Well this chapter was supposed to be a little sad—
Then I listened to A Thousand Years and we're going big boy sad times

Word Count: 2630

Summary:

They've been friends for 6,000 years.
They've been lovers longer.

***

Raphael looked out across the field before him.
No waking life stirred. Only the grass and trees.
It was beautiful.

He blinked.

When he opened his eyes there was nothing but mass destructions.

Human beings.
A species that wouldn't exist for another few hundred years.

They screamed, attacking one another, turning the once blue sky to various shades of gray, crying out in hunger, watching each other die.

Raphael reached out to help them, nearly touching a young boy, no older than five, who struggled towards the archangel.
Just before he could grasp the young one's hand, the vision disappeared with another blink and Raphael was back to sitting in the field, gold-flecked eyes round with grief.

Even after seeing all the damage that the humans had brought forth—
He loved them.
For it wasn't their plan to kill themselves off, but the Ineffable Plan.
God's ineffable plan.

"Why..." Raphael murmured, looking up towards the starry sky, eyes darting from one star to the next, his own creations, "Why do they have to suffer like that? Can't you just...save them? Why are you making them suffer?"

A bright light formed before the angel who paused before bowing his head and wings, "Lord."

The mass of light did not respond but simply sat before the angel.

Raphael was now quiet.
Another blink and he saw it again, quickly blinking the vision away with a gasp, "Why?""

"They have to be tested." The feminine voice murmured.

"Tested? To their inevitable dooms?" Raphael scoffed.

"You question my judgment?" The voice murmured.

Raphael fell silent.

The brilliant light shone, flooding the fields with its shine.

"It's beautiful." Raphael sighed, "Earth..."

"Earth..." The sum of light repeated before retreating back towards the heavens, "Protect them, Raphael, they will be the people of you and yours." There was a flicker and the light disappeared.

"Me and...mine..." Raphael repeated in his own terms, drawing his knees, adorn in white robes, to his chest and resting his head on them.

There was a rustling from the bushes and out came a stout looking angel, moving to sit beside Raphael.

"Truly magnificent, really." The angel beside Raphael grinned, "Who were you speaking with?"

"The almighty." Raphael said this as casually as if a relative had just had a word with him.

The angel's eyes grew wide, "The almighty? What was- what was it like?"

"The usual." Raphael shrugged.

"Oh my...what's the usual?"

"You ask a lot of questions for an angel." Raphael sighed.

"Says you." The angel smiled.

"You're a wonder, Angel, you know that?" Raphael smirked.

"Oh please, Aziraphale, A z i r a p h a l e, please do call me by my given name...Angel seems too...broad..."

"Whatever you say, angel." Raphael sat back with a smirk, "Shouldn't you be back upstairs by now?"

Aziraphale shook his head, "Principalities don't do much...we're prepared to protect and defend but- from what?"

"One day.." Raphael's gaze darkened, "I'm sure you'll find it."

"I do hope it's not anytime soon- I don't know how much I'll enjoy fighting."

"Yeah?" Raphael looked amused.

"I do enjoy helping you down on earth, Raphael." Aziraphale smiled.

"Why's that?" Raphael looked up at the stars above.

"It's calm and...why, I didn't realize I enjoyed that until I came down with you."

"I'm glad Gabriel insisted I take someone with me then...foolish of him though, to think I'd need protecting- from what?" He snickered.

"Well, there have been rumors about...about Lucifer's words...he's suggesting a riot...not that he has many followers, but-"

"I know." Raphael interrupted dryly.
He was aware.
And Aziraphale was quite wrong about the minimal followers aspect...Lucifer had many followers...it was only that none of them were very loud about it...

Raphael wouldn't call himself a follower...more of a participant...
Lucifer listened to him...
Nobody else had done that before...
He answered his questions...

"We should head back." Raphael frowned. It'll be starting soon...the third shift in the sun's rotation and...and that's only an hour away...nearly as long as it will take to get to heaven...

"Must we?" Aziraphale frowned.

"Yes." Raphael's throat grew dry.

He had talked to the almighty many times...his visions...he knew what would become of the earth...

He knew little...
But he knew it was Ineffable.

As was the battle to come.

"Well, alright then..." Aziraphale sighed, stretching his wings out.

Raphael nodded, doing the same.

They both gave a few powerful flaps of their wings before they ascended into the sky.

***

They neared the front doors of heaven and Raphael slowed down.

"Something wrong, dear?" Aziraphale frowned.

"Dear?" One Of Raphael's visions came to him but he quickly shook it out of his head. He looked over the young angel before him. He himself was young as well, in angelic terms...neither of them should be going into such a battle...

"Just...making sure you've caught up." Raphael gave a smile at the angel who painted as he finally reached the other's level.

"Very true..." Aziraphale gasped slightly to catch his breath, "You go too fast for me, Raphael."

Something seemed to stab Raphael's chest and he was unsure as to why...that happened sometimes, with having the entire future in your mind but only the ability to trigger it when specific things pulled at future memories.
The angel before him seemed to change appearances...into a coat and bow tie...his face looked older and his smile kinder- before Raphael could look at him much longer, he blinked and Aziraphale was back in his standard robes and helmet.

Raphael nodded before turning to the doors and pulling them open, stepping inside with Aziraphale close behind.

Heaven was a collection of stars an clouds, with two gates that acted as doors at the head.

The pair stepped through the first layer of clouds only to see something that horrified them both, but only surprised Aziraphale.

The angels were separated into two groups.

Aziraphale didn't understand, turning to Raphael, "What's going on?"

"Lucifer's side and Heaven's side." Crowley frowned.

"Are we not all on Heaven's side?" Aziraphale questioned in bewilderment.

"No..." Raphael whispered, looking at Aziraphale with a frown.

"Raphael? What's— did you— did you know this would— Raphael! Raphael!" Aziraphale shouted as Raphael slowly made his way towards Lucifer's side.

Currently, Gabriel was arguing with Lucifer, both angels' wings spread in rage with their followers behind them.

"Rapha..." Aziraphale looked confused before backing away behind Gabriel.

"...unfair policies and future! Do you have any idea what-?"

"I don't care what. We follow the almighty, you're quite aware of this Lucifer." Gabriel glared.

"We waste valuable time." He turned his head to Raphael who now stood beside him.

"Oh wonderful, you?" Gabriel glared, "Both of you are being ridiculous! You're archangels! You're supposed to serve the almighty and-!"

"I serve humanity." Raphael stated.

"I serve equality." Lucifer sneered.

"You serve foolishness." Gabriel struck his arm forward.

Hundreds of Thousands of angels advanced forward, all principalities, helmets glistening in starlight as they charged towards the other angels.

Lucifer glared and snapped his fingers, the angels on his side throwing themselves forward.

"Aim for the wings!" Gabriel boomed.

"Defend yourselves and nothing more!" Lucifer spread his massive, feathered wingspan up into the air, dark red and brown hair whipping around with his ascent, red eyes glaring down at lavender, Gabriel following in pursuit, with narrowed eyes.

Raphael's eyes widened at Gabriel's words and he stumbled back. He flew high into the sky, above the clouds, above the angels, above Lucifer and Gabriel, until it was all a blur below.

Take their wings?

They would fall—
To where?
To where?

To earth?
Surely not...Earth was not down- it was not up- it was not to the side- it was in space...Heaven was the only thing that held direction...
Heaven was up.

So what was down?

The opposite?
The opposite...

Nothing good...
But not necessarily anything bad...

But definitely not good.

He hadn't expected angels of all beings to be as savage as to cut off wings...to force a falling...
He had heard it as a punishment for angels that strayed too far away from God's wishes but...never had he truly believed it could happen...

He watched in horror as angels turned to...to demons, that's what outcasts were called, demons, their wings falling and burning to the ground as they screamed, falling through the clouds to...God knows where, nothing Raphael could think of long..

Raphael saw a figure flying up towards him and he quickly beat his wings so he could turn around, diving towards the nearest cloud.
Before he could hide, a hand was around his wrist. He winced but felt the touch was more desperate than it was the to inflict any kind of pain.
He turned his head to see Aziraphale looking at him in dismay.

"Raphael? You're- you're on their side? ...Why?"

Raphael beat his wings with some sorrow, "They..." He whispered, "Heaven isn't right, Angel, it's corrupt and— it's not right."

"It's God's plan-"

"It's rubbish." Raphael scowled.

Aziraphale frowned, "They'll have your wings for this..."

"I know..." Raphael murmured, and the reality hit him, causing his flying to falter before he steadied himself, "I know."

"Then why are you doing this? What could be better? Having your wings cut off? To Heaven knows where? Certainly nowhere I can reach you-"

"Because they listened to me!" Raphael snapped, meeting Aziraphale's now scared gaze as he let go of the other's wrist.

Raphael looked away in embarrassment at how he'd lost his temper, "I'm...sorry...I just..."

"I listen to you." Aziraphale whispered.

Raphael began to speak but saw in horror as Lucifer began to fall, but what caught his fear more was Gabriel advancing towards them.
He smiled.
Smiled in minimal acceptance...
He knew what might happen.
It was inevitable.

"I...wish you'd have listened earlier." Raphael's voice cracked with a whisper as Gabriel reached them.

"Aziraphale!" Gabriel hissed, "What are you waiting for!?"

Aziraphale looked at Raphael with panic.

"It's okay, Angel." Raphael smiled weakly, "It's okay."

"Take his wings for Heaven's sake!" Gabriel scowled.

"They'll take yours too if you don't." Raphael whispered for Aziraphale's.

Aziraphale shook his head.

"Do it!" Gabriel snarled.

"I-I can't-"

"Do it, or- I'll never talk to you again." Raphael's voice shuttered.

Aziraphale pursed his lips together.

"Please." Raphael's eyes rounded.

"Are you- are you with them?" Gabriel shrieked, moving to lunge at Aziraphale.

Raphael was quick to act first, leaping at the angel and tackling him, causing them both to spiral down.

"Raphael!" Aziraphale gasped as they fell.

"Cut them off, Aziraphale!" Raphael pleaded.

"I-I can't-"

"They'll take yours too, I can't-" Raphael shook his head, beat his wings into Aziraphale's hands.

The angel tried to let go of them but Raphael quickly dug his nails into Aziraphale's back, his fingers turning to claws that scorched the angel's back.

Aziraphale screamed in pain, fingers turning to sharp blades in Raphael's wings.

A curse of the battle.
Hands turning to weapons.

Raphael shrieked in pain but jerked his body forward to rip the beautifully white, now red with blood, wings from his body.

Aziraphale could only scream and grab Raphael's hand as he fell, "Don't you even! Why did you—"

Raphael winced in pain, "Don't ask any more questions— not against god...ever, you hear me?"

"I can't-"

"DO YOU HEAR ME!" Raphael screamed and Aziraphale looked at him in shock.

Aziraphale nodded.

"I-I refuse to see you down there-" Raphael whispered.

Aziraphale nodded again.
Then he let go.

As Raphael fell, he blinked and saw Aziraphale...

But he was the him in the bow tie...

Every moment that led up to them rediscovering their scars flashed in his mind.

Eden.
The apocalypse that didn't—
The love.
The love.

He remembered it all in that moment and gasped, screaming, "Aziraphale!" Catch me! He couldn't finish the sentence.

He had blinked and the memories were gone—

Including all his memories of Aziraphale.

And most of heaven.

He'd fall for centuries.
Each one taking more and more of him.

His eyes slowly slitted into that of snake eyes.
His hair, once long and brown, burned a brilliant red.

His wings painfully grew back into a tattered black pair.

And as he hit the ground, they broke again.

And they wouldn't heal for a thousand years.
He would crawl until then.
Crawl on his belly like the snake, the serpent he was, until he could finally resurface.

Resurface and see the earth he once dearly loved...

And to hurt humanity...
To start the chain of events that would lead to the pain he had once longed to stop...

To slither up the wall and greet a stranger.
A stranger that didn't feel like a stranger.
He looked familiar—
Maybe they'd met before...?

But probably not.

***

Forgiveness was a funny thing.

So we're wings—

And finally, so were memories...

Because as Crowley found himself flying away, his wings felt stronger than usual, as if they could carry him higher than he could go before.
Before he could question it—
For the first time in his life—
He was answered.
As he looked back and saw the final part of his wings turn from black to white, his memories hit him.

All of them.

Painful and not.
But primarily painful.

He choked and began to fall before quickly steadying himself...

It was as if he'd fallen all over again and—

"Rapha- Crowley!" A hoarse voice yelled from behind him.

Crowley froze and began to hover, batting his wings from where he floated above the clouds to stay that way, "...Angel?"
He could run.
He could run...but he needed to see his face...see him truthfully...

He turned around and saw the man before him, more familiar now but different— and fully clothed now—

They stared at each other.

"I'm- I'm so sorry-" Aziraphale choked.

"Don't be." Crowley swallowed, then beating his wings to fly to Aziraphale.

Aziraphale did the same and they met in the middle.

"You're...you...I'm so sorry..."

"What did I just say?" Crowley gave a small smile.

"I-"

Crowley hugged Aziraphale around his middle.

It was a hug Aziraphale hadn't realized he'd needed. Because as soon as he got it, he crumbled into Crowley's arms, struggling to stay upright as they slowly spun in the clouds.

"You forgave me." Crowley murmured as he leaned back, wings fluttering.

"Of course I forgave you! Did you-"

"You're healed, aren't you?" Crowley smiled weakly.

"I'm so sorry.."

"You already said that twice, Angel.."

"I took your wings-"

"But gave me back my heart in return." Crowley muttered, "Great, now I'm sappy again."

"You say that as if you haven't always been sappy." Aziraphale smirked.

"I love you." Crowley sighed, connecting their foreheads.

"I love you too, C- R- what do I...?"

"My name's Crowley, Angel...I've always been Crowley, still am..."

"And I've always been-"

"My Angel." Crowley kissed the other's forehead.

"My Angel." Aziraphale looked at Crowley in the eyes, the other's still snake-like...all was the same but his wings, "White looks lovely on you, dear."

"Well, I look sort of like you so I can image I look a lot better."

Aziraphale rolled his eyes, "You serpent."

"I know." Crowley flicked a forked tongue to boop Aziraphale's nose.

Aziraphale chuckled.

"I've loved you since before you fell." Aziraphale frowned, "It was still not alright-"

"It'll never be alright, Angel."

Aziraphale cocked an eyebrow.

"But that's alright by me...we've got our battle scars, eh?"

Aziraphale smiled and nodded, "And you're still beautiful."

Crowley sighed contently, "Every bit of you."

***
////Y'all were all asking for a part 2 real quick so geez yeah here you go!! Hope you enjoyed!! If you did, please don't forget to vote, thanks!!

-Jay😇😈