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Something was wrong with Gabriel's corporeal form. In fact he was growing concerned that this body might be defective. Lately there had been this strange...ache in his chest area and a feeling like butterflies flying around in his stomach. He had been tracking the pattern and it seemed that this only happened when he saw that Prince of Hell Beelzebub or when he thought of them, which of course he rarely did. But that had to be a coincidence right? There had to be something else causing it.
Right?
“You okay?”
Gabriel blinked and brought his attention back to Beelzebub, firmly telling his stomach to release those butterflies. “Yes yes,” he said hurriedly, straightening at the table of the current human drinking establishment they found themselves in. Although there was no “jukebox” here, the music that seemed to be appearing from thin air still turned to that song Beelzebub liked the moment they walked in. “So what’s our business today?”
Beelzebub shrugged and spread their legs out lazily so their thigh was pressed against Gabriel’s. “Don’t think we have any.”
Gabriel furrowed his brow. In all the other occasions they met they had business, whether it was to talk about Armageddon or admire human depictions of Gabriel. “So…we’re meeting here just because?”
Beelzebub spun the human intoxicating liquor around that Gabriel purchased and studied it curiously before taking a tiny sip. Gabriel made a face. How could they sully their corporeal form like that? They set it down with a contemplative hum before replying. “Apparently humans do it all the time. They meet with each other because they like…spending time together.”
“How strange,” Gabriel mused. He wondered what it must be like. To spend time with someone for no reason other than because you wanted to.
“Yes,” Beelzebub murmured with an unreadable look in their eyes. “Strange.”
They cleared their throat and looked away. “Have you heard of the human invention of the cinema?”
Gabriel cocked his head. “No, what is it?”
The demon bared their teeth and Gabriel was faintly surprised to find that such a sight no longer repulsed him. “It’s one of the best pipelines to Hell we got.”
Gabriel threw his shoulders back and adjusted his tie. They may be holding a truce currently but he wasn't about to shirk his duty. “Tell me of this ‘cinema’ demon,” Gabriel demanded. “So I may know how to thwart it.”
Beelzebub hummed and tilted their head towards the ceiling. “Well I’d say the best way to understand what makes it so sinful would be to go ourselves.” They arched a brow towards Gabriel. “Unless you’re afraid you’ll be tempted.”
Gabriel shot to his feet and raised his chin. “I’ll have you know the pathetic machinations of Hell can’t tempt me. I’m far too powerful.”
Beelzebub smirked. “In that case…I believe there’s a showing now.”
***
Gabriel leaned forward with bright eyes at the moving pictures on the screen. “They’re telling a story through pictures,” he breathed. “Did you know they could do that? I thought stories were only told through writing.”
“Glad you like it.” Beelzebub knocked their shoulders together before moving away. For not the first time Gabriel had the urge to bridge that minute distance between them and press against Beelzebub but he quickly shook his head and banished such an odd notion.
He returned his attention to the screen and laughed at what the figures just said. When he looked out of the corner of his eye Gabriel was satisfied to see a small smile playing on Beelzebub's face too. He wasn't sure why seeing Beelzebub enjoying something he liked would cause him to experience satisfaction but Gabriel decided that he could add this to the list of odd feelings he could analyze later. For now he released a slight chuckle as Beelzebub threw a piece of something called pop-ped corn in the air and attempted to catch it with their mouth. They had offered some to Gabriel after tasting one and declaring it delicious but Gabriel declined. Maybe a demon was fine with befouling their corporeal form with human food and drink but Gabriel was an archangel. He had to remain pure. Speaking of...Gabriel frowned. “I don’t understand. What makes this sinful?”
Beelzebub shrugged without taking their eyes off the screen. “Well a lot of the creators are underpaid and overworked. Plus there’s this thing called ‘discourse’ that means that people have strong opinions about the movie and loudly argue with other people about what those opinions are. We barely have to lift a finger, humans do all the sinning themselves.”
Gabriel’s frown grew. It was strange to think that something that could bring joy could also be wrong. He debated with himself before slowly saying, “Well…we’re already here. I suppose we can finish watching these moving pictures before I work to thwart this ‘cinema.’”
A smirk spread across Beelzebub’s face before they threw an arm around Gabriel. Gabriel stiffened, unsure what this gesture meant and how he was supposed to react before slowly relaxing into the touch. “I’d like to see you try.”
***
Gabriel was still grappling with what to do about the odd feelings in his corporeal form when Beelzebub summoned him again. Without a thought Gabriel abandoned what he had been working on and followed the beacon which led him to what he believed was called a “park.” He scanned the park before spotting Beelzebub on a bench that faced the water. “This is a new location,” he remarked, settling down beside them.
“Yes,” they replied quietly, not looking at Gabriel but rather keeping their head tilted towards the sky, eyes closed. When they didn't seem willing to speak again Gabriel settled in and turned to admire the ducks lazily floating about while a contented silence spread between them. It must be nice to be a duck, he mused. Nothing to do but swim around and eat the food humans toss to them. What would it be like to try some of that food humans and animals seem to love so much? The moment that thought entered his mind Gabriel immediately banished it. He wasn't like the traitor Aziraphale. He would never dream about sullying the temple of his celestial body with gross matter. (Even if that pop-ped corn at the cinema looked interesting and Beelzebub seemed to enjoy that human intoxicating liquor.)
Eventually Gabriel was brought out of his thoughts by Beelzebub who hadn't shifted from the position Gabriel found them in. “Sometimes I miss the sun. We have no light down in Hell,” they said softly. Gabriel stiffened. Since agreeing to pause on any Armageddons they hadn’t touched on the fact that they were on opposite sides other than their conversation at the cinema. But that was different from speaking about personal experience. Gabriel wasn’t quite sure how to proceed, what to say that wouldn’t break the delicate peace between them. Fortunately Beelzebub began to speak again. Though what ensued made Gabriel wish they had stayed quiet. “Do you ever wonder what the point of it all is? Heaven, Hell…demons, angels…Armageddon?”
“Of course I don’t wonder,” Gabriel scoffed, turning away from Beelzebub as he started to feel nervous, a rather new emotion to him. “I know. Demons and Hell are there to tempt humans and for Heaven and angels to ultimately vanquish so we can bring order and light to humanity.”
Beelzebub opened their eyes and turned to look at Gabriel. “But why do we need to do that?” When Gabriel tilted his head questioningly they rubbed their face with a sigh and hung their arms over their knees. “After Crowley betrayed us I dug through all of his files and interrogated the people he presumably tempted and do you know what I found?” They turned to Gabriel, eyes hardened. “He did nothing. The humans thought up all of those things themselves. Anything he did do was indirect, like downing a telephone network or glueing pennies to the pavement. But ultimately the humans chose evil and chose sin on their own. So I crunched the numbers. 99.6% of humans who commit sinful acts do so without any intervention from Hell. Which brings me back to my question: why do we exist?”
“I– I told you,” Gabriel began, his resolve faltering. “S-”
“So you can defeat us, right,” Beelzebub scoffed with a shake of their head. “But that Adam kid got me thinking too. Humans choose evil and choose good on their own so why should we intervene at all? Why do we even need to fight? And if your side did win wouldn't bringing order and light to humanity strip away their free will? Isn't that what makes them human?”
Gabriel leaned away from Beelzebub. “You’re starting to sound like those traitors.”
They turned towards the water. “I’m not so sure that’s a bad thing anymore.”
Gabriel stood up abruptly as he worked to tamp down on the racing thoughts and beginnings of doubt that crowded his mind. “I won’t be tempted by you to sin, demon,” he declared shakily. Then a horrible thought appeared and he pressed a hand to his chest. “Is that what this has been? Going to the cinema and meeting for no other reason than to be together and drinking that human liquor in front of me? Do you want me to Fall too? I bet your lord and master would love that wouldn’t he? You get a commendation and he gets an archangel!” As he finished his accusation Gabriel found himself short of breath despite not needing to actually breathe.
A new emotion shot through him when Beelzebub stared up at him with a look of hurt on their face before smoothing it over with a scowl. “Right. Because I’m pure evil, yeah? It’s not possible for me to have any urges other than to tempt?”
“Well–”
They rose up, fists clenched and eyes burning. “Well? Say it to my face!" When Gabriel stood there dumbly Beelzebub shoved him. "Say it! Say I'm evil! Say I'm irredeemable! Say all I'm good for is torment and misery and temptation!"
"You're- I-" But for once in his existence Gabriel was speechless.
Beelzebub let out a broken laugh and turned away. "Should’ve known better than to keep meeting with the holiest arse in Heaven. Should’ve known better than to–” But Beelzebub cut themself off and scoffed, shaking their head while Gabriel burned to know how they were going to finish that sentence. Without looking back Beelzebub released a shuddering breath and slumped their shoulders. “Bye angel. Nice knowing you.” And before Gabriel could say anything more, Beelzebub vanished in a cloud of flies and he was once again alone. Utterly alone.
***
After their argument Gabriel moped around Heaven for a few days before deciding to do some research in a human database. It took a minor miracle to retrieve the proper information but he soon consumed many of the research texts that cover the phenomenon he had been experiencing such as “My Werewolf Girlfriend” and “Romancing the Rake.” In addition to gaining a better insight as to what may be happening to his corporeal form he discovered an activity that was quite enjoyable that he planned to repeat at the earliest convenience. From what he had come to understand, the butterflies and ache in his chest indicated that he had emotional feelings towards Beelzebub. But he was surprised at how many of these research texts touched on a similar issue that he and Beelzebub experienced– that of being on opposite sides.
For instance, Penelope was a vampire and Kira was a werewolf which meant they were supposed to be mortal enemies so they have a big fight in the middle of the text. But they still overcome their division and end up together. It turned out that another symptom of having emotional feelings towards someone, especially if you were supposed to be enemies, was to act irrationally and to feel conflicted and even argue. But they always reconciled in the end and professed their love.
Was that why Gabriel started that argument? Because he was conflicted and afraid of what would happen if they pursued whatever was between them further? Was it true what these research texts said? That they could somehow overcome their differences?
But Beelzebub was a Prince of Hell. And Gabriel was an archangel. How could Gabriel feel any positive emotions towards them, let alone what humans call infatuation and love? How could they ever end up happily ever after as these research texts claim? Then again…
Gabriel’s mind had been lingering on the traitors Crowley and Aziraphale quite often lately ever since Beelzebub brought them up. If they could form some kind of partnership, were they simply an anomaly? Or was Beelzebub right? Was this whole divide between Heaven and Hell unnecessary? Could a demon and angel love? Could Gabriel?
***
It took time to muster his courage but eventually Gabriel sent a message to Beelzebub to meet at a park, a different one that still overlooked the water. Gabriel liked looking at the ducks. But that wasn’t the real reason he wanted to return to a park. The way that Beelzebub smiled faintly as they soaked in the sun had tormented Gabriel during their separation. He longed to see that look again, this time without the following pain and bitterness and confusion.
They didn’t respond for days but eventually to his relief Gabriel received a begrudging agreement. Instead of appearing at the park immediately however, Gabriel made a stop at a human flower shop. There was a bell at the counter Gabriel enjoyed ringing before a human with a slightly annoyed expression appeared. “Can I help you?” she asked.
“Yes! Can you please build me a flower bouquet that says ‘I know that we are meant to be eternal enemies but I don’t think I want to be your enemy anymore and I’m sorry for claiming you were tempting me and saying cruel things and I think I love you?’” Gabriel politely requested. This was another thing he learned in his research.
She blinked at Gabriel slowly before saying, “...Sure.”
With his bouquet in hand Gabriel popped onto a bench at the park, scanning for Beelzebub while he buzzed with excitement and nerves. Heh. Buzzed. Just like Beelzebub. As if they were summoned, Beelzebub appeared in a storm of flies and slouched over with a scowl on their face. Instead of sitting beside him however they remained standing, arms crossed. “Well? Why’d you summon me? Decided to start Armageddon 2 after all since we’re still enemies?”
Gabriel jumped up and shoved the bouquet towards him. “Here! These are for you.”
Beelzebub recoiled, a look of horror on their face. “What the bloody hell are those?”
“They’re…flowers? They’re supposed to express my apology and feelings of affection.”
Beelzebub stared at him, slack-jawed. “Affection?” they choked out. But their face subsequently shuttered. “Whatever happened to me being an evil demon maliciously tempting you?”
Gabriel took a steady breath before saying what he had rehearsed. “I was wrong. I don’t really know what to believe right now. About Heaven and Hell and our purpose in everything. But what I do know is that I don’t want to stop seeing you. I don’t want to stop…being with you. And I’m sorry for causing you pain.”
Beelzebub stared at him with wide eyes before slowly approaching Gabriel and poking a flower with a hesitant finger. “Why are they all different colors?”
“I think because they’re supposed to look pretty. And they have different meanings!”
Beelzebub wrinkled their nose in a way that Gabriel couldn’t help but find endearing. There were the butterflies again. “They smell disgusting.”
Gabriel sniffed them with a frown. “I thought they smelled nice.”
Beelzebub examined the flowers further with a discerning eye before plucking up one and bringing it closer to their face. They perked up when they touched the stem and their finger came back bloody. “This one stabs you!” They looked up at Gabriel with a wide grin. “Brilliant.” As they clutched the bloody flower with a small grin the place in Gabriel’s chest where his heart was supposed to be seemed to constrict. He clutched at it. This was more than the ache he had been feeling for so long. Was this normal? Was he going to explode? That didn’t happen in his research texts but maybe this love thing worked differently for archangels.
Beelzebub narrowed their eyes at him. “You okay Gabriel? You’re clutching your chest like it’s gonna implode.”
“I’m not sure it won’t,” Gabriel replied, slightly strained, even as part of him was longing to hear his name spoken across their lips again.
Now Beelzebub looked concerned and they took a step closer, pressing a hand to Gabriel’s chest. “What are you feeling?”
Gabriel layered his hand over theirs and stared at them with wide eyes. “I think I'm feeling. Love.”
“For. Me?” Beelzebub whispered, gazing at Gabriel with hesitant hope in their eyes.
“Yes,” Gabriel replied around a dry throat. And what a strange human sensation. Beelzebub stroked a thumb along Gabriel’s chest and Gabriel’s eyes fluttered shut. He realized after their meetings stopped that before Beelzebub he was never touched by another being. Not since before the Fall, when angels were more free with their affections without fear of punishment. And now he craved Beelzebub’s touch with a desperation and adoration close to blasphemy. Then again, loving anyone other than God might already be blasphemous but Gabriel couldn't understand why. Not when loving them made the world and heavens around Gabriel somehow brighter.
Gabriel’s eyes opened and he saw reflected in Beelzebub’s eyes that same level of longing. Of love. “In my research texts this is usually the moment when the two people kiss," he croaked. "I know that's a human gesture but–” And before Gabriel could finish his sentence Beelzebub’s lips were on his. It was…strange. Their lips were chapped and their teeth were sharp and the kiss was wet and clumsy but all Gabriel could think was that he wanted more. More kissing more touching more Beelzebub. He drew them closer, the bouquet crushed between them but Gabriel couldn’t find it in him to care as he stroked a hesitant thumb along their cheek, hungry to feel every inch of them.
But before he could find out what their hair felt like a rude voice shouted by their ears, “Get a room!” They broke apart and turned to the rude interrupter with matching glares. With a twitch of his fingers Gabriel flew the man into the water with a satisfying splash.
Beelzebub turned to him with a beaming smile. “Looks like I’m rubbing off on you after all.”
Gabriel shrugged. “If it makes you smile like that I’ll dump as many rude men in the water as I can.”
“Oh you romantic,” Beelzebub whispered, before drawing Gabriel into a kiss and whisking them away to somewhere more private where they wouldn’t be interrupted again.
***
“Do you regret it?”
Gabriel opened his eyes to gaze at the endless stars surrounding them. He was looking forward to chronicling each one in the endless eons they had together. “Regret what?” he hummed.
“Running off with me?”
Gabriel turned to where Beelzebub was lying beside him and brushed a thumb along their cheek. “Now how could I regret the best decision of my existence?”
Beelzebub covered Gabriel’s hand with theirs and closed their eyes. “You were trying to come to me.”
“You saved me,” Gabriel whispered. “Without your fly…well. Doesn’t bear thinking about, I suppose.”
Beelzebub’s face darkened. “No. It doesn’t.”
“Hey.” Gabriel drew Beelzebub into a gentle kiss. This was another activity he was looking forward to. They only had that one day before Gabriel had to flee but now he could discover every way they could kiss. Every way they could touch. Every way he could make Beelzebub smile and laugh. How he was shocked and delighted the first time he made them laugh. Once they broke apart, Beelzebub now lying on top of Gabriel, he framed their face with his hands. “I’m right here. And I’m not going anywhere.”
“Well of course you’re not,” Beelzebub scoffed, though there was still some lingering fear in their eyes. “You’re mine.”
Gabriel grinned. “And what’s that make you?” He teased.
Beelzebub hummed, twirling their fingers through Gabriel’s hair. Leaning close so their lips were brushing they whispered, “The demon who tempted you to love.”
Warmth spread through Gabriel’s chest, but he wasn’t worried about the different reactions Beelzebub caused in his corporeal form anymore. “I think the tempting was mutual,” Gabriel whispered, and with that they were kissing again. And again and again and again. Desperate and passionate and messy and perfect. And despite engaging in such a human action, one of the benefits of not actually being human was that they didn’t have to let go.