ＣＡＳＴＩＥＬ (angel of thursday) (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
unwings) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
abraxaslogs2021-12-10 02:23 pm
unwings) wrote in abraxaslogs2021-12-10 02:23 pm
[OPEN] nature, nurture, heaven, and home
WHO: Castiel and Free Cities residents
WHAT: Intro and catch-all for December
WHEN: Through December
WHERE: Cadens and the Horizon mostly
WARNINGS: None as of yet, will update as needed
MUSEUMS; Castiel sees some sights
CITY EXPLORATION; Castiel makes a friend
Academy of Medicine; Castiel Auditions for Grey’s Anatomy
Market; Castiel Gets His Hustle On
WHAT: Intro and catch-all for December
WHEN: Through December
WHERE: Cadens and the Horizon mostly
WARNINGS: None as of yet, will update as needed
MUSEUMS; Castiel sees some sights
[ While Cas spends his first few days in Cadens touring each of the popular museums, he finds himself intrigued most by the history museum. Much time and attention is paid to the mention of Fey and Daemons, their near extinction and claiming of a territory christened ‘Nocwich’. Studying a map, the trek there seems a long and arduous one, requiring navigation across deserts and mountain ranges. Not likely one he’d be able to make soon, but his interest remains all the same.
Curiosity eating at him, Castiel can’t help but seek more information from any source, once he’s finished studying all he can of the exhibits. ]
When was the last time the Fey were in contact with human settlements? [ Cas asks the museum guest standing nearby, assuming anyone in this city will know more on the topic than he does currently, ] Do expeditions often venture to Nocwich?
[ The Fey of his world are wiley but ancient creatures, though clearly the preferred option to daemons. Either race might have a more accurate insight on the nature of the Old Gods and the Singularity than he trusts the humans of any faction would. Perhaps that should be his next goal. ]
CITY EXPLORATION; Castiel makes a friend
[ Cas doesn’t sleep, not unless he’s extremely low on grace, or grievously wounded, neither of which apply currently. Dean’s made it very clear that standing sentry over him while he’s “getting his 4 hours” is “creepy”, so lingering around the barracks they’ve been provided cots in isn’t an option.
Instead, he takes to exploring the streets of Cadens after dark. Anywhere between midnight and dawn, Cas can be found leisurely pacing along major streets or dirt roads, anywhere in town, browsing along with eyes scanning the scenery like he’s perusing a museum, hands clasped behind his back.
At some odd hour of the night/morning, he happens upon a stray cat. A scrawny, tawny colored thing, fur likely stained darker from grime and dirt. He follows her, joining the journey from one alley to the next, scavenging for scraps in dumpsters, trash cans, and compost piles. When she finds a rubbish bin too tall for her to knock over, or covered to keep her from jumping in, Castiel courteously assists, removing a lid, tipping over the container, or even unwrapping bundles for her inspection.
Catch him anywhere, exploring or on a journey with his new cat friend. ]
Academy of Medicine; Castiel Auditions for Grey’s Anatomy
A; [ Castiel’s toured the museums, which led him to the medical academy, where he paces now in the lobby area, a goal in mind but not entirely certain how to get there. Spotting someone in similar robes to his, he approaches to question them. ]
Hello. [ Short, curt, but not unfriendly, ] I’d like to offer my aid as a healer. Whom should I speak with?
[ Cas has no clue if this person is any level of authority in the medical academy, or local hospitals, but that doesn’t seem to bother him. Ask enough people enough questions and he’ll get there eventually. ]
B; [ Or perhaps he had no luck in the lobby, and snuck his way into the halls of the academy, wandering until he happened upon a group of students, led by an experienced doctor, in a crowded room with pockets of other doctors, staff, and patients about. They appear to be teaching, with two patients set on exams tables at either side of the doctor. Quizzing, the students declare symptoms and propose possible diagnoses, when Cas approaches without invitation, assuming the question is open for anyone to answer.
He leans to the side, and takes a sniff of one patient’s shoulder, before announcing confidently - ] It’s a respiratory infection.
[ When he glances at the patient on the other side, the man’s staring at him as if Castiel’s grown a second head (technically, his true form has 3, so, not entirely inaccurate). The angel takes it as cue to diagnose him as well, leaning over to give a quizzical hair-sniff. ]
This one’s diabetic. [ Cas reports promptly to the attending physician, ] Type 2, insulin resistant.
With mild indigestion.
[ A pause, the group staring at him unsure whether to comment on the rudeness of his interruption, or the audacity that medical conditions can be sniffed out. Either it goes over his head, or Cas doesn't find it worth acknowledging, as he continues on with his goal. ]
Does your Academy offer employment?
Market; Castiel Gets His Hustle On
Blacksmith; No, I don’t have any currency, but I can offer services.
[ the woman attended to customers at the counter between a blacksmith's workshop and market streets arches her brows suggestively, a little waggling, while the muscled wall of a 6’5” man behind her, most likely the husband Castiel’s realizing, looms menacingly, idly slapping a forge hammer against the palm of his hand. There’s been a misunderstanding. ]
No no, not... not those services. Do you need anything lifted? Or killed? [ the smith immediately points to his competition, another blacksmith set up directly across the road. Another misunderstanding. Castiel’s getting worse at this, not better. ] I should’ve specified. Any game animal or malicious creature killed, not fellow citizens.
[ No offense, but you don’t look like you could lift a laundry basket, let alone anything here. The chuckle is a deep, patronizing tone, and Cas tilts his head with furrowed brows. The blacksmith claims no offense, but seems an awful lot like he meant offense. The angel squints, barest hint of a frown forming. Eyes travel past the smith and into his shop. Without requesting entry or preamble, Cas paces past the man, his wife, and his onlooking apprentice, to the massive anvil they’d been hammering on moments ago.
Wordlessly, Cas lifts the iron monstrosity several feet off the ground without a flinch, grunt, or gritting of teeth, easy as rearranging kitchen chairs. Expression flat, he abruptly drops it back into place, rattling the sword stands, tools, and tables around them. A slight crack splinters the stone beneath it.
After an awkwardly silent few seconds, the wife breaks the silence.
Flooring’s added to your tab. What kinda sword you looking for? ]
Bakery; [ In his exploration of available commercial goods, the scent of fresh bread and pastries seizes Castiel’s senses. Following it to a popular local bakery, his eyes drink in the wide array of breads, muffins, pastries with fruit toppings or fillings, and pie. Observing for a moment, he watches a customer barter a basket of eggs for a loaf of specialty bread, someone else with milk for muffins. It gives him an idea. Perhaps not a great one, but we’ll see how it pans out.
Trekking back into the streets, more towards the outskirts and farmland, Cas can be found creeping along after a stray chicken that’s toddling through dirt roads, eyeing this stranger crouched behind her with a suspicious cluck. Usually it's wayward children and bored dogs that stalk the hen, not full grown adults shuffling feet against gravel and earth to sneak closer and closer. The chicken’s right to be wary, and a distressed squawk or three sounds when Cas snaps his arms out to grab her.
Wings flap, feet kick, Cas gets a mouthful of feathers and a couple winged slaps across the face before he finally touches a couple fingers to the bird’s tiny little head. Whether the chicken wants to or not, it goes limp, unconscious. Great. Bartering item acquired.
Ten or so minutes later, he’s back at the bakery, loose chicken feathers stuck in his hair and dirt smudged on his cheeks, yet he looks as if he’d just won the lottery - quite proud of himself. Once at the front of the line, Cas presents the dozing chicken like the grandest prize in the world. ]
I need pie. Please accept this poultry in exchange.
[ some minutes later, he’ll be short one chicken but gained a cherry pie, self-satisfied smile on his face. Somewhere in town, an irate farmer is looking for their missing hen. Feel free to intervene at any point in this process. ]
no subject
Cas pushes to stand, greeting with the typical - ]
Dean.
[ 'horizon wireless' might've earned a puzzled question at another time, but the context is enough, and castiel's more interested in his friend's sudden appearance. what's a geralt?? ]
This is my friend, we recently arrived from the same dimension. [ cas explains to Sam, then back to Dean. ] Was this Geralt unable to help?
[ he'd thought this was an 'anyone who's been to the horizon before' thing, or is Sam the guru for all newcomers to go through, he wonders, eying sam with a new curious regard. he has been here quite a long time, so it would make sense. ]
no subject
by the end of it, sam is just sort of nodding. one, because he's gotten real good at just sort of accepting when weird things happen, and two - though this one takes another few moments to piece together - geralt sending dean to gives him at least an idea of the reason why he's here. ]
Well- glad you guys got each other with your fun fantasy land trip. [ and it's genuine, actually. a joke, but without any real sarcasm attached. sam has found with everyone he's interacted with that it's just...easier to appear here when you at least know someone. ]
Dean, can you close the door and lock it? We were just about to head in. [ and then sam is stepping over to pull one of the chairs from the table over - mostly because he's not exactly sure if they want to go three to a couch. ] He give you the lowdown of what the Horizon is and everything?
no subject
He huffs out a sound. )
He tried. We did the whole... sit down and join hands, Kumbaya thing. I just couldn't-
( Be alone with his own thoughts for more than five minutes without the PTSD kicking in. )
I shot blanks. Couldn't do it. So. Apparently you're the guru.
( And hell, maybe having Cas there will help. Some weird... subconscious thing, since he spent all that time in Purgatory hunting the bastard down. Maybe it'll lessen the impulse to keep memory-searching or something.
What the hell does he know about psychology? Jack squat, is what. )
no subject
he has suspicions. it's part of why cas sought sam out so quickly, to figure this process out himself first. sitting still is difficult enough for dean most days, and he hadn't anticipated meditation being any easier on him. there's so much beneath the constant buzz of him, things dean shoves into a lead box in the back of his psyche, that silence would let loose.
Wordlessly, he shifts on the couch, shuffling closer Sam while leaving space for dean to settle on the other side, next to him - a protectively close pocket of cushion. he's glad, actually, to have dean do this with him, under sam's veteran-horizoner care. ]
Sam Wilson's well informed, and hospitable.
[ toing off his shoes, cas folds his legs underneath him, assuming the standard Focused Monk Doing Meditative Things position, straight backed with hands laid palm-up in his lap. we're ready, capn. ]
no subject
before coming to a conclusion that has sam's shoulders falling just a bit. oh, if geralt is sending dean to him, then there's probably something closer to what sam's used to going on in there. he nods, understanding, and as cas shuffles closer to him, sam also shifts to make room. ]
Yeah- it's rough if you're not used to all that meditative stuff. But it's not tough to get a hang of once you've done it. [ because the truth is? sam was not super into it himself, before this place. he knew of its benefits, especially with vets, but he never really was able to get it done. for better or for worse, the first of them kind of got kicked into the horizon whether they wanted to or not. at least this process is easier. ]
We will have to join hands, but also have a trick that'll help. [ and yeah, okay, sam probably doesn't have to give up a disclaimer like this - but it's him. and he's not super into the idea of just using magic on people without their consent (unless the situation is more strained, but that's not this, so sam doesn't worry about it) ] It is magic, just to be up front about it, but it'll help you relax a lot faster than trying to teach you how to meditate. If that's cool with you.
[ sam's gonna wait for an answer from dean one way or another before he moves, but if he gets the okay, he'll lay his arm across the back of the couch for dean to take and set his other on cas' shoulder. ]
no subject
That being said, after trying and failing once already, he's totally down for a cheat code. )
Magic me up, Dumbledore.
( He says decisively, dropping down on the couch beside Cas, lightly slapping his thighs with his palms. There may be a little shoulder jostling, what with ya boi not giving a crap about personal space and just sort of cramming himself in, smushing shoulders with an angel. He takes Sam's hand Thanksgiving Prayer style and flashes him a tight-lipped smile.
Let's do this bitch. )
no subject
cas sways with the shoulder jostling, a mild half-smile worn as he glances to dean, comfortable in the lack of personal space and friendly smushing. hello, dean, welcome to the new kumbaya circle.
Sam says join hands, so Cas joins hands, reaching up to take the one on his shoulder, and snagging one from Dean's thigh unceremoniously. this is how spells work, right? what is crossing over to a metaphysical dimension if not a spell.
his gaze circles back to dean, waiting to observe what this new magic does to him. ]
no subject
or maybe they'll just be thrown out into the middle of a battleground and have to figure it out. this place likes to keep everyone on their toes after all.
either way, dean drops down on the couch and settles in next to cas and sam gives everyone a moment to adjust before he nods, once. ]
Alright- well. You won't remember me once we get over there this time, but I'll be around to keep an eye out.
[ sam gives them both a pretty easy smile, and that is most likely when dean starts to feel it - a sort of stilling, calming, slowly easing through him. whether or not dean's ever had someone magically calm him down is one thing, but sam's had enough time to perfect the magic. it won't feel weird, but it will do its job - stilling dean's body and mind and emotional state, slowly enough that he sam hadn't given him warning, he might not have noticed. ]
Now close your eyes and I'll see y'all on the other side.
no subject
He casts a double-take at Cas's hand grabbing his, shoots a face like Cas is the weirdest goddamn person he's ever met, but doesn't bother pulling his hand away. He's pretty sure it's not important that they make contact with each other, but hell, what does he know about this crap?
Maybe that tolerance and easy, immediate acceptance is coming from Sam. Something's definitely coming from him — Dean can feel it melting through his bones like candle wax, slow and unobtrusive. If he didn't know, he wouldn't notice for the first little bit, but... he would eventually, for one simple reason:
He rarely ever feels this. Calm, peaceful, at ease.
It's novel enough to be sobering. Precious enough that he doesn't even have a smart ass comment to add. He just closes his eyes, and he drifts.
And wouldn't you know it, it freaking works. )
no subject
it takes cas a moment longer to relax back into it, eyes lidded heavily, but still angled towards dean to supervise whatever magic's going on here. nothing flashy, no fanfare or incantation, just an quiet, easy and gradual sedative. soon enough, dean's peacefully tapped out. handy skill, that is, and cas makes a mental note to ask him about it later.
for now, he's just relieved it worked, and glances back to their host long enough to express gratitude. ]
Thank you, Sam.
[ cas murmurs, before closing his eyes, letting out a slow exhale, slouching into the couch, and drifting off. ]