Title: The World Can Wait
Author: aisling_door
Pairing/Character: Dean/Castiel
Fandom: Supernatural
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: language, adult content
Spoilers: All of Season 4 into Season 5
Word Count: 5,047 words
Notes/Prompt(s): I read all of Birddi’s prompts and the idea sprung (not so fully formed) from my brow. Inspirations include Castiel smiting like a smiting mother-smiter in order to save Dean, Castiel getting the advantage with dating/bedroom tips from Jimmy, and a conversation between Sam and Castiel about Dean and intelligence with Sam thinking Dean's being stupid (again) and Castiel speaking up on behalf of Dean's defense
Summary: Castiel comes to grips with his developing humanity and his feelings for Dean.

***

Castiel, Angel of the Lord, appears in the motel room Sam and Dean are currently living in but his entrance goes unmarked as usual. The unusual part is why no one notices his sudden appearance.

Dean and Sam are fighting like belligerent children.

Again.

“You’re a fucking moron, Dean!”

Ok, belligerent children with really dirty mouths. Castiel settles himself against the far wall of the motel room to wait out the fight.

“I know what I’m talking about! It’s a chimera, Sam, not a werewolf!” Castiel judges that based on how tense Dean’s shoulders and jaw are and how much Sam is rolling his eyes that the argument has been going on for about 5 minutes. That means that in another minute or so someone is going to storm out of the room.

Castiel begins a mental countdown.

Ten.

“A chimera? When was the last time you heard one of those crop up?”

“Werewolves don’t work this way, Sam! The body’s too mutilated!” Dean takes a step towards Sam.

Nine. Eight.

Sam grabs his own hair, pulling. “Are you listening to yourself? How can a werewolf victim be too mutilated?”

“This one is! There’s no way to tell what killed these people. It’s too mutilated, there are no identifying marks at all!”

Seven. Six.

“What are you saying? That a chimera, a creature no hunter’s seen for decades, just decided to start hunting again and conveniently hides every identifiable mark?” Sam steps closer to Dean.

“That’s exactly what I’m saying! We go after this thing assuming it’s a werewolf and we’re completely out of our league when we go up against it!” Dean closes more distance between him and his brother.

Five. Four.

“No, we won’t, because there’s no way this is anything but a werewolf!” The two boys are now almost nose to nose. Sam uses his height to his advantage while Dean’s shoulders broaden in a defiant stance.

Three. Two.

“I’ll prove it then!” Dean shouts into Sam’s face.

Sam rolls his eyes. “Like you could!” He spits the words into his elder brother’s face.

One.

With one last glare at his brother, Dean turns and stalks out of the room, not noticing Castiel’s presence at all. The door slams shut.

Sam continues to glare after Dean for a few moments longer, eyes hard, before he turns and begins violently rummaging through his bag.

Castiel pushes himself off the wall. “You both are more powerful when you work together.” His voice is soft, but Sam jumps as if the angel had yelled out, “Boo!”

Back stiff, he turns towards Castiel and grinds out, “He’s not smart enough to figure this out on his own.”

Castiel stares hard at the youngest Winchester. “You underestimate Dean.”

Sam snorts in derision. “Please! Dean is smart, sure, but his specialty is hunting and killing – research is my ground.” Sam turns back to his bag and acts as if the angel doesn’t exist.

Castiel walks towards Sam. “You are naïve.” Sam turns back to the angel, jaw clenched in defiance. He’s about to say something but Castiel cuts him off. “Do you think that just because someone didn’t go to college that they’re not intelligent? What makes you think that Dean isn’t good at research? He managed quite well without you for the years you spent at school.”

Sam doesn’t acknowledge the question so Castiel continues. “There is more to intelligence than what you learn in a college class. Dean is a good hunter because he’s able to think on his feet and under pressure, a feat few people can boast of. He may joke and act irreverently but that doesn’t mean that he is not observing everything around him. You should trust his instincts more.”

Sam approaches the angel angrily. “My brother is many things, but a good researcher isn’t one of them.”

Castiel’s eyes harden and he steps towards Sam until their faces are mere inches apart. “You should show him some respect.” The two stare each other down, the angel’s powerful aura making up for his lack of height.

Both are startled when they hear Dean say softly, “Enough.” They turn to find him standing in the open doorway, Sam’s jacket in his hand. “You left this in the car.” He tosses the jacket on the nearest bed.

Dean’s presence is both imposing and sobering; neither Castiel nor Sam back down but both separate as if in a truce. Sam grabs his jacket off the bed and storms out of the room, shoving shoulders with Dean as he passes.

“Dean, I’m sorry you had to…”

“Don’t, Cas.” Dean drops his head slightly and lifts a hand to rub tiredly at his face. “You don’t need to apologize or explain anything.” Dean stands there and looks at the angel as if he’s waiting for something but confused as to exactly what he’s waiting for.

Before the angel can do or say anything else, Dean closes the distance between them. Castiel stands unmoving, expecting Dean to take out some of his frustration on him. He’s strangely content to be able to give Dean an outlet for his anger.

Instead of starting a fight, though, Dean lifts a hand gently to the angel’s face and softly lays a kiss upon his lips. Stunned, Castiel stands unmoving, unsure of what to do.

At Castiel’s lack of response, Dean becomes bashful and steps away. “I’m sorry,” he stammers, “I don’t know what came over me. It was…I just…” Dean stops and runs a rough hand over his face, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.

Dean shakes himself a little and seems to cast off what had just happened, moving gracefully into it-never-happened mode. When he opens his eyes again he looks at Castiel and says, “Thank you, for standing up for me.”

Both men are silent for a few moments, the atmosphere in the room heavy and awkward. Dean clears his throat. “So, what’re you doing here?”

Castiel’s gaze is as steady as always. “I’m here to help.”

“Well, okay.” Dean feels his pockets for his keys and walks towards the door, knowing Castiel will follow. He always does.

***

The next day Castiel is sitting on a park bench. No one seems to notice him and he seems to barely notice them. He’s preoccupied with thoughts of Dean’s kiss and wondering why it makes him feel so odd.

God created angels as asexual beings; they are neither male nor female. Castiel himself has never felt a physical urge of any sort. Why, then, can’t he just brush off Dean’s kiss?

“You’re over-thinking this, you realize.” Castiel looks around sharply but can’t find the source of the voice.

On guard, Castiel asks aloud, “Who is there?”

Castiel feels rather than hears the voice sigh. “It’s Jimmy, Castiel. I’m not out there, I’m in here.” Castiel is mildly surprised, though not overly much. He is inhabiting Jimmy’s body so he should be able to give Jimmy various levels of control. He was searching for answers and Jimmy responded.

How can I over-think something when I am not sure what I am thinking? Castiel wonders to himself, knowing Jimmy will hear and answer him.

“The answer’s really simple; you just aren’t admitting it to yourself.”

Then what is this answer?

“You’re in love with Dean.”

Castiel stills in shock. In love? With Dean? No. I love him as I love all my Father’s creations, perhaps more so because he is so important to His plan. That is all, I am not in love with him.

Jimmy sighs. “Castiel, you are older than most humans can contemplate and have experienced things that would make mortal minds shatter, but you’ve got to trust me on this. You love Dean, and you have for quite some time now.”

How can you know this?

“I’m human, I have more experience with love than you do.”

Castiel is having a hard time wrapping his mind around the concept. But it is wrong. I am an angel, I am not meant to have such feelings.

“Yes, well, I have a theory about that.” Castiel has a mental image of Jimmy cracking his knuckles. “You may be an angel, but you’ve been using a human vessel for a long period of time. Perhaps you’ve been taking on some of my human nature.”

Impossible.

“Oh yeah? Then how are we having this conversation? You didn’t give me permission to talk to you; I did so on my own. I don’t know how to describe it, but it’s almost like we’re melding, becoming one being. I’m fine with it, mind you; makes the possession hurt a lot less. Now I’m more of a spectator at a movie than a passenger on a comet.”

Castiel thinks this over. He has possessed Jimmy’s body for a while, longer than most angels have inhabited one form. Maybe there was some truth to what Jimmy said.

“Castiel, stop denying it. I’m right.”

Castiel stilles his mind and searches. He pushes past his preconceived notions of what should be and tries to find what truly is. It is a long process and he stays like that, eyes closed in meditation, for a long time.

When he is finished he must admit that Jimmy was correct; they were less separate than they used to be. And with this realization came another realization.

Castiel was in love with Dean.

But how can I feel this way about him? It goes against everything God has commanded.

“How does it go against God’s wishes?”

Dean is a man. I am an angel, inhabiting a male vessel. Such a union can never be.

“Castiel, when has God ever stated that an angel shall be wholly asexual? You’re taking on parts of my humanity, which means you’re open to things other angels aren’t. Things like feelings. It’s why you can disobey. This union makes both of us stronger: angelic strength and humanity combined. As for the ‘two men’ thing, meh.”

…Meh?

“Precisely: meh. If God was against homosexuality then he would never have created it.”

But Sodom and Gomorrah…

“I don’t believe God’s problem with Sodom and Gomorrah was so much the homosexuality as it was the whole forcing visitors to have sex with everyone who wanted a go. If you still don’t believe me, answer this: if God truly were against homosexuality, why would He make it so an angel using a male vessel could have feelings for a human male?”

Castiel has no answer. He had never considered such things, but perhaps…

Suddenly, he has a feeling of foreboding: Dean is in trouble. His mental link with Jimmy disappears and, in the blink of an eye, so does he.

Although the streets are crowded, no one notices his departure.

***

Dean’s back hits the wall and he falls to the floor, knocked senseless for a moment.

Stupid stupid stupid!

Sam was AWOL, yeah, and he was acting like a douche but that didn’t mean Dean should go out and do something as idiotic as follow a lead without backup. He knew he was dealing with a chimera; he should have just taken the precautions he would have yelled at Sam for not taking.

Now, here he was in a shitload of trouble.

The chimera had him backed into a corner. It was hard enough to fight a werewolf, but a chimera had three heads: one lion, one goat, and one snake. It was also extremely adept at hiding its true nature. They were weak against silver, much like werewolves, and Dean had brought along a nice, sharp silver knife.

Too bad the knife didn’t help him when it was on the other side of the room.

The chimera comes closer, taunting and playing with Dean, drawing the moment out to fully appreciate it. Dean swallows and closes his eyes. Stupid, stupid, stupid! The chimera stands over the hunter, letting him feel its hot breath just before it strikes.

That, of course, gives Castiel enough time to come up behind the creature and break all three necks in one fell swoop.

Dean’s shock lasts only a second and he’s about to jump into action, retrieving the silver knife to finish the job before the chimera recovers and becomes mobile again. Then he looks into Castiel’s eyes.

The angel looks like a creature possessed.

Dean is frozen in place by the intensity of Castiel’s gaze. They stand like that for precious moments, locked into each other’s eyes until the chimera begins to move slightly, already recovering from the incapacitating injury.

Castiel wastes no time.

He walks across the room, picks up the silver knife, and is back to Dean in the blink of an eye. Dean can only stare in silence as Castiel first offers the knife to him and then, at Dean’s immobility, takes the knife and viciously slits all three of the chimera’s throats to the point of decapitation.

Castiel stands above the corpse of the chimera and looks up at Dean from beneath his hair. His eyes blaze in the dark room and Dean, for the first time in a long time, fears the angel.

Castiel quickly looks over Dean’s body and notices that his arm is bleeding, though not seriously. He grabs Dean by the waist and jerks him close, further startling the hunter. Then the room collapses in upon itself and suddenly the two are back in Dean’s empty motel room.

Dean’s startled and the only thing he can think to say is, “My car!”

Castiel shoves Dean gently onto the bed. “We will retrieve it later. Right now I must see to your wounds.”

He goes about tending to Dean, who’s still unsettled by the way Castiel is acting. There’s something very different about him, something scary. Dean grabs the angel’s face in his hands and pulls it up to him. Castiel’s expression becomes more intense.

Dean drops Castiel’s face and begins reciting the Exorcismus Te.

Still tending to Dean’s arm, Castiel looks up at Dean and calmly asks, “What are you doing?”

Dean’s eyes go wide with embarrassment. “I thought you were possessed.”

Castiel looks down at Dean’s forearm once more. “Why would you think that?”

Dean looks down at his lap, a wave of exhaustion from the recent action and adrenalin overcoming him. “I don’t know…there was a look in your eye…” Dean’s voice trails off.

Castiel grabs Dean by the back of his neck, forcing his gaze to meet the angel’s. “I would have torn it apart slowly if it had harmed you further, I probably would have done so had you not been in such immediate danger.” He then puts pressure on Dean’s head and pulls him into a fierce kiss.

Dean’s head is still reeling from the sudden mojo-jump and the kiss completely floors him. When his head clears, he realizes that he’s standing and passionately kissing Castiel back.

Lips press, tongues tangle, hands wander in ever-increasing levels of abandon.

This connection was something Dean hadn’t even realized was missing from his life and now he wonders how he had ever existed without it.

Dean runs a hand through Castiel’s hair, grabbing a handful and holding tight while his other hand travels down the angel’s body to mold to his ass. Castiel lets out a long, low moan.

This is apparently all Castiel can take.

With quick, and only slightly awkward, efficiency he divests both Dean and himself of their clothes. Jackets are flung, jeans removed, suspenders tossed, and shirts rendered completely unusable. Clad only in boxer briefs both angel and the man fall onto the closest bed in a tangle of arms and legs.

Dean can hardly contain himself. His desire has gone beyond want to need and he can’t get enough of Castiel. He isn’t sure any sex act will satiate his feral mind short of actually devouring the angel.

As if sensing Dean’s rising desire, Castiel looks down at Dean. Their eyes burn and Dean realizes that he isn’t the only one almost beyond his limits. Slowly and without breaking their gaze, Castiel removes Dean’s boxers. When they are completely off the angel looks down.

His voice is rough as he says, “Dean, your penis is so engorged with blood.”

It takes Dean’s blood-deprived brain a few moments to register what Castiel had said. “Wait…what?” Dean’s breath came in short gasps.

Castiel looks up at Dean with fire burning in his eyes. Seductively he repeats, “Your penis is engorged with blood.”

Dean shakes his head to clear it. “Yeah, I…heard that. Why did you…say that?” Dean can barely get the question out because Castiel has begun lightly stroking his dick.

Castiel looks quizzically at Dean, head tilted to one side. “Is that not what happens when a man becomes sexually aroused? The penis becomes hardened by increased blood flow and the foreskin slips back.”

Dean stares at the angel for a long moment, processing this information. “Well, yes. But Cas, uh, why did you say that?” Dean is extending himself trying to keep up the conversation while Castiel’s hand has begun adding more pressure to his cock and quickening the pace.

“I thought that it was customary during sex to ‘talk dirty’ to one’s partner.” The angel’s hand begins concentrating on the head while his other hand begins playing with his balls. Dean’s head falls back onto the pillow and the conversation is lost on him.

“Your testicles have swollen…”

Dean cuts him off with a sharp bark, “Cas!”

“Yes, Dean?”

Dean lifts his head slightly to look down at the angel. He doesn’t want to hurt his feelings and tell him how un-sexy his technical “dirty talk” is, so instead Dean tells him, “Shut up and kiss me.”

Castiel smiles at Dean and the hunter’s heart skips a beat.

It never occurred to him how rarely the angel smiled. In fact, he thinks this might be the first time he’s ever seen a smile creep across Castiel’s face. Dean vows to make that smile appear more often.

All thoughts are wiped out of Dean’s head as Castiel moves his head up for a bruising kiss. His hands stop their ministrations and Dean feels Castiel groping for something.

Lips still locked, Castiel pulls Dean’s arms up over his head as he deepens their kiss. Dean barely registers what else is going on until Castiel has firmly restrained him against the headboard with the suspenders the angel had previously been wearing.

Dean looks uncertainly up at his securely-tied wrists and then back at Castiel. A smile is lighting up the angel’s face and Dean feels himself relaxing. He has no choice but to let Castiel have his way with him.

Castiel begins to kiss Dean’s neck before making his way down his chest, stopping at his nipples to lavish some attention on them. At the short sounds Dean begins to make Castiel decides to dedicate a bit more time to the hard nubs. He kisses them, licks them, rolls them between his teeth, and all the while Dean’s breaths are coming in shorter gasps.

Castiel abandons Dean’s nipples and heads further down Dean’s stomach. He feels muscles involuntarily contract beneath his lips as he moves slowly down until he can feel Dean’s cock jutting at his neck.

Castiel grabs Dean’s dick and begins to stroke it roughly, Dean’s body writing beneath him with abandon. When Castiel’s mouth closes around the head in a warm kiss, Dean cries out and arches his back in a confused attempt for his body to simultaneously get further from and closer to Castiel’s mouth.

With languid strokes of his tongue, Castiel begins to taste Dean. His cock is hard and warm but also very soft. He decides that he likes the light-salty taste of Dean’s skin and takes Dean further into his mouth.

Dean cries out again, bucking against his restraints. “Cas…God, Cas, you gotta stop! Please, please…” Dean’s pleas taper off until all Castiel hears are soft mewling moans.

“What do you want, Dean?” The ever-patient angel slows his ministrations while he waits for a response.

“I…ah…God, I don’t know, Cas…I don’t know…Please…!” Dean’s head is thrashing from side to side and his arms are rock hard with his attempts to break loose.

Angelic suspenders: better than duct tape.

“Dean, you have to tell me what you want.” Castiel stops touching Dean and sits back slightly, allowing the other man to regain his breath for a moment.

“I want…I want you, Cas. That’s all I can think…” Dean’s breathing is still heavy but his voice is stronger. Castiel understands Dean’s confusion.

“I know. I want you, too, but I’m unsure exactly…” Castiel’s voice drifts off as he contemplates what to say.

Dean’s head lifts up and Castiel’s blue gaze immediately finds hazel eyes. “I want you inside me, Cas. That’s what I want.” Dean says this firmly, without any hesitation, and Castiel knows that this is what he wants as well.

Castiel licks his lips nervously. “Dean, I…I’ve never done anything like this before. I…” The look in the angel’s eyes, uncertainty warring with frantic desire, makes Dean’s chest ache. He wants to comfort the angel.

“Don’t worry, Cas. I’ve done this before.” Dean realizes how that sounds and quickly amends, “to girls, I mean. I’ll help you through it.”

Castiel’s eyes light with childlike joy. “You will?” He sounds so hopeful and happy that Dean knows that he’ll spend the rest of his life trying to please the angel this way again.

“Yeah, yeah I will. First thing’s first: untie me.”

Castiel does as instructed. As soon as Dean’s hands are free, he grabs the angel roughly by the hair and pulls him down for a searing kiss.

The two separate with gasping breaths. “Next step, lube.” Dean gets up unsteadily from the bed and goes to his luggage to rummage quickly through some pockets. Castiel, meanwhile, is enjoying the show.

“You have a very pleasing ass, Dean.”

Dean had just grabbed the small tube and began turning around when Castiel spoke. He stumbles at the angel’s statement. “Er…um…thanks.”

Castiel is lying on his side with his upper body propped up, giving Dean quite a nice eyeful. His head cocks to the side inquisitively. “What did I say?”

Dean mentally shakes himself and begins walking the few feet to the bed. “Nothing, nothing.”

Castiel isn’t letting up. “You reacted as if I had said something wrong. Why?”

“I’m just not used to anyone complimenting my…erm…ass, that’s all.”

“But it is a very nice ass, Dean.”

“Thank you, Cas. Uh, your ass is very nice as well.”

“Yes? You think so?” The angel rolls onto his stomach, allowing Dean a good view of said nice ass. Dean closes his eyes for a moment and swallows. How can the angel be so commanding and sexy, yet so innocent at the same time? It was unnerving and…endearing.

Dean opens his eyes. “Where were we? Oh yeah, lube.” Dean presents the small tube to Castiel, who rolls onto his side to allow room for Dean.

Dean sits down nervously and says nothing. After a few moments Castiel breaks his reverie. “What’s next?”

“Next? Well…um…” Dean’s voice trails off, and then he looks at the angel with uncertainty in his eyes. “I’ve never done this, Cas.” Dean looks despondent and Castiel leans up and places a soothing kiss upon his lips.

“We don’t have to do this if you don’t want to, Dean.”

“No! I want to, it’s just…awkward.”

“What do we do?”

“Well, you, uh, put some lube on your fingers and…insert them.”

“Insert them where?”

Dean drops his head to his chest and closes his eyes. There’s no beating around the bush with Castiel. With a mechanical tone Dean says, “You insert them into my ass.”

“How do I do that?”

He wants to kill me, Dean thinks. With a long-suffering sigh, Dean accepts his fate and turns to the angel.

“Lay on your back, I’ll show you.” The angel complies.

Dean puts some lube on his fingers and positions himself comfortably near Castiel’s ass. The sight of the angel lazily splayed out before him and the thought of what he’s about to do dispels Dean of his insecurity. With Castiel watching he lightly massages his way to his opening and plays with it a bit before inserting one finger.

The angel closes his eyes and moans softly as Dean eases him open.

Dean watches Castiel’s face as it goes from relaxed to showing pleasure. He revels in causing the small lines between Castiel’s eyes to crease.

Dean gently inserts another finger and begins a rhythm. Castiel gasps and his breath comes quicker.

“You need to make everything relax.” Dean illustrates this point by widening his fingers slightly. Castiel gasps and grabs the sheet beneath his hands. “Got the idea?”

“Yes, I have it.”

Dean removes his fingers and wipes them on the sheet. Castiel leans up and grabs the back of Dean’s head, pulling him into a passionate kiss. With lips entwined the angel rolls Dean over until he’s on his back.

He kneels between Dean’s spread legs and puts the lube on his fingers just as Dean had done. He then slowly teases Dean’s asshole before slowly inserting a finger. Dean’s cock jumps at the sensation, his head falling back onto the pillow.

Dean begins to moan softly and Castiel is encouraged to try more. He inserts another finger and begins a slow rhythm.

Dean’s breath comes in short gasps. Castiel is gently widening his fingers and the sensations aren’t exactly pleasant. Dean’s not sure he’s going to like anything more but something inside him is urging him to continue.

“Is there anything else?”

Dean swallows hard; after this, there’s no turning back. He makes his decision.

“Yeah. Put some lube on your cock like you did your fingers. Then you do the same thing.” Dean’s head shoots up quickly and he looks intensely into the angel’s eyes. “GENTLY.”

Castiel does as he’s instructed. He places the head of his cock against Dean’s opening and looks into Dean’s eyes. Not breaking the gaze, he spreads Dean’s legs a little wider and enters.

Dean can’t breath; the angel’s so big! He can’t possibly take anymore. “Wait! Stop!”

Castiel freezes as he is – on his knees, dick partially inside Dean. “What’s wrong? Are you hurt?” His voice is concerned and his body held rigid.

“I…it’s too much, Cas,” Dean gasps, “I don’t think I can do this.”

“Dean, you are still very tight.”

“I know.”

“Perhaps I didn’t relax you enough?”

“Yeah, maybe.”

“Should I try to relax you more or do you want me to stop?”

Dean thinks about this for a long moment. It’s extremely uncomfortable, but he knows what he wants. “No, just…move a little slowly and don’t go any deeper.”

Castiel begins to gyrate his hips just enough to pull out of Dean a bit and then gently thrust back in. It’s still uncomfortable but it doesn’t hurt as badly.

Soon Dean’s breath begins to quicken again, the pain almost completely replaced by pleasure. Castiel notes the changes in Dean’s face and begins to thrust a little deeper with each stroke.

“Oh…” Dean’s face is enrapt and his hips begin returning Castiel’s rhythm. Soon the angel is thrusting fully inside Dean. When he hears no complaints, he grabs Dean’s dick and begins to stroke.

“Holy shit…that…you…ohhh…!” Dean’s muttering turns to incoherent sounds as he begins thrashing his head from side to side. Whatever Cas is doing it feels damn good!

Castiel is making incoherent sounds. He’s barely aware of Dean’s reactions anymore, thoroughly overwhelmed by the pleasure he’s feeling. Both bodies are covered in sweat and skin glides over skin with liquid ease.

Suddenly Dean cries out, “Cas!” and the angel takes his cue.

He plunges deeply and roughly for a few strokes and grabs Dean’s dick until he comes, a sticky wetness spilling over his stomach. A few seconds later, the angel cries out Dean’s name as well, jerking his hips for a few moments before collapsing heavily on the man beneath him.

***

The room is in shambles. Dean looks around at his limited view and sees clothes flung everywhere; boxers hanging from the lampshade, socks are balanced on doorknobs, and the tube of lube somehow perched on a ceiling fan blade. What he can see of the bed looks like a disaster area.

The rest of his view is monopolized by non-responsive angel.

“Cas.”

“Mgnph.”

“Uh, Cas?”

Castiel lifts his head heavily. “Yes?”

“You’re pretty heavy.”

With great effort, Castiel lifts himself up and rolls off of Dean. After accomplishing this momentous feat, he collapses on the bed. He then grunts something unintelligible.

“Wha’?”

“I said, ‘Wow.’”

“Yeah, wow.”

Silence.

“Dean…”

“Yeah, Cas?”

“…I love you. I have for a long time.”

Nothing can surprise Dean anymore. He turns his head to look at the angel, who is staring at him with drowsy, satiated eyes. Dean smiles. “Yeah, I think I love you too.”

They’re silent for a few moments more. Then Castiel lifts his head. “What will you tell Sam?”

“We’ll think of something.”

Castiel is quiet for a moment, then broaches the subject. “You and Sam have been fighting for quite some time.”

Dean turns his head and stares at the ceiling. “I know.”

Castiel goes on gently, “I think that Sam…”

“…feels guilty,” Dean finishes.

Castiel looks surprised. “Yes.”

Dean turns back to Castiel. “Yeah, I’ve known since he started picking fights. I just don’t know what to do about it. He was manipulated, but he did the wrong thing. I just…” Dean trails off and stares into the distance.

“He needs to get over it himself.”

“Yeah.” Dean swallows and his eyes glisten softly. “I just hope he gets over it before it’s too late.”

Castiel puts a comforting hand on the side of Dean’s face and lays a gentle kiss upon his lips. “Don’t worry. God has a plan.”

They lay like that for a while, man and angel intertwined, with the bittersweet feelings of union, bliss and safety, in each other’s arms and the knowledge that the real world is waiting for them.

For the moment, though, reality can wait.

The end.

***