InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "AHHHH AHHH AHHHH."

anthony j. crowley (flashbastard) wrote in colligo_threads,
@ 2010-05-29 20:21:00

Entry tags:

!@event, !closed, anthony j. crowley, castiel, sam winchester

WHO: Anthony J. Crowley, Sam Winchester, and Castiel
WHAT: The demon stops by to drop something off. (Read: He's visiting. He just needs an excuse.)
WHEN: Early evening; around 7PM
WHERE: Apartment #401D
RATING: TBD
STATUS: In Progress

The fourth floor corridor in Apartment Building D was almost too quiet. At least, that was Crowley's first thought as he stepped off the lift and glanced around. Granted the floor was mostly deserted, as were all of the upper floors in all of the apartment buildings, but there was a sense of... something, in the air, that the demon rather hoped was due to his own pre-existing knowledge of just who was currently inhabiting one of the apartments and wasn't actually as tangible of a whatever-it-was as it seemed to be. It would be rather ridiculous if Lucifer were able to track down the Winchester boy simply by sensing a shift in the air.

Of course, Crowley knew it was just a matter of time before Lucifer tracked the boy down regardless. He was Lucifer, after all. He had a goal and he was going to stick with it until he'd seen it through. Considering he was very much unable to grow old and die, and Sam could, Crowley also knew Lucifer would make his move sooner rather than later. But that didn't mean he was going to be able to use Crowley to do so. Which is precisely why the demon had paid a visit to a certain pint-sized Antichrist before stopping by.

It had meant going to see Gabriel, and deal with the Archangel's bitch of a Goddess girlfriend, but it hadn't taken long for Adam to agree to help him. No one would be able to follow him there, or back out again, or would even realize he had seen Castiel unless Crowley, personally, chose to tell them as such. Now, here he was, hoping that the boy's abilities could do the same magic they'd done in the past as he moved toward the apartment where Castiel had taken to hiding the three humans in his care.

He had a chessboard tucked under one arm, the pieces nestled away inside the hollow bit underneath. It was Aziraphale's and, although Crowley was loathe to necessarily part with it, he also knew he wasn't going to likely play a game of chess again with his Angel gone. So it only seemed right for him to make sure someone would up with it who might make better use of it. And while Crowley would never admit it to anyone, Castiel had grown on him a bit, so he was the logical choice. So of course, the chessboard wasn't his only reason for stopping by. Yes, he might feel a bit bad about how he'd spoken to Castiel before, and he might be worried about how the Angel was handling things, but he would never admit to as much. No, it was easier this way. Less messy, particularly as it didn't involve personal feelings and various other things that made him watch to itch.

Taking a drag off his cigarette, he exhaled slowly and peered at the apartment number from over the rim of his sunglasses. 401. This was it. Glancing briefly around, he straightened himself up a bit and knocked on the door.

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likeaprodigal
2010-05-30 12:53 am UTC (link)

It was better now, now that he'd talked things over with Claire and he and Cas were good again. He felt okay. Good? No. He wouldn't feel good until this was over with. He'd just finished feeding Squeaky and laughed a little as the tiny dinosaur pushed the can around and tried to get every last bit of flavor out of it. It was hilarious.

This wasn't the most ideal of situations, no, but it could be a lot worse, he figured. Part of him wondered how Adam and Anna were, but he didn't contact his younger brother - it was safer that way, especially now that Lucifer knew how to use the forum. Still, with Dean, Cas, Claire and he living under a roof together, it wasn't too bad.

He heard a knock on the door, though, and turned his head to look at it. They weren't expecting anyone, were they? Walking slowly toward it, he looked carefully through the peep-hole and was surprised to see Crowley standing there with a chess board under his arm. He would have questioned, if he had any reason to, really. He pulled the door open, looking at Crowley and stepping out of the way. "Oh. Um...hey, Crowley," he said simply. Probably too informal, but it was as it was. He waited until Crowley had stepped in and closed the door behind him. "What's up?"

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flashbastard
2010-05-30 01:05 am UTC (link)

It was one of the Winchester boys. Of course. Of bloody course it was. It couldn't have been Castiel, or possibly even Claire, who answered the door. No, it had to be one of the humans who had started this whole mess to begin with. And of course it had to be the very same one that Lucifer was after, too. That was really just his luck.

Still, he'd known this might happen. Adam had warned him that the odds of him just speaking to Castiel were slim to none. The brat had also made him promise to behave if he did come face to face with any of the humans. Which really was about the only thing that kept the demon from hissing, chucking the board at the human, and leaving on the spot. Not that he really disliked the kid all that much. He didn't even know him. And he could practically hear Aziraphale whispering in his ear that if he would just give Sam and Dean a chance, he might come to appreciate their company. However, that was the problem, wasn't it? Aziraphale wasn't there to whisper things like that any longer. Aziraphale wasn't there to do anything, any longer.

Shoving all of that aside for the time being, the demon simply stepped inside when granted entrance and waited until the door was shut before actually speaking. The fingers on his free hand gripped the edge of his sunglasses and he tugged them down just enough for his slitted pupils to lock openly and firmly on Sam. "You shouldn't be answering the door," he stated first and foremost around the cigarette dangling from his lips. Then the sunglasses were straightened and he glanced around the apartment.

"I'm here to see the Angel. Why's he not out here, playing merry protector to you warm-blooded, human types?" he questioned in a slight hiss.

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likeaprodigal
2010-05-30 01:23 am UTC (link)

Sam knew the tone well enough. He wasn't an idiot, despite how much Crowley seemed to think he was. He normally didn't answer the door, but Cas was...well, Sam didn't know where Cas was. Somewhere in the apartment, probably. He didn't want to holler for him for something as simple as asking him to go and get the door, though. Sam was capable.

Except, he knew that Crowley was right and that it probably wasn't smart.

"Cas is around here somewhere..." he said softly. "I don't know why he's not out here. Let me find him for you..." he offered up, turning around and heading further into the apartment.

He knew that he wasn't Crowley's favorite person. If most people knew what the people currently in that apartment knew, he wouldn't be a lot of their favorite people, no doubt. But he couldn't change it. He could regret it every day of his life, sure, but he couldn't change it. All he could really do about it now was make sure it didn't get worse by making sure that Lucifer didn't get his true vessel.

He paused, about halfway across the room, and turned to look at Crowley. "I know this means about nothing to you, but I really..." he trailed off, because the words had really no meaning. They were probably the last words Crowley wanted to hear, especially from Sam. "I'm sorry," he said simply.

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flashbastard
2010-05-30 01:37 am UTC (link)

Don't say it. Do not say it. Do not- Crowley's mental mantra was derailed when, of course, Sam went and said it. 'I'm sorry'. Two simple little words that did absolutely nothing to fix the current situation and really only served to remind Crowley just what it was he had lost during those brief milliseconds when he let it slip his mind. How many times had he heard those words since Aziraphale's passing? He wasn't sure but the fact that the answer was 'once or more', was too many for his liking.

Resisting the urge to snap in a way that would probably make the kid wet himself, Crowley tried to keep his promise to Adam in mind and also reminded himself that Sam really had no way of knowing just how much he despised that particular statement of sympathy. Instead he continued onward, further into the apartment, absently crushing his cigarette out in his hand as he moved. When he was a few scant feet from the human, he spoke again.

"Six thousand years," he said. "Six thousand years I've known Aziraphale. He guarded that ridiculous Garden where I showed that girl that bit of fruit she wasn't meant to eat. Six millennia that he and I made certain to keep the balance on that little speck of rock and dust you humans were given to tend to. Now he's gone and I'm supposed to what?" Slowly he pulled away his sunglasses and held them between two fingers in a pinching grip. "I'm meant to be all right with that because you said you're bloody well sorry?"

With a shake of his head, he slid the glasses back into place. "You lot take out the bastard responsible and then we'll talk who's sorry, kid," he told him plainly, with only a minimal amount of hiss in his tone. "Otherwise, save your sympathy and your guilt. I've no use for either and they're only going to get you possessed. Then this whole place is well and truly done for, I don't care what claims he's making to the contrary."

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likeaprodigal
2010-05-30 01:47 am UTC (link)

"No, that wasn't what it was m-"

He didn't finish the sentence, because he knew that anything he said would only make it worse. He fought the urge to snap to attention and salute Crowley, because he felt like he was at boot camp, and instead nodded once in understanding and cleared his throat. And something told him that a 'sir, yes sir!' would not go over too well.

"I'm not saying yes," he insisted. That much he was sure of. "No matter what happens. That much I can tell you," he said, and he knew that he sounded resolute, but that was only because he was.

"I'll go get Cas."

He didn't give Crowley a chance to doubt him before he'd turned on his heel and went further into the apartment to find Castiel. He didn't want to stand there any longer than he had to, when he was already sufficiently freaked the hell out by Crowley.

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flashbastard
2010-05-30 02:39 am UTC (link)

Crowley didn't both responding. The fact of the matter was, he knew that Sam had no intention of agreeing to be Lucifer's vessel. However Crowley didn't trust the word of most humans as a general rule and particularly those who had managed to catch the eye of Lucifer specifically. Most weren't strong enough to continuously say no to Satan himself and, while Crowley certainly hoped that this human would prove the exception to that rule, he was just jaded enough to not put all his stock in that fact. Just most of it. And none of which he was telling Sam about.

So he simply nodded his head and waited for the human to go find Castiel. As he stood there, his gaze managed to make its way to the small bird-shaped dinosaur that was perched on the back of the couch. Instantly the demon froze, a low hiss erupting from his lips as the creature tilted its head to the side and eyed him in what Crowley was certain was a rather delectable sort of way.

It made sense, on some logical level, of course. The creature's main source of food likely wasn't too far of a step away from a snake and Crowley - to those who took the time to really look beyond the body he wore - was far more serpent than he was anything else. Shifting a bit, he glanced away from the animal in the hopes of spotting someone in what now felt like a very empty apartment. The beast scooted a bit closer and Crowley's gaze instantly went back to it.

"You just stay right there," he hissed lowly as he pointed one finger at it. As he spoke, he shuffled backward a bit until there was once more a respectable distance between them. He just barely managed to bite down a curse as the creature hopped even further down the back of the couch in his direction. Crowley once more glanced past it, in the vain hope that someone would hurry up and get back. He'd even settle for being nice to the humans if it meant not being alone with a small animal eyeing him as though he was going to make for a mighty tasty meal.

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heavenslancer
2010-05-30 07:00 am UTC (link)

Castiel knew Crowley was there. His hesitation was deliberate. One to give Sam and Crowley a chance to talk and two because, well, he didn't know what to say to someone who had lost what Crowley had. He had little idea on how to offer comfort and, for something so massive, it was pointless to try.

But he knew he could not avoid Crowley and he knew he really didn't want to so when Sam came for him he nodded and wandered out unto the living room. "Hello Crowley," he said evenly. He hesitated. Was he meant to offer tea of would that upset the demon more? Safer not to. "It is good to see you." He looked over a Squeaky. "Settle," he said to the creature. Squeaky just cocked his head at Castiel and started to nibble on his own foot.

Castiel's eyes slid to the chest set, the familiar board. Did Crowley want to play? That made Castiel relax a little, but only a little. "Do you want to sit?" he offered. They would need a table to play after all. Castiel chose every word, every movement with care. The tension in the room was making Squeaky subdued. Castiel made no move, waiting for Crowley to do what felt right for him.

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flashbastard
2010-05-30 07:08 am UTC (link)

To the casual observer, Crowley didn't seem on edge in the slightest. However to anyone who really knew him, it was obvious that he relaxed at least a fraction when Castiel entered the room. Not necessarily because of the angel's presence, however, but rather because now he wasn't alone with the beast that he was convinced was going to try pecking him half to death at any given moment. Why someone would have a pet like that, he couldn't imagine. It was worse than Aziraphale's...

The thought caused his chest to feel heavy again and the demon forcibly swallowed and focused on Castiel rather than finishing his thought. "Sounds good," he said in a somewhat dull sounding tone. He didn't necessarily need to sit but he figured this wasn't a visit he could just speed up either. That wouldn't be behaving, as far as Adam was concerned, and if there was anyone Crowley did not want to anger, it was that boy. So he took a step toward the sofa with the intention of at least being civil for a short while, before remembering Squeaky was perched on the back of said sofa. Pausing, he tipped his head toward the animal.

"You're planning on removing him first, I imagine?" he asked in a carefully neutral tone.

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heavenslancer
2010-05-30 07:24 am UTC (link)

Castiel hadn't been planning to remove Squeaky, of course, but seeing Crowley's discomfort he changed his plan. He lifted the dinosaurs and carried him to his cage, feeding him through the door. Squeaky didn't look pleased but he kept quiet. Castiel turned back to the couch but he didn't sit.

"Would you like a drink?" he offered. There, that was safer. No connotations, no memories. Just a drink, of any sort and Crowley could decide how familiar he wanted things to be.

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flashbastard
2010-05-30 07:35 am UTC (link)

Crowley watched as Castiel calmly put the menace in a cage and only then did he move to the sofa and sit upon it. As with most places that he sat, he seemed to all but mould himself into the surface in a way that somehow made slouching seem rather an all right thing to do. He pulled off his sunglasses, seeing to reason to wear them in front of Castiel. It wasn't as though he'd run around the apartment with them on when they'd been staying together, and it wasn't as though the glasses would make the angel forget for an instant that Crowley wasn't, in fact, human.

"Yeah, sure," he answered about a drink. Pinching at the bridge of his nose, he made a split second decision he wasn't entirely sure he wasn't going to wind up regretting. "Tea, I suppose."

It seemed a wiser choice than alcohol, at least for the time being. Absently, he drummed his fingers against his thigh while letting his gaze flicker around the living room a bit. There was certainly quite a bit of stuff present, he noted. Particularly various games one normally found at an arcade or other establishment. Perhaps a well stocked bachelor pad of some sort, if the man was rather well off. Crowley's brow furrowed a bit in curiosity.

"Where'd all this come from, then?" he questioned with a sweeping gesture that took in a handful of the items present - including what he was certain was a billiards table just off in the other room.

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heavenslancer
2010-05-31 05:13 am UTC (link)

Castiel nodded. Tea. Of course. He followed the same procedure as always only feeling far more self conscious this time. Crowley knew what he was asking for though so all Castiel could do was make it. He carried the tea over to the couch on a tray, laying it on the coffee table, two cups. He sat on the sofa opposite Crowley and stirred in his sugar.

Castiel looked around the room too, only when Crowley mentioned its contents. "It belongs to Claire and Dean," Castiel said, his tone disinterested. They had attempted to get him to play but he had yet to appreciate the value of arcade games. "They are loud," he added with a small frown.

Castiel knew Crowley had not come to talk about the furniture but Castiel wasn't going to press him in any direction. He looked at the chess board again. "Do you wish to play?" he asked, his voice a little tight, controlled and even.

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flashbastard
2010-05-31 05:42 am UTC (link)

Crowley had to admit, Claire and Dean had pretty decent taste. He also had to admit, after taking a sip of the tea, that Aziraphale had taught Castiel well. It almost tasted just like what his Angel used to brew. The taste was enough to bring back a sense of nostalgia that was only passingly painful to reflect upon.

Then Castiel asked about the chessboard and the moment was over. The demon's gaze flickered briefly down to the object in question before dropping to the cup of tea in his hand. His forked tongue absently licked a drop from his lower lip before his slitted pupils darted back up to meet the Angel's gaze.

"No," he said simply. "I didn't bring it to play. Don't much feel the urge for that nowadays." He exhaled - an unnecessary thing to do yet something that seemed to embody just how difficult he was finding his self-assigned task to be.

"I've come to bring it to you. I've no use for it and..." He paused and shifted a bit. Working up his nerve, Crowley drank down the steaming tea in one large gulp. The burn it made down his throat helped centre him a bit. Gave him something else to focus on. He set the cup down, straightened up a bit, and spit out the words he'd been trying to say.

"Look, just take it, all right? It's yours now."

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heavenslancer
2010-06-01 04:31 am UTC (link)

Castiel understood the significance of gifts. He understood the significance of this gift. He picked up on Crowley's discomfort. This was as difficult for the demon as making that first cup of tea had been for him. Undoubtedly more so. Castiel nodded his head slowly.
"Thank you Crowley. I will take good care of it." More than that, he would think of Aziraphale whenever he used it, touched it. Whether he won or lost he would get something out of the game. He wondered if the pieces were still warm from Aziraphale's hands. A ridiculous notion, really. It had been far too long.

He reached out his hands for it. It was heavy, a good set. Some of the pieces were smoothed from handling. Castiel remembered from when he played those long, slow games with Aziraphale in that pleasant little room surrounded by plants. Castiel didn't suppose he would ever see that room again. Without Aziraphale and the chess set he didn't imagine he would much want to now.

Castiel sat back a little. "We will eat soon. Do you wish to stay?" Castiel had to admit he would be loss worried if Crowley was somewhere he could see him. He expected Crowley would want to leave as soon as he did what he had come to do but there was always a small chance...

"Squeaky will not hurt you," Castiel assured Crowley. "He is a creation of Adam's after all."

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flashbastard
2010-06-01 05:27 am UTC (link)

Finally Castiel took the chessboard and, with his cup of tea gone, Crowley was more than prepared to make good on his escape. It wasn't that visiting with the Angel was all that awful. It was just that, well, if he hung around for too long he ran a very real risk of losing his control over his emotions and potentially saying or doing something that would later be so embarrassing he might very well never recover. It was bad enough Castiel had seen him at his weakest after losing Aziraphale. He wasn't about to let that side of him be seen again if he could help it. He still had his pride, not to mention a front to maintain lest Lucifer realize just how truly distraught and out for vengeance he was.

Of course, no sooner had Crowley intended on rising to his feet and excusing himself, Castiel spoke again. Not only spoke. He invited him to stay and eat with them. And for a long moment afterwards, the demon waited for the punchline of the joke. When instead the Angel offered up the assurance that the dinosaur in the cage wouldn't harm him, Crowley realized that none of this was, in fact, a joke at all. He was serious. He seriously wanted to know if Crowley would stay and have supper with them.

"And you're certain he made it so that thing won't harm a demon, then?" he questioned flatly with a slightly vague gesture toward Squeaky. Squeaky who, a quick glance revealed, was once more eyeing him closely. Crowley shifted a bit and looked back to Castiel with every intention of saying no and beating a hasty retreat.

Instead, however, he opened his mouth and asked in a tone that was laced with a bit more curiosity than he wanted to admit, "What is it you're having?" Food, he reasoned, might be worth the excuse to stay. He hadn't had a proper meal since... well, since all of this had begun and he couldn't quite bring himself to go out to eat at the places he used to frequent either.

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heavenslancer
2010-06-03 12:12 pm UTC (link)

"Squeaky will not hurt you," Castiel promised. "Adam created him. You know how Adam feels about you. You have nothing to fear from his creations." Castiel had slotted into complete faith in Adam. His trust was close to that he had for his Father and Aziraphale. He had all but forgotten there was a time he didn't trust the boy.

He almost smiled at Crowley's acceptance of his invitation. "There is steak. I like the taste. There is enough if you wish to stay." Castiel wanted little more than for Crowley to stay for a meal. He knew he did not want his relationship with Crowley to fade, and not just in deference to Aziraphale.

"I can make you more tea while you wait. It does not take long to prepare. I like it pink in the middle. Or Jimmy does. It's is hard to tell. Is this to your liking?"

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flashbastard
2010-06-03 12:26 pm UTC (link)

Despite the dark cloud that seemed to have all but been following Crowley around since Aziraphale's death, the demon couldn't help but smirk at the unflinching belief Castiel had clearly developed for Adam Young. Not that Crowley could blame the angel. The boy did have a way of earning respect and loyalty from those he met. Granted just how much was due to Adam's own, personal charm and how much was aided by his abilities, wasn't really clear. However Crowley did know that if Adam ever realized just how easily he could sway someone to his way of thinking, and decided to take advantage of that fact, they would all be rather screwed.

For now, though, he knew Castiel's point was a valid one. It didn't make him feel much better about the dinosaur, but he did relax a fraction of a bit. Then he considered whether or not he was in the mood for steak for dinner - even though he knew he had no real choice in the matter. He was a right bastard at times but even he couldn't intentionally shoot down Castiel's dinner invitation when it seemed that the angel really was pleased at the thought of him accepting.

"Bit more red than pink," he finally spoke. There was a slight heaviness to his tone as he accepted his fate for the night. "So long as it isn't over-cooked and the equivalent of a leather shoe, however, I'm certain I can make do." He paused, considering something for a moment, before asking, "And you're certain your humans won't mind, then? I'd hate for a strapping young man like Sam to miss a meal simply because I happen to be present."

His faintly amused tone made it clear he really could care less just how many meals Sam might miss, and was actually considering staying for longer than just dinner to see just how far down the path of starvation Sam might go to avoid eating at the same table as him.

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