Castiel Novak (funnyinenochian) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2012-05-30 22:36:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, castiel, dean winchester |
Who: Castiel & Dean
What: Dean & Cas wait for the elevator.
When: 5/27/12
Where: Kaiser Hospital
Rating: G
Status: Complete
Dean was on his way out of the hospital after paying a visit to an old friend, and he’d just been unceremoniously told to “get your ass out of here and actually do something more useful than fawning over me, goddammit”, so he’d obliged and was currently on his way out of the elevator when he blinked, realizing he’d wandered onto the wrong floor and the elevator had already moved on.
Dammit. He’d have to wait a while for a different one to come back up too, that was how it always worked really. He shook his head, sighed, and leaned back against the wall, waiting.
Even though he hadn’t really felt like leaving his room, the medication he was on still making him sluggish, Castiel had forced himself to take his usual trek out of the ward. He’d shuffled down the main corridor, slipped into the elevator, and gone down to the lobby. He’d spent two hours there, watching the people go in and out, taking care of the decorative plants, and ignoring pointing, staring children before moving on.
He visited the nurses on the floor where he’d stayed after the Incident. He stopped by the ICU to check on a few people, to pray with their families. Eventually, though, it was time to head back; this time he thought he might actually be able to go to sleep instead of lying there, listless.
Castiel wandered towards the elevators, hands shoved into the pockets of his trenchcoat. There was a man standing there, waiting, and he looked frustrated and bored, and against his slightly better judgement, Castiel gave him a tiny nod of greeting before planting himself against the opposite wall and staring at the lit numbers above the elevator doors. Mrr.
“Hey.” Dean nodded a little at the guy who’d come up. Hey, he was pretty hot. Not that Dean was going to say hi to him just because of that. But you know. It was a factor. “Wrong floor.” he explained, shaking his head. “So I’m trying to catch the next one down. Shouldn’t be all that much longer if you’re heading down yourself.”
Castiel smiled at him a little. “I am... Just two floors, though.” He tilted his head a little, studying the other man intently, his expression thoughtful. “Whoever you came to see, are they alright?” Clearly the guy wasn’t a patient, even an out-patient sort; he wasn’t wearing a bracelet like Castiel was, didn’t seem nervous or stressed. Just...bored with waiting.
Or he could be dating a nurse; he looked like the type that would do that.
“Oh he’s getting better all the time.” Dean grinned. “Kicked me out in fact and told me to stop hovering.” That was Bobby for you. Two floors down would be...Wait, the Psych ward? Huh. He must have family in there, Dean thought, since at this point, he’d mostly just noticed the guy’s coat. It sort of stuck out. “How about yours?” he asked.
Fidget. “Oh. Well...” He glanced away, staring at the numbers again and tried to convince himself that nothing bad was going to happen if he were honest. Sure, maybe the guy wouldn’t talk to him anymore, and maybe he’d ask him to wait for the next elevator, but there was no reason for the stranger to get *mad* about it, right? It’d be fine.
“I’m not...here to see anyone, actually,” he started, pausing to clear his throat. “I’m...a patient.” Eheh.
“Oh...Here comes the awkward moment.” Dean told him, shaking his head with a little laugh. “So that was pretty much a foot in mouth question. Any consolation, you don’t look crazy or anything.” Maybe he was some kind of suicide attempt or just there because his doctors thought he was a risk or something. After all, it wasn’t like he was talking to the walls or anything. Dean could deal with that.
He gave the guy a tentative smile, and fiddled with the buttons on his coat. “Thank you. I don’t feel crazy, so it’s nice to know I don’t look it, either.” Pause. “I’m glad your friend is getting better; most people don’t like being in the hospital. I hope he gets to go home soon.” D’aw.
“I’m sure he’d be glad to hear you say that. Yeah, I can’t imagine being stuck in here is all that fun.” Dean told him, kind of sympathetic really. “I mean, sure, there’s potential nurse action, but, well.” He shrugged a little. “That’d probably be hit or miss in some cases, I guess. I mean what about the people who get the old cranky nurses?”
Cause he’d heard stories, man. Scary, scary stories.
Castiel smirked at him a little. “I knew you were the type to go for nurses; I could tell.” He wasn’t sure why, there was just something about the guy that gave that impression. He was probably the sort that liked them in those old uniforms, with the white skirts and little hats instead of scrubs. As for Castiel himself, well, not really interested. Even if he wasn’t getting all old, cranky nurses.
Besides, who’d want to go out with a crazy guy anyway?
“Well, sometimes.” Dean eyedarted a little. “I’ve got lots of types, you know. Nurses are just one of them. Actually, not so much when I’m IN a hospital. Then they just want to get rid of me. Can’t say I blame them.” he added, shaking his head a little bit. Seeing how most of his times in had been for stupidity related injuries.
“That’s probably a sign you ought to try to fix whatever it is they find so obnoxious,” he replied, glancing towards the elevator again as it dinged and the doors slid open. He didn’t move immediately, instead waiting to see if the other man would protest being stuck in a small space with a guy who was apparently nuts.
It was one thing to say that he didn’t think Castiel looked crazy, but it was another to actually believe it.
“Probably.” Dean agreed cheerfully enough. “I’m kind of a long study when it comes to shit like that though. And too busy being wrapped up in, well, me, to care.” he eyedarted a little. “And well, it could be a whole lot worse. I mean I never actually make them run away. Sure, there might be breakroom tears but...I kind of doubt the threats are real.”
He hoped.
Frown. “You really shouldn’t make people cry...” He regretted saying it almost as soon as it was out of his mouth; who was he to tell someone he didn’t even know what he should and shouldn’t do? He glanced at the elevator again, contemplating his chances for getting inside and closing the doors before anything awful could happen; on the one hand, the chances were good, but on the other, he was a little scared to even attempt it.
“Sorry...”
“See, yeah.” Dean agreed. “And I mean, I TRY not to. It’s more,” he shrugged. “When I’m in the hospital I tend to be a bit of an asshole. It’s not fair to anybody, I know. Bad vibes or something.” he added, as if that was somehow some kind of excuse. And well, it sounded a little crazy but...
“The energy levels are sort of...off from what I’m used to I guess. Causes problems. Probably the reason most people hate hospitals.”
He peered at the man intently, expression confused. “The...energy levels?” What did that mean? Sounded a little...crazy. But he couldn’t say that, because it’d be hypocritical. Did he mean the power in the hospital? Nah. Uhm...
“Sorry...” Dean said at the expression. “I uh. Run a little new age shop I inherited, Lots of natural remedies, stuff like that. Some of its even really backed by science, believe it or not. I’m pretty sure it’s something psychological with hospitals that throws things off. It kinda creates a negative atmosphere when you’re around unhappy pissed off people, you know?” Or maybe not.
“Oh,” he said, nodding. “That makes sense. I’ve never been in a store like that, but...you don’t really seem like the type who works in one.” He smirked a little, and gestured towards the man. “Not enough flowing sleeves, tie dye, or eyeliner.” He’d look good in eyeliner.
...What.
Dean laughed at that. “yeah, it’s a family thing, really, Mom was kind of...” he waved a hand a little bit to indicate...he wasn’t sure what. “Now that she’s retired and all, well, I haven’t changed a lot but I’ve tried to do the actual reading. Make it more about things that work than just what makes you feel good. Sure, some of those HELP but...You’ve gotta combine it.” He should come visit again, he thought. There were a couple things he’d like to see set up here that might help people.
“That’s very admirable of you; most people would just do whatever nets the most profit instead of having people’s best interests in mind.” Smile. It was nice to know that there could be a shop like that that wasn’t just full of kitsch and garbage and horrible smelling incense.
It had SOME kitsch and incense. but Dean only lit the kind that didn’t seem to give people headaches and kept it up by the register, so it wasn’t too bad. He didn’t even play the chants on the cd’s that they sold there. It was more, if people chose to buy, he’d sell it but...
Dean smiled back at that. “I figure, might as well let people decide for themselves, yeah? Not my place to tell them what they should believe in but out and out exploiting? Not my thing.”
Castiel finally crossed the space as the elevator door started to close, and stuck his arm through to keep it open. “There isn’t very much of that these days either; you’re just breaking all the molds, aren’t you?” Another little smile, and he nodded towards the elevator. “You almost missed your ride.”
“Giving it a shot. You know, have to be a rebel somehow and all.” Dean glanced at the elevator too. “Yeah, I probably should get out of here. So it was nice to meet you and all.” He added. “I uh...would you mind if I came back?”
He shot the stranger another confused look. “I don’t...understand; you don’t need my permission to visit a hospital.” In fact, Castiel was the last person anyone should be asking for that sort of thing. He was just...staying there at the moment. No one important. Least important person on the floor, even.
Stepping into the elevator himself, he waited until the other man had joined him before hitting the button for his floor and then moving to the opposite corner.
“Oh I meant to see you.” Dean explained. “I...this might sound crazy but there’s a couple things that might make you feel more comfortable here. It...if I could sort of do research with you? Nothing invasive or anything complicated.” he added.
Blink. “Oh. Uh. I guess so. I don’t get many visitors --well, I’ve only had one so far-- so...” He shouldn’t turn down an offer; it’d be better than sitting around with squinty-eyed nurses or his doctor. Still, the guy didn’t even know what was wrong with Castiel; maybe it just wasn’t important.
Hey, he was in the hospital, which probably meant he was stressed out anyway, and he was in for psych issues, which, well, the ward probably didn’t help either. Sure, he knew it wasn’t all electroshock and lobotomies these days, but STILL. He figured he could help somebody he sort of knew personally if he tried hard enough to come up with something good to use.
“Sounds awesome.” Dean gave him a smile.
The elevator dinged as they reached the first floor on it’s list, and Castiel stepped forward as the door started to slide open. He hesitated for a moment, then held out a hand, his hospital bracelet dangling loosely from his wrist. “I’m Castiel, you’ll...probably need to know that if you’re going to come back.”
“Castiel then.” Dean took his hand, and, instead of shaking, squeezed it hard instead. “And I’m Dean. Nice to meet you, by the way.” He added, grin growing brighter. Yeah, he didn’t really see how this one was a nutcase. Nervous breakdown, maybe? Not that he was gonna ask, but...
“Dean.” Smile. “You, too.” He returned the squeeze, then pulled his hand away and stepped out of the elevator. He took a few steps, then paused and twisted around to give Dean a little wave goodbye before continuing on and being ushered back through the double doors that led into the actual ward.