Chapter Text
After the blurry mix of colors, sharp green, cooling blue, and so much red, came the darkness. But just as fast as the void came so quickly did it leave.
Blinding were the lights of the heavenly skies, fluffy and surprisingly sturdy clouds in place of the sharp ground on earth, a golden door reflecting every bit of sunshine that passed through them, the sky taking shades of colors he didn't even know the name of. A light wind was present but he couldn't feel it. He was confused, lightheaded, oddly in distress.
A creature with wings, but not a bird he noted, approached him. "Oh my gosh it's you!", it said, he didn't match its excitement though he tried, "your time has come".
It, she, led him through the golden gates, plastered with pearls and decorated with a shinny material similar to silver. The moment he stepped foot on the other side he froze. Everything suddenly rose to the surface, but he couldn't focus on it amongst the calm ocean. Instead he floated along with the creature, as if without a care, as if at peace. Though his heart still stung from things he failed to remember.
The winged being led him to an enormous structure, built of gold not unlike the gates. "You must be confused", she said, or at least he thinks. He could feel something heavy dragging behind his back and something warm against his head. Blood ran from his nose and instinctively he moved his hand to press his nostril closed. He tried to hide his horrified shock when he was met with gold stained fingertips instead of red.
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He wanted to curl in on himself, wrap his new found wings around him and disappear, even just for a moment, but he couldn't bare stare at them. Stare at their golden glory. Their existence. He had them away from his sight, tucked behind his back, pressing hard against the wall of his bed, the foreign feeling of pain in a brand new location making him nauseous.
When his eyes are open he replays the event. Him in the center of a fully golden room, towered by creatures he's never even imagined, all of them staring at him with guilt, with sadness in their gaze, discussing amongst them about him. A tall one commanded silence. You died, she told him, you did so a long while ago but, she paused and it lasted so long he almost cried. They couldn't allow him in heaven, she said, the first winner to be the first victim of murder, it was unheard of, what would God think? What of heavens reputation? They had to keep him in the darkness, for however long, till the first man arrives. Only then would he enter the pearly gates, and now he has. Hundreds of years they said, yet it felt like an instant.
When he closes his eyes he can still see him. Towering over him with rage in his face, the rock shacking in his hold reddened by his blood. Sharp pain passes his skull, then numbness, then more pain, a grunt, a scream, a sob, and so it repeats until he opens his eyes again.
Through his discomfort he failed to realize the commotion happening outside his heavenly room. Quick foot steps followed by aggressive knocking followed by the deafening sound of wings flapping. His eyes widened. One of those angels again. He shut his eyes until he felt the pain once more, pulling his legs closer to him and burying his face in his knees instead.
"Where is he?" He heard a man scream, had it not been for his sobs he could have sworn the tone was recognizable. A knock echoed the halls. More steps. Someone sighed. Another knock.
"Where's my son dammit! You said he was here, where is he!?"
His room door flung open just as he raised his head. Through the blurry image his tears created he could almost make out a frame. A familiar, hunched down frame, with brown hair and tanned skin, and newly formed wings tucked under his armpits. He made out a grey archangels hand reaching to close the door.
He wanted to wipe his tears to clear the image of the figure but he couldn't move. His everything trembled, his head hurt, he almost remembers him clutching on his dead body and screaming his brother's name in rage. Screaming his own name too, asking him to open his eyes, to not leave.
Suddenly he was engulfed in an embrace, tighter than ever before, the additional wings wrapping around his frame. His father sobbed, his shoulders shacking and his warm tears staining his now shinning golden locks. A hand was gently placed on his head. In the exact spot. He barely felt it but a sharp gasp snapped out his throat and he instinctively flinched away, clutching his hair so tightly he could rip it all out. He looked so scared, horrified, and his father was so warm and gentle. Slowly he placed his hand on his cheek, wiping the tears away with his thumb, clearing his view. He blinked a few times, his father's face gently easing into view, his smile soft and his eyes full of joy despite the never stopping tears. After all this time that he was here, he finally realized he was in heaven. Yet the way he got here wouldn't leave his mind.
"He killed..." he choked, he couldn't finish his thought. His own brother. He looked up to him, he loved him. He thought he did as well.
A kiss was placed on his forehead, his father almost placed his hand on his head but switched to his cheek instead.
"It's ok son" he said "I'm here now" his smile shined through his tears, his voice cracking from the crying "I missed you...so much" he wanted to reciprocate this unusual affection but he couldn't bring himself to speak. He buried his head in his father's heavenly robes, as white as the clouds and far cleaner than what they wore on earth
"Everything's ok now, you're safe" he closed his eyes instinctively, ready to open them when the pain hits, but it never does.
"I love you" and somehow, for some reason, he believed that