AN: Writing (and rewriting and rewriting) Gabriel was A LOT harder than I thought and I still feel pretty insecure about this chapter so please review. I like to keep my readers happy. Please forgive me for ignoring Christmas and the rest of it. There's a lot I want to work into this plot.
"So, where are you going?" Castiel asked his passenger.
"Wherever you're going," Gabriel answered honestly. Castiel looked at him out of the corner of his eye. This man obviously didn't mean the obvious sexual implication.
"What?" he turned his head and looked at him directly.
"Let's say I'm taking an extended round the world trip by method of getting off wherever my ride stops," said Gabriel, "If it stops at an airport I get on a plane. Wouldn't expect your provincial-looking ass to understand."
"I didn't see a car where I picked you up," Castiel remembered.
"Slight difference of opinion with the driver," Gabriel shrugged.
"Forgive my complete lack of surprise," Castiel scoffed.
"Oh look," Gabriel startled Castiel into focusing on the road, "More grasslands."
"You're a pleasure to drive with," Castiel sneered as his heart-rate started its drop back to normal, seeing that there was nothing but straight road ahead of him.
"You're a jelly bean," Gabriel concluded.
"What?" this made no sense to Castiel.
"People are like sweets," Gabriel started, pulling a candy bar out of his pants.
"That's one I haven't heard," the raven haired youth laughed in surprise.
"Looking at you I see a smooth, almost marble-like surface," Gabriel explained, "See, jelly beans, those little suckers never have the slightest blemish. And they have that little hard layer on the outside but it's not hard to breach. They're soft inside, kinda warm but not quite," he paused and studied Castiel, "You're happy, almost determinedly so. You're one of those people that have a valid reason to be miserable but somehow overlook it. Whatever that is you're hiding it. I can tell by that pinched, uptight look you have."
"That's pretty good shrinking for a bum," Castiel smiled his small, strange little smile. Gabriel broke into a fit of laughter.
"I've never thought of myself as a bum," he laughed.
"Free rides, no mailing address, you're a bum," Castiel pointed out.
"Straight talker with a sense of humor," Gabriel still had laughter in his voice, "I admire you Castiel, and don't let the ease with which I say it confuse you into thinking that's a sentence that passes my lips frequently."
"I'm happy to have the approval of a grown man with lollipops sticking out of his jacket," Castiel chuckled.
"At least I have a shirt that fits," Gabriel returned, munching away. Castiel looked down at his shirt. He'd bought it thinking he might still grow. Yeah, that hadn't quite panned out. Now he was stuck with shirts that didn't fit. "Where am I going anyway?" Gabriel broke the silence that was fast becoming painful.
"Vegas, you'll like it," Castiel was sure, "It's the Mecca of rolling stones."
"Oh the irony," Gabriel burst into fits of laughter.
"What?" the driver inquired, "Spit it out," Castiel said after a listening to the short blond laugh long enough to be annoyed.
"Aren't we demanding?" Gabriel stalled.
"I've been on the outside of many many jokes," Castiel said with a blank look on his face.
"I'm more of a runaway than a bum," Gabriel admitted.
"Afraid to go home?" Castiel asked sympathetically.
"Let's say unwilling," Gabriel replied after tilting his head in thought. He wasn't scared, he just didn't want to go home. "Whoever said 'dysfunctional family' is redundant was talking about mine. I know how typical that sounds but I have a father who destroyed three marriages and had the love of his life die on him, four siblings who slept with the same guy I did and two brothers who might have literally killed each other in my absence, fighting over the affection of a man whose heart is made of stone."
"I'm so sad for you," Castiel rolled his eyes.
"I get that a lot," Gabriel nodded, "Poor little rich kid. How hard could his life be? What does he know about misery?" he made snooty voices.
"You're 'old money',"Castiel realized, "Hence the inflamed sense of tragedy."
"Shut your cake-hole," Gabriel hissed, "You don't know dick about my family, or my tragedy."
"I'm sorry," Castiel genuinely was, "I don't mean to impugn your familial discord it's just, I've never had a family so any kind sounds good to me."
"I won't impugn your pain by telling you that you don't want my family," Gabriel's lightness was back.
"Go home," Castiel said simply.
"No," Gabriel folded his arms petulantly.
"I'm not all that good at armchair psychology but I do know that issues with family, or lack thereof, screw with the every aspect of your life," the younger man said gently.
"I'll take 'screwed up' for two hundred," the blond raised his hand like he was at an auction.
"You're an idiot," Castiel laughed hollowly as he shook his head.
"Everything looks so simple from the outside," his passenger looked upon his textbook view of the situation.
"Mainly because it's simple," said Castiel.
"What do you think of telling everyone in your life your dirty little secret?" Gabriel looked at Castiel pointedly.
"Don't confuse simple with easy," Castiel said as he thought about admitting to Dean what he refused to admit to himself most days.
"Something about you strikes me Castiel," Gabriel had a strange feeling he couldn't identify, "I see myself in you, maybe its the fact that we're both named after angels."
"Maybe it's my lack of a brain-to-mouth filter," the younger man thought about their only similarity, and even there his companion had them beat, "Loki is not an angel's name," it occurred to him.
"It's not mine either," the hitchhiker's easy laugh passed his lips, "Nice catch Angel of Thursday. I'm Gabriel."
"Your last name wouldn't be Ritchings, would it?" Castiel asked. Gabriel was short of a response for once. It could be good or really bad to have his name tied to his surname. "What are the odds?" pale hands left the steering wheel briefly.
"What have you heard?" Gabriel sighed.
"Not nearly as much as you think I have," Castiel laughed in his throat, "I just came from your brother's house."
"That doesn't exactly narrow it down," said Gabriel.
"He has an acute dislike for cotton, silk and polyester," Castiel snorted.
"Ah Cupid," Gabriel smiled affectionately, "The man who keeps the world uplifted," he wiggled his brows.
"I can see the resemblance," Castiel laughed at the double meaning, "But how you're related to Lucifer and Raphael is hard to imagine," he contrasted the personalities in his mind. Lucifer and Raphael were mean and imposing, hell they were downright megalomaniacal. Cupid and Gabriel could make people uncomfortable, that was sure but they were cheerful people. One annoyingly so.
"Ironically Lucifer was my favorite brother," Gabriel had a distant look in his eyes, remembering things past, "He taught me a whole lot of crap, most of it I wasn't supposed to know or do. He gave me his motorcycle when I was fifteen. Death was furious," he smiled nostalgically.
"I think that version of him skipped town with you," Castiel said somberly.
"I think the new version will be just as pissed with the absence of his beloved Harley," Gabriel thought of his brother's temper. The kind of destruction he wreaked was far worse than bodily harm. "Help me retrieve it, would you?" he asked.
"Done," Castiel said easily, "Where is it?"
"Let's get to Vegas first," Gabriel smiled. He squinted at the cassette player then pushed play. He listened to thirty seconds of an Asia song then stopped it.
"How'd you come by this car?" he had to ask. The world couldn't be this small.
"My boyfriend lent it to me," Castiel smiled without knowing he did so.
"You're with Dean," Gabriel turned the idea over in his head, "How'd Mikey take that?"
"He was hurt," Castiel had seen that clearly.
"That tends to happen when you dabble in matters of the heart with a Winchester," Gabriel shrugged. Silence fell between them again. Castiel had it bad for Dean, he wasn't denying that, but he sensed, like everyone else, that it would end in heartbreak. It was long after dark by the time they got to Las Vegas. Gabriel gave half-remembered directions and wanted to make a stop so it took a while for them to find the place.
"It's an impound lot," Castiel observed, "Let's come back tomorrow," he suggested, "When it's open."
"We can if you want to but I don't see the point," Gabriel opened his door, "I'll have my bike by then."
"What if there are guards?" Castiel grabbed Gabriel's arm, preventing him from exiting the vehicle.
"Bribery, my good man," Gabriel pointed to their parcel.
"Raw ground beef?" Castiel widened his eyes at him.
"It'll distract those hell hounds you hear barking. Come on," Gabriel climbed out of the car after giving Castiel a nudge.
"This is so stupid," Castiel got out of the car.
"Make balls or whatever and throw them in that direction," Gabriel pointed down the fence.
"You can't take that bike," Castiel tried to reason with Gabriel, all the while sensing it was futile.
"It's my bike. It's should be in my possession," the other man pulled a small pair of pliers out of his pocket. Castiel did not even want to know why he kept them there.
"It doesn't matter if you own the thing. Your entitlement to take possession of it will be decided by a jury of your peers," he hissed as squatted and started making crude little patties. Gabriel simply laughed under his breath as he went about cutting a little gate he could drive through.
"Go get it little doggies," Castiel hurled a patty as far inside as he could. A giggle fought its way up his throat but he squashed it. This idiotic thing he was doing was a little thrilling. He couldn't have Gabriel knowing that. "Oh shit," he noticed that someone else had cut a makeshift gate in the fence. He turned his face to the side and discovered that his partner in crime was already inside. When the dogs came back it would be easy for them to push the fence out of the way.
"Loki," Castiel whispered a scream. "Gabriel," Castiel's voice rose with his frustration. He could get in the car and drive away but what if the bike was out of gas or had some other malfunction that could cause Blondie to be eaten by dogs. He could follow the moron but that could result in them both being attacked by ravening mutts. Standing outside by the compromised fence left him vulnerable to slaughter of a brutal kind. "Fuck it," he ran inside. He could see light that was most definitely from a flashlight and followed it.
"Eureka!" Gabriel screamed jovially. Noise was an open invitation to guard dogs. They reached him just as Castiel did. Fortunately for Gabriel he wasn't the one covered in food the dogs were so fond of. He came through in a way Castiel didn't expect though, attacking one of the dogs with his pliers. Castiel kicked the other as it jumped for his hand. It caught him by the leg of his trousers. "Lose the slacks," Gabriel advised, whacking the other dog. Castiel loosened his belt, jumping and flailing. He wiggled till they fell. When the dog he was hitting fell to the ground Gabriel tried desperately to start his bike. Castiel fell. Having his pants around his ankles made it hard to stay vertical. He kicked wildly as the threat of a dog's teeth on his naked flesh became more imminent. The bike started, finally. Gabriel grabbed him, pulled him across his lap and drove away. The dog won the pants and Castiel's feet scraped the ground as motorcycle ran.
When they were a safe distance away from the barking Gabriel stopped his ride so Castiel could get on properly. "I'm in my boxers," the younger man yelled.
"It's two a.m. In Vegas. Pants are optional," Gabriel dismissed.
"I left Dean's car back there," Castiel pointed, "He loves that car."
"You wanna fight a rottweiler for it?" the older man asked pointedly.
"I'm gonna kill you," Castiel got on behind Gabriel.
"Hold on tight," Gabriel revved his engine. Castiel gripped him and buried his face in dirty-blond hair. He closed his eyes, wondering how Gabriel could see: driving at this speed without a helmet. Just when he thought this night would be salvageable sirens started blaring behind them.
"Pull over," Castiel shouted. Gabriel ignored him until they were cut off by a police vehicle. He made a ninety degree turn and laid down three feet of rubber and stopped a millimeter from the police vehicle.
"That was a short ride," Gabriel sighed. Castiel had to clench his fists to keep from strangling him.
"Put your hands up and walk towards the vehicle," a practiced voice instructed. They complied: one man smirking, the other glaring at him. "You are under arrest for trespassing, destruction of property and theft," they were cuffed.
Wait till they find the dead dog Gabriel thought with a chuckle. His companion seemed like the type to have a bug up his ass about being charged with cruelty to animals. Their rights were read to them and they were shoved into the back of the car. "I commend you for your response time gentlemen," Gabriel had a small smile on his face, "But surely there must be more pressing matters at this time of the morning in Vegas."
"Shut up," the officer slammed the door. Castiel banged his head against the metal net separating them from the car.
"Haven't you suffered enough bodily hard today?" Gabriel asked him.
"I am in the back of a car with red and blue lights on the top. Today's not the day to assess my good sense," was the groaned answer.
"Say gentlemen," Gabriel turned his attention to the officers, "Is there anyway-"
"Cork it," one of the men in the front of the car cut him off, "It's two in the morning, I am in no mood to process a bribery charge."
Gabriel laughed under his breath. Castiel kicked him. They were silent for the rest of the ride. "Busy night," Gabriel looked around when they entered the police station.
"I can tell you're going to be a joy to have around," one of the booking officers said to Gabriel.
"May I have my phone call while we wait?" Gabriel asked in a sugary voice.
"We don't owe till we book you," he was met with a phoney smile, "I'm sure you and your boyfriend can figure out some way to entertain yourselves."
"How about a kiss to entertain the crowd Cassie?" Gabriel turned to the man beside him with a smile. Castiel kicked him in the shin, hard.
Gabriel yelped and jumped awkwardly on one leg. There was scattered laughter from the officers and a few comments from the other men being arrested.
"I didn't know you liked to play rough," Gabriel said when he'd caught his breath.
"Heavenly father, help me in my day of need. This fuck wants to die by my hand," Castiel cut his eyes at Gabriel. There was more laughter. Only when Castiel had his possessions put in a paper bag, his picture taken under bad lighting and his fingers marked with shaming black ink was he allowed to make a call. He took a deep breath then dialed Dean's number. He was reluctant but he didn't have anyone else to call.
"What?" Dean grumbled into the phone.
"Dean, hi," Castiel said nervously.
"Castiel," Dean recognized his voice, even clouded by sleep, "This will make no sense to you because you're twenty two, fresh out of college and you work for my brother but I need sleep."
"And I need you to bail me out of the pokey," Castiel used the bull in a china shop approach. Beating around the bush after three in the morning does no one any good.
"Why are you in jail?" Dean rolled out of bed and stumbled to the closet.
"I was under the spell of an insane man on a sugar high," Castiel asked, "Please come get me. I cannot spend a night in a cell with meth-heads and pimps."
"I'll be right there," Dean promised when Castiel told him where he was being held.
"Castiel," Gabriel walked up to him as he was being delivered back to the cell.
"Go stand over there," Castiel pointed to another corner of the crammed room. Gabriel sighed and did as he was told.
"Hey there Pretty," another captive approached Castiel when the officer who'd returned him to the cell had left. Gabriel pulled the man roughly by the hair and slammed him face first into the wall.
"Don't talk to him," he said when he'd brought the man down to his level, "It makes him uncomfortable." The big man struggled but found he could not move.
"Okay man," he lifted his hands in surrender. Gabriel pulled him back and threw him into the middle of the room.
"Thanks,"Castiel smiled, "How did you do that?"
"I eat my wheaties," a crooked smile worked its way across Gabriel's face. Castiel laughed. He didn't get anymore trouble than a curse from an injured man in the fifteen minutes it took Dean to arrive. The green eyed man beat the officer to the holding cell.
"Cas, are you okay?" he stood at the bars.
"I am now," Castiel rushed over and put his hands over Dean's.
"What happened?" he looked at Castiel's bare legs, "If any of you sons of bitches put a hand on him-"
"Dean," Castiel put his hand through the bars and turned Dean's face back to him, "No one touched me. I... got arrested without pants... a dog ate them, I swear. Ask him."
"Loki?" Dean's eyes popped out of his skull.
"Hello Dean," Gabriel stood up.
"You two look happy to see each other," Castiel mumbled, looking back and forth between the two glaring men.
"Yeah," both men said with sour expressions.
"Would you post his bail?" Castiel smiled nervously at Dean.
"No," was the immediate response.
"Please," the pale man looked up at Dean from his under his eyelashes.
"Fine," his boyfriend caved.
"Thanks," Castiel kissed him through the bars.
"Okay, move it ladies. I haven't got all night for this soap opera," the turnkey grumbled. Castiel rushed out of the cell and went to collect his belongings. Boy was he glad to be out of there! Gabriel operated at a more leisurely pace.
"Castiel's a nice kid," he said as he walked out with Dean, "He doesn't need you going all man-whore on him."
"One, Kettle, Pot," he pointed to himself then to Gabriel, "Two, a lot has changed in your eight year absence Gabriel, including me," Dean replied.
"Did this transformation you went through involve a divorce?" the short man asked.
"Does my brother know you're back in town?" Dean sneered.
"Now you be the kettle and I'll be the pot," Gabriel walked past him.
"Gabriel," Dean grabbed his arm.
"I won't tell him," the older man predicted what was coming, "But you better share soon. I'm going to leave out all the very many ways he could find out just walking down the street and say this: Micheal has taken more rejection from you than I thought any man would willingly subject himself to. This dewy eyed romance you're pitching, will be the straw that breaks the camel's back and no one tears down those who hurt him quite like my brother."
"I know," Dean looked at the floor as he thought back to the apocalyptic feud between Micheal and Lucifer. He would tell Castiel as soon as he could. Only... When was the right time to tell your boyfriend that you were married with a kid?
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