Angelfall: Theosophi Box Set

Chapter 2-3

Jason slung Castiel’s arm over his shoulders to help him stand and was nearly whacked in the skull by a flailing damned wing joint. Those wings sort of came off as arms wheeling around to help the body balance. Weird. Problem was, someone could get seriously hurt if Castiel couldn’t get them under control.

“All right, settle those things down, okay?” Jason gave him as stern look and slid an arm around Castiel’s warm, thickly muscled waist. “Just lean your weight into me. I won’t let you fall.”

A grateful smile passed over his lips. Jason and Castiel were about equal in stature, and he had no trouble being used as a crutch. After he caught Danny’s eyes and asked if his brothers could square up his room, Jason shuffled the being into the hall bathroom, the only one in the house with a shower.

“So, ah, how do you feel about a shower?” Jason asked.

The question earned him a blank stare. Instead of making an ass out of himself by explaining it, Jason leaned Castiel against the sink and turned to the tub. He used a ridiculous amount of time to fiddle with the temperature until he reached a balance Castiel might enjoy. “You get in the tub and use the shampoo,” and he pointed at the bright green bottle sitting on the wall shelf, “to clean your hair. Scrub in it, rinse it out with the water. Don’t let it get in your eyes because it burns like a bastard. Then you rub that bar of soap next to the bottle on your skin. Everywhere.” Here, Jason paused, because s**t, he didn’t know if the wings were supposed to get wet. “Is it possible to wash your feathers without damaging them?”

Another blank stare met his question. Damn it.

Jason inched past Castiel, and poked his head out of the bathroom. He plastered on a pleasant look, and loosed a sharp whistle just as he spotted Levi. He was smart as hell, so Jason may luck out that his brother could help.

“You know anything about birds?” he asked just as his little brother got to the bathroom.

“Some.” Brow furrowed, Levi brought up a hand to gnaw on his thumb. It was a nervous habit no one could get him to break. “I don’t think it would be any use to an angel though.”

Mouth twisted into a grimace, Jason pulled him into the room by the hand he was crewing on. “Feathers are feathers are feathers, right?”

Levi frowned. Eventually, he stepped closer to Castiel and reached for the inky feathers but snatched his hand back at the last second. “May I see your wings, sir?”

With a kind smile, Castiel nodded and a leading black edge bumped Levi’s hand. Jason had to suppress the hot flash of possessiveness as his brother ran his fingers through feathers with abandon.

“They are beautiful, Castiel. Very soft.”

“Thank you.” He spread the wing farther, so far that it brushed against Jason’s naked shoulder, giving both brothers a better look. “I am very fond of them, even if this corporeal form is not strictly accurate.” Castiel suddenly flashed a boyish grin. “Most would consider mine rather plain, compared to the High Commanders.”

And f**k, that grin was almost enough to steal Jason’s heart. “Well, flashy is overrated. I’d rather look at yours.”

Castiel stared at him for a long time, something unreadable in his face. Jason continued to stare until Levi waved a hand in his face. “Earth to Jason.”

A hard blink brought him back. “Yeah?”

Levi chuckled. “Seems like the feathers are coated in the same stuff that birds have.” He waved a hand at the running shower and looked at Castiel. “Water will rinse the dirt off, but don’t use soap except on the worst areas.”

“Will it hurt them?”

Levi shook his head, then elaborated, “I think it’s more like any bird. Water logs the feathers and you wouldn’t be able to fly until whatever oil you use for grooming coats them again.” He bit his fingers some more, unsure. “At least, that’s my guess. I don’t know for sure and that’s assuming he can fly.”

“We’ll do it your way.” Jason started herding his brother out of the bathroom, but Levi gave him a knowing smirk right before Jason shut the door in his face. Brat.

“Let’s do this.” He turned back, flashed Castiel a smile. “You ready?”

Castiel shrugged, but allowed himself to be lead to the basin by Jason’s hand on his shoulder. Just as he was about to step in though, Jason stopped him.

“You might want to lose the, uh, the skirt thing.” Jason ran a light finger over the top hem of it, just in case Castiel didn’t understand what he meant.

Castiel fished the practically invisible laces from between what Jason assumed were the folds of the skirt and unraveled the knot with a quick tug. Jason wasn’t fast enough to avert his gaze and got an eye full of the man’s stunning ass and thighs. He gave a silent down boy to his instantly perky c**k and wrenched his eyes up to meet Castiel’s.

Adam strutted into the room like he’d planned it for maximum effect and whistled in appreciation. Jason moved to shield Castiel. “Door was closed for a reason. What do you want?”

“Got your room cleaned and wanted to ask if you need any help in here.” Adam c****d his head a little, gaze clearly admiring Castiel’s naked body. “Of course, I’m always happy to keep an eye on our guest, just in case.”

“Out,” Jason growled. “Castiel isn’t someone for you to lust after.”

“Ah, come on, you get to.”

“Out!”

Adam laughed and sashayed his way out. Jason turned back and did his damnedest to make sure his eyes stayed on Castiel’s face. Not that it was such a hardship. “Sorry about my brothers.”

“They are no trouble.” He smiled wide, amusement causing his eyes to dance. “It is nice that they find this form so appealing, but that last one. Is he always so forthright?”

“Adam?” Jason blinked, thinking for a moment, and then chuckled. “Yeah, Adam is usually that blunt. It’s his gift.”

“Do not be so annoyed with him. His heart is good and he means no offense. I enjoy his honest appreciation.”

“That’s fine, but the little s**t needs to learn tact.” And no, that was not jealousy he was feeling about Castiel liking Adam’s attention. It was not.

“I do not know what ‘little s**t’ means, but I have the impression it is uncomplimentary.” Castiel looked like he had swallowed a lemon and Jason wanted to bang his head into a wall, because the guy was gorgeous even with that expression. Oh, life was going to suck until Castiel went home, wherever that was.

Even so, he cringed slightly at the thought. Castiel swayed, pulling Jason away from the idea long enough to get him in the shower.

Jason moved back to the sink, and leaned against it. He didn’t want to think about why Castiel leaving bothered him, but he couldn’t easily put it aside. Castiel was charming, beautiful and understanding, and Jason had only known him for an hour. What other endearing traits would he uncover before Castiel said goodbye? His interest had already been piqued.

Since he was fifteen, Jason had been looking for the one person that would fill his whole world and so far, every lover, every fling—none of them came close to what he wanted. Now, even though he’d only known him a moment, Castiel made him ache down to his soul in a way he had never known was possible. The thought of him leaving was already like a kick to the teeth, but it sounded as though Castiel had an important job to do.

Jason frowned, and smothered a weary sigh as he helped Castiel out of the shower. Whatever he felt, now wasn’t the time. The angel shook his wings to dry them, a fine mist settling over the small room, and Jason smiled fondly at his unexpected guest, thinking he looked every bit like a bathing sparrow. If his gaze was yearning, he hoped it didn’t show.

* * * *

Danny pulled Jason aside once they got Castiel settled back into bed, ordering Castiel in no uncertain terms that he was to rest until tomorrow, and then he could return home. He laughed and ate the bland tomato soup and crackers Levi made, promptly falling asleep after he finished.

“Man, why are you acting like someone kicked your horse? What’s the matter with you?” Danny asked once he got them to the hallway.

Jason sighed and waited for their younger siblings to scatter. Maybe his disappointment wasn’t as well hidden as he thought. “I’m just worried,” he lied. “I don’t think Castiel should be leaving yet. Guy can’t even walk without help.”

Oh, he should have known better to hide something from any of his brothers.

“Bullshit,” Danny shot back. Leaning in close, he dropped his voice to a murmur. “Why don’t you really want him going?”

“Come on.” Jason stomped into the kitchen and dropped into one of chairs at the big pine table. He waited a moment while his brother sat opposite, then Jason blew out a hard breath. “Don’t repeat this to anyone.”

Danny raised an eyebrow and Jason knew the request was going to be ignored. It didn’t matter. Danny would to pester him until he cracked anyway.

“I like him.” Jason blushed hard when Danny barked out a laugh. “Shut up.”

“Tell me something I don’t know,” Danny gasped between chuckles.

“He’s sweet, understanding, gorgeous. f**k is Castiel beautiful.”

Just like that, Danny stopped laughing. He glared at Jason, and his eyes changed from their usual hazel to the green that only showed when Danny was not amused. “Oh no, not this shit.”

“What?”

“Not that love at first sight bullshit you’re so adamant about.” Danny reached his long, scarred arm across the table and poked Jason in the chest. “Castiel does not belong here. If he’s actually an angel, he needs to go back to heaven. If he’s simply some poor bastard that escaped from a science lab, he needs to run a lot farther to get away from those evil bastards. Either way his place isn’t here.”

Jason understood that, all of it, but his stupid heart wouldn’t listen to a damn bit of common sense. Neither did his d**k, but he would rather gouge his eyes out than say that to his little brothers. Danny leaned back in his seat, and seemed to wait for an answer, so Jason caved. “I know. I can’t stop him from leaving anyway, so it’s kind of moot.”

“Good.” He stood and clapped Jason on the shoulder. “You’ll find the right guy eventually. Take it from me; don’t set your heart on the impossible ones.”

With a wry smile, Jason patted the hand on his shoulder. “You’d have more experience there, I’m assuming?”

“Well, big brothers can’t be experts at everything and I definitely have more experience. I’ve had my heart broken by both sides of the fence and you only have to worry about one side.”

Guess Danny had a point.