Would you please forgive me? For while I cannot love myself, I'll use something else.

[happytobleed]

Who: Castiel and OPEN
Where: Near the bar
When: day 47
What: Gettin' drunk, bein' pissy
Warnings: Other than drinking, probably none, but it may depend on the thread.


Castiel had been worried enough about Lucifer and then Crowley when he'd only had Meg to worry about. Now that Dean was back, he was even more concerned. Dean could hold his own against a lot of powerful creatures, but Lucifer was a whole new level and Crowley wasn't exactly easy to pick off. They needed to plan some sort of defensive strategy.

He'd gone looking for Dean in the obvious location. Before, Dean had spent a good deal of his time in the bar and so Castiel had gone there to find him. Finding the bar empty, he had gone for what he recognized to be one of Dean's favored drinks. Surely, he only had to wait and Dean would show up eventually. It was easier than running all over the town where Crowley might spot him. There were easier ways to locate Dean, but maybe Castiel wanted to nurse a little self-pity. Balthazar and Sam were still missing and Dean was... well, he was better, but he was different and he didn't remember. What if they kept making him forget?

Several hours later, he found himself leaving the bar alone. He wasn't as drunk as he'd been in the past, but he would be lying if he said he wasn't feeling it.

Comments

[foundacause]

Meg was totally, one hundred percent not worried in any way when the angel didn't come home. That would be silly. Worrying would mean she cared, which she totally didn't. Nope. Besides, Cas was an expert at disappearing when he felt like it - quite literally.

The fact she checked the gazebo and the rest of the park didn't mean she was worried. The fact she searched the rest of the cape didn't mean she was concerned for his safety. Course not.

Really, she should've thought to check the bar earlier... But hey, at least he was in one piece. "I hope angels don't puke when drunk - I'm not cleaning that up."

[sellerofsins]

Expecting Crowley not to turn up at areas which contained a bar? Probably mistake number one here. Because after God knows how many days he'd spent in this pit of a place, the first thing he needed was a drink. He'd usually avoid the sort of pedestrian drink they sold to morons with no taste-buds in places like this but he had accepted they probably wouldn't have his brand of preferred drink. So when in Rome... get very pissed.

As he strolled off towards the nearest place that looked vaguely like it'd sell a drink, he found himself coming to a halt. Because he didn't expect to be greeted with what caught his sight. Though he had to admit, it sent a sort of spark of excitement in him. There was no way he could ever mistake that trench coat.

So not as boring as he originally thought. With a cocky smirk plastered on his face, he stood himself directly in the angels path. No Winchesters abound, no traps or crazy schemes. Just a perhaps slightly drunk angel. It was too easy.

"So what kind of poison takes down an angel? Enlighten me, I've always been curious of the drinking habits of the holy bunch. It's a niche hobby, I'll admit."

[thelittlestbub]

Jubilee isn't a big drinker. But, there are venison steaks and canned vegetables and roasted potatoes - Logan can cook over a fire thankfully. That requires a beer. Well, two beers.

One for each of them. She might actually unearth the whiskey for later too. Just for a nightcap, like they were civilized or something.

She frowns, seeing the guy in the trenchcoat.

"You okay, dude?"

[happytobleed]

He leveled her with an unimpressed look. "I'm not drunk. I've just... been drinking."

Though he was a little happy to see her. Lately, she was the most stabilizing thing he had. With Sam and Dean gone, she was far easier to lean on than Anna or Gabriel. He hadn't caused her death. She was simply easier to look at without feeling guilty.

At least, that was what he assumed was the reason he'd gone to live with her and not them. They were family, of course, he cared about them, but she was something else. It was something easier.

In reality, he cared about her. He'd grown to like the way she teased him. He recognized it as a sign of camaraderie, not disdain. She was the first friend he'd made who wasn't Dean's friend first, even if Dean had been the one to throw them together.

"And I've seen you clean up worse."

[happytobleed]

Even with the alcohol slowing him down, Castiel is tense and alert the moment Crowley's face comes into view. It had been stupid to come out without some sort of plan or disguise.

His blade slipped into his hand smoothly, though whether he could use it or not remained to be seen. He could stand up on his own just fine, but fighting was a whole different thing and his movements were a little sluggish.

"Crowley." His voice hovered somewhere between surprise and disdain. "You don't have anything better to think about?"

[happytobleed]

He stops walking and narrows his eyes at her, trying to remember if he should know her or not.

"That's a stupid question." A pause. "But I appreciate your sentiment."

He starts to walk again. "I think you already know the answer, though."

[foundacause]

"If you say so, Feathers." She nodded at the door to the bar. "So, this is where you've been hiding then? Makes a change from the gazebo. Hide and go seek was getting a little bit too easy."

Okay, so maybe she had been the teeniest, tiniest bit concerned. But only because if something terrible happened to him she would never find out who was going to win their ongoing game of Monopoly. She had more money, but he had more hotels. She suspected cheating. Yep. The outcome of Monopoly was the only reason she was concerned... Honest...

"So, want to tell me why you're trying to drown yourself in cheap booze? Hardly looks like you're celebrating. Surprising really, since your favourite little Winchester turned up with all his arms and legs in tact. And what few brain cells he had before still seem to be there."

[servingmichael]

Raphael smoothed a hand over his jacket, delicately plucked a stray dried leaf piece from his suit. He'd been walking around the woods again, studying the area, and had collected a bit of debris as a result. Glancing up he caught a glance of grace, eyes narrowing. Lifting his wings he landed a somewhat respectable eight feet away.

"Castiel."

[venatical]

Dean's been poking around the town and talking to people, even though he should be laying low because Crowley, but fuck it. He's done stupider shit. He's winding down to a point now of needing to figure out a plan. Some kind of plan. An escape plan, a screw the scientists plan, a find the murderer(s) plan, something, anything. He can't idle here or he really will go crazy. Having Cas around will help with that though. If Dean were on his own, he could've handled himself, slipped into survival mode and shut everything -- including himself -- off and given himself over to instinct, like he did in Purgatory. Pure as that may have felt, he's not exactly eager to go back to it now that he's found himself again.

After a day of mostly useless information gathering and letting this place sink in, he needs a drink, so he heads back over to the bar he found earlier.

"Cas?" He smiles, but he's not really sure he's happy yet. Yeah, it's funny when Cas gets plastered, but it's also really not. "You okay, buddy?"

[happytobleed]

"Your game would probably be more fun if you weren't the only one playing it." There wasn't much bite to his words. She was one of two people who would be getting that treatment tonight.

He took a step closer until he was in her personal space. He was a little better at being able to tell now, but he liked to take advantage of it, anyway. He didn't think she would mind, anyway. She protested less than Dean most of the time.

"How am I supposed to keep him safe from Lucifer?"

[happytobleed]

A few choice words he'd heard Dean use flew into Castiel's head. Saying that things between himself and Raphael had been tense up until the end was like saying that the ocean was moist. How much did Raphael remember.

"Raphael." He stood his ground, but there was no hiding how tense he was. "How long have you been here?"

[foundacause]

Having him in her personal space probably bothered her a lot less than it should. One of these days she was bound to wind up getting herself killed by being on the receiving end of his angel blade. Oh well, it sure beat being tortured to death by Crowley or Lucifer.

"You can't. Lucifer is more powerful than all of us put together and he knows it. All we can do is try to stay out of his way and make sure Deano doesn't do anything stupid like antagonise him."

[happytobleed]

"Dean." He probably shouldn't tell Dean that he's been waiting for him without bothering to tell him that he was waiting in the first place.

Seeing Dean does fill him with a sense of relief, though. He hadn't been worried, exactly, but this place sets him on edge and it seems that more and more threats keep arriving. Knowing that Dean is alive and that he hasn't been taken again is all he can really ask for.

"I'm fine." He wobbles a little. "I had a few drinks." Stating the obvious. "Are you?"

[venatical]

"Yeah, I can tell." Which means he probably isn't fine. He can't help but think about what Cas told him, about how he feels after everything that went down in Heaven. While he doesn't disapprove of booze as a coping mechanism, whenever Cas gets like this he remembers that drugged out version from the Croatoan future, and it wigs him out.

Cas is wobbly, so Dean comes over and pulls Cas's arm around his shoulders before he steadies him with an arm around his back.

"I'm fine. C'mon, let's get you back." He sighs. So much for his beer, but once he gets Cas settled, he can come back.

"So what're we celebrating, Cas?" Even though he's pretty sure this isn't a celebratory drinking occasion. Dean's new to the so tell me how you're feeling gig.

[happytobleed]

Killing Meg was about the furthest thing from his mind. She was his friend and there wasn't much she could do to change that. He didn't think she would turn on Sam and Dean and that was most of that list.

"If you were trying to comfort me, you failed." Even Castiel was having a hard time not antagonizing Lucifer. "I should teach you both banishing sigils."

[happytobleed]

Castiel leans on Dean easily. He can walk fine on his own, even if he's a little wobbly, but this is more pleasant. He'll go back to the house he shares with people he cares about and he'll find a way to keep them safe. He can't entirely angel- or demon-proof it, but maybe they can at least proof Dean's room.

His head leans to the side towards Dean just the slightest bit. He can't tell Dean why he really started to drink.

"I'm just glad you're back, even if you don't remember." He smiles ruefully. "I started celebrating without you, though. I apologize."

[venatical]

It's hard for him to tell how drunk Cas really might be, mojo and all, and he's leaning pretty heavily on him, but Dean's okay with that. Cas can lean on him if he needs it. Where Dean gets frustrated is when Cas won't pick himself back up when the time's right for it -- but that's a story for another time, when Cas isn't tipsy.

He could let Cas's explanation sit, even though he doesn't believe it, or... He glances sideways at him, trying to read him as best he can from the angle they're at.

"That's the weakest story I've ever heard. What's bothering you?"

Sure, Cas looks happy, but the only times he's seen Cas like this is when something horrible was happening.

[foundacause]

"Look, Cas. I get it, he's your friend and you want to keep him safe. But he's a big boy, he can take care of himself. Don't go get yourself killed by Lucifer just to try and protect a Winchester." Then again, asking Cas not to die for a Winchester was like asking a dog not to dig up your garden, or asking a bird not to poop on your car as soon as you've waxed it.

"We lie low, we stay off Lucifer's radar and we make sure that the idiot Winchester does the same."

[sellerofsins]

"You'd think and yet, there's a lot of down time mid-chaos. The calm before the storm," Crowley shoved his hands into his pocket, standing there with an amused expression plastered all over his face. Was that little butter knife for him? How sweet. Couldn't they ever have one discussion without knives?

Though, saying that, it'd be awfully dull otherwise. He couldn't picture him and Castiel calmly having some tea together and discussing their issues.

"So what's a little angel like you doing in a place like this?" There were far too many angels here than he liked, he was starting to think this was some sort of very unconventional trap. It was just all too suspicious.

[servingmichael]

"Since yesterday." He hadn't been hiding and he'd run into the others already - somewhere this small, it was only a matter of time before he'd crossed paths with Castiel.

Circumstances could be better, but they could also be worse.

[happytobleed]

Castiel sighs. She's right and he really should listen to her more. Scraping by and staying alive is something she's exceptionally good with.

"I still think a few sigils could be useful. If something happens, at least you can buy time."

[happytobleed]

Castiel looked around sharply. He hadn't exactly advertised what he was, beyond not being human, and while he was reasonably sure that there were no Leviathan here, that didn't mean he was safe. Now that both Lucifer and Crowley knew that he was here, though, he might give up on the secrecy entirely.

"Christmas shopping." His grip tightened. He wasn't up for a fight. Honestly, he wanted to avoid fighting altogether, but he had to defend himself. "What about you, Crowley? Are you taking time off?"

[happytobleed]

Well, this is off to a good, if awkward start, given the fact that they've both killed each other. Castiel doesn't want to push his luck, but maybe Raphael doesn't remember everything.

"There seems to be a time discrepancy here." He can only hope that it's working in his favor. "Do you mind if I ask what you last remember?"

[happytobleed]

He's leaning on Dean perhaps more than is strictly necessary, but he likes the reminder that he can lean on Dean. Forgetting that he could lead him down the wrong path. It took Purgatory to really remind him that he could depend on Dean, but he knows now that he can count on Dean to come through no matter what. He should really have more faith.

"You." He sighs. If he'd been entirely sober, he might have resisted more, but he's drunk enough to let it all spill out, especially with Dean being so oddly direct. Something in Dean has changed and Castiel isn't sure what to do with that. Normally Dean would tell him not to mention his feelings. "When you disappeared, there weren't nearly as many things here that wanted to kill you. It's like everyone we've fought is here now. I just want to keep you safe, Dean."

[venatical]

Dean wasn't exactly patient when Cas was bonkers, it's true, but they had crap to do, a fight to get to, the world to save, again. In the downtime, he'd rather Cas talk to him because he's seen what happens when Cas flies solo. That's not really a slight; he's still hurt over it, but he's ready to move past it and onto the next thing, which is making sure Cas doesn't go through that whole thing again. He wants Cas to come to him first, or at least to include him in the shit he's got going on. So yeah, he's making him talk about his feelings now. It's weird but as long as it's not Dean's feelings, it's not so bad. Anyway, Cas peers into his head enough. Dean figures he can prod at him.

"Me?" He sighs again and hauls Cas closer. Stupid angel. He really is turning out to be more like Dean than Dean would've recommended.

"So you decided you could keep me safer if you were drunk? C'mon, Cas. I'll be fine. And it's not like the things here that want to kill me don't also want to kill you. We'll stick together, we'll keep each other safe. Okay?"