Sam sat in the usual strip club known as Gabriel's corner of his mental landscape and studied the angel. They had spent a lot of time together over the past two days; it was impossible to avoid, and in that time Gabriel has grown introverted and surly. He might be able to hide a few things from Sam but it didn't take a Stanford degree to know that Gabriel was unhappy. Sam felt that Gabe was conflicted by the part of him that just wanted to go home, and the part of him that was compelled to remain faithfully devoted to Sam. As for Sam, he thought they made a good pair. They were formidable even without the scepter, and he just wished Gabe could see it too.
"Gabriel... come on," Sam said and the angel rolled his eyes. They were sitting in the same familiar round plush corner booth, but this time Gabe was facing away from Sam refusing to look at him. Sam was beginning to understand how love and romance made the Soul-binding much easier to tolerate. It makes sense why Cas and Dean-
"Don't even think it," Gabriel said pointedly and Sam felt abashed.
"Don't tell me you haven't thought about it. I see it in my mind when you think of me." Gabriel turned to look at Sam, his eyes narrow and his lips drawn into a thin line.
"I thought about it back before I realized how the very genetic code of my being is acting against me!" Gabriel snapped and Sam just shrugged.
"What do you want me to do?" Sam asked bleakly.
"We need to find a way to get me out of your head," Gabriel leaned in conspiratorially "get me a new body."
"I don't know if it's that easy," Sam said leaning in as well. He let his hand rest over Gabriel's and took comfort in the contact. While neither were entirely pleased by the pairing, they couldn't deny the unity in their Soul-binding. Sam would hate to lose the closeness they had formed. Gabriel scoffed at Sam's whirling emotions.
"Do you really want to share the ol' noggin with the likes of me for the rest of your life? Sure it's all fun and games now but the party can get old pretty quick." Sam considered this for a moment. He supposed that Gabriel had a point. On the other hand, it made Sam feel…
"If we do this," he said hesitantly, "will you go away?" Gabriel tilted his head to the side and looked every bit his younger brother Castiel.
"Sam…" Gabriel sounded lost, confused.
"I…don't…I want you to stay here, Gabe." It might not be the same. It might not be like he was now with all the power of Gabriel's Grace magnified through his soul, but Sam realized a few things while he has spent these days in solitude. Gabriel might have been influencing Sam's mind to act out against Castiel, but the underlying issues were still there. It wasn't just Dean and him anymore. From this point forward it was Dean and Castiel, and if Sam wanted to be a part of it, he would be the one sitting in the back seat. It sounded foolish, but the thought did sting. He didn't want to be left behind. Gabriel studied Sam for a long time. His hazel eyes like open pools inviting anyone to trust him. That was always the thing about Gabe. He had a way of forcing you to like him while he turned the whole thing into a game that only he could win.
"Sam," he said with an endearing tone and his lips curled into a mischievous smile. "This is the most fun I have had since I died. Why would I leave you?" Searching his eyes, Sam decided Gabriel was being sincere. He relaxed a little and his hand slid away from the angels.
"What do we need to do?" He asked looking away. Gabriel waved one of the waitresses over to give her a drink order.
"First we find our brothers," Gabriel said and Sam turned to him surprised.
"Really? Why?" He was not entirely opposed to the idea but wasn't very excited about it either. They would have a lot of questions for him to answer.
"Because, gentle boy, they are our ticket to Eros. Eros is the key, Sam. The key to everything."
Eros smiled broadly as his vessel's mother entered the room. The woman asked no questions when he suddenly showed up on her doorstep. She was just relieved to have her son back, so she didn't want to know much else. Eros gave his vessel and mother both some time together while he nestled into the back of the boys mind to rest. During this time however, a wonderful thing occurred.
Eros found that, since sipping at his angel-shroud tonics, the best new sensation he enjoyed was the taste of sweets. He discovered in that home that he especially loved the taste of maple syrup. Oh the stuff was heaven sent. Ambrosia, he could argue, would not compare. He had his share of sweets in the past but, with the veil falling away…well he understood why his brother Castiel had wanted sensations back so badly. Sweets trumped everything, and syrup took the crown.
Eros's mother…or rather Bradley's mother, returned his smile and set pancakes in front of him on the kitchen table. Already his mouth watered and the main event had not even been doled over these lovely flat cakes.
"This is your third helping, honey, you're going to get sick if you keep this up."
"I won't get sick," Eros said flatly. "I never get sick."
When he arrived and rested, Bradley spent the time he yearned for with his mother. It was an arrangement they had that he could have his time with her as long as he kept Eros a secret. It was for the best anyway because he would have otherwise had to kill her for knowing. He rested for a few days, content to contemplate, until the maple syrup happened. On that morning he decided he was done resting. It had been too long since he saw Castiel anyway. Curiosity lured him back to the place he was banished from. He would go. In a day or two he would see what he could find out of the Winchester's fight, but for now, pancakes and syrup were his shackles and his salvation.
Bradley's mother shuffled away only to return seconds later with a warm glass bottle of clear brown liquid. Eros snatched it from her greedily.
"Manners, Bradley," the woman said but Eros already was pouring the contents over his pancakes. His mind whirled at the anticipation of the sweet syrup dancing across the taste buds of his desperate tongue. God in heaven but did he love this.
"Eros," a new voice called from behind him and Eros paused with the fork halfway to his mouth.
"Castiel," he said softly. So he waited too long in his respite. No matter. Today was a good day for family reunions. Proceeding the rest of the way, Eros slid the fork between his teeth and reveled at the flavor with a long groan. "You really should try these, Castiel," he said around his food.
"Who are you?" Bradley's mother said sharply. The soft thud to the floor was enough for Eros to know the Grace he sensed was Castiel putting the woman to sleep. Then the angel moved into his field of vision and Eros looked up at him. Castiel. His brother looked amazing. Radiant. Perfection in all sense of the word. He stood tall and serene with a small smile tugging at his lips. Even before the angel-shroud tonic, Eros admired Castiel, but now he utterly worshiped him. The big brother that he aspired to be.
"It's good to see you again, brother," Castiel said sincerely and his face broke into a glorious smile. It was all that Eros could take. He dropped his fork and jumped from his chair to wrap his arms around the other angel. He was barely able to refrain from making a fool of himself and start blubbering like an infant. "We need to speak to you. Dean and I. There is much I must share regarding Sam."
Castiel was frank. Not angry or disappointed, but still the dark cloud seemed to return to Eros's mind. He didn't want to talk about this. It was the absolute last thing he wanted to know about. But he would go all the same because Castiel wanted him to, and because he wanted to return to his brother's side. Castiel, who hid him away to protect him. Castiel, who loved Eros as much as Eros loved him back.
"Can I finish my pancakes?" Eros asked meekly. Castiel's blue eyes acknowledged the plate.
"Bring them with you," he said and Eros greedily grabbed the plate and fork. As a second thought he snatched the bottle of warm syrup as well. A moment later, they vanished from the room with a flap of angel wings, leaving Bradley's mother to wake on her own; filled with the despair of unanswered questions.
Dean drummed his fingers against the table. They found a decent motel room with an early check-in and plenty of room to fit another angel without it feeling like a crowd. It was a good set up and a good place for them to all pow-wow about the Sam situation. So why did Dean feel so on edge?
Maybe it was because things didn't seem to be working out so easily with Castiel. Regardless, while it was a bit of a frustration, it didn't change how he felt. Neither he nor Cas were much for sentimental conversations with each other. In fact, their lack of open honesty with one another has often caused a lot of hurt feelings in the past if not worse. Much much worse. So he can't fault Cas for not wanting to pour his heart with Dean about his bedroom performance issues, but Dean wished he would. He wished they could work around it somehow. He wished…for so much more than a quick no-touch blow job or some late morning cuddling.
He felt like he was with his first high school girlfriend again trying to work her through the bases. That's not to say that Dean was a veteran in all this. He had never did the whole gay thing before so yeah, it was a little different but not in a bad way. He read some stuff online and watched a few…instructional videos. He got the gist of things, and he was ready to put the ideas to practice if Castiel would just stop whipping out the S&M crap on him.
What are you thinking about, Dean? Dean jumped and looked around the room to find Castiel standing next to Eros near the window.
"Mind privacy, Cas," Dean snapped and ran his fingers through his hair.
"Sorry, Dean," Cas said softly and Dean could sense embarrassment from the angel. How much of that did he pick up?
"It's good to see you're doing well, Dean," Eros said pleasantly and…he was holding a plate of pancakes.
"Bring me breakfast?" Dean asked hopefully but Eros frowned, glancing at a confused Castiel. The boy opened his mouth to answer but Dean's phone suddenly came alive in his pocket playing Sam's ringtone. Dean snatched it out and stared at it in disbelief. He glanced at the two angels at the other end of the room and then opened his phone to answer it.
"…Sammy?" He said cautiously.
"Hey, Dean," his little brother replied in an awkward attempt at casual tone. Dean watched Eros fork some pancake into his mouth and his eyes narrowed. Castiel glanced over at his brother and then back at Dean.
"Why are you calling me, Sam? I thought you took off to directions unknown," Dean said, trying to sound just as casual as his brother. Castiel suddenly winked out of existence which should be unnerving if Dean wasn't so damned used to it.
"Yeah, about that. I would like to speak with you if I can. I…think there are a few things I need to explain."
"Oh there are definitely a few things you need to explain," Dean retorted with a bit of edge in his voice, "cause it seems like Cas doesn't want to offer any further knowledge on the situation either." Castiel suddenly returned as if summoned, and had a container cradled in his hands. A white to-go box. Dean's interests were peaked.
"Really? Cas didn't tell you? Huh."
"And just what is that supposed to mean?" Dean said, getting a little annoyed by how his brother always made that sound when he was putting puzzle pieces together in his brain. Castiel approached Dean and calmly set the box on the table.
"Nothing. I just…can I see you? Where are you staying?"
"Dovetail Bed and Breakfast out on route 85 in Kansas. How soon can you get here?" Castiel opened the box and a steaming pile of pancakes resided within. Dean groaned in delight.
"God, do I love you," he said and Castiel beamed under his praise. There was a long silence on the other end of the phone.
"Dean," Sam said at last, the awkwardness returning to his tone. "I'm on my way." Suddenly Dean realized what he had said and how it must have sounded.
"Nothing is going on, Sam!" he yelled but his brother had already hung up the phone. Fuck.
Sam looked at his phone and shook his head. His brother was like a horny teenager. Sam imagined the two of them have been going at it non-stop since he hit the road. Probably didn't stop to miss him one bit.
Should we give them a minute to finish up? Teased Gabriel but Sam shook his head again.
To hell with it Gabe, let's go there now. Show me how to manifest these wings of yours.