#post1317

[gilded-lady]

Save Yourself (Platonic Ketchbriel 17/?)

Save Yourself 17/? Who: Ketch, Gabriel, Fenrir Warnings: Violence Word Count: 1000

Ketch studied the list. “Loki and his children?”

Gabriel pushed his plate aside.

“So yeah. That complication?” Gabriel’s eyes flashed in anger. “Those assholes are the ones that sold me to Asmodeus.”

“What?!” Ketch exclaimed. “Why?”

“I went to them after I ‘killed’ myself, because I needed a place to hide. I figured, they hate us, what better place to hide out? And apparently, I was very, very wrong.”

There was no hesitation as Ketch followed up his last question with a very simple. “Right. So does one kill a Norse demigod?”

Gabriel paused. “Really? You’re saying yes and not giving me some moralizing lecture about how revenge doesn’t solve anything?”

Ketch shrugged. “Why would I? For one thing, killing doesn’t weigh you down with guilt. Secondly, killing them won’t change what Asmodeus did too you, but it will give you the peace of mind knowing that they can never betray you and therefore never harm you again. That will you give the time you need to heal because you won’t be looking over your shoulder. So in my mind, revenge is an incredibly practical strategy given the circumstances of the situation.”

Gabriel gave him a dopey grin. “I knew I liked you. I’m sure Dad would take umbrage with that argument, but fuck Dad. You’re helping me and he isn’t.” He held out his hand. “Wait here a minute, I’m going to grab the plan.”

He returned a moment later with the chests.

Ketch stared at the swords. “Really? Samurai swords? Not something easy like bullets. When did you have time to get these made anyway?!”

Gabriel waved a dismissive hand. “I don’t need sleep. And yes, Samurai swords. Please don’t tell me you’ve never seen Kill Bill? Great flick. Highly recommend it. Anyway, bullets are too impersonal for this. I’d blow them all to smithereens if I could, but I just don’t have enough Grace right now.”

Ketch wasn’t convinced by the swords, but he would do his level best to make sure Gabriel got out of it alive and in one piece. “All right. So where to?”

*

Central City, Colorado.

Not a bad little city, a place Ketch would keep in mind if he got to lay low for a bit.

Ketch checked his gun. Gabriel had assured him that he knew what he was doing with the sword but give him a gun anytime. Thankfully, Gabriel wasn’t so high minded about the whole affair as to object to Ketch actually using it if need be.

“But only if I need it,” Gabriel made Ketch promise.

“And who determines if you need it?” Ketch said, not trusting Gabriel’s judgement on that. That was the kind of thing the Winchesters were apt to do and needless to say, Ketch’s opinion of the Winchester’s judgement still wasn’t all that high.

“You’ll know,” Gabriel said.

“Right,” Ketch said.

He was going to shoot the first second Gabriel got into trouble. The archangel could cuss him out later, but Ketch didn’t drag his ass out of Hell just to help him get killed all of a week later.

“I hear his footsteps!” Gabriel said pulled Ketch deeper into the corner of the alleyway they were tucked into, before completely defeating the purpose of hiding when the archangel started playing a kazoo of all things.

Ketch wasn’t sure he’d ever understand Gabriel.

“Fenrir Odinsbane!” Gabriel announced, stepping out of the shadows as the demigod looked around for the source of the so-called music.

“Gabriel,” Fenrir said, voice dripping with contempt.

“I vow to do this honorably. No tricks, just mano a mano.”

Fenrir grinned and Ketch winced at the canines he could spot on Fenrir. This could get ugly real fast, especially as the first few passes demonstrated that no, Gabriel didn’t know what he was doing with that sword. There were underclassmen at Kendrick’s that could have handled that sword better than Gabriel did. And when Fenrir drew first blood, that decided it for Ketch.

He put several shots into the demigod, causing him to stumble and double over.

“I thought you said you were going to do this honorably!” Fenrir growled.

“Bringing a gun to a knife fight is just smart,” Gabriel said as he used the moment to stab Fenrir through the heart, the blade sinking in with a sickening wetness as it skewered the demigod, who dropped to his knees as he died before falling down face first onto the asphalt, another victim of a senseless crime for the cops to find in the morning.

“And trusting someone you’ve already betrayed once is just stupid,” Ketch opined as he joined the others in the alleyway. “Are you alright?”

“Peachy,” Gabriel said. “I totally had him.”

“Sure you did,” Ketch said. “We need to clean that up,” Ketch said nodding to the cut on his hand. “That’ll make the next fights more difficult if you don’t take care of it.”

“Yes, mother,” Gabriel said only slightly petulantly. “No really, I totally had him!”

“You can show me in the next fight, after we get some practice in. You’re lucky he didn’t slice you right open.”

“You know how to sword fight?”

“Of course. We were taught bladed weapons because guns aren’t always available or even the best choice. Plus, you never know what you have to make do with. The more weapons you know, the better you can improvise in a tough situation.

“You seem sure of your skills.”

“Should I not be?”

“Let’s have a fight when we get back to the hotel.”

“And when I win?” Ketch asked.

“I’ll wear a suit with you when we go to dinner next week with John and Karena.”

“Ooh,” Ketch said with a grin. “All right.”

“But that’s not going to happen, because when I win, you are going to do karaoke after said dinner.”

“Deal,” Ketch said. He then heard sirens in the distance. “Now let’s get out of here before they decide to head this way.”

tagging: @embrrssed-love @nobodys-baby-now @rabbit-recommends

[gilded-lady]

Basking (6/?)

Title: Basking Who: Ketch, Gabriel What: Gabriel gets his first taste of the sun for the first time in centuries Word Count: 927 Warnings: None

It began with a low rumble, then the trembling of the plates on the table. Only then did he notice Gabriel’s eyes glowing blue.

So this is what an angry archangel looks like Ketch’s brain helpfully told him.

It was more than a little terrifying given that Gabriel still looked in full control.

“Too soon!” Ketch said hurriedly. “I’m sorry Gabriel.”

“What did you do, Ketch?” Castiel demanded as he appeared.

And just like that, the switch flipped back off. That was scary too, if Ketch thought about it.

“Leave him alone.” Gabriel said turning honey eyes back on Castiel. “He hasn’t done anything.”

“I beg to differ,” Castiel began before being abruptly cut off.

“He is the reason that I’m here to listen to you whining. You said yes to Lucifer. You’ve lost the moral high ground, baby brother.”

“I was trying to stop Amara!” he protested.

“Everyone always thinks they’re doing what’s right,” he said airly. “Not everyone releases Lucifer on the world.”

“I’m not going to stand here and take this,” Castiel huffed.

Gabriel and Ketch both ignored him, in fact, Gabriel now seemed to not even notice that Castiel was even in the same room at all.

“I want to go outside,” Gabriel announced. “I want to feel the sun again.”

“We could go for a walk?” Ketch suggested. “The wardings will protect us if we don’t stray too far.”

A nod.

It looked like this round of chatter had concluded.

“Right,” Ketch said. “Well, come along.”

*

There was a small faded footpath that circled the Bunker. At one time it might have been prominent, but now it was a was barely noticeable, time and rains having helped fill the path back in. That didn’t matter, however, its true purpose – a marking of the edge of the wards – was still readily served by those who knew what it meant.

Like Ketch.

He watched as Gabriel didn’t watch where he was walking. Instead, he just seemed to be soaking up the sun, not unlike a cat. He half wondered if they found a suitable stump if Gabriel would want to stop.

It didn’t take long to find out that he did.

They sat out there, just like that, for an hour, maybe more. Ketch didn’t check his watch. It didn’t seem right to. There was something about this moment that he just knew he should be in it, even if that moment was a celebration of the ability to do nothing but bask in the warmth of the sun.

And it was a celebration. Ketch could see it in the way that Gabriel looked more relaxed.

“It is beautiful out, isn’t it?” Ketch offered.

“I’ve missed the warmth.” Gabriel replied. “He made a cell for me near the Cage because. The cannon fodder wasn’t allowed down there and Crowley had enough deterrents to keep them away.  We couldn’t see each other, but we could hear each other’s screams. I only knew because Asmodeus took great delight in rubbing in the fact that with Raphael dead and the other three of us trapped here in Hell that Heaven was floundering to keep it together. He would keep me up to date on news from Heaven. I generally tried to tune it out, because I didn’t want to let him get to me, but I knew he wasn’t lying about my brothers.” He drifted off. “Do you have any siblings?”

“I was an only child,” Ketch said. “My parents both worked for the Men of Letters. They considered my birth as the fulfillment of an obligation to the organization.”

“Siblings are a pain in the ass,” Gabriel opined. “Always making noise. Always causing fights. Always breaking your toys.”

“You miss them?” Ketch guessed.

“They were pains in the asses like you wouldn’t believe.” Gabriel agreed. “But they were my pains in the asses.”

“Would you help put Lucifer back in the cage?” Ketch asked.

“No,” Gabriel said. His voice was emphatic, but firm. “No, no, no.”

“But you helped put him there before.”

“I can’t.” Gabriel insisted.

Ketch knew he was pushing too hard and let off.

“Are you ready to go back?” he asked.

Gabriel nodded, albeit reluctantly.

“All right then.”

*

Ketch let them back inside, where Castiel was waiting for them.

“I was wondering where you had gotten off to,” he said eying Gabriel, frowning, then giving Ketch a disdainful look. “You’ve been gone for almost two hours.”

Ketch didn’t show his surprise. “We weren’t far,” Ketch said.

“Regardless. Sam and Dean are back. They are asking to see Gabriel; Jack wants to meet his uncle.”

“That’s lovely.” Ketch said. “And I want to be King.” He looked at Gabriel. “Are you up for it?”

“Who is Jack?” Gabriel asked not looking at Castiel.

“Lucifer’s son,” Ketch said carefully. “Like we discussed yesterday.”

Gabriel frowned and shook slightly. “Nephilim are bad.”

“Jack is not back,” Castiel said. “He has not even met his father.”

Gabriel shook more. “No.”

“But – “ Castiel said.

Ketch sighed. “By God Castiel. He needs a break. It has barely been twenty-four hours. When he is more lucid, he will be in a better place to Jack. For now, I’m taking him back to his room to decompress.”

Castiel opened his mouth to protest, but shut it when he saw Gabriel inch towards Ketch.

“Fine,” he said. “Why do I have to be the one to tell Sam and Dean?” he asked plaintively, knowing they would not like this answer.

Ketch just smirked as they walked past.

tagging: @embrrssed-love @rabbit-recommends

[gilded-lady]

Do Angels Dream of Heavenly Sheep? Ketchbriel BroTP(5/?)

Title: Do Angels Dream of Heavenly Sheep? (5/?) Who: Ketch, Gabriel What: Ketch wants some rest. The night is not necessarily restful. Word count: 802 Warnings: None 

They left the door to the hallway open that night.

Ketch would have preferred the illusion of privacy, but the build of the bunker meant that once lights were turned off the room was thrown into pitch blackness. Gabriel’s near-immediate whimpers told Ketch that wasn’t the best of ideas.

Opening the door allowed the soft glow of the bunker lights to filter into the room; that seemed to be light enough to comfort the archangel.

Ketch wondered if angels could dream.

*

Angels may not dream; but waking nightmares were not off the table.

Like most in his line of work, Ketch was a light sleeper, the better to spring into action should the need arise. More than once in the night he heard Gabriel’s pitiful moans, and once thought, even some thrashing.

“Gabriel!” Ketch called out when it started up, “It’s okay. You aren’t in Hell. Asmodeus can’t get you.” He used his most level patient voice he could muster, even when he felt said patience begin to slip.

Gabriel would settle for a while before the cycle would begin anew.

After the fourth or fifth time – Ketch wasn’t keeping count – he woke up to the sound of the cot scraping the hard floor, Gabriel seemed to be pushing it level to Ketch’s bed, where before it had rested perpendicular to it.

Ketch looked at Gabriel quizzically.

Gabriel curled up on the cot, head now level near Ketch’s.

Ketch shrugged, and even if he felt Gabriel’s eyes on him as he dozed back off once more, it was impossible to miss one fact:

There were no more disturbances that night.

*

Ketch didn’t do idle small chat, except when assignment demanded it of him. He saw no point in obliging meaningless social niceties that did nothing but eat up time. He was therefore less wondering what to say the next morning as they dressed. He knew how Gabriel had spent his night – quite poorly, for the most of it – and he wasn’t sure Gabriel was ready to open up about it, or if he should even be the one that Gabriel opened up to.

He wasn’t warm, he wasn’t fuzzy, and he only knew how to leave people in a state like Gabriel’s, not take them out of it. He worried that anything that would come out of his lips would sound hollow and false and Gabriel clearly needed more than that.

And yet, there was no tension in the room.

After Ketch finished putting on his tie – an unneeded accessory, yet one that he admitted felt like a bit of his own armor – he looked over Gabriel who seemed to be taking a quiet moment to enjoy the clean jeans and button-down shirt that Castiel had left for him.  Ketch could only assume that it had been a preferred outfit of Gabriel’s from before.

The archangel didn’t look good. Though the host had been well healed by Castiel, it was as if the trauma Gabriel had suffered was manifesting itself through bags under the eyes, a pallor to his skin, and that posture that still screamed of a being trying to make itself small and inconspicuous.

There was one noticeable change from last night, however.

The light in Gabriel’s eyes was ever so slightly brighter.  It was no smile, and most wouldn’t see it, but Ketch could. The tiniest spark of something that Ketch himself would say he lost decades ago if he could admit it.

Hope.

Ketch smiled ever so slightly at the sight.

Gabriel’s eyes darted up and caught Ketches and offered a slight smile of his own.

“Come on then,” Ketch said. “Let’s get some breakfast. Perhaps we’ll have been lucky enough that your brother did some grocery shopping.”

The archangel seemed to perk up at the thought and allowed himself to be lead back into the kitchen.

Indeed, Castiel had gone out for supplies. While the food stores were still decidedly modest, there were unquestionably fuller than it had been before. Ketch was pleased to note that it included a fair amount of greens – the younger brother’s influence to be sure – as well as a wide array of sugary cereals some pastry, no double Castiel trying to find something that Gabriel would enjoy.

Ketch began making himself an egg white omelet as Gabriel studied the selections with the seriousness of a five year being tasked with such a big decision.

Once it was on the table – omelet and toast for Ketch, Fruit Loops and a cinnamon roll for Gabriel, coffee for both, the two ate quietly at the table, the only noise the scraping of silverwear against old china plates.

Finally, Ketch had to ask.

“Feel free to not answer if you aren’t ready but….so, Asmodeus?” he asked, throwing the archangels own question back to him.

Ketchbriel BroTP tag: @rabbit-recommends

[gilded-lady]

Genuflects and Pixie Sticks (9/?) Ketchbriel BroTP

Title: Genuflects and Pixie Sticks (9/?) Who: Ketch, Gabriel, Sam, Dean and Jack What: Ketch lives and could use a drink. So could Gabriel. Word Count: 875 Warnings: None 

The first thing that struck Ketch as he woke up is that, well, he woke up.

The second thing that struck Ketch as he woke up is that nothing hurt, not even old lingering injuries that had never quite healed up properly.

“Sleeping beauty,” Gabriel said as he set a copy of Busty Asian Beauties aside. “I was starting to think you’d never wake up.”

“Nor did I. How long was I out?”

“Almost a day. The extent of your injuries made Jack sad, by the way. Dean grumbled about your blood staining the lovely tile wiles.

“So he does care,” Ketch joked dryly. He wrinkled his nose at his shirt. As he peeled it off, he asked, “Are you okay?”

Gabriel’s façade of normalcy broke, if only for a few seconds. “I’m alive. Asmodeus isn’t.” He shrugged. “It’s a great day right?”

“Indeed. Worthy of a drink, at least,” Ketch said. “Not that I’d drink the swill they keep here.”

“Then let’s bail this joint,” Gabriel suggested. “I know a great little modern-day speakeasy in New York.”

Ketch paused. “You aren’t planning on staying to fight Michael.”

Gabriel didn’t answer, which was answer enough.

“So why did you stay?”

Gabe looked away, as if giving Ketch modesty as Ketch pulled out a new shirt to put on.

“I didn’t give a Reaper a side-eye just to see you suicide by Winchester.”

Ketch paused. “Really?”

“Really. She barely continued her bitch face.” Gabriel sighed. “Look. You basically died with the intent to protect me, even though you stood nothing to gain nothing from it. I’ve been Loki long enough to appreciate that kind of devotion. And like I said, you certainly aren’t going to get any thanks from the Winchesters.”

“But the Earth – “

“Will be fine, or you’ll be dead anyway. The boys broke it, they can fix it. Besides, they’ve got the spawn of Satan helping them. Kid’s stronger than I ever was.”

Gabriel’s voice was a mix of sadness and bitterness. He wondered how weakened Gabriel had become. That reminded Ketch. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out the extra vial of Grace that Asmodeus had stashed. “Here. I kept this from the boys.”

Gabriel seemed genuinely surprised, but none the less pleased to see it. “I thought you were trying to buy their favor.”

“I was,” Ketch said. “But you never show all your cards up front and you have a point. I could have died saving Mary and they probably would have just stepped over my corpse to get to her. Rescuing you, regardless of my original motivation has to count for something right?”

Gabriel held up his grace reverently. “And this counts for a lot more.” He took off the cap and swallowed greedily. His already healed body began to glow with new health before his eyes shown a piercing blue. Ketch is pretty sure he gasped when he saw the shadows of Gabriel’s wings lay on the wall.

“That was like the best damn pixie stick ever.” Gabriel said satisfied before looking at Ketch. “You can stop gaping. If you’re going to worship, I prefer genuflecting.”

“I’m a wee bit out of practice,” Ketch joked weakly as he finished packing his bag, a little awestruck. Between Jack’s power and now Gabriel’s power and the whole almost dying bit he was feeling incredibly mortal at the moment. “How about I buy you the first round instead?”

“Deal,” Gabriel said as he opened the door and let Ketch lead the way.

*

“Moving on so soon?” Dean asked, flat tone of his voice belaying the that he was more than happy to see Ketch go.

“Quite,” Ketch said.  “We’re stepping out to New York for a drink.” It only then occurred to him how ridiculous that statement really was.

“New York,” Sam said. “For a drink.” Sam asked in disbelief.

“I know you aren’t hard-of-hearing Sammo, New York. This place is great. Some get all dressed up, they have a live jazz band, even some questionable bathtub hooch if you’re living on the edge. Can’t get any more authentic without time travel,” Gabriel said.

“But what about Michael?” Dean demanded.

“What about Michael?” Gabriel aped. “You got Lucifer Junior. You’ll be fiiine,” Gabriel dismissed Dean’s concerns.

“I am right here,” Jack said slightly peeved, but distracted. “You feel different,” he added.

“I’m healed,” the archangel clarified.

“But how?” Jack asked. “Castiel said the only way for an angel to recover from the loss of Grace is to consume their Grace.”

“Of which I still had a vial,” Ketch said. “And he consumed.”

“What?!” Dean said glaring at Ketch.

“What?” Ketch said. “I was optimistic when I came to you for help, not naïve. There is a difference.”

“And that’s why I like him. Daylight’s a burning and we’ve a drink or five to get through.”

“Fine. Whatever,” Dean groused. “Have fun.”

“Dean?” Gabriel asked.

“What?” Dean snapped.

“My archangel blade,” Gabriel said hand out expectantly.

With a reluctant sigh, Dean relinquished the blade.

“Pleasure doing business with you. Once you fix the world, please stop breaking it. We’ve just about run out the warranty on the place.”

Ketch found himself pulled into the ether before Dean could reply.

Tagging: @embrrssed-love @rabbit-recommends

[gilded-lady]

Save Yourself 13/? Ketchbriel BroTP

Save Yourself 13/? Who: Ketchbriel Word Count: 744 Warnings: None 

“So…that escalated quickly,” Gabriel said as he went to wash his hands. “How about we break for lunch?”

“Lunch sounds excellent,” Ketch agreed. “What were you thinking?”

“Why don’t we go into town? We can find something to eat, go to the little market there grab some staples…”

Take a look around, let Gabriel know how much things had or hadn’t changed during his forced absence.

“Sounds excellent,” Ketch said as he gathered up the cleaning tools and deposited the bucket back in its place under the sink. “You could probably use a new can of Pledge too. It was feeling rather light.”

Gabriel wrinkled his nose and rummaged around one of the drawers for a pad and a well-used pencil, worn with dents caused by finger nails grabbing it tight. “I should replace the rest of that stuff too. I’m kinda amazed that more cans haven’t rotted out with corrosion,” he said thoughtfully as he added a few other cleaning products to the list.

There was something kind of charming about Gabriel making an actual grocery list with plans to buy from a grocery store. It was such a human gesture from such a powerful being.

“I know we basically need everything refrigerated. I replaced the fridge this morning. Toxic doesn’t even begin to describe it.” Gabriel began scribbling on the paper. “Milk, eggs, some kind of leafy greens, whatever looks good, butter – don’t trust a household that doesn’t keep real butter in it, potatoes. Flour. Sugar. What else?”

“Why don’t we just see what catches the eye?” Ketch offered. “We don’t have to buy the whole store in one trip.”

“But the look on the cashier’s face when you try!”

“Do you have a car that you can fit the store into?” Ketch countered reasonably.

“You just have to bring logic into this, don’t you?” Gabriel pouted. “Fiiine. We’ll do it your way.”

“Do you even have a car?” Ketch asked again more thoughtfully. He hadn’t hated traveling by angel, but it didn’t seem like the most discreet method of transportation when he and multiple bags of groceries had to tag along too.

“No?” Gabriel answered. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, they can be awesome, but I always used to bounce from place to place. They just seemed like more of a hassle than they were worth.”

“Getting stuck in traffic or traveling somewhere in the blink of an eye. I can’t believe you’d pass on the opportunity to sit in traffic,” he joked.

“I know, right? Honking your horn. Watching the lady next you applying her make-up, or the guy in front of you yelling into his phone instead of hitting the gas when the light turns green. What am I thinking?”

“It’s one reason I always preferred motorcycles,” he said wistfully. He hoped it was still where he had left it.

“So I’m guessing that the sedan we hauled out of the gateway to Hell in wasn’t your normal ride?”

“Hardly. I’m still trying to hide out from my previous employers and my love of my motorbike is pretty well known. If they’re going to be looking for me, they’ll be looking for my bike so I try to use alternative transport when I’m in an area where I might run into someone who knows me by chance.”

“Paranoid much?”

“Not if they are out to get you.”

“But you’re British. And you are stateside.”

“And I’m pretty sure the Winchesters and their friends killed any that were over here, but I have a lot of friends of friends, many of whom aren’t exactly friendly if you get my drift.”

“Well that’s a shitty way to live a life,” Gabriel opined.

“But at least I still have a life to live,” Ketch rebutted. “Which is more than they can claim. And, ideally, if I can strike a new deal with Rowena when I find her, I’ll have a fresh insurance policy to ensure that I can continue to do so and take care of those loose threads.”

“And then you’ll retire?” Gabriel asked.

“I suppose,” Ketch said. “I haven’t thought that far ahead.” He thought he saw a flash of pity in Gabriel’s eyes.

“But first things first,” Gabriel said. “Let’s satisfy that base human need first: Lunch. I’ll just pop us in somewhere we can’t be seen. We can grab a ride on the way back.”

“Excellent.” He stood up a little straighter. “Lead the way. I’m famished.”

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[gilded-lady]

He Speaks

Series: Untitled Ketchbriel 4/?

Who: Ketch, Gabe, Castiel What: Stories are shared and Gabriel actually speaks. A little. Word Count: 1035 Warnings: None 

“This is amazing,” Gabriel moaned around a mouthful of pie.

The archangel was talking, which was good, so Ketch tried to not raise a skeptical brow at the judgement of the pastry. He knew there was nothing special about the pie, it was just something picked up from the local grocery store, but then anything was amazing to a starving man which he supposed Gabriel was, in a way. He took a sip of his surprisingly decent coffee. If he survived the next few days and was going to be here for the long haul, however, getting tea into the Bunker was a must. It was, in fact, the first thing on his mental shopping list. He paired it with a half-passable sandwich. It beat MREs at least.

“When you’re up to traveling, I’ll give you the name of this bakeshop back home. The desserts here simply can’t compare.” Not that Ketch was much of a sweets man, but when he was, he preferred European-style desserts. They were, on the whole, less sweet.

Gabriel nodded and took a few more bites of the dessert, not really looking at Ketch, but staring a great deal at his plate.

“So…Asmodeus?” Gabriel finally asked.

Ketch despised talking about himself, and even more so about mistakes made, but he wanted to encourage the discussion.

“Not one of my better moves,” he admitted.

“Then why?”

“He paid the best,” Ketch said.

Gabriel looked at Ketch. Really looked at Ketch. It was hard not to squirm.

“And I might have been upset at the Winchesters. They’d already killed me, you think they could let bygones be bygones and try and track down Lucifer instead. You know, priorities.”

Gabriel looked at Ketch some more.

“Oh don’t give me that!” he said, missing the slight smile on Gabriel’s face as he squirmed. “I’ve only died the once. It’s not like they haven’t dozens of time over combined. And I acquired the spell in a perfectly legitimate trade.”

Gabriel huffed. Ketch wasn’t quite sure if it was amusement or something else.

“Anyway. It was fine, for a while, but it grew increasingly apparent that Asmodeus has zero regard for this planet or the beings that live on it. He seemed far more concerned about…” he tried to find a delicate way to discuss what had happened to Gabriel, but faltered. “then stopping Michael. Oh sure, he made noises about it, but it didn’t seem to be nearly the concern I reckoned it ought to be.”

“How?”

“How what?” Ketch asked. Gabriel didn’t seemed surprised by the news – he figured that the archangel had been held captive long enough to have been kept current on the news, even if indirectly – so he wasn’t sure what was being asked.

“Lucifer? Michael?”

“I am not sure that I should be the one telling this story,” Ketch said. He raised his voice. “Castiel?”

Castiel was there in all but a blink of an eye, making Ketch wonder if he was simply spying on their conversation or just flying inside the bunker.

“What?” Castiel asked, his voice tinged with irritation.

“You were an integral part of getting Lucifer out of his cage and in discovering the alternative world that is threatening this world,” Ketch said acting oblivious to the daggers being glared his way. “You should be the one to tell your brother what happened. I couldn’t possibly do it justice.”

Gabriel glared at Castiel who blanched even more than Ketch had.

Ketch smiled around his sip of coffee.

*

At the end of it all, both Ketch and Gabriel looked thoughtful.

Ketch had no idea of what Gabriel was thinking about and wouldn’t begin to presume to know, but hearing the full story – not just the bits that the Men of Letters had been able to glean through various third party sources – was endlessly fascinating, and he wondered for the five hundredth time why the Winchesters weren’t dead.

“It’s not Dad’s doing,” Gabriel said idly.

Ketch jumped. He forgot that angels could read thoughts.

“He doesn’t care about them that much.” There was a bitterness in Gabriel’s voice. “I don’t think he cares about anything that much.”

He could hear the unspoken “especially not me” in those words. There may not have been much in the way of love within the Men of Letters, but given the relationships that the archangels seemed to enjoy – or not enjoy as the case may be – with God, he didn’t think he was missing out on much.

Gabriel went back to staring at his hands, not talking for several long minutes, even as Castiel tried to engage the archangel in small talk even as he went out of his way to ignore Ketch.

Castiel looked at the crumb-filled plate. “Can I get you another piece?”

Gabriel pushed the plate away and shook his head, his eyes went distant again. The moment was clearly gone.

The tension was mounting in the kitchen.

“Right,” Castiel said. “I will go back to what I was doing. Please call me if you need me.”

Ketch nodded, and a moment after Castiel left, cleaned up the few plates he and Gabriel had dirtied.

When done, he headed towards the door. “I’m going to try and grab some rest,” Ketch said. “It has been a long couple of days.” He’d grabbed an all-too brief cat nap after the shower he’d grabbed earlier but hadn’t seen real sleep in almost 30 hours. He could go longer, of course, but it certainly wasn’t him at his peak.

Gabriel grabbed at his arm.

Ketch froze. He needed sleep, and he wanted to not upset the upset archangel. His mind raced for options. “What if we were to set up a cot in my room?” Ketch offered. “You could stay there and if you needed me, you could wake me up.”

Gabriel considered this and slowly nodded.

Right.

“Castiel?” he called out again.

It took longer this time for Castiel to appear, and when he did, it was clear that indeed, he was eavesdropping.

“I set up a cot for Gabriel. You’ll be staying in the bedroom next to mine. I’ve already moved your belongings.”

Ketch was too tired to argue.

Ketchbriel BroTP tag: @rabbit-recommends                                     

[gilded-lady]

Fade to Black (8/?) Ketchbriel

Who: Ketchbriel, Team Free Will 2.0, Asmodeus What: Jack's first meeting with Gabriel gets interrupted. Warning: Fight-related violence Word count: 780 

“Um, hello?” Jack said as he hesitantly stepped into the room, Ketch following close behind, but staying near the door as much to keep the Winchesters out of the room as to give the pair as a sense of privacy that they didn’t actually have.

“So you’re Lucifer’s kid?” Gabriel asked. “Are you sure?” He looked at Ketch. “Doesn’t he kind of look like Castiel?”

“Now that you mention it,” Ketch agreed.

Jack looked like a deer in headlights.

“Relax. I’m pretty sure Castiel doesn’t even understand how Nephilim are made.”

“He does too!” Dean called out.

“I do what?” Castiel asked as he reappeared for wherever he’d been.

“Understand how Nephilim are made,” Dean said.

“Yes, I do,” Castiel agreed. “But why is this relevant to this particular conversation.”

The door slammed shut, causing Ketch to jump.

“Hey!” Dean’s protest was muffled by the door.

“I said you can stand in the hall, I didn’t promise you could eavesdrop!” Gabriel called back. “You guys are distracting!”

Ketch wasn’t quite sure what to make of this exchange. He looked at Jack who seemed to be equally bewildered.

“Are you all right?” Ketch asked.

“I’m fine….I guess I did not expect to see Gabriel bickering with Sam and Dean.”

“This isn’t bickering. I don’t bicker!”

Just then alarms began blaring through the bunker, the lights shutting off, emergency lighting turning on as it went into a defensive mode.

The door went flying open.

“Those are the demon wards,” Sam said.

“Asmodeus,” Ketch guessed, face looking grim as he reached for his gun. He glanced at Gabriel who was busy pressing himself against the wall, trying to look make himself small.

“Jack, protect Gabriel.” Dean ordered. As Jack nodded, Dean hesitated for a second, then handed the archangel blade to Ketch. “Do as Jack says and protect him. I swear if anything happens to Gabriel and Asmodeus doesn’t kill you, I’ll kill you myself.”

“Yes, yes,” Ketch said. “Do survive so you can be disappointed when you can’t follow through on that threat.”

“Dean,” Castiel urged. “Let’s go.”

Dean nodded and the trio took off. Ketch shut the door behind them. Gabriel was in no position to move, but at least having to knock the door in could give them a half-second warning. It was better than no warning at all.

“You’ve got this?” Ketch asked Jack.

Jack nodded, eyes glowing gold as he prepared himself. “I know how to use my powers now. I fought off dozens of Michael’s men on the other size. They couldn’t even get close!”

The whole thing would have been completely terrifying had the look on his face held the same malice he imagined would have appeared on Lucifer’s face. As it was, the notion that Jack could kill angels at a distance with a mere thought was still mostly terrifying.

“Right,” Ketch said as he took up a position in front of Gabriel.

“Stay with us, Gabriel,” Ketch said. “We will not let him hurt you again. I swear it.”

He did not give his word lightly. If it took his death to ruin Asmodeus’ day, he could take comfort in that.

There were sounds of battle from other parts of the bunker, there were multiple cries, none of them familiar. Clearly, Asmodeus had brought help, the kind of help that wasn’t necessarily a threat in of itself to Hunters as seasoned as the Winchesters, but certainly enough to be a distraction.

“He’s getting close,” Jack announced. “I can hear him.”

The door to the room slammed open.

“Mah, mah, mah,” Asmodeus said as he strolled into the room. “Buy one get two free! What an absolute bargain!” He flicked his wrist and sent Ketch flying into the wall behind the beds.

Ketch felt his vision gray out as the blade dropped to the floor. Gabriel

“Once I get my two other pets situated, I’ll kill you slowly boy for taking what is mine. And then when I have stripped you to a soul, I will take great pleasure in making these two listen to your screams.

Gabriel’s head shot up.

The demon would have noticed the archangel’s glowing blue if in that second he wasn’t rendered to a pile of dust.

The alarms died almost as quickly as they had activated.

Jack tilted his head as he studied the remains of the demon. “He talked too much.”

Ketch coughed up blood. He was pretty sure a rib had punctured a lung and he could feel the blood pouring out of his head. “Tell Dean,” Ketch coughed so more. “he can’t.” This time the blood spilled from his mouth. “Kill me.”

Ketch’s world went black.

tagging: @rabbit-recommends @embrrssed-love

[gilded-lady]

The Last Word (Ketchbriel, 10/?)

Title: The Last Word Who: Ketch, Gabriel What: They go for that drink that they earned. Word Count: 735 Warnings: None

When Ketch found himself on solid ground again, he realized two things: his bag was gone and that he was now dressed in a sharp double-breasted tweed suit while Gabriel’s suit was a little more casual.

“Handy,” Ketch said as he took in his new surroundings. “Where is my gear?”

Gabriel waved a dismissive hand. “It’s at my place. It’s fine.”

Ketch nodded. “Are you sure we’re in the right place?” The alleyway was too comparatively clean for its own good. The ground wasn’t littered with cigarette butts or gum wrappers or any signs that people would congregate in the area.

“Totally,” Gabriel said as he knocked on a door. They waited for a moment, but there was no response.

“You guys looking to see a man about the dog?” a clean-cut man asked approaching him.

“Yeah,” Gabriel said eyeing him wearily.

“You musn’t be local. It shut down five years ago,” the guy said mournfully.

“I’ve been away.” Gabriel was frowning, clearly not liking the reminder of how long he’d been gone.

“What happened?” Ketch asked.

“A girl overdosed on the hooch and died. Worst still, she was underage to boot. It was quite the scandal. The owner went to jail for a bit and came out to a lawsuit that took him for all he was worth.

“Unfortunate.”

“Seriously. Anyway. Some of the bartenders who didn’t get caught in the crossfire opened up a place a few blocks to the east. Even though this one is completely aboveboard, they managed to mostly capture the old vibe. I’m going that way, I can take you there if you like.”

“Gabriel?” Ketch offered. “Are you up for it?”

“You owe me the first round,” Gabriel insisted.

“So I do,” Ketch agreed. “Lead the way.”

“Mark,” their guide offered.

“Ketch,” he offered.

“So what brings you out this way?” Mark asked Ketch as Gabriel followed behind.

“A bit of a celebration,” he replied. “I’m a freelancer who just got out from under a real demon of a contract.”

Gabriel snorted.

“I feel you man. The gig economy is tough, ain’t it?”

“The worst,” Ketch replied drily, even if he wasn’t quite sure what the gig economy was. “I’m considering a field change.”

“Hang in there. There are far more douchebags out there than the good ones but find one a good one and you are set.”

“All right,” Mark said. “Here we are,” he said nodding at a non-descript door. “Have one for me, would you?” He looked wistful. “Maybe I’ll catch up with you later sometime.”

“That would be fun,” Ketch said politely as the parted with a polite wave.

“Look at you,” Gabriel said as they entered the darkened room. “Playing all nice with the common folk. I didn’t you stuffy Men of Letters types had it in you.”

“It’s just that,” Ketch said blandly, his eyes belying a sense of mirth. “I never did learn to not play with my food.”

“Oooh, a vampire in the ranks. How scandalous,” Gabriel said, eyebrows wagging.

“It would be quite the cause celebre wouldn’t it? Imagine, a vampire infiltrating the Men of Letters without setting off a single ward. Dozens would lose have to be killed for their failures, of course, and then the ones that were left would fight for the privilege of being the ones to figure out how they did it.”

“Good evening, sirs,” a waitress in a sleek little vintage cocktail dress approached their table. “What can I get for you tonight?”

The music was loud enough to be heard, but soft enough that no yelling had to occur to place their order. Ketch appreciated places that understood that balance.

“We’ll both have one of whatever your specialty is,” Ketch said.

“Two Last Words it is,” she jotted in her notebook. “I’ll have those right up for you.”

“I didn’t take you for a cocktail man,” Gabriel said.

“When it Rome, right?” Ketch said.

“That’s the spirit!” the archangel said. “You really didn’t want to drink bath tub gin straight. That  stuff would make me drunk in only a few pints, max.”

Ketch laughed as the waitress returned with their drinks.

“The Last Word for you,” she said as she handed Ketch his drink. “And the Last Word for you,” she said setting Gabriel’s drink down. “Enjoy, gentlemen.”

Ketch picked up his glass in a toast.

“To a world without Asmodeous.”

“Amen.”

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