132nd page

[ladybirdshit]

The kind Loch Ness Monster (?) drops you off once the swamp comes to an end. The ground is dry and stable again, but the eerie fog lingers still. The old trees around you are covered in heavy moss, but you can tell you'll be soon out of the forest since the weak wind carries a smell of fresh air. One last push and you'll be out of here!

[ mission: don't get lost in the forest. ]

Comments

[inenochian]

[ eyes get all supersquinty. ]

Spotted her. In a crowded city. Where the pirate just so happened to be, despite knowing we were likely to arrive at any moment.

[ brushes his fingers across the mossy ground, meditating on the tactile sensation. ]

That seems a remarkable coincidence.

[sawedoff]

Too late to ask her about it now.

[kind of fed her to the wolves. not that the thought hadn't crossed his mind, after the fact. but it didn't make any sense to him why she wouldn't use that as leverage instead knowing he was probably marching her to her demise, so he's going with likely candidate #2]

Either way she got what she deserved.

[inenochian]

[ more interested in who fulfilled the terms of the deal than who requested it, of course. it's really only relevant in terms of a trail to follow. ]

[ face relaxes and he looks up from his study of the green matting to study dean's face instead. ]

[ rubs a thumb across his own bottom lip, pensive. ]

You consider it justice.

[sawedoff]

[poetic, in fact]

Hell doesn't have the market cornered on evil bitches. Plenty of them walking and talking and completely human.

[inenochian]

Oh, no, I agree. I agree with you, completely. [ suddenly serious eye contact here, along with an emphatic tone. ] I think it's one of the things I've always loved about you, that unshakeable sense of righteousness, how you understand that wrongness is begot by action rather than an innate quality.

[sawedoff]

[head tilt of not sure if he just heard what he thinks he heard. he might have been about to say something, but it got choked out and died a fish open and closed mouth death]

[it's not even that it's so scandalous, so much as he's just not used to hearing it. the occasional roundabout we're brothers man and i love you from sam, yeah, and clara, who he couldn't nut up enough to repeat it to. it's foreign and he doesn't know where to go with it.]

[sawedoff]

[right ok stop looking at him with deer in headlights face is probably a step in the right direction]

Yeah well it's... kinda a baseline requirement for not being a scumbag. You wanna tone down the love all creatures great and small before we have to hug it out or something?

[inenochian]

[ for a brief moment, he actively considers fleeing. ]

[inenochian]

[ shit.

shitshisthishishitshit--

[ after he calms enough to parse dean's reaction, a very mild reaction all things considered, cas drops the hand from his chin and fidgets with the loop of his swordbelt for a moment before he nods. he doesn't deserve it, but he'll take it. a change of subject. mercy. ]

[ even if hugging does sound particularly appealing. ]

Nevertheless, it's not how I was made to think.

[sawedoff]

[eyes him with a twist of his lips that could be a grimace or an attempt at a smile]

You make a mistake, you feel like hell. You see someone suffering, you do your damnedest to help. Sure you get tripped up sometimes, but that's how it goes. If you ask me, you're more human than some people.

So, screw what you were made to think.

[what dean was made to think never did him any damn good either]

[inenochian]

[ sometimes it is difficult to be different, the solitary freak accident of the Host. after all he's done, cas knows he'll never be welcomed in heaven again, that other angels will fear and revile him in a way they did not even abhor lucifer (yes, he disobeyed God, but he never attempted to replace Him, and his war had ever been waged on mankind, not Heaven).

he suddenly feels a very strong kinship with Eve, bursting with knowledge from the Tree, but doomed to be cast out for it. thankfully, like Eve, he has not had to endure his banishment alone. ]

I have made very many poor choices, but I will be forever grateful that you asked me to choose.

[sawedoff]

[makes a quiet hm noise of nonverbal i feel youism and draws a blade of grass up from between his legs to idly ball it between his fingers for lack of guns to clean or bullets to pack or otherwise handy things to keep him busy]

You know it's kinda weird hanging out with you like this. It's always apocalypse this or huge war between big uglies way out of my weight class that. I mean no offense but I don't think I've ever seen this much of you before you're zapping off to save the bees or.

[like, this whole trip in general since they got here. not this exact moment.]

[inenochian]

[ had kind of meandered away into his own thoughts for a bit after speaking, more contemplation on the nature of Paradise, how it had been so peaceful to know without question that he was Good and Right because how could an Angel be otherwise? it hadn't mattered what orders required; they were Just because they were Heaven's Will. total bullshit, of course. ]

[ looks up from dean's idle hands to watch his face when he starts talking again. ]

I suppose your lessons on "personal space" may never take, Dean. Apologies.

[sawedoff]

[looks up from grassball, flicking it away down the hill]

Nah. I meant-

[frustrated sucking on teeth noise because he doesn't want to spell feelings out. it's gross.]

Losing Sam, Clara. Any other time, right about now, I wouldn't have crap. Everyone else I know, they bit it too young and bloody. It's not like I'm rolling in besties. I'm not saying I'm not barely holding on, I'm just...saying.

[im
glad ur here
and not distracted by wars in heaven or archangels or being insane
or whatever the fuck hes saying]

[inenochian]

[ bullies himself into making eyecontact. normally it'd be a struggle to do anything but have an overlong staring session but he's more than a bit self-conscious after that slip a few moments ago. ]

[ still. now seems like the perfect time to engage in some quality staring. ]

Perching on your shoulder is much more rewarding than I originally estimated. [ tiny. tiny lip twitch that may be a smile. ] Even with the regrettable circumstances, it's still true that I would rather be here.

[sawedoff]

[homostare engaged. estimated duration: waiting in line at the dmv]

[swallows when he blinks and looks off, helping himself to his feet with an old man grunt and a gratuitous stretch to work out the sat on his ass too long kink in his back]

You gonna cover for me?

[thats enough feelings for one night. he has to sleep it off.]

[inenochian]

Of course.

[ watches him stand and stretch and tries not to be too obviously appreciative of any of it. it's not displaying it's just for comfort, get a grip. ]

Sleep well, Dean. I'll come wake you after first light.

[sawedoff]

[leans down at eye level to retrieve his bag and pats him on the chest in lieu of a goodnight before righting himself and bowlegging back down the hill to clock in those 4 hours]