Disclaimer: I own very little.

A/N: This fic shall contain my responses to the fanfic100 challenge. For those who are unfamiliar with it, the rules are simple: One may claim a character, pairing, or a group of characters. Then they have to write 100 fics, at least 100 words each, centered around their claimed item. Each of these fics must be somehow connected to one of the 100 prompts provided.

Anyway, I claimed Aziraphale, and, insane as I am, I'm trying to form this all into a 100-chaptered fic. I'll try to post a new chapter at least once a week, like recommended, but that's the only promise I'm making: I'll try.

Pairings: Gabriel/Raphael, Michael/Lucifer, later Michael/Uriel and Aziraphale/Crowley

A Hundred White Feathers

001. Beginnings

Before the beginning, there was no light. There was no land, either, nor water -- there hardly was even darkness, just existence. In this timeless world -- for not even time had yet become an issue on the Universal To-Do List -- beings of spirit floated around. They might have been creatures of light, had there been such a thing; as it was, they simply went by the name of angels amidst the emptiness of what was yet to become the world.

And, in this prelude of being, a little baby angel suddenly came into existence.

For a moment the child just lay there, happily floating in the middle of nothingness. Bright azure blue eyes searched the not-quite-darkness for something to see, a curious mind recording what little it could of its surroundings and the ethereal body it was closed in. Coming across the secrets of producing sounds, the baby angel giggled, delighted to have so many new things to find and learn.

And then, the baby saw something. At first it was just a pair of eyes, filled with exactly the same shade of blue as those of the child. Then there was a gentle smile, and a beautiful, melodic voice. "My, my," the voice said, the smile evident even in those words. "What do we have here?"

Now gentle hands lifted the baby, and then the little angel found himself being cradled in secure arms. "You are such a little dear, aren't you?" asked the adult angel. "You need somebody to take care of you."

The baby gurgled happily in agreement. With a cute little grin he flapped his tiny wings a bit.

At that, the adult angel laughed. "Very well, my dear," he said. "I shall take you as my little brother. My name is Gabriel, little dear. And, as for now, you shall be known as... Aziraphale."

The baby now called Aziraphale smiled. He felt safe in these strong yet slender arms. And, after one last giggle at his newly acquired big brother, he then fell asleep without a worry in his little mind.

Yet again a gentle smile crossed the face of the angel known as Gabriel as he glanced down at the baby. The previously colourless hair was now exactly the same hue of golden brown as his was. Petting the hair once, twice, he then simply let the smaller being sleep, feeling oddly content.

And that was one beginning.

"Hi, Gabriel!" called out a cheerful voice. "I was just looking for you! I -- oh, my, who is this little one?"

"Hi, Raphael," replied the brunet adult angel. "Say hello to my new little brother. His name is Aziraphale."

"Aww, aren't you a cute one," Raphael cooed at the just awakened baby, waving at him. "Almost as cute as your big brother, even -- although in a different way." Now, he casted a mischievous grin at Gabriel.

Gabriel chuckled in amusement. "Well, I certainly should hope that you aren't attracted to my baby brother in the same way as you are to me," he said, a brilliant grin on his face.

"Fear not, my love," laughed the other archangel. "Now, shall we go to meet our friends?"

"Gladly," Gabriel responded with a smile, and Aziraphale giggled happily. He might not have entirely understood the conversation, but he was learning new things all the time and it made him delighted.

The two archangels -- and one baby cherub -- disappeared only to rematerialise on another plane of existence. Two other archangels were already waiting for them.

"Well, there you are at last!" exclaimed Michael. "It's well about the time. Uriel isn't coming; something came up and -- oh, my. Just what do you have there, Gabriel?" the blond asked.

"Indeed," said Lucifer, a smile on his lips. "You decided to adopt as well, eh? Well, why don't you introduce us to the little dear?" As Gabriel came nearer, he reached out a hand to tickle the baby.

"Okay," laughed the brunet archangel. "Lucifer, Michael, Raphael, this is my new little brother Aziraphale. Aziraphale, these are my friends Lucifer, Michael, and Raphael."

"Pleased to make your aqcuitance," Lucifer said in mock seriousness. He offered a finger, and the baby grasped on it. The others grinned as His next in command shook hands/fingers with the child.

"Only your friends?" echoed Michael then, raising an eyebrow. "Well, that's all good and well with me, and I doubt Lucifer is going to protest either, but isn't dear Raphael sad about that?"

"Oh, fine!" Gabriel rolled his eyes. "Aziraphale, these are Lucifer and Michael, two insufferable gits who call themselves my friends, and Raphael, the one I love more than anything besides Him."

"Now, now," chuckled Lucifer. "Come on, my friends. We have things to discuss, and it'd be much more pleasant with some seats." He gestured towards a table that had four chairs set around it.

"Put the kid on the ground," Michael advised. "Maybe this'll keep him occupied." The one of them with the fairest hair undid his belt buckle, laying the belt, the sheath, and the sword on the ground.

"Are you sure he can't hurt himself with it?" asked Gabriel. As Michael then reassured him that no such thing would happen -- although the part, 'And we have our master healer right here anyway,' wasn't very convincing -- he laid his baby brother next to the sword. Then he joined the other archangels at the table.

For some time they chattered happily. Suddenly, however, Raphael froze in the middle of a sentence.

"Look at the child," he finally managed to say. "Just... Look at him. Now." And he pointed.

The others, of course, looked at the child. And stared at him, all of them.

Somehow little Aziraphale, who was just about old enough to wiggle his tiny wings, had managed to draw Michael's sword from its sheath. At the moment the little cherub was holding onto the sword's hilt, giggling happily. And the sword itself, an archangel's weapon, was merrily burning with divine fire.

Michael grinned broadly. "Looks like you've got a natural warrior there, Gabriel," he commented cheerfully. "I can hardly wait until I get to train him." The azure blue eyes shone with excitement.

"Indeed, such potential," Lucifer mused. "I believe little Aziraphale shall grow up to do something remarkable." His eyes followed closely as the baby worked hard to move the sword further.

Gabriel just smiled brightly, very proud of his adopted little brother. Raphael put an arm around him and he leant against the healer, content. Yes, little Aziraphale would become a force to be reckoned with.

And that was another beginning.

Aziraphale laughed in excitement as he broke free of his brother's embrace, tiny wings flapping furiously to keep him in the air. Gabriel looked up at him with a proud smile, trying to hide his worry.

Raphael placed a calming hand on his lover's shoulder. "Do not worry," he said soothingly. "Aziraphale is not going to fall down. His wings are strong enough to carry him, and his will is even stronger."

"I know," Gabriel sighed. "However, I can't help but worry. He is still so small and fragile."

The small and fragile one himself knew nothing about his elder brother's worries. Aziraphale merely enjoyed his new ability, delighted as always to learn something new. He giggled excitedly, circling around.

For a moment the two archangels watched the child on his first flight. Gabriel leant back against Raphael's chest, and the redhead wrapped his arms around his lover. Right then everything seemed perfect.

Suddenly something else than giggles bursted out of Aziraphale's mouth. "Uwiel!" he exclaimed in delight.

"So you have finally learnt to fly?" Uriel asked, raising an eyebrow. "You're seemingly a big boy already." With a brief smile, he added, "Well, fortunately you shan't be left as the only archangelic baby sibling."

"What?" exclaimed Gabriel, his eyes wide with surprise. "Don't tell me that you have..."

Instead of saying anything at first, Uriel let his cloak slide back from his shoulder. On his arm, previously hidden by the rich green cloth, lay a baby cherub. Black curls covered his head, and his blue eyes watched his surroundings curiously. "Gabriel, Raphael, Aziraphale... meet my brother Carowiel."

"Aaa!" exclaimed Aziraphale, immediately fluttering nearer with his tiny wings. "Baby!"

Carowiel looked up at this new creature. A pair of baby eyes met another. Then, the younger of the little cherubim reached out a hand to touch the other one. Aziraphale responded by flying even closer, close enough to actually touch. Two little hands met, grasped, and held. And didn't let go.

And that was a third beginning.

Next prompt: Middles.