The Perk, Saturday afternoon

[saltandammo.livejournal.com]

Dean had spent a fairly quiet Christmas with his family, glad as always to be back in Fandom for a visit. There was still a part of him that kind of boggled that the Winchesters were now having fairly normal holiday celebrations, the occasional Fandom weirdness aside, but he wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. (Which had become disturbingly literal the morning before when he was helping to put together Gracie's new rocking horse.)

Anyhow, the day had went amazingly well, but now it was the day after Christmas and Dean felt the need to check up on his little brother, so he dragged Sammy away from the house and to the Perk for some coffee and friendly brotherly probing. (Not dirty, no matter what Castiel's online friends thought!)

He ordered their drinks -- some weirdly named concotion for Sammy that had taken longer to order than it had taken to pour Dean's own black coffee, then took them over to the table where Sammy was already waiting for him.

"So," he began as he sat down, shoving Sammy's drink across the table to him, "anything new I should know about?"

[open for all your coffeehouse visiting or Winchester bothering needs :)]

Comments

[likethegun]

Christmas still wasn't Sam's favorite holiday, especially this year, but he'd done his best to manage some holiday cheer for Grace's sake, and to try to keep Zoe and his dad from worrying too much. Now that he was alone with Dean though, he didn't feel as much of a need to be falsely merry. "Not really," he said with a shrug. "The town's been kind of weird for the holidays, but that's about it." For a moment, he genuinely thought about telling Dean about his new abilities, but he decided not to, not knowing how he'd react. It was never good when he couldn't be certain about something relating to Dean.

[saltandammo.livejournal.com]

"It's Fandom," Dean pointed out. "I'd be more worried if it wasn't being weird. 'Cause that usually means it's saving it up for some really big weird."

[likethegun]

"True. Some of it wasn't so bad though," Sam said. "It snowed tinsel and there were random lights everywhere. The radio was screwy, but that was only for a day or so." He was almost thankful for the insanity, so he had something to talk about.

[saltandammo.livejournal.com]

"Think I'm glad that that wasn't the kind of weirdness that follows people, given how much time Alec and I have spent in cemetaries and and abandoned houses lately. There just would've been something completely wrong about tombstones with Christmas lights or tinsel," Dean observed.

[likethegun]

"Is the hunting going well? It sounds like Alec's really taken to it. Or is it just that the two of you get to be together?" Sam asked after a moment, managing to take most of the jealousy out of his voice.

[saltandammo.livejournal.com]

"Alec's turning out to be a pretty awesome hunter," Dean said, and there's a hint of admiration in his voice, that matches the fond smile on his face. "Guess all that super soldier training he got as a kid translates really well. Kinda like Dad and the marines. And yeah it's good to have them there," he admitted. "There's not too many people I'd trust to watch my back, so since you're busy getting your geek on finishing school..."

[likethegun]

"Hey, you finished school too, so that makes you just as much of a geek as I am," Sam pointed out.

[stayingfrosty.livejournal.com]

Captain Price wandered into the Perk, mainly just to get himself a nice cup of black tea. Nothing fancy, no sugar, just good old fashioned tea.

He tipped his bush hat in greeting to the young man he saw, but didn't know.

[saltandammo.livejournal.com]

Dean glanced over at the newcomer than did a doubletake. "Bobby?! What the hell are you doing in Fandom? Does Dad know you're here?

[stayingfrosty.livejournal.com]

Price paused for a second, then turned back to the young man. "I'm sorry, but are you talking to me?" His voice was definitely not that of Bobby Singer's, the accent British and gruff.

[saltandammo.livejournal.com]

Dean stared and blinked for a moment, but he had more reason than most to leap to the "double" explanation, which was what he did, starting to chuckle. "Well, I'll be damned. Alec's going to love this."

[stayingfrosty.livejournal.com]

"That's a very odd way of saying hello, mate," Price said, taking his tea from the counter and walking over. "Captain John Price."

[saltandammo.livejournal.com]

The fact that Bobby's double was named John just made Dean chortle all the more. "Dean Winchester. I take it you're new in Fandom?"

[darkangelsawyer.livejournal.com]

Peyton stopped in to grab a couple of coffees for herself and Angela before heading back to the Arms. She stopped short when she saw who else was there. "Dean!"

[saltandammo.livejournal.com]

Dean turned and grinned when he saw who it was. "Hey!" he said happily. "Fancy running into you here."

[darkangelsawyer.livejournal.com]

She made her way across the room to hug him. "I never even thought you might be around. I came up to visit Angela, maybe catch up with some of my other friends. You look good, how have you been?"

[saltandammo.livejournal.com]

Dean hugged her back. "I am good. Been busy with the hunting -- y'know, saving people, killing things. You?"

[darkangelsawyer.livejournal.com]

"No saving people and killing things, but I'm doing good," Peyton said with a smile. "Don't know if you listen to my podcasts, but it turns out I have a brother - half-brother at least. Okay, so he hung up on me when I tried to call him, but he's out there and maybe one day he might decide he wants to meet me."

It was pretty clear she was excited and hopeful about that prospect.

[saltandammo.livejournal.com]

"No shit?" Dean grinned widely. "That's great. Let me be the voice of experience in telling you having a brother is pretty awesome most of the time."

[scruffnfeathers]

Sam had been right, things had been quiet over the internet for the holidays. Which unfortunately meant that Castiel had actually almost gotten bored.

It was a new experience, and entirely disconcerting.

But someone on one of the "forums" had finally posted some bit of news about "spoilers" for the unpublished Supernatural continuation, and the fact that it included angels. Castiel couldn't help but see this as the perfect opportunity to really set the online community straight. By writing "speculative" fanfiction.

Heaven help us.

He was distracted enough with trying to decide exactly what to put into his first work of fanfic that he only barely nodded to Dean as he looked for a table.

[saltandammo.livejournal.com]

"Hey, Cas," Dean greeted the angel with a pleased smile, which faded a little when he noticed how distracted he was. "Hey, you okay?"

[scruffnfeathers]

Castiel nodded -- distractedly. "Yes, I'm fine." He blinked once, then seemed to focus a bit better. "Ah. Dean! How are you?"

[saltandammo.livejournal.com]

"I'm good," Dean said, still frowning a little. "But you look all..." he gestured in a way that was meant to convey preoccupied. "Is there some new apocalyptic stuff happening?"

[scruffnfeathers]

"Not that I'm aware of, no." Castiel shook his head. "I admit to feeling somewhat . . . out of sorts. At loose ends, I believe the phrase goes."

[saltandammo.livejournal.com]

Dean blinked slowly. "You're bored?" he guessed.