#galauvant

It was a Supernatural fic, with the basic premise that angels were real, actual creatures/people, but they were extinct, kind of like the dodo. Recent enough that bones and other signs had been found, there might be written records and such, but no one living has ever seen one. The Winchesters either own/curate or are otherwise involved in a museum with an exhibit on angels, which happens to have a (nearly?) complete angel skeleton, maybe the most complete one in the world. The mental image is it suspended in the middle of a large round room, posed as if in flight, very whale-skeleton-in-a-big-aquarium-esque. I have a sketch somewhere of this. Sam is studying history/archaeology/idk but something that ties in with an interest in angels specifically. Dean's more hands-on, practical efforts of going out and doing stuff.

But anyway, angels are real but they don't exist anymore, everyone knows this.

And then they find an angel. Castiel, obviously, who is injured and lost after getting blown way off course by a big storm and very much alive. And this would be amazing, incredible, biggest news of the century - if it didn't mean bad things for Cas and probably the other angels. Because there are other angels, of course, living in a hidden valley where no one has managed to find them. Possibly because magic.

Castiel gets to see the angel exhibit, correcting misconceptions and artistic representations (which Sam eats up like he's starving for information) and spends a long time looking at the skeleton before declaring it to be the archangel Gabriel, lost some hundred or two years or so. (At some point, magic happens, because angels don't die so much as sort of discorporate? And since Gabriel's bones are still intact, they still hold him and Castiel is somehow able to bring Gabriel back to life. At this point, I don't remember my exact reasoning for how this happens, but it was very cool, okay.)

He finally handed off his tables to Lu Li, the lunch rush finally settled, and headed to the back to grab some extra lunch boxes. Bai Lang hadn’t realized how many of them he had left with Jin Xun-An. He usually returned them pretty quickly, another excuse for them to see each other, but they had both been pretty busy the past week and they must have been too distracted when they were finally together to remember them.

Bai Lang dug into one of the boxes he thought for sure contained his extra containers, but were actually server napkins. He grabbed another, shuffling through a few others, frustrated that he hadn’t kept this place more organized. When he opened the fifth box and still did not find them, he shoved the offending box back and gave it a little kick. 

He’d have to go without the food or risk not seeing Jin Xun-An before he left. The man was chronically and impossibly punctual. And to be fair, he had a train to catch. Bai Lang would just have to say goodbye without sending a piece of him along with Jin Xun-An. 

He didn’t like it one bit.

“That box must have done something terrible.” Jin Xun-An’s smooth voice came from behind Bai Lang, as his arms slid over Bai Lang’s shoulders. He exhaled, relief washing over him, no longer fearful he would miss saying goodbye. Bai Lang hadn’t even realized that was why he was so stressed until he heard Jin Xun-An’s voice. 

Jin Xun-An responded to Bai Lang relaxing under his grasp, moving his arms so that one was bracing Bai Lang across his shoulders and the other had slid over his waist, pulling Bai Lang fully into his chest. They stood like this for a moment. Bai Lang wanted to remember every sensation of this when Jin Xun-An was gone, the feeling of having him securely holding Bai Lang, reassuring him. 

“You’re running late,” he whispered in Bai Lang’s ear. Jin Xun-An’s breath trailed over his skin as he spoke, sending a light shiver down Bai Lang’s neck.

“I know,” Bai Lang said, his voice pathetically remorseful. “I wanted to bring you something to eat and couldn’t find any of the lunch boxes.”

Jin Xun-An loosened his grip on Bai Lang, grasping his shoulders and turning Bai Lang to face him. He reached down and picked up a bag from the floor. “You mean these?” he asked, holding it out. 

Bai Lang’s breath hitched. Despite it being so damned important to find them before, Bai Lang immediately couldn’t care less about the boxes. His eyes slid over Jin Xun-An who was standing there, as handsome as always, but this time in a beautiful, blue, three-piece suit. Bai Lang had never seen him in anything besides soft sweaters and doctor coats, which admittedly Bai Lang liked very much, but this was just different.

The color itself was striking, somehow accentuating what was already an overwhelming dark intensity in his eyes. And it was perfectly tailored - his coat hung open as he slid his hand into his trouser pocket, revealing the vest that was cut close to accentuate the line of his hip. 

“Bai Lang,” Jin Xun-An said, snapping his fingers in front of his face. “Hello? Anybody there?” he said, the corner of his mouth turning up, as he tossed Bai Lang’s own words back at him. “I thought you wanted these,” he said, holding the bag up again to demonstrate he was still holding them.

“Shit,” Bai Lang said, grabbing them. “I’m sorry, can I go grab something for you to take? Do you have to leave now?” 

“I told you to come 30 minutes before I had to leave. I knew you’d be late,” he said. “Then I was ready early so I figured I’d just come to you.” He stepped forward, emphasizing his last words and bracing himself over Bai Lang with one of his arms. 

Bai Lang couldn’t help but smile. Jin Xun-An’s particular brand of seduction had often made him feel off balance. Initially, Bai Lang couldn’t ever imagine giving into it, despite how much he was drawn to Jin Xun-An, so he had always backed away in response. Now that he had no reason to resist, Bai Lang reveled in the way Jin Xun-An continued this pursuit. Bai Lang enjoyed giving in, giving over, letting Jin Xun-An show Bai Lang how much he wanted him. But Bai Lang also loved to show his own interest, to go after Jin Xun-An, to push back. 

He leaned forward to meet Jin Xun-An, leaving only a breath between them. “So I’m not late then,” he said, smirking. 

“Oh you’re late,” Jin Xun-An said, holding up his wrist and looking at his watch. “Now.”

Bai Lang frowned. “But you’re here. That doesn’t count.”

Jin Xun-An gave him an evaluative look. “Is this my clinic? I wasn’t aware.”

“Xun-An,” he said, playfully shoving him, creating some distance between them. “That’s not fair.” 

“How is that so?” he asked, still speaking as though he was confused by Bai Lang’s logic. “You said you’d meet me at the clinic at 15:00 and it’s now 15:00 and we’re not at the clinic.”

“You’re so strict. But I’ve met you. Isn’t it the spirit of the agreement, not the letter of it?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Fine,” Bai Lang said, enamored by the banter, a little bit of a game. Perhaps he should make it more interesting. He slipped his finger under the tail of Jin Xun-An’s tie, pulling it out from the vest and winding his fingers in it. “Then when you return, you can bring this over to my place and I’ll show you how very sorry I am.”

“The tie?” Jin Xun-An asked, his expression sliding into a goofy grin. The funny thing was, when Jin Xun-An was really into something, he completely lost that intensity and simply melted in Bai Lang’s hands. 

“Oh this whole thing,” Bai Lang said, motioning to his suit with his free hand. “I can’t believe you’ve been hiding this.”

Jin Xun-An laughed and leaned forward, placing a brief kiss on Bai Lang’s cheek. “Agreed,” he said.

“I wish you didn’t have to go,” Bai Lang said, knowing the letting go part was imminent. 

“I know,” Jin Xun-An said. “But it’s only a few days. I’ll come straight to your place when I’ve returned. I keep my word. You best keep yours this time.” 

“Ouch,” Bai Lang said, with a mock wince. He wound his fingers up in Jin Xun-An’s tie tighter, pulling him close again. “Well, no matter where, I will be waiting.” With another tug on his tie, Bai Lang pulled Jin Xun-An to him. Jin Xun-An’s lips responded to Bai Lang’s immediately, as if he had known all along Bai Lang would close the distance.

They always seemed to get lost in each other, the way Jin Xun-An parted his lips, drawing Bai Lang into his mouth, Bai Lang opening up fully, pressing his tongue back in response. It was deep and desperate. They were indulging in each other, taking in as much as they could before the other was out of reach.

Despite not wanting to admit it, Bai Lang knew this had to be fleeting. They were on borrowed time. It wasn’t long before he could feel Jin Xun-An moving away, the pauses between kisses growing longer, until Jin Xun-An cradled Bai Lang’s face in his hands and pressed one last slow, full lipped kiss to his mouth.

Bai Lang released Jin Xun-An’s tie, tucking it back in his vest and smoothing out the shoulders of his jacket. It really was an excellent suit. “When you get back you can guide me on how to be more timely.” 

“Oh is that so. Is this how you show your remorse?” 

Bai Lang glanced away weighing his response. “Maybe if I am depriving you of my presence then you will need to find ways to reclaim that time.” He held the knot of Jin Xun-An’s tie and pulled on the material to straighten it. “You might need to keep me until I am thoroughly instructed. I’m sure you could come up with ways to restrain me.”

“Bai Lang,” Jin Xun-An said, almost scolding. “This is unfair. I have to go.” 

“Then you’ll just have to work out your frustration when you return.”

Jin Xun-An groaned and pressed his lips against Bai Lang’s again, this time rapid, gasping kisses. “I”m leaving now,” he said between them. He stepped toward the door and turned back, pulling Bai Lang into his arms to kiss him one more time.

“You just wait,” Jin Xun-An said. The way he looked at Bai Lang was almost too much to take. 

Bai Lang somehow kept it together. It was easier to send him off this way, thinking about what they would have when Jin Xun-An returned, instead of what they would miss while he was gone.