Adam couldn't really tell how long he stayed cooped up in his own head, sitting in the park. He had retreated - not to the swings - but to the sandbox, seating himself on the edge and pulling his knees up to his chest, arms crossed over them, as he stared ahead blankly and thought. He knew Michael wouldn't let him get close enough to Dean to be able to hurt him, so he couldn't be out there with them. Every part of him ached to attack, not even to kill, but to hurt. To inflict pain, as much as possible. He wanted Dean to hurt the way he had. He wanted Sam to hurt the way he had. He wanted them to drown in the pain, he wanted it to suffocate them, he wanted to bring them to the brink of death, the very brink - and then leave them to suffer.

Something hot and wet built up at the corners of his eyes, and his face screwed up, eyes squeezing shut, scrunching up as he struggled to keep the tears back. He hadn't cried in so long, now, it felt like. Certainly not since his Transformation. And to cry now - over Sam and Dean, people he hardly knew, people who had abandoned him - would be… weak.

But even Adam couldn't stifle the heaviness building in his chest. It needed a release of some sort, and the demon didn't know what else to do. He couldn't release it the way he wanted to, Michael wouldn't let him; But, again, crying would be weak. Crying would be giving in to the horrible, twisting pain that had been building up for so long, the pain he'd been able to bury underneath years and years worth of anger and betrayal and the promise of revenge. And now, now that he was so close to the revenge he'd ached for, the revenge that had kept him going- it was ripped away from him just as easily, and he was lost.

The demon let out a shuddering sigh and buried his face into his knees, bringing his arms up over his head. Michael's concern didn't go unnoticed - and, while in some way, some part of Adam appreciated it, he also despised the archangel, loathed him, even, for denying him this. The closure, the justice, the revenge that he wanted - no, that he needed - now that it was just within reach. What good would it do for Michael, keeping Dean alive, anyway? And Sam, Sam had been the one that had landed them in the Cage! What the hell did it matter to Michael?

He must have sat there for hours, but even he wasn't sure. He still had an oddly warped sense of time, Hell had left him so scrambled on that particular aspect. He kept himself aware enough to know that Michael had ended up following them back to wherever they were staying - he had questioned them on the souls, and Sam and Dean had decided that it would be much easier to just bring them back to explain. Castiel was quiet, Adam hardly noticed him - but he did, only because Michael seemed particularly unnerved by his presence, and even when Adam was pissed as hell at him, he couldn't stifle the protectiveness he felt over the archangel.

On the way, Michael had retreated. Enough to be aware of what he was doing on the outside, walking along with Sam, Dean and Castiel, and enough to pull himself into the memory along with Adam, as well. The demon scowled a little when he appeared, mostly just to emphasize that, yes, he was still pissed off, but Michael didn't seem to care about that. Walking over, there was nothing but concern written across the archangel's features. A sickening amount.

"Adam…" Michael started, quiet and hesitant, as he settled himself down beside the demon and folded his hands in his lap. Adam spared him a glare out of the corners of his eyes, which were still blurry with the few tears that had welled up, but hadn't escaped. He reached one hand up, pressing his fingers into his eyesockets and drawing them together toward the bridge of his nose, easily clearing away the tears. "You're not a murderer."

"I'm a demon," Adam mumbled, rolling his eyes and looking away again. Michael sighed, about to say something, but the demon beat him to it before he could. "I just- I don't- they make me so mad, Michael, I just want to- ugh." He looked down, curling his hands into fists, hard enough to the point where his knuckles turned white. In response, Michael reached out, placing one hand over both of the demon's. Adam looked up, at this, the contact making him stiffen at once.

"I can't imagine…" Michael faltered, just for a second, seeming to hesitate. Adam just stared at him, already knowing what he was going to say, and why he had paused. He could imagine what it felt like to be left behind. He had been, too. The only difference was that he wasn't as angry about it as Adam was. Hell, maybe because Adam had enough anger for the both of them… The thought made Michael's lips twitch, bringing his attention back to Adam once more. "Yeah. Maybe," he echoed the demon's thoughts quietly, then took a deep breath. "Regardless, I can't imagine the… the anger you're feeling, Adam. But I made a mistake… with my brother."

Ah, yeah, that. The amount of guilt Michael felt when it came to Lucifer was… well, it was sickening, too. Adam sighed and glanced away, shaking his head. But it was different. Because Sam and Dean would have deserved it, what they got, if Adam could just get close enough to…

"I thought Lucifer deserved to be cast into- into Hell, Adam," Michael said quietly, and swallowed, as he continued, "and I was wrong about that. So, so wrong." Adam didn't respond, so after a brief moment of hesitation, Michael squeezed his hands gently before pulling away. The demon just stared down, his hands still tingling from the contact - both hating it and aching for more at the exact same time. "Listen…" Michael trailed off. "We're going-"

"With them, I know," Adam interrupted, a little sharper than he'd intended. Michael didn't flinch, but he did glance away, just for a second. The demon spared a glance upwards, then looked away again himself, bringing his arms up to wrap around himself with a sigh. Sure, he felt bad - he constantly felt bad, for snapping at the archangel, but that never stopped him from doing it again and again, and it certainly wasn't enough for him to apologize. "I know," he repeated, only a little calmer. "I don't really understand why, but… fuck, man, I don't care. I just- I wanna find Luce."

"I know. Me too." Michael went silent for a moment, lost in thought, and Adam shut his eyes. Only to open them again when, slowly, tentatively, Michael reached out and put a hand over Adam's shoulder, giving a small squeeze. "If Lucifer's involved with the gates and the Cage opening, then the Winchesters probably know something. Looks like they've been at this for a while." He leaned forward, trying to catch Adam's gaze, but the demon simply stared at the hand the archangel had pressed to his shoulder. "We'll only stay long enough to figure out what's going on, and then we're back to searching. Figuring out the details will help us more in the long run, you know?"

"Whatever, halo."

Michael hesitated slightly, not moving his hand, but his grip seemed a little softer now, uncertain. "... if you want to leave, we w-"

"Michael, it's fine," Adam insisted, finally risking a glance up at him. The archangel looked exhausted, somehow already having worn himself out. That burning, fiery protectiveness was back, worming its way up to the demon's chest. No matter how he felt about Sam and Dean… he hated them less than… however he felt about Michael. Even if he wasn't willing to admit that, to the archangel or to himself. "Details, and whatever- sure. I won't kill anyone, if that's what you're worried about. I have a little more self-restraint than that."

Michael nodded a little, looking relieved. Adam just stared at him for a moment, thinking. They both could use a rest, to be honest; Michael was stressed, yet again, and Adam… was slowly burning out. There was no real way to release his anger - not one that Michael would approve of or allow him to - and, yet, the conversation with Dean, being able to just say what he'd wanted to say to his brothers for years - it was almost enough, almost satisfying.

A part of him acknowledged that, maybe, Michael was right for once, and maybe it would be a little better to just talk it out with them. The rest of him shoved that thought way down, because the last thing he wanted was to have to push through a normal conversation with the Winchesters. He still hated them, and he couldn't see that changing in the future. But, regardless, Michael was right; If they knew anything about Lucifer, at all, it would be helpful. Because even they had to know a little bit more than Michael and Adam did at the moment.

"I'm sorry." Michael went quiet for a moment. Adam spared him a glance, eyebrows raising slightly at the apology, before the archangel continued. "I know how much you're hurting. But I can tell you that this… revenge… none of it's going to make it better. It's not going to make you hate them any less." He glanced up at the demon. "I don't want you to make the same mistakes that I did, Adam, you're much better than that."

Adam blinked, his breath catching for just a second as he stared at the archangel. There was no irritation, no urge to snap in response, but he couldn't seem to find the drive to say anything else. That heaviness in his chest was back, but it was a little different this time - stronger, less hurt and more despaired. But it made him feel weak all the same.

He didn't respond, not really sure how to. But he finally relaxed under the archangel's touch, his anger for Michael vanishing in an instant.

And that was just that; No matter what it was about, or why, or who, the archangel seemed to always find a way to diminish the fury with nothing more than a look, a word, a touch. Even when Adam was pissed off at him, he found he could never stay pissed for long. He could hold grudges like all hell, he could be angry at anybody else and stay that way forever; But with Michael, it was different, and he hated it. In so many ways, he hated it.

Adam shook his head a little, very nearly getting angry at himself over this, but Michael interrupted his internal scolding, glancing up. "I think we're here… some kind of school," the archangel mumbled, pulling his hand off of Adam's shoulder. The demon glanced over, part of him aching for the contact to return, aching to call Michael back as the archangel pushed himself up. The anxiety he had felt, at the beginning, when they had been ready to leave the Cage, returned, just for a second, as well. "Do you want to say here, or…?"

Shoving down the rest of the anxiety, the demon hesitated briefly before standing. Michael could keep him in line, and beyond that, it seemed as if all his motivation to hurt Sam and Dean had simply evaporated, anyway. Besides, it wouldn't be fair to force Michael to take full control now, not with how stressed he already was and how exhausted he seemed. A break would be good for both of them, it had been a while since they'd been able to stop, but for now, sharing control was their best bet. "Sure… I'm punching the angel."

Michael rolled his eyes, lips twitching slightly despite himself. "Yeah, you do that, get smited. I can't protect you from him," he warned, "he's just a little bit stronger than me at the moment." Adam arched an eyebrow at that, giving the archangel a curious look. I can't protect you from him. As if the demon would need protecting-

"He's a seraph, at the moment, Adam. They're very powerful. And I'm not at full strength," Michael reminded the demon, almost looking amused for a second.

"Mm…" Adam trailed off, considering that, then sighed. Okay, so, punching the dickhead angel was out… "Fine, whatever," the demon finally mumbled, shaking his head a little. "Come on." Michael only nodded, continuing to study him for a moment - if Adam didn't know any better, he'd almost bet that the archangel was checking to see if he was stable enough - before finally rising back up to take control again. After a moment, staring at where the archangel had been standing, Adam followed suit, bringing himself forward to take half control as they were led toward the building ahead.

Adam stopped them short, at once, upon seeing children outside. They were running around, playing in the grass, a few adults standing nearby to watch them carefully - hunters, it seemed like, as they were both holding guns. The demon wrinkled his nose a little bit. "Ew…"

Dean stopped walking and turned, bewildered, while both Sam and Castiel slowed to a stop just beside the demon, who shuffled a few steps back, uncomfortable with being so close - especially to Sam, in particular, who, now that he was looking at, he really wanted to punch.

Easy, Michael reminded him, and Adam resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He continued forward, ignoring Dean's confused "what?" and the looks exchanged between Castiel and Sam. He veered them sharply around the children - sneering slightly at one as he passed - and headed inside with a small scowl written across their face. You're so mean to those tiny humans… Michael complained internally, they're adorable.

"Really?" Adam questioned incredulously - maybe a little bit too loud. A few people inside turned to look; the demon simply gave most of them the death stare - but his gaze caught onto one being in particular. At first glance, he seemed normal, just kinda standing there, leaning against the wall. At a second glance, though, something was definitely off about him. His eyes were covered by sunglasses - even though he was inside - but the outer edges were slightly visible. And with the archangel and the demon's keen senses combined, looking closer, the skin around the shades seemed… burnt, almost.

That's definitely not a human, Michael mumbled. Adam's eyebrows furrowed slightly, simply continuing to stare. Not a ghost, either, though. Or an angel.

Demon? Adam suggested internally, and after a moment of staring, and a while of consideration, Michael gave an unspoken but reluctant agreement, as if he wasn't too sure. Adam simply continued to stare, flicking his eyes over the figure, until the others finally caught up to them. Castiel split from the group at once, leaving Dean and Sam with Adam as he headed straight to a red-headed woman in the corner, currently flipping through a book.

"Uh, just…" Sam slowed to a stop beside Adam, as Dean headed in the other direction, disappearing into a room. The demon glanced up, reluctantly tearing his gaze off of the maybe-demon, and took a few steps away from Sam. The hunter glanced at him, frowning. "Hang out here for a while, I guess. I gotta talk to Dean, but…" He gestured, his hesitant gaze lingering on them, before he took a few steps back and managed an awkward smile.

Adam waited for the anger, but there was none. Just a slight pulse of irritation. Which was most certainly odd, because Sam had been the one he had been most pissed off at. "Mhm," he responded and, after another moment of hesitation, Sam took a step back and followed after Dean. So much for getting answers, eh, Mikey?

They're probably debating on how much to tell us, Michael considered, though he didn't seem too pleased about that. Regardless, we're here… So, we might as well stick around and try and figure out what they know. The archangel paused, returning their gaze to the maybe-demon, who was now flipping through some kind of magazine. … He doesn't feel like a demon.

Whattya mean? Adam squinted a little, confused, as he glanced the guy up and down.

I don't know. It's weird. He's powerful- in a way that most demons aren't. Even the higher ones, like the Princes and the Knights… they don't have the kind of power I'm sensing from this one. Michael was silent for a while, and Adam frowned, taking a moment to consider that. But I don't know what else he could be. Who knows, maybe they've gotten stronger…

We've been down below for a long time, Adam relented, a lot's probably changed. Even the monsters. Maybe demons got more powerful, or something.

Maybe.

It's not our problem, Michael, Adam reminded him, sighing. Seriously, just give it a rest.

I know. I know. Still, Michael's gaze lingered longer than necessary; After a while, it was Adam who forced them to look away, shaking their head a little bit and leaning them back against the wall. It was a good opportunity for them both to rest, at least. As long as no children came up to them, Adam was perfectly fine with the arrangement; Sam and Dean were in another room, Castiel was practically unnoticeable, and the only unnerving thing was the maybe-demon wearing sunglasses indoors. A rest was most certainly welcome now.

… you wanna get a shower first? Michael questioned suddenly, and Adam's gaze flickered up. It was a high school - granted most schools had crappy shower rooms, but he'd take what he could get. A shower sounded even better than a rest, to be completely honest. Yeah, I thought so, the archangel murmured, amused. I'll let you do that, then. Meet'cha in the park when you're done.

Yeah, you got it, asshole. Adam shouldered himself away from the wall, and Michael withdrew the rest of his control, retreating completely to the back of their mind. The demon paused, sparing one last glance toward the maybe-demon, before heading off.

It wasn't a permanent arrangement - and thank God for that - but it was a little easier than what they had going on. All things considered. Even his good-for-nothing brothers.

Regardless, Adam just hoped they'd find Lucifer soon, because even this was starting to become far too much…