OPEN | here come the night

[halfwinchester]

Who: Adam Milligan (halfwinchester) and whoever else might be admiring Ewaymas!
Where: Around the mansion.
When: Dec. 13, anytime from late night to mid-afternoon.
Rating: G for now!
Summary: What the hell's with all this Christmas stuff? At least one newcomer is out and about looking at the changes.
The Story:



<sub>[Very rarely does Adam sleep through the night--or at all, if he's being honest. When the light fades and the mansion gets quiet, it's the perfect time for thoughts of his time in the pit to creep back in, and almost every night begins and ends with him sitting wide-awake until he's too tired to mount a defense. Sometimes he likes to ward away his nightmares in the bathroom. It's smaller in there, and reminds him of the times he'd hidden there when he'd been sick with the flu as a young child.

That night, he's counting spots on the ceiling of his room when the snow starts to fall, and it's the first thing that grabs Adam's attention before the noise starts. Snow? Had that been in Wonderland's weather report? By the time his curiosity wins out over his apprehension, the noises outside his door have long since stopped.

He creeps into the hallway in bare feet to see what going's on. Christmas decorations? Is it Christmas?

The mansion looks beautifully done up in the late hours of the night, and for a while Adam looks around until the pull to return to his room grows too strong. He can be found downstairs inspecting the giant Christmas tree once daylight breaks, dressed for the weather in a heavy sweater. His breakfast is an apple, which he eats while poking at ornaments on the branches.

For once, he has something to do in the mansion that isn't simply "avoid angels." It's strange enough thinking it's already December. A lot of the time it feels like he just arrived, soul broken and all.]</sub>

Comments

[halfwinchester]

_{[There's another long pause where Adam looks over Gabriel in silence--or his vessel--before he ventures to say anything else. The angels asking for this one:]}

You don't act like the others. Like... Michael or Castiel.

<sub>[He leaves it at that for a second. Compliment or insult, he'll let Gabriel decide.

Zachariah, he doesn't mention, because truthfully Gabriel remind him of the other angel. Zachariah had known how to josh around like humans and spin a story, too, seeming almost relatable up until the moment he hadn't.]</sub>

[lowkeyangel]

[Compliment. Always a compliment. Not that it's his brothers' fault. Some of them don't know how to act any way other than the way they do. Gabriel shrugs, though, because Castiel and Michael have a grasp of free will.

Or they're supposed to, anyway. Michael's never quite acted like he knew what the words meant. In fact, Gabriel suspects it makes him uncomfortable. Like a wedgie. He gives orders just fine, but he waits to take them, too. From one very specific being.

His big brother is, maybe, waiting for a train that will never come. Dad's gone. He's not coming back. He's left them to act the way they will.

Like a bunch of five year olds who trash the room the second an adult leaves.]

I'm me, muchacho. But which parts are you referring to?

[Color him curious.]

[halfwinchester]

<sub>[This angel--Gabriel--has only used his powers on him once, but Adam's already finding that direction questions make feel slightly edgy. Everything, down to their human bodies, feels like a trap with angels, and he's making a big mistake by talking to one.

He sighs a little in defeat, gaze flickering along the floor somewhere around Gabriel's feet.]</sub>

I mean, you fake it better.

_{[There are more diplomatic and more wordy ways to put it, but that's the essence of his thought, and Adam doesn't care in the moment of it gets him in trouble.]}

[lowkeyangel]

You know, I think my tiny little feelings are hurt.

[No, they're not. Hurt, that is. And he generally prefers if people think he's an unfeeling ass, since it leaves things remarkably uncomplicated. If a little depressing, sometimes, when he's sitting around all by his lonesome.]

Life's too short to fake anything except for surprise and, sometimes, interest. [Pause.] And sometimes you have to fake a little enthusiasm, but seriously, just a little if it's absolutely necessary.

[Adam is definitely dealing with the world's oldest five-year-old, here.]

Speaking of which, I think I have some mistletoe to haunt.

[halfwinchester]

<sub>[That's the point:angels don't seem to have feelings. They're not like people, they don't... think like people. What he'd meant is that Gabriel seems to know how to hit all the right marks to pass himself off as human like Zachariah, and he's not sure if that's a good sign or an even scarier sign than dealing with someone like Castiel, who doesn't even try. But saying anything more would require stepping on the landmine that is discussing an angel's "feelings" and Adam's not so stupid as to stick his neck out like that to keep asking questions.

He's also not so fond of Gabriel's kind that he'll try to apologize or backpedal.

He takes the middle ground by saying nothing at all. Just a small nod when the angel up and announces he's ready to get going. Maybe Gabriel will just flap off and leave him in one piece.]</sub>

[lowkeyangel]

[Gabriel gives a very wry smile, shrugging. The silent treatment. Not exactly unexpected.]

See you 'round, kid.

[In this place? Maybe they'd accidentally run into each other again sometime. Who could say. He winks at Adam before, in the blink of an eye, vanishing.]