A Story in Six Words

[sockings]

SIX WORD STORIES MEME
tell a story in six words





1. Post your top level comment with a six word story prompt (or more than one!)
2. Other people respond
3. ???
4. Profit



DO NOT LEAVE YOUR TOP LEVEL COMMENT BLANK

Taken from here.

Comments

Balthazar | Supernatural

[tryingitall]

You'll always have little old me.

Because I have way too many terrible AU ideas for these two

[beees]

Is that so?

[Unlike Castiel, Balthazar is a convincing liar. Still, he's already well aware of who has been passing information to the Winchesters about what he's been up to, and as much as he'd like to, that kind of betrayal can't be ignored.

He tries to keep his tone even, although it isn't easy. He knows he should kill Balthazar now, before he loses the resolution to do so, or before his friend - former friend, that is - decides to have the good sense to flee, but he doesn't.]

There's nothing that will cause you to stop standing with me, then?

omg yes pls.

[tryingitall]

[Clearly not convincing enough. Castiel's deadpan is as good as ever, and when he's not looking at his expression, Balthazar actually finds him tricky to read. It's the eyes that give away when he's lying; his vessel's eyes somehow open right through to the Grace inside. Probably a sign they were made for one another, poor Jimmy and poor Castiel.

Regardless, Balthazar already knows the jig is up. He could flee. Probably should. But then what? Spend his last days on Earth before Cas blows it up as the Winchesters' pet angel?

He never wanted it to come to this.] I think you know my answer to that.

I meant what I said before. In for a penny, in for a pound. [There's a light flick of his wrist, and suddenly his angel blade is in his hand, but almost before the shape and glint of the sword can be registered by mortal eyes, he's tossed it on the floor, out of his own reach.

Unarmed, he gives a mild shrug and sticks his hands in his pockets.]

I'll die with you, Cas, and I'll die for you, but I'm afraid I'm not prepared to kill the planet in either case. Whether that makes me your enemy or not is really up to you.

Excellent!

[beees]

Yes, I'm afraid I do.

[And it's not an answer Castiel likes. It was hard enough when it was his friends turning on him. It's worse when it's his favourite brother who doesn't understand that he's doing what he has to do to save all of them.

He catches the flick of the wrist out of the corner of his eye and he tenses slightly, eyes narrowing; for a brief moment, he thinks Balthazar means to attack him. Why not? He's already betrayed him. Before he can even finish the thought, though, the blade has been discarded, and Castiel eyes it for a moment.]

I am trying to stop Raphael, not kill the planet.

[They've been through this already. He just wants to use the Purgatory souls to crush defeat Raphael and his followers to avoid having the Apocalypse restarted. Is there a risk? Of course, but isn't a little risk better than a lot of definite destruction if their older brother gets his way?]

[tryingitall]

And what about yourself, Castiel? [For a moment, Balthazar's forced casual air drops away, and he looks oddly forlorn, at the opposite end of this ugly, badly lit room that still smells of blood.] When this is done, whether you win or lose, what's going to be left?

You're my brother. My best friend. You're all I have left of the Heaven that should have been. I don't want to see you die, but I damn well don't want to see you change, either.

Now tell me...tell me what really happened to Rachel. [His voice shakes subtly.] Because she believed in you, and I somehow doubt she switched sides for Raphael.

[beees]

I'll be fine. You don't need to worry about me. [His tone is dismissive; He knows what he's doing. He's not going to die, and he doesn't recognize how much he's changed already. It's his friends who have changed, and turned on him, putting all of them in danger. His expression softens somewhat, though, at his brother's concern, and he starts to think that maybe this doesn't have to come down to a fight.] Trust me, Balthazar. Please.

[Except then he's asking about Rachel and it's clear to Castiel that there isn't any trust between them any more. He can't trust someone who's already turned on him, and if Balthazar had any faith left in him, he wouldn't be asking about things that have already been explained. His eyes narrow, as he straightens up.] Rachel attacked me. She nearly killed me. I did what I had to.

[tryingitall]

I'm sure that's precisely what Michael said to Raphael and the rest of his inner circle right before he tumbled into the cage with Lucifer. [That comment comes out a bit more acerbic than he intended it to, and he pauses to reel in his emotions. On this topic, they're wildly out of control.]

Castiel. Cassi. I trust your intentions. You're the best angel I know. Still. Always. But tell me you don't see it, really??

Rachel found out about your deal with the king of Hell, didn't she? That's what turned her against you. Of course she went down fighting; any angel would. [Any angel except Balthazar, evidently, because he's still not making any move for a weapon.]

I told you once the fighting will never stop. For a moment you made me believe otherwise, but do you see what's happening? Armageddon between Lucifer and Michael was never any great divine Plan. It was a fight between two idiot brothers who wouldn't back down, and the rest of us little angels got caught in the middle. A lot of us died. Too many.

You're planning on soaking up power so you can contend against Raphael. And a lot of us are dying now. Too many. This is just another fight between two idiot brothers who won't back down!

I won't let you do that. I can't. I don't care if you're playing Michael's role or Lucifer's, but I'm not letting you end that way.

If we don't break the pattern now, the whole Host is doomed. You may as well kill me now.

[righteous_woman]

Old yes, little probably not.

[tryingitall]

[One eyebrow rises.] In certain contexts, that's actually a compliment.

And quite correct. Not so little at all.

[Have a leer, Deanna, just because.]

[righteous_woman]

Not sure what you're on about, but I was on about your ego.

[Well she is now as Deanna surpressed the urge to shiver that Balthazar's leering gaze made her feel.]

[tryingitall]

Of course. [The smug look and the purr in his voice says he's not convinced--but to a large extent, that's just him being a dick. There's a certain inherent personality conflict between him and Deanna. They're too much alike.]

Well, I'm afraid I can't deny I have an ego, but it's more or less justified.

[righteous_woman]

Sure, because unsinking the Titanic because you hated a song is not justified.

[She still couldn't quite believe he had gone as far as to change history just because of Celine Dion.]

Dude, get over it.

[messengerofgod]

Not sure if I should consider myself lucky for that.

[tryingitall]

Gabriel! You wound me. [Little brother is pouting now.]

I thought you liked having me as your personal...mmm, protégé? Tagalong?

[messengerofgod]

Oh, I do. I like you plenty. Doesn't make it easy to have you around, all the time, though.

[Teasing. He's teasing.]

[tryingitall]

[Banter never gets old with the two of them.

Balthazar leans into the archangel, resting his chin on his shoulder.]

Would it make it easier to bear my presence if I preened your wings more often?

[impala_is_my_baby]

Is that supposed to be comforting?

[tryingitall]

It's a harsh truth. I do enjoy our banter. [Mostly just when he comes out on top of the conversation, but still.]

My plan is to harass you mercilessly until the day you die, and then taunt your soul as I drag it off to eternal rest in Paradise.

[That...might sound threatening, except at least he's promising Heaven?]

[impala_is_my_baby]

At least one of us does.

[That gets an eye roll, and there's no way in hell he's buying into the idea that he's going to Heaven anytime soon.]

Sorry, buddy, but I think it's the Pit for me once I...what's the sayin'? Shuffle loose the mortal coil?

[tryingitall]

Off. Shuffle off this mortal coil. [He hastens to correct Dean, but softens subtly. That's a bit of a sad outlook.]

Well, I wasn't making value judgments over what you deserve. But there are minimal guards at the pearly gates any more. If you want Heaven, I dare say you can get there.

[impala_is_my_baby]

Yeah, yeah. Sounds awesome. Thing is, I've been there before. Kinda not what I really wanna do once I'm gone.

[He also doesn't want to go back to Hell either, but that doesn't leave many options for him otherwise. Unless he can figure out a way for a soul to just be completely destroyed. There's a thought.]

Anyway, why the hell're you stickin' around us so much? Thought you weren't our butler.

[miltonian]

[ She smiles, and it's melancholy. ]

I'm sorry, Balthazar. I can't just believe you. Not after what Castiel did.

Anna! <3

[tryingitall]

[His vessel's face was built for impish grins and mocking smirks. Now, though, it softens into a gentler, more serious expression, and he reaches for her hands.]

Castiel did what any angel under Heaven's thumb would do. I'm not Castiel. And I'm not following anyone's orders any longer.

You don't have to trust me, of course. I can hardly blame you. But at least give me a chance to prove it, hmm?

<3

[miltonian]

[ She lets him take her hands for a moment ( her hands, not a vessels, not really. The skin belongs to her entirely. She's alone in that. ) before she takes them back. This is her lot now, to be alone for the greater good. ]

Castiel did what he thought was right of his own volition. All Michael had to do was put pressure on his sense of guilt. What do you think is right?

[ Do you feel guilt, Balthazar? ]

[tryingitall]

Michael can be very cruel, Sister. We all can.

[But he doesn't want to argue. Castiel and Anna are his closest siblings, and being torn between the two of them is not comfortable. Balthazar's impulse is to flee that kind of conflict.

He's not entirely guilt-free, either. Sighing, he shakes his head.]

How should I know what's right? No one ever gave me a conscience. Just orders. But I do have an idea what's wrong. Heaven is sick. We're trained to be soldiers, and we keep turning on one another. Angels killing angels can't end in anything but the destruction of all of us.

I know I can't stop it, but I can refuse to take part.