Legal Disclaimer: I own my stuff, but not the original source material. That belongs to whoever. Also, the opinions and interpretations I use here may not reflect the same in said whoever that owns the source material. Look, I'm just a poor college librarian. Suing me isn't going to get you anything but tears.

Warning: This work may be offensive to some readers. There are references to continuing themes. Feel free to back out if need be.

Author's Note: I'm always amazed how mad people get when they don't like something about a fic. Maybe I'm just old, but the very first rule of fandom is if you don't like something, just don't read it. There are plenty of fics in the sea, after all.

Submitting Info:
Stacked with: RAVEN (2023); MC4A (Su-Y6)
Individual Challenges: Red Instead; Condiment Shelf; Death Becomes; Xs & Os; WIP It (Y); Pet Food; Me Matey; Gryffindor MC; Magical MC; Celestial MC; Deal Maker (Y); Hunter MC; Second Life (Y); Old Shoes (Y); Sandbox (Y); Crossing Over; Reader; Cinematic; Binger; Animated; Gamer; Endings; Feathers & Such; Divinity; Dreamers; Tossed Chum; Elder Berries; Nonhuman MC; Criminal MC; Ethnic & Present; Neurodivergent; Rian-Russo Inversion; In a Flash; The Real MC; Eating Cake (Y); Exchange (Y); Greatest Gift (Y); Green Ribbon; Two Cakes (Y); Bi Bi Bi; Claimed; Traveler; Zed Era; Rainbow Connection; Finders; Hold the Mayo
RAVEN Challenges: Settings [57](Empty); Items [125](Sword); Colors [135](Silver)
Other MC4A Challenges: SuB [4E](Lake/Pond); Ship (Mixtape)[SpBig (Knife/Dagger; Lake/Pond); SpMed1 (Accidental Confession; Married Already; Secret)]; Chim [Teasel]("Wait for It" – Hamilton; Turned Left Instead AU; Race Bend); Fire [x3](Carry On); Garden [Melancholia (Superstar); Gallery (SPN); Scope (Bi/Pan)];
Representation(s): Pining Dean Winchester/Castiel; Team Free Will as Family; Desi Harry Potter; Profound Bond; Canon Apocalypse
Primary & Secondary Bonus Challenges: Grease Monkey; Lyre Liar; Most Human Bean; Rock of Ages; Abandoned Ship; In the Trench; Second Verse (Persistence Still; Found Family; Nontraditional; Middle Name; Mother Hen; Spinning Plates; Unwanted Advice; Brooms Only; Lovely Coconuts); Chorus (Odd Feathers; Pocky Pockets; Wabi Sabi; Fizzy Lemonade; Machismo; Peddling Pots; Mouth of Babes; Tomorrow's Shade; A Long Dog; Eternal Boredom; Larger than Life; Unicorn; Creature Feature; Wind Beneath); Demo 1 (Shiver & Shake; Bad Beans; Under the Bridge); Demo 2 (Sitting Hummingbird); Demo 1p (Professor's Torment; Morrigan's Tentacles; Esbat)[x3]
Tertiary & Generic Bonus Challenges: T3 (Terse; Tether); SN (Rail; Intercept); FR (Satisfaction; Gestation); O3 (Oust); HoSE (Sanctuary); Once (Moses Supposes; Santa Fe); War (Obstruction; Sanctuary; Ennui); TY (Ntaiv; Enfant)
Word Count: 768 words

(^^)
Needs and Wants
Chapter 22: Raconteur
(^^)

Dean maneuvered the Impala out of the diner's parking lot. The rapidly thinning fog reflected back the headlights. Despite knowing that even with the late hour it couldn't be, the streets of Sioux Falls felt empty. It had an ominous feel to it, especially with the strong scent of blood threatening to choke him.

He rolled down his window to get fresh air. He took a careful deep breath which he exhaled slowly. The exercise helped steady the pounding of his heart a little, so he repeated it a few more times.

"Nephilim are seen as abominations," Castiel said quietly, breaking the silence like a distant roll of thunder. Dean risked a look at the angel sitting shotgun.

He was staring down at the angel blade on his lap. Unlike most of the blades they had gotten since the world had started ending, this one had three edges to its blade, which twisted like a deadly ice cream cone between its guard and the tip. Even with it on the other side of the car, Dean could feel the power emanating from the silver metal.

"That's a strong word," Dean acknowledged when it seemed like Castiel wasn't going to continue. "Especially if it's so easy to make one."

"It's not," Cas countered. "Grace and souls are like oil and water. They do not mix without a catalyst."

"Like an act of creation." Dean's lips quirked in a half-grin. "Do angels often partake in acts of creation with humans, Cas? Sneak down for some afternoon delight?"

"It is forbidden," Castiel intoned. Dean frowned, trying not to think too hard about why that answer bothered him so much. Only Castiel wasn't done. "When a nephilim comes into their powers, they can destroy entire worlds. They must be eliminated if discovered."

"Hold up," Dean said. He glanced in the review mirror at Harry's sleeping form. "You mean that what ever Tessa did means that we're gonna have even more angels up our asses?"

"I do not believe so. Made nephilim are different from those that were born. They are typically seen as acceptable forms, created for a purpose like fortification to become a vessel." Dean could practically hear Castiel giving that thoughtful frown that created the furrow between his eyebrows. "For now at least, the boy feels like you. Defying the will of Heaven would not be enough to revoke the acceptance of your soul mixed with grace."

Dean flexed his hands on Baby's steering wheel. It was on the tip of his tongue to say something ridiculously close to dialogue out of a chick flick. Keeping the words in did nothing to stop him from thinking that he was thankful that it wasn't just any angel's grace mixed with his tarnished soul. He was glad that it was Castiel. The relationship—the friendship—that had grown between them felt profound. Sometimes, it felt even more profound than what Dean had with Sam.

"I do not know how the grace will affect him," Castiel continued, as if he was confessing a grave sin. "Harry is already more than human." Dean glanced in the mirror again to check that Harry was still out of it. Last thing they needed was the kid to hear that they were talking about him and take it wrong. "Nephilim are always more powerful than their angelic parent. The human soul acts as a magnifying lens. Harry's magic already distorts his soul—"

"Don't phrase it like that, man," Dean interrupted. "Kid's sensitive to that kind of talk. He's not like Sammy, who can treat it like a badge of honor."

"I do get the impression that his relatives were rather unpleasant." Castiel twisted in his seat to look at the backseat. "He is unconscious." He turned more forward and placed a hand on Dean's leg. "I should tell you that his name is not exactly what he told us, but given what I overheard him tell you earlier, I no longer believe he lied about it."

"What?" Dean asked. His mouth was dry. It was taking more effort than it should have to keep from driving off the road into Bobby's neighbor's pond. Through the fog, Dean could barely see the taillights of the Echo as Sam turned into the salvage yard. "You mean this kid's a prophet?"

"Haridard Jamadagni Potter is not a prophet," Castiel corrected. His hand tightened briefly before relaxing on Dean's thigh. "Like you, he is the subject of prophecy."

"What prophecy?"

"He was born of Death."

Dean slammed on the breaks as those words wrapped an icy hand around his heart.

(^^)
To be continued
(^^)