Title: Four Seasons
Author: martyred-wings
Pairing: Castiel/Dean
Rating: NC=17
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Mr Eric Kripke. I make no money from this - this is purely for entertainment porpoises (and dolphins).
Summary: Dean and Castiel explore their relationship through four seasons.

***

Four Seasons - Chocolate Kisses (Winter)

Lights twinkled from every available surface, draped through the branches of every tree, very window pane, and hung suspended and glittering across every street. Dean stood by the side of the road, seemingly transfixed by the merry twinkling lights reflecting on the hood of his car, as they caught the dark surface and threw back reflections into the air. Snow fell to the ground, filling the air around the hunter in their cold embrace, falling flake upon flake upon flake to the ground, turning the world into something pure, innocent, perfect.

Dean watched the shoppers as they walked past him, not paying him any attention, as they went about their Christmas shopping and related errands. Dean dodged through the crowds thronging the sidewalk, heading for the nearest gift store, as the sounds of Christmas carollers floated through the air, along with the smell of cakes, candy, cinnamon and apples. Dean could have done without the singing, but the smell of food was making him hungry, travelling to his stomach and making it grumble loudly.

Dean disappeared into the gift store, wandered around the aisles, choosing his gifts wisely, taking his time over one in particular - because he wanted to get it right. For Castiel, he wanted to get the perfect present.

A half hour later and Dean was back out on the sidewalk again, walking briskly through the frigid, snow filled air, heading towards the nearest diner, craving hot food and an even hotter drink. He was not surprised to see Castiel already there, waiting for him at the door, eyes downcast to the sidewalk.

The angel didn't appear to have noticed Dean at first, lost in a maze of angelic thoughts that were way above Dean's head, and the hunter took the few moments afforded him to take in the sight that Castiel made. In amongst the bustling, harried shoppers, the angel looked the prefect picture of calm and serenity, peaceful, with snowflakes caught and melting slowly in his dark hair. His face was pinched with the cold, his coat huddled around his slim body, but still, his strength shone through, despite the show of frailty.

Dean walked forward, clearing his throat as he approached the angel, and Castiel looked up, his eyes startled for a moment, wide, innocent, Christmas lights caught in those blue depths making those eyes look more mysterious somehow.

"Hello, Dean," Castiel said, quietly, walking forward, steps muffled slightly by the snow beneath his feet, before he stopped just two feet away from Dean.

His gaze pinned Dean with its intensity, driving the breath from Dean's body the longer the angel stared.

"Hey, Cas," Dean said, gruffly, voice catching in his throat, as Castiel blinked slowly at him, snowflakes catching on his eyelashes, and making them glitter in the light.

Castiel, looked down at the ground, before his gaze fell on the paper sack that Dean held tightly to his side.

The angel tilted his head to one side, before asking - "What's in the bag, Dean?"

Dean felt a blush of embarrassment creep across his cheeks, before he said - "It's a present. For you, actually. I was gonna wait to give you it, but I might as well give you it now."

Dean took the package he'd been hoarding in his paper sack and gave it Castiel wordlessly, feeling slightly embarrassed by the gesture, but too far gone into commitment to back down now. At first, it didn't seem as though Castiel was going to take the gift, and Dean's heart sank slightly in his chest, feeling deflated. Finally, slowly, the angel reached out with both hands, to take the gift wrapped present in both hands, plucking off the bow, gently.

He slipped the bow into his pocket, almost reverently, eyes darting up to meet Dean's, eyes hopeful, touched. Dean smiled at that, knowing that at last he'd done something right. At last, he'd given Castiel sentimental proof of how he felt about him, and he only hoped it was enough.

"Thank you, Dean," Castiel said, without even opening the box still held between slender fingers.

"You don't know what it is I've given you yet," Dean pointed out, a little hurt that Castiel didn't seem interested in the contents.

"For the gesture. No one's given me a present before. You are the first," the angel corrected him, before his eyes left dean's, focussing instead on the box in his hands.

Dean watched as Castiel skimmed fingertips over the box's sleek surface, unmarked, unblemished by anything apart from faint specks of snow gathering on its surface. He watched as Castiel removed the lid, blinking slowly at the chocolates laid out in ranks before him.

"I didn't know what to get you, so got you chocolates," Dean said, feeling uncomfortable, feeling as though he should apologize for his inability to pick another present, something more meaningful.

He started wishing he'd picked something else instead, until Castiel popped one of the chocolates into his mouth and chewed slowly. His eyes closed in appreciation and he murmured out a satisfied little noise that brought a smile to Dean's face. He'd done it - he'd pleased Castiel with his simple offering and that was all that he'd dared hope for. He continued to watch the angel, even when Castiel's eyes opened, locking onto his own as he continued to chew on his mouthful of chocolate.

"You don't get this in Heaven," the angel said, amusement flickering to life in his eyes, making him seem more human for an instant, lively, lovable.

Dean smiled at Castiel's attempt at a joke, before he looked away, feeling touched, embarrassed, happy; only looking back when Castiel stepped closer, closing the distance between them, warming the air with his peaceful presence. Dean felt transfixed by Castiel's presence, his intense stare, the love, the peace, the protection that wrapped around him like a shield against the worst of all weathers, the worst that life could throw his way, and Dean closed his eyes against it, smiling happily.

"Thank you, Dean," Castiel said, tone dropping lower, before leaning in to press chocolate stained lips to Dean's , not caring just who might be there to see, and the thronging crowds surrounding them.

Dean paid no attention either, just lost himself in that kiss, gave himself, gave everything that he was to Castiel, tasting chocolate and Castiel, knowing that from now on, the two tastes would forever be entwined. He would never taste chocolate without being reminded of Castiel.

His heart, which had never quite known peace before, found it in that one instant, as Castiel's lips shifted, moved, worked against his own. Dean threaded eager fingers into Castiel's hair, as the angel moaned into Dean's mouth, deepened the kiss, and made it more intense than it already was.

It seemed to Dean in that one instant, that Castiel himself, was drowning, as much as he was, had found peace as much as he had, and Dean smiled against Castiel's soft lips. Feeling Dean smile, Castiel broke off the kiss reluctantly, turning questioning eyes onto him, making Dean smile grow wider still.

"Merry Christmas, Cas," was all he said, never dropping his gaze from Castiel's.

"And a Merry Christmas to you, too, Dean," Castiel replied. "What gift do you want?"

"None. I already have mine. You," Dean said, reaching out to play with Castiel's tie absently.

Castiel actually blushed at that, and seemed robbed of speech by Dean's last statement. Dean smiled again, before leading him into the nearby waiting diner, where it was warmer, where food beckoned to hunter and angel both ....

***

Four Seasons - Hitting the road again (Spring)

The Impala filled the air with its comforting purr, rumbling through Texan countryside, rolling past field after identical field; all filled with corn, stalks ruffling in the slight breeze wafting across the land. Dean was finding it hard to ignore Castiel sitting beside him in the passenger seat, blue eyes resting upon his face with the weight of the angel's lust, one slender hand caressing Dean's thigh while he tried to drive.

"Cas, can't you freaking wait, at least ‘til we get back to the motel? I'm trying to drive here, dude!" Dean said, keeping the tone of his voice gruff, which did nothing to hide the lust trapped deep within his throat.

Castiel didn't answer, just slowly moved his fingers further and further up Dean's thigh, making the hunter almost lose control of his car, spinning wheels on the grass verge before pulling to a halt hastily.

"Dude, enough! Get out! I said, get out!" Dean said, motioning the angel out of the car and into the midday heat.

At first Castiel looked hurt, but still he got out of the car, to wait by the side of the road, watching as Dean joined him, intent clear in his eyes. The hunter pressed hungry lips to the angel's own, feeling light spring breezes drift across the cornfields, fanning their skin, feathering the hair upon their heads, as Castiel's mouth worked hungrily against Dean's. The kiss was hurried, sloppy, wet, hungry, but so, so good, and so, so right, beneath the sun. Both made noises of satisfaction into each other's mouths the longer they kiss went on, only moving from the side of the road into the cornfield when the sounds of an approaching engine announced the arrival of possible company.

Castiel didn't give Dean time to breathe, just started stripping the hunter of his clothes, expression predatory, hungry, expectant, and Dean inhaled when Castiel's fingers brushed against bare skin. When urged to the ground, he went willingly, laying on his back, looking up to the perfect blue spring skies, and at the sun smiling down upon the Earth.

Castiel's shadow blocked out the sunlight, massive wingspan stretching out above them both, providing much needed shade, as the angel knelt beside Dean, clothes already laying abandoned beside them. Dean saw just how aroused Castiel was, cock already erect, weeping, and Dean bit his lower lip in anticipation, feeling his own cock give an interested jerk at the sight his angel made before him.

Castiel straddled Dean, sitting astride Dean's thighs, never taking his gaze from Dean's as he sucked his fingers deep into his mouth, making Dean give a strangled moan as he watched.

"Cas - " Dean whimpered out, repeating his name again, as Castiel carefully slid one finger inside Dean, then two, twisting gently, loosening up Dean's hole in readiness for Castiel himself.

Dean winced at the initial burn, the initial pain, before his hips started moving slowly in time with Castiel's thrusting fingers, satisfied moans dropping from the hunter's parted lips as Castiel continued scissoring his fingers inside him.

Dean cried out a strangled - "yes!" - when Castiel rubbed fingertips over his prostate, cock hard, in need of attention, but receiving none. He complained loudly when the angel's fingers withdrew, before panting slightly when Castiel angled his legs to a different position, giving the angel better access, while still being able to look down upon Dean. Castiel eased his cock inside Dean with a rough cry of Dean's name, thrusting into Dean slowly, sensuously, breaths dragging through the air, as he took Dean, claimed him further as his own.

His wings beat slowly at the air, shivering in time with Castiel's thrusts, shining in the light from the sun above them. Dean watched Castiel's face, the look of lust trapped deep within every line, every plane of his face, eyes closed, lips parted, breath making his slim chest rise and fall in time with his wings, and Dean groaned out his lust at the sight his angel made.

He reached down, gripped his own cock in desperate fingers, pumped his hand roughly across the throbbing surface of his swollen member, bucking his hips into his palm, and then further onto Castiel himself, taking him in deeper, cries filling the air around them the closer they came to climax. Dean came first, spending his release across Castiel's abdomen, crying out loudly, repeatedly for the angel, clamping muscles tightly around Castiel's cock, and pulling him down and under into an almost scream of a climax.

Castiel withdrew, slowly, breathing heavily, eyes glazed, slightly blinded against the lust still coursing through him, before laying beside Dean, one arm thrown possessively across the hunter's body. Dean leant in, stealing a kiss from Castiel's gasping mouth, getting a kiss in return, wet and hot and open mouthed.

Castiel broke the kiss, pulling away and shielding his eyes against the glare of the sun beating down upon t hem. Dean watched him for a while, a slight smile brightening his expression, warming his eyes with amusement as well as lust.

"What?" Castiel asked, smiling back without at first realizing it. "What's so funny?"

"We've just made our very own crop circle," Dean said, with a snort of sudden laughter. "Aliens, my ass! More like created by angels."

Castiel chuckled at that, before Dean's mobile phone went off, announcing the intervention of Sam.

"I'd best get that. You know Sam's like an old woman once he gets going," Dean groused, as he retrieved his phone from his jeans pocket and answered.

Five minutes after that, they were leaving the corn field and its secrets behind, hitting the road again, leaving a circle of flattened crops behind them. Broken corn stalks littered the ground where they'd been, knocked flat from where angel wings had flexed and shivered mere moments ago.

***

Four Seasons - Demons rage outside your door. (Summer)

A summer storm raged outside in the night, pelting bullets in the shape of raindrops against the window, hard enough to almost shatter the glass. Thunder rumbled and growled like the deadliest of dragons outside, threatened with every peal to tear the skies apart. Lightning flashed and streaked across the night sky, brightening the world in all too brief instants, making everything look eerie, spooky, ethereal.

Inside the motel, things were all too different. Sam had gone, sent away on a mission (should he choose to accept it, and he had) to find the town's best pizza with all the toppings and then some. He'd left, grudgingly, probably suspecting the real reason behind being sent away but still leaving anyway.

Dean and Castiel had waited until the familiar rumbling growl of the Impala's V8 engine had rumbled into the distance, swallowed by the louder growls of thunder, before they locked the door, and Castiel was pressing hungry lips against Dean's; all closed eyes and open mouths and wet tongues and wandering hands.

Castiel's hands were shaking as he peeled the T Shirt from Dean's slightly sweaty body, running gentle fingertips across the handprint scar still showing out brightly against the skin of Dean's shoulder. Dean's breath hitched in his throat at the contact, hitched again when Castiel laid his hand full on the scar. The hunter felt a slight tingling sensation, which went straight to his cock, making him hard, making him want the angel more than he already did.

Castiel didn't take any notice of Dean's increasingly impatient groans, just leant forward to kiss the scar, to run the tip of his tongue across the raised surface, making Dean moan in surprised pleasure. The angel kissed the scar again, lips feeling soft against the slightly rough surface, before he trailed his lips up Dean's shoulder, to his neck, to gently suck and nip a few bruises there.

Dean's eyes closed against the pleasure, as Castiel's hand slid down between them, cupping and rubbing the hunter's half hard erection through Dean's jeans, bringing him to a full-blown hard-on within seconds. He continued to gently nip at Dean's neck with questing teeth and tongue, and Dean cried out, bucking his hips impatiently into Castiel's rubbing palm.

Outside, the storm raged on, unnoticed, sounding like an army of demons raging at the door, but neither hunter nor angel cared much. All they felt, heard, smelt was each other, and in that moment, that was all that mattered.

Castiel finally pulled away, leaving Dean hard, no closer to orgasm and Dean complained, loudly, angrily, until Castiel slowly freed his hips from the confines of his jeans, leaving Dean to kick them free from his feet. Dean pulled his boxers off, feeling the too warm air hit his skin, washing over him and drawing out beads of sweat from his body. He watched as Castiel slowly undressed, folding each item of clothing and piling everything neatly on the nearest bed.

While Castiel's back was turned, Dean went to the small fridge in the corner, to take a couple items from its chilly interior. He turned back and saw that Castiel was already sitting, legs outstretched upon the bed, watching him, closely, gaze sliding across the hunter's body hungrily.

Lightning arched across the sky outside, lighting the room inside, flaring across Castiel's perfect face, making him look even more beautiful in an all too brief instant. The sudden light made his eyes seem a darker shade of blue, more intense, hungry.

Dean crossed the room, to crawl onto the bed beside Castiel, never taking his gaze from the angel's, as Castiel's tongue peeked out from between his full lips.

"Open up, Cas," Dean said, taking a strawberry from the box he held in one hot hand, holding it to Castiel's lips invitingly.

Castiel smiled slightly, before nibbling gently at the berry, juice dribbling down his chin, before he wiped it hastily away, licking the juice slowly from his fingers. Dean groaned at that, feeling his erection start to throb even more, wanting attention, craving Castiel, but it was still too early for that.

Castiel took another berry from Dean's fingers, closing his eyes as the sweet taste flooded across his tongue and he chewed slowly, lips pushing out in an unconscious pout as he ate. He turned into Dean's kiss, when he felt the hunter's lips against his, slightly sticky lips working against Dean's hungrily. He moaned into Dean's mouth when he felt the hunter's hand wrap around his cock, thrusting his hips into Dean's palm when the hunter started stroking him firmly.

He leant back against the wall behind him, eyes closed, full lips parted, moans of satisfaction dropping from his mouth, almost swallowed by the thunder outside. Dean watched him, the way his brow furrowed in slight concentration, at how his lips parted in such away as to demand a stolen kiss, at the way his eyes flew open and a blush worked its way across his cheeks as he came, hips bucking into Dean's hand, his name falling from the angel's lips in pleasured cries and groans.

Dean wiped his hand on the sheets, before he leant down, dragged his tongue across Castiel's waiting stomach, enjoying the hiss of breath that sucked Castiel's stomach in slightly. The angel cried out more when Dean squirted the cream onto waiting skin, licking it away immediately before it melted away. He repeated the gesture again and again, until Castiel was hard once more.

Dean's mouth wrapped around Castiel's cock, slightly cool from the cream he'd licked away from bare skin, and Castiel inhaled sharply, both at the pleasure and the cool sensation of lips and tongue against his heated flesh.

His eyes stared blindly at the ceiling, hands gripping the sheets beneath him, balling the thin fabric between sweaty palms and trembling fingers, moans squeezing past a lust constricted throat as Dean sucked and licked him further to completion.

Dean's gaze flicked up to Castiel's face, smiling slightly, feeling his own erection grow impossibly hard when he saw the look of pure ecstasy stamped across his angel's face. One more suck hollowing Dean's cheeks out, one well timed lick and sweep of his tongue across the head of Castiel's cock, and the angel came with a loud cry of Dean's name, bucking his hips, his cock further into Dean's mouth. Dean took him in without much difficulty, waited until Castiel's orgasm calmed, before pulling away from him with a slight pop, before trailing kisses gently across Castiel's abdomen.

He tasted the faint trace of cream left behind, and something that belonged purely to Castiel, something pure yet musky and Dean breathed in, licking slowly up Castiel's body, before pressing lips to the angel's own. Castiel responded, wrapping gentle arms around his hunter, body warm against Dean's, laying entwined, relaxed, until the familiar sounds of a V8 engine rolled to a stop outside ...

***

Four Seasons - Faith walks on broken glass (Fall)

 

The air was crisp and clean and leaves in myriad colours of orange, red, yellow, brown fell to the ground, littering the sidewalk in their crunchy embrace, as children scattered past on the breeze, dressed in their best Halloween costumes. Dean watched them go by - witches and werewolves and devils and angels alike - and smiled.

He wished he'd had the chance to do the same thing when he was young, but, looking back on his life as he'd lived it with his brother, Sam, he decided he wouldn't have it any other way. He preferred to hunt the monsters, to save people from them, rather than play act at being one.

He watched another batch of little monsters walk past, all glowing with sugar rushes, cramming more candy in already full mouths and squealing with laughter. The sight made him smile, with sadness, reflecting on what could have been, and didn't react when Castiel appeared on wings of shadow beside him, eyes gazing calmly upon Dean, and not the children.

Dean glanced at the angel, trying hard to hide the sadness still trapped in his gaze, but it was too late. Castiel had already seen the pain, the sadness, and he reached out, laying one gentle hand upon the hunter's shoulder, warmth spreading through Dean with that one touch.

"Hey, Cas," Dean said, gruffly, before clearing his throat, trying for a brave smile at the angel standing beside him. "What's up? And if you say the sky, I'll kick your ass!"

The ghost of a smile flitted across the angel's face at that small joke, but he didn't drop his concerned gaze from Dean's.

"I know what you're feeling, Dean," he said, quietly.

"Do you? In all respect, Cas, but how can you? You're an angel," Dean said, turning away, but didn't shake Castiel's hand from his shoulder.

Dean drew comfort from that one small gesture, more so than the more physical contact they'd shared in recent weeks, when they'd spent night after night in Dean's bed, in the back of his car, in the shower, anywhere they saw fit to make love and enjoy each other's company.

"And I don't know how the human mind works, is that it?" Castiel asked, and just for a moment it sounded as though the angel's feelings were hurt. "I think I know you well enough by now, to know how your mind works."

Dean turned back, saw the trapped puppy dog look of confusion settled deep within the angel's eyes, and felt a stab of guilt pass through him, his heart.

"I'm sorry, Cas. I didn't mean that. I don't know what I meant. I'm just wondering what the hell the point is of anything anymore. All I see is missed opportunities, things that should have been but aren't, a life that's not mine that's out of reach. And there's nothing I can do to make it happen," Dean said, looking away from Castiel, as understanding flooded through the angel's gaze.

Castiel squeezed Dean's shoulder in a supportive gesture, looking away, looking up to the sky above them, lips pressed together in an unreadable expression, before that perfect blue gaze met Dean's gaze once again.

"You protect people, Dean, you have more strength than most people I know, most angels that I know, come to think of it," Castiel said, with a small smile. "How many people can claim that? I don't think you realize just how many people wish they could be like you, could live the life you lead."

"It's always greener on the other side, right," Dean said, with a snort.

"Exactly. Don't lose faith, Dean. I trust you, believe in you no matter what you do. Just so you know," the angel said, finally dropping his hand from the hunter's shoulder, looking away, lips pressed together once again.

He shot Dean a look from the corner of his eye and smiled slightly when he saw Dean watching him closely. Dean opened his mouth, tried to speak, closed his mouth again, looked a little confused. Then he did say something.

"Thanks, Cas," was all he said, but judging by the look on his face he looked as though he wanted to say more than that.

Castiel just gave Dean an ethereal smile, before he left the hunter on the sidewalk, leaving him to think over what he'd said. Dean bowed his head, feeling weighed down by the responsibility of his life, and all that Castiel had left him with.

After a while, Dean got back in his Impala, and drove back to the motel room, thinking all the while that no matter what he did, Castiel would never lose faith in him. He could never disappoint the angel, could never hurt him; the angel would always have faith in him no matter what he did.

That meant more to him than anything else anyone could have said to him. Even though Dean's own faith often walked on broken glass, Castiel's own love, loyalty, unshakable faith in him was enough.

It would always be enough.

fin

***