so get this.

send rough touch for: 16. my muse bites yours.

No one knew what was really wrong with Sam. All they knew was that he’d finally arrived back at the Rebel base, claiming he felt light headed. Every medical opinion ruled it out as an unfortunate coma, one he’d have to wake up from on his own. But every day, the man’s condition seemed to grow worse, like he was suffering from a fever that just wouldn’t go down. It was only when his veins began to darken that the doctors decided it had to be a virus, though unlike any they’d ever seen. Dean ruled it as supernatural immediately, and went straight to work, researching all he could to pin down the source. But he had little to work with, because Sam had taken off by himself for weeks, and his big brother had no clue what kind of creatures he’d faced in the meantime. 

After a month, the hunter gave up, knowing he only had a few choices left now. Dean didn’t like any of them, but at the end of the day, he either saved his brother or he didn’t. And with Sam fading fast, Dean would be damned if he let his little brother die on his watch again. Only the supernatural it seemed, could defeat a supernatural virus, and werewolves were much more favourable than vampires, in Dean’s eyes. Scott had been by Sam’s side taking his pain away almost every day, so asking him for one more favour felt unfair. But it wasn’t in Scott’s nature to deny someone help, especially for a pair he loved like family. After much discussion, to which Dean actually had to beg, the alpha agreed. The next full moon, Scott was to visit Sam one last time.

Apart from his constant glare, Pietro didn’t respond, hands tightly gripping the bent frame. This man didn’t seem like a rebel, though if he was, Pietro found he no longer gave a shit. Wanda wasn’t there to remind him that he should be fighting for all of them, so he simply wasn’t. The only thing that held any importance now was getting back to his other half. His blue eyes narrowed impossibly closer at Sam’s reply, taking it as a threat. 

“How about you come right here and say zhis again, hm? Come on,” he repeated quickly, head nodding to the space right in front of his cell before his gaze returned to the other man’s, challenging him.

For a moment, Sam just looked at the prisoner as he tried to challenge him. He wondered what exactly was going through the young man’s head, what he thought he was proving by doing this. Suddenly, the corners of his mouth turned up in a smirk, which anyone observing would’ve found unsettling. He leaned forward towards the bars but didn’t bother walking back over.

It sounded reasonable enough, so maybe Dean was just being paranoid. Then again, he didn’t really want to discuss it anyway, especially when his brother didn’t know about this death. But Sammy’s hesitance still made him wonder. “Nothin’.” He shook his head after another moment. “Nothin’, just.. wanted to check, that’s all.” Dean drained his beer, crushing the can and throwing it onto the table at his feet before grabbing and opening another. “So uh.. how was your day?” He regretted the small talk as soon as he’d spoken up, since it felt awkward, but he was doing his best to change topics.

Sam was going to say something about how Dean was being paranoid, but decided he should let it go. Once he’d come back to the Rebels, he’d figured out pretty fast that they were all paranoid in one way or another--including himself. So he nodded instead, still looking at the TV. He laughed quietly at Dean’s small talk though, looking over at him. “Just a, uh, another day in Paradise,” he said sarcastically, taking a drink of his own beer.

It was days like this where Dean wished he could, even just for a minute, sleep. He worked long shifts at the cells, and yet the break room itself was starting to feel like a prison. It felt too risky to visit the shop now, so outside of taking the polyjuice potion, Dean never went, therefore was left with nothing to do. There’d been no official ‘interrogation’ call from Coin either, so as far as the Rebels were concerned, feeding them and ‘putting them back in their place’ was all they‘d been asked to do.

Staring at the television until he fell into a trance that almost mimicked what sleep once felt like was how Dean spent the early morning of his birthday. Guards he didn’t know very well attempted small talk, but his expression probably told them better. That was until his little brother showed up. Sitting up at his arrival, Dean frowned a little at the comment. His shift didn’t actually start again for a few hours, but that wasn’t what had troubled him. It was the word ‘turn’. As if the pair were only alternating between hurting their friends, and Sam had just had enough for the day. “Pass,” came Dean’s reply, crossing his legs back onto the table. “Besides, it’s the birthday boy’s day off. Or.. morning off.”

Sam thought back to the date, realizing it was in fact Dean’s birthday. His eyebrows raised in astonishment that he’d forgotten his brother’s birthday. He usually didn’t do that.

“Oh wow, uh...happy birthday,” he began flatly before revising the “happy” part. “I guess, considering.” Sam rubbed his hands over his perpetually tired eyes, then decided to stand and cross to the coffee machine and pour himself a cup. He opened his mouth again to say something else about his birthday, but it didn’t seem like the right time or place, so he refrained.

Dean scoffed at that, trying not to let the teasing get to him. Joke or not, their father was still a touchy subject, and Dean was always a little paranoid of how similar they were. Being just like his dad was no longer a goal. “Yeah, well, you were askin’ stupid questions, so.” Deans grin turned into a smirk, his expression clearly displaying his unapologetic pride. “Yes. Yes I would.”

“Weird is right. Nerd,” he added, turning his head. “But I don’t wanna hear the R word as your excuse again. We’re not on the road, meanin’ you can’t possibly have anythin’ better to do.” Dean puffed out his cheeks, exhaling in relief. “Thank god. Thought I might have to hit you over the head with whatever book you picked up.”

Sam just smirked, not letting the jab get to him. “Sure, whatever you say.” He shook his head good-naturedly at Dean’s pride but said nothing, glad there was at least one thing his brother liked about himself. He’d missed these conversations.

“Thank you,” he said earnestly, pausing a bit before continuing. “I am sorry to bring you into all this, but I needed to make as rational a decision as possible. Not to mention, I figured you’d be more objective to the prospect of me entering into a potentially dangerous situation than any of the others. You know me, but not much.”

“That...actually makes perfect sense. Happy to do it for ya,” Sam said somewhat robotically, giving Cas a seemingly mandatory pat on the shoulder. At least, it was what he’d usually do, so it seemed to fit. “Good luck, man.”

“Actually, no.” Cas took a deep breath before explaining why that wasn’t the case. “There are many in my family who don’t believe I could’ve possibly been captured by the Rebels. According to my sister, they feel I was too well-trained to let that happen, so they doubt my loyalty.”

“That means if the wrong person at home sees me..things could go downhill very fast.”

Now Sam fully understood; he’d told his family the lie that the Rebels had captured and held him prisoner, but many hadn’t bought into it. Cas was trying to subtly say that there was a slight chance he may not make it back. He nodded to show that he was up to speed. “I’ll try to keep suspicions low on this end then. I can always use the ‘family emergency’ card. Since you’re going home, that would make sense.”

“Precisely,” Cas confirmed with a nod, relieved he didn’t have to explain that part again. He was getting more and more paranoid with each passing second, afraid that they were drawing too much attention to themselves.

“So my question is–with all risk taken into account–should I go, or should I postpone and see if I hear word from her? I’d rather not raise suspicion by suddenly leaving here unless I truly need to.”

Sam thought for a moment, trying not to take too much time; he could tell the man was nervous doing this where they could easily be heard if someone walked by. “Honestly, I don’t think it would make people too suspicious, you going home. Everyone th-- knows you’re for the Capitol’s side in this, right? Even the ones at home?”

Cas let out a sigh before beginning. “I have not been home in a very long time. I still keep in touch with as many of my.. sympathizing siblings as I safely can. But-” He leaned in closer to Sam so no person or camera could overhear. It was clear he was too close when Sam leaned away a bit. “I haven’t heard from one of my sisters in almost two weeks. It’s concerning.”

There was a pause after Cas finished, in which Sam tried to comprehend what he was saying--and, most importantly, what the question actually was. “Okay, lemme make sure I’ve got this straight. Most of your family’s still nutso robots of the Capitol, but you’re worried enough about one sibling that you’re thinking about sneaking back in to...to what? See if she’s still alive?”

“I, um…I am in need of council on what to do,” he answered, adjusting his coat. He still wasn’t sure if he was being paranoid about the situation with the Angels or not. Maybe Anna had just decided it wasn’t safe enough to contact him yet. But he’d already let her down in the past by not supporting her; he didn’t want to take a chance of doing that again.

Sam was still confused. First, he still wasn’t sure what Cas was talking about in the first place. Second, he wasn’t sure why the man would choose to talk to him since they barely knew each other. He finally realized Castiel was waiting for a reply. An encouraging “okay” was all he could think to say.

“I’m afraid there may not be much time for that,” Cas replied, somewhat subtly glancing behind Sam and around. He was nervous, hoping this one corner at least didn’t have a listening device. But he knew better; he’d just have to talk quietly.

From the man’s behavior, the hunter thought it best if he go ahead and ask. “Cas, what’s going on?”