Author's Note: Well, it's been a very long time (4 years in fact) since I last posted anything on this site. Might as well start up again with a simple piece, am I right? This can also be viewed on my AO3 account :)
Getting used to being a human took less time than Chevy had believed it would. Honestly the hardest part was getting the whole walking thing down (because legs were freaking weird). Dean had actually complimented Chevy on his adaptability. Naturally Chevy had to use that to tease Cas (because there was no way he was going to let the fact that it took him, a car, less time to adapt to being human than a being who had spent centuries observing humans and several years as a human).
It turned out Chevy actually liked being human. The food was good, and wearing clothes was pretty cool. Being human also meant he got to experience pleasure and have emotions, have feelings. It wasn't always easy, but he enjoyed this new life of his; enjoyed experiencing new things every day. But, there were times in which he missed being a car.
It was in the moments in which they were driving to a new place, or in the moments when they'd park on the side of the road to look around and figure out where they were. As a car he got to feel the earth beneath him, got to feel the wind blowing and experience whatever weather nature was dishing out. He felt exposed and, in a strange way, free. Ever since becoming human, he felt confined and guarded.
Once in a while, he'd get to sit shotgun. In those moments he'd roll the window down and lean out slightly. He'd close his eyes and just experience. He'd feel the wind, hear the sound of the tires against the road, smell the faint scent of gas mixed in with the fresh breeze and see nothing. He loved those moments and cherished each one deeply.
Chevy realized very quickly that with Dean and Castiel's forming romance he would be spending more time in the backseat. Chevy loathed the backseat. It was confining, and tight. It felt like a cage and he wanted nothing more than to be out of it. Chevy always found a way to let whoever was driving know he was not pleased in the back; but, after a while, they all learned to tune him out.
It was Castiel who suggested that they steal a vehicle with a large bed, much to everyone's surprise. Dean didn't like the idea, said he didn't like vehicles that had beds in the back. Sam, however, agreed and thought it would be a good way to get all their gear from one place to another. Chevy simply said that a vehicle is a vehicle: he had no preference.
Castiel returned with a 1967 Chevrolet El Camino (in black). Chevy couldn't help but chuckle at that; good ol' Cas, trying to please everyone. Clearly he had succeeded because Dean gave it an approving nod before shooting a grin at Cas. Chevy placed a hand on the hood of the car with a fond smile. The car was as old as he was and was still in good shape. He called the car beautiful and gently stroked the hood once before heading to the passenger side. He was ready to slide into the back seat when Cas stopped him.
"Chevy, there's a bed in the back," Cas said.
"Is that an invitation angel?" Chevy asked with a wink.
"No. It's just that this trip is going to take some time and I know how you get in cars," Cas said, "And I know how you feel. Being human…it's limiting. Confining." And Chevy can't help but blink at that. He had never thought about it, but it makes sense. Castiel, out of all of them, would understand exactly how he feels. Castiel had to learn to adapt, to be human. Castiel had to deal with being limited, restricted by the human body. For a moment, Chevy wished he had been a little nicer to Cas in the past.
"So what are you suggesting?" Chevy asked.
"Go sit in the bed," Castiel replied, offering a small smile, "Feel free for a little while. It might do you some good." Chevy couldn't help but give a smile of his own as he headed toward the back of the vehicle and hopped up into the bed.
"Hey angel!" he called out to Cas. Cas turned and gave him a questioning look.
"Thank you." Castiel gave him a nod before getting into the passenger seat.
Chevy leaned back and stared up at the sky, a large grin appearing on his face as he felt the engine rattle to life. The car began to move and Chevy closed his eyes. The wind was cool and crisp against his skin and there was a faint smell of smoke, gas, and earth as they kept moving. He could hear the crickets beginning to chirp as night crept in and the sound of the engine roaring. He wasn't sure what made him open his eyes, but when he did he gasped. He had never seen the stars look so clear and bright. He laughed in his bliss as he watched the stars dance in the night sky. And as they kept moving, Chevy finally felt it: freedom.
