since my brain is like CONSUMED with GO rn im gonna add some GO AU rene/will headcanons here
just because i can so here goes:
- sometime around the 5th century BC, when the gate that Will guarded was still a grassy hillside, the sentinel angel befriended a talking crow. The crow was a particularly well-read crow, as far as crows went, and often perched on the tree whose branches stretched up into the sky as a ladder up to Heaven
- Angels, like most immortal beings, are terrible at keeping track of time, so it really wasn’t until humans began appearing on nearby hillsides that Will realized that the crow should have died several centuries ago. At that point, the crow revealed that it was, in fact, a he, and was an immortal, much like Will. Will, who hadn’t seen other immortals besides angels and the odd demon, was very glad that a seemingly neutral party had come along and was immortal, like him, and could keep him company in an innocuous way
- The centuries passed, and the two stayed friends. The crow would bring Will news about the outside world, and Will would listen to his stories and his woes.
- The crow many very unlikely crow-like woes, including decrying the injustices that the Lord allowed humans to commit. Will very earnestly encouraged the crow to trust in the Divine Plan and to not question it, as questioning it wouldn’t allow the crow to go to crow Heaven. The crow just laughed and changed the subject
- it wasn’t until the tree was replaced by an inn (which Will occupied the attic of), when Will first wondered if the crow had a more human-looking form. After all, angels generally did appear rather human-shaped (at least, those of the lowest choir of angels did). He also showed the crow his wings (upon the crow’s request). Of course, being a sentinel allowed for very limited wing grooming practices, and Will’s wings were dreadfully out of shape as far as wings went. The crow insisted on attempting to groom his wings, which led to a lot of accidental almost-squishings. That was the point where Will very gently asked if the crow had a larger form, since it would be easier for both of them
- The crow refused at first, but after he was almost swatted across the room for the fifth time in as many minutes, he relented, but insisted that Will close his eyes and not look back at him. “This form is hideous,” the crow claimed, “And I am very bashful.” As a being capable of great faith, Will saw no cause for concern and kept his eyes forward, allowing the crow to shift around behind him. Based on the sounds, it sounded like the crow was more or less human shaped, with curious hands that felt a bit like they had claws at the ends of them. They were cold, and a little scaly, but not altogether unpleasant.
- Wing grooming soon became a regular fixture in their routine. Every little while, the crow would return and groom the angel’s wings, and the two would talk about the goings on of the world around them.
- “Books,” the crow said one day, “Maybe I should bring you books. Learn to read so I don’t need to run my mouth for hours on end each time.” Will, of course, hadn’t had a chance to learn languages other than the universal one of heavenly beings (that was, coincidentally, shared with hellish ones). The books were very welcome, even more so when the inn briefly became a library, and the attic a storage for unwanted books.
- Around the 1600s, the appearance of the gate changed once again. It became a simple alleyway to one side of a bustling street, and that is how it would remain until Armageddon, although the buildings on either side would become taller and taller as the years went by.
- The crow, in fact, had been the one to bring news of Armageddon to the angel. The crow seemed very worried and fretful. ‘Crows,’ he had explained when Will asked, ‘Won’t survive Armageddon, much like the rest of life on Earth, and possibly that of Heaven and Hell’ (the crow was surprisingly well versed in the goings on of ethereal and occult beings, although Will had long since ceased to be surprised, since he figured that non-affiliated immortal beings probably had some kind of coalition on their own that kept track of what Heaven and Hell were up to).
- The crow said a lot of ominous things over the next ten years. “If Armageddon happens, I won’t be here to talk to you anymore.” “I’d offer to see you on the other side, but I don’t think there will be any more sides to go to after this, since one side is supposed to win for the rest of eternity.” “It’s rather sad, don’t you think, to try and eradicate the side that defines who you are, as the other?” Will stalwartly refused to question it, all the way up until he was mere days away from being recalled to Heaven.
- Seemingly aware of the fact that the forces of Heaven and Hell were rallying for war, the crow appeared for one last time. “I’m not going to be able to come back after this,” he cawed as mournfully as a crow could caw. “What if I were to bring you with me?” Will asked, a bright idea forming in his mind for the first time in a few centuries. “I’m sure the Heavenly Host would make an exception for one non-affiliated immortal.” The crow laughed. “Actually,” he admitted, “I need to tell you something. I haven’t been completely truthful this whole time.” “You haven’t? Don’t tell me that ice cream was a lie all along,” Will half joked, although he was very serious that if ice cream was a lie, he would be greatly disappointed. “No, not ice cream,” the crow rolled his eyes, “I mean about me. I’m not really a non-affiliated immortal.” For the first time in all the years they had known each other, the crow showed Will his true form. A demon. A well-dressed, neat-looking demon with scaly hands and talons for fingernails. A demon with sharp teeth and sharper blue eyes, and the very sharpest haircut.
- “You’re a demon!” Will cried out, manifesting his helm from the ether (the helm was a golden thing, complete with little wings on the side. Heaven-issued, that helm). “How could you? I thought we were friends!” The demon spread his hands to try and placate the angel. “We were,” he said very softly. “I wanted to be your friend, so I didn’t tell you. But now I think I owe you the truth. I am the demon Raum, commander of thirty legions of demons and an Earl of Hell. But I am also Rene, and I am also ‘the crow’. And I am also your friend. If I were truly to take advantage of you, I would have readily accepted your offer to bring me to Heaven, and brought along a few ‘friends’ to boot. I could have easily invaded heaven with the other demons--but I didn’t. Because... Well because I was happy to just be ‘the crow’ with you. You were kind to me, and I tried, in turn, to be kind to you. Please, Will. Understand that. And please, I just wanted to say a last goodbye to you.”
- Will sat stock still through the demon’s speech. Raum, the demon. It wasn’t so much that the demon’s words struck him, it was his appearance. The demon was hopelessly familiar, in the same way that a tune stuck in his head might be familiar but any recognition or name was beyond his reach. Something, deep down, told him that they knew each other before the Fall. Something told Will that they had been close before, and were close now. But they were on opposite sides. “Goodbye, then,” he heard himself saying. “I won’t be seeing you again, because, well, we’re going to win. And all the demons will die. So please--leave before I must smite you--or I may get in big trouble with my boss.” And so, the demon left.
And the rest uhh i haven’t thought about yet but yes!! thought dump that turned a little dialogue-y sorta
vaporwave
titsay
kaledo-art
yousharknotpass
ellievsbear
baratheonpilled
janainaart
