Balthazar led his younger brother up the lush grassy hill.
Castiel was a few paces behind him, nervously messing with his black feathers. "Balthazar, I don't know about this. Michael doesn't know…" he confessed, glancing back at the setting sun, expecting to see the brooding figure of his older brother standing there.
"Don't worry Castiel, flying is just a part of being an angel. It's easy and fun!" Balthazar encouraged, his own white feathery wings pushing Castiel further up the steep hill.
Castiel swallowed uneasily. They were climbing one of the highest hills in Heaven, and getting closer to one of the tallest cliffs. That's where all angels learn to fly, thought, so it's a rite of passage Castiel needs to take.
They stopped walking at the edge and looked down at the clouds, many stories below them.
"Balthazar, Gabe told me that if I fall from this cliff, I'll Fall from Heaven. I-is that true?" Castiel looked up at his big brother, his eyes big with worry.
"I won't let that happen, Cassy. You won't Fall," Balthazar said, patting Castiel on the shoulder, reassuringly.
The elder angel jumped up and flew out a few metres from the edge of the cliff, where Castiel stood, shaking slightly.
"C'mon Cassy, don't be shy!" Balthazar called, smiling.
Castiel stepped back a few steps to get a running start and took a deep breath. He ran out to the edge, spread his wings, and jumped.
He shut his eyes and waited for the pain of losing his Grace, but none came. Instead, he heard clapping.
"Castiel, you're flying!" cheered Balthazar.
Castiel opened his eyes one at a time and found that his brother was right. His wings flapped behind him, keeping him suspended midair, a little further out from Balthazar.
He smiled at his brother, until he realised that flapping his wings was harder than it looked. Castiel flapped his wings harder, desperately trying to stay midair.
"Balthazar..!" Castiel gasped. "I'm going to Fall!"
Then he dropped from the sky, plummeting through the air, and struggling to gain control again.
"Balthazar!" he screamed. "Help me!"
The elder angel dove through the air, desperately trying to reach his brother before it was too late. "Castiel!" Balthazar grabbed at something dark; it was one of Castiel's wings. He pulled his brother into him quickly before he lost his grip, and he knew that being pulled by the wings was extremely painful. Balthazar gripped his brother around his middle and flew back up to the cliff.
He dropped Castiel down on the grass and collapsed himself, breathing heavily.
"Are…you…okay?" he gasped.
"Y-yeah. You saved me, Balthy," Castiel said, in awe of his older brother.
"No, my stupid idea almost made you Fall, Cassy," Balthazar said, feeling like an idiot for suggesting something like this without Michael's permission.
Balthazar sat up, only to be knocked down by Castiel hug-attacking him. The younger angel wrapped his arms around his brother's neck and buried his face into his shoulder. "You saved me," he murmured.
"Castiel, I—" Balthazar started, awkwardly hugging Castiel back. "I shouldn't have suggested that without Michael's permission."
"No, you're a great flying teacher. Michael would've been too bossy… My wings hurt." Castiel unhooked his arms and sat up on Balthazar's stomach, bringing one of his wings around to show his brother. Some of the feathers were bent this way and that and Balthazar knew there were purple and black bruises underneath the feathers.
"I'll take you home. Nice flying, Cassy. We can practice on the ground tomorrow." Balthazar stood up and lifted Castiel up in his arms, careful not to grip his wings.
As Balthazar carried his little brother back down the hill, he noticed Castiel's breathing becoming more rhythmic and shallow.
"Sweet dreams, Castiel," Balthazar whispers.