Chapter Text
David knew he wasn’t a good demon. Well, they were good at the general air-of-evilness and disobedience part, and if someone were to run the numbers, she was quite certain she was the one bringing in the most souls. But as [demon] liked to remind them, they’d gone native. David didn’t mind it, especially if going native meant fraternizing with the enemy a little bit. Especially if the enemy meant Gabriel. It wasn’t really fraternizing, as he’d long since given up trying to argue with herself, and even if it was, they were a demon, so doing the wrong thing really ought to be alright with Hell. Besides, they hadn’t exactly signed up to be a demon. Back before, they were one of Heaven's brightest. A star, they called her, and David had smiled. He’d created the stars, poured their own life into their creation. But then- then it was done. And David had shown them off, proudly.
The stars had been pointless, really, it turned out. They were wallpaper, for a few thousand years, most of them would never be seen. David had poured everything into them, and now he had nothing left. They’d been heartbroken. David hadn’t fallen as much as spiraled inwards,and one day looked up to find Heaven unreachably high above and those around her thoroughly corrupted by vengeance. Still, they supposed that being a demon, specifically the demon stationed on earth, did lead them to the Garden, and to Gabriel. So, it was worth it. Even if she’d never stop longing to be a star again.
Gabriel was a good angel. He helped guard Earth according to his duties as a Principality, tried to help humans through a number of miracles, and generally tried to be as generous and virtuous as possible. There was the small matter of David, and her not-so-divine nature of existence, but Gabe tended to phrase it as an attempt at redemption. Of course, such a thing might not be possible, and Gabe might not be actively trying as much as he could’ve, but in the grand scheme of things it probably didn’t affect his own holiness too much. Or so he hoped.
So, angel and demon had started to seek out each other's presence more and more. David had wanted to set up a bookshop but sensed that it wouldn't be very demonic. So, Gabriel had created it instead, letting David practically run it at first, until Gabriel too grew fond of the place, and they practically moved in together. Not that many books were sold, but according to David, that wasn’t the point of a bookshop anyway. It was oddly domestic and David knew how it must look to humans. After all, people did keep telling them it was ‘legal now ‘and while David didn’t exactly know what they meant, he was determined to find out what the legal thing she was doing was and stop doing it immediately , on principle. So David was not prepared when one evening of demonic conference with other two demons that deigned to visit the Earth, Melchior and Moritz, he was handed a basket.
“No-it can’t be. Not yet.”
David was trying to sound at least a little excited, instead of almost afraid
“It is,”Moritz answered. Even though he was a demon, there was an air of dangerous panic about him, as if he could suddenly turn into something big and dangerous and probably hooved and start stampeding. Still, David liked him. Sort of. You couldn’t go around liking demons.
“Why me? Surely there must be someone- better?”
He needed to sound awed, they reminded himself, This was probably a mistake, and they didn’t mean for it to be her anyway.
“They love you down there, David,”
Melchior grinned, and although it was a perfectly charming smile, David instinctively went to check if she still had all his valuables and all their clothes were still the way they had been. David didn’t like the way Melchior winked at him
“After all, you’re a star! Now get it done."
With that, they were both gone.
David was driving well over the speed limit, and didn’t care..
“Call Gabriel,” they told their car. It listened because David had taken very good care of it, and generally Believed in its availability to perform objectively impossible feats.
“David?”
Gabriel's voice filled the car, and David's panic receded a little.
“Hi- we have a problem, angel. A really big, end-of-the-world problem. Literally.”
In the back seat, the baby didn’t even cry. There was a moment of silence, and then Gabriel understood.
“How long do we have until-?”
“Sixteen years.”
There was more silence, until-
“What do we do, David?”
“I have to deliver this child to a satanic convent.”
“Oh.”
“We could raise it. I’m supposed to switch it with the son of some rich influential politician, but I could double-switch it.THat way, we could monitor it’s- progress.”
MGabriel seemed to hesitate.
“We could also- dispose of it. For the greater good. OF course.”
“Of course” said David, and they both knew it wasn't an option.
Peter grew up a relatively normal child. Sure, his godparents were rather strange, and he knew he didn’t have the same understanding of the world as other children. Still, David and Gabriel took good care of him, and even though they both avoided the question of his biological parents, and the world sometimes seemed to form itself around their will, he was happy enough. On the day of his sixteenth birthday, he noticed they were both..waiting. He didn’t know what they were waiting for, and didn’t ask. In the evening, he heard David on the phone to someone, mentioning a hellhound. By now, Peter assumed they must either be working for the government, organized crime, or some other secret organisation, as this was not the first strange conversation he’d overheard. Still, he fell asleep relatively early, and decided not to worry about it.
David swore. The hellhound really, really should have arrived by now. She’d confirmed with hell, even pretended to see its arrival. But looking across to Gabriel., he could see they were both worried.
“It should have arrived,” David repeated.
“I know.”Gabriel replied., before a shadow flickered over his face, David immediately stopped pacing and let herself fall on the armrest of Gabriel's chair.
“What is it, Angel?”
“What if- what if the Hellhound has been sent. And it has arrived. Just not here.”
David frowned.
“But that would mean-”
“Yes,” Gabriel said. “I think we might have the wrong boy, my dear”
So now, we have to tell the story of the real anti-christ first. Unfortunately the double switch in the satanic convent had not worked out like David had hoped. So, the Anti-Christ, named Wylan van Eck, was currently a rather normal boy. Well sort of. He wasn’t particularly demonic. However, he also wasn’t completely innocent.
The neighbourhood knew them as the Crs. While Kaz was undeniably the leader, Wylan always had had a certain influence over him. Some adults had classified the Crows as a gang, but NIna always tried to reassure them that they were a book-and-baking-club that had just gotten a little distracted. It didn’t always work to satisfy the adults, but neither was it true.
Hell had chosen Jan van Ecks as father of the AntiÇhrist for two reasons: one, he was rich and influential, and consequently, two: he was an utter asshole, and undeniably evil.Still, Hell hadn’t accounted for the sheer strength in Wylan, nor the fact five other strays would take to him, and had included him in their friendship. Despite being the Anti-Christ, and having a pretty traumatic childhood, Wylan was a kind-hearted boy.
So now, with Wylan now sixteen, all the Crows had gathered in the abandoned house they called the Slat, and were thoroughly having fun.
“I could have a dog!” Wylan protested, but Matthias shook his head.
“Absolutely not. You have to train a dog. You have to boss it around, and I don't think you’re the type.”
“Oh he’s pretty good at that, don’t worry”Jesper said, winking and giving Wylan a nudge. “Jesper-” Wylan went to complain, but Inej interrupted.
“I think you could own a dog. It’sd just have to be small and fluffy”
“Like you,” Jesper added.. Wylan loved his boyfriend, but sometimes, he needed to shut up.
“Obviously I don’t want a big dog. Far too mean.”
There- in the shadows. Red eyes, gleaming teeth. The Hellhound had arrived, and it was waiting to be Named.
“It would have to be a nice dog-”
The teeth disappeared.
“Fluffy, big puppy eyes, cute. Jes- don’t even dare open your mouth. A small dog.”
The red eyes disappeared.
“What would you name it?” asked Nina.
Wylan shrugged. “I don’t really care.”
“You have to name it something,” she insisted.
The Hellhound waited. This was it. This was the moment that would decide his nature.
“Fine. I’ll name him Dog. It’s what my father will call him anyway, and it works well enough.”
There was a moment of silence as the Hellhound realised it’d been Named. It ran out of shadows and into Wylan’s arms, and as it did so, it realised it was small, fluffy, and completely incapable of destroying armies and inspiring fear. However, soon enough, his new nature took over and he stopped worrying about Fate and Armegaddon, and more about things like who’d scratch his ears next. However, the Hellhound had been Named. The world had started ending, and as the Crows headed out to make some trouble next to the Slat, something stirred at the back of Wylan’s head as the Anti-Christ within began to wake.
David was driving well over the speed limit. You had to, as a demon. That, and they needed to reach Gabriel fast. Gabriel was back at the bookshop, while David had gone to check the location of the other boy with the satanic convent. Unfortunately, the world had already started its end, and now roads were burning around them, trees were losing all of their leaves at once and turning unnatural colours. It was sort of beautiful. The radio reported calamities in increasingly disbelieving tones. David drove faster.
Wylan didn’t notice anything. He was testing some new chemicals with the Crows behind the Slat. Blowing up cardboard boxes was a tradition the Corows approved of, and the fire seemed to race in Wylan's veins. Normally, he wouldn’t have made this many explosives. But Kaz had asked, and Wylan did owe him a favor,so he’d made more and heavier explosives, fires in many colours. Now, though, he wondered why he didn’t do this sort of thing more often. It was beautiful. Jesper was next to him, clearly enjoying himself, flames lighting up the outfit that would've looked horrible on anyone else. Fire crackled in Wylan's ears and he threw another packet at the stack of boxes. Heat seared their faces and Wylan laughed. More things should burn like this. They could rebuild later. For now, there was music all around him, a melody of fire and destruction and chemical wastelands in the making.
The bookshop was burning too, and there was nothing Gabriel could do. The power of the impending doom of the universe could not be stopped by the miracles of one angel. Besides, the flames had something demonic, and Gabriel didn’t like how some of the flames were coloured in a way that fire shouldn’t be. So- Gabriel had to leave. He couldn't wait for David in the bookshop, but surely there was somewhere nearby that was less dangerous. Flames were closing in fast, and Gabriel, used to having his wings hidden, cried out suddenly as the flames burned at the tips, revealing them to the world. So the fire had been slightly infernal. Gabriel had to get out fast. He tore out a few burned feathers, and let them spiral to the ground. Then he ran through the flames, using every bit of strength and miraculousity left to push through. Outside there was still fire, although Gabriel could see spots that seemed relatively safe. Bookshops, especially ones with tomes imbued with something distinctly occult, had a tendency to burn hotter and faster than their surroundings. Just as he was about to head for an alley, a hand grabbed his arm and dragged him to an alley. It was Natalie, one of the angels Gabriel could actually get along with. She wasn’t too high up in heaven, and thus hadn’t been as corrupted by power as the rest of the angels. He'd missed her, as it wasn't often she could visit earth, or he dared to venture into heaven.
“Nat! What are you doing here?”
“Saving you from both the flames and Heaven. They’re looking for you, you were meant to report.”
Gabriel frowned, and tried to tug free.
“I have to finish some business down here- it's important. I'll be there soon.”
Natalie shook her head.
“You can’t stay here. It's dangerous, I'm taking you with me.”
Despite Gabe's protests, Natalie dragged him back into the street and started flying up, towards Heaven.
The fire in Wylan’s brain receded for a moment as the image of his father entered his mind. What would he think of what Wylan was doing? A useless criminal, a vandalist, a disappointment. Wylan was sure his father would yell at him. Fear threatened to overtake him but then the fire was back, and Jan van Eck burned, and Wylan realized that that was good. His father should burn, and he wasn’t the only. Everyone who’d encouraged his father, all the tutors who beat him and yelled at him for not being able to read, everyone who'd ignored his pleas, everyone who'd known or could've known and did nothing.
The whole world could burn, for all he cared. He laughed, and noticed Jesper’s hand in his own. He looked at the Crows. They wouldn't burn. He tossed another packet into the flames, and they grew higher, wilder. Wylan knew he should have run out of explosives a long time ago, but it didn’t matter. He turned to Jesper, flames still reflected in his eyes.
“Isn’t it beautiful?”
Jesper tore his gauze from the flames, and looked at Wylan. There was something off about Wylan. Something unnatural and otherworldly. And Jesper found he couldn't disagree with him.
“Yeah. It’s beautiful,” he said, and Wylan laughed that sharp, uncontrolled laugh again, something he’d never done before that night. As the flames closed in on the rest of the village, Wylan noticed how beautiful Jesper looked in the glow of that destruction. ANd while the flames surrounded the Crows, cutting them off from the rest of the world, Wylan kissed Jesper, ignoring the alarm and the fear of those around them.. It wouldn’t matter, and soon they’d see the beauty of Wylan's ruined world.
WHen David arrived at the bookshop, it was still burning. Fear entered his heart, but they drove it away to call out Gabriel’s name in a steady voice.
“Gabriel? Gabe? Where are you? “
She might have been a demon and somewhat fire resistant, but they knew Gabriel wasn't.
“Are you okay? Angel?”
He was starting to sound desperate now, and they knew it.
“Gabriel? Please- you have to be in here. You have to answer. You have to be able to answer.”
There's something in the ashes. David ran, and when she saw what it was, they fell to their knees and sobbed, clutching the burned and scorched feathers to their chest.
“Gabriel-”
It was hoarse, and broken, and David didn’t care.
He cared about Gabriel- he needed to know if he was okay.
Then, a terrible thought appeared. Did fire caused by the Anti-Christ count as Hellfire? The flames didn't look right. Could it be-?
And with that thought, David broke entirely.
They sobbed and screamed and cried and pleaded with whoever-whatever-might listen.
Gabriel. Gone. Forever.
David might as well go too.
And for a long moment. She just sat there whispering Gabriel's name over and over, voice hoarse from raw emotion.
They needed to move.
Find a church, find holy water, dissolve.
Find Gabreil.
It hurt to stand, something deep and aching and eternally heavy in his chest.
David took a breath and looked at the flames.
They couldn’t leave yet. Gabriel-
Gabriel would want the world not to end.
David couldn’t care less, but she had to do this. For Gabriel.
So, still clutching the feathers, they got to their feet and stumbled to the car.
She could stop the end of the world first, but then, David would go too.
The world didn’t need him, because there was no Gabriel to be her world.
So, David drove through the flames, determined to do whatever it took to finally join Gabriel again and forever.
Someone pulled him away from Jesper, or maybe Jesper pushed him away. Wylan frowned, and the flames grew higher.
“Wylan! What are you doing?” shouted Kaz, limping towards him.
Oh, that was easy, and Wylan smiled.
“I’m making a new world. A better world. Just for us. This one will have to burn first, though, but aren’t the flames beautiful?”
Inej shook her head, panic in her eyes
“Wylan- no. You have to stop. We don’t want a new world. My parents- they're still out there, somewhere-”
Wylan smiled again.They might not understand yet, but they would.
“I can make you new parents. Better ones. Ones that didn’t abandon you.”
Shock and hurt covered Inej’s face.
“It wasn’t their choice to-”
But Wylan didn’t want to hear her complain. After all there would be nothing to complain about once he was done. Inej’s mouth closed abruptly, and however much she struggled, nothing came out. Kaz was at her side immediately.
“Don’t you get it? I’m burning the Menagerie too. It’s burning so very slowly, but she can’t escape. Nobody can.”
They both looked at him with disgust, and Wylan didn’t understand why.
He turned to Jesper, who looked scared. Yes. They should be scared.
Even so, some part of him revolted at the idea of his partners, of his friends being scared of him. He ignored it.
“Wy?” Jesper asked cautiously. “Dumb question but- what are you?”
This Wylan knew, although how and since when he knew, he wasn’t sure.
“Oh my dear Jesper- haven’t you figured it out? This- this is Armageddon, and I am the one causing it. I am the Anti-Christ,Jes, the Destroyer of Worlds and the Prince of Darkness.”
Wylan took his hand.
“I could make you a prince too, my love. We could rule the new world together.”
Jesper stared at their hands, and then at Wylan.
“You’re- you’re scaring us, Wylan. Can you stop?” It was Nina, and without turning around Wylan knew she’d be holding on to Matthias.
They still didn’t understand, but it didn’t matter. They were standing in the way now, and he didn’t need them until this bit was over.
“Wait,” Wylan said, they all froze.
They were all looking at him, shock and terror on their faces. Why were they so scared?
It was wrong- it was all wrong. Wylan's smile faltered, and rage overtook him.
“Why don’t you understand? I’m doing this for you! Say something!”
They just looked at him, frozen and afraid.
“Say something! Please-oh god. “
He looked at his friends, terrified of him.
“Oh god- I’m so sorry- Jesper-fuck. I’m so sorry, Inej-I shouldn’t have said- I’m so sorry.”
He could feel tears now, and tried to release the hold on them. He didn’t know if it worked until he felt arms around him, turning him away from the flames.
It was Matthias.
Wylan buried himself against him, and felt himself cry.
“I’m sorry- I’m so sorry. I didn’t know- I didn’t want-”
He felt a hand on his arm, knowing it was Jesper.
“Jes- I’m so sorry-”
“It’s okay, Wylan. It’s okay. We’re here.”
Wylan sniffed, and turned. They were all standing upright, and though they were still careful, they didn’t look afraid anymore.
“I need to fix this. I need to fix the flames and the world, and I need- Can you stay? With me?”
Kaz nodded.
“We’ll be here. You- take care of it.”
Wylan looked at him.
“If that ever happens again, if I try anything- stop me. Stop it. Whatever you need to do.”
Protests rose up all around, but Kaz held his gaze.
“Let’s just hope that never happens, Wylan. But if it does, I will be ready.”
Wylan shook his hand, like a business deal, and got to work un-ending the world.
Gabriel looked down, and saw David enter the burning bookshop.
“Natalie!” he yelled, and the angel halted, flapping her wings to stay in place.
“Gabe. Please. Just come with me.”
Natalie sounded exasperated, but Gabe kept trying.
“You don’t understand-”
Natalie followed Gabriel's gaze and saw David clutching a few feathers and crying.
”Oh-you idiot,” she whispered, a look of shock on her face.
“Hes’- a demon.”
Gabriel nodded.
“Yes. They are.”
Natalie tore her gaze from the crying demon, and looked at Gabriel.
“You love her.”
It wasn't a question, and Gabe nodded.
“You know I should report you.”
“I know. But I know you won't."
Natalie's doubt was clear on her face.
“Why not?”
Gabriel held her gaze.
“How is Henry?”
tHe shock was clear on Natalie's face.
“Shut up!” she hissed, looking around for anyone who could hear them.
“I will. Nobody has to know- but you have to let me go.”
Natalie considered for a long moment, then nodded, and abruptly released Gabriesl, who spiralled downwards, and hovered above the flames, looking for David. He couldn't see them amongst the flames, so decided to head for Ketterdam, where he knew David was heading.
The fire was receding slowly, as Wylan sat, surrounded by his friends. It was difficult, against his nature. And yet, the Anti-Christ was trying to save the world. The flames were dying now, and Wylan noticed an old Bentley, partially melted, speeding towards them. Someone stepped out, sunglasses half on and generally looking about two seconds from collapsing.
“Sup. I'm David. Who here was feeling Anti-Christy enough to start burning things? You need to stop doing that because that is not what- what Gabriel wanted. And- and now he's gone so you need to stop so I can be gone too.” The figure seemed satisfied with that and nodded.
Wylan tried to put his hand up and while also not looking too sheepish, but Kaz fixed him with a glare, and answered instead.
“ I am the Anti-Christ. Who- and possibly what- exactly are you?”
Wylan scowled at Kaz but David answered before he could open his mouth.
“You’re not the Anti-Christ, but I'm a demon. Lost my angel, you see. The fluffy one’s the Anti-Christ. Are you still ending the world?”
Wylan was pretty sure this guy was drunk. On the other hand, he had been ending the world with demonic powers half an hour ago, so who really knew?
“I am. I don't want to end the world. I'm currently actually stopping the end of the world.”
The demon nodded, and swayed.
“Thats good. D'you know where I could find a church?”
The world wasn't ending as much anymore, so David figured she could leave now. Find a church. Find Gabriel. They'd found some alcohol in the car, and tried to see if that would help. It didn't.
He heard her name. Probably the kid. David blinked as they contemplated if she'd seen a church among the flames. Would holy water evaporate? Surely there was something left- just one drop would be enough.
They got in the car and started driving. There- a church. It wasn't burning. David got out of the car. Finally, it gave out. That was okay. David didn't need it anymore. They stopped at the gate to the churchyard. This would hurt, but not for very long. She heard her name again, and frowned. It sounded like-
Something hit them at a high velocity, and David fell. It smelled a lot like Gabriel. It sounded like Gabriel too, profusely apologising for hitting him.
David blinked. She was not sober, or not drunk enough for this.
“Gabriel? You-” his voice broke. “You died, Angel. I found, look-”
They fumbled for a moment, and pulled out the ruined feathers.
“I missed you. Missed you so much. Was gonna-”
David gestured to the church.
“But…figured I needed to save the world. For you.”
She felt Gabriel pull them upright, turning them away from the church, and let it happen. The moment they were sitting upright, they pulled Gabriel back to the ground and into their arms.
“David- Holy water?” he sounded worried. He shouldn't be. Gabriel was here now, so David wanted to be here too.
“Yeah. You were gone, Angel. Don't go away again.”
“David- holy water- your very spirit would have been dissolved. There'd be no way back. You- you wouldn't exist anymore.”
“Mhm. I know. I thought- I thought it was Helfire. The bookshop. I thought you were gone. Forever.”
“Oh- David..”
She let herself be pulled closer to Gabriel, leaning their head against his collarbone.
“It's okay, darling. I'm here. I'm not gone. I'm not going anywhere.”
“You’re here,” David agreed. It was alright now. Gabriel was here, and holding them and the world wasn't ending. David looked at Gabriel. There were still some errand flames, and they outlined Gabriel's face against the night sky, and David's heart skipped a beat. Gabriel was beautiful, and alive, and here, and David could just kiss him. Maybe they should. David leaned in-
The ground rumbled, and Gabriel tore his gaze away from David, who was practically melted against him. Gabe's heart ached at the sight. David had been so ready to just- stop existing, simply because they believed Gabriel was gone. It was terrifying, and Gabriel tried not to think what would've happened if he'd been just- just a little bit later. If he'd flown a little slower, if the conversation with Natalie would've taken just a little longer- or if Natalie wouldn't have let him go at all.
The scariest thing is that, eventually, Gabriel might have done the same.
David sat up again. “Oh fuck,” they mumbled, and Gabriels worry doubled.
“What is it, my dear?”
David tried to stand up, and almost fell over again. Gabriel stood up too, and supported her.
“Angel- we have to warn the kid. Thats-” David grimaced. “That's his dad.”
“Wylan,” the voice of the thing before him boomed, and Wylan flinched. Too loud, much too loud.
“My child! Why have you stopped our Armageddon?”
Wylan scrunched his nose. He did not like the way this thing referred to him.
“I don't want to end the world. I like it here, mostly.”
He felt Jesper take his hand.
“And I shouldn’t be the one that just because I don’t like a part of the world, it should burn.”
“But you're my son! You're the Anti-Christ, it's your legacy!”
“Dont count on him for legacy,” a new voice said, and Wylan shrunk in on himself. Jan van Eck had arrived.
“Father-”
Both the thing, and van Eck looked at him. And Wylan was done with all of it.
“NO! No- no I am not your son. You are not my father, you horrible demon thing.”
The demonic figure looked taken aback. Van Eck stepped forward.
“Correct. However useless you might be, you are still my son.”
But Wylan rounded on him too.
“No, you don't get to be my father either. I am not the son of Satan, and I am not your son. You lost all right to call me that, both of you. If you wanted to be my dad, you should've acted like one. Fuck off.”
Wylan took a deep breath, and thought of his mother. Van Eck said she died- but Wylan had been searching records with the help of the Crows, and wasn't sure anymore.
“I am Marya Hendriks' son, and nobody else's.”
It was silent for a moment, and then the world began to shape around the Anti-Christs will.
Then, the flames doused. Satan disappeared, as did van Eck. The unnatural look around Wylan faded.
“What,” asked Nina carefully, “was that?”
It earned David four months of peace from Hell or Heaven. That was something. They had been four wonderful months, where they officially moved in with Gabriel. They mostly avoided talking about that night, but had kept in contact with the Crows. Peter moved out to university when they found out some of the Crows were studying at the same place as he was. David was slowly, carefully letting down her guard. Gabriel had been just as delighted as they were to find that the bookshop was completely intact. Gabriel had started to socialize with their neighbours more, and while David wasn't fond of it, she let herself be dragged along anyway. It was a small sacrifice, and he'd grown rather fond of the couple across the road. Orpheus and Eurydice had not questioned how David always seemed to loom behind Gabriel, and they talked about each other with so much love, it almost hurt. When Orpheus had asked Eurydice to be her wife two months ago, Gabriel had immediately offered himself up as wedding planner, and David had grudgingly admitted to also wanting to help, even as the two had taken to not-so-subtly nudging David and Gabriel closer. It was nice. It was domestic. That was, until Heaven came to find David.
Gabriel sat in the bookshop. Orpheus and Eurydice had said they needed to talk to him. He'd already made tea so there was nothing more he could do. Finally the shop bell rang and the two entered.
“Mr Gabriel!” said Orpheus, and Gabriel smiled.
“Just Gabriel is fine, Gabe works too.”
They sat down.”Okay. What can I do for you?”
Eurydice looked at Orpheus, and started talking.
“I’m sure we’re not the first ones to tell you this, but maybe we’ll be more convincing. We’re not sure what’s going on between you and David- but you have to know we’re all okay with it. I mean- nobody goes after us, not in this street.”
She looked at her wife, and Orpheus continued.
“But we do know- you need to talk with David. Everyone can see the yearning- and I know about yearning- but you both don’t do anything about it and sometimes soon, it’s going to snap, and hurt you both. You need to talk about it with David, Gabe.”
Gabriel sat back. That- wasn’t what he was expecting.
“Of course we talk. We’ve been talking for thousands of years. Not a thing we haven’t discussed, really. It’s never gotten boring either.”
The two opposite him shared a look.
“You don’t talk about you two. How much you mean to each other. Do it. It’ll make you both a lot happier”
With that, Orpheus stood, and turning back, offered a hand to Eurydice.
“See you soon, Gabriel,” she said, and followed Orpheuus to the door.
David ran into Metatron on the way back to the bookshop. They’d been trying to find a new plant for Gabriel, but none of the plants she found had been good enough. He walked past a bench, when she heard her name being called by a voice that seemed vaguely familiar. They turned, and recognized who was sitting on the bench.
“Metatron?” they asked, unable to keep the faintest hint of reverence out of his voice.
“What are you doing here- and should I be worried?”
Metatron smiled, and patted the bench next to him.
“Not at all my dear- well. My dear demon.”
David sat down, cautiously.
“What do you want from me? “
They were just able to bite back the ‘sir’. They were a demon, for fucks sake, not a lowly angel starstruck by a higher deity.
“Well. Heaven heard of our little…adventure with the Anti-Christ.”
David’s stomach dropped.
“While it is highly unusual, Heaven has an offer for you. We remember how much you were able to achieve as an angel, and even though you fell, we’re prepared to count it as a bureaucratic error .That way, you would technically never have fallen.”
David- David couldn’t believe it.
“Why are you doing this- why should I take this offer?”
Again, Metatron smiled.
“Because this way, you could work with the angel Gabreil more..officially. Besides, we have a vacancy for the position of Head Angel. Gabriel could help you.”
Metatron watched David carefully.
“You could be a star again, David. Think about it.”
With that , he left, leaving David alone, mind reeling.
Gabriel was pacing through the bookshop, waiting for David. He’d made his mind up.
Suddenly, David ran in, scarf trailing behind them.
“Gabriel! Gabriel! I need to tell you something!”
Gabriel stopped pacing and turned to her. Now or never.
“Oh-David! I actually want to tell you something too. It”s- rather important- and a bit hard, so could I go first?”
David came to a halt and nodded. Gabriel took a deep breath.
“David. I’ve known you for a very long time. We’ve known each other for a very long time. And- and it’s always been you and me. Since- since the start of the universe, it’s just been us that mattered. And…and I know the universe doesn’t approve of- us. But it matters to me- You matter to me. And I would like to spend- hm. We’re going to be here for a long time. You and I. Us. And- I care about you, of course I do. And if Wylan and Jesper can do it, if Orpheus and Eurydice can do it, if everyone else can, why can't we? I’d like that. I’d like to be with you. Just us. For-for however long the universe might last.”
Gabriel took a deep breath and looked at David.
“Oh Gabriel- you know I care about you too.”
David took his hand.
“And I know we can spend eternity together- as angels!”
Gabriel stilled, and began to be afraid.
“What?”
“Yes- that was my thing! Metatron found me- he told me. I could be an angel again. I could be Head Angel. You can come with me!”
Gabriel looked at David. Something like grief entered his heart.
“And you said no. And you said that you don’t need to be an angel, because you like it here on earth with me, and you don’t need Heaven and its corruption. You said no, right, David? Tell me you said no.”
Something changed in David's eyes, and Gabreil squeezed his hand, voice breaking.
“Tell me you said no.”
But David squeezed his hand back, and brought it to her chest.
“I said yes-of course I said yes. Think about it, Gabriel! I could be a star again- I could change things. We could change things!”
Gabreils heart broke, just a little.
“David- we can’t be together up there, we can’t just be us. Heaven won’t approve of us.”
“Of course they will! Don’t you realise, my Angel? I’m doing this for us.”
Gabriel stepped and adjusted his coat.
“Well, if that’s - if that's your choice, of course. I’ll go. Metatron will pick you up soon, and I don’t particularly want to see him.”
“Angel- where are you going?”
Gabriel walked to the door.
“You hear that, David?”
“No Gabriel, I don’t hear anything.”
Gabriel smiled grimly.
“That’s the point. No music. No love in heaven. Nothing.”
David turned to him- desperation in his voice.
“Angel? You can’t go- you can’t leave me. I-I need you.”
Gabriel- was unsteady on his feet now. How could David not understand?
“Oh dearest. Don’t you realise? We could have been- us.”
Then, he was rushing to David, tears in his eyes, just needing them to understand. He reached David, and without hesitation, kissed her. It was messy, and long. And he felt David’s hand on his back.
But David didn’t kiss him back. Not fully. Not really.
So, Gabriel stepped back, and waited for- anything.
Anything at all.
Finally, David found their voice back.
“I l- I forgive you.:
Gabriel’s heart shattered, and he felt even more tears pressing against his eyes, but he tried to summon every bit of ice and nonchalance and uncaring, hopeless, false hate left in him.
“Don’t bother”
Then he left David standing in the Bookshop, one hand pressed to her lips.
David felt Gabriel's eyes on her as they followed Metatron. She was still- confused. Processing.
Gabriel had left him. Gabriel had kissed them. Both were true. Both hurt, although in entirely different ways
They entered the elevator, and turned.
Gabriel stood in the middle of the street, lit by the sunset. He looked beautiful, and David’s heart ached with longing and regret. She wanted to run out, and kiss him back. She wanted to hug him and promise to never leave again. They did none of those things.
It was too late now. The doors closed, and Gabriel disappeared from view entirely. And as David struggled to keep his expression neutral for Metatron, a thought began to form in their mind.
After all, if they were a star again, what was stopping them from creating a supernova large enough to shake the very foundations of Heaven and Hell? They may have left Gabriel behind, but maybe they could still make him proud. Even from afar. So when one day, she could come back, they could be sure nobody would go after them.
They clung onto this thought,as the elevator rose, every second further separating him from Gabriel, and every meter another stab through her already breaking heart.
Gabriel watched the doors close, and got in David’s car. They didn’t need it anymore after all. He didn’t know where to go, but knew he couldn’t stay here next to the place David had finally abandoned him, after he’d finally opened his soul to her. As he drove, the tears refused to come. He wanted to cry, but it was too late. David was gone, and there was nothing Gabriel could do about it.