Family truths

"Please come this way." Shitsuo nodded politely following after the guard angel. His face remained perfectly blank going into the room where his youngest brother was being kept. They had hoped this wouldn't have happened, as a family they had done everything to keep the youngest two out of harm and especially Shizuo away from the portals.

Now it was too late. Shizuo had gone through and since there was a filter in place, he wouldn't be coming back. To save one family member another had been lost. Both he and Tsugaru had known what their little brother was all along and they had agreed to keep the secret, from everyone and Shizuo.

Shizuka was in tears at home, mourning the loss of one of her children. Seeing him again would be a problem. Demons and angels hated each other and had been in a long never ending war. That was until the barriers and filters had been put in place, separating the two. They couldn't kill each other if they couldn't touch.

It had been a quick decision, who went to get Shizuo and who got Tsuki and took him back home. His twin was the obvious choice to get Shizuo. No doubt his brother had realised the truth and was using his strength to create chaos in hell. There would only be one power that would stop him.

All angels were born with something different, depending on what clan they were part of. For the Heiwajimas, they each had a unique power. Tsugaru had the power to calm anyone with a single touch, whilst he could manipulate anyone into doing as he wanted, whilst acting like a servant. It had taken a while to get used to. His mother's power, Shitsuo wasn't too sure on. Delic's was what got him stranded in the human realm as a fallen angel. Shizuo hadn't yet awakened his and Tsuki was too young to have one.

The door opened, his little brother sat miserably in the chair, red faced with tears running down his cheeks. "Shitsuo-nii." Shitsuo didn't move. It was a delicate situation and one that couldn't be rushed. Depending on what Tsuki had said, they could be in a lot of trouble.

As an archangel he helped re-enforce the rules. No one was allowed through the portal without authorization, meaning both of his brothers were in trouble and since Tsugaru had followed, he would be too. Relationships between angels and demons were forbidden. Making a child between the two was immediate execution, the mother, the father and the child would be killed.

"Your brother was found next to the portal." Shitsuo didn't move. "He's saying another angel got trapped. We've checked. The portal is working perfectly." Widened crimson eyes looked up at him shaking his head. Shitsuo tilted his head just slightly warning him not to say anything.

"Master, you look tired. Perhaps you would like a seat?" Stepping forward, Shitsuo slid the chair out, holding it for the angel to sit down.

"What? I'm not you- Actually I will sit down." The blond nodded, pushing the chair back in.

"Would you like any refreshments?" The angel smiled.

"No, I'm okay. I need to fill in the paper work and make a report to the archangels."

Shitsuo folded one arm in front of him, bowing slightly. "Master, I think you should rest. I can do the paperwork for you, I am an archangel myself." The angel nodded, getting up.

"You're right. You know the situation. As your master, I give you permission to do all the reports and pass them on." The blond nodded, holding the door open.

"As you wish, master." The man grinned smugly showing his wings as he left the room.

"Tsuki, its time to go home." The young angel sniffed, getting up from where he was sitting. There was nothing he could do, his power couldn't affect emotions.

"Is Shizuo-nii coming home?" Shitsuo stayed silent, taking the small hand. "He's not is he? Roppi-kun said that mark was a birthmark for demons."

As soon as they got home, the crying angel ran into their mother's arms. "Mama! Shizuo-nii-"

"I know. He'll be fine. I'm glad you're safe. What have I told you about the portals?" Shitsuo watched over them as they embraced. It wasn't over. It was just beginning. Manipulating one angel wasn't going to protect his family. For now he could only hope Tsugaru had found their half brother.

Tsugaru adjusted his suit, making sure everything was working. A single hole and he would be in trouble. There was no sign of Shizuo when he stepped through the portal. He knew his brother well enough to know the news wasn't taken well. "The portal is busy today."

His head shot up eyes narrowing trying to see past the dark. Cold crimson eyes glared at him, a raven haired demon stepping towards him. Tsugaru stared back calmly noting the wolf ears and tail. There were two types of demons as far as he was aware, the ones which were monstrous and stayed in the pits of hell and the ones that could pass undetected in the human world.

"You haven't tried to attack me yet. Aren't you an archangel?" The demon's voice was cold and melancholic, as if he hated who he was and everything around him.

"No, I haven't. You haven't done anything wrong. Besides, If I hated demons, I would have to hate him." Crimson eyes narrowed.

"You're looking for the half-ling. He went that way, follow the destruction."

Tsugaru blinked in surprise, not expecting a demon to help. "Thank you."

"Tell me. Did the little angel get home?" Tsugaru blinked again. A demon that cared?

"Yes. He's back home." The wolf demon nodded.

"Good." Then he was left alone, the demon gone.

Shizuo was as he expected. "Shizuo." Dodging out of the way, a huge rock smashed into the wall behind him. They should've told him but Shizuo had already been a bit distant, feeling that he was different. "Shizuo. You need to calm down."

"Go away, Tsugaru!" More debris went flying as his younger brother vented. Taking the risk, the archangel bolted forward, his fingers brushing Shizuo's arm.

"Calm down. I know you're upset, you have every right to be." Maybe it would've been better if Shitsuo was here instead. Slowly he could feel the rage drain, the rock fell landing on the ground.

"You knew? I'm a demon, aren't I?" Tsugaru, pushed more of his power through, leading Shizuo to a formation, where they could sit and talk.

"I knew. You're half angel, half demon. We couldn't tell anyone, not even you. A child between the two is forbidden. If you get found out, you and our mother would be executed." The blond was sitting with his head in his hands.

"I'm stuck in hell, aren't I?" Tsugaru shook his head. Shizuo couldn't get past the filter, so the only other option was...

"Shizuo, you can go to the human realm." His brother looked up. "Each realm has a portal to the human realm. You would need to pretend to be a demon. Once you get through you can live how you want." He would rather his brother be behind a barrier, than be stuck in hell. The place was desolate and empty.

"Okay. I'll go." Tsugaru nodded, still not taking his hand away.

"Come on them, I'll see you to the portal." The archangel changed his mind seeing the shining halo. The demons wouldn't accept him with it.

"Tsugaru?" Reaching over he plucked the charm off, watching the blond fade from Shizuo's hair.

"Shizuo, I need you to condense your halo." It was something every angel had learnt in school when going to the human realm. Hopefully his violent brother had been paying attention.

"A bit smaller." The circle of light was now the size of a bracelet. "A bit smaller." Tsugaru nodded seeing that it was the size of a gold ring. "Keep it on your finger." Taking a risk his hand lifted. "How do you feel?"

Shizuo shook his head. "I won't destroy anything if that's what you mean. I get to eat all the pudding cups I want now." It was the best he was going to get.

"I need to go through some things." Already he was running out of time. "I can't follow you. Once you go through the portal, you'll be on your own. The human realm is split into sections. Each section has its own ruler, that is the one you need to listen to."

"Don't let anyone see your wings. The angels won't accept your demon half and the demons won't accept your angel half." His hand hovered just in case but it looked like Shizuo was still okay. "In terms of human age, you would be eighteen. Tsuki would be sixteen, Delic would be twenty one and me and Tsugaru would be twenty three."

"What about Shizuka?" Tsugaru snatched the cigarettes away, crushing them in his hand.

"Never ask a woman her age. Especially our mother." At last his brother smiled.

"I'll keep it in mind. We can still see each other, can't we?" The archangel didn't answer.

The queue to the portal was a long one. It looked like one of the rulers had set some new rules in place. With the angel one anyone could get in. "Shizuo?"

"I'm fine." His brother stood there, a volcano ready to erupt.

"I'll be back in a minute." The demons were not happy to see him. Making his way down to the front of the queue, there was a small raven, with long ears.

"I wanna go through. Let me through." It looked like this was the one holding everyone up.

"We've been ordered not to let you through." The rabbit demon bounced on his feet.

"Please, let me through. Please please please." Tsugaru could feel his ears ringing, listening to the demon.

"Why don't you calm down?" The rabbit went still turning to look at him. "You can carry on now." Bright pink eyes looked up at him, a smile on the demon's face. He couldn't be much older than Tsuki. Turning away the archangel quickly returned to Shizuo. "It should go quicker now." The queue was going down. Glancing up, his eyes met the same demon, watching him from far away.

"Are you ready? If you need any help you can find Delic. I still have some human currency. You'll be fine, Shizuo. You're my little brother."

"Am I?" Tsugaru quickly reached out, calming him down. "I'm a monster. How do you even know we're related?"

"All angels take after their mother's in appearance. We're family, Shizuo. It doesn't matter if we're half brothers. You are my little brother. Why else do you think I'm standing in a line of demons?"

"Yeah, sorry. You can take your hand off now." Tsugaru slowly lifted his hand. "I don't hate any of you. I just- did you really need to throw away my cigarettes?"

"Yeah. You're still a kid and its a disgusting habit." The rabbit demon was now gone but he still couldn't afford to relax knowing things could get ugly at any moment.

They were now third from the front, where a desk sat. Most of the demons were being rejected and sent back. The two in front were sent through the portal. "I guess this is goodbye for now." Shizuo nodded stiffly, clenching his hands. "Good luck."

"Next." The two of them stepped forward. "Present your clan seal." Shit. He hadn't expected that.

"What? Why can't you just let me through?" His brother was going to flip.

"Its the rules. All demons that want to go to the human world must have their clan's approved seal." Tsugaru sighed, slipping a hand into the pocket of his suit.

"Shizuo, calm down. Excuse me can you tell me which clan this belongs to?" Their mother had never told him who Shizuo's father was. When he had first seen the mark he had drawn it out on paper. The demon looked at him with undisguised disgust.

"It belongs to the Orihara clan. Great big home, right over there. You can't miss it." Next to him his brother growled. There was no choice, to get to the human realm Shizuo needed permission from his father. There was no doubt that by now heaven knew he was missing.

"Shizuo lets go." There was no more time to waste.