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Raphael. 'God's help,' his younger brother! His first brother! He's so different from Lucifer, a small archangel with jet-black hair, eyes bright as emeralds, and almost equally green wings. The boy was a miracle for Lucifer, a new world, another reason to protect Paradise.

The older Raphael grew, the closer he became to Lucifer. Always together, always inseparable. The only thing separating them was Raphael's studies and their training. Lucifer was learning to fight and wield weapons, the future successor to the Father if anything happened, and also a warrior who must punish the guilty. Raphael was a healer, treating everyone who needed help. Including Lucifer.

"You should be more careful!" Raphael cursed quietly, healing his older brother's leg with magic.

"I didn't do it on purpose, my little angel."

Raphael merely rolled his eyes, continuing the process. He remained silent, but Lucifer could see something was wrong. Lucifer didn't like how the younger brother preferred to remain silent about problems rather than solve them. Not a good trait he'd inherited from him. They were the only ones they had; the Seraphim didn't like them. The other triads didn't really care. Many whispered about their uselessness, but how dare they question God's will!? But what tormented him most was that the others accepted him, but not Raphael... Raph, so bright and sweet, no one in Heaven possessed his power, so why didn't they value him?

"Hey, angel?"

Raphael looked up at him.

"What happened?"

The younger brother continued to stare, but remained silent. Only his gaze grew harder; he clearly didn't want to talk about this, but Lucifer wouldn't allow it.

"Raphael."

Silence

"Raphaeeeel."

His brother's gaze grew increasingly irritated.

"Raa ... And yet Raphael snorts when hands stroke his cheeks and says, "Seraphini and Papa were arguing. He'll soon create another Archangel..."

Lucie's eyes widen. There will be more of them! They won't be so alone! Will their new brother be like him? Or will he be like Raphael? Or will he be special altogether! Only he didn't understand what was upsetting the little angel. Did he really dislike change so much?

Raphael shyly looks away and falls silent again. And Lucifer doesn't like it; he gently tugs at his cheeks, drawing attention back to him, forcing the younger one to speak.

"Now you'll take care of the new brother and spend time only with him."

"What?! Of course not!" Raphael looks at him incredulously, and Lucifer feels insulted. A little. He's more upset that his dear brother has worked himself up. He sits up and pulls Raphael close, hugging him tightly. "Of course not. You will always be my little brother, my little angel. I will love you both."

And Lucifer wasn't lying; when Gabriel was born, he didn't stop being Raphael's brother.

***

Even after going to Hell, Lucifer didn't stop being an older brother to the other Archangels, even though they feel passed over. Their communication becomes very rare. Because of this, he's surprised that Raphael comes to him after Vox's attack.

"I know what happened. I came to help you." Raphael says bluntly and without greeting. Lucifer only smiles bitterly. Raphael has changed. He's grown too tall, almost two feet taller than him. There are bags under his eyes, a tired look on his face, and he seems somehow lifeless. Although Lucifer must look even worse now. As much as he didn't want to let his pride win, the desire to spend time with Raphael was stronger.

"Of course, my little angel."

Raphael rolled his eyes, just like he did when he was a child, and a smirk appeared on his lips. God, how could Lucifer continue to call him 'little angel' when he'd grown up to be such a giant?!

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'The Power of God'—his second younger brother. Lucifer didn't know it was possible to be cuter than Raphael, but Gabriel pulled it off with ease. Their little ray of happiness, like the Moon, like another creation of God and Mother Nature. He looked as if he needed more color—snow-white wings, silver hair, even the blush on his cheeks was gray—but his personality didn't match his appearance at all. The appearance of the Moon, the character of the Sun—that was Gabriel. With a fiery heart, ready to help everyone, be it a Seraphim or a simple angel. God, Lucifer had seen him try to help the Dominions. It was so funny, like a young Archangel trying to feed the Horseman of Famine. But the Horseman's surprise was worth it, even though it frightened Raphael.

Gradually, the little sun became the Sun. He quickly caught up with Raphael in height, at least not surpassing him. This wasn't due to his strength. Gabriel lived up to his name, making Lucifer absolutely proud. But this gave rise to unpleasant rumors. Gabriel began to outperform Lucifer in training, and Father began training him with the Seraphim, and over time, he even outperformed them. The Seraphim assumed he would take the place of the elder Archangel, becoming God's sword and right hand. Lucifer was only slightly offended by this; he was more impressed by his brother's success, and if Father decided to replace him with him, no big deal.

But Gabriel didn't seem to like it.

"Lucie! Lucie!" the white-winged one shouted, running up to his older brother. His wings fluttered, and he looked worried. Had someone really offended him?!

"What happened, sweetheart???"

"Is it true?"

Lucifer looked at him questioningly, tilting his head. What exactly? Had he learned something from his conversations with Father? But there was nothing there, except the creation of another Archangel... Although this shouldn't have upset Gabriel; he really wanted a younger brother; he loved children so much.

"The Seraphim want to replace you with me! Why are they saying that!?"

Oh, the rumors have reached him after all.

"You are stronger than me," Lucifer said calmly, taking his brother's hands in his.

"So what? I don't want to!" Gabriel howled like a wounded animal. The elder Archangel's heart sank; he had never seen him so upset. The white wings on his head fluttered, as if they wanted to cover his face and hide from everything.

"Don't hide, explain."

"I'm the protector of families. I help families have children and maintain harmony, that's what I like. I don't want to be a warrior! I want to be like Raphael..."

"Oh, darling," Lucifer said tenderly, wiping away Gabriel's tears. Of course, he didn't mean to harm anyone, so bright and innocent. "It's just rumors."

"And what if Father decides the same?" Gavri sobbed.

"We can handle it." The elder replied, embracing the tall Archangel.

***

After meeting Raphael, Lucifer tried to reconnect with his brothers. Well, the only thing he wants to thank Vox for is the opportunity to meet them. Right now, for example, Lucifer and Gabriel are sitting together drinking tea, as if nothing had ever happened.

Lucifer again draws a parallel, noticing how the brothers had changed during his absence. Gabriel hadn't changed much, he just looked sleep-deprived. His bandaged arm was bothering him more than anything else. The younger brother was silent, and the older brother didn't know how to ask about it. It used to be easier.

"How was training?" Lucifer asked, laughing nervously, ruffling his hair. How stupid, he was simply killing his sin.

Gabriel raised an eyebrow questioningly, then glanced at his hand, and then back at his brother. Ah, the clever parasite. A very perceptive little sunshine.

"Lady Void has gotten carried away, her plans are becoming increasingly perverse, and her vengeance no longer concerns only Heaven. So I have to lead the troops, after all, I am the Archangel of War." He smiled bitterly.

Lucifer was already in Hell when all this mess with the Archangels and the Horsemen began. They even then wanted to force Gabriel into becoming a soldier and make him the Archangel of War, but Michael took that position, giving Gabriel the upper hand. It seems that for some reason, Michael abandoned his post, handing it over to his elder.

He let his little sun down...

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Their numbers gradually increased. 'God's Helper' became the fourth Archangel, a black-winged angel, so straightforward it was sometimes frightening. Compared to his elders, Lucifer noted that Azrael was too honest. Too much. He wasn't afraid to tell the truth that others hadn't, wasn't afraid to argue with the Seraphim, Cherubim, Principalities... Yes, with everyone except the Dominion. Azrael gets along surprisingly well with the Horsemen. Like brothers. Azrael had allowed himself to taunt his brothers since childhood, but it wasn't offensive; most often, it elicited laughter. A sweet, cheeky little raven.

And Lucifer was ready to become a raven to protect his little raven, even from the Father. The eldest had a hard time enduring his brothers' tears, and it took all his willpower not to go and sort things out with God. Azrael was in a terrible hysterics, sitting there covering his ears with all his might, so tightly that it felt like Azi was about to crush his own head.

"Little raven, please, I need you to put your hands down," Lucifer begged. What could he have done to drive his son to this point? Azrael, no less! Why hadn't Sera explained anything to him, just told him to deal with his brother, who had quarreled with God? Lucifer pulled his brother onto his lap; it was good that at least someone wasn't bigger than him. Slowly rocking, he tried to carefully remove at least one hand from his ears, so as not to hurt him. Azrael only whined, not letting him remove his hand. Apparently, things were even worse than he thought. All he could do was sit there, rocking back and forth, trying to calm Azi down.

"Some legends are told, some turn to dust or to gold," Lucifer chanted, hoping to draw attention to himself. But to no avail.

"But you will remember me."

"Remember me for centuries."

Suddenly, the elder Archangel noticed his grip loosening, and Azrael stopped squinting. Giving him a reason to continue, the younger one grew calmer with each line.

"And just one mistake is all it will take."

And now Azrael is looking at her hands, resting in her lap.

"We'll go down in history."

Lucifer takes a candy from his pocket and places it in his brother's hands. One of God's Helper's weaknesses was sweets, something the elders used to bribe him. Azrael smiled slightly and immediately began to give the gift.

"Remember me for centuries..."

This was the first time Lucifer felt anger toward his Father.

***

It was so unusual to see the Reapers of Death in Hell. Death didn't care who you were; his goal was to take you, so he acted as if he were neutral. It was especially unusual to see black wings with white wings; the Archangel of Death was presiding over the process. Under his direction, the reapers collected the remnants of sinners' souls.

Lucifer couldn't resist flying toward him.

"Little raven!"

He hadn't seen Azrael for centuries. After the fall, they saw each other very rarely, and why had their communication ceased altogether? Silently, without explanation. And Luci missed them all terribly.

Azrael, without looking at him, said, "My name is Archangel Azrael or Archangel of Death. If you call me anything else again, I will rip out your tongue."

Lucifer immediately stopped in shock, almost losing his balance. However, the younger one didn't care; he continued his flight. Had something happened and Lucifer missed it? How he screwed up.

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Two at once was unexpected. The twins Uriel and Selaphiel, created simultaneously but from different streams, 'Fire of God' and 'Prayer to God,' so inseparable yet so different. Uriel, like Raphael, seemed so colorful, with bright pink eyes and delicate pink wings and hair. The little archangel resembled the dawn, both in appearance and name. But Lucifer never admitted to anyone that it was Selaphiel that evoked a slight trepidation. Perhaps it was just the similar color scheme, but deep down, in his dreams, Lucifer imagined having a child just like himself. The same blond hair, burgundy blush, and wings of a color Lucifer couldn't comprehend, something between red and pink, with red tips.

Like his other brothers, Luci began training Uriel and Selaphiel himself. Selaphiel's training was mostly handled by Father, as the little Archangel followed him around like a little puppy. How sweet it was! Just as Uriel stalked Lucifer. But during their shared training, Lucifer occupied the younger brothers' attention. It would have been better if the twins had remained as focused in his absence...

Lucifer left only briefly, but upon reentering the room, his heart nearly stopped. Uriel was crying, huddled in a corner, his hands burning with their own flames. Meanwhile, Selaphiel was extinguishing his discarded cloak and wing. Lucifer could afford only a moment of panic; his brothers needed him. Using his own magic, he extinguished Selaphiel's fire, immediately beginning to heal the wing. Lucifer didn't have Raphael's power, but he could provide basic assistance. Poppy lay silently, only the wings on his head twitching. Having healed his wings as best he could, the elder turned his attention to Uriel. He stared in horror at his twin's charred wing. His hands burned, as if he knew his own flames couldn't scorch Uriel.

Lucifer stood up, slowly approaching the older boy, afraid to frighten him. He was already stressed; he couldn't make things worse. As soon as they were two feet away, Uriel turned his attention to him, holding out his trembling hands.

"Help..."

Uriel trusted him so much that he believed Lucifer would help him. His dear and unfortunate spark. Having covered the remaining distance, Lucifer knelt before his brother, gently but firmly grasping his elbows.

"The fire comes from you, it's part of your soul. You're restless, and so is he. Let's try to calm down?"

And Uriel tried, Lucifer saw his efforts, but to no avail. The fire only grew stronger as anger and frustration overwhelmed the younger one.

"I need my sword, I need to transfer the flame somewhere!"

Patience, one of Uriel's main problems, always won him over. Twilight lacked the control to become fire. But Poppy had enough patience for both of them.

"You can light my censer."

Selaphiel joined them on the floor, raising the censer filled with fresh incense and coal. Uriel looked at the object warily, then at his brothers in turn. Receiving a nod from the elder, he raised his hands to the censer. The flames immediately shifted to the coals and resin, initially raising a small column of flame, but quickly calming down to a normal level. The room filled with the scent of incense, allowing everyone to at least slightly dull their anxiety.

With a heavy sigh, Lucifer hugged his brothers tightly, closing his eyes. For a moment, he thought he could lose them both. It was irrational, but it was hard to convince his mind otherwise.

"Forgive me, Selaphiel, I would never intentionally hurt you."

"I know we couldn't hate each other."

***

"Uncle Lucifer!" the little girl cried joyfully, jumping into the Archangel's arms.

"Muriel! Good to see you, dear!" Lucifer responded with equal joy, scooping the young angel up into his arms. It had been so long since he'd seen his nieces. "And you two."

Nathaniel and Anahita, Muriel's older sisters, watched the family reunion with smiles until Nathaniel herself joined the hug. The middle sister continued to watch, but despite her detachment, Lucifer knew she missed him too.

"So that's how it is? You didn't miss me?" the girls' father responded, coming closer.

Lucifer couldn't help but laugh; this meeting was just what he needed.

"And I'm missing you too, Twilight."

"Anything's better than a flamingo," Anahita said, shrugging slightly, causing her sisters to laugh.

"Okay, princesses, stop making fun of your father. Better yet," Lucifer smiled slyly, lowering his voice. "Run to my room, there are gifts waiting for you."

With a happy squeal, Muriel jumped out of her uncle's arms, grabbing both sisters and heading off down the hallway with them. Ah, if only Lucifer had the chance to happily have another child with Lilith, maybe Charlie would always have a friend like Twilight had with Poppy. Not letting sadness overwhelm him, the elder Archangel shook his head, pushing away unnecessary thoughts, and turned his attention to his brother.

"Just you arrived?"

"Gazadriel's busy, and you know her feelings about Lilith."

"Exactly," Luci laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his head. Their wives had almost fought last time, and he didn't want to repeat that. Only Uriel didn't know that Lilith had been missing for several years, but he didn't need to know that... "Where's Poppy?"

The younger brother merely shrugged: "No idea, she's back in some remote place like a hermit, not talking to anyone. Honestly, I haven't cared for that in a long time."

"What do you mean?" Lucifer could only manage a spluttered slur. That couldn't be true! Uriel and Selaphiel had always been together, always brothers... They wouldn't share his fate with Mikhail...

"Didn't I tell you? After your fall, we had a falling out. You see, your actions were very 'out of sync with Selaphiel's views,' " Uriel snorted, making air quotes on the last part. "That was the beginning of our conflict, and then everything went downhill, and now we hate each other. But that doesn't matter, let's go check on my girls before they trash your room."

Lucifer couldn't say anything. Uriel smiled calmly, as if it was truly a trifle, while a whole hurricane of thoughts began inside the elder Archangel: 'we couldn’t hate each other', 'after your fall we had a fight'... Had he really destroyed his family with his actions?

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The Seventh Archangel! Their family had grown even larger, and Lucifer wasn't sure how to feel about it. He knew there were only eight Archangels planned, but something inside him was nagging at him, and Samael, the Principality, had planted seeds of doubt within him. The Principalities and the Archangels had grown close over time, despite all their similarities. The Principalities were considered the creation of God and the Void, while the Archangels were God's children, created by Him and Death. But the more Archangels there were, the more nervous Samael became, claiming they were being created to replace the Principalities, a sentiment that seemed to have spread to the higher ranks... Only the new Archangel wasn't to blame for this, a wonderful curly-haired boy with large brown wings, befitting his name, 'The Height of God.'

A young bird, timid and very inquisitive. Now, he stood across from Lucifer in their family nest, holding a large book in his hands, clearly not belonging to any of the Archangels. But that wasn't surprising; the Seelies often shared books with them and were kind to them, despite all the commotion Samael had caused. Besides, Jeremiel often spent time with the young Seelies, which helped them bond.

"What's that book you're holding, Little Bird?" Lucifer asked, turning his head to the side; the book was upside down.

"No," Lucifer replied, surprised, climbing into the nest next to Lucifer. The older brother waited silently to see what his brother was up to. Jeremiel settled nonchalantly on his lap, opening the book. It, too, remained upside down, but now it was open on the wrong side. Lucifer held back his laughter, not wanting to distract him. "Can you teach me to read?"

It wasn't exactly strange, but it was definitely unexpected. They all knew how to read and write, but they weren't taught until they were older than Jeremiel.

"What about Sel? He's supposed to be teaching you to read."

"Selaphiel said I could come to someone and start, and then we'll pick up the slack." Jeremiel turned to face Lucifer, smiling his sweet smile. Oh, Father Almighty, how could he refuse his brothers when they smiled like that?!

"Well, then let's start."

Teaching Jeremiel was both easier and harder than teaching his brothers. His age did make things more difficult, but the little fellow was serious, diligently continuing to study. So much so that they had to take a break from arguing.

"Why did you want to learn to read now?"

"I promised to read Onafiel's book about the stars."

Lucifer couldn't help but smile at such a sweet and honest confession. Onafiel was a special Sili Luna, created to be blind to this world but sensitive to more than just that. She was Gabriel's age, but had fallen in love with the younger Archangel. Perhaps she would give him a chance in the future.

***

Waiting for the heavenly protectors at Charlie's Hotel was very unexpected and unsettling. It seemed Heaven had agreed to Charlie's plan, but with some conditions. This brought both joy and panic to his sweet daughter, so much so that he had to agree to accept the heavenly representative in her place while Vaggie calmed the Princess. Honestly, he himself was nervous as hell. Until he saw a familiar curly head. A little bird.

It seemed Fate had blessed him, allowing him to see his brothers again. Jeremiel landed opposite Lucifer, folding his large wings. Jeremiel was slightly taller than Charlie, but his wings were much larger than any of his brothers'.

"King of Hell," Jeremiel said without malice, bowing slightly in greeting.

"Highness of God," Lucifer replied, bowing back. "Are you our heavenly test?"

"Yes, it seems the Archangels aren't just fighting anymore; some of us will now be participating in Hell's affairs."

"That's... Great! Let's go inside, before the sinners start gathering."

The two entered, attracting the attention of the sinners visiting the hotel, but as soon as Lucifer glanced at them, most of them returned to their own affairs.

"So, what will you do?" Lucifer continued, nodding as the others followed him.

"Once a week, I'll come to Charlie's gathering and see how she's doing, and occasionally help her out..." He replied somewhat distantly, immediately changing the subject. "How's Charlie?"

"Everything's fine, I'm incredibly happy, and scared, very nervous... It's complicated... But hey, since you're here, you're all dressed up... And how are Onafiel and Chasan?"

"They're doing well. The little bird is growing so fast that I'm starting to worry he'll outgrow me."

"Oh, you've all outgrown me," Lucifer laughed, until he realized something. "Little bird??"

"You always called me Little bird, so since I've grown up, my son becomes Little bird."

For the second time in such a short time, his brothers had stopped him dead in his tracks. If Azrael had dashed all Lucifer's hopes, then Jeremiel had given him a chance to return to his family.