.-.-.-.-.
Fishsticks
.-.-.-.-.

Adam floated past the gravelly bank where he had painted his sign. He admired the way it glittered in the sunlight—it had taken a small amount of begging and the promise to stay with the sign's upkeep, and he had gotten his sequins and even a few rhinestones. He chirped happily to himself as he ducked under the water to find something for lunch.

When he resurfaced, large trout in hand, he found Azazel staring at his sign critically. He almost dove back down, but Azazel had seen him. He sighed as he was waved over and slowly swam to the shore. He grimaced when he saw that Azazel was holding an empty vial.

'I'll be needing some scales and another fluid sample,' Azazel said as he crouched down and pulled a pair of pliers from his pocket.

Adam's fins pressed tight against his tail. 'How about after I've had lunch?'

'We can either do this here and now or later. In the infirmary,' Azazel threatened.

Adam licked his lips and looked around, hoping to catch sight of either Michael or Lucifer. As good of a life as he had in his small lake, he dreaded the moments Azazel would come for his checkups. Even the other specialist was better than this man. He had tried to convince his keepers that as abrasive and rude as Crowley was, at least he didn't treat Adam like livestock.

'Later,' Adam haughtily replied. 'In the tank.' He used his tail to pull himself back into deeper water until he could properly swim again. He eyed the hateful glare he was receiving as he swam backwards, not willing to take his eyes off Azazel until he was a good distance away. He took a deep breath and slowly sank beneath the water's surface. Once he was fully under, he darted away, skimming along the bottom of the lake as he made his way to the western edge of the lake where a cluster of buildings sat. The lake turned into a deep channel that lead into one of the low buildings. He paused before crossing the threshold where the channel turned into a large tank. A few large fish swam past, paying him no mind.

He made his way to the top of the tank and grabbed onto an overhanging platform. As he pulled himself up, he gave a swift beat from his tail to propel him upward and out of the tank. He pulled his tail from the water and looked around the large, darkened room, frowning when he saw the box by the steps leading up to the top of the tank that normally held his clothing was empty. Azazel was one step ahead of him. He should have known the human would catch on to his habits sooner or later.

He hissed a few obscenities and crossed his arms in dismay. The telltale tingle in his tail began, and he almost stuck it back in the water, but something made him stop. There were lab coats in a closet not too far down the hallway. There was a slim chance someone would see him running around naked, but… It certainly wouldn't be the first time. 'Oh, fuck the coat,' he said with a grin.

Maybe Miss Kismet would give him a new glittery shirt if she saw him.

.-.-.-.-.

Dean was sitting on the bed behind Charlie, watching as she worked away on her laptop. The desk was littered with notes, discs, and external drives. She set aside one drive and plugged in another before pulling its contents up on the laptop.

'This is boring,' Dean whined as he flopped back on the bed to glare at the ceiling. He clicked out his displeasure and gave a sharp whistle.

Charlie chirped back with a smile. 'You could always help Sam pack,' she said.

He remained silent before propping himself onto his elbows. 'I was kicked out,' he said with a pout. 'Apparently, I get too distracted by snowglobes.'

'They are great. The way the glitter and snow just swirls and falls,' Charlie said wistfully. She sighed, closing her eyes to imagine it. 'So pretty. I'm not allowed to keep any in the house, but I have a few stashed in the shed back home. I do, however, have a wall of crystal. Cut glass, animals, some blown glass… And when the early morning sun streams in through the window… Oh, it is so worth the compromise.'

Dean nodded as he sat up. 'Cas said he was gonna give me a room, but I have to promise to keep the door closed. He also mentioned showing me his old drag outfits,' he said with a wide grin.

Charlie let out a high pitched squeal and spun in her chair to face Dean. 'I have to be in on that! I need to see those dresses up close! Since he doesn't do it anymore, do you think he'll let me have one? Or two?'

'I don't…think so,' he said, uncertain how much of Castiel's personal life he could discuss with Charlie. Castiel had mentioned only doing drag on holidays anymore, but Dean had no idea when holidays were nor how many. 'You'd be better off asking him.'

Charlie pouted a little before glumly turning back to her screen. 'I'll have to catch him on a good day, then. From what Gabriel says, you never know when that is. He just goes for it and hopes for the best. Damn the consequences and all that.'

'I don't think that's the best route,' Dean said. 'I mean, look what happened when I showed him I was a mermaid. Fucking broke him.'

Charlie snorted in amusement as she worked away on synching up one of Gabriel's monologues with a collection of panning shots from around the island. 'Humans are pretty easy to break,' she agreed. 'Y'know what I'd love to know? How Crowley took it when he found out. I've worked with him a couple times, and he's such a dick. Reliable and pays on time, but a total fucking dick.'

'Cas seems to like him,' Dean said. 'And I'm using that word as loosely as possible. They're really weird around each other. Like…like two people after the same mate, and then, right in the middle of a er…mating display, they start fucking each other,' he explained. He sighed, clicking out his frustration. He had seen such a thing happen back in his old colony, but never between anyone who had already been mated.

'Some people are just like that,' Charlie said with a dismissive shrug, making Dean feel a bit of relief. 'If you meet the producers' personal assistant, she gives off that vibe with everyone. Oh, and just a warning about Michael and Lucifer… They're…'

'Cas said they're fucking each other on the sly.'

'Of course he wouldn't use any tact with that,' she muttered. 'Just don't…say anything about it to them or anyone. They get off on thinking they're being secretive or having everyone think they're being taboo. But they're not, and it's stupid, and they're stupid. Avoid them if at all possible.'

'Sure, but what's taboo?'

.-.-.-.-.

'I don't like him,' Adam whined as he spun around in Michael's chair. He had eventually grabbed a lab coat, but hadn't bothered to fasten the front. 'He's always after my scales or my "fluids",' he said, badly imitating Azazel's tone. 'Y'know, I was fine when he just wanted spit and piss. That's easy. This? This is fuckin' weird.'

'Language,' Michael quietly chastised as he crossed the room to pick up a paper that lay on top of a small stack on his desk. 'You were due for a checkup this week, but Crowley is unavailable.'

'He stole my clothes!'

'They're in the laundry. Atropos confirmed.'

'Well, I didn't put them there, and I know I didn't ask for 'em to be cleaned! Wanna know what he wanted me to do the last time I had a "checkup"? He told me to make a pearl. He wants me to go out of my way and make one! That's so sick! No one does that! You do that for mates! And it has to be a surprise, and…' He sighed and slumped back in the chair, almost tipping it. 'I don't wanna be reminded of being a useless fuckup that no one wants. Some loser second-mate runt.' He pulled his knees to his chest and hugged them tightly. 'Why couldn't I have been more like my brothers? Sunny was good-looking, and even Freckles was a kickass hunter. Looked like crap, but at least he could survive on his own. I can barely catch those feeder fish you drop in the lake.' He buried his face in his knees and shook, trying to keep from crying. 'It's not fair!'

'Once Castiel's contract is worked out, then you won't have to deal with Crowley anymore. How's that sound?'

'I'm not talking about Crowley!' Adam screeched. 'Azazel! Azazel asks for all the weird shit when Crowley's not around!' He clicked softly, torn between wanting to stay and leave. Michael and Lucifer had been nothing but kind (albeit like pet owners), but he was happier than he had been with his colony. He didn't have to prove himself to anyone, and no one was aware that he wasn't the strongest swimmer nor ineffective hunter. The only problem was Azazel.

Michael set down Castiel's contract and furrowed his brows. 'But you're always complaining about Crowley.'

Adam breathed in slowly to calm himself. 'He's mean, but at least he's not creepy. He just does what he's s'posed to and leaves. He asks stupid questions about culture and gets huffy when I don't answer, and if he asks for something weird, and I say "no", then he drops it. He waits a couple checkups before asking if I changed my mind. Azazel? He just demands it.' He glanced up and swallowed at the look of rage on Michael's face.

He looked back down and nodded to the forgotten contract, hoping to distract Michael. 'So uh…since you're looking for new blood… Lucifer probably mentioned it? Alfie? Samandriel? He seems nice.'

'He already has a job,' Michael replied distractedly.

'I could still meet him. He could come visit me. You could set up regular check-ins with the film crew.'

'I don't think that's a good—'

'Oh, come on! You and Lucifer have each other! Why do I have to be alone?!'

'We're brothers, not—'

Adam drew a frown and glared. 'Not blood brothers. Humans aren't the only ones that take in the children of the dead.'

'I wouldn't call hopping foster homes and juvie being taken in,' Michael muttered. 'All right. I'll look into getting Samandriel here, but, if he does drop by, you will need to be more careful. No running around like this,' he said, gesturing to Adam's state of undress.

'As long as no one's stealing my clothes, then it won't be problem.' Adam flinched back as the anger returned to Michael's expression. 'I mean… I just… Can I have a second stash? That only I know about?' he asked quietly, hoping he wasn't upsetting Michael. He didn't want to lose all the privileges he had.

'Very well. Although, you might also want…plainer clothing.'

'I like my unicorn shirt,' he mumbled.

'At least reconsider the leggings,' Michael said as the door to his office opened. A blonde woman wearing glasses and carrying an armful of clothing entered. 'Thank you, Atropos. And when you get a moment, can you find Lucifer? He's been avoiding me, and we need to speak.'

Atropos nodded curtly and handed the clothing to Adam, smirking as Michael grimaced. 'I was shopping the other day, and I think I found something that just might suit you.'

Adam looked up from pulling on the pair of hot pink leggings with sparkling, silver zebra stripes. 'Really?'

'Mmhm. Really bright yellow with a dark green dinosaur silhouette. I have some fabric glue and glitter. I could embellish it for you. Maybe some stars. Plus, I found my Bedazzler the other day.'

Adam grinned and nodded rapidly as he gave a stream of excited whistles and clicks. Beside him, Michael closed his eyes and tilted his face to the ceiling.

.-.-.-.-.

AN: Lemme know if there's any glaring plot holes. I was already using the wrong name for one established character, so there's a good chance I screwed something else up, too.