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0. A very particular Angels and demons AU
Since this is a somewhat complicated AU I will make a couple of clarifications about the characters:
-Fallens: Angels and Archangels whose powers and capacity to fly are taken away. They're sent to earth to try to redeemed themselves, if not, their feathers are burned and the angel is sent to hell.
-Angels: They are souls born in heaven but perform different missions on earth, such as being good people's guardians.
-Archangels: Superior race of angels serving God.
-Demons: They roam freely through hell and earth. They have powers similar to angels, but they are loyal to Lucifer. Many of them go up to earth to monitor the activity of fallen angels, while others guard those who are imprisoned.
-Prisoners: These are the fallen angels or archangels who, because they break the law, or having their feathers burned, are sent as prisoners to hell, and must be isolated in the pits or even tortured for disobedience. They can be released in exchange of vassalange or if Lucifer offers them an oath of loyalty, but that prohibits them from becoming angels again or having any dealings with them.
I. where different worlds collide...
Jev arrived at work with puffy eyes, an unfriendly face and a bad mood that could be smelled for miles, so much so that none of his colleagues approached him until the half-day break.
It wasn't just the lack of sleep that had him like this, it was the exhaustion and mental fatigue that came with his dual duties as a Lucifer guardian and protector of André and Sam.
Especially since they fought him all day long and did nothing to make his work a little easier.
Sam wasn't so bad. Even though the fallen sometimes kept complaining at him for making him a vassal without asking, he managed to show some gratitude and sympathy.
Which was to say, it really annoyed André.
Furthermore, to the problem of the archangel's desolation and disappointment at not being able to keep Sam safe after both were sent to hell, it was to be added the problem of adaptation.
For although it may seem obvious, heaven and hell were very different places, and work in completely different ways.
In the underworld, none of the privileges, rules, or respect for investiture that André was used to, existed.
In there, all beings were equal, had the same powers, same rights among themselves and their property, and were free to do whatever they wanted as long as they did not disturb any other creature, with no other rules, sanctions, moral standards or authoritarian impositions to prevent them from doing so.
That, had of course four logical exceptions:
Lucifer himself, who was omnipotent, all-powerful and whose authority was the only rank of hierarchy above the rest.
Prisoners, whose crimes caused them to lose their powers, their rights and to be subjected to correction or vassalage.
Soldiers and guards, who were provided with a home, food and weapons, in exchange for the duty of guarding prisoners, watching out for posible threats from earth or heaven, ensuring the integrity of their system and protecting their own under direct orders from Lucifer.
And finally the vassals, whose freedom was limited to their guardian's will and the contract they signed. Vassalange with prisoners and fallens wasn't common, and it usually was signed by demons wounded in battle or those born weaker. Mostly because most prisoners were humans and fallen angels whose pride or devotion for God prevented them from agreeing to be the slave of a random demon, aware of the abuses of power that this usually entailed.
Jev had never had vassals before, and asked his friend Max for advice, who had two. Max warned him that it would not be easy, but told him how to try to adapt the celestials to the pace of life of a vassal.
This task was completely underestimated.
André found himself in trouble several times, not only confronting Jev when he asked him to clean and tidy the dwelling, bring supplies or carry out the typical mandates of a vassal.
He also got into trouble with other demons, with whom André fought, argued, denigrated and ended up being escorted by other guardians to the door of his dwelling where they were greeted by a concerned Jev and Sam.
Sam, at first, maintained a relatively neutral stance towards the tense situation. Partly because he was still very in fond of André, partly because he missed his old life, and partly because he was still not one hundred percent sure of Jean Eric's good intentions.
Since he was born, he was told that demons were not to be trusted.
That those were creatures who took advantage of sweet angels like him and corrupted them.
But suddenly, Jev appeared in their lives, saving their lives, getting him and André out of their prison and protecting them through vassalage from further attacks, or from other demons wanting to take possession of them.
It didn't take him long to see how the situation didn't benefit Jev in any posible way. Just complications, extra work, problems, insomnia... And never asked for anything in return.
So one night, before Jev went to fulfill his duties and while André slept, he was able to have a chat alone with him.
"Jev, wait!" he said catching him by surprise as he was about to walk through the exit door. The demon put away his wings and turned to Sam.
"Hmm? Did something happen?" The fallen forgot all his questions when he saw how sad and exhausted Jev looked. He couldn't go to work like this.
"Come here, sit down. Let me fix you up a little. It'll only take a few minutes." Jev let himself be guided and then let Sam apply the saline water he used to exfoliate with his gentle hands.
"Must take temperature." The angel indicated, so Jev used his thermal abilities to warm his hands and gently apply them to his face, while Sam shined his horns and wings.
Ten minutes later, he looked and felt much better.
"Thank you for that." Sam took his hands on his, and looked into his eyes in a way that confused the demon.
"You know you could be doing a lot better, right? You don't have to have us here."
"I'd rather see you here than in a dirty prison pit."
"Why, and why André too?" Jev turned his gaze away.
"It was a compromise I decided to make. It was my fault you were exiliated from heaven, and I've known André for years. He... was also a victim of the circumstances. You did not deserve the pit."
"It's not true. It wasn't your fault Jev, I chose to save you from that fall and I'd do it again. I don't care if some random archangel said that makes me a traitor of God. Plus, my feathers were burned and there was nothing left to do. If you're doing this because of that, I'm walking out of here today and go back to the pits. I can't let you do this."
"Don't be ridiculous." Jev shook his head and started to walk towards the door again.
"Hey, look at me. Please, dear." The demon blushed a little but heeded. Sam sighed.
"You are not well. And I don't want to see you wearing yourself out day after day just because you agreed to this deal. I'll talk to André, okay? We can go somewhere else."
"No. And remember you are my vassals, you mustn't disobey me."
"Remember that I can also break the deal. I don't need your permission for that." The other dropped his hands and stood up.
"If it's so bad for you to be here, then leave. I can't do more than this, for God's sake! Nothing is enough for you?"
"I didn't ask for anything but your honesty, and you're not giving it to me. You have us here for a reason and I want to know why."
"Come on, Sam. Don't pretend you don't know. Even Andre knows."
"Does André know?"
"I must go." And without further ado, he flew out the door, leaving the angel perplexed.
II. Where the truth is revealed...
"André wake up." He said shaking the other, who somewhat startled awoke and looked at him worriedly.
"What happened, Sam?"
"We have to talk about Jev, and all... this."
"He's already gone?"
"Yeah, but I talked to him before he left, and he says you know why he pulled us out of the pit to bring us to his home." Andre nodded and drank from the cup Sam handed him.
"I think he feels guilty, for... You know."
"It's not just that, why would he feel guilty about an angel falling? He's a demon. "
"I don't know."
"André, don't play it naive you too. Jev told me you knew the reason for having us here, for sacrificing so much for us. Tell me." Andre was confused at first, until he realized where the conversation was going."
"Are you serious? Haven't you thought why he wants you here?"
"Andre..." Said the angel in a threatening tone, to which the other laughed.
"It's because he has a soft spot for you. He has fallen in love."
"No shit, André. Demons can't fall in love. They have no heart and no soul."
"They don't have hearts, it's true, but that doesn't mean they can't feel, or hate, or that they can't love. Demons are the underworld angels, they are souls, Sam. Dark souls, but even dark souls have their weaknesses."
"Oh, my God... Why didn't you tell me before?"
"I didn't know I had to." He said rolling his eyes, and rearranging himself on the bed. Sam looked at him skeptically.
"Then why, Andy?"
"I don't understand."
"Why are you suddenly so hostile to Jev? You were close, plus he saved James, helped capturing the one who burned my feathers and got us out of the pit."
"And what do you want? You want me to make a monument to him? I was there too, Sam. Or have you forgotten that I also lost my wings and my life in heaven..."
"Your fall wasn't a mistake. You decided to fool around with that human and made him lose his guardian..."
"I know, and for that I walked off and gave James back his angel. But like you, we didn't deserve hell for that. I lost everything I had, and now I find myself without powers, serving Lucifer in the underworld, asking Jev to give me permission to walk every step... I'M REALLY SUPPOSED TO BE HAPPY AND THANKFUL?" Sam was startled, but wrapped his arms around André and held him against his chest, kissing his hair and soothing him through his venting.
"I'm not asking you to be happy and grateful, André. We are both here because of an injustice, and I know we still have to digest it.... But Jev is not to blame. And you mustn't take it out on him."
"I don't take it out on him, I'm just a bit jealous."
"Jealous?" André broke away from the embrace and looked Sam in the eye.
"That he is now your hero, and the one you rely on. You barely notice me anymore." Sam's eyes widened.
"Oh, Andy... It's not like that. I love you, and you know it. Jev won't take your place in my heart ever..." Andre felt him tense.
"But?" The blond cleared hi throat.
"But... You never saw me that way and Jev, he looks out for me - for us in fact - like we're the most important thing he has. He sacrificed a lot for us, and now that you're telling me this, he must long for something more.... And I'm willing to give it to him."
"What?"
"You heard me."
"You don't have to do it just because..."
"It's not gratitude, André. I really love him, but my reservations and prejudices prevented me from seeing him with different eye before.... And same for you as well. "
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"I 'm saying that, if you ever stop thinking about James and get over him, you will see that there are two creatures here willing to give you the love you deserve." And as if to prove his point, Sam gave him a peck on the lips.
"Sammy..."
"Talk to him, will you? You both need to stop whining and fighting and find each other again. Go back to what it was like before we fell."
André nodded, still deep in thought. Sam smiled at him and left the room.
III. Where selfishness wins...
"For the first time I don't want to go back home." Max looked at his friend with compassion.
They were waiting for the shift change to leave, and the youngest guardian, who was also keeping busy with his vassals, had not heard from Jev for several days, so they briefly caught up.
"Do you think they'll leave? Max asked. Jev shrugged.
"I hope not. But even more, I hope Sam doesn't think I'm gross, or weak. André unfortunately already does."
"Just because you love them? Of course not, He's not that type of archangel. He wouldn't have resigned heaven to save his beloved ones."
"You have no idea, Max. He's been driving me crazy for weeks. He answers me rudely, runs away, and every time I want to talk to him he throws me out as if I'm bothering him. I don't know what's happened to him." he said in an anguished voice.
"Ugh why don't you end his vassalange and send him to the pit with me? I'll teach him a few manners and then he'll beg you to come back." Max suggested. Jev shook his head effusively.
"I would never do anything like that to him."
"Why? Is it because Sam would be angry?"
"I don't know but it's not about Sam. Look, André may hate me now but he was the first celestial who didn't immediately report me or judge me for being a demon guardian. Along the years we grew close friends even if we were forbidden to do so but we always trusted each other. He helped me on several missions and let's not forget that I wouldn't have met Sam if it wasn't for him."
"Yeah, yeah. you guys have history. I get it."
"It's uhm, a bit more complicated than that." Max looked deeply at Jev and held his shoulder, trying to sense what was affecting him .
"Max no, don't use that with me..." Jev slipped away from the touch, but the other one found out sooner.
"For God's sake... him too? Your thing for celestials starts to worry me.."
"Shut up, you also like them."
At that moment they flew through the door and Jev was surprised to find André waiting for him there.
"André? The archangel smiled sideways.
"Hello."
"Did something happen?" André denied and scratched the back of his neck nervously.
"Can we talk? And maybe fly a little?
"I can take you guys to the cliff. You know, in case you decide to throw him off and say it was an accident."
"Max!" warned Jev, but André laughed.
"Maybe I deserve it."
"Ignore him. Let's go..."
Jev said goodbye to his friend and they flew to the crags, where the borders between heaven and hell could be seen. Its bright shine painted the gray rocks and made a beautiful view.
They couldn't fly all the way up because Jev was exhausted and his powers weren't enough to carry André with him, so they climbed up helping each other until they arrived nearly at the top.
"There, that's it." Andre said wearily. Jev laughed.
"That's all? You need to get back in shape."
"Yes, maybe I'll come climbing more often."
"Not without me, I wouldn't want you to slip and no one being here to catch you."
"How sweet." The demon rolled his eyes.
"I can't say the same for you. Now tell me what you want to talk about."
"I'm... I'm sorry I've been a nuisance. And I'm sorry I took it out on you."
"Sam sent you to say this?"
"I spoke to Sam, that's true. He.. he made me realise some things."
"Like what?" The archangel cleared his throat.
"That we are lucky to have you. And that I'm glad to have met you." Jev felt himself blush and tingles run uncontrollably through his body, but he tried not to let Andre see the effect of his words.
"okay..."
"And that I know you love Sam as much as I do, and I shouldn't be jealous of it just because I was mourning an impossible love and couldn't see it before. He loves you now, and I'm very happy for you both."
"You talk as if Sam didn't love you any more."
"He loves us both, but I know I lost my chance and what matters now is that you love him too. You could be something more. "
"André, wait. Stop right there." Jev sat down across from him, and did what Sam normally did, holding his hands and looking into his eyes.
"You and I have sacrificed enough already. For each other, both of us for the rest of our worlds... but it's over. We don't have to do it anymore. It's okay to be jealous, it's okay to be selfish and fight for what you want even if someone else tells you not to. Al long as you don't hurt anyone, just do whatever makes you happy."
"I was shitty to you and Sam. I don't deserve..."
"It doesn't matter what we deserve or not. Tell me what you want."
"I want... I want to be happy, I want to be loved back." André's eyes filled with tears.
"Sam loves you back."
"And you?" Jev wiped his tears away took a deep breath.
"Me too."
"Really?" Jev smiled faintly.
"After hundreds of years of you being a nuisance, I've learned to tolerate you." André smiled big.
"So... You tolerate me, huh? What would Lucifer say if he saw us?" Jev let out a chuckle as he saw André bring their faces closer.
"Lucifer is not God, André. He doesn't give a damn what we do."
"Perfect."
He whispered before joining their lips in a kiss.
˜Where love is the key to happiness˜
Sam was thankful he no longer had feathered wings because he would have had already ripped them off from anxiety. He didn't know whether Jev or André would get there first, but he really needed to talk to both of them and get things sorted out.
He was enormously surprised to see them come through the door together, not arguing, no tension and wearing a shy smile on their faces.
"I... I think you need to talk so I'll leave you alone. I'll go make dinner." André said, before going to the kitchen and leave Jev and Sam alone in the living room.
The angel was stunned, and didn't understand what was going on.
"I, uhm... I suck at this stuff." Jev muttered. Sam smiled sideways and nodded.
"Me too."
"This thing about emotions, and affection.... They're supposed to be a sign of weakness. That demon guardians aren't supposed to get attached to the fallens. But I know that I'm weak, Sam. I fell for you and Andre like Lucifer to this earth. And I don't regret it."
"I know, now I know."
"And I understand that your principles and beliefs prevent you from seeing me as anything more than a creature from hell, but..."
"It's not like that." Jev looked at him puzzled, then smiled flushed as he saw Sam look at him with a characteristic gleam in his eye.
"My education only gained me punishment prejudices and unhappiness. I am no longer a creature of heaven, Jev. It took me a while, but I managed to assimilate it. And I also want you to know that I don't care that you are a demon. You gave me back hope, you gave me a home and even though you are a dark soul.... I never felt dark or cold when I reflected in your eyes."
Sam grabbed the demon's waist and did what he said, looking into the mirror of Jev's eyes.
"All I see is love. And that's all I need to know that I want to stay here by your side, my dear."
Sam held Jev's face and kissed him.
"You two are even cheesier than the movies people watch on earth," André said as he entered the room, shaking his head at the sight of them, but with a tender expression that gave him away.
Sam chuckled, and spoke to him.
"What I told you this morning, Andy? It's true. You still can..." Andre walked up to them and left a kiss on both of their cheeks.
"Yes, I know. And I'll gladly do so." Jev let go of Sam to nuzzle Andre's cheek and kiss him tenderly.
"Wow, you two really found your way to each other!" The other two laughed.
"Yep, you're not the centre of the world, Sam. You'll have to share Jev with me." Sam laughed and rubbed their noses together.
"As long as Jev shares you with me."
Both celestials looked at the demon and he rolled his eyes, hugging them and then letting them go.
"I'm sure we can work something out." He winked.
"Something tells me it won't be too hard to negotiate with you, darling." André flirted back.
"It will be an interesting talk, but now, let's have dinner." Jev said, pushing the giggling celestials into the dining room.