Disclaimer: I don't own Angel Sanctuary. But I have kidnapped the manga-ka and am keeping her in the basement, forcing her to draw more! More! More! KUKUKU!!!
Sellout
Six year old Michael knows better than anyone that God picks an angel's destiny at birth. He hears it first in the whispers, echoing down the hallways of Heaven. He sees it in the sad, uncertain way the older angels look at him, wondering when they will have to kill him and whether it might not be better to do it now. Nobody wants the Angel of Darkness to grow up.
His brother tells him not to pay attention to such things. He is also six, and although he is only two minutes older than Michael, Lucifel is already nothing like him. He is tall where Michael is short, his black hair a contrast to Michael's striking red. Only their eyes were ever alike, although even now, Lucifel's eyes are older. Michael knows his brother loves him more than anything, just like he loves Lucifel, but those eyes are beginning to scare him.
Lucifel never says it, but Michael thinks he must be afraid of him too. The thought makes him cry sometimes and Bal has to pick him up and coo to him, as if he were still a baby. It embarrasses him and makes him glow at the same time. Bal never looks at him in that sad, wondering way the others do.
Though, in the end, Lucifel is the one to climb into his bunk bed at night and swear into his ear that he will never be the things they say he will, Michael only believes Bal. When Lucifel holds him, Michael doesn't say anything, but he hugs back and hopes, in the deepest, darkest part of his soul, that Lucifel is really the one who is meant to be evil.
In school, in training, in their duties and their play, Lucifel is always the leader. He is the shining star where Michael is the flame, trying desperately to keep up, to get ahead, hating Lucifel for being better and loving him for being himself at the same time. When they are running down hallways, spreading their wings and leaping off one rooftop and onto another, Michael is always behind. He is shorter than most, and although he tries twice as hard and brags twice as loud, he is always seeing Lucifel's back. In the end, his brother has to turn around and smile at him in that superior way, holding out his hands for Michael to catch. Although they are twins, Lucifel is always trying to take care of him.
He knows that if it is his brother who is evil, who is bad, that he can always call him back. Michael has never doubted Lucifel, and he never will. He knows this with the unshakable faith of a child. Even if God makes Lucifel the evil one he will still be there, hovering in mid air where the other children have always gone ahead, holding out his hands. He would never abandon Michael, never.
He's not so certain that Michael could do the same. In the end, Michael wants to be the one ahead more than anything.
The child falls asleep trusting his brother. Lucifel buries his face in Michael's soft, red hair, and closes his eyes. He knows better than to believe in his own kindness
END
A/N: Was that last part superfluous? I don't know, but I liked it. Please review and tell me what you think!