Freaky Tuesday
It was hot out for a Tuesday afternoon in Sioux Falls, but that didn't stop the gang from doing a little yard work. Everybody but the angels was outside. Sam and Dean were cleaning the house gutters, pushing out the gunk that built up in them over the years. Jody and Kevin clipped tree branches that hung out over the driveway while Bobby and Alex put a fresh coat of paint on the house. While they all baked in the hot sun, the angels were inside. Lucifer slept on the couch with Custos, wings spread out and hanging off the edges of the cushions. Gabriel, Balthazar, and Castiel were doing something far more mischievous.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Castiel asked, looking at his and his brother's conjoined hands. They were all in a circle, holding each other's' hands loosely.
"Nope!" Gabriel shouted. He closed his eyes and his grace swarmed out around his and his brothers' bodies. Balthazar's own grace twirled around them and Castiel watched wearily before finally squeezing his eyes shut and letting out a little bit of his own grace. When he opened them he was staring at his body. He looked down at himself gasping as golden hair fell into his face.
"Awesome!" Balthazar gasped from Cas' body. "The body swap worked!" He looked around. "Who's who?"
"I'm Gabriel," Castiel revealed. He frowned at Balthazar and pulled his trench coat away from his brother, tucking himself back into his security blanket. It was tight on Gabriel's body though so he settled with just holding it.
"And I'm you, Balthy," Gabe said while fluffing at his new hair. "Who do you think is going to figure it out last?" The angels pondered over the thought.
"How about a bet?" Balthy decided. "I bet Dean."
"Nah, the Winchesters will be the first. My bet is on Kevin," Gabriel stated, dropping his hand from Balthazar's hair. He looked to Castiel. "Who do you think you'll lose, baby bro?" Castiel pointed a finger at the couch and his brothers turned, frowning at the ball of fuzz curled up on the middle cushion with Lucifer.
"Custos and Luci," Cas revealed.
"Permission to change vote?" Balthazar suggested, holding up his hand. Gabriel hushed him and pointed at the door as the door knob began to jiggle. Everyone stiffened, watching as Dean stepped inside. He was covered in sweat and his clothes were a dirty mess from the gunk that he had pushed out of the gutters. Old leaves were even sticking out of his hair. Dean smiled at them when he saw the three.
"What's up angels?" he said, walking towards the kitchen. The angels followed him, watching as Dean pulled a beer from the fridge. Dean pulled at the tab on the lid, but stopped for some reason. He frowned and looked at the angels standing in the doorway of the kitchen. His eyes skimmed over the three carefully until they stopped on Cas in Gabriel's body. "Gabe, why are you wearing Cas' trench coat?" He looked at Balthazar in Cas' body. "And why aren't you fussing about it? Are you finally growing out of it?" Cas bristled within Gabriel's body at the mere suggestion and clutched tightly at the tan fabric of his trench coat. Dean noticed this and frowned at the angel he thought was Gabriel. He knelt down and grabbed at the trench coat, tearing it away from who he thought was Gabe. Castiel screamed and tried to take back his coat. Fat tears brimmed in the corners of his eyes and his face heated up bright red. Dean quickly handed the coat back before Cas started crying. The angel hugged his coat tight and calmed down instantly like nothing had happened.
"Cas?" Dean questioned. The angel in Gabriel's body nodded and Dean raised a brow. He looked each of them over. "Balthazar? Gabriel?" he asked while looking at Cas' body and Balthazar's body. "You guys didn't happen to get a fortune cookie from some crazy Chinese lady at China Chef the other day, did you?"
"I don't understand that reference," Cas stated, tilting Gabriel's head to the side. Gabriel rolled Balthazar's eyes.
"No, Dean-O, we're not having a Freaky Friday moment." He patted at his body's shoulder. "Just helping Cas practice using his grace." He smirked then and looked to Balthazar. "By the way, you lose, Balthy," Gabe teased, jabbing his brother in the ribs with his elbow. Balthazar's shoulders drooped.
"Drat," he huffed. "Found out because of a stupid –" Cas glared at him and Balthazar cleared his throat. "…because of a very lovely coat."
"I'm not an idiot, Balt," Dean stated. "Even without the coat I'd still be able to tell. Your mannerisms are all still the same even with different bodies." The angels frowned in confusion and Dean rolled his eyes. The hunter pointed to Cas. "Take a look. Gabe you never sit this still or stiffly. Only Cas is like that." His eyes focused on Balthazar. "I don't really know how to explain it, but Balthy, you hold yourself more…coolly than your brothers." Balthazar huffed, raising a brow at the hunter.
"So you're saying we're bad actors?" Dean shrugged. "I'm saying that if you want to fool the others you're going to have to work on your techniques a bit." Dean glanced back out the window, watching as Alex held a ladder for Bobby as he painted the outside of the house. "Why don't you try Alex and Bobby next? I'm going to get washed up and start lunch." The angels nodded and Dean made his way to the shower. He glanced over his shoulder, wishing the angels luck before disappearing into the bathroom.
The angels looked back at each other, studying how the other stood and held their faces. They tried to mimic each other then, forcing their bodies to relax, stiffen, or slouch.
"I think we've got it," Gabriel said at last, leaning casually against the wall of the room. He looked at his brothers. Balthazar stood stiffly next to Cas with his shoulders slightly slouched forward. Castiel shifted from foot to foot and sucked at a piece of candy Gabe had conjured up for him. Satisfied, Gabe motioned to the front door and the angels filed out.
Alex smiled at them when they walked over.
"Hi, boys," she said with a bright smile. "Jody and Kevin could use some help if you're up for it." Alex pointed a few feet away where Kevin and Jody were snipping some low hanging branches casting over the driveway. Bobby glanced over his shoulder at the angels, looking down from his spot high up on the latter. His eyes focused on Castiel in Gabriel's body.
"Boy, what are you doing with Cas's coat?" The angels froze. The blasted coat did it again. Balthazar stared at the coat Cas was suddenly clutching closer to himself. Balthazar took in a deep breath and started fake crying.
"Gabby, won't give it back!" he sobbed loudly, fat globs of fake tears rolling down his cheeks. Cas stiffened in shock and Gabriel quickly knocked him out of it.
"Bloody hell, Gabe! Just give it back," Gabriel huffed. "Do you want to clean up broken windows later?" Cas chewed at his lip. He didn't want to give Balthy his coat, but he didn't want his brother to keep crying. What would Gabriel do?" Cas' eyes lit up and a mischievous Gabe-like grin crossed his face.
"You can have it, Baby bro," he said, holding out the coat. Balthazar reached for it, but Cas quickly pulled it from his reach. "If you can catch me!" He bolted then, dashing away from his brothers. Balthazar let out a frustrated sob and raced after Cas. Gabriel just stood there, watching his brothers run around the yard. He had to say; he was impressed.
"What's going on?" Sam asked, stepping out from around the house. He frowned, watching as Castiel and Balthazar chased each other. Kevin and Jody had even stopped what they were doing to watch the two. Gabriel grinned to himself. They'd done it. They'd fooled everybody –
"Gabe!" Sam called in a panic. Gabriel frowned, looking up at the hunter, but Sam wasn't staring at him. He was staring straight ahead with wide eyes. Gabriel turned his gaze, eyes widening. Castiel had stumbled and collapsed on the ground face first. Balthazar stood over him, rubbing his brother's back gently.
"Shit!" Gabe swore. He'd forgotten that they had to take it easy on the younger angel. He'd just gotten his grace after all. Gabriel snapped his fingers and both him and his brothers were put in their own bodies again. When Gabe opened his eyes he was lying on his belly and had skinned the palms of his hands on the gravel of the driveway. He groaned and sat up, finding Balthazar trying to hold up a very tired looking Castiel.
"Wait. What's going on?" Kevin questioned in confusion as he stared at the three. Sam stepped over to the three angels, looking them over carefully. His eyes widened.
"Did you three switch bodies?" he questioned.
"Had to test out Cas' grace somehow," Gabriel groaned, looking at his bloody palms like they were insulting him. He glanced up at his tired little brother. "By the way, I think you won the bet, baby bro," Gabe stated. Cas let out a tired cheer and slumped further into Balthazar's arms. Balthazar rearranged Cas in his arms. So the angel was behind him. He bent slightly. "Come on, Cassie, darling. Hop on." Cas nodded and crawled onto Balthazar's back. Balthy stumbled slightly at the added weight and used what was left of his grace to keep him from falling over. "Let's get you inside. You can rest with Lucifer and Custos." He started running then, racing past the others and into the house with Cas resting sleepily on his back.
Gabriel watched them go before looking down at his skinned up palms. He willed his grace to heal the small cuts, but they only sealed for about two seconds before turning back to the ugly red marks.
Two strong arms wrapped around him and Gabe cried out in surprised. He turned his head around; relaxing on seeing it was only Sam. The hunter looked over the scrapes on Gabe's hands and shook his head while carrying Gabe back towards the house.
"You can create whole new world, disguise your wings for hours, and swap bodies, but you can't heal a few small cuts for more than a second," the hunter commented shaking his head. "I don't get it." Gabe shrugged, flexing his hand gently and wincing at the pain it sparked. Healing was a whole other level when it came to using grace. It was more complex and harder to control.
"Just don't get stabbed anytime soon and we'll be fine," Gabriel huffed. Sam smirked down at his angel and pushed through the front door to Jody's home. He walked past the kitchen just as Dean walked out. The older hunter was cleaning off his hands with a towel. The hunter smirked at Gabriel giving him a wink.
"Hey, Gabe. Sammy, food's almost done."
"Okay, we'll be back in a bit," Sam stated, walking towards the bathroom. Dean gave them both a wave, disappearing into the kitchen again and Gabe smirked. It looked like Balthazar still had a chance in their little bet.
Thanks, Avalin Rose Ellyot, for the request!