Three Men and A Car
Of Feathers and Wings
Castiel appeared in the seedy motel room, cradling in his arms all the ingredients the Winchesters needed for a spell. Much to his surprise the two of them were sitting at the table hunched over books with something black lying on the table. Cas tilted his head as he heard Dean whispered.
"I'm not going to ask him you ask him." He looked at the thing on the table
"Dean you two have a profound bond remember. I don't feel comfortable asking him about it." Sam said
Castiel blinked and realized they didn't notice he was there yet. "Hello Dean, what is that you two are inquiring about it?"
The two Winchesters practically jumped out of their skin.
"Wow geez man!" Dean shouted and he patted his chest. "I'm going to put a freaking bell around your neck."
The angel tilted his head and said. "Bells are intended for pets I am not your pet." He walked up to the table.
"Well make some sort of noise when you come in, cough, fart or something." Dean ran his hand through his hair then looked up at the angel. "Scare me one more time Cas I'm going to sew a bell in your tie."
Sam laughed. "Careful Cas he might do it."
The angel frowned. "I brought what you needed." He held out the items. "What were you two talking about?"
Sam and Dean looked at each other, then at Cas then back at each other. "Well we," Dean started.
"The thing is," Sam started then shook his head.
Dean rolled his eyes and picked up what Cas realized was a feather off the table. "Dude… is this yours?" He asked as he held out the long feather.
"It's way too big to be any feather for any bird I know." Sam said
The two brothers looked at Cas. They reminded him of curious children. He smiled to himself as he sat the items down on the table. "Yes that is my feather." He stated matter of fact.
"You have feathers?" Dean asked. He looked the feather over then looked back at Cas
"Yes Dean, I have wings you should know that I showed them to you in that barn." Cas said
"But with actual feathers on it." Dean sat the feather down then looked at Cas with the most serious face the angel had ever seen. "Dude are you part bird?"
Sam looked at his brother with bitch face number 15. "Dude are you drunk?"
Dean shook his head. "No not yet but I might need one if Cas tells me he's a giant chicken."
Cas simple blinked. "Why would I be a giant chicken?"
"I don't know! Maybe you're actually some big ass crow!" Dean shouted and waved his hands. He picked up the feather again and studied it. "I found it wedged in the seat cushions it freaked me out at first."
"Well Dean I can assure you I am not a 'big ass crow'." He said and used air quotes.
"What did I tell you about doing that?" Dean groaned.
Sam took the feather from him. "So if this is yours how come we can look at it and have our eyes burn out."
"Simple. When my wings shed a feather what every realm they fall in is how they appear. If I loss one in heaven then they are glowing and bright just like the rest of me, but here on Earth they look like a regular feather."
"So you actually have big fluffy wings?" Dean asked with a slight giggle.
"Well they aren't fluffy but I have wings, all angels have them."
"I knew that I just didn't expect the feather." Dean responded and he took the feather back from Sam
"So this whole time you've been here you've been leaving feathers?" Sam asked
Cas nodded. "Probably a lot in your car, a few at Bobby's place," He gave his trench coat a shake and two more fell out. "And some stuck in my coat. I usually loss one or two when I fly."
"Why are they black though?" Dean asked as he picked up one of the new ones that came from the coat. "Is it a carpet matches the drapes situation?"
Sam glared at him. "Dean." He scolded
Cas tilted his head. "I don't see what window dressing has to do with wings but my wings are black." He crossed his arms across his chest and frowned. He was still having problems understanding human language and Dean's more so than Sam's really confused him.
"I figured they would be white." Sam said
Cas shook his head. "No I know that is a popular image in angel imagery that we all have white wings but our wings are different colors. Some have more than two wings, some of us have very flashy feathers, sometimes our feathers are dull, and some do have white wings."
Dean blinked. "I figured all you flying dicks looked alike."
Cas ignored the jab and shook his head. "No, much like humans we are do not look the same. That is how we tell each other apart."
Sam nodded. "That's neat." He looked over the black feather. "So you have black wings? What about the archangels?"
Dean frowned. Now Sam was curious about the angels, great. Last thing he wanted to hear was about different angels' wings.
Cas raised an eye brow. "They also have different wings. I haven't personally seen them other than Gabriel's and he's were blue."
"Now we know see any freakishly large blue feathers its Gabriel's." Dean mocked
"Anna's," Cas continues unprompted. "Her feathers were red with pink highlights, they were considered beautiful among the garrison, Uriel's changed colors depending on the light, Balthazar's are tan almost a gold color and mine is as you see are black."
"Interesting." Sam said. He sat the feather down and started to pick up the ingredients together for the tracking spell.
"You should keep my feathers they are used in a lot of powerful magic." Cas suggested.
"That's odd man that's like keeping a lock of someone's hair or something." Dean said with a frown.
Cas tilted his head. "No my feathers may become quite helpful to you one day. If I find anymore I shall bring them to you." And with that the angel vanished and left the two boys alone.
Dean rolled the feather in his hand and looked to the floor to see if Cas dropped another. He looked at the feather in his hand it was a large reminder that Castiel was indeed not human. If he had any doubt for whatever reason in his heart it was long gone now. He started at the black feather, it was beautiful and he wondered what his wings actually looked like.
"Hey dude you going to help me with this are you going to keep staring at your boyfriend's feather." Sam snidely remarked
"Shut up." Dean said. He laid the feather off to the side. He wouldn't admit it out loud but it was interesting. He made a note when he got Cas alone he would ask him more about his wings. He mentally scolded himself for it but then he lied to himself and told himself it was for research. Yeah research… what did angel wings look like? Would they fill him with awe as this single feather did? He picked up his book and started reading from it. "Okay first we need to mix," He continued on to give Sam step by step instructions, his eyes would sometimes go to the feather and feelings he couldn't explain would wash over when he looked at it. He smiled defiantly he was going to ask him about his wings next time he seen him. Yes sir.
