A/N: This was my entry for the SasuNaru100 challenge way back when, and it won second place in the fic section. I hope you enjoy it!
It started when they were caught holding hands in the main square. Then rumors that they were seen kissing in an alleyway near the seraphim's house flew. The rumors spread all throughout Heaven, so that whenever the cherub was seen especially happy, the whispers would start and glares would fly in his direction. The final straw came when the cherub was said to be seen entering the seraphim's house one night and not seen leaving until the next afternoon. It wasn't that the two were trying to be obvious, just the opposite, in fact. It was that after the first incident, they had been watched closely. Love between angels had always been frowned upon- it was thought that any time the angels were devoting to each other they should be devoting to their work. Love between the different classes of angels was all but outlawed. But what tipped the scale into scandal and outrage was that both angels were male. On the Earth they watched, love between members of the same sex was a mortal sin, and in Heaven it was unthinkable that angels would indulge in such a vile sin. So action was delayed, for the single reason that no being in Heaven wanted it to be true.
When the pair was called in to defend themselves, all of Heaven was in an uproar. Nothing like this had ever happened before, and every being wanted to know what would happen to the two. However, God, being more sympathetic than everyone thought she would be, announced that the trial would be closed, so when the day came, it was only the two of them, standing before her, openly holding hands in an attempt to comfort each other.
God leaned forward in her chair, blonde pigtails falling over her shoulders and she looked at the two. The seraphim, the larger and older of the two, stood slightly behind the cherub, his beautiful white wings spread out and slightly curled around them, a defense against the Paradise that had turned against them. The cherub, younger and chubbier, stood defiantly, clutching at the seraphim's hand as if it were his only lifeline. God sighed quietly; this would not be fun.
"You have two options: One, stay in Heaven, but never see each other again…"
The cherub broke in. "No! I refuse to be separated from him! Next!"
"Well, I don't think you'll like the other option much better. Both of you know the sin you have partaken in, and you both should know where mortal sinners go when their time runs out."
The seraphim cringed slightly, and the cherub's mouth dropped. "But Hell's no better! We've all heard the stories! You can't send us down there!"
God sighed- the cherub was too troublesome, screw how much potential he had. "Well, it's either you separate forever and stay angels in Heaven, or become Fallen in Hell. I'll give you until tomorrow to decide."
The pair looked at each other and left the courtroom in a cloud of despair. Neither could find an optimistic look on either of their choices. They could stay in Heaven, but be separated for all eternity, or Fall and be sent to Hell, where they at least would be together, but it was likely that they would be worked so hard it wouldn't matter. They drifted down the streets of Heaven, each squeezing the other's hands in a death grip. As they approached the seraphim's house, the cherub's eyes began to water.
"I don't want to leave. I'd never be able to take it if I couldn't see you. But they aren't leaving us with any choice! I hate this!" He grabbed the front of the seraphim's robes and thrust his now tear-streaked face into them. The seraphim stroked the cherub's blond hair, and gently kissed his forehead. The cherub turned his face up to meet the seraphim's lips, and the comforting kiss slowly became one of desperation, an attempt on the part of each to taste and feel as much of their lover as they could.
The two stumbled into the apartment, hands grabbing at whatever they could reach. They moved against each other with only the thought of being closer to each other. The seraphim pushed the cherub against the wall, using his wings to cushion the blow. Hands tangling in the cherub's hair, his mouth latched onto his lover's neck, eliciting a cry from the cherub. The seraphim traced one hand down the cherub's smaller wings, stroking each feather, and eventually the small of his back. Both moved in a frantic dance and sang a song so different from the Heavenly chorus, but no less beautiful to them. Their cries filled the small apartment, and when release finally came, they slumped against the wall, and tears streamed down the cherub's face again as he clung to his friend and lover.
"About tomorrow, I think we should Fall. Even if we are in Hell, at least we would have a better chance of being together. Our chance here is nothing" The seraphim's low voice cut thought the thick silence.
There was no reply form the cherub. Pretending to be asleep was harder than it sounded, especially if the seraphim kept talking.
"I'm sure was can find someway to be together in Hell. Even if it takes me a thousand years to find you, I'll find a way." There was silence for a while. A deep breath. "I want you to know my true name. Since we're leaving, there's no real need for secrecy anymore. I want to hear my name in your voice." Another pause. "Sasuke. My name is Sasuke." He stopped again, waiting for a response from the blond.
The cherub had to use all his will not to react to this. Giving your true name was against everything the angels had ever been taught. Names held power; to know an angel's true name was to have almost complete power over that angel, so they were given second names according to their rank to protect their true names.
Getting no response from his lover, Sasuke sighed. "I guess I'll tell you again in the morning."
A cold, blurry dawn broke over heaven, and Sasuke awoke to an equally cold and empty room. He looked in vain for the cherub, but the only trace he could find was a single feather, a small white one, tinged with red. Sasuke's fingers twitched, remembering the wings on his lover's back he had traced so many times. With a sinking feeling, he raced to the courthouse, only to find God there, loosely holding out a letter, with another feather attached, this time black.
Sasuke opened the letter hesitantly. His heart sunk as the first line confirmed his suspicions.
I know you'll be mad at me, but I ask you to accept my decision to Fall alone; it'll be better for both of us, I know it will. As a seraphim, you had so much more to lose than I, a lowly cherub. You know how I always caused trouble anyways, right? I'm better off as a demon. After a while, you'll forget, and we can live normally, well at least, you can. I love you Sasuke; if you remember one thing throughout time, remember that.
-Naruto
So he had been awake last night. Sasuke looked up from the letter at God, who shook her blonde pigtails.
"No. You cannot follow him. Yes, you were given the choice to Fall together, but we never considered he'd do a thing like this."
Sasuke turned away and clenched the letter in his hand. Naruto had left him, and God wouldn't let him Fall as well. There was only one path left open that Sasuke could see: to become mortal and fall into sin, a sin deep enough to get him sent straight to Hell. He wouldn't be a Fallen, but he'd at least be a demon in Hell with Naruto. He smirked slightly at the thought of the role reversal, and the look on Naruto's face when he showed up in Hell for him as he strode quickly towards his apartment.
Sasuke racked his brain for ways an angel could become mortal. Since he had died to get here, maybe dying would take him back. But as an immortal being, nothing worked; he felt no pain, and any cuts he made to his body healed within seconds. He mulled over what was different between a mortal body and his own. Finally, he plucked out one of his wing feathers in frustration. As he did, he felt a twinge of pain. Eyes widening with hope, he grasped the bone that sprouted from his back to support his left wing. As he tugged at it, he felt physical pain returning to his body. It was working! Clenching his teeth, he took a better hold on the wing, now slippery with blood, tingeing his feathers red; a cruel mockery of Naruto's feathers, he thought, and pulled with all his might to wrench the wing from his back.
Sasuke's lips formed three broken words as he slumped against the floor, now bloody and feather-strewn, and succumbed to the enveloping darkness.
Naruto was surprised to look up from his work and see one of the messenger angels in Hell. He hadn't had the greatest relationship with the other angels, even before he Fell, but waved to her anyways. She waved slightly before tucking a strand of black hair behind her ear and continuing on towards Lucifer's Court. Ever curious, Naruto decided to find out why one of God's messengers would be down here, talking to Lucifer.
"Curiosity killed the cat….." the voice in the back of his head whispered.
"…And satisfaction brought it back." He whispered aloud, attempting to reassure himself of what he was doing. Walking down corridors in Lucifer's Court was always unnerving, even if you had a right to be there, and if you didn't……well…let's just say you wanted to be out of there as soon as possible. Finally, Naruto reached the door to Lucifer's chambers. He pressed his ear against the door, straining to hear any part of the conversation.
"…….you can't accept him into Hell, even as a lesser demon. If he were mortal, his suicide would send him to you, but as an angel…..well, there are no precedents. His soul must remain a ghost for eternity."
"Hmm……this kid sounds like he could have potential as a demon. I could accept him into Hell just to piss off the Almighty……yeah, that would be fun……You say he plans on committing suicide again as a mortal? The boy's got issues, but we could use a kid like that who'd do anything to get what he wanted."
"So I take it your reply is no?"
"You kidding? Of course it's no! This Sasuke kid could do well down here. Tell the Almighty to shove that up her ass."
Naruto thrust himself away from the door and ran down the corridor as he heard the angry scraping of chairs as the messenger prepared to leave. He turned a corner and sank against the wall, not wanting to believe he heard Lucifer right. He curled into a ball and wept. Everything was supposed to have been okay after he Fell- he would've learned to adapt as a Fallen in Hell, and Sasuke would've gone on living as a seraphim in Heaven. Sasuke wasn't supposed to try to follow him, wasn't supposed to commit suicide as an angel and then as a mortal.
He uncurled as a thought struck him. Sasuke had found a way to become mortal. Maybe, just maybe, if he found a way to become mortal too, they'd be able to find each other on Earth. He ran back to Lucifer's chamber door, and hesitantly rapped on the door.
"Lucifer, sir, I have a question for you," he spoke as he slipped past the door and gently closed it. "How can a demon become mortal?"
Lucifer chuckled and stared at him a while. "You're that new Fallen, aren't you? Hmm…..this wouldn't have anything to do with the conversation I just had with that angel, now would it?" He smirked as a tell-tale guilty blush spread across Naruto's cheeks. "Well, I do love a troublemaker. But this is a heavy request. Since it seems like I'm already getting what I want on Sasuke's end of things, how about if you work for me for eternity once the two of you have died. That sounds like a fair deal, doesn't it?"
"You mean it's possible? And you'll do it?" Naruto stepped back to bow. "I'll do whatever work you want me to once I die, I swear." His eyes sparkled as he rushed out of the room, grinning widely.
Lucifer leaned back in his chair. "Stupid brat. He would've said yes to anything I asked of him. Damn loyalty. Then again, the two of them committing the very sin that started this whole thing to begin with as mortals would be a kick to the Almighty's ego. Ha!" He sat up, laughed, and snapped his fingers.
Naruto suddenly felt very light-headed as he ran back toward his work. Looking down, he watched in fear and amazement as his body lifted from the ground and disappeared into an enveloping light.
God watched as Naruto's soul drifted to Limbo for assignment of a body on Earth. She sighed. What a mess this had all become. She closed her eyes and wondered how bad it would really be if angels were allowed to love. Sasuke and Naruto had seemed happiest when with one another, and angels did their job best when happy. Her hands rose up to meet her sinking head, and she sighed again. There were other things to deal with now. The least she could do to try to correct some of this mess was make sure that Sasuke and Naruto ended up together as mortals. Maybe they'd have a better life there. Neither of them could remember anything from previous lives as a rule, but the soul would still be there. She directed Naruto's soul to a body, wishing it luck as it left Limbo to enter Earth.
And so Naruto entered Earth as a mortal, a crying baby with a demon inside. Marked as a demon, and left to become one, until he met Sasuke, the village angel, who would draw Naruto into the strongest bond of friendship, rivalry, and something more that either of them had felt before. Sasuke, who would grow wings one day to mirror Naruto's transformation into a demon, as a bond was attempted to be broken, but as history repeats itself, the bond could not be broken, and the mark of their sin could not be erased.