I fixed "Alcohol", oneshot #1, so you guys can go back and look at it. It's MUCH better now. If you review that chapter, I have an extra bit that I'll PM to you (more info is in the Author's Note at the bottom of that oneshot).
I also decided to write and post an entirely new oneshot for y'all. I hope you like it!
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MAJOR SEASON 6 SPOILERS! (Scenes from 6x20)
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Crowley
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Crowley was no fool. He was a highly intelligent individual, and he know not only how to read people, but also how to manipulate them. That was how he'd gotten his status as King of Hell.
Over the past few years, he'd spend a good amount of time with the Winchester boys. So, naturally, he knew quite a bit about them and their angel friend, Castiel. Their strengths, their weaknesses, he knew everything.
Or at least, he thought he had.
He discovered something interesting while he and Castiel were working together.
The angel was obviously fond of the Winchesters, but Crowley had gotten the impression that Castiel underestimated them. He didn't seem worried about them at all, as if he had no doubts he could defeat them. Crowley simply didn't understand that. Castiel knew the Winchesters, and he certainly didn't seem like a complete moron. Actually, Crowley thought Castiel seemed rather intelligent.
So, perhaps it was something else.
Crowley watched Castiel carefully as they worked together. He didn't trust the angel already, but his connection with the Winchesters made him extra dangerous.
It took him a while to piece it together. It started with a conversation with his "partner".
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"You're distracted and that makes me nervous."
"I am holding up my end."
"Ah yes. But is that all you're holding?" Crowley stepped closer to the angel and leaned close, whispering in his ear, "See, the stench of that Impala's all over your overcoat angel."
Crowley pulled back and said, "I thought we'd agreed- no more nights out with the boys."
"I spoke with Dean. I needed to know what they know."
Crowley raised his eyebrows, as if he didn't know what Castiel meant. "About what? About me, maybe? 'Cause I happen to have it on good authority that your two little pets are currently trying to hunt me down!"
In a calmer voice, he added, "Forgive me. I think you might have a little conflict of interests here."
He may not know why, but he certainly sensed that Castiel was conflicted. It was concerning.
Castiel's eyes filled with feeling, and the angel looked away. Clearly, he knew Crowley was telling the truth.
"Please. I'm begging you Castiel. Just kill the Winchesters."
Cas looked at him and said firmly, "No."
"Fine. Then I'll do it myself."
There was a flicker of something in Castiel's eyes, something like fear. Still, his voice was hard as he replied, "If you kill them, I'll just bring them back again."
Crowley sneered. How could anyone care so much for menaces like the Winchesters?
"No you won't," he said threateningly. "Not where I'll put them- trust me."
"I said... No." Castiel reiterated. Then he sighed. "Don't worry about them."
"Don't worry about… What, like Lucifer didn't worry?" As Crowley spoke, his voice rose. "Or Michael? Or Lilith or Alistair or Azazel didn't worry?!"
Castiel looked away, obviously knowing Crowley had a point. Still, he managed to lift his gaze and meet the demon's eyes once more.
"Am I the only game piece on the board who doesn't underestimate those denim-wrapped nightmares?!" Crowley shouted at the angel.
"Just find purgatory," Castiel said calmly. "If you don't, we will both die again and again until the end of time."
Castiel turned and walked away, tossing one final thought behind him as he exited.
"The Winchesters won't get to you."
"Let them get to me!" Crowley yelled, though he couldn't even see Castiel anymore. "I'll tear their friggin' hearts out!"
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Later, Castiel decided to save the Winchesters yet again, resulting in the deaths of several of Crowley risks everything to save them.
As if he hadn't just betrayed Crowley, Castiel stormed in with the wrath of heaven in his eyes, "You sent demons after them?!"
"You kill my hunters. Why can't I kill yours?"
Castiel had marched right up to Crowley, spitting the next words in his face. "They're my friends."
"You can't have friends, not anymore," Crowley said, narrowing his eyes. It was like Castiel had completely forgotten what they were trying to do. "I mean, my God, you're losing it!"
"I'm fine," Castiel murmured unconvincingly.
"Yeah. You're the very picture of mental health," Crowley replied sarcastically. "Come on. You don't think I know what this is all about?"
Castiel's face was impassive, but purposefully made so. Crowley wondered what he was really feeling.
"Enlighten me," he challenged.
"The big lie- the Winchesters still buy it. The good Cas, the righteous Cas. And as long as they still believe it, you get to believe it. Well I got news for you, kitten," Crowley teased, "A whore is a whore is a whore."
Castiel surged forward, slamming Crowley against the wall. The wall broke apart where he hit it, and Crowley felt a trickle of fear run down his spine. Castiel looked the demon in the eyes with hatred and anger.
"I'm only gonna say this once. If you touch a hair on their heads, I will tear it all down. Our arrangement…" Castiel shook Crowley roughly, "everything. I'm still an angel and I will bury you."
Castiel moved back slightly and then vanished. Crowley pushed himself off the wall and dusted himself off. How were he and the angel going to work together when Castiel had such an attachment to the two hunters?"
Frustrated, he yelled at nothing in particular, "This is not how synergy works!"
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Not long after that, the Winchesters found out about Castiel's partnership with Crowley. Aparently, they weren't as loyal to him as he was to them, because they turned on him immediately, and Crowley had to come rescue the angel.
Crowley came in the building to find Cas in a ring of holy fire, looking rather heartbroken. His eyes looked glassy, as if tears were fighting to break free, but Crowley couldn't be sure he'd really seen it because as soon as Castiel saw Crowley, the angel mustered up a tough expression.
"My, my. Playing with fire again?" Crowley remarked. He snapped his fingers, putting the fire out.
Castiel surged forward immediately. "If you touch the Winchesters..."
Crowley popped up behind Castiel, catching him by surprise. "Please. I heard you the first time. I promise- nary a hair on their artfully tousled heads. Besides, I think they've proven my point for me. It's always your friends, isn't it, in the end?"
Castiel looked away.
Bitterly, Crowley said, "We try to change, we try to improve ourselves; it's always our friends who got to claw into our sides and hold us back."
Then he chuckled. "But you know what I see here? The new God and the new devil, working together."
"Enough," Castiel said firmly, but even he threateningly stalked up to Crowley, his eyes still looked broken. "Stop talking. And get out of my sight."
"Well. Glad I came. You're welcome by the way." He walked past Castiel and almost went out the door, but turned around at the last second, facing at Castiel's back. "You know the difference between you and me? I know what I am. What are you, Castiel? What exactly are you willing to do?"
Crowley left Castiel to his thoughts.
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Crowley thought about the whole thing a lot after that. How devoted Castiel was to the Winchesters, how willing he was to throw it all away for them, how devastated he was when they learned of his betrayal.
And then, when Crowley took Dean's ex-girlfriend Lisa and her son Ben as insurance, Castiel went nuts. Crowley had to angel-proof the building he was holding them in order to keep Castiel out.
It was all so… strange. When Castiel confronted Crowley about it, Crowley couldn't sense that the angel cared about the two humans at all. In fact, the only reason it bothered him at all was that they mattered to Dean.
That seemed like a recurring theme with Castiel. It wasn't that he didn't care for Sam, but it seemed to Crowley that the angel placed a lot of importance on his well-being just because it was so important to Dean.
Actually, when Crowley first approached Castiel about forming a partnership, he'd found Castiel watching Dean rake leaves. There has been the saddest expression on Castiel's face. And before he agreed to speak with Crowley, Castiel had given Dean one last look, a look one might call longing.
Plus, when Castiel betrayed Crowley and took all the souls for himself, it was almost like he was trying to prove something to the Winchesters, as if he were saying he was still good.
Crowley rather hated Castiel after that, but then there was the whole thing with Dick Roman and he teamed up with the hunters again.
The look on Dean's face whenever he talked about Castiel reminded Crowley of his previous musings regarding their relationship. One day, he finally figured it out.
They were in love.
Of course, neither the hunter nor the angel realized it, which Crowley had to admit was amusing. He often wondered if the two of them would ever wake up to the fact that they loved each other.
Crowley sighed. Bloody fools, they were. Perfect for each other.
Not that he cared.
I mean, he nurtured an intense hatred for them both. They both seemed to enjoy screwing him over on a regular basis. So he really shouldn't care at all whether they were or weren't together.
And yet… Crowley wondered if there were a way to get the two to realize their affections
"No, no, no. You're losing your head," Crowley murmured to himself.
He needed a new hobby.
Snapping his fingers impatiently, Crowley called, "Someone! Get me a monster to torture! Come on, hurry up! I need something to do!"
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REVIEW!
I realize that's a weird way to end a oneshot, but it's the best I could come up with. Sorry :)
