Title: Limbo-Grey, The First Day

Author: Arisprite

Summary: Cas panics and Dean complains about the decor.

Disclaimer: Kripke and CW own Supernatural, and I own this computer and that's it.

A/N: This is the start of a series of random oneshot things about Purgatory. I have no idea if it's going anywhere, or where that might be, but I have a few written, so look for updates soon. It's very random, but hopefully at the very least, Cas and Dean stay in character and it is not terrible to read. Varying lengths. Angst, probably some gore, darkness, hurt/comfort, bromance, etc...Written before Season 8 came out.

Slice!

The vamp-turned-purgatory monster fell to the earth, sans head and most of its shoulder. Dean staggered to the side, breathing heavily. That thing had put up more of a fight than earth vamps did, for sure. His machete (only in his belt because he'd been beheading levis before being pulled down here, for which he was eternally grateful) dripped blood and goo and whatever onto the ground, and Dean knelt to wipe it on some greenish grey plants.

"Why is everything the same color here?" He asked Cas grumpily. The angel himself was behind him, wiping his own blade.

His complaint was true though. The sky was always a dark blackish blue, sometimes lighter and greyer, but never that bright. There was no timetable either, it seemed to be random, rather than a day to night deal. Which made sleeping in any sort of schedule useless. The plants were greyish-green, the trees were blackish-grey, the ground was greyish-brown.

"Seriously, it's lovely. I'll have to get the name of the decorator. Oh yeah, that was God."

Cas gave him a peeved look, and years ago, there would have been reprimand for the disrespect. But now, Dean never knew what was going to come from the guy. It could be that old self, with the confused and slightly flustered look, but quirky and badass when the situation called for it. Or it could be a downtrodden, and guilt ridden "emo boy" as Meg had called him. And to think the nickname had confused him at the time, when he'd mostly seen the "I watch the bees" Cas. Flighty, with topic ADD and an allergy to conflict. Yeah, that guy hadn't been around much down here. They couldn't afford it.

He'd had to talk to Cas when they got down here, and Cas fluttered off, freaked as Dean had ever seen him, only to fly back as quickly (long before Dean had had real time to panic at being left alone, not that he'd ever admit that) breathing hard, and rambling that there was no way out, no way out and they were going to die painfully..

He remembered grabbing Cas by the shoulders, and shaking him.

"Cas, damnit Cas, calm down! Stop!" Cas had stopped rambling, but stared at him with large eyes. Dean met those eyes with determination, recalling all those times, those staring contests of long ago, before all the mess. He had to get through to him, because Dean didn't have any idea how to survive here.

"Dean," Cas had said, "We're trapped..."

"It's okay, just breathe." Dean said, falling back into the litany of his many times having to calm Sam or someone else. "In and out, we'll get through this."

Cas shuddered, and glanced around. The red eyes, which Dean had been doing to damn fine best to ignore suddenly seemed feet closer. Fear jumped through him as well, but he didn't let it show. "Come on, Cas. I need you, here and ready to go. Don't fly off on me, alright?"

Cas locked eyes with him again, and nodded.

"Okay, good." Dean let go of Cas' shoulders, and stepped a small step away, but not far enough that he couldn't grab him again should the situation call for it. And it might soon. As much as he wished for it, those red eyes weren't going to ignore them forever. They needed to move. "Now, did you see anywhere safe, when you were flitting around?"

Cas shook his head quickly. "There is no where safe."

"Well, safer than here then? I don't want to find out what those red eyes are."

Cas glanced around, still pale and nervous, but coming back to himself. The old self, the one who'd averted the apocalypse with him. It was good to see him again.

"There was a cave to our left that might suffice." Cas said, quietly. He put out a hand, and within in a second they were standing somewhere new, somewhere safer than the open, hopefully. It was enough for the first night (if you could call it that) in Purgatory.