Selah (6/6)
Title: Selah: To measure
Author: Mikhala_c
Rating: R
Pairing: Hints of Gabriel/various
Spoilers: 5x08 if that's even a spoiler....
Warnings: Religious themes, angelcest, cursing, and (of course) a bit of blasphemy
Disclaimer: I own them not.
Summary: Gabriel finds himself judged and punished.
Note: Previous chapters.This will be the last chapter of Selah. The story to continue in Aneinu.
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On the positive side the cupids were ready to talk.
On the negative the talk was usually proceeded by a round of greetings. It was comforting and hilarious when everyone was in their true forms.
In vessels it was claustrophobic and kinda sweaty.
In the time it took for Gabriel to recover from the sound of his choir’s joy the tiny hotel room was packed to bursting with Cherubim, both the dressed and the undressed kind. He got a moment to stare in shock at Zarall and Jael before beefy arms wrapped around his waist and hoisted him up to spin him around.
“Gabriel!”
“S’okay, Sam.” He probably could have said more to comfort the hunter but he had just barely been set down before he was swept up into a miniature group hug by his three youngest cherubs. Somewhere on the other side of the room he caught the sound of the hunter’s long suffering sigh and figured he was getting similar treatment.
A flare of concern ripple across the bond but Gabriel couldn’t see anything over the mass of bodies. “Sam? Gabriel? You alright in there?”
“Peachy.” Sam sounded anything but.
Gabriel patted the shoulder he was currently slung over to get the cupid’s attention. When the pudgy face turned his way he pointed off in the direction of Dean’s voice. “We need to go that way. I can’t greet you all inside like this.” Next thing he knew he was being passed off for hugs in a more concerted effort to funnel them out the door.
Archangel of The Lord, Teddy bear, and sack of potatoes. Dad would be so proud.
He’s deposited in front of the oldest Winchester and is soon followed by the younger. “Fancy meeting you here. Where’s Cas?”
Dean glanced over his shoulder toward the parking lot. “He said you both weren’t in danger and nothing short of mortal peril was going to get him near a….mass of Cherubim.”
Gabriel snorted. “Coward.”
“I’m thinking I should have stayed at the car with him and just called..”
Sam was just straightening the wrinkles in his shirt when Gabriel flashed a wicked grin and learned back away from Dean. “Awww, its sounds like you could use a hug, Dean-o.”
The hunter stared at him in shock before green eyes narrowed. “You are an evil bitch.”
The cherubim descended.
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It was late into the night before he’d managed to greet enough of the Cherubs to sate their need for comfort and attention. He could feel them pressing in at the edges of his mind but for the most part they’d left the physical plane. Out of his Cupids only Agape, Eros, and Philia remained to flitter around the room.
Of the others only Nathaniel stayed behind. Nothing Gabriel could say would convince the Cherub that his brothers weren’t in danger just by being near them. Truth be told the words had tasted of a lie when he’d be trying to get them out so he didn’t blame the warrior for his vigilance.
Still, that was four more bodies than the normally occupied the little hotel room.
The real kicker was that the three who were naked weren’t the ones Gabriel would prefer to see in that state.
Eros made a happy sound and lifted his chubby hand. “No! Put your hand down. There will be no more willy-nilly granting of wants.” The cupid paused and looked from Gabriel to the rest of the room’s occupants before the slow pout of his lower lip began.
And he just got Philia to stop crying………
“Now stop. No need for that. I appreciate the thought but….I…I…I have a headache.”
From the look on Dean’s face the hunter desperately wanted to ask what the cupid had been about to do but he knew better. The bouts of reality shifting had stopped ever since they manifested and the relief from all of them had been palatable.
The Cupid wibbles for a moment then takes an deep breath to calm himself. “I understand, Jibrael,” it’s a fight to not flinch at the name, “I just want you happy. They helped you feel better and you came back to us. If naked time would make you happier then maybe you’d come home?”
Gabriel doesn’t even need to look to know the rest of his flock is staring at him. He has to wonder if the Cupids have gotten more embarrassing and overly helpful in his absence or if he never noticed the trend before.
Agape beams at him and bounces up and down on her toes, which makes the two hunters avert their eyes toward the ceiling. Apparently naked cubby man is one thing, naked wrinkly grandma is a completely different animal. “We haven’t changed. We still do everything absolutely to the letter! Step by step from the hand book just like you taught us.”
And with that happy declaration it becomes time for Philia to burst into tears again and fling himself at Castiel. Gabriel is very proud that his little brother has master enough social graces to merely stiffen when the smaller angel wraps its boney arms around his waist and starts bawling into his coat about how sorry he is about Uriel and Anna.
Gabriel can feel his fictional headache building behind his eyes.
“Okay kids. My flock needs some rest and you don’t need to be right here to talk to me.” Philia makes a distressed noise and clutches tighter at Castiel who awkwardly pats his head in response. “Or Cas, you can talk to him through me too you know.”
All four of the Cherubs turn to stare hard at him and it takes a second before he can figure out what they’re waiting for. “I will answer you this time. I promise.”
The three Cupids lunge toward him to share another group hug before they back away still tangled together grinning like loons. It’s the desperate embrace that Nathaniel gives that catches him by surprise, the warrior had been watchful and distant from the moment of his arrival. There is such pain and longing in the hold Gabriel is shocked into stillness.
“Gabe’s not going anywhere guys, I won’t let him. He ditches you again and I’ll drag him back by his weave.” Dean’s all slouch and ego when he speaks but even from the other side of the room Gabriel can see the promise burning in his eyes. There is no tolerance there for fathers or older brothers who abandon their family anymore, no matter the cause.
“You heard the human. Egotistical thing rules the roost.” The warrior lets go and steps back to regard the older Winchester. He must find what he’s looking for because he gives a curt nod before departing with his brethren.
“Rules the roost huh?”
Gabriel throws a smirk the hunter’s direction. “Wives often do.”
Sam groans from his bed and pulls a pillow over his face. “Can’t you two give it a rest?”
“No.”
That wasn’t in unison.
Nope.
And if anyone believed that Gabriel has some bridges he wants to sell.
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It gets easier after that, the dance between them. It’s not perfect but he’s learning the steps again and when he finds himself outside his comfort zone he lets his flock lead him.
Sam tells him when he’s being too cruel and quick to burn.
Castiel pushes him into the conflict when he must and pulls him away before he hurts their mortal bondmates.
And Dean…………..Dean stands with him when the world is foisted onto his shoulders and the hard choices need to be made.
It makes life something more than just surviving but it doesn‘t make the war any easier. Famine is beginning to tip his hand and Lucifer has no intention of leaving his vessel be even with Gabriel’s claim. If anything it seems to make him more adamant that the future he sees is the truth. Michael stalks them and it is all they can do to avoid him without picking a fight Gabriel knows he’d lose.
Through it all his flock falls into synch with him but they fight and strain against each other.
Castiel is getting desperate in his search for their Father and the Cherubim answer that need with searches of their own. The lack of results on so many fronts does nothing but trouble the Seraph further. Dean’s lack of sympathy mimics Gabriel’s but it is far less welcome. To put it bluntly, Castiel finds his charge’s lack of faith very disturbing. Guilt still plagues Sam and he gets his personal issues cross wired with everyone else’s still, mistaking their anger at themselves or each other with disappointment and distain for him.
And yet….
Somewhere in the tangled up mess the rest of the bonds were sealed in place. He wasn’t sure exactly what the terms or conditions were, it was a private thing between each, with the exception of his rather public marking of Dean in which he hadn’t been at his full faculties at the time, but he felt them when they formed. The unsteady edges of the bond finally becoming solid and whole.
Part of his nature still wanted to look over his flock and find the marks but the appropriate time and place kept refusing to present itself.
He’s hunting his Trumpet with the help of his Cherub Vanguard when Castiel’s insistent tug on his grace drug him away the task at hand. His flock was really making this search harder than it needs to be.
He arrives in an abandoned parking lot outside of a Kmart in Kennesaw, Georgia. Castiel is waiting for him under the lone lamppost. The dingy light does nothing to hide the ugly yellow bruise that curves high across his cheek. The impala sits empty in a parking space nearby.
“Where are the chuckleheads?”
“Wyoming.”
Gabriel arched a brow at that but doesn’t push the topic just then. He stepped closer to his brother and brushed the trembling edges of fading grace with his own taking in the hints of bitterness and something else, strange and new, that swirled through it. “Grand theft auto. Moving up in the criminal world there, Cas. “
“I will return it.” The younger angel let the statement hang a moment before a visible shudder wracked his body and he leaned toward Gabriel almost like he was seeking warmth. “When I am ready.”
“What happened this time?”
“There was a disagreement.”
Gabriel snorted at that. “Really? I couldn’t have guessed.” The look Castiel flashed his way spoke volumes about how peeved the Winchesters had made him and the fact that he did not find Gabriel’s comments amusing. “Right. Well lay it on me. What’s the earth shattering quarrel about this time?”
Someday he’d learn not to ask.
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“Babies?” Dean managed a reasonably manly hint to his squeak before he turn to stare at Castiel.” You want babies? Now?”
Cas flashed him a look reserved for the very slowest of learners and set about refolding the trench coat where it laid across his lap. He’s a lot more sedate now than he had been when Gabriel showed up, though there hadn’t been time yet to sort out the mess of furniture that had been flung around. Apparently an argument over what they were going to watch turned nasty and Dean had tried to call him when Cas started to throw the “useless” human comforts out of the motel door and over the balcony. The fight escalated until Cas stole the car and left. Dramatic exit, but Gabriel was going to have to talk to him about not being the girl in the relationship.
Dean had been certain his best friend had gotten himself possessed.
Like an angel could.
The disconcerted noise the older Winchester makes snaps Gabriel back into focus and he glanced over to where Sam has been sitting very still the whole time. “What brought the furniture throwing on again?”
“He was watching some show about childbirth on TLC and it was time for Dr.Sexy.”
Yeah, Gabriel can picture how it went from there. “Cas is….really fixated about this.” Sam is hesitant in the way he says it, like his not sure if its an appropriate topic for conversation. Gabriel can feel the tug on his bond for the truth and he flashes the younger hunter a quick look to let him know its okay to ask. Sam has been so very careful to not abuse their bond its cute in a desperately sad way. “Right. This is probably my fault.”
Those are all the words Dean needs to hear before his attention becomes focused on Gabriel. “What did you do now?”
“I didn’t do anything specifically. I just didn’t think Castiel was old enough to be affected.”
“Affected by what?” Sam’s still keeping his careful distance but Dean is moving slowly closer to the spot where Castiel is seated on the bed. The young seraph’s focus on the hunter is intense and unwavering. Gabriel wonders if Dean knows he’d being pulled in purposefully.
Gabriel extends his first set of wings out to arch overhead and Castiel ducks his head to the side in submission. It’s a quiet relatively unseen interaction but it delays his answer long enough to earn him a nudge from Sam. “Huh? Oh, We don’t have breeding cycles like birds or whatever you two have compared us to in your heads. We do have optimal conditions I guess you could say. Seraphim prefer times of peace and comfort. Cherubim and Archangels are more prone to times of danger and unrest, when the need for strength and distinct purpose is greatest.”
“Hive like.”
Gabriel snorted and made a rude gesture at Sam in response. “Yeah, thanks for that helpful comparison. Anyway, I thought Castiel would take after his…er…father enough that this wouldn’t be an issue. Apparently I was wrong.”
It wasn’t so bad of an explanation really but leave it to the Winchester to be selective on their focus. “Cas’ dad? You mean God?”
Gabriel let out a defeated sigh and walked over to the bed where Cas sat fidgeting and trying hard not to call his bond mates to him since he’d already been warned off. It was harsh of Gabriel to pull the rank card on him but explanations tended to go better when people weren’t being forced into awkward embraces. Dean had been a real champ about the touchy feely nature of the bonds, not that Gabriel was going to tell him that, but he’d probably draw the line at Castiel crawling into his lap.
Then again if the long lingering looks were any indication…
Settling himself down next his brother he let the younger angel lean heavily against him and the fidgeting stopped. He can hear the heavy hammering of Castiel’s heart but he doesn’t pay it any mind yet, its the other angel’s job to try and coax his attention now. “God is our Father, but after the first few of us we were tasked with making more. I’ve told you I’ve had Fledglings, did you think the stork dropped them off? Castiel has two parents, just like any other creature born after the first workings of our Father’s hand.”
Its silent for a moment as the Winchesters watch the angels sitting together on the only remaining hotel bed. Gabriel snaps the room back to normal in the stillness if for no other reason than to provide seats, he doesn’t like it when the hunters loom over him. “You implied Cas’ dad is a Seraph so what, or who, is his mom and why haven’t we heard anything about them?” The last is directed at Castiel himself. There is a lot of curiosity in his voice but it mostly sounds like Dean is hurt.
Sometimes he wishes the human could distinguish between secrets meant to hurt and things that haven’t come up yet.
“Actually both of his parents are Archangels but the one who bore him happened to also be a cherubim from my choir.” He can feel the spike of pain that flares through Castiel but the younger angel doesn’t comment, doesn’t move, to show that the topic hurts but Gabriel shifts so he can wrap and arm around his brother’s shoulders anyway.
“So…” Its Sam this time and the kid looks like he half doesn’t want to ask the question but in true Winchester fashion he does so anyway. “Was your …mother…here the other day?”
“No.” The answer is terse and Castiel doesn’t even bother looking up to give it.
“Off the topic, boys. The point is Cas here is just….at that delicate age and his biological clock is ticking. All I have to say regarding that is; not it.”
“What the hell, Gabe? You can’t just call not it.”
Gabriel arched a brow at Dean and smirked. “Just did.”
Sam leaned forward from his chair to interject. “ I think if Cas wants kids you’re actually the only one properly equipped here, Gabriel. “
“Sam’s right, he and I aren’t going to be spitting out any baby angels with our plumbing. I wouldn’t want to see where they’d come out.” Dean shuddered in distaste.
“Considering fledglings are born from a melding of Grace at our wings…nope, no baby angels. You could spawn Nephilim, but that would be a one time deal each since when they’re born from the human parent they tend to rip out of the back or chest. Very messy.” Not that Gabriel wanted his flock to even consider such a thing, but it gave them something to mull over while he rolled the problem around in his head. It would also keep them from realizing he’d put Cas to sleep to hold off any potentially embarrassing or painful outburst from his broody bondmate.
“I wonder if he’d be happy with human babies? If we got the vessel pregnant it shouldn’t be any worse than one of the bloodline….If Castiel was female do you think he’d be attractive enough to sleep with?” The last of his musings was directed to the hunters. All he got in response was silence.
“What? Why are you looking at me like that? It is a legitimate question.”