~bloom~

chapter 1

He slowly raises his eyes from the grey ground beneath him. The house is huge, as expected. A large rounded gravel driveway leading up to a cream colored mansion, nestled right Into the edge of a forest. Large trees curving in from every side, there leaves rustling against the wind. The house is at least three stories, large windows littering the smooth outside. A garden spreading out on either side of the large staircase, hundreds of flowers Castiel has never heard of, let alone seen before, at full bloom.

Two grey gargoyles perch on the sides of a marble staircase, their wings small and tucked behind their crouched bodies. Fangs long and thick hanging from their mouths, as they snarl. The eyes of the grey statues are hollow and deep, like they are actually seeing. Castiel knows they are most likely some form of guardians that his father had put there before they moved in. But none the less, they creep him out, and he vows not to look at them longer than needed. He moves his eyes up the smooth stairs, where they are connected to a equally large porch.

The double doors there swing open, a smaller women rushing forward as another man stays behind to hold them open. The women is wearing a soft grey suit, her lips painted red as she rushes past Castiel to the back of the car. Where the driver hands her a suitcase, and shoulders a few bags himself. Castiel watches the man struggle with the bags in his arms, his hand slipping as he wrenches the trunk closed.

"Castiel."

A familiar, gravelly voice calls. He blinks turning back to the staircase stiffly, where his brother stands stock still atop.

His body immediately reacts to seeing Michael, he stands taller and straightens out his posture. His lips are a thin line as he scans over his brother. It's been a while since he has seen the eldest of his siblings. Somehow, Michael still looks the same. His suit a perfect shade of midnight blue, gold cuff clips, and a black tie to match, with a perfectly buttoned and tucked white dress shirt, paired with black newly shined shoes. His hair is swept the way it always has been, just the tiniest bit of gel to keep it in place. His mouth set in a straight line, the only facial expression Michael has other than, what Castiel would describe as, wrath, set on his face. His eyes are piercing as he watches Castiel, no doubt already have assessed his state of dress, and bed head that he hadn't bothered to fix that morning.

The one thing that has always stood out though, other than Michael's sense of power. Are his eyes. A cold, light blue, almost light enough to be white. His ability to stare down even Castiel if he wanted to. They are certainly unnerving.

He's been told that him and Michael are a lot alike. Castiel doesn't see the resemblance, his brother is well put together, powerful, and alpha all around. He would even go as far to call him heartless. Where as Castiel is hesitant, calm, and full of love. Less like his brother when put under stress. Where as Michael would just snap his fingers and kill. Castiel would not, he would find some other way, any other way, to help everyone he comes into contact with.

So no Castiel does not see the resemblance.

"Michael." He greets back, nodding his head in acknowledgement. His brother's dark haired head tilts back, his eyes never leaving Castiel's.

"Come." He says, spinning on his heel and entering the large house.

He glances back at the women and driver, where they still gather things, and exchange whispered words. Then turns back and takes his first steps toward the house. The rocks crunch beneath his feet, and he tries not to let dread fill him as he thinks of what's to come.

Michael waits for him inside, the butler at the door bowing his head as Castiel steps through the threshold. He's immediately hit with a cold blast of air, the house a relief from the hot weather outside. It feels cold, and not just because of the air conditioning. A kind of detached feeling seeps from the overly large house. There are no personal touches what so ever, which Castiel should have expected, and is used to by now.