"In a perfect world, one we've never known, we would never need to face the world alone."

Humans often got a lot of things about Heaven, God, and his angels wrong. Michael, the second eldest archangel, knew this for a fact. For one, his father did not care who they fell in love with. The color of their skin, their gender, it didn't matter. The humans could love whomever they chose to and need not fear punishment.

And all that they did in the name of God, much of it wasn't what Father wanted. Wars, and persecution, and death, he'd often lamented to Michael and his siblings, were not things he wanted done in his name. But still the humans persisted.

Michael was lamenting one such situation, the persecution of a poor man who hadn't done anything wrong, but was still being beaten to death by an angry crowd, when a feathery wing cuffed him over the head.

It was his older brother, Lucifer, grinning at him. The smile fell off his face when he saw what Michael was watching.

"I can't believe that Dad wants us to love these creatures above all else. Look at them! That poor

man did nothing wrong, and yet they're still going to kill him, simply because they are blinded by their arrogance and judgement." Lucifer scowled.

"Morningstar, don't talk like that." Michael cajoled. "Not all of them are bad. Just yesterday I was watching a girl teaching her sister how to make a pot out of clay. They ended up having a splash fight in the river when they went to clean their hands."

Lucifer smiled, genuinely. "You always see the best in everything, don't you, Mike?"

"One of us has to, Luci, with you being cynical all the time. Come on, I'll race you to the gardens." Michael spread his wings and took off, laughing as Lucifer followed close behind him.

Michael loved his brother, really, he did. It was just that Lucifer somehow ended up getting himself into the oddest of messes, like he did just now.

His brother's wings, once a pure white, were now bright pink.

"Oh, Morningstar, how did this happen?" Michael groaned. Lucifer spun around in a circle, admiring his new colorful plumage.

"I like it! It's unique, and it suits me, don't you think?" The other angel spread his wings and arms, grinning like a dork. He snapped his fingers, and suddenly the feathers were sparkling like diamonds under the sun. "Now I really do look like a star, Mikey!"

Fortunately, their father was plenty amused by the whole situation. He pointed out a bird to Lucifer, a pink one whose feathers matched his. He called it a "flamingo".

Stars, even in Heaven, were beautiful. In fact, one might go so far as to say the stars were even better in Heaven. Up there, they looked so much closer, like if you just flew high enough you could hold one in your hands. And the sky was clear and beautiful, every star like a diamond in a sea of velvet.

Michael loved the stars. Every night, he liked to go to one particular spot in Heaven's gardens, one where the trees opened into a small circular clearing. In the center, there was soft grass, and if you looked up, the sky was framed by the leafy tree branches.

Tonight, he'd stayed in the clearing far longer than usual. He couldn't sleep. Michael sat in the grass and watched the stars, noting each constellation as it appeared. He jumped as a warm, soft weight settled around his shoulders. Lucifer sat beside him in the grass.

"Hey, Mikey. You weren't in bed, so I came to look for you. What's on your mind, little brother?"

"I just wanted to look at the stars some more."

"Ah. They are beautiful, aren't they?"

They woke up the next morning, dewdrops gathering on their feathers, to Gabriel running past them, laughing and being chased by two of the younger angels, Balthazar and Castiel.

"Gabe's far better with the little ones than I am." Michael laughed.

…

For all the times that they seemed thick as thieves, Michael and Lucifer did fight, as all brothers did. One of the greatest fights they'd ever had was the one concerning humanity. Lucifer never quite let go of the fact that humans were just a little too, well, human.

"Michael, you stupid sheep. Just because you're content to follow Father's every word, doesn't mean I have to be! Did it ever occur to you that even Father can make mistakes? That he's not perfect, and none of us are perfect, and humans are definitely not perfect! Those creatures are horrible to each other!" Lucifer roared.

It was another one of their fights over humanity. This time, though, they were fighting worse than ever before. A little away, Gabriel was shielding Balthazar and Castiel with his wings as the younger angels watched their big brothers argue. The two archangels' eyes were literally blazing with light.

"Lucifer, Father knows far better than you ever will! That's your problem. You think you know so much about the world, but you really don't. And you know what? I think you know that, and it irks you that you'll never fully understand! And the fact that Father and all the rest of our siblings see something in the humans that you can't, that just digs at you, doesn't it?" Michael's feathers were so puffed up that they were nearly standing straight, and his wings were almost two times their normal size.

There was a lull in the argument. Michael and Lucifer glared at each other, and it seemed for a moment like the fight might be over, until there was a shhiiink sound as Lucifer drew his angel blade.

Gabriel's eyes widened and his throat worked. He pushed his little brothers further behind him and considered running for Raphael.

Michael narrowed his eyes and drew his own blade. The two paced in a circle, sizing each other up, wondering if this fight was worth it. And then Lucifer lunged.

And Michael wasn't fast enough to completely get out of the way. His brother's blade cut across his forearm. Blood and glowing blue grace flowed from the wound.

Lucifer's eyes widened as he stared at his little brother, and at the cut on his arm. He spun around and launched himself into the air, leaving Michael clutching his injury and staring furiously after him.

No one sat under the stars in the clearing that night. Lucifer didn't show up. Michael tucked his arm, now bandaged, to his chest and wished they'd stopped the fight and apologized sooner. Not to mention they'd scared poor sweet little Cassie.

Sunrise was beautiful the next morning. Michael watched as it rose over a small town, and he watched a father teach his young son how to ride a horse, and a pair of girls sneak out to kiss in the dying shadows behind a house.

He needed to find his brother.

Lucifer had one spot in particular that he liked to go to whenever the family got to be too much for him. In a mountain range, there was a lake, and its water was a stunning green color. The air was cool and the land was beautiful and it calmed him.

Wingbeats sounded behind him. He didn't turn around.

"Luci?"

Michael sounded younger then than he had in a very long time. It was almost enough to make Lucifer turn around. Almost.

"Luci, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that to you, and I get it. Humans can be awful. They cheat and steal and lie and hurt themselves and each other but we're angels, Luce. It's not exactly a fair comparison, is it? And look, we still fight amongst ourselves but you're still my brother and damn it all I still love you, Luci." Michael's voice cracked on the last sentence.

And finally, Lucifer turned around and rose to his feet. His little brother was standing there, wings drooping, arms by his sides. A pang of guilt went through him, seeing the bandage on one. Enveloping Michael in his wings, he whispered back, "I love you too, Mikey. I'm sorry."

They stood there for a few seconds, and then Michael whispered, "Lucifer, promise me you'll stay."

It was an odd question, that. "Of course, Mike. Where else would I go?"