#does it hurt

_“it has to be this way, Lucifer, i have to kill you, these are my orders.”

Michael stated, once again, conviction tinted his voice, his tone didn’t once quiver, despite the comander’s own pain, he didn’t want to do it, never truly did, the archangel still loved his little brother, but he couldn’t revel, he couldn’t disobey; the idea had settled on his mind that their father abscence had been his fault as he never completed the one hardest task God had given him, and that he would only be back whenever it was done… he could bring order and peace to heaven, he could give his frightened, fallen and broken siblings their home back, it only rerquired one thing… one mission he hadn’t brought himself to accomplish. kill the little brother he raised, for reasons he never questioned. and yet it seemed too hard, every time he stood before the devil…before the brother he loved the most once upon a time, throught whom he could still see the fledging that didnt want to die. but… it had to be done, and this time would be the one, he would do the right thing.

Lucifer’s head shook with sigh that hid his heartbreak, he had grown tired of the speech he knew by memory, …all those times in the cage, a part of him ignited by anger, hatred that ran through his veins, and the other… shattered with pain, even while he hated him. he still loved him deeply, he never wanted to fight, he never wanted this- the morning start just wanted his brother, above all, wanted him to stand with him. but tired of asking, tired of resiting it didn’t have to be that way- his choice of words changed, nothing of what he could say would change God’s viceroy’s conviction eitherway, so- what was the point?

_“you see- Michael, I’d like to spend a moment not being reminded that my beloved brother’s life mission is to stab my heart. that’d be y’know.. great”

The words flew from his lips with too little care about the amout of truth they held, it didnt matter anymore did it? his arms folded over his chest and his eyes landed on Michael, locking on his. his annoyed tone accompanied by another sigh likewise.

Suddenly, it seemed like the air became heavier, colder even, causing a shiver to ran down the archangel’s spine.. these vessels, they could bring so many sensations, Their hearts could feel too strongly, too deeply and their celestial host could easily feel through them.
Michael fists loosened gradually, softening not only his features but his voice tone, these words weren’t at all what he expected to hear, not even close, and they manged to daze him, and hurt him; all these doubts, hesitation and painful anguish, that perhaps Lucifer never knew of, seemed to settle down on his heart once again, causing a knot on his throat which attempted to drown him, and yet, the commander didn’t quiver in his composure, didn’t break as he very much wanted to.

“Lucifer-”

Michael uttered, letting his head fall momentarily, clenching his teeth just by the thought, for what he was going to do to his own little fledging.

__“I don’t want to do it either, you don’t understand, I love you, little brother but–..”

His speech was interrupted by Lucifer’s voice, louder and angrier this time.

-“Love me my ass! I’m done with your lies! you know what, big bro, just kill me already.”

__“these are not lies, little brother, why is that you don’t believe me?”

Dropping his ward, the oldest archangel walked a couple of slow steps closer to the younger, whose eyes were near lighting up by the rage fed by heartbreak,

-“C'mon really?!”
The devil chuckled, sarcastical and
incredulous.
“right! Because wanting to kill me is the sheer definition of love, sure- forgot that, you know what? All the time in the cage, after you stopped your hourly threats, I thought maybe, just m a y b e, we could get past this…
so what ‘bout you shut your fucking mouth and get to it already.”__

Heaving out a sigh, Michael’s gaze wandered away before it traveled back to his brother’s eyes.
__“I am trying to reach out to you, Lucifer, I don’t want to fight you.“

The holy prince spoke words the morning star didn’t think he would hear either, a frown settled on his face, staring in confusion to his older sibling, but hope wouldn’t arise the easily, he wouldn’t allow it.

-“Yeah? Well, you’re the one who keeps trying to pick a fight.”

Lucifer’s voice was softer now, observing his brother’s every move, he knew Michael, he grew looking up to him, idolising him, he could quickly detect any changes, any oscillation on his behavior-.. was he trying to… disobey?

-“Look i don’t know what’s gotten into you bro but I-…”

__“I love you Lucifer, I don’t lie, and I won’t fight you.”

a stern voice that lingered on the surroundings like an echo to Satan’s ears,
/And I won’t fight you/
Words he wished to hear with burning desire pierced his heart like the Lance was supposed to, for once fool enough to let them take hold of him, and arise blind belief, only because he wanted to believe it. unable to find a proper answer or reaction he simple stared, a little perplexed as the older kept walking closer, and closer… and closer.
-“I’m sorry what?.”
Lucifer could only mutter then, after few seconds that seemed eternal, still unable to fully wrap his mind around it, he kept quiet, bliss grew within the archangel and wrestled with the rest of the confusing emotions he momentarily couldn’t stop.

-“What’s wrong with you Michael?”

Suddenly, as a reason didn’t become clear, everything turned into concern, for him, what had happened to him, it must have been monumental or highly painful for a change like that.
But the younger archangel did not get an answer–

Michael’s jaw clenched, his eyes seemed to fill with pain the more Lucifer’s did the opposite, their reactions went in exact opposite directions, the more the devil easied into the idea of his brother not fighting him, the more he filled with hope, the more heartbroken and sorrowful the Holy Prince would get.

– instead, Michael took a final step, too close to his little sibling to be considered normal, gazing into his eyes, this was way worse.. and more painful, but it was too late to turn his back on his own plan, eitherway, if this had to be this way, if he had to carry this burden, he might as well get one little last beautiful thing out of it, and give Lucifer just the same; leaning closer, a teardrop fell from eye as he closed them.

Lucifer’s hues had followed his movements carefully, silently, and now, he followed his motions, a tad bit spellbound, he loved his brother despite all the hate he had felt, he never stopped loving him, adoring him, which was part of what made it all so painfully angering. They were supposed to love each other, over everything, Lucifer might have loved him over their father, and he had expected just the same…

Back before the fall, it wasn’t odd for their graces to mix and twirl and wrap to each other, this was just a little taste of what it was, just with a vessel.
The commander’s lips brushed against his brother’s, and Lucifer then carried away by it, dropped his ward completely, now totally vulnerable before Michael, there was the mistake…

Suddenly a tear fell over Lucifer’s face and few words were mumbled against his lips.

__“I am sorry, little morning star.”

Lucifer’s eyes opened wide, attempting to struggle, move away but it was too late, Michael snapped his fingers, his Lance forming on his right hand out of thin air went straight through Lucifer stomach, stabbing his heart and the viceroy’s left arm went around the other’s body, moving his face apart from each other, now able to sense his own heart shattering as he observed his scared dying brother he let the tears form and fall from his green pained eyes.

_“There is no other way.”

Lucifer lips pressed together, Michael had betrayed him, lied to his face… tricked him and yet he could not longer feel hate burning within. teeth clenched, and eyes, full of heartbreak stared up at his weeping brother, as he slowly started to feel his knees weak, grace shone from his chest and gradually crawled up to his face, his hands grasped on his brother’s upper arms, his own eyes which flickered on a dim red shed a tear.

-“Michael..”

Too late maybe- but he understood that this hurt him as much as it hurt himself, this was their father’s fault, not Michael not his, he had made two brothers that loved and love each other do this, and Michael… he was trying to do the right thing, and he was suffering.

–“I… I forgive you..”

The last words struggled to left his lips which poured blood, and then- the brightness reached his face and exploded on a blast of light, Burning the light bringer’s wings on the grass beneath their feet;
the oldest archangel sunk to the ground with his little brother on his arms, tears had stopped by now, his arms clung to him tightly, pressing his vessel against his own chest, staying still as Lucifer wings burned over not only the grass but his body too, peeling his skin away and letting this grace shine. He didn’t understand why he had to do this.. and perhaps he wanted to die as well, but he could not, heaven depended on him. And maybe his punishment for this was that he was forced to live knowing that he had to kill the fledging he raised and loved so deeply.