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[Having been here for two years now, Skye has learned to pay close attention to the Delivery Dogs and how they act with each passing month. The fact that they’re skittish this month as her worried enough that she starts following one after getting a caffeine fix. Only backing off when one poofs out of sight right in front of her.
That probably wasn’t good. Skye realizes she’s in an area she never really visits, mostly because of how abandoned it seems and because she’s never known anyone who lives here. She’s turning around to leave when she spots a familiar, and this time, unpleasant face.
Dean.
Considering how awful their last meeting went, Skye isn’t sure what to do other than to freeze in place. He had warned her after all. Ever since that warning, she’s been looking over her shoulder a lot more. Did he follow her here? Wait for her to be alone so he could—
Well, she doesn’t want to think about what he could or would do to her.]
That probably wasn’t good. Skye realizes she’s in an area she never really visits, mostly because of how abandoned it seems and because she’s never known anyone who lives here. She’s turning around to leave when she spots a familiar, and this time, unpleasant face.
Dean.
Considering how awful their last meeting went, Skye isn’t sure what to do other than to freeze in place. He had warned her after all. Ever since that warning, she’s been looking over her shoulder a lot more. Did he follow her here? Wait for her to be alone so he could—
Well, she doesn’t want to think about what he could or would do to her.]
[ There's a certain level of familiarity Dean allows himself at his choice of residence in Deerington. It's run-down, abandoned looking. Home away from home, even if at the start of the world going sideways they'd at least tried to make things as good as they could at the camp. But other people's comfort had quickly fallen out of his priorities. He wasn't there to to make people comfortable. He was there to them and kill Lucifer. This place? It had been a tactical decision.
It hadn't taken him long to make the kinds of changes to the house that are basic levels of fortification. It's more habit than anything else, a deeply ingrained knowledge that making sure he can defend himself when the shit hits the fan? It's the difference between life and death.
So when he spots a figure out of a grimy window pane he has no intention of cleaning, he's already reaching for the stash of weapons Sam has given him. And when he finally makes it outside, using his knowledge of the area to sneak up more than well enough on the intruder, he's got a pistol that's definitely not the Colt trained on her this time.
Whatever E.T.'s freaking lovechild is here for, he figures it's not for anything good. ]
What? You thought you could get the drop on me with that kinda approach? Sloppy.
It hadn't taken him long to make the kinds of changes to the house that are basic levels of fortification. It's more habit than anything else, a deeply ingrained knowledge that making sure he can defend himself when the shit hits the fan? It's the difference between life and death.
So when he spots a figure out of a grimy window pane he has no intention of cleaning, he's already reaching for the stash of weapons Sam has given him. And when he finally makes it outside, using his knowledge of the area to sneak up more than well enough on the intruder, he's got a pistol that's definitely not the Colt trained on her this time.
Whatever E.T.'s freaking lovechild is here for, he figures it's not for anything good. ]
What? You thought you could get the drop on me with that kinda approach? Sloppy.
[Are they seriously going to do this, again? As understanding as Skye is about being on edge around here, why does he believe that she’s out to hurt him? Hadn’t she proven that she was on his side when she took down the robot?
She doesn’t move yet though, not with the gun on her, again.]
Shouldn’t I be saying that to you? Since you’re the one following me around.
[At least, that’s what she assumes is happening here.]
She doesn’t move yet though, not with the gun on her, again.]
Shouldn’t I be saying that to you? Since you’re the one following me around.
[At least, that’s what she assumes is happening here.]
[ Frowning at that hot take, Dean's brain is trying to put together the facts on the fly. She thinks that he's following her? Not even close, but the fact that she's also somehow found her way to where he lives? That doesn't feel like the kind of information he wants to share either.
Lying to protect a valuable position is more than within what he's capable of, what he knows is the smart, tactical choice. So he keeps that gun trained on her and raises his eyebrows. ]
I warned you to watch your back.
Lying to protect a valuable position is more than within what he's capable of, what he knows is the smart, tactical choice. So he keeps that gun trained on her and raises his eyebrows. ]
I warned you to watch your back.
Was me saving us both from that robot not proof enough that I’m not the bad guy here?
[She doesn’t hold her hands up this time because does it even matter? He won’t believe she’s not unarmed, not when he’s seen her use her powers.]
[She doesn’t hold her hands up this time because does it even matter? He won’t believe she’s not unarmed, not when he’s seen her use her powers.]
What, until you're havin' a bad day? Then what?
[ That's the problem here. Nobody should have that kind of power over anybody else. Not when they're just as capable as the next person of snapping any freaking time (or neck) they like. And he doesn't know her from the next mutant freak. ]
You killed a Care Bear. Good for you. What's next?
[ That's the problem here. Nobody should have that kind of power over anybody else. Not when they're just as capable as the next person of snapping any freaking time (or neck) they like. And he doesn't know her from the next mutant freak. ]
You killed a Care Bear. Good for you. What's next?
I’m not the one holding a gun right now.
[But since he’s so blindly set-out on making her out to be the monster here, Skye doubts he’ll see how hypocritical he’s being. She could easily quake the gun apart right now, but rushing to do that will probably make things worse.]
What does it matter what I am to you? You don’t even know me.
[But since he’s so blindly set-out on making her out to be the monster here, Skye doubts he’ll see how hypocritical he’s being. She could easily quake the gun apart right now, but rushing to do that will probably make things worse.]
What does it matter what I am to you? You don’t even know me.
What I know? You could take one of those bears apart without even touchin' it.
[ So: dangerous. He's holding a gun on her for what he feels like is a justified reason. And she's right, he doesn't know her. But the information he does have doesn't exactly make him feel a lot like he wants to be unarmed right now. ]
Oh I get it. You played the good samaritan and now I'm supposed to just what? Skip around fields with you after we braid each other's hair? Come on. And that was after you said you knew me. In my experience? Anybody who knows who I am before I've met 'em? They're not lookin' to be b-f-fs. The opposite, actually.
[ So: dangerous. He's holding a gun on her for what he feels like is a justified reason. And she's right, he doesn't know her. But the information he does have doesn't exactly make him feel a lot like he wants to be unarmed right now. ]
Oh I get it. You played the good samaritan and now I'm supposed to just what? Skip around fields with you after we braid each other's hair? Come on. And that was after you said you knew me. In my experience? Anybody who knows who I am before I've met 'em? They're not lookin' to be b-f-fs. The opposite, actually.
Well I’m sorry that’s been your experience in the past, but that’s not me.
[She understands what it’s like to be used but to have this extreme of a reaction? Yeah, it’s a lot.]
We’re all stuck here, we all want to go home.
[Well, maybe the last part is a little complicated for Skye now, but there’s no point in bringing that up. She doubts he’ll care about her love life and she’s not about to bring up Bucky’s name around him.]
So this? Whatever you think you’re going to achieve by threatening me? It’s not accomplishing anything.
[She understands what it’s like to be used but to have this extreme of a reaction? Yeah, it’s a lot.]
We’re all stuck here, we all want to go home.
[Well, maybe the last part is a little complicated for Skye now, but there’s no point in bringing that up. She doubts he’ll care about her love life and she’s not about to bring up Bucky’s name around him.]
So this? Whatever you think you’re going to achieve by threatening me? It’s not accomplishing anything.
And I'm just supposed to take your word for that? 'cause you're not a liar?
[ There are a lot of years of bad experiences she's competing with here, and while he's not looking to get caught up in a fight right now, he has no intention of letting her get any closer. How she found where he lives he still has no idea, but it's enough of a problem that he's going to make sure she leaves. ]
My advice? Back off. However the hell you found this place, unlearn it.
[ There are a lot of years of bad experiences she's competing with here, and while he's not looking to get caught up in a fight right now, he has no intention of letting her get any closer. How she found where he lives he still has no idea, but it's enough of a problem that he's going to make sure she leaves. ]
My advice? Back off. However the hell you found this place, unlearn it.
Back of-?!
[He’s the one that’s been following her around and yet he’s telling her to back off?]
You’re the one following me! You’re the one threatening me to watch my back. I haven’t done anything to you.
[He’s the one that’s been following her around and yet he’s telling her to back off?]
You’re the one following me! You’re the one threatening me to watch my back. I haven’t done anything to you.
I'm not followin' you, jesus. I was already here.
[ If he's starting to sound like he's done with this conversation, it's probably because he is. He's had less sleep than he'd like and hasn't eaten in longer than he should go between meals. He's exhausted.
But there's a piece of information in there that's crucial enough that it makes him frown. She's still insisting he's following her and considering he lives here? He knows that's not true. So eventually he lowers that pistol but doesn't put it away. He knows better. ]
You feelin' less threatened now, Princess?
[ If he's starting to sound like he's done with this conversation, it's probably because he is. He's had less sleep than he'd like and hasn't eaten in longer than he should go between meals. He's exhausted.
But there's a piece of information in there that's crucial enough that it makes him frown. She's still insisting he's following her and considering he lives here? He knows that's not true. So eventually he lowers that pistol but doesn't put it away. He knows better. ]
You feelin' less threatened now, Princess?
What? You-?
[The gears are shifting in her head as she looks around. The houses around here look rough, but--]
You live here?
[It would make some sense as to why he’s telling her to unlearn how she found this place. Watching as he lowers the gun, Skye’s eyes meet his again.]
Not really, no.
[The gears are shifting in her head as she looks around. The houses around here look rough, but--]
You live here?
[It would make some sense as to why he’s telling her to unlearn how she found this place. Watching as he lowers the gun, Skye’s eyes meet his again.]
Not really, no.
[ More pissed at himself than anything for giving up that information, he rolls his eyes and shakes his head, glances around because this isn't the safest place even outside of her standing here. He'd found that out pretty quick.
Gaze snapping back to her again, his jaw tightens and he gives her an expectant look. So now you know, time to leave. ]
Gaze snapping back to her again, his jaw tightens and he gives her an expectant look. So now you know, time to leave. ]
Well, I wasn't stalking you, so.
[She doesn't want a fight either, and her eyes drift towards the gun at his side again as she starts to walk away. Making sure he won't just shoot her as soon as her back is to him. As soon as she's out of sight, the adrenaline starts to wear off and, she realizes how close she came to getting shot. Again.]
[She doesn't want a fight either, and her eyes drift towards the gun at his side again as she starts to walk away. Making sure he won't just shoot her as soon as her back is to him. As soon as she's out of sight, the adrenaline starts to wear off and, she realizes how close she came to getting shot. Again.]
[ Mornings after shouldn't happen in the dark, but well. Here they are. He's gonna assume it's morning, just because he's not having a good time right now, and, well. That seems par for the course for mornings.
Mornings after, as far as Cas has learned, really suck. For one, humans have morning breath, and it's horrible. Second, if people don't know to leave his cabin, it gets awkward. Third, he tends to feel off kilter, head hurting, body protesting, mind buckling from trying to remember dreams of flight, or forgetting dreams of falling.
Mornings suck, in short.
Mornings in which angel radio makes his teeth vibrate out of his skull, while his trueform remains a hollow cadaver and he's barely angel enough to withstand the true voice kin?
Yeah... yeah those are gonna rank high up there on mornings that suck.
Once the first spike of adrenaline and panic wears off, Cas rubs his hands down his face. It's too dark to see if Dean has any Enochian wards on the walls of this house, in the dim light of a burnt down fire and a few candles, but Cas stumbles his way through the living room anyway, shooting the liger a look as he moves past, and willing a short flash of a smile onto his face. ]
Yeah I like you too, buddy.
[ He can barely see the stairs as he climbs them - and what's with the incense?
Too many questions. That has to slot further down in his priorities. Cas stops halfway up the stairs, puts a hand on the sutures and winces, before pushing on. Priorities, priorities. And well, Dean did give him a roof and patch him up - more than he could have asked of the guy who sent him to his death, quite frankly. The least Cas can do to repay that is to warn him.
So he waltzes into the first room he sees without knocking - and ah. Bingo. One fearless leader: Check. ]
There's an angel in this world, and I may or may not have given our location away.
Mornings after, as far as Cas has learned, really suck. For one, humans have morning breath, and it's horrible. Second, if people don't know to leave his cabin, it gets awkward. Third, he tends to feel off kilter, head hurting, body protesting, mind buckling from trying to remember dreams of flight, or forgetting dreams of falling.
Mornings suck, in short.
Mornings in which angel radio makes his teeth vibrate out of his skull, while his trueform remains a hollow cadaver and he's barely angel enough to withstand the true voice kin?
Yeah... yeah those are gonna rank high up there on mornings that suck.
Once the first spike of adrenaline and panic wears off, Cas rubs his hands down his face. It's too dark to see if Dean has any Enochian wards on the walls of this house, in the dim light of a burnt down fire and a few candles, but Cas stumbles his way through the living room anyway, shooting the liger a look as he moves past, and willing a short flash of a smile onto his face. ]
Yeah I like you too, buddy.
[ He can barely see the stairs as he climbs them - and what's with the incense?
Too many questions. That has to slot further down in his priorities. Cas stops halfway up the stairs, puts a hand on the sutures and winces, before pushing on. Priorities, priorities. And well, Dean did give him a roof and patch him up - more than he could have asked of the guy who sent him to his death, quite frankly. The least Cas can do to repay that is to warn him.
So he waltzes into the first room he sees without knocking - and ah. Bingo. One fearless leader: Check. ]
There's an angel in this world, and I may or may not have given our location away.
[ Living alone after getting used to a camp full of twitchy trauma survivors has been a learning curve he thinks he's got a decent enough handle on. Community spirit hasn't ever exactly been important to him. Even when he was younger, all he'd needed was his family, and the hunting life is a lonely one sometimes. Dependency on other people had died the moment him and Sam went their separate ways and whatever friendship had existed between him and Cas had rotted away just like the rest of the world. Buried under a pile of crap Lucifer dumped on all of them.
So when the door of the room he's using as a bedroom opens, he looks up and the expression on his face isn't a kind one. He wouldn't go so far to say he's been good living on his own, but he definitely didn't have anybody invite themselves in without knocking first.
Tired beyond what anybody can reasonably cope with, the hand he's got on the pistol set on the beat up looking nightstand - decorated with a candle so he can see in this permanent darkness - only relaxes once he realizes it's just Cas. And that's still going to take time to get used to. ]
Oh you just right on come on in, Cas. Make yourself at home.
[ His tone is steeped in sarcasm and an edge that might have been there even if he wasn't this tired. Sleep just won't come, and he's feeling it now, heavy in every corner of his body and mind. ]
You went out?
[ How else would Cas know about what else is out there? ]
So when the door of the room he's using as a bedroom opens, he looks up and the expression on his face isn't a kind one. He wouldn't go so far to say he's been good living on his own, but he definitely didn't have anybody invite themselves in without knocking first.
Tired beyond what anybody can reasonably cope with, the hand he's got on the pistol set on the beat up looking nightstand - decorated with a candle so he can see in this permanent darkness - only relaxes once he realizes it's just Cas. And that's still going to take time to get used to. ]
Oh you just right on come on in, Cas. Make yourself at home.
[ His tone is steeped in sarcasm and an edge that might have been there even if he wasn't this tired. Sleep just won't come, and he's feeling it now, heavy in every corner of his body and mind. ]
You went out?
[ How else would Cas know about what else is out there? ]
Look at you. Manners and hospitality.
[ What can he say? He likes prodding sleeping bears. It gives him momentary satisfaction to see that Dean appears to have slept just as well as he himself did - also known as: none at all - which he still blames on the couch and his woundsand this place and the presence of a liger.
Well, no.
The liger is innocent, and Cas can't lie about that. ]
No. I, uh... I think you liked to call it angel radio?
[ Cas gestures to his head vaguely. ]
[ What can he say? He likes prodding sleeping bears. It gives him momentary satisfaction to see that Dean appears to have slept just as well as he himself did - also known as: none at all - which he still blames on the couch and his woundsand this place and the presence of a liger.
Well, no.
The liger is innocent, and Cas can't lie about that. ]
No. I, uh... I think you liked to call it angel radio?
[ Cas gestures to his head vaguely. ]
[ Rolling his eyes at the jab, Dean's almost ready to kick Cas out again. Their conversation from earlier has been playing over in his mind and since he can't sleep to stop thinking about it, he's just been stuck with a whole lot of everything. The whiskey bottle he'd left in the kitchen earlier is almost drained, sat down on the floor next to the bed. He definitely doubled back to swipe that.
But as soon as Cas mentions angel radio, he sucks in a deeper breath and then lets it back out again slowly. Right. Figures this conversation would come up now. ]
Yeah. There are angels here. Two that I know of.
But as soon as Cas mentions angel radio, he sucks in a deeper breath and then lets it back out again slowly. Right. Figures this conversation would come up now. ]
Yeah. There are angels here. Two that I know of.
Two. Wonderful.
[ Cas snorts, somewhere between mock amusement and sheer disbelief.
Right, of course Dean wouldn't tell him. It's his own fault really - a full death experience and some tears on a pretty face are apparently enough to make him forget who he's dealing with, and in what little regard he stands her.
At least two is mildly better than the entire host. ]
You, uh... wanna elaborate on that. At all?
[ Cas snorts, somewhere between mock amusement and sheer disbelief.
Right, of course Dean wouldn't tell him. It's his own fault really - a full death experience and some tears on a pretty face are apparently enough to make him forget who he's dealing with, and in what little regard he stands her.
At least two is mildly better than the entire host. ]
You, uh... wanna elaborate on that. At all?
[ There's an assessing kind of gaze he's throwing at Cas from across the room. It's not all that different to the kind of look he'd give newbies in camp who wanted to roll out into a mission less than half a day before they arrived. ]
How're you feeling?
[ Oh there's a reason he's asking. ]
Did you take anything since last time I was with you?
How're you feeling?
[ Oh there's a reason he's asking. ]
Did you take anything since last time I was with you?
[ There is nothing in this world or the next as flat as the look Cas gives Dean at that, jaw clenching hard before the corners of his lips lift up in a smile that stays far, far away from his eyes. ]
I, uh... would say feel the way you look. Which doesn't, hm, look like 'Cas arrived and made my life difficult so I didn't sleep' levels of sleep deprivation. You look like I could push you over.
[ His nostrils flare, and he starts strolling through the room to give it a closer look. Make yourself at home, Dean Winchester had carelessly said. With pleasure. ]
I didn't. If I look, uh... smashed, it's because I was ill prepared for angel frequencies scrambling through my mostly mortal brains.
I, uh... would say feel the way you look. Which doesn't, hm, look like 'Cas arrived and made my life difficult so I didn't sleep' levels of sleep deprivation. You look like I could push you over.
[ His nostrils flare, and he starts strolling through the room to give it a closer look. Make yourself at home, Dean Winchester had carelessly said. With pleasure. ]
I didn't. If I look, uh... smashed, it's because I was ill prepared for angel frequencies scrambling through my mostly mortal brains.
Edited 2020-10-09 01:32 (UTC)
[ There's nothing but the faint trace of muscles working at Dean's jaw and a line between his brows in response for a while, and he just watches on as Cas inspects the room like he has any right to. It needles, like always, but he says nothing and leans down so he can pluck the bottle of whiskey up off the floor. ]
You're probably gonna need this.
[ It's probably the nicest thing he's done for Cas in a while. Suturing his wounds doesn't count because he willed those injuries into existence. This isn't that. He waits for Cas to take the bottle from him and then leans back against the wall with paint peeling off of it. Like he's got time for a damn headboard or redecorating. ]
You're probably gonna need this.
[ It's probably the nicest thing he's done for Cas in a while. Suturing his wounds doesn't count because he willed those injuries into existence. This isn't that. He waits for Cas to take the bottle from him and then leans back against the wall with paint peeling off of it. Like he's got time for a damn headboard or redecorating. ]
[ It's someone they know. Or, someone who knows them.
Shit. Yeah.
Has to be.
Cas hesitates, look sobering into something almost hesitant for a moment. His brothers are a sore spot, the home and family he'd lost to rebellion, misery, mud and ultimately death.
Cas sighs, but then shoots Dean a look that's almost gratitude as he moves closer, takes the bottle - and promptly inserts himself onto the bed, wincing as he pulls his legs into a lotus seat, and wincing some more when he takes a healthy swig on a stomach that's as empty as the rest of him. ]
Alright. Shoot.
Shit. Yeah.
Has to be.
Cas hesitates, look sobering into something almost hesitant for a moment. His brothers are a sore spot, the home and family he'd lost to rebellion, misery, mud and ultimately death.
Cas sighs, but then shoots Dean a look that's almost gratitude as he moves closer, takes the bottle - and promptly inserts himself onto the bed, wincing as he pulls his legs into a lotus seat, and wincing some more when he takes a healthy swig on a stomach that's as empty as the rest of him. ]
Alright. Shoot.
[ The bed dips but not all that much because Cas isn't exactly the heaviest guy around. Dean allows it and chooses not to make this moment any more messed up than it already is which is... probably thanks to how he's spent his last three months here. Having every wall he's build stripped back to the bare iron work beneath.
What he needs from Cas is his focus since he's too rough around the edges with lack of sleep to really feel all that sharp. But he already knows without being told that this is going to be fucked up at best. ]
One of them I don't know. Other one's you.
What he needs from Cas is his focus since he's too rough around the edges with lack of sleep to really feel all that sharp. But he already knows without being told that this is going to be fucked up at best. ]
One of them I don't know. Other one's you.
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