**Wes and Lucas have to live in a big city. One with a famous landmark. Something old. A place where in later lives, he'd recognize it, and want to go there, where he'd be led to the place where he'd planted a red tree in life 1. This is always the same city where he meets Lucas. Learning the stories behind the tree that he planted for Lucas, and the love story of a demon and an angel, he finds it in him to seek out Lucas himself, in forgiveness.
Crimson King Maple tree.
-----
He'd followed the man around for a few lifetimes before realizing he would forever teeter on the edge. He was neither good, nor bad, and Wes grew tired of watching, unable to touch. He'd wondered why they did not simply do with Lucas as they had done with him, after days of deliberation, but it was obvious this was a soul long fought over. He could feel that, now..
Unlike the other Reapers-- or "death angels" as they were often called-- Westley was hardly bothered by what the others described as splitting headaches when staying in one place or the other. Because of his previous life, he was able to spend all of his time in Heaven when it was too painful to be on Earth. Most of his time was spent studying a time before Ieo vanished, and laws throughout Ezra's rule: how there was once only one Reaper, and thus more people fearing winding up in Hell because there was only one means of grey area. Apparently, Ezra had gone so far as to change the laws over Hell, as well, since there was no real ruler. Wes learned he had a brother, and that he'd lived many lives before; things that came naturally to him, like a long span of memories now that he was a base form. It all made the loneliness even sharper in his chest... He'd stopped waiting entirely, and found himself an angel to keep him company, more than scrolls, books and questions ever could.
When Lucas did finally fall off the fence, it was as Westley had feared...
As close as he was between Heaven and Hell, he couldn't accept this change. Such a powerful demon he was, too, and with such a beautiful counterpart. Hastily, his back was turned, and he returned to the Heavens, and his work. It wasn't the last time he'd see pair, though. He was still required to complete tasks on Earth, and every now and then, there'd be Lucas. Seemed as strong as he was, his companion still had to show him the ropes... Even so, he never fought back at all. Didn't even try. Hopefully he didn't expect any sort of thanks, as Wes merely took the soul he'd been sent after and went on his merry way. All that they had been through in a collection of lives, over such a span of time... All for nothing. All for him to end up in the arms of an angel simply because he could not have a demon. For all the changes that had happened throughout the Heavens, there were still so few of the hybrid children, the obvious result of an age-old rule. Even if they were both men, it was obviously still a sin.
Kakeru was being considered for archangel that Wes saw him less. Surely, it was also partially of his own desire. He was a creature of withdrawn nature, and that wasn't enough for a partner. Or so he thought.
The archangel presented him a ring.
For once, Wes didn't run. They weren't human anymore.
Instead, he stood there with Keru, staring at the band that seemed to stain red below the leaves of a tree, "You may think this a human gesture, but I assure you...they got it from us." Green eyes studied the metal, then the tree reflecting at him. A familiarity could be felt here, so much that it bugged him. It was... Familiar for more reason than the surrounding city being the one he'd died in once. More than once.. Memories got a bit faded, though, and ran together, "Why did you bring me here?" Kakeru explained to him the beginning of a myth, how anyone caught here was blessed with luck. Couples stuck together through lives, and wars were won in favor of those who'd come in contact with it. Then, his voice carried a much lower note, and he explained heartbreak. How he wished to replace something upsetting with something fulfilling. Softly, Wes would ask for time. Time they'd spend apart, while Keru trained, and Westley studied.
In his absence, a familiar face paid him a visit. Brown eyes, and red hair.. His words weren't right. His smile wasn't crooked. His eyes weren't emotive, and he felt teeth when they kissed. Still.. The lie had been beautiful while he allowed it to last. It became to painful to allow him further. A weaker angel might have fallen prey, but he wasn't of the Heavens alone. As he cast the demon Skotia back into Hell, he bid him not to worry about him taking the power Lucas held, "I don't want a demon." He'd made a decision. A familiar decision. Wes glanced to the ring on his finger, a ring that would only call his finger home for a short time longer. As well as a small town, news got around quickly. It reminded him of an earlier death, where he and Lucas had ended up together, trying to keep it a secret, and like always, Westley was the first to die; the secret let out. Keru could hardly look at him, shaking his head in disappointment, saying how he should have expected it. He gave up the ring without a fight, and retreated back to his studies. At first, books he'd read over, scrolls he'd studied time and time again.. The loss hit him harder than it really should have, to be lonely all over again. He clung to the words that had been spoken to him under that tree, and he began to look for information on the red familiarity. There weren't any books on the subject, and no names to back up the theory, though, and Wes had begun to lose interest when he heard the younger angels speaking of the place like sacred grounds, or some kind of magical wishing well. He'd been there as a human.. He knew it. Never the talkative type, approaching the angels was a difficult thing to pull off. At first all he could gather was the same information Kakeru had given him in the first place, but the more people he asked, the more he learned. Some nights, memories would come to him of a life long, long since passed. Westley gasped at the shock he felt remembering touching that same bark, though on a much smaller tree. A tree he himself had planted on what used to be a farm, in what was once a settlement.
Axel and Loic were names he heard often. They were from a time when Ieo and Kara ruled... Wes did find records of Loic being cast down as a fallen, but it wasn't entirely clear. In this record, Keru's name was also found. Who would risk their status for an angel who'd chosen a demon?
Westley came to the archangel, wanting to know more of his heartache. More of the story of the angel and the demon. And more importantly, what became of them.
"They're happy," Kakeru would finish, "they're the reason the rumors held true, but they can't really be true, can they?" It wasn't enough, though, and Wes followed the story further, going so far as to delve into the pits of Hell to find such a demon. Such a demon who'd chosen to live out his semi-eternal life with the angel he loved on the plains of Earth. How could it be? If laws were so strict against it.. His last stop was the Heavens once more, knelt before Ezra and Destovi, face twisted in confusion, "How can you allow this?"
"Allow love?" Ezra inquired honestly.
"There is so much more than that here. These two... One is evil, and the other--"
"Was cast from Heaven," He'd roll his eyes, muttering something about how even he couldn't understand why, and then lull his head to the side a bit, "They love. Love is no crime. My mother was just jealous. And to answer your next question, I suppose I do get some joy out of being cliche."
Westley would leave quietly that night, learning he had some... talking to do, after all these years.
Crimson King Maple tree.
-----
He'd followed the man around for a few lifetimes before realizing he would forever teeter on the edge. He was neither good, nor bad, and Wes grew tired of watching, unable to touch. He'd wondered why they did not simply do with Lucas as they had done with him, after days of deliberation, but it was obvious this was a soul long fought over. He could feel that, now..
Unlike the other Reapers-- or "death angels" as they were often called-- Westley was hardly bothered by what the others described as splitting headaches when staying in one place or the other. Because of his previous life, he was able to spend all of his time in Heaven when it was too painful to be on Earth. Most of his time was spent studying a time before Ieo vanished, and laws throughout Ezra's rule: how there was once only one Reaper, and thus more people fearing winding up in Hell because there was only one means of grey area. Apparently, Ezra had gone so far as to change the laws over Hell, as well, since there was no real ruler. Wes learned he had a brother, and that he'd lived many lives before; things that came naturally to him, like a long span of memories now that he was a base form. It all made the loneliness even sharper in his chest... He'd stopped waiting entirely, and found himself an angel to keep him company, more than scrolls, books and questions ever could.
When Lucas did finally fall off the fence, it was as Westley had feared...
As close as he was between Heaven and Hell, he couldn't accept this change. Such a powerful demon he was, too, and with such a beautiful counterpart. Hastily, his back was turned, and he returned to the Heavens, and his work. It wasn't the last time he'd see pair, though. He was still required to complete tasks on Earth, and every now and then, there'd be Lucas. Seemed as strong as he was, his companion still had to show him the ropes... Even so, he never fought back at all. Didn't even try. Hopefully he didn't expect any sort of thanks, as Wes merely took the soul he'd been sent after and went on his merry way. All that they had been through in a collection of lives, over such a span of time... All for nothing. All for him to end up in the arms of an angel simply because he could not have a demon. For all the changes that had happened throughout the Heavens, there were still so few of the hybrid children, the obvious result of an age-old rule. Even if they were both men, it was obviously still a sin.
Kakeru was being considered for archangel that Wes saw him less. Surely, it was also partially of his own desire. He was a creature of withdrawn nature, and that wasn't enough for a partner. Or so he thought.
The archangel presented him a ring.
For once, Wes didn't run. They weren't human anymore.
Instead, he stood there with Keru, staring at the band that seemed to stain red below the leaves of a tree, "You may think this a human gesture, but I assure you...they got it from us." Green eyes studied the metal, then the tree reflecting at him. A familiarity could be felt here, so much that it bugged him. It was... Familiar for more reason than the surrounding city being the one he'd died in once. More than once.. Memories got a bit faded, though, and ran together, "Why did you bring me here?" Kakeru explained to him the beginning of a myth, how anyone caught here was blessed with luck. Couples stuck together through lives, and wars were won in favor of those who'd come in contact with it. Then, his voice carried a much lower note, and he explained heartbreak. How he wished to replace something upsetting with something fulfilling. Softly, Wes would ask for time. Time they'd spend apart, while Keru trained, and Westley studied.
In his absence, a familiar face paid him a visit. Brown eyes, and red hair.. His words weren't right. His smile wasn't crooked. His eyes weren't emotive, and he felt teeth when they kissed. Still.. The lie had been beautiful while he allowed it to last. It became to painful to allow him further. A weaker angel might have fallen prey, but he wasn't of the Heavens alone. As he cast the demon Skotia back into Hell, he bid him not to worry about him taking the power Lucas held, "I don't want a demon." He'd made a decision. A familiar decision. Wes glanced to the ring on his finger, a ring that would only call his finger home for a short time longer. As well as a small town, news got around quickly. It reminded him of an earlier death, where he and Lucas had ended up together, trying to keep it a secret, and like always, Westley was the first to die; the secret let out. Keru could hardly look at him, shaking his head in disappointment, saying how he should have expected it. He gave up the ring without a fight, and retreated back to his studies. At first, books he'd read over, scrolls he'd studied time and time again.. The loss hit him harder than it really should have, to be lonely all over again. He clung to the words that had been spoken to him under that tree, and he began to look for information on the red familiarity. There weren't any books on the subject, and no names to back up the theory, though, and Wes had begun to lose interest when he heard the younger angels speaking of the place like sacred grounds, or some kind of magical wishing well. He'd been there as a human.. He knew it. Never the talkative type, approaching the angels was a difficult thing to pull off. At first all he could gather was the same information Kakeru had given him in the first place, but the more people he asked, the more he learned. Some nights, memories would come to him of a life long, long since passed. Westley gasped at the shock he felt remembering touching that same bark, though on a much smaller tree. A tree he himself had planted on what used to be a farm, in what was once a settlement.
Axel and Loic were names he heard often. They were from a time when Ieo and Kara ruled... Wes did find records of Loic being cast down as a fallen, but it wasn't entirely clear. In this record, Keru's name was also found. Who would risk their status for an angel who'd chosen a demon?
Westley came to the archangel, wanting to know more of his heartache. More of the story of the angel and the demon. And more importantly, what became of them.
"They're happy," Kakeru would finish, "they're the reason the rumors held true, but they can't really be true, can they?" It wasn't enough, though, and Wes followed the story further, going so far as to delve into the pits of Hell to find such a demon. Such a demon who'd chosen to live out his semi-eternal life with the angel he loved on the plains of Earth. How could it be? If laws were so strict against it.. His last stop was the Heavens once more, knelt before Ezra and Destovi, face twisted in confusion, "How can you allow this?"
"Allow love?" Ezra inquired honestly.
"There is so much more than that here. These two... One is evil, and the other--"
"Was cast from Heaven," He'd roll his eyes, muttering something about how even he couldn't understand why, and then lull his head to the side a bit, "They love. Love is no crime. My mother was just jealous. And to answer your next question, I suppose I do get some joy out of being cliche."
Westley would leave quietly that night, learning he had some... talking to do, after all these years.
