Backdated to Christmas day (OTA)

[c_a_s_t_i_e_l]

Castiel, for once, was in the Christmas spirit this year. He had decorations up both in his apartment and at The Ribbon- though, none of them were nativity scenes or much relating to Good Old Dad (most of it looked like just a celebration of winter- berries, vines, and evergreen trees- very Pagan as Gabe had put it- except for one Santa Claus

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[angel_awol]

Christmas Day. Traditionally a day for visiting all your friends and relatives and getting free food and drink. Gabriel wasn't so taken with the idea of visiting everyone, but he was at least going to have a look-in on most of them, make sure they were having fun and all of that.

He was actually very surprised that Castiel wasn't at home. That meant Cas was probably one of two other places- Hippie Central or at Meg's place. Considering that the last time they had discussed Meg, Castiel had flounced off like an ageing prima donna, Gabe didn't much fancy going over to where they both might be together.

Gabriel was willing to bet Meg wasn't going to be at The Ribbon, so that was where he zapped himself to first. And bingo.

But he couldn't just pop up formally, could he? No. He came down the chimney. And if the Ribbon hadn't had a chimney before, it did now. Because Santa-Gabe had a present for his stupido baby-brother, and he was going to deliver it.

[c_a_s_t_i_e_l]

Oh, they had a chimney. Sometimes they even used it, but luckily for Gabe it wasn't on at the moment. Maybe if other people were there, he'd have started a fire, but the staff were off for the day. It was a holiday, after all.

Bernie heard noise from above and ran over to the fireplace, yipping and barking. He ran up really close at first and barked, then ran around the wooden benches and old couches, hid under the coffee table a few moments and barked some more, and then repeated his path circling back over to the fireplace. Of course, as soon as Gabe was actually down inside, he was there licking the Archangel's face.

Cas frowned somewhat when this was occurring, but didn't seem all that phased by it as he finished putting away the extra spa items he'd gotten from the Apothecary in one of the cupboards.

He turned to look at Gabriel once he was finally inside. "Merry Christmas, Brother. I guess I should have expected an entrance like this from you."

[angel_awol]

Gabriel huffed, stood on the hearth in a dark green suit with a fur trim. He looked, if you squinted, like a very old-fashioned Saint Nicholas. Minus the beard. He still looked annoyed though that Castiel didn't seem to appreciate the effort.

"A little birdie told me that Bernie had been a very good boy this year, so I have some presents for him." Gabriel said, forgoing the usual Merry Christmas greetings. He wasn't feeling his usual joyful, seasonal self.

He dug into a pocket, found a large candy-cane shaped squeaky toy and let the dog take it from him, before giving him a few long strokes down his back.

"I thought I might try and bring you some Christmas cheer." He said a little flatly. "And thank you for the sweater. And I have to give you my present. I did promise."

[c_a_s_t_i_e_l]

Gabriel's sweater had been gold in color. Cas thought it would suit his brother well, and match his eyes.

Bernie was a very good dog for sure, and he was dressed for the occasion. He whimpered happily (it was likely his way of saying 'thank you'), gently reached with his little mouth to take the squeaky toy, and ran off with it to go play.

"I thought the mistletoe might have been my only present. You know, after our last talk." Cas grimaced apologetically. He had been coming over to help his brother up, but he was too late for that.

[angel_awol]

Gabriel straightened up, watching the dog bound away- well, as much as a dog with such small legs could bound anywhere. Gabriel felt that in Bernie, had had a kindred spirit. Or at least, someone who understood how annoying it was to have short legs.

When Castiel spoke, Gabriel sort of shrugged. "That wasn't really a present, was it?" He was trying not to grin, "I didn't realise you didn't know how mistletoe worked kiddo, but it was pretty fun. I feel sorry for the guy and the broken hand though. Don't worry, I tidied that up."

"You asked for something else. Before you asked for me to choose you and Meg over Anna." Yeah, Gabriel is still sore about that. But he can look past it.

[c_a_s_t_i_e_l]

"I guess that's one of the instances where I could have used the phrase 'you should see the other guy'." Cas smiled slightly. Yes, he felt bad, but he had learned his lesson. And it wasn't like he had gone around groping people. The kisses were innocent, except with Meg of course.

Bernie also knew how annoying and childish Castiel could be, so he and Gabe had that in common too. Sometimes Cas noticed that the dog almost rolled his eyes at him.

"Thank you for getting Bernie something. Did I..." His voice trailed off and then he looked a little sad. "Did I miss the party? You know, I don't think Meg would want to come after all."

Cas hadn't seen an actual invitation for it yet, and last he and Gabe had spoke there wasn't a set date just yet.

"That's right. I wanted to taste food, without tasting all of the molecules." Oh, to have PB and J again and taste it as a human would.

[angel_awol]

His older brother raised an eyebrow at the phrase. Another Winchesterism, he was sure, and not really one that he felt was particularly good. Not when you considered a human, unarmed, could do zero damage to an angel. Even one like Castiel. No offence.

"Bernie deserved a little present. I was gonna get him a turkey, but I didn't want the little guy to pop." Squeaky bones were better, because the noise would hopefully get really annoying really quickly.

At the mention of the party, Gabriel shrugged. "Didn't do it. Something came up." He wasn't going to make more choices between family Cas, and besides, everyone seemed sort of busy. Next year, maybe.

"That's what you said. So that's what I got you." Well, got is probably the wrong word to use. "Sit down."

[c_a_s_t_i_e_l]

He didn't mean for the guy to get hurt, honestly, and he had tried to offer to help but the man didn't want to be anywhere near him. But, yes, it was a Winchesterism.

Meg would have probably found Cas having a black eye as somehow attractive, but it wasn't like he was going to take down his defenses and let some human throw a few punches here and there. Cas had been hurt enough plenty of times before.

"We could still do it, you know. I could help you put it together- and it'd be just family like you wanted." Obviously Cas had had a change of heart, and now he felt pretty bad about getting so angry with Gabe. He just wanted his girlfriend invited somewhere. Meg didn't usually care either way, but Cas did.

Castiel sat down, looking both curious and a little concerned. "Now... remember, I don't want to be human. I want to keep my Grace."

[angel_awol]

Black-eyes are sort of fun. Like bruises, you just end up poking them for that weird ouchie-pain that isn't really pain but hurts all the same. Or at least, that was what what Gabriel did. Maybe he was just weird

[c_a_s_t_i_e_l]

See? That was probably how Meg saw it too. Then again, demons LOVED s&m and everything inbetween. She and Gabe would get along well, if they tried.

Castiel was grateful that his brain was to remain untouched. When Gabriel told him to stay still, he stayed as still as possible (and that was very still considering angels didn't have to actually breathe). He had no idea what Gabe was up to, but his eyes went wide as he saw his Brother pull out a piece of his own Grace, literally a thread of it, and shoved it into his body. As the thread intertwined with his (Cas') Grace, his eyes glowed bright white-blue for a moment and then he shut them tight

[angel_awol]

Well, it doesn't look like Castiel is about to explode into a million pieces. Maybe it did work. He knew it would. It was always nice not to blow up your siblings. He'd never actually had to do that before after all.

He grinned. "Yeah. So now you should be able to taste things." Perhaps Castiel was expecting more, but Gabriel thought it was a pretty decent present. It had been a fairly big ask, but Gabriel was a good brother, or at least good at scoring points.

"And just in time for you to have Christmas dinner." He added, and then reached into a green pocket of his robe, and pulled out a candy-cane, "But you have try this first. As an aperitif."

He sank down into a chair opposite, studying Castiel. "You feeling okay? Completely yourself?"

[c_a_s_t_i_e_l]

It was more than enough- it was a great present, but he hadn't expected it to happen like this. A potion, maybe, or some sort of spell... but to get a thread of Archangel Grace shoved into you... well, how many lesser angels could describe how that feels?

"I think so. It felt a little strange at first. Hot, like burning, but I feel okay now." He reached over to grab the candy-cane from Gabriel. He'd felt very weak for a moment there, but now there was an energy that seemed new- stronger, but maybe he was just imagining it.

"Thank you." He added, though he didn't know just yet if it had actually worked or not.

[angel_awol]

"Huh, a hot, burning sensation?" Gabriel repeated, trying not to laugh. Sometimes Castiel did not pick his words with care, and it was hilarious. But in the spirit of the season, Gabriel waved it away.

"Eat the candy cane." He prompted. Honestly, he hadn't brought it along just as an extra part of Castiel's Christmas present. He'd brought it to make sure everything worked. "And tell me what it tastes like, okay? You don't have a 30-day money-back guarantee with that gift, okay? I want to know that it works."

[c_a_s_t_i_e_l]

He was nervous and excited to try the candy cane. What if it didn't work at all- or what if it had, but since Cas had only been human for a little while, he couldn't properly tell that his tastebuds had changed? And then would Gabriel angrily reach inside him to take back his Grace and snatch away some of Cas' as well?

Clearly, this all made him anxious and so he was thinking of every crazy scenario that there was out there. He nodded and took a deep breath, opening the wrapper, and stuck the candy cane into his mouth, licking it.

"I... don't think I had candy canes as a human. I have nothing to compare it to, except it tastes really good." That was a start, at least. He'd had ice cream, PB and J, coffee, pizza, and beer- all of the main food groups, obviously- quite a lot, and so he was wondering if perhaps he should try one of those.

[angel_awol]

Gabriel might have been a big whiny bastard, who sulked when things didn't go his way and stomped and act like a spoilt brat. But he wasn't about to try and snatch the Grace back out of Castiel's own, for a start, it wouldn't be easy to locate it anymore. He'd given away part of his Grace willingly and he'd do it again too. Maybe.

He snapped up his own candy cane (he'd already eaten all the one's he'd bought days ago. Ooops) and popped the end into his mouth, watching Castiel's face. He seemed to be enjoying it.

And when he confirmed it? Gabriel just grinned, bright and happy. "Candy canes taste the best." He agrees. "But all the other stuff you like, well, they should be better now."

[c_a_s_t_i_e_l]

Maybe Cas thought that Gabriel would, because that was what he would have tried to do in the situation. This was probably one of many reasons why he wouldn't make a good Archangel.

"Coffee- I have some made." He bit into the candy cane, and got up to pour himself a cup. Castiel drank some and decided that, yes, this is just what it tasted like as a human. If not better.

Although, it tasted pretty bitter. Cas was always one to like his coffee black, but maybe a little milk and sugar would help. He broke up his candy cane and stuck it into the coffee, then went to the fridge to get a little milk. After some doctoring, he tasted it again, and grinned over at his Brother happily. "It worked, no molecules!"