Chapter Text
Michaiah had always known there was something different about Aziraphale. The first day they met was the day Aziraphale was assigned platoon commander. Michaiah was second in command and had been anxious to assess their new leader.
They were nervous. It wasn’t that Aziraphale wasn’t kind, he was. Perhaps far too much so. Aziraphale had a gentleness about him not commonly seen in Principalities, and that could be dangerous. After all, they needed to fight. What if Aziraphale couldn’t and let down his platoon?
Michaiah watched their new platoon commander, and they worried.
Aziraphale trained them and practiced with them and it became apparent that he could fight. Principalities were made to defend, and Aziraphale was no exception. Though he did apologize quite a bit for winning. The platoon still wondered how he could possibly handle an actual battle.
Then there had come the War of Heaven and the months of finding the demons and casting them down. Any reservations Michaiah had held disappeared with their first squirmish. Their platoon had been assigned to search and capture any beings hiding in one of the office buildings.
They hadn’t expected the ambush, but in retrospect it would become a common tactic. When Michaiah heard the yell they’d expected to see at best a discorporated angel or two and have to fight back the demon. Instead, when they rounded the corner, Aziraphale was standing over a member of their platoon, flaming sword drawn.
The demon cowered as Aziraphale advanced. Then the angel paused just long enough to nod to the second angel Michaiah hadn’t seen who seemed to materialize behind the demon and place the power dampening ropes so the fallen angel could be safely removed from Heaven.
As soon as it was apparent the situation was handled, Aziraphale lowered his sword and ran for the angel on the ground, quickly healing her wound.
From that time on, at every clash Aziraphale was there where he should be between those he was protecting and those who would do them harm. This shouldn’t be surprising for a principality, but when Michaiah spoke with other platoons they found out Aziraphale was the only principality doing so. The rest seemed to view themselves as leaders that were supposed to give commands.
One day Michaiah finally approached Aziraphale about it. Aziraphale leveled pain filled eyes at them then glanced around before pulling them to a quiet corner.
“Michaiah, do you understand who we’re fighting?”
“Demons, of course. The Fallen.”
“Michaiah, who are they?”
Michaiah fell silent, looking at Aziraphale in confusion.
Aziraphale continued in a quiet voice, “They were our siblings. Our friends. Our family. I don’t understand why we’re doing this, but I do know that I want to do it with the least amount of additional pain as possible. To us, and to them.”
That was when Michaiah started watching the numbers for various platoons. Their platoon always came in last in rankings, and it was because there were no slain demon counts. It was rare that it came to that for them. They were also the lowest in lost angels.
Michaiah began to understand, but they kept watching.
They watched Aziraphale point out tactics to Michael that were more gentle. They watched as Aziraphale did regular inspections, not as the other platoons did to ensure that things looked quite right but to check on those under his command. He would ask how they were. More than once he sent an angel to medical for mental fatigue, telling them they’d be able to help once they were better. They watched as Aziraphale noticed two of their platoon mates fall in love, something that should have been forbidden. He didn’t say a word, but left them to their happiness.
Michaiah spoke with the others in their platoon and they all watched. And they learned. Michaiah was delighted the first time Aziraphale smiled at them and put his hand on their shoulder with a nod as Michaiah helped one of the younger ones walk through their fears.
The platoon learned to take care of each other. And while the others looked down at their numbers, they all seemed to have a united purpose: the bond they’d formed through care.
When Aziraphale was assigned Guardian of the Eastern Gate and his platoon needed a place to go, it was logical that they’d be assigned to be the Earth Observation Unit. After all, it was their leader down there. They had worked as a cohesive team. And Michael had sniffed and said they may as well be put to some good use as none in their group was particularly driven to fight.
Aziraphale asked Michaiah if they thought they could handle things. Michaiah assured him that they could and it was safe to leave it in their hands. And Aziraphale did, but he did remind them if they ever needed any sort of assistance they could summon him.
The job was easy at first, just looking over Eden. Michaiah saw the serpent, but they also noticed Aziraphale’s appraising gaze and knew that the situation would be handled.
They had been the only one on camera duty when the serpent had slithered up the wall. The others had wandered off, much like Adam and Eve, leaving Michaiah to observe the cameras.
So Michaiah learned that the serpent’s name was Crawly, and they fretted about what he had in mind for Aziraphale. Then they watched Aziraphale’s wing raise to shield him from the storm and they started to worry.
——
It only took about three days before Sala pulled Michaiah to the side one day, his voice hissing, “we need to talk.”
“About?”
“Aziraphale is hanging out with that demon!”
“He’s thwarting him, Sala. That’s what he’s supposed to be doing.”
Sala raised an eyebrow, “Did you see them? They were sharing figs together and talking about how peculiar humans were.”
“Sala, do you think Aziraphale would turn on Heaven?”
“Of course not!”
Michaiah crossed their arms, “Has he ever done anything to show that we shouldn’t trust him?”
“No, but Mich-”
“I know. I know how it looks, but strictly speaking, we have direct orders on what to report. And Aziraphale trying to figure out an enemy’s plans isn’t one of those things.”
Sala snorted, “Doesn’t look like he’s trying to figure anything out other than how to get some more fruit.”
“He could do that on his own if he wanted to,” Michaiah responded, “I’m sure it’s part of a plan.”
So the word went through the ranks: observe but don’t report. If anything was mildly suspicious, talk to Michaiah about it. After all, they were the ones in charge of the platoon with Aziraphale down on Earth.
----
4001 BCE
This continued for a few years before Aziraphale came back to Heaven to make a report about Adam and Eve’s progress, and their new progeny.
Michaiah caught Aziraphale’s eye as he was leaving the council room and waved towards an empty office. Aziraphale led the way and then turned as Michaiah closed the door.
He didn’t wait for Aziraphale to speak, “Aziraphale, you have to know that your unit has been assigned to Earth Observation. And that we’re responsible for watching what’s going on… at all times.”
Aziraphale paled, “I’ve simply been doing my duty of course.”
Michaiah’s heart sank. They’d been hoping for an excuse, for a reason. They realized they were speaking out loud, “You had to know, didn’t you?”
“I do now. Thank you. I’ll be sure to keep that in mind going forward Michaiah.”
“So, you’ll stop… whatever this is?”
“I-” Aziraphale gulped, “I don’t know that I can.”
Michaiah stared at Aziraphale. This was as close to blasphemy as he’d ever been.
“Michaiah, do you remember the war? How it was treated as if it were… a good thing. The numbers? What if we got some of it wrong? I just… I want to talk to them. I want to find out. They haven’t harmed me, nor anyone else from what I can tell.”
“They made Adam and Eve fall!”
“Did they? I rather thought the pair made that decision on their own. I just want some time to figure it out, that’s all.”
“Time.”
“Yes, can you give that to me? Surely you can focus the others on what’s going on with Adam and Eve and the children, not to mention we’ve other humans arriving soon.”
“I’ll try, Aziraphale.”
Aziraphale beamed at them, “Thank you! That’s all I ask. Now, how is everyone doing?”
The mood lightened as Michaiah told Aziraphale of the others. He seemed pleased at everything they knew, and even more so at their assessment of how the platoon was doing.
“You’ve taken good care of them. Thank you. Is there anything else you need from me for now?”
“No. Not aside from the obvious.”
Aziraphale didn’t acknowledge the last sentence, “well then, I’ll see you next time I report in.”