fall // dan howell ➳ a.u.

prologue

"You are a disgrace, Daniel." The Great Angel's soft voice barely reached the walls of their kingdom in heaven. The brown haired angel never lifted his eyes from the cloudy golden floor.

A crowd of wings and robes of white gathered around him, looking at the lonely angel in pity.

In heaven, no one raised their voice; the Great Angel forbids it. Everyone had to talk in the lowest volume.

"You have broken the rules, Daniel." the Great Angel said. "I am very disappointed in you."

Daniel tangled his fingers together on his thighs. "Forgive me." He begged as his lip began to tremble. The Great Angel stepped down from his throne, Daniel never felt more scared. He looked at the much shorter angel with nothing more than an expressionless face. His features were sharp and beyond intimidating; yet, he was flawless. Everyone in heaven were flawless.

"I think you know what happens now." He mentioned, Daniel had to tilt his head up to look at him. His eyes were watered down with fear. The Great Angel didn't care. "You will be sent to earth-"

"Please Great Angel, I beg of you; don't send me down there." Daniel quivered, kneeling down at The Great Angel's feet. Daniel felt that his throat was too constricted with so much fear and sorrow that his voice refused to release itself. "I do not want to walk on earth."

"You leave me no choice, Daniel." The Great Angel raised his hand to silence him. "You have dishonored everyone here."

The scared angel craned his head around the bright heavenly palace to see emotionless faces staring at him, he could have sworn that he saw disappointment in their eyes.

"Redeem yourself as an angel, then, and only then- will I let you return to heaven." The Great Angel stated.

"Please," Daniel whispered. "Don't do this."

"If you don't, then you will live your whole life as a human."

Daniel felt his chest tighten.

"Break his wings." The Great Angel commanded.

Every angel gasped and was silenced as they pressed themselves against the wall. The Great Angel said it so dryly that you would have thought he was heartless, but that's not true- angels had hearts of gold.

Two angels stepped forward towards Daniel, his face remained solid; not even batting an eyelash because for him to object to this, would only make things worse. Which was the last thing he wanted to happen. One had to keep him from moving and told him to spread out his wings, and so he did. Even though he didn't want to, he obliged. Daniel's wings were so beautiful that they seemed unreal, they were though; and everyone in heaven had their own.

Daniel felt two hands touch the arch of his wings, he was terrified by now. He braced himself by closing his eyes and tried not to move so much. As he felt the angel's grip on his wings grow tighter, that was when he heard a loud wail from the other side of the hall.

"Stop! Please, you cannot do that!" Philip elbowed through the crowd of mortified angels. The Great Angel had to have him restrained.

"I am warning you now, Philip. It is against the law to interrupt the authority." The Great Angel chided. Philip is Daniel's best friend, he was Daniel's only best friend, and now, he couldn't help but to watch in fear.

"It is okay, Philip." Daniel comforted. "Do not worry."

"But Daniel-"

"I will be fine. Now please, before you get punished." Daniel locked his gaze at the raven-haired angel with wide pleading eyes.

Philip turned to the Great Angel, "Great Angel, please have mercy on him."

"He has broken the law." The Great Angel replied through clenched teeth. "I have no choice but to send him with the humans."

Philip buried his face in his hands and stepped back, not being able to bare what was to happen next.

Without warning, the bones in his wings snapped like a twig as it was forcefully pulled downwards by the angel behind him. The gruesome sound of bones breaking echoed along the walls. His jaw tightened, trying not make noise. Daniel let out a strained breath along with a yelp. Everyone had looked away as this happened.

He almost screamed when he saw two of his beautiful wings on the ground; no longer attached to his back, but instead, Daniel fell to his knees, not knowing what to feel. The Great Angel held him up, saying his one last goodbye to the wingless one.

He clutched onto the Great Angel's large arm, because if angels could only know one thing: You can't walk on heaven without wings. That's what kept them up there and separated from earth, in the first place.

"Good bye, Daniel."

"No!-"

The Great Angel released his grip and let him go. Daniel fell through the cloudy floors, he tried grasping the air; trying to grab nothing at his wake, and flapping his wings even though he knew they were long gone.

He was hopeless. Daniel only stayed still when he realized there wasn't much left that he could do. He stared at the fading light from where he fell from in heaven, the Great Angel's head was visible, and he was looking down at him.

He continued to fall fast, feeling the rush of air hit the back of his head and body. Heaven was no where to be seen, Daniel closed his eyes and did not open them again.