”
“If Lucifer can, you can.” Gabriel was wondering when Michael was going to own up and go with his own Plan B, but then again Michael liked to stick to the plan. Guess the plan changed.
He looks down at his hands, examining them carefully. “It was convenient there was another Winchester,” he says, and Gabriel raises an eyebrow.
“What?” Another one? Wasn't two a handful already?
“This one had been killed by a ghoul,” Michael says, reading Gabriel's mind. “Hardly anyone knew about him. He was kept off the grid. However, John's blood can't hide forever. We were bound to find out about him.”
“A Winchester agreed to be your vessel?” Gabriel laughed. “Never thought I'd see the day.”
“Removed from all family, of course he would say yes. All he needed was the right motivation.” Michael grinned. “He doesn't have the bond Dean and Sam do. Perhaps that comes from Mary's side of the family?”
“And now that you're here on Earth, you've decided to visit the family, huh?” Perhaps the fact that they are both archangels makes it easier for Gabriel to keep his smart-ass attitude even though seeing Michael like this scares him more than anything has in a long time. Not because it's Michael per say, but because it is a bad omen of things to come. (After all, Raphael is the youngest brother of the four. Gabriel was one of those middle kids.)
“I've seen Lucifer.” Gabriel's heart stops. He plays it off, per usual, even though the thought of Lucifer and Michael seeing each other scares him more than anything. No one else would understand. They didn't see it happen. The Fall of the Morning Star. To imagine them meeting and nothing shared between them but words...it was near impossible.
“And did you two have a good brotherly reunion?”
Michael does not respond to his brother's sarcasm. “His vessel is wearing down. He will need to take Sam Winchester soon.” He looks to Gabriel. “I need to find Dean.”
“Good luck trying,” Gabriel says, smirking. “After all, they are pretty slippery characters from what I've seen.”
“You know how to find them.”
Gabriel stares at his brother for a moment and then starts laughing in his face. In fact, he laughs so hard he has to lean against the table to hold himself up. “I think you've got that wrong, bro,” he says, brushing a tear from his eye. Michael tilts his head, face emotionless. Gabriel sighs. “I don't find them, I'm just a pro at noticing them when they pop up.” He doesn't mention being able to now zone in on Castiel's Grace. (He had rebelled but had not yet been cast out. Of course Gabriel was going to keep a close watch on this one, his brother of Thursday.)
“If you are hiding something from me, Gabriel, I will find out.”
He raises an eyebrow at his elder brother. “Hard to take you seriously in that kid's body.”
Michael's eyes narrow. “You will alert me when you are knowledgeable of their whereabouts.”
Gabriel snorts. “Sure, whatever.” He wonders if Michael has any indication from his attitude that he will join their little free will bonanza before he gives them over to his brother. Maybe not. Emotions were always pretty lost on Michael. “So I'll see you later then, hmn? Good luck roaming around, trying to jump start the end of the world and all.”
Suddenly his vision is filled with emerald and Gabriel is encased in Michael's wings. Gold shimmers on the feathers as light bounces off them. He hears the voices of angels whispering all around him, speaking the thousand prayers of their Father. “I am not done with you yet, little brother,” and it's almost a hiss of words as his many wings shuffle.
Gabriel feels his back burning. His wings itch to be released. It's been so long. “What else do you want from me? You know I don't want this battle.”
“I realize you don't want it but you have no other option, Gabriel.” He appears in front of Gabriel and even though the kid's body still has the look of adolescence, Michael is majestic, his Grace shining through his vessel's skin. Gabriel does not know where one wing begins and another leaves off. After all, he has so many beautiful wings. “Want to know why we have kept a peaceful watch over you, little brother? Never coming to smite you for leaving your position on high?” Michael croons, gently caressing Gabriel's cheek. When he doesn't answer, Michael goes on. “There is a reason I never come to Earth. I pass judgement. That is my job. You were always the more ...merciful one. The messenger. Coming down to their level to pass on the Word.”
“What have you come to ask, Michael?” His voice is still strong even though it is not loud.
Michael's eyes flash gold. “I need to know you will blow your horn when the time comes, Gabriel.” Gabriel starts back but Michael grabs his arm and holds him still. “To announce the Coming.” He feels his big brother's Grace burning through his skin.
“I...I thought that responsibility had passed on to another since I left.”
“Could you ever really leave?” Michael asks, tilting his head and pressing two fingers to Gabriel's forehead. He feels his wings burst out of his skin and his Grace burns through him, seeping out of his pores to mix in the air with his brother's. A faint smile lingers on Michael's lips as he brushes his fingers against Gabriel's wing, making his smaller brother shudder. “I forgot how beautiful Father made you. Such a deep blue...” he breathes, and for a second Gabriel sees the light that used to shine in Michael's eyes. But only for a second, then it slips away and that gold light hardens and Michael's eyes burn into Gabriel's again. “It was always you who would sound the horn, Gabriel.”
“I must have lost it when I came here,” he says, meaning for the phrase to come out harsh and biting but it just sounds cold.
Michael sighs. “How lost you must have felt, Gabriel, all this time without us.” Here in this moment, Gabriel can still feel the love they all once shared for each other. Especially the exceptional ones. The ones who were blessed with the image of God's true face. It floats in the air between them and Michael leans over to kiss Gabriel on the cheek. As the lips softly touch his face, Gabriel closes his eyes and can't stop the pain from rising to the surface.
“Michael.” It isn't a plea or a want or a need, he simply says his brother's name to express the love he felt. The love he still feels.
“When the time comes, you will blow.” Gabriel feels something being pressed into his hand. “You will do what our Father asks of you because you love Him, just as I do,” Michael says, and in a blink all of the magnificent green feathers are gone and something vital seems to have disappeared. Now they are just normal in their vessels, save Gabriel's six large wings spreading out behind him and covering most of the room. “I will come back to see you again, little brother. Perhaps then you might have news for me.” He pauses. “If you try to hide, I will find you.”
The electric hum in the air leaves. Michael is gone and Gabriel sits into a chair. His hands are trembling and he looks at his closed fist. He doesn't want to see what his older brother has given him. Whatever it is, he knows he won't want it. Maybe it's human curiosity that makes his fingers loosen and spread out, uncovering his palm.
It's a small golden horn. It resembles a toy. A small, desperate chuckle forces its way out of Gabriel's mouth as he takes notice of the little ring attached to it. So he can wear it on a chain like a necklace. If the Winchesters were to look at Gabriel now, they would not notice the cocky, brash, smart-ass Trickster they were used to. Right now he feels so small, gazing at the golden trinket in his hand as his navy blue wings hum behind him and blanket the room with twilight and hymns of old.
“Michael! Michael!” Gabriel yells, running. “Where are you?”
“Gabriel,” a calm voice says behind him, and the smaller angel realizes he has run too far. He spins too fast, and trips and even though Michael is too far to catch him he still somehow manages to be there and keep him from falling. A smile lights his face. “What is it, little brother?”
“Lucifer keeps telling me my wings are not as beautiful as his.” Angels don't get jealous or angry, so Gabriel merely pouts in his confusion. “I don't understand why he considers my wings inferior. Is it because I am younger?”
Michael chuckles and it's a warm sound. He hugs Gabriel close. “Do you want to know a secret? It shall be between you and me and our Father.” The younger angel grins brightly and smiles, nodding. Michael leans in close and whispers in his ear, “Father gave you the best wings of all.”
“Really, Michael?”
“The most beautiful between us all. That' s why you're His messenger, because when they see you they will know this is a magnificence only God could create.”
“Michael, have you seen Gabriel?” Lucifer glances around for his brothers. “I know he ran looking for you.”
“Go to your brother, but remember our secret with Father,” Michael says, releasing Gabriel from his arms. He smiles at his older brother and runs to Lucifer, who laughs and swings him around and in an instant all is forgotten and forgiven.
After Hell was born, Michael never smiled again.
Gabriel holds his head in his arms and even though he wills the tears, they do not come.
-fin.
jeez i'm a sucker for these guys.
Title: Reunion.
Rating: PG-13.
Characters/Pairings: Michael, Gabriel. Lucifer shows up in a small flashback.
Warnings: Slight cursing, otherwise safe.
Spoilers: Up to 5X18.
Disclaimer: Characters and such belong to CW and Eric Kripke, the writing's mine.
Summary: The continuation of this crazy stuff, Michael visits Gabriel.
Gabriel is a big fan of the term 'lying low'. He has been ever since he's crash-landed on Earth and had to mingle about with the natives. Well, of course, there are those times where he just really had to kill some of these humans because they were just being such uppity fuckers and Gabriel can't stand that. Before then he was more of a talker than a fighter--not that he never fought--but there was a reason he was the messenger. (Thinking about this reminds him a lot of Before The War. He doesn't really talk about that. Bad memories.)
Angels are used to being emotionless...for the most part. After all, there is a reason angels want to stay in Heaven. They are content. Happy. They like the way the world turns up there. Everyone gets along. Got along, rather. It's a different place now that the Host of Heaven runs the show and God is dicking around somewhere on Earth. At least, that's the rumor that is floating around the grapevine; God's not really dead but just roaming amongst the humans. (Gabriel didn't lose his Grace. He wasn't forced out of Heaven. And with his Grace comes that nice little telephone to Heaven. He never calls, but sometimes he picks up the receiver and listens in.)
It took him a while to get used to the whole human thing. After all, they don't teach you in angel school that when you Fall (either involuntary or of your own volition) you get the whole package deal. You start feeling things. Gabriel is probably the most in-tune out of the archangels. After all, he visited Earth often to give God's word. On Earth, it's hard to stay in the neutral angel zone. Humans have a way of growing on you with their hope and smiles and laughter. He had felt some things before. He remembers Mary's confused face as he tried to make her understand that it would be God's own child she would be having and that He would even grace her barren sister with a child. He reached out for this poor human-really, she was only but a child with an earnest face-and felt for her. Gabriel remembers taking her face in his hands and kissing her closed eyes and telling her she would forever have a place in eternal bliss for this. He remembers her grateful smile. And after he was back up in Heaven, it was only a matter of a few minutes before he gazed upon her from on high like a statue, passive and cold. Heaven was a different place for angels. It wasn't everything that humans thought it was.
Down here, emotions flood his system. When Gabriel landed for good, it was like he was constantly drugged. Back then, he could hardly help himself from binging on these amazing feelings. After a while, he got used to it. Indulges every once in a while but now Gabriel keeps a good balance. Took him a good five years to get to a good balance like this, actually. His vessel helped but not by much. There's a difference between a fallen angel and one who wants to fall. Fallen angels mope around the planet in their vessels before getting into the swing of things. Those who wanted to fall binge and purge and take everything from their vessels before getting some damn common sense. Gabriel's vessel did not like to see his body abused (nor see his image slandered) so he did his best to keep Gabriel on the right track. Nowadays he's relatively silent. It was actually his vessel that first mentioned the Trickster to him. “You're like those Tricksters,” he remembers, “getting into everything around you and taking matters into your own hands.” Of course he had to chose a theology scholar as a vessel. Then again, that was somewhat of a rare occupation when Gabriel came to Earth.
“I don't understand,” Gabriel replies. “I merely just gave that guy what he was asking for. Always harassing that girl from the shop, he deserved to be trampled by a bunch of women.”
“Give them what they've been asking for, huh?” his vessel counters with a sarcastic tilt. “Giving them their just desserts?” And with that, Gabriel became intrigued. After all, didn't people deserve justice? He never took to thinking the persona appealed to his heavenly righteousness. Even if he had considered it, Gabriel would never tell. He would just smirk and wink and then disappear in front of your eyes. That's just his way. So he drowned himself in the Trickster character. He now has a sweet tooth and doesn't mind indulging in pleasures of the flesh every so often. He doesn't get crazy over it like he first did, he knows what too much is and acknowledges it (and even sometimes ignores it). He likes this planet now, has grown fond of its inhabitants. Of course, some of them need to be punished but Gabriel thinks that if he hadn't of done it to them someone along the line would have. His vessel doesn't really speak anymore. It's been so long and his vessel has been watching people die around him for so long that eventually he stopped caring. He stopped wanting to care. He even forgot his own name. Gabriel feels a little bad about this, but only at night. Only when he thinks about home. What home used to be, at least.
Home might be a little closer these days, what with the end of the world coming and all. What Gabriel didn't tell the Winchesters is that angels don't have the luxury of standing by and watching the world end. No, angels can't stay neutral. They are either on one side or the other, a fact Gabriel has always hated. Besides, neutrality in this case meant certain punishment from both sides because eventually one would come out the victor and they would remember who fought and who didn't even bother. Maybe he could hide, but that would mean ripping out his Grace. Can't fight if you don't have your Grace. But inside, deep inside, Gabriel needed his Grace. He still loved his brothers. He just didn't agree with them at times. That's why he kept his Grace. He only wanted to run and hide. He didn't want to become completely disowned. (If he had been, he would have known.) And there was always the only reason he couldn't leave, not really.
Gabriel's hairs on the band of his neck suddenly stand on end. A light breeze whips around him but all he really feels is the electric energy that's in the room. “It took me a while to find you, Gabriel.”
He can't help saying his brother's name in a whisper. “Michael.” His brother's Grace is filling the room and he can hear the glass of the windows cracking.
“You hid yourself well. It's impossible to find you in Heaven.” Gabriel can hear Michael moving around behind him, examining his surroundings. “On Earth it was fairly easy.” He can feel Michael staring at him. “You shine.”
“It's because of my Grace, of course,” Gabriel remarks, turning around. “And what brings you down to my side of purgatory, brother?” He says the last word with a sneer.
A smile curls on Michael's face and Gabriel holds back a shudder. Michael's been frighteningly cold ever since Lucifer's fall, and he forgot the chills he got when Michael did show some semblance of emotion. “Purgatory, I forgot about that little joke. Brings back memories,” Michael says in a flat voice and just stares at Gabriel until the latter has to avert his eyes downward.
“I'm surprised you're here,” Gabriel says. “Well, surprised you're here and not Dean.”
“Dean's refusal is unfortunate, but you know it's not enough to stop me from walking the earth.”
“If Lucifer can, you can.” Gabriel was wondering when Michael was going to own up and go with his own Plan B, but then again Michael liked to stick to the plan. Guess the plan changed.
He looks down at his hands, examining them carefully. “It was convenient there was another Winchester,” he says, and Gabriel raises an eyebrow.
“What?” Another one? Wasn't two a handful already?
“This one had been killed by a ghoul,” Michael says, reading Gabriel's mind. “Hardly anyone knew about him. He was kept off the grid. However, John's blood can't hide forever. We were bound to find out about him.”
“A Winchester agreed to be your vessel?” Gabriel laughed. “Never thought I'd see the day.”
“Removed from all family, of course he would say yes. All he needed was the right motivation.” Michael grinned. “He doesn't have the bond Dean and Sam do. Perhaps that comes from Mary's side of the family?”
“And now that you're here on Earth, you've decided to visit the family, huh?” Perhaps the fact that they are both archangels makes it easier for Gabriel to keep his smart-ass attitude even though seeing Michael like this scares him more than anything has in a long time. Not because it's Michael per say, but because it is a bad omen of things to come. (After all, Raphael is the youngest brother of the four. Gabriel was one of those middle kids.)
“I've seen Lucifer.” Gabriel's heart stops. He plays it off, per usual, even though the thought of Lucifer and Michael seeing each other scares him more than anything. No one else would understand. They didn't see it happen. The Fall of the Morning Star. To imagine them meeting and nothing shared between them but words...it was near impossible.
“And did you two have a good brotherly reunion?”
Michael does not respond to his brother's sarcasm. “His vessel is wearing down. He will need to take Sam Winchester soon.” He looks to Gabriel. “I need to find Dean.”
“Good luck trying,” Gabriel says, smirking. “After all, they are pretty slippery characters from what I've seen.”
“You know how to find them.”
Gabriel stares at his brother for a moment and then starts laughing in his face. In fact, he laughs so hard he has to lean against the table to hold himself up. “I think you've got that wrong, bro,” he says, brushing a tear from his eye. Michael tilts his head, face emotionless. Gabriel sighs. “I don't find them, I'm just a pro at noticing them when they pop up.” He doesn't mention being able to now zone in on Castiel's Grace. (He had rebelled but had not yet been cast out. Of course Gabriel was going to keep a close watch on this one, his brother of Thursday.)
“If you are hiding something from me, Gabriel, I will find out.”
He raises an eyebrow at his elder brother. “Hard to take you seriously in that kid's body.”
Michael's eyes narrow. “You will alert me when you are knowledgeable of their whereabouts.”
Gabriel snorts. “Sure, whatever.” He wonders if Michael has any indication from his attitude that he will join their little free will bonanza before he gives them over to his brother. Maybe not. Emotions were always pretty lost on Michael. “So I'll see you later then, hmn? Good luck roaming around, trying to jump start the end of the world and all.”
Suddenly his vision is filled with emerald and Gabriel is encased in Michael's wings. Gold shimmers on the feathers as light bounces off them. He hears the voices of angels whispering all around him, speaking the thousand prayers of their Father. “I am not done with you yet, little brother,” and it's almost a hiss of words as his many wings shuffle.
Gabriel feels his back burning. His wings itch to be released. It's been so long. “What else do you want from me? You know I don't want this battle.”
“I realize you don't want it but you have no other option, Gabriel.” He appears in front of Gabriel and even though the kid's body still has the look of adolescence, Michael is majestic, his Grace shining through his vessel's skin. Gabriel does not know where one wing begins and another leaves off. After all, he has so many beautiful wings. “Want to know why we have kept a peaceful watch over you, little brother? Never coming to smite you for leaving your position on high?” Michael croons, gently caressing Gabriel's cheek. When he doesn't answer, Michael goes on. “There is a reason I never come to Earth. I pass judgement. That is my job. You were always the more ...merciful one. The messenger. Coming down to their level to pass on the Word.”
“What have you come to ask, Michael?” His voice is still strong even though it is not loud.
Michael's eyes flash gold. “I need to know you will blow your horn when the time comes, Gabriel.” Gabriel starts back but Michael grabs his arm and holds him still. “To announce the Coming.” He feels his big brother's Grace burning through his skin.
“I...I thought that responsibility had passed on to another since I left.”
“Could you ever really leave?” Michael asks, tilting his head and pressing two fingers to Gabriel's forehead. He feels his wings burst out of his skin and his Grace burns through him, seeping out of his pores to mix in the air with his brother's. A faint smile lingers on Michael's lips as he brushes his fingers against Gabriel's wing, making his smaller brother shudder. “I forgot how beautiful Father made you. Such a deep blue...” he breathes, and for a second Gabriel sees the light that used to shine in Michael's eyes. But only for a second, then it slips away and that gold light hardens and Michael's eyes burn into Gabriel's again. “It was always you who would sound the horn, Gabriel.”
“I must have lost it when I came here,” he says, meaning for the phrase to come out harsh and biting but it just sounds cold.
Michael sighs. “How lost you must have felt, Gabriel, all this time without us.” Here in this moment, Gabriel can still feel the love they all once shared for each other. Especially the exceptional ones. The ones who were blessed with the image of God's true face. It floats in the air between them and Michael leans over to kiss Gabriel on the cheek. As the lips softly touch his face, Gabriel closes his eyes and can't stop the pain from rising to the surface.
“Michael.” It isn't a plea or a want or a need, he simply says his brother's name to express the love he felt. The love he still feels.
“When the time comes, you will blow.” Gabriel feels something being pressed into his hand. “You will do what our Father asks of you because you love Him, just as I do,” Michael says, and in a blink all of the magnificent green feathers are gone and something vital seems to have disappeared. Now they are just normal in their vessels, save Gabriel's six large wings spreading out behind him and covering most of the room. “I will come back to see you again, little brother. Perhaps then you might have news for me.” He pauses. “If you try to hide, I will find you.”
The electric hum in the air leaves. Michael is gone and Gabriel sits into a chair. His hands are trembling and he looks at his closed fist. He doesn't want to see what his older brother has given him. Whatever it is, he knows he won't want it. Maybe it's human curiosity that makes his fingers loosen and spread out, uncovering his palm.
It's a small golden horn. It resembles a toy. A small, desperate chuckle forces its way out of Gabriel's mouth as he takes notice of the little ring attached to it. So he can wear it on a chain like a necklace. If the Winchesters were to look at Gabriel now, they would not notice the cocky, brash, smart-ass Trickster they were used to. Right now he feels so small, gazing at the golden trinket in his hand as his navy blue wings hum behind him and blanket the room with twilight and hymns of old.
“Michael! Michael!” Gabriel yells, running. “Where are you?”
“Gabriel,” a calm voice says behind him, and the smaller angel realizes he has run too far. He spins too fast, and trips and even though Michael is too far to catch him he still somehow manages to be there and keep him from falling. A smile lights his face. “What is it, little brother?”
“Lucifer keeps telling me my wings are not as beautiful as his.” Angels don't get jealous or angry, so Gabriel merely pouts in his confusion. “I don't understand why he considers my wings inferior. Is it because I am younger?”
Michael chuckles and it's a warm sound. He hugs Gabriel close. “Do you want to know a secret? It shall be between you and me and our Father.” The younger angel grins brightly and smiles, nodding. Michael leans in close and whispers in his ear, “Father gave you the best wings of all.”
“Really, Michael?”
“The most beautiful between us all. That' s why you're His messenger, because when they see you they will know this is a magnificence only God could create.”
“Michael, have you seen Gabriel?” Lucifer glances around for his brothers. “I know he ran looking for you.”
“Go to your brother, but remember our secret with Father,” Michael says, releasing Gabriel from his arms. He smiles at his older brother and runs to Lucifer, who laughs and swings him around and in an instant all is forgotten and forgiven.
After Hell was born, Michael never smiled again.
Gabriel holds his head in his arms and even though he wills the tears, they do not come.
-fin.
jeez i'm a sucker for these guys.