Title: Oadriax (8/13)
Fandom/Genre: Supernatural, Sci Fi, Drama, AU
Pairing(s): Dean/Castiel, Sam/Gabriel
Rating: NC-17

Warnings: Graphic violence and warfare, adult themes including sex, canon character deaths, demon xenophobia, swearing, gore (in a war situation), PTSD and an attempted non-con situation.

The trip out to the home tree was a blur. Sam was a babbling mess, over excited and wildly gesturing. Dean sat in a stupor for most of the journey, giving Sam a nod or grunt of agreement occasionally when he was prompted. It was only when they landed and had picked their way through the forest that Dean began to relax.

As they approached the tribe, some of the young ones flocked towards them, squealing at the prospect of newcomers.

Some of the older ones recognized Bobby and flocked around him, chattering happily. Bobby replied in Enochian, eyes crinkled with joy. The youngest fledglings of the group weren't as interested in the scientist, instead amassing around Sam, staring up at him in awe. A few brave souls latched onto his long legs, giggling as he bent down to speak to them.

Back in the presence of many, watching his brother finally live out his dream, Dean could actually forget about Alistair. He could forget about demons, or dream angels, and pretend for a little while that everything was as rosy as Sam saw it, that everything would work out okay.

But there was a reason Dean was here, and he couldn't hide from it forever. After using his stilted Enochian to ask where Castiel was, a serious looking female angel pointed Dean towards the field of Levithmong, flicking her wing rudely as he passed.

His boots scuffed the worn dirt path, and Dean sullenly kicked at a small clump of grass, shoving his hands deep into his jean pockets as he hunched his shoulders forward. A stiff knot of nerves bunched in his belly, his heart giving a worried thump as he rounded the tree and the Levithmong field stretched in front of him.

Castiel was there, wings slack and relaxed at his back as he patted the beasts around him. The Levithmong had gathered close to him, and the angel was talking to them, round syllables that hummed through the cool morning air. The creatures responded with contented rumbles of their own, a large male bumping his ridged forehead against Castiel's shoulder.

The damp grass dragged against the rough fabric of his jeans as Dean made his way towards the angel, his steps heavy. He felt unexplainably nervous. His dream from the night before was fuzzy now, unreal. But he could still remember what had happened. It was one thing to dream of Hel. Fuck, he'd been doing that longer than he could recall, but dreaming of kissing a dude? An alien at that?

Just how messed up was he really?

Castiel heard him approach and turned, blue eyes bright in the morning sun as he recognized the human. "Dean. You came."

The weight pressing on his shoulders eased, and Dean smiled back. He could do this. If he could handle Hel, he could handle…whatever this was.

"Hey, Cas."

The angel's mouth curled at the name, eyes affectionate. Dean looked away, stumbling slightly as a Levithmong immediately sidled up to him, bumping his arm with its broad head. "We riding again today? Cause I gotta tell you dude, I'm still walking funny from yesterday."

His stomach gave a lurch at his choice of words, and Dean cringed inside. He shoved at the over-enthusiastic Levithmong currently leaning up against him, but the beast didn't budge.

Castiel watched his efforts with a smile. "No. I thought we would practice sparring today. It is important you learn how to fight according to our ways."

Dean arched an eyebrow, giving in and allowing the Levithmong to nuzzle up against him. "You mean no embarrassing myself today? Sam will be so disappointed."

To his shock, Castiel didn't look surprised at the mention of Sam. The angel ducked his head, concentrating on the creatures milling around them. "If he so desires, I'm sure your embarrassment can be arranged."

"Cas, you dog!" Dean grinned, nervousness disappearing. "You knew Sam was coming? How?"

Castiel shrugged, but Dean could see the smile the angel was trying to hide. "I may have, mentioned something to Michael about allowing certain humans back into the clan."

With a happy laugh, Dean reached out to clap the angel on the shoulder without thinking. The skin beneath his fingers was warm, and Dean hurriedly dropped his hand as he realized what he had done. Castiel didn't seem to mind, smiling uncertainly at him as Dean pulled away.

Dean punched him lightly on the arm in a much manlier manner. "You're awesome. The kid nearly died from a geekasm this morning. You have no idea what this means to him."

The smile immediately left Castiel's face, his dark brows drawn together as he looked at Dean with concern.

"Died?" he echoed. "Is he well? It was not my intention to cause any harm."

Dean couldn't help it. The laughter forced from him, dragged from his lungs in heaving gasps. Castiel's wings fluffed with shock, and Dean bent over double in an attempt to get ahold of himself. But one glance towards Castiel and his worried, puffed crow impression, would set him off again, laughs wrung once again from Dean's aching chest. Dean flailed helplessly, gasping as he wiped his eyes.

"Never change, Cas," he wheezed, shaking his head.

Sam really couldn't believe he was here. Really here, not just staring longingly at holos or pictures in books. Here with the angels, not just staring up at the night sky and squinting at stars.

Castiel's wings were swept back, keeping him balanced as he easily dodged Dean's lunge as the two sparred in the bright midday sun. They both wielded wooden spears, blunt at both ends for safety. Castiel spun on his feet, wings moving with the line of his body and allowing him to move much more smoothly than Dean seemed to. The sunlight caught the various hues of dark blue and greens hidden amongst the black, and Sam couldn't help but gawk. It was astounding how much variance there was between angels and their wings. Castiel definitely stuck out from the other usual browns and crèmes; none of his siblings seemed to boast the same coloration.

Perhaps it wasn't genetic? Maybe more environmental, like the effects of temperature or diet?

Hunched over his lap in the shade, Sam scribbled down page after page of notes. Now and then, he'd sketch a lopsided drawing he then carefully labeled with tiny lettering. Bobby was busy establishing himself back within the tribe with Michael and Raphael, leaving Sam to his own research.

Or fan-girling as Dean kept calling it. He was probably right too.

Sam had settled down under a small shrub-like plant that still managed to tower over him; its leaves trailing curiously along his arms as he sat propped against the springy trunk. Back on the Citadel, when Sam had been studying, there had been a large public garden with tropical plants. The air always smelt sweet with honeysuckle, warm and humid as it pressed against his skin. Sam had taken Jess there on one of their first dates, tripping over the scientific names of each plant as she had laughed. Occasionally, he had taken his text books with him there to study. Sitting on the hard wooden bench nestled beneath an ancient palm, he could almost pretend he was really on Oadriax. That he was really listening to the calls of a lone Rageba, or the mating hum of a Peleryptix. Not stuck on Earth.

All of his adult life he'd been dreaming of this moment, and now it was really happening.

Oadriax was nothing like the Citadel garden. Oadriax was a wild oasis of possibilities and life, the culmination of Sam's life work and…and…he didn't even know where to start.

Should he document behavior or wing spans? Culture? Language?

A sharp crack interrupted Sam's inner debate, and Dean hollered out in the field, nursing his now bruised knuckles. Castiel flapped forward worriedly, and with an evil grin, Dean took the opportunity to hit out at the angel's legs, causing Castiel to go tumbling. A burst of laughter to Sam's right made the decision for him, and Sam smiled to himself as he began furiously sketching.

Beneath his pencil, something came to life. He was by no means a great artist, but Sam had prided himself on being able to sketch relatively well. Slowly two broad wings took shape, the feathers slightly tattered and worn in places, a tell-tale indicator that it was a mature angel who had seen a few seasons. Below that, his pencil followed the smooth curve of a shoulder, a pair of strong shoulders tapering down to a sturdy waist. The long column of a neck, the flick of a jaw and chin.

Now, if only he could get the eyes right, laughing and g-

"Hey good-looking, come here often?"

Sam squawked in alarm, notebook pages crinkling as he scrambled to cover his drawing. His face felt on fire as he recognized the angel looking down at him with the exact same eyes he had been trying to draw.

"I uh, Gabriel! I…I was just-"

Gabriel grinned down at him, apparently deciding Sam was more interesting to pester than the two sparring. "I'm just messing with ya, kid. Bobby wizened up to my teasing years ago. I've been searching for greener pastures ever since."

Gabriel flopped down beside him, wings stretching happily and rustling the leaves.

"And right now, you're my greener pasture. Congrats!"

Sam hurriedly tucked his notebook away into his side satchel. Gabriel sighed happily beside him, legs folded serenely beneath him. He looked so normal, so human, save for the feathery appendages.

And man, what appendages.

Sam knew from his studies that the wings were firmly fused to the scapula, could even see where the soft feathers that lent the Ne'gassagen their camouflage, ended, and human skin began. It baffled scientists as to why they had feathers in the first place, and theories were still running a bit wild. Some angels had wings build for speed, others for fighting; each angel seemed equipped for a different role in the tribe.

And Gabriel's…Sam's hands itched to reach out and touch them. They were broad, with blunt wide feathers built for silence. They reminded Sam of an owl, flecked with brown and white, less defined and streamlined than Castiel's. Probably helped explain why the angel kept sneaking onto the base, with a silent glide, no-one would hear him.

Another gaggle of young angels scurried by, giggling. Fledglings they called them back in the Citadel, the term written down in old musty books. Sam watched them with a smile, the heat slowly leaving his face. Their tiny wings flapped in excitement as they gawked over towards Sam, murmuring to each other with hushed voices. Sam found his eyes straining to pick out a little fledgling in the crowd, a laughing child with tawny wings and mischievous eyes.

"So, which one's yours?" Sam blurted, slamming his mouth shut in mortification as his brain caught up with his mouth.

Goddammit, he waited over a decade to get here and then immediately turns into a little schoolgirl first chance he gets. They must think he's such an idiot-

Gabriel chuckled, snapping Sam back to the present.

"None. I never really got a chance."

Sam turned at that, surprised. His embarrassment leeched away, replaced by scholarly curiosity. Gabriel was an elder baltoh, he would have been one of the first to mate according to clan culture. "You never had a mate?"

"Well now I never said that," Gabriel winked at him. "I did, once upon a time. Kali left me for someone else. Something about me never taking things seriously."

Sam smiled. "Sounds like you."

He could have slapped himself.

That's it. I'm digging a hole and staying there forever. Here lies Sam and his stupid big mouth, killed by enraged angels because he couldn't stop insulting the baltoh-

Gabriel merely laughed, eyes twinkling with mirth and Sam relaxed slightly.

"And what would you know about me, Sammy-boy?"

There was a playful challenge there, Gabriel's blunt flight feathers just shy of brushing against Sam's back.

"Enough," Sam smiled uncertainly. "I mean, from what I've studied."

Gabriel looked pleased, chin hitched a little higher and wings flexing. "You mean you read books about me? Good taste, Sam, good taste."

Sam ducked his head, puffing at the hair that fell into his eyes. "I read a lot about you guys," he admitted. "I thought…I thought you mated for life."

Gabriel didn't seem to mind his curiosity. The angel shrugged, rustling the foliage around them. "Only if you bond. Me and Kali, we were all fire but no kindling. Don't regret it though. That girl knew how to move."

He winked, waggling his eyebrows and making Sam laugh. "Was like she had hands everywhere."

Another shout signaled Dean had lost the spar, Castiel's voice triumphant. Gabriel ignored them, eyeing Sam up and down as he tapped his cheek thoughtfully.

"Now let's see, I'm thinking a blonde. Cute. A girly girl that could still kick your ass if you put a toe outta line."

Seemed Sam had met his match when it came to curiosity. He chuckled, shaking his head. "That's about right."

"And?" Gabriel leaned into him, nudging him with an elbow. "Come on, spill the juicy details."

"And that's all I'm telling you," Sam gave the angel a friendly shove, smiling. "Nosy."

Dean had flung away his spear, electing for trying to rough house with Castiel. Sam had been the recipient of the patented 'Dean Winchester lunge' too many times to count. It had never worked with Sam, and it seemed to fail just as spectacularly with Castiel, the smaller angel pinning Dean easily with a flap of wings.

"You know, Dean is fitting in pretty well," Sam remarked, chuckling as he watched Castiel help Dean up with a friendly hand, apparently the match was over. Not to be outdone though, Dean lunged for the angel's waist, dragging him down to the ground in a mess of feathers and a high pitched yelp of surprise. Gabriel shot Sam a look as the two rolled around like kids, shouting and laughing.

"Considering," Sam amended.

Gabriel snorted, tilting his chin away from the two idiots in the field, towards the trees. "I think Uriel would disagree with you there."

Sam glanced over to see a large male angel sullenly sitting beneath a tree. He was thickly built with dark skin, all muscle and unusually clean shaven. His wings were twitching sporadically, brown feathers fluffed with anger. Gabriel made a rude sound.

"Honestly I have no idea what Michael was thinking setting Castiel up with that one. Uriel is such a stick in the mud."

Uriel?

Sam squinted towards the angel, eyes trailing over his clothing. Judging from the amount of beads and bones woven into his jewelry, the guy was a powerful warrior. But it was the leather band around his neck that caught Sam's attention. At its center, resting along the angel's sternum was a wicked looking tooth.

Sam leaned towards Gabriel. "Is that a Hoath necklace?"

"Yeah," Gabriel rotated his shoulder, joint clicking. "Castiel won't wear his, even though Uriel killed the damn Vniglag for him as per tradition. I think he's holding out hope that Uriel will just lose interest. Which 'aint happening."

Sam shook his head. "I can see why, dude is built like a linebacker. He could probably snap me in half if he wanted."

Gabriel smiled, honest and wide. "I'm glad you're here, Sam."

Taken aback by the sudden change of conversation, Sam blushed, babbling something as he looked away. Gabriel merely laughed, getting to his feet. Before Sam could worry about having offended the angel, Gabriel's fingers grabbed his arm, hauling the human up.

"Don't let your brother have all the fun while you sit here and scribble away," Gabriel said. "This is your first time on an alien planet isn't it?"

Sam rubbed his arm nervously, feeling huge and awkward next to the petite angel. "Uh, yeah."

Gabriel made a pleased sound. "I wanna show you something. Do you trust me?"

Sam stared down at him, swallowing hard. "For some weird reason that I'll probably regret, sure. I trust you.

The smile the angel gave him was blinding. "Alrighty then! You might want to hang on."

Sam frowned in confusion. "Hang on to wh-GABRIEL!"

Before Sam knew what was happening, Gabriel darted around him. The angel was practically half his size, small in comparison, but he lifted Sam effortlessly, arms tight under the human's armpits and cinched across his chest. Sam resisted the urge to struggle as with a flap, Gabriel lifted them both upwards. Sam gawked in horror as the ground rapidly disappeared beneath his dangling feet, Dean and Castiel becoming smaller with each flap.

Gabriel swung them towards the home tree, and Sam finally stopped staring down at the ground. Each down stroke of Gabriel's wings caused a sudden flux of air that whipped Sam's overly long hair everywhere, but Sam didn't care. He was flying. Actually, really, flying.

Trusting Gabriel to not suddenly drop him, Sam spread his arms wide—laughing as Gabriel banked the same direction he angled his arms. They climbed higher, towards the upper branches of the home tree, and Sam could see angels moving, cleaning their nests in preparation for another day. Giddily, he waved as a few youngsters spotted him, the youngsters shrieking happily to each other. A few mothers glanced towards the strange flying duo, rolling their eyes as Gabriel called out a friendly greeting.

The nests became fewer, the branches thinner as they continued up. Finally, Gabriel moved in, setting Sam down along one of the sturdier branches. They were at the top of the tree, and Sam could only stare out with awe at the endless view in front of him.

Oadriax stretched below, a forest of trees and an endless beautiful blue sky. The twin suns were high above them, bright and warm. A quick glance down confirmed the dizzying height, and for a moment, Sam reeled. A sudden hand on his elbow steadied him, and Sam shot a thankful smile at Gabriel as he came to stand beside him.

The two stood side by side, gazing out at the landscape. Sam breathed deeply, relishing the tropical scents and clean air.

"It's beautiful," he said quietly. Gabriel shifted beside him, wings folded serenely against his back. His eyes were half closed, merely slits of gold as he blissfully absorbed the sun that filtered through the leaves.

"Thought you'd like it," he murmured smugly. "We don't come up here very often, but when we do, it's pretty darn awesome."

Sam could see angels in the trees a little further away, their wings flashing in the light as they gathered fruit and searched for bird nests. Angels were omnivores, skilled hunters and gatherers, much like humanity had once been. Sam spared a sad thought for his notebook, left far below on the ground.

A blip against the otherwise perfect sky drew his attention, and Sam squinted against the bright suns, holding a hand up to shield his eyes. Just a dark smudge that seemed to grow bigger as he watched.

"What's that?"

Gabriel opened his eyes to look where Sam pointed, and stiffened. A high pitched shrill echoed from the gathering angels in the adjacent trees; an alarm call.

"Get down!" Gabriel hissed, pressing a firm hand into the small of Sam's back. They both dropped into a crouch, watching the dark shape advance. The angels gathering food in the trees likewise froze, tucking their wings close to them as they ducked into the shadows of the tree.

Gabriel pressed in close to Sam's side, wings arching around them both as his arm slid around Sam's waist. The angel was tense, poised for flight, and Sam held his breath as he watched the dark shape draw closer.

It was massive creature with a huge wingspan, a true titan of the skies. Its leathery wings were bat like, thin grey skin stretched between long bony fingers. Its body was reptilian, and despite the distance, Sam could see the dark red plating along its belly and back, the curved wicked talons. It reminded him of the ancient pictures of dragons from human history, leviathans of the old world that burnt everything to ash.

The creature screeched into the sky and Sam could feel the vibrations in his chest.

"Teloch," Gabriel murmured, eyes sharp where they watched the creature. "A critter you don't want to mess with. If it comes this way we'll have to get out of here."

To their relief, the shape banked right, away from them and further into the distance, leathery wings massive pistons that cleaved through the air. Gabriel relaxed, slowly releasing Sam.

Sam breathed out slowly, giving himself a shake. "You haven't tried to tame that one I take it."

Gabriel snorted, wings still twitching with adrenaline. "I think my great grandfather tried and lost a wing. Not something you should do on a whim."

He held out his hand, and Sam took it without thinking. "Story goes that the one who can tame the teloch is the chosen one. An angel to bring the clan together during times of war, or something like that."

Sam watched the teloch disappear into the distance. "Has it ever actually happened?"

"No," Gabriel snorted. "It's just an old wives tale. A bedtime story for the kids."

The angel smiled, winking as he tugged Sam back over to the edge of the branch. "But enough about that. Let's get down to ground level before your big sister worries."

Dean bent over, hands braced on his thighs as he stared at the ground, panting. Sweat ran in torrents down his back and down the sides of his face, stinging his eyes.

"I, we…gotta stop," he managed to gasp. "I'm…spent."

Castiel leant against his reclaimed staff, arching an eyebrow. He looked smug, the bastard.

"Very well. I accept victory graciously," the angel flopped down onto the grass, smiling tiredly. "Though I do admit, it was difficult to win."

Finally catching his breath, Dean sank down to the grass as well, chuckling. "Thanks for trying to make me feel better."

He glanced towards the shade. Sam had settled himself in there earlier, geekily jotting down notes while Bobby did his thing somewhere else. Seemed the kid had gotten bored of that, and now stood talking to Gabriel, gesturing with his hands. They made an odd pair, Sam so tall and looming, Gabriel small and laughing. The angel was smiling, answering Sam's questions happily, and Dean struggled to his knees, eyeing the two shrewdly.

"It worry you how well those two get on?" he asked suspiciously.

Something soft buffeted his head, and Dean fell forward onto his hands. Twisting, he saw Castiel innocently looking up at the sky, almost missing the sudden jerk of one wing folding back.

"Oh, you did not just bitch slap me with your wing," Dean growled playfully, scrambling to his feet. "It is on."

Castiel maintained his innocent gaze, but he was already beginning to back up, wings jerking with glee. "I have no idea what you are referring to. You must be mistaken."

Dean lunged forward, but Castiel darted out of reach. Dean spun on his heel, a snarky retort on his tongue, but the words died in his throat as he recognized the figure that gracefully landed beside them. Castiel seized up, his entire demeanor changing to one of solemn respect. He turned, keeping his head down as his wings dropped to the ground, feathers spread.

"Lucifer," he murmured. "Dorphal mirc ol lit nazarth."

The second eldest baltoh glared down at his youngest brother, lips curled in a sneer. "Castiel. I see you are taking your duties with the toltorg seriously."

Dean bristled, but knew better than to get involved. Lucifer was a scary bastard, but Cas could handle himself.

"Of course, esiasch,"Castiel said, eyes still glued to Lucifer's feet. "Dean is learning mu-"

In a flash, Lucifer hauled Castiel to his feet, fingers twisting in his dark feathers. Dean took a step forward, but Castiel shook his head slightly, motioning with his fingers for Dean to stay put.

Lucifer watched their silent exchange. "So I can see," he drawled, fingers digging into Castiel's wings. "How, delightful."

The younger angel winced, but remained still. "I understand you do not think them worthy Lucifer, but Dean has-"

The sudden sharp slap of a fist against flesh made Dean's stomach churn, unexpected and violent. Castiel's head snapped back at the blow, and Dean had barely made it one step before Lucifer struck the young angel again.

"Hey!"

Lucifer let his brother go at Dean's voice, and Castiel crumpled to the ground. Dean hurried to his side but was pushed back; Castiel warning him away.

"I did not ask your opinion, brother," Lucifer said coolly, eyes flat and emotionless. "Remember your place."

Dean was horrified to see blood glisten on the grass. Castiel was crouched down low like a kicked dog, lip split and cheek swelling red. The feathers of one wing were twisted where Lucifer had grabbed him, and the angel moaned lowly as Lucifer reached down to grab the other.

"Did you hear me?"

Dean recognized the stance of Lucifer's foot, a kick that would probably crack a rib or two. His legs felt too heavy, his body too slow as Dean he scrambled forward, grabbing for Castiel's arm.

But Lucifer suddenly let go, screeching as he was yanked back. Castiel fell backwards into Dean's outstretched arms, trembling as Lucifer thrashed against his assailant, screaming curses.

Gabriel hung onto the base of Lucifer's wings, twisting mercilessly. His usual playful demeanor was gone, his face a mask of cold fury as his golden eyes blazed.

"Nidali!" he snarled, shaking Lucifer hard. Gabriel's Enochian was rough and guttural, barely understandable as his voice shook with anger. "Bagle g'chis-ge ol? Esiach gemeganza blans iadpil!"

(No! How could you? As brothers we protect him!)

He shoved Lucifer away and several loose grey feathers floated to the ground. The blonde turned to hiss, feathers puffing with rage. Gabriel stood his ground, wings matching Lucifer's in volume and size. It was a cat-fight, Dean dimly realized, a show of who could out puff the other.

Despite Gabriel being smaller and younger than Lucifer, it was, surprisingly, the older baltoh that backed down. Lucifer yielded to Gabriel with a series of sullen wing postures.

That didn't mean he was done, however.

"Nostoah oi ollor iehusoz," Lucifer spat, smoothing his feathers back into place. "Butmon, aspt nidali-vpaah. Imuamar marbby baltan!"

(It is a mercy. He opened his mouth to me before the no-wings. He must conform to our laws.)

That seemed to enrage Gabriel further. The angel lunged towards Lucifer, and Lucifer backed up, wings vibrating with fury as he kept Gabriel at bay with his hands.

"Iehusoz?" Gabriel snarled, lip curled and teeth flashing as he struggled against Lucifer's grip. "Oiad oi nanaeel esiach!"

(Mercy? He is our brother!)

Lucifer shoved him away, making a show of patting himself down as if uncaring of the whole situation.

"No," he sneered, in English, glancing back towards Castiel's bowed head. "A freak. An abomination."

Dean could only stand there, useless and staring as Lucifer took off, Gabriel shrieking something after him in Enochian. Castiel slowly pushed away from Dean, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, and Gabriel was at his side immediately, reaching out to touch him worriedly.

"Let me see, did he-"

Castiel jerked away from his brother, eyes flashing. "I do not need your assistance. I can fight my own battles."

Gabriel's hands fell to his sides, but his eyes were worried, wings anxious and twitching. "I'm sorry. I just can't let him-"

Dean took a step back as Castiel growled, dark wings curling around himself protectively. "Leave me alone, Gabriel!"

Dean could only watch helplessly as Castiel stormed away from them, slipping into the tree line with a beat of his wings. Gabriel stared after his brother forlornly, wings drooping.

"He just needs some time," he said quietly, wringing his hands as his speckled wings fretted. "He'll be ok."

"Dude," Dean looked over at the angel, finally blinking out of his stupor. "What the actual fuck?"

Sam was jogging over, and Gabriel looked over at Dean with a sigh. "It's an angel thing. Castiel is at the bottom of the food chain around here. Lucifer likes to remind him."

"But he's one of you!" Dean protested, irrationally angry on Castiel's behalf. "Baltoh right? That's gotta mean something!"

"Yeah," Gabriel muttered, eyes flashing as he found another angel to take his anger out on. "Fat lot of good that does him."

Uriel was stalking towards where Castiel had disappeared into the forest. Gabriel tracked him for a moment, before growling to himself in Enochian. He took off in a swirl of feathers, descending on Uriel as Dean stared after him. It wasn't long before they were arguing, Gabriel pushing Uriel away from the spot where Castiel had disappeared.

Sam came to a halt beside Dean, reaching out to touch his elbow. "Hey, you ok? Angel spats can get pretty nasty, fast."

"Yeah I'm alright," Dean winced as Gabriel whacked Uriel with one wing, the larger angel retaliating by shoving back, hard. "What the hell are they screeching about?"

Sam frowned, leaning forward to listen. "Uriel is mad because he thinks Lucifer was right to demand respect from Castiel. Gabriel is calling him-" he smiled slightly, swallowing a chuckle. "Some really bad names."

Dean snorted, crossing his arms. "Good."

Sam listened a while longer, then with a sigh, took a step back. "It's an old dispute apparently. Uriel is going on about how Castiel is his property so he has to take care of him, and Gabriel is yelling about family and brothers. We should probably stay out of it."

Dean glanced towards the forest. He recognized the trail Castiel had taken, knew where the angel was probably headed.

Cas is in there, hurt and bleeding.

He uncrossed his arms to squeeze Sam's arm affectionately. "Keep the hounds off my tail okay?"

Sam frowned after him as Dean began to jog away, towards the forest.

"Where are you going?" his little brother called after him worriedly.

Dean smiled humorlessly. "To pay back a bit of the debt I owe."

It was surprisingly easy to find Castiel. The angel hadn't gone far, slumping down in a small thicket of flowers behind a thick bush. He was on his knees, head bowed and wings shivering.

"Hey," Dean paused just outside the bush, uncertain if he should enter or not. "Can I, uh, can I come in?"

Castiel nodded his head tightly, and Dean shoved the leaves aside to clamber inside the thicket. Dean winced as he noticed Castiel's swollen cheek, the streak of blood smudged beneath his lip. Castiel avoided his eyes, idly picking at a flower as the human shifted to make himself comfortable on the long, thick grass.

They sat in companionable silence, the forest buzzing around them. Dean picked at a stray thread along the seam of his jeans, trying to choose his words carefully.

"You ok?"

Seemed the best he could come up with. A +, Winchester. Really top notch.

Castiel sighed unhappily. "Yes. I…apologize that you had to witness that."

"Nah, forget it," Dean shrugged. "Your brother's a douche. No offence."

Castiel smiled slightly, wiping his chin and grimacing at the blood there. Where Lucifer had grabbed his wing, the feathers were still twisted, some tugged out of place. Without thinking, Dean leant forward, hand outstretched to smooth them down. At the first brush of his fingers, Castiel jerked away, eyes wide.

"Oh, oh man, I'm sorry," Dean blurted, cursing himself. "I'm not supposed to touch you or something right? I'm sorry, dude, just forget it."

"No," Castiel said forcibly, and Dean paused, hand still half outstretched. "My body is my own. I do not mind. Please, continue."

Slowly, Dean reached back, touching one ruffled feather softly. Castiel was a statue, sitting perfectly still, and emboldened, Dean dragged his fingers along the small feathers. Slowly the twisted ones began to lay flat, their loose cousins coming free.

It was as soft as he had imagined, and Dean stroked his palm along a flight feather, testing the firm sleekness. Unable to resist, he leant in, pressing his face close and inhaling the crisp powder scent of the feathers. Castiel shuddered slightly, before falling still again, and Dean pulled back, suddenly self-conscious.

"You must think I look really weird, huh?" he rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "No wings and all."

Castiel smiled over at him. "No. I…I think you are very handsome."

His face grew hot, and Dean looked away, clearing his throat. Trust Cas to say something to make him completely flustered.

"I uh…thanks, Cas."

The two lapsed into an awkward silence, sitting in the grasses as the birds chirped overhead. A blue furred mouse scampered between the ferns, scattering dirt in its wake as it burrowed for a tasty meal. In the canopy, a family of green skinned lizards basked along the sun warmed bark of a tree, kaleidoscope eyes swiveling.

Finally, Castiel shifted, wings flexing.

"My brothers and sister do not much care for me," he admitted quietly. "They…fear me."

Dean shrugged, picking at the grass. "Gabriel seemed to care a lot."

Castiel made an irritated noise. "And it has damaged him. The others look down upon him for it."

"So?" Dean looked up at the angel, the big brother in him rising. "He loves you. He doesn't care about them, and you shouldn't either."

"They see him defend me!" Castiel snapped suddenly, but the fire behind it wasn't directed at Dean. "He could be leader one day, as strong as Michael or Lucifer, but instead the people look down upon him as weak and foolish."

Dean gaped, momentarily speechless. "You don't want him protecting you because you think you drag him down? And I thought I had self-esteem issues."

Castiel looked away from him, jaw clenched and wings held stiffly.

"I am not normal," the angel said lowly. "I have accepted that, and accepted my role in the tribe. Gabriel fights a battle that cannot be won."

"You're his brother," Dean immediately thought of Sam. Of what he'd do to keep him safe. What he did. "He'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe."

Castiel turned to look at him, smiling weakly. "You are a good man, Dean Winchester."

Dean chuckled at that, shifting closer to nudge the angel with his shoulder. "And you're a pretty awesome angel. Hell, I like you, and I'm a pretty unsocial bastard."

Castiel laughed then, ducking his head shyly. "I like you too."

A different Castiel echoed in his mind, dream-like and distant. Phantom lips ghosted over his cheeks, and Dean cleared his throat nervously, getting to his feet.

"Well now that we've had our moment, we should head back." Dean offered Castiel his hand. "Don't want Gabriel worrying now, do we?"

Castiel studied his hand for a moment, before tentatively taking it with his own, allowing Dean to pull him up.

"Yes. Thank you," he said quietly, shooting the human a shy smile. "I'm glad you came to talk to me."

Dean looked away awkwardly. "I, uh, yeah. Me too."

Castiel hooked his arm into Dean's, apparently perfectly comfortable with once again invading the personal space boundaries. But this time, Dean didn't say anything, merely tucking the angel's elbow closer into his, setting a course back towards the home tree.

Around them, the forest watched, hundreds of eyes curious and gleeful.

"I should be in there, Sam. That's my little brother!"

Sam ran a hand through his hair, shrugging his shoulders unhappily.

"What could you do, Gabriel? Give them some time."

Gabriel turned away from him as Balthazar approached, reaching out to grab his younger brother by the arm.

"Have you seen Castiel?" he asked desperately.

The taller angel frowned, grey eyes confused. "No, should I have? What's the little squirt done now?"

Gabriel dropped his hand. "Nothing. It's Lucifer."

Sam took a step back as Balthazar's wings snapped outwards, feathers fanning aggressively.

"What did he do?" the baltoh snarled, brown wings flapping. "I swear to Geiad, I'll kill him this time, I swear!"

Two shapes detached from the forest, black feathers catching the light, and the three turned simultaneously to see Dean and Castiel emerge from the tree line. Gabriel breathed a sigh of relief, Balthazar hurrying forward in a flurry of agitated feathers.

"Did he touch you again?" Balthazar demanded, jostling Dean aside to grab Castiel's chin. He growled as he noticed the redness, the slight brush of a bruise. "That's it. I'm taking that bastard down."

A small gaggle of angels had returned from gathering food, and as they passed by, aimed a few disgusted looks at the two. Sam watched them curiously, wondering why there was so much mistrust. Was it because Castiel was different? An iadnamad ?

Castiel smiled weakly, pulling his chin away. "Balthazar, you have no hope of defeating Lucifer in a fight."

The blonde snorted, bundling his younger brother into a possessive hug. "Who said anything about fighting? I'll stab him in his sleep. I'm not above fighting dirty."

"He's alright, Balthazar," Gabriel murmured, approaching with Sam.

Castiel glanced over at his older brother as he was released, eyes softening. "I am. Thank you, Gabriel."

Gabriel's eyes widened, before his whole face crumpled. Like Balthazar, he tugged the younger angel into his arms, hugging Castiel close against his chest. Though a good few inches taller than Gabriel, Castiel allowed himself to be tucked up against his older brother like a fledgling, eyes fluttering shut as he wedged his nose into the curve of Gabriel's neck.

"You're my baby bro, kiddo," Gabriel whispered, his speckled wings rippling with spasms as Castiel touched them with his own reassuringly.

Sam shot a smile towards Dean, expecting his brother to be rolling his eyes at the show of affection.

Instead his brother was watching Castiel with a serious look, eyebrows furrowed. He noticed Sam watching him, and turned away hurriedly, motioning for Sam to follow.

"Come on, Sam. Let's go find Bobby."

"Why are you even here? Stop fiddlin' with shit and behave!"

Dean glanced over towards Bobby, pausing the camera. The lab was relatively quiet. Most of the scientists were down in the lower labs analyzing various samples Bobby had brought back from the Ne'gassagen tree. It left Dean the perfect opportunity to get caught up with logging his experiences on camera, according to Bobby. Video logs were important, useful tools for documenting details that could help the project.

But it was so damn boring.

Any distraction was welcome, and this time it came in the form of a black suited figure, currently poking around Bobby's lab.

Crowley pouted, leaning against a workbench as he crossed his arms. "But isn't that what you science guys do? Fiddle with things?"

Bobby glared over at the demon murderously. "You fiddle with anythin', and I'll show you just what we science guys can do."

Dean shot a wink at Sam, expecting his brother to be silently laughing at the innuendo as well, but Sam was buried in a huge textbook, expression solemn and completely unaware of the world around him.

Geek.

Dean stretched, arching his back and grimacing as he felt a vertebrae crack. Between spending time with Cas learning how to be a hippy of the forest, and having to help Bobby with his research, it was a rare occasion for Dean to just have some hours to kill at the complex. Usually, he would have gone to the gym or tried to catch a game of cards with Ash, but with Alistair still lurking around it seemed safer to stick to the lab.

Crowley ignored Bobby's death glares, turning to poke cautiously at a glass vial containing some sort of green sludge. "So how's it all going Dean-o? The angels taking a liking to you?"

There was something guarded in his voice. Dean shrugged, turning back to his video log. "Can't say. I still have to go through the whole ceremony thing before they'll fully trust me."

Bobby stomped towards Crowley with a growl, and the demon darted away, coming to stand next to Dean's bench instead. The demon glanced curiously over at Sam, cocking his head to try and read the gold embossed title of the heavy book.

"Colonel says you haven't reported for a while," he remarked offhandedly. "He's getting impatient."

Dean swallowed. He hadn't seen the Colonel in over a week. Not for a lack of trying, he had every intention of reporting in like a good soldier, but every time he'd start down towards the Colonel's office, Ruby would appear out of no-where, dragging him off. Every time it was something new, something she needed help with. Dean had spent hours working on the helicraft with her-even though Dean swore they were things the demon could do herself. She was like his shadow, appearing every time he had to walk somewhere alone, falling into step with him like it was completely normal. It was unnerving at first, how she always turned up at just the right moment, even though it should have been impossible for her to know.

It should have been annoying—to be babysat by a demon of all things—but Dean was actually, well, kind of grateful.

Because there was a reason Ruby hung around. A reason she followed him down every dark alley, into every nook and cranny, watching him like a hawk all hours of the day.

Alistair.

Like a black eyed vulture, he circled Dean every chance he got. Ruby kept him at bay, but Dean knew a day would come when she wouldn't be there. He'd have to face the wolf eventually, but for the time being, Dean was happy just ignoring the bastard.

"Yeah. I know."

Crowley was watching him, red eyes serious. "You and I both know Azazel is the biggest dick to ever dick upon this unfortunate universe. But the guy gets the job done. If you keep your head down and do what you're told, he's not so bad."

Bobby bustled up, and Crowley darted away again, seeking haven over by Sam instead.

"If this damn company put more effort into research instead of cuttin' shit down, we might not need idiots like Azazel!" Bobby spat, one hand falling on Dean's shoulder protectively. "It's a damn sight more profitable too."

Crowley held his hands up in surrender. "Hey I don't make the decisions. I'm just the wildly attractive face of the company."

Dean glanced over at his brother. Sam was biting his lip as he read, one finger tapping the book page as he mulled over whatever it was brainiacs like him actually mulled over. The kid came out with Dean to the tribe pretty much every day, amassing more and more data for the project. Or so he said. Dean only ever saw him talking to Gabriel.

Bobby's voice grew more heated, Crowley's gleeful and patronizing as they argued. Bored and wanting some sort of entertainment, Dean looked around. A pen lay half-buried under a pad of paper, and grinning wolfishly, Dean snatched it up. Grabbing the tip between his thumb and forefinger, he closed one eye and lined it up carefully with Sam's shoulder.

Sam jerked like a startled deer when the pen smacked him, blinking owlishly. He glowered unhappily towards Dean, scowling.

"Oh, real mature," he grumbled as Dean laughed. "What are you, five?"

Dean leaned forward, curling his tongue behind his teeth. "Whatcha reading Sam? Must be something reallly interesting."

Sam huffed, rolling his eyes. "If you're about to make some sort of joke about stashing porn in textbooks, that was one time, Dean. And if you have to know," Sam sniffed haughtily, flicking the pen back towards him. "I'm reading about angelic mating traditions."

The pen clattered harmlessly on the desk, and Dean winked at him. "Oh so you're reading angel porn? Kinky, Sam."

Sam made a sound of annoyance, hiding his face back in the book. Dean frowned thoughtfully at him, swiveling around in his chair. Bobby and Crowley were still going at it, Bobby's arms crossed and death glare in full force.

"Hey, Bobby?"

The two stopped arguing, the scientist turning towards him with a long suffering look.

"What, Dean?" he asked exasperatedly. "You should be doin' your video log."

Dean waved his hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah. I got a serious science question here."

"Well that's a nice change," Bobby pulled out a chair at the bench, sinking down. "Shoot."

"Angel sex. How does it work?"

Sam made a wounded sound, forehead banging against the desk as Bobby gawked at Dean. Crowley laughed, slapping his thigh with glee.

"Well, see darling, when a momma angel and a daddy angel love each other very much-"

Dean made a face at the demon. "Very funny. I'm just curious. Sam said something about equal gender roles and I-" he trailed off, squinting at Crowley suspiciously. "Actually, wait a minute. How do demons do it?"

Bobby turned to look at Crowley triumphantly, crossing his arms. "Yeah Crowley, do tell us."

Crowley glared at them both, no longer laughing. "How do you think? We have the same bits as you."

Sam popped up from his book, looking smug. "Not strictly true. I took a module on demonic reproduction one semester. It was, interesting."

"What is this? The Discovery channel?" Crowley asked irritably. Dean merely looked at him expectantly, Bobby and Sam sharing smug looks.

"For science, Crowley," Bobby sniggered, Sam stifling a laugh. "Educate the boy."

Crowley shot them both a dark look. "That's Lord Crowley to you, peasant, and fine. We lay eggs. Happy?"

Dean stared at him for a moment. "You know, that kinda makes sense."

The demon groaned, rubbing his temples unhappily. "You idiot. Of course we don't lay eggs. Do I look like a bloody chicken?"

Sam dropped his textbook flat onto the desk. "No, but you're ovoviviparous. So technically, there are eggs involved."

"Like sharks," Dean chimed in helpfully. All three turned to stare at him incredulously, and he folded his arms defensively. "What? I used to watch shark week. I can talk geek too."

He wrinkled his nose, suddenly realizing. "Oh, ew. That means you guys like, eat each other in there? Before you're born?"

Crowley shrugged, straightening his jacket self-consciously. "So? It's not that weird you know. Lots of species on Hel do it that way."

"Why am I not at all surprised?" Dean muttered.

"Angels," Bobby interrupted, drawing them back to the original question. "Reproduce like us, Dean. They have internal fertilization and a gestation period. It's a lil' longer than a human's, but that's to be expected. They're more complicated, biologically."

"Only difference is that males can also conceive," Sam added. "Probably an evolutionary adaptation seeing as female angels take much longer to mature, and are generally rarer. They're kind of like…seahorses."

Dean frowned at that, momentarily startled by the thought of Cas's face on a seahorse body, puttering around a sea bed. "Then what's the goddamn point in having different sexes in the first place?"

Bobby shrugged. "Yet another question we're tryin' to answer. They probably weren't always that way. Some think it's a response to the slave trade stealin' all the females, but that's probably a load of bull."

Crowley made a face. "Well this was a wonderful way to start the day. Sex and slavery. Thank you ever so much for that, but I'll be on my way now."

Bobby grinned after the demon as he made his escape. "Damn, if I'd known that's all it took to get rid of 'im I'd have done it sooner."

Sam chuckled, going back to his book, and Dean turned back towards his video log with a smile.

Cas was going to have to answer a lot of awkward questions later.