We didn't stay there in the peaceful little camp for much longer, sadly. We had to leave a day or two later, and in general managed to leave the woods in a new state via hitchhiking. It's not uncommon for campers to get lost, after all.

So over a few weeks we just… Went, I guess. Traveled around back down to Kansas. Cas told me he had never seen the world's second-largest ball of twine in Cawker, and… I don't know. It was an idea. I went with it. Castiel followed dutifully, asking questions about humanity as we went.

"Why create a large ball of twine?" He asked.

"It's one of those things that you just do, to see if you can do it." I answered as we walked, holding up a cardboard sign as we went. Long before then we'd sold the tent at a pawn shop I knew wouldn't ask questions, but I told Cas to keep the sleeping bag. It was his, and he proudly stored it in his backpack and used it when it was cold and I was keeping watch. When he asked if I wanted to use it, I always shook my head and told him I had my hoodie.

And now we were in another bus, a short one from a few towns over that was supposed to go through Cawker. "Why do humans feel the need to do these things?" He asked next. "Climb mountains, set records, spin the second-largest ball of twine… I thought it was simply human adventure, human spirit, but I feel there is something I am missing."

"What do you want to do most in the world?" I asked him in response. He thought for a minute.

"I do not know." He answered, still thinking. "Pass as human, I believe that would be an adequate answer."

"What if I told you that you couldn't do it?" I continued. "That it was impossible, something that couldn't be done. I mean, come on! An ANGEL," I hushed my voice on the last word. "Wingless and graceless, trying to make it as one of us common people? It can't be done."

"Why can't it?" He asked, starting to bristle. I laughed.

"Cool it, Cas. I was making my point." I explained. "That feeling you felt, that defiance and determination in here," I poked the center of his chest, and he stared down at the spot I pointed to. "That's what spurs people on to do things like that. Humans don't like being told we can't do anything, so we go out and do it. It's what spurs on our adventurous spirit."

"So, your kind does things because they detest being told they cannot?" He asked. I smiled.

"Almost right." I said. "You're one of us, now that you've felt it."

"Ah." He sat back, contemplating that.

He contemplated it all the way to the largest ball of twine. I'd splurged on a disposable camera, as a whim, so that he could take pictures if he wished. I knew it would cost money to get them developed and printed, but in my mind, by then we would have the money to do it. So Castiel took pictures, and I took the camera from him with a smile after a few minutes.

"Here, you get in the shot." I told him, holding up the camera. He stood in front of the ball of twine in question, and a little to the side. "Alright, put your hand out, palm flat, like you're pushing something."

Confused, he complied. "Tilt your hand a little to the back." I requested, lining up the shot. Once again, he complied. "Great! Now make an expression like you're pushing really hard with that one hand."

"What expression is that?" He asked, and oh my that confused expression was priceless in tandem with the appearance of him pushing a ball of twine. I couldn't help it, I took a picture. I was still happy.

"Pretend Dean and Sam are being irritable." I said. I could see the shift in his expression instantly, and snapped the picture. "Perfect!" I waved him back over to me. "You're good, I got the picture!"

"What was that supposed to accomplish?" He asked.

"When the pictures are developed, it'll look like you're pushing it with one hand."

"Oh." Castiel thought on that, then smiled. "That is a humorous photo idea."

"Yeah, Cas." I agreed. "It is. Here," I handed it back to him, the camera facing us now. I put us in front of the ball of twine, and looked to make sure it would be in the background. I hoped it would. "Take the picture."

"But it is facing the wrong way." Castiel asked as I scooted closer. He'd ditched his coat in the weather, and left it in his pack. I myself had ditched my hoodie, so he stood in a T-shirt Dean had given him before we'd left, and I in my normal tank top. We looked like a normal pair of people traveling around on vacation or something.

"It's supposed to, so that it can get a picture of us." I said. He looked over at me, confused, still holding the camera, and looked back up at him.

That's when I saw how close I was to him. I just stared at him for a minute, and he at me, both of us uncertain. He was uncertain about the picture, of all things, and whether it would work.

I was uncertain as to why I seemed to get so lost at the realization of us being that close.

I looked away quickly, back towards the camera. "Just take the damn picture and trust me." I told him, putting on a smile. I glanced over at him, and saw him still watching me, with a different expression on his face. "What? Did I get dirt around my eyes again?" I asked. He shook his head. "Then come on, smile!" I nudged him. "Face the camera and take the picture. It'll look great later, I promise!"

After a few more seconds of staring at me, I felt his gaze shift. I glanced back up at him. He still wasn't smiling.

"Come on, Cas! Work with me, here." I nudged him again, and he stared at the camera. "Smile! I know you can."

Finally, FINALLY, he cracked a smile, and I turned back towards the camera. "Alright, on three, hit the button." I told him.

He did, and on the last number I heard the small click of a disposable camera taking a picture.