Title: Crusader
Author: The Grrl
Pairing: Dean/Castiel
Fandom: Supernatural
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Written for the prompt "After a long day of hunting, Cas and Dean just curl up on the motel bed and cuddle, Sam's jives be damned."

***

"Oh man, thought I'd never get that stink off me." Dean flopped on the bed and sniffed his arm, frowning. He still doesn't feel clean, even though his skin is pink from all the scrubbing. But he's exhausted and not up to going another round with the soap.

"Seriously," Sam agreed. He stretched out on the other bed, remote in hand, flipping through channels. He looked as tired and worn out as Dean felt. "I think we're going to have to burn those clothes."

"Salt and burn them," Dean told him.

"You believe your clothing will haunt you?" Cas asked.

"That damn smell certainly will." Dean leaned against the headboard and closed his eyes. "Demons, hellhounds, and a sewer. It's like we won the fucking trifecta."

"I never want to see another sewer system for the rest of my life," Sam said. "Ever."

Dean nodded. Then leaped out of bed at the sound of barking outside their door. He cursed, heart thudding in his chest. He looked for something to barricade the door with, he had no idea how the hellhounds found them, how they could follow Cas's trail.

"Hey, Dean," Sam said, still sprawled comfortably on the bed. "It's not--"

The barking stopped and there were voices outside the door, human voices, laughing and calling out. A car door slammed, an engine started up and all went quiet.

"Crap." Dean sat back down, rubbing his face. "Probably a damn chihuahua."

Cas peered out the window. "I think it was a labrador retriever."

"You all right Dean?" Sam asked.

"I'm fine," Dean insisted, "Just a little punchy, I guess. Put on a damn movie or something. That one, there--" he said as Sam flipped through the channels.

"Batman?" Sam asked. "This one sucked."

"I don't care." Dean arranged the pillow behind him and sat back. "I need me some Batman right now."

Sam grunted, but left the movie on. Dean tried to watch, to get lost in the movie but while the action sequences were pretty awesome, he couldn't focus, couldn't shake the hunt off. He could still smell the sulfur, still hear the echo of the hellhounds. Restless, he zeroed in on a distraction hovering just out of eyesight. "Cas," Dean barked. "Are you just going to stand there?"

Cas glanced up from the desk, where he had been perusing the guidebook to local attractions. "You'd prefer I sit?"

"Yes." When Cas began looking about the room, eyeing the chairs loaded with gear and clothes, Dean sighed and said, "Fine, get your ass over here," and moved to one side of the bed, leaving plenty of room for Cas.

Cas approached and carefully sat beside him. After a moment he leaned back, his shoulder pressed against Dean's, and pulled his legs up onto the bed, stretching them out straight in front of him. Dean wanted to tell him to get his own damn pillow to lean against, that sharing a pillow was kind of girly, but the tightness in his chest was starting to ease so yeah, he was okay with it.

"Just keep your hands to yourself," he told Cas.

Leaving Cas to stare down curiously at his hands, Dean turned his focus back to the movie.

"Isn't that sweet," Sam said, grinning at them.

"Dude, stuff it."

Sam snorted with laughter. "No, seriously, you two are adorable."

Dean glared at him, to no effect. "Just watch the damn movie, okay?"

A few minutes of mercifully quiet movie-watching and Dean began to relax, slumping down on the bed as the tension eased. He leaned against Cas as he watched Batman vanquish yet another enemy, and it made him think of how Cas had blown those hellhounds back to hell with a blinding flash of white light.

Dean looked over to find Cas watching him, his expression soft with something like contentment. He wondered if Cas had seen into his mind--that would be kind of creepy--but still, Dean appreciated what Cas had for them. He patted Cas's leg. "Good timing there, buddy," he said quietly.

Cas nodded. "My pleasure."

Dean stole a glance at Sam, who now had his eyes closed. Sleeping, hopefully. Dean took the chance and sidled closer to Cas. It was ridiculous, really, and Dean couldn't explain why but it made him feel better. Like he could close his eyes and drift off without a single worry.

Plus, Cas was kind of warm, and the room was chilly, and Dean was too comfortable to get up and get under the bedcovers.

A moment later he dozed off. He dreamed of the tunnels, the wet, smelly tunnels, slime on the walls and god knows what under their feet. A low growl echoed down off the walls, the hounds were coming for him, they were going to shred him to pieces but there, just ahead, was Cas, trenchcoat swirling around him like a cape--

Dean jerked awake, grabbing Cas's arm. "Dude," he whispered. "You're totally Batman."

Cas frowned, so Dean kissed him, simply because he wanted to. After a moment's hesitation, Cas kissed him back, his mouth sweet and intent. When Dean pulled back, he touched a hand to Cas's cheek. "Is that okay?" he asked.

Cas nodded gravely. "Very much so."

"Good." Dean snuggled up close, head resting on Cas's chest, because it felt good and he liked it there. And if Sammy had anything to say about it, Dean would just, he would just--

--kind of grin and and shrug and take it.

***