ineffable bureaucracy

burning pt. I (FLUFF)

summary

gabriel was the image of purity. he was an archangel. but things change. he fell, just for loving her.

it burned. it burned so bad. gabriel couldn't steady his breathing, he couldn't even scream out anymore.
"gabriel!" beelzebub screamed. she fell to her knees by his side. dagon approached, observing gabriel's heaving form with disgust in her eyes.
"oh shit..." beelzebub said, looking at the feathers on gabriel's wings that slowly burned and peeled, turning dark. "hey, hey. look at me, gabriel."
gabriel turned. beelzebub rested a hand on his face, but pain gleamed in his violet eyes. tears had cut through the charcoal on his face, leaving harsh lines of pale skin.
"this is... this is what you went through?"
"pain was a small sacrifice to make in the fall, gabriel. it's okay. you're going to be okay. come on," beelzebub extended a hand, which gabriel took and used to pull himself up. he pressed his body against beelzebub as she started to walk.
"everyone, clear away!" the prince of hell shouted into the crowded hallway. demons started to move, pressing against the disgusting walls, watching with huge eyes as beelzebub assisted the newly fallen angel through. dagon snarled at the demons, an unnecessary extra touch.
gabriel's vision started to go dark. the world was closing in around him as the fluorescent lights buzzed. he couldn't believe this was happening.
"you're alright, you're going to be okay, alright?"
beelzebub's voice was the last thing he heard before the (former) archangel blacked out.

beelzebub stared at gabriel's sleeping form.
"my lord, you can't stay here staring at him all day. you've—"
dagon was cut off by beelzebub's sharp snarl.
"leave us," she said, her voice low and cold. dagon did as told.
gabriel looked so peaceful in his sleep, black wings folded to his bare skin. his neat hair was now disheveled and greasy. beelzebub swallowed the lump in her throat.
"...beelzebub?" gabriel said softly, his voice coarse from screaming.
"i'm here."
"oh... oh no... oh," panic began to creep into gabriel's voice. he tried to swallow the lump in his throat.
beelzebub watched him. panic was growing in her too, she didn't know how to care for gabriel like this. she didn't know what to say. what if she said the wrong thing?
"gabriel, i love you," beelzebub whispered. her voice cracked. "we can be together now."
gabriel looked at beelzebub, fondness softening his eyes. "you're right," he replied. "i love you too."
"you should rest, gabriel."
"i know," gabriel sighed. he reached out and grasped beelzebub's forearm, pulling her closer to him. his wings had disappeared. he doesn't want to see them, beelzebub assumed correctly. a small tear rolled down gabriel's cheek, and beelzebub wiped it away. gabriel pulled her closer, wrapping another arm around her waist until she was sitting on the bed. gabriel moved his head until it was resting on her thighs.
the prince of hell ran a hand through gabriel's messy brown hair.
for the first time in too long, the contact didn't burn.