Heaven and Earth
by Tarlan
Rated: A
Pairing: Maximillian/Gregory
Author's Notes: Blasphemy abounds so don't read if sensitive to such things. I've taken huge liberties and let Gregory and Maximilian be two of the seven Archangels. The others are Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel and Lucifer. 21June2001
Disclaimer: Maximilian and the rest of the 'Earth Angels' cast belong to someone else - I'm just playing with them. No copyright infringement intended. Any characters you haven't heard of before are copyrighted to me. The words to the Level 42 song 'Something About You' are not mine either.
Summary: Gregory tries to find the key to unlocking his own heaven on earth.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. Stars, planets... whole galaxies. HE then went on to create all the fish in the sea, all the fowl of the air and all that creeped and walked on the land. The timescale in their little book seems a trifle short - just a few days... but we understand that this concept of a day is a lot different to the one they consider. One revolution of their tiny planet is not a day in HIS book. One revolution of Heaven and Earth would be closer. After all, time is meaningless to us.
Anyway, I digress.
Having spent an eternity creating these things, God became a little reckless. HE should have taken that Sabbath a day earlier but... Would you know what it's like when you've drunk too much fine wine and suddenly the most stupid thing seems like the most wonderful idea ever? Perhaps? Hmm... perhaps not. Well, HE was drunk on the power of HIS own creation and had this sudden great idea to share all of this with an entirely new being.
And so HE created them from the dust of the Earth Humans."
Maximilian sat back with a sigh; his hauntingly beautiful face focused on his chief adversary on Earth.
"But you know this story."
Gregory shook his head, wishing he could find a way to reach the amazing creature that sat before him but Maximilian was an ardent believer in the unworthiness of Humanity; a devout follower of the fallen archangel, Lucifer. His thoughts turned to their brother - to Lucifer - remembering the terrible battle that had seen so many of his brethren either destroyed or exiled from God's sight. How long had it been since all seven Archangels had last gazed upon each other? How long since they had raised their voices in unison to praise HIS glory?
Maximilian continued.
"Yes. HE gave them a soul, and HE opened the gates of heaven to receive those souls."
Suddenly, the husky voice was beside him, whispering into his ear, each breath warm and welcoming, sending a small thrill of delight coursing through Gregory.
"Have you ever wondered why? What we did to offend HIM so? Or had HE become so bored with us, HIS first creations, that HE needed to find new entertainment."
"We've discussed this same issue a thousand times, Maximilian. You know HE loves us - all of us - even Lucifer."
"And you?"
Gregory frowned, confused by the strange question. "Of course, HE loves me. HE loves us all."
A flutter, a blur of motion, and Maximilian was several feet away, staring back at him. Sunlight caught the dark hair, highlighting shades of red and gold, accentuating the ivory glow of his unblemished skin; the sinfully-long eyelashes beat once, twice, so slowly and yet softly, like butterfly wings in a gentle breeze - a living frame for the large, green eyes. The well- shaped mouth, with its deep cupid's bow, stretched as Maximilian smiled, displaying the whiteness of perfect teeth; those soft, green eyes sparkling like the brightest of jewels.
Unlike Rachel, who had taken such care in every aspect of her human form, selecting features and attributes from six different females, Maximilian had chosen his form without vanity, without consideration, merely accepting these attributes as an extension of his own persona. Gregory could see all that had made Maximilian the Archangel so unique, reflected in this human image. His hair was the red and gold of the darkening sky of a glorious sun set; his eyes were the turbulent yet soft green of the ocean depths during a summer storm; his lips were the pink of the coral on the Great Barrier Reef.
Maximilian adored the natural world; adored all that lived and breathed upon the face of the Earth - from the movement of the living rock to the cry of a newborn soul - and he adored Humans, marvelling in their achievements and in their diversity. Maximilian adored the feel of silk against his mortal flesh; savoured the taste of a fine port; was intoxicated by the scent of the exotic dishes that melted on his tongue. He was mesmerised by the sweetness of their music to his mortal ears, and by the innate beauty of each and every one no matter what shape, form or colour. The strange dichotomy was that he had sided with Lucifer, becoming Lucifer's lieutenant on Earth.
"No. I meant do you? Do you love us all?"
Gregory pursed his lips, thinking of Lucas, the dark angel who had died in human form so many years ago. If ever there were a malevolent angel then Lucas would have been that creature.
Whereas Maximilian - and even Lucifer - derived pleasure only from seeing the humans fail as a means to prove their unworthiness of a place in heaven, Lucas had gloried in the act of corrupting the innocent, of inducing a compulsion to maim or kill. His very being had become tainted by that of which he accused the humans of callousness, cruelty and sadism. He had played his little games at all levels from the brutal conquest of a single human soul to the rape of whole countries, inciting violence and mayhem wherever he went.
Gregory remembered how Lucas had tried to capture Rachel, breaking one of the laws of Angels by interfering with her birth. He had confronted Maximilian, accused him of orchestrating this transgression, and Rachel had accused Maximilian of planning the deaths of all six human females from whom she had derived her form. Unfortunately, Lucas had died soon after, and so a century passed before the truth was revealed, that Lucas had been the mastermind of his own transgressions. He had acted without orders as he sought to replace Maximilian in Lucifer's affection, perhaps even seeking to elevate himself to the rank of Archangel so he could take Maximilian's place at Lucifer's right hand.
Yet Gregory could still feel grief at the loss of Lucas.
"I have loved some more than others."
He knew his eyes were revealing the full depth of his love for one of these others, for this brother standing before him.
"You love me."
"Yes. I love you."
"Why?"
He swooped to Maximilian's side, whispering into the elfin shaped ear, smiling softly as Maximilian tilted his head to accept the caress of his words.
"I have always loved you, Maximilian."
Now he was standing twenty feet away, across the other side of the deserted warehouse, watching intently. Gregory smiled as that familiar frown crinkled the delicate features.
"You love me? Yet you will not join me?"
"Because you are wrong, Maximilian. So wrong."
It was there again; that small sign of uncertainty that he should have seen a century ago but that had only come to light with the knowledge of Lucas's betrayal. Lucas had seen it and had exploited the knowledge for his own gain. It was a love of all things - even of humans - that was the chink in Maximilian's armour and Gregory forced a different angle of attack aimed at that new-found weakness. He knew that Maximilian's only dispute with Humanity was the fact that God had given them a soul, that HE had made them equal to the choirs of angels.
"All souls are precious, Maximilian. Every single one, be they Human or Angel."
"I've heard this before from Rachel..."
"Then stop and think about the individual soul for a moment. There are some that have a great capacity for evil doing, but far more have a capacity for goodness, for greatness - and all souls have the capacity to love. All they lack is guidance."
"Guidance?" Maximilian barked a short laugh of disbelief, and then he was standing right in front of Gregory, those perfect lips pouting in disdain. "I guide humans every day, and they are no more than the sheep who graze in the meadow, allowing their baser instincts to hold sway over their souls. They are weak and foolish..."
"And are we so different? Are there not many of our Angel brethren who can be described thus?"
Maximilian froze, staring hard into Gregory's eyes, with that small frown crinkling over his nose, and his head tilted so slightly as if to capture a whisper of sound from far away - and then Maximilian was gone, only to reappear several feet away, his back to Gregory.
Gregory's humanity took time to appreciate the beauty in every line and curve of Maximilian's human form, from the broad shoulders tapering to the slim waist and lean hips, to the gentle swell of firm asscheeks above the long, muscular legs. The dark blue silk of his shirt accentuated every ridge and curve of muscle and bone, the material flowing in soft ripples with even the slightest movement. Soft and supple black leather clung tenaciously to his lower body, fitting as a second skin, skimming each muscle with a lover's caress as Maximilian took several paces towards the window before turning back to face Gregory.
Gregory's eyes swept away from the outline of the softened sex to the beautiful and yet inquisitive face.
"Name but one."
"Lucas." Gregory pressed forward his advantage when he saw that this name had caught Maximilian's attention. "You know it is so. And there are many more who follow 'like sheep grazing in the meadow' willing to sacrifice the purity of their soul with such dark thoughts."
"Like me?"
"You can be far more than this. You ARE far more than this."
Gregory shifted until he standing directly in front of Maximilian, one hand reaching out to cup the narrow chin. He leaned in, pressing his lips against Maximilian's, a wave of pleasure rippling through his human form as those firm lips grew pliant beneath his own.
"I love you, Maximilian."
He breathed these words directly into his angelic lover's mouth, accepting Maximilian's sigh of pleasure as it flowed between them in response to his words. The silk shirt parted, flowing down the muscular arms to flutter to the ground unheeded. Gregory slid his hands over the equally silken flesh, marvelling at the full tactile sensation of the unblemished skin against the pads of his human fingertips. He pulled away from the kiss so he could see with his mortal eyes, awed by the ebony of his hand against the ivory flesh, an amazing contrast that sent fresh waves of pleasure coursing through him.
His own clothes fell away and, as he drew Maximilian into his embrace, he felt the warmth of human flesh along his entire length. His excitement grew in the knowledge that his beautiful Maximilian now stood naked in his arms.
"Love me. Make love to me as humans make love."
Gregory moaned as those incredible, longed-for words fell from the kiss-swollen lips. Maximilian was so wrong in one other thought. Time was not meaningless, not when it could be measured in the aeons since he last held this brother in his arms, last united with this heavenly creature. In a millennia of existence in human form he had never once indulged in making love. To do so with a human was almost unthinkable as the orgasmic consequences of the act sent an angel into a deep stupor, revealing him in his true form. To do so with another angel was equally unthinkable, for he wanted only his Maximilian.
No words were needed, his actions speaking for him as he drank deeply from the honeyed mouth of his lover, before slowly lowering Maximilian to the small bedding of discarded clothes on the dusty floor. His hands flowed over the silken skin, cupping the firm swell of each asscheek before his saliva-coated finger sank into the inferno of his beloved's body. Slowly, he coaxed the tight muscle to relax, adding another finger, and then yet another. Gregory pulled away when he knew the time was right, drawing the supple body closer, angling his aching flesh to press at the relaxed entrance.
Maximilian cried out softly beneath him, in pleasure mixed with pain, as Gregory eased into his beloved. His lips sought his lover's, swallowing any further cries of passion, taking them deep into himself as he plunged into this glorious sheath of living human flesh. Fingernails raked down his back, igniting his nerve endings, as Gregory thrust over and over into the tight channel.
His senses began to overload, his nerves no longer able to support the incredible pleasure rippling through him as he held and beheld his beautiful Maximilian. Their minds flowed together, thoughts entwining, possessing each other more deeply than through flesh alone until they were soaring between heaven and earth.
And then there was nothing. No sensation. No dreams.
When Gregory opened his eyes, his heart began beating wildly as he beheld the long missed form of his beloved Maximilian. The soft feathers of the white, green-tipped wings enfolded him. Gregory felt his love expand as Maximilian began to stir, the angelic features metamorphosing so slowly, hovering between the radiance of the angel and the mortal beauty of his human countenance, bathing Gregory in the purity of its light.
The green eyes opened but Maximilian must have sensed his admiration, for he held this wondrous form that lay somewhere between heaven and earth, between angel and man. A questioning expression transformed his face to fully human once more, the wings fluttering delicately as they faded from mortal sight.
"Is this what they feel when they make love?"
"This is what all creatures possessing a soul feel when they make love to their beloved."
"Even humans?"
Gregory nodded. The words of a half-remembered song played through his head, and he sang the first verse softly to Maximilian.
"How can it be, that a love carved out of caring, fashioned by fate and suffered so hard from the games played once too often. But making mistakes is a part of life's imperfection. Borne of the years, is it so wrong to be human after all?"
Maximilian stared at Gregory for the longest time, his green eyes wide, pink lips parted in anguish and then, with a flutter of movement too quick for the human eye, he was dressed and gone.
Gregory pushed slowly to his feet and padded across to the large window. The sun was setting, the air taking on a chill as shadows lengthened down the sides of the tall buildings. They had slept for hours, held in each other's arms and wrapped in each other's wings. Just a few short hours together after an eternity of longing but, just maybe, this time his words had reached Maximilian.
He sighed, quickly dressed then walked away from the warehouse without a backward glance, silently praying that he would not have to wait several more millennia before he could hold Maximilian in his arms once more.
The End
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