Title: A snake is nature's treason, and awe is where it goes
Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Dickinson
Warnings: possible blasphemy; very preseries
Pairings: none
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 190
Point of view: third
Prompt: Author's choice; author's choice;
And promise me they will never see the tears within our eyes
For we are men with mortal sin, but angels never cry
And Gabriel bowed his head, that last day of all days, as Sammael raised high his sword and Michael swore to fight until all traitors fell from Heaven.
And Uriel stood beside the Fist of God, and Raphael flanked his other side, and legions were separated only by pride, and the Messenger looked away.
He knew that he would fight, eventually. Choose between his brothers, between the first and the best and loyalty and hope.
And so Gabriel raised his head, gripped tight his sword, and silently went to battle. He watched in pain as Sammael threw himself from Heaven. He watched in sorrow as Michael stood on the edge, eyes closed, and Gabriel kept his gaze on God as their Father pronounced Sammael be henceforth known as Satan, the adversary of all righteous and good and holy.
Angels have no tears, or else Gabriel would have cried that day. Later, as he watched humanity with all their turbulent emotions, with their rages and their joys and their deep chasms of hurt, he was certain that if angels could weep, Michael would have that last day of all days, too.