Post by Cassiel on Feb 15, 2016 19:10:41 GMT
LUCIFER--
Paris. It had taken some time, and even more concentration than he'd have liked to find the particular one he'd been looking for, yet...here he was, in this stinking crush of humanity. But, after the incident only days ago, he'd decided it was well past time to seek out his brother. Curiosity about what his brother had been doing in hiding since the whole incident with the Darkness drove him, as did a desire to simply see what Gabriel had to say about little Castiel's sudden...elevation.
He strode alongside the Seine for a bit, the dim stars overhead making dulled pinpoints of light shimmer in the water of the river. Eventually, his casual stroll took him away from the river's edge and toward a stone building dwarfing all around it. Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris. He knew nothing of it, but his vessel apparently admired the artwork that was a part of its construction, and helpfully provided the name. A...church. His lips twitched with amusement, mischief dancing in his pale eyes at finding his brother here, of all places. Surely he wasn't seeking their Father out. That would be just...ridiculous.
Lucifer stepped into the cathedral, still open for tourists and the faithful alike this early in the evening, making no effort to mask the presence of his grace to those who might be able to sense it – having no desire at all to hide from his brother. A flash of a grin touched his lips at the thought of the 'Devil' just walking right into the holy place, and at the panic the humans wandering about would feel if only they knew. But, he restrained the impulse to create that delightful chaos. That wasn't why he was here, and that wasn't really who he was now. Not...entirely, at least.
He moved to the center of the space within, and simply stood there quietly, pale eyes roving over the backlit stained-glass windows appreciatively. Hey, he might be the literal Devil, but he could – and very much did – appreciate beauty. He looked every inch the visiting businessman, finely tailored suit of a dove gray, dark silk tie, creamy shirt of fine silk. One thing he really did appreciate about his vessel, he mused, Tristan had excellent taste in clothing, and the money to back that up.
Gabriel was here, somewhere, mixed in with the humans, trying to be one of them. A chuckle escaped his lips at the ridiculousness of that. No matter how hard he might try, Gabriel was an archangel, a being of absolute power and meant for far greater things than hiding with the rats. Still, he couldn't quite tamp down completely on the rush of fondness for his younger brother.
It was that fondness, despite all that had happened, despite Gabriel having been instrumental in forcing him out of Castiel's vessel once the Darkness had been...taken care of, that made him wait patiently for Gabriel to come to him.
GABRIEL--
The people moved about, wrapped up in their own little worlds – or a combination of themselves and someone else near them. Something like amusement touched him while he watched them deep into their conversations, whether it was to another person, themselves, or through electronic devices. Only those oddly dressed were ones looking upward to all the beauty surrounding them – yet he knew they didn’t deeply admire them – not the way he was now.
He had been like them once; not human, but oblivious.
A shake of his head, he moved on from his little area, not sure where he was going to go. It was odd to have no destination, to pick a city and go. Then when he got there, he had no idea what to do, except walk, pick up food, listen to people and… just watch.
As he walked, there was something different. A hum in the air that was starting to take over, his body was absorbing that hum, it vibrated in him. From the top of his heads to his toes, his body vibrated.
Brother.
But which?
He stood, unsure for a moment, his head tilted upward as if he wanted to ask for help – but god forbid he ever turn the Angel Radio back on. The humming worsened as he stood there; he had to move, figure out the source, even if it…
Well, this time it would kill him.
He frowned a bit at his thoughts and moved towards the source of sound, stopping as he saw the building with the beautiful windows. When was the last time he went into a church – without trying to make it into some cosmic joke? He frowned a bit, the humming was intense, if he were mere human, he would have collapsed under the power.
Someone opened the doors, he held up a hand – the person held the door open for him. He nodded his thanks as he slipped past the door, his head ducked for a moment; he found some amusement in the fact that people had built such places in His name – but he envied them too. He envied the hell out of them for finding such faith and grabbing onto them so mightly.
His eyes scanned the people, he couldn’t figure out exactly the person holding his brother – but he knew he was here. The room was vibrating for him.
LUCIFER--
Ah, there it was. Gabriel had come into the grand cathedral. He could feel the nearness of an archangel, that vibration deep in his core that was the pleasure of the very presence of one of his closest siblings – or, once had been, at any rate. Pale eyes flicked around, but he didn't see the familiar vessel. Yet, he knew how attached his brother was to it; he wouldn't have finally abandoned it after all this time, even if he was trying to hide.
Finally, Lucifer turned, and a gentle smile curved his lips. Gabriel stood no more than a few yards away, searching the drifting humanity in the room. All Lucifer had to do was step forward a bit, or Gabriel to come the slightest bit closer, and he knew his brother would be able to pick out his grace from amongst the rats. After all, he hadn't gained the names Morningstar and Lightbringer amongst the humans for nothing. Once, he'd been the brightest, the most beautiful, the most beloved of his Father's creations. Once. Until....the apes rose from the mud and God had commanded his children to love and obey them, to watch over them.
His eyes narrowed with his thoughts, and he shook them off with only the slightest difficulty. That was the ancient past. He'd paid for his sins, he'd earned his right to walk the Earth again. Father was no longer around to pass judgment, and he'd damn well earned his place in the light again. His expression softened. He had Gabriel to thank for that, in part. And Castiel. But, one thing at a time. For now, it was Gabriel that had his attention.
He stepped forward, slow and casual, his head tilted up to admire the round windows filled with artificial light to highlight the colours trapped within the glass. It was, he had to admit, a beauty that could almost rival that of the natural world of his Father's creation. He could feel the moment Gabriel saw him, truly saw him within the vessel, and knew who he was. His head lowered, and he came to a stop around two yards away, stuffing his hands onto his pants' pockets. He grinned then, an expression filled not with mocking or restrained anger, but simply with the pleasure of Gabriel's presence.
“So,” he said without preamble. “Castiel. I assume you felt it, too.” It was very much a statement, not a question. He knew Gabriel had to have felt it. The sheer power of the event had been nearly enough to bring him to his knees. There was no question Gabriel had felt it at least as powerfully.
GABRIEL--
Once the man moved, he truly saw him – it wasn’t just a man, but a man bearing his brother. He still held the brightness that once labeled him, before the fall. Gabriel squinted ever so slightly, almost to ward off the glare, even if it was a bit dimmer in here. A slight chuckle as he tried to decide what to do next. Lucifer was…
What he was.
Gabriel was the same. They both were lost and seeking. Which was odd, they used to be so secure in their place in the world, the universe; and now, here they were, among His creations. He knew Lucifer wasn’t loving it – he had never loved the Humans the way Castiel did, or Tamiel, or many others that had started their descent. His lips twisted in thought.
Finally, he made the step forward, not sure about the grin that was present on the vessel’s face; it was pure Lucifer, that joy of his. Then he stopped moving, allowing Lucifer to close the gap, the vibrations settled as they got closer. Any other person would have bowed under this; but not them. He tilted his head curiously. “Who though?” He studied Lucifer, “is it wise?”
Silence, “you know how it almost killed us.” He added, a little look on his face as he let himself drift away into the past.
LUCIFER--
Lucifer shrugged, not really concerned with whether it had been a wise thing to happen or not. It was done, and, short of killing Castiel, there was nothing they could do to reverse it. “Who knows? On either count, who knows. There aren't many powerful enough to make a thing like that happen.” He paused, rocking back on his heels slightly, head canting to the side as he considered it seriously for a moment. “As much as Father seems to like the little seraph...excuse me, former seraph,” a grin flashed again, “I doubt he stepped in quite that directly.”
He grew serious again, letting his eyes rove over his brother, seeing the faintest taint of uncertainty and loss weighing down on his grace, tainting his very being. Hmm. Gabriel was broken, as broken as Castiel, as broken as Lucifer himself, perhaps...each in their own ways. “Our..Aunt couldn't have stirred up that much power, not where she is. And...it's far too calculated a move for her. She wouldn't do something to right the balance. If anything, she'd try to push things further out of balance.”
His brows rose, surprise flooding his expression. “Death? If the new ultimate reaper has gotten that powerful already, he might have found a way to do it. Perhaps...”
He shook his head, dismissing it from his mind. It simply didn't matter to him how it had happened. It happened. “The question, really, is what do we do about it? If anything. Castiel...he's so good.” Lucifer managed to not quite sneer as he said it. He didn't even really mean the venom that laced his tone anymore. But, habits sometimes died all the harder when you were as ancient as he was. “Somehow, I doubt he'll abuse the power. But...I'm not sure if we should leave him to flounder with it on his own, or...help him.”
Lucifer chuckled ruefully. “Not that he'd be likely to take any help from me. We didn't exactly part as friends. I suspect he still harbours...a bit of enmity toward me.”
GABRIEL--
“Father wouldn’t,” he grimaced a bit, “or else there’d be a lot of… alterations.” He lifted his eyebrows at Lucifer, knowing his brother would understand without further explanation. A shake of his head as he refocused, pulling his attention away from the past, the so, so, so many years that yawned from beginning of creation until today. He chuckled a bit at Lucifer, “former seraph.” It was amazing that he could call another brother one of them.
“You do know his new declaration, right?” He looked at Lucifer, “no more renewals. Dead is dead. Do you think Castiel could handle another Winchester death?” An amused little look before letting it fade, he wished he could have been like Castiel, sympathetic enough to pull some out of that area, just letting them live again. But he knew what was Dead is dead; he was about upsetting the universe – but not the balance. He dropped the subject of Death as well, following his brother’s lead.
“We should help him,” he paused, studying Lucifer. “I guess it’s me then,” he lifted his eyebrows, a mirthless chuckle spilled from his lips.
“When did we start helping each other again?”
LUCIFER--
He inclined his head in agreement. Their Father never could seem to quite keep himself from meddling once he started. It might be a blasphemous thought, but...Lucifer really didn't care. He had...what was that term the humans used of late? Ah, he had zero fucks to give where his Father was concerned. Lucifer had been punished for loving Him too much. He felt he owed his Father nothing anymore. Faith in his Creator was a thing long dead in the archangel's heart.
“Yes, that had reached me. Honestly, it's about time. Though, I suspect there will be some deaths corrected before that comes into full force. If he's as serious about correcting the imbalances that have happened since, ah, the apocalypse, as he seems to be.” He paused, brows raising as he truly considered what Castiel's reaction to the death of a Winchester might be, especially given his newly changed state.
The question was...should it actually even be his concern? Trying to find his place in this new world, where he fit into it, it was perplexing at times. Sometimes, he wanted to smite every little ape-rat he encountered. At other times...he almost felt sorry for them. It might not be the love of them Castiel had, or the admiration he'd seen in Gabriel back in that hotel when the apocalypse was still on the table, but...it was something that felt strange for him, nonetheless.
“That could be...problematic,” he finally admitted. “He would do nearly anything for those Winchesters.” He said this with the tone of someone intimately aware of the depth of Castiel's feelings on the subject at hand. Then again, he'd spent quite some time snuggled up, of sorts, with the little seraph. While Castiel had been willing to sacrifice his very being to save the world, he had been quite vocal about anything he felt was a betrayal or violation of the Winchesters in any way. Honestly, it had gotten rather tiresome by the forced end of their little arrangement.
Unaware of just how much of his thoughts and feelings he gave away on his vessel's face as he'd ruminated over the hypothetical situation, he forced his focus back to Gabriel. He hummed noncommittally. “It's up to you, if you feel we should get involved. And only if you're willing.” His lips twisted into a faint smile, though one that had tinges of regret about the edges. “After all, no one makes us do anything.” The words, of course, echoed back to that hotel, and he, at least in this moment, didn't mind letting his brother see his regret for what happened then.
A casual shrug masked Lucifer's surprise at Gabriel's question, though his brows lifted slightly with the emotion. He pulled a hand out of his pocket to run the fingers over his vessel's short hair before letting the hand drop to his side. Something about Gabriel's question stirred his vessel's attention, the cooperative – even helpful – human seeming to feel there was something important about that question that Lucifer himself was missing. With a touch of a scowl, he silenced the whisper of Tristan's awareness.
“I suppose when the the thing we were created to combat slipped her prison,” he finally replied after the silence had stretched out a bit. “In the end, it seems like sometimes we still follow Father's plans for us.” He hesitated, pale eyes growing distant, actually nibbling at his lower lip as he thought about what he wanted to say, and whether he even should say it.
Then, finally, “I've found myself thinking, sometimes, lately... Wondering if it wasn't meant by Him. Somehow.” His focus returned, trained full force onto Gabriel, and with it an honesty and openness he rarely showed, even when he was, in fact, being honest. “All of it, I mean.” He gestured vaguely, not even entirely sure himself what he meant by 'all' even as he said it. “Isn't it strange that it brought us all together, when nothing else on Earth or in Heaven would ever have been likely to? And now, with Castiel one of us...” He shrugged, stuffing his hand back into his pocket, his eyes hooded once again as the strange moment passed and his mood shifted.
He chuckled, some of the old darkness lingering in the sound. “I'm not even sure what I'm saying.”
Paris. It had taken some time, and even more concentration than he'd have liked to find the particular one he'd been looking for, yet...here he was, in this stinking crush of humanity. But, after the incident only days ago, he'd decided it was well past time to seek out his brother. Curiosity about what his brother had been doing in hiding since the whole incident with the Darkness drove him, as did a desire to simply see what Gabriel had to say about little Castiel's sudden...elevation.
He strode alongside the Seine for a bit, the dim stars overhead making dulled pinpoints of light shimmer in the water of the river. Eventually, his casual stroll took him away from the river's edge and toward a stone building dwarfing all around it. Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris. He knew nothing of it, but his vessel apparently admired the artwork that was a part of its construction, and helpfully provided the name. A...church. His lips twitched with amusement, mischief dancing in his pale eyes at finding his brother here, of all places. Surely he wasn't seeking their Father out. That would be just...ridiculous.
Lucifer stepped into the cathedral, still open for tourists and the faithful alike this early in the evening, making no effort to mask the presence of his grace to those who might be able to sense it – having no desire at all to hide from his brother. A flash of a grin touched his lips at the thought of the 'Devil' just walking right into the holy place, and at the panic the humans wandering about would feel if only they knew. But, he restrained the impulse to create that delightful chaos. That wasn't why he was here, and that wasn't really who he was now. Not...entirely, at least.
He moved to the center of the space within, and simply stood there quietly, pale eyes roving over the backlit stained-glass windows appreciatively. Hey, he might be the literal Devil, but he could – and very much did – appreciate beauty. He looked every inch the visiting businessman, finely tailored suit of a dove gray, dark silk tie, creamy shirt of fine silk. One thing he really did appreciate about his vessel, he mused, Tristan had excellent taste in clothing, and the money to back that up.
Gabriel was here, somewhere, mixed in with the humans, trying to be one of them. A chuckle escaped his lips at the ridiculousness of that. No matter how hard he might try, Gabriel was an archangel, a being of absolute power and meant for far greater things than hiding with the rats. Still, he couldn't quite tamp down completely on the rush of fondness for his younger brother.
It was that fondness, despite all that had happened, despite Gabriel having been instrumental in forcing him out of Castiel's vessel once the Darkness had been...taken care of, that made him wait patiently for Gabriel to come to him.
GABRIEL--
The people moved about, wrapped up in their own little worlds – or a combination of themselves and someone else near them. Something like amusement touched him while he watched them deep into their conversations, whether it was to another person, themselves, or through electronic devices. Only those oddly dressed were ones looking upward to all the beauty surrounding them – yet he knew they didn’t deeply admire them – not the way he was now.
He had been like them once; not human, but oblivious.
A shake of his head, he moved on from his little area, not sure where he was going to go. It was odd to have no destination, to pick a city and go. Then when he got there, he had no idea what to do, except walk, pick up food, listen to people and… just watch.
As he walked, there was something different. A hum in the air that was starting to take over, his body was absorbing that hum, it vibrated in him. From the top of his heads to his toes, his body vibrated.
Brother.
But which?
He stood, unsure for a moment, his head tilted upward as if he wanted to ask for help – but god forbid he ever turn the Angel Radio back on. The humming worsened as he stood there; he had to move, figure out the source, even if it…
Well, this time it would kill him.
He frowned a bit at his thoughts and moved towards the source of sound, stopping as he saw the building with the beautiful windows. When was the last time he went into a church – without trying to make it into some cosmic joke? He frowned a bit, the humming was intense, if he were mere human, he would have collapsed under the power.
Someone opened the doors, he held up a hand – the person held the door open for him. He nodded his thanks as he slipped past the door, his head ducked for a moment; he found some amusement in the fact that people had built such places in His name – but he envied them too. He envied the hell out of them for finding such faith and grabbing onto them so mightly.
His eyes scanned the people, he couldn’t figure out exactly the person holding his brother – but he knew he was here. The room was vibrating for him.
LUCIFER--
Ah, there it was. Gabriel had come into the grand cathedral. He could feel the nearness of an archangel, that vibration deep in his core that was the pleasure of the very presence of one of his closest siblings – or, once had been, at any rate. Pale eyes flicked around, but he didn't see the familiar vessel. Yet, he knew how attached his brother was to it; he wouldn't have finally abandoned it after all this time, even if he was trying to hide.
Finally, Lucifer turned, and a gentle smile curved his lips. Gabriel stood no more than a few yards away, searching the drifting humanity in the room. All Lucifer had to do was step forward a bit, or Gabriel to come the slightest bit closer, and he knew his brother would be able to pick out his grace from amongst the rats. After all, he hadn't gained the names Morningstar and Lightbringer amongst the humans for nothing. Once, he'd been the brightest, the most beautiful, the most beloved of his Father's creations. Once. Until....the apes rose from the mud and God had commanded his children to love and obey them, to watch over them.
His eyes narrowed with his thoughts, and he shook them off with only the slightest difficulty. That was the ancient past. He'd paid for his sins, he'd earned his right to walk the Earth again. Father was no longer around to pass judgment, and he'd damn well earned his place in the light again. His expression softened. He had Gabriel to thank for that, in part. And Castiel. But, one thing at a time. For now, it was Gabriel that had his attention.
He stepped forward, slow and casual, his head tilted up to admire the round windows filled with artificial light to highlight the colours trapped within the glass. It was, he had to admit, a beauty that could almost rival that of the natural world of his Father's creation. He could feel the moment Gabriel saw him, truly saw him within the vessel, and knew who he was. His head lowered, and he came to a stop around two yards away, stuffing his hands onto his pants' pockets. He grinned then, an expression filled not with mocking or restrained anger, but simply with the pleasure of Gabriel's presence.
“So,” he said without preamble. “Castiel. I assume you felt it, too.” It was very much a statement, not a question. He knew Gabriel had to have felt it. The sheer power of the event had been nearly enough to bring him to his knees. There was no question Gabriel had felt it at least as powerfully.
GABRIEL--
Once the man moved, he truly saw him – it wasn’t just a man, but a man bearing his brother. He still held the brightness that once labeled him, before the fall. Gabriel squinted ever so slightly, almost to ward off the glare, even if it was a bit dimmer in here. A slight chuckle as he tried to decide what to do next. Lucifer was…
What he was.
Gabriel was the same. They both were lost and seeking. Which was odd, they used to be so secure in their place in the world, the universe; and now, here they were, among His creations. He knew Lucifer wasn’t loving it – he had never loved the Humans the way Castiel did, or Tamiel, or many others that had started their descent. His lips twisted in thought.
Finally, he made the step forward, not sure about the grin that was present on the vessel’s face; it was pure Lucifer, that joy of his. Then he stopped moving, allowing Lucifer to close the gap, the vibrations settled as they got closer. Any other person would have bowed under this; but not them. He tilted his head curiously. “Who though?” He studied Lucifer, “is it wise?”
Silence, “you know how it almost killed us.” He added, a little look on his face as he let himself drift away into the past.
LUCIFER--
Lucifer shrugged, not really concerned with whether it had been a wise thing to happen or not. It was done, and, short of killing Castiel, there was nothing they could do to reverse it. “Who knows? On either count, who knows. There aren't many powerful enough to make a thing like that happen.” He paused, rocking back on his heels slightly, head canting to the side as he considered it seriously for a moment. “As much as Father seems to like the little seraph...excuse me, former seraph,” a grin flashed again, “I doubt he stepped in quite that directly.”
He grew serious again, letting his eyes rove over his brother, seeing the faintest taint of uncertainty and loss weighing down on his grace, tainting his very being. Hmm. Gabriel was broken, as broken as Castiel, as broken as Lucifer himself, perhaps...each in their own ways. “Our..Aunt couldn't have stirred up that much power, not where she is. And...it's far too calculated a move for her. She wouldn't do something to right the balance. If anything, she'd try to push things further out of balance.”
His brows rose, surprise flooding his expression. “Death? If the new ultimate reaper has gotten that powerful already, he might have found a way to do it. Perhaps...”
He shook his head, dismissing it from his mind. It simply didn't matter to him how it had happened. It happened. “The question, really, is what do we do about it? If anything. Castiel...he's so good.” Lucifer managed to not quite sneer as he said it. He didn't even really mean the venom that laced his tone anymore. But, habits sometimes died all the harder when you were as ancient as he was. “Somehow, I doubt he'll abuse the power. But...I'm not sure if we should leave him to flounder with it on his own, or...help him.”
Lucifer chuckled ruefully. “Not that he'd be likely to take any help from me. We didn't exactly part as friends. I suspect he still harbours...a bit of enmity toward me.”
GABRIEL--
“Father wouldn’t,” he grimaced a bit, “or else there’d be a lot of… alterations.” He lifted his eyebrows at Lucifer, knowing his brother would understand without further explanation. A shake of his head as he refocused, pulling his attention away from the past, the so, so, so many years that yawned from beginning of creation until today. He chuckled a bit at Lucifer, “former seraph.” It was amazing that he could call another brother one of them.
“You do know his new declaration, right?” He looked at Lucifer, “no more renewals. Dead is dead. Do you think Castiel could handle another Winchester death?” An amused little look before letting it fade, he wished he could have been like Castiel, sympathetic enough to pull some out of that area, just letting them live again. But he knew what was Dead is dead; he was about upsetting the universe – but not the balance. He dropped the subject of Death as well, following his brother’s lead.
“We should help him,” he paused, studying Lucifer. “I guess it’s me then,” he lifted his eyebrows, a mirthless chuckle spilled from his lips.
“When did we start helping each other again?”
LUCIFER--
He inclined his head in agreement. Their Father never could seem to quite keep himself from meddling once he started. It might be a blasphemous thought, but...Lucifer really didn't care. He had...what was that term the humans used of late? Ah, he had zero fucks to give where his Father was concerned. Lucifer had been punished for loving Him too much. He felt he owed his Father nothing anymore. Faith in his Creator was a thing long dead in the archangel's heart.
“Yes, that had reached me. Honestly, it's about time. Though, I suspect there will be some deaths corrected before that comes into full force. If he's as serious about correcting the imbalances that have happened since, ah, the apocalypse, as he seems to be.” He paused, brows raising as he truly considered what Castiel's reaction to the death of a Winchester might be, especially given his newly changed state.
The question was...should it actually even be his concern? Trying to find his place in this new world, where he fit into it, it was perplexing at times. Sometimes, he wanted to smite every little ape-rat he encountered. At other times...he almost felt sorry for them. It might not be the love of them Castiel had, or the admiration he'd seen in Gabriel back in that hotel when the apocalypse was still on the table, but...it was something that felt strange for him, nonetheless.
“That could be...problematic,” he finally admitted. “He would do nearly anything for those Winchesters.” He said this with the tone of someone intimately aware of the depth of Castiel's feelings on the subject at hand. Then again, he'd spent quite some time snuggled up, of sorts, with the little seraph. While Castiel had been willing to sacrifice his very being to save the world, he had been quite vocal about anything he felt was a betrayal or violation of the Winchesters in any way. Honestly, it had gotten rather tiresome by the forced end of their little arrangement.
Unaware of just how much of his thoughts and feelings he gave away on his vessel's face as he'd ruminated over the hypothetical situation, he forced his focus back to Gabriel. He hummed noncommittally. “It's up to you, if you feel we should get involved. And only if you're willing.” His lips twisted into a faint smile, though one that had tinges of regret about the edges. “After all, no one makes us do anything.” The words, of course, echoed back to that hotel, and he, at least in this moment, didn't mind letting his brother see his regret for what happened then.
A casual shrug masked Lucifer's surprise at Gabriel's question, though his brows lifted slightly with the emotion. He pulled a hand out of his pocket to run the fingers over his vessel's short hair before letting the hand drop to his side. Something about Gabriel's question stirred his vessel's attention, the cooperative – even helpful – human seeming to feel there was something important about that question that Lucifer himself was missing. With a touch of a scowl, he silenced the whisper of Tristan's awareness.
“I suppose when the the thing we were created to combat slipped her prison,” he finally replied after the silence had stretched out a bit. “In the end, it seems like sometimes we still follow Father's plans for us.” He hesitated, pale eyes growing distant, actually nibbling at his lower lip as he thought about what he wanted to say, and whether he even should say it.
Then, finally, “I've found myself thinking, sometimes, lately... Wondering if it wasn't meant by Him. Somehow.” His focus returned, trained full force onto Gabriel, and with it an honesty and openness he rarely showed, even when he was, in fact, being honest. “All of it, I mean.” He gestured vaguely, not even entirely sure himself what he meant by 'all' even as he said it. “Isn't it strange that it brought us all together, when nothing else on Earth or in Heaven would ever have been likely to? And now, with Castiel one of us...” He shrugged, stuffing his hand back into his pocket, his eyes hooded once again as the strange moment passed and his mood shifted.
He chuckled, some of the old darkness lingering in the sound. “I'm not even sure what I'm saying.”