InsaneJournal

Gabriel is dead, but he visits anyway.

Castiel doesn't sleep, but he dozes. Angels don't dream; at least they aren't supposed to. —But is he really an angel anymore?

"I've been there, pal."

They're on a boardwalk. There's a Ferris wheel behind them, the ocean ahead. Castiel is sitting on a bench; vanilla soft serve is melting over his hand. Gabriel stuffs the last bits of blue cotton candy into his mouth.

He clicks his tongue in sympathy and grabs Castiel's head, pulling him down. When he kisses his forehead, it leaves a sugary smear like a blessing.

Dean lets her touch Baby.

Only Dean drives her, but he lets her look under the hood while he watches her ass in denim cutoffs. Those bare thighs could kill a man. Looking at her makes him think that God's not such a dick after all.

They're grease-stained and sweaty when they fuck in the back seat. Carol's shorts end up on the steering wheel. When she comes, Dean finds out he's right about her thighs.

She tugs him back up and kisses him slowly, still breathless. She grins and ruffles his hair. "Next time? I show you my plane."

Remus doesn't entirely hate him.

They have tea on Saturday mornings. Sometimes, they end up talking all night. Severus is kind of funny, if you listen to him long enough. He's wickedly smart, if you get past how smug he is. He's not even altogether bad to look at, if he washes his hair.

Remus has to have a caveat for every positive thing, some counterbalance, because the one day he doesn't, he kisses him.

It's an impulse, done without a thought other than a sudden I want this.

Severus does nothing. "I ..."

Remus bolts before Severus can finish.

Matt flinches when she snips the scissors by his ear.

"All right, you should be good to go. Be less stupid next time."

The stitches tug at his skin, holding closed the gash on his jaw. They're even, neat. They don't pull too much. She's good at what she does.

She turns away and tugs off her gloves. "You know the deal, keep it clean, don't mess with it—"

When she turns back to him, he kisses her. Brief, soft.

Claire pushes him away with her finger against his lips. "Matt ... no."

Matt sighs. "I know. Was worth the try."

No one really knows how any battle is going to go. You can strategize, you can make your best guesses, but in the end you never really know how much you'll lose.

Carol's been watching Steve all day, standing steadfast behind him while he issues his orders. The plans are good, but she doesn't like the odds. None of them do.

He doesn't need to hear that.

When the others leave, she pulls him in by the back of his neck. She kisses him hard. When she releases him, she smacks him on the ass.

"Go get 'em, soldier."