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“Cas, I need you to leave,” Dean said.
The way Castiel looked at him practically broke Dean’s heart; the hurt in those big blue eyes was almost too much. But to save Sam, well he would do anything; the last few years had proved that.
Cas looked down at the table, “Why? Why do you want me to go? I thought… I thought I would be welcome to stay.”
Dean looked away and clenched his jaw, “Listen, Sammy’s real messed up after the trials and everything so I think it would be best if we stay out of trouble. And you know, with the angels after you and everything…”
“You think I will put your brother in danger,” Castiel finished stiffly, “I understand.”
Cas got to his feet and began to storm off when Dean grabbed his arm, “No, you don’t! Look, Sam was on the brink of death after the trials and he was healed by an angel called Ezekiel. That’s left him, you know…”
“It’s okay Dean, I get it,” Cas said, looking into his eyes. “Family comes first, I understand.”
Dean regarded him with disbelief, “You’re part of this family too, Cas. You understand me? It’s like Bobby always said; ‘family don’t end with blood’.”
Cas looked at him with the most betrayed look he had ever seen the former angel wear, “Then why do I have to leave?” Castiel stormed past Dean to the room he had temporarily inhabited and began to gather his stuff, “If I am a part of this family too then surely the danger I put you in is no more than the danger you’re always in!”
Dean closed his eyes and hung his head, “I know Cas, I know. I’m sorry, but this is the way it’s gotta be. At least for now.”
Castiel sighed and turned to face Dean, “I know, I’m sorry I snapped at you. I didn’t mean to. I really do understand, but it doesn’t mean I have to like it.”
Dean nodded, “I’m sorry. I really, really am.”
Cas smiled sadly. He looked around the room and laughed wryly, “At least I don’t have much stuff to pack…”
“Cas,” Dean began, stepping towards Castiel.
Cas put a hand on the other man’s chest, “You don’t need to say anything Dean.”
Dean nodded and bit his lip. He really didn’t want Cas to go, but he didn’t know how to tell him. Anything he could say seemed corny or just downright insulting. But he had to find a way to tell Castiel what he meant to him before he left, and there was only one way Dean Winchester could think of.
Dean grabbed Cas’ face in his hands and pulled him in for a passionate kiss. He tried to convey everything he was feeling; just how sorry he was, how he didn’t want Cas to leave, how much he would miss him.
When they broke apart, Castiel looked into Dean’s eyes in astonishment and nodded in understanding. Then Cas placed a delicate hand on the other man’s cheek and returned a kiss, but this one was delicate, heartfelt and sincere. It said ‘I understand, I forgive you’.
Dean rested his forehead against Cas’ and said one word. Just one word that conveyed how much he loved the other man, how much he needed him, without saying anything at all, “Cas…”
Castiel understood exactly what he meant and smiled sweetly at the hunter, “Dean…”
That was all either of them needed to know. Dean took Cas’ hand and led him over to the double bed…
Sam walked around the bunker calling for his brother and the former angel, wondering what was going on and where they could be. He heard noises from down one of the hallways that had empty bedrooms in it. He could hear yelling; maybe something was wrong?
He made his way cautiously down the corridor to the door where the sounds were coming from but now he could hear more clearly what was going on behind the door…
“Ugh, oh, Dean… more, more! So close… huh… oh, Dean, Dean!”
“Cas, oh god. Jesus… Cas, oh!”
Sam was completely taken aback. Dean and Cas? He was so surprised to think that they were, well, going at it, particularly Dean. Sam knew his brother well and he knew that he didn’t swing that way.
He loved women. Although, it seemed that Castiel had found a way to Dean’s heart, not just his body like so many Dean spent the night with. Sam could tell by the way his brother said Cas’ name so reverently, almost in worship.
Sam smiled and walked away, leaving the two men to their bliss. If Dean had found some kind of happiness with Cas then he wasn’t going to bring it up and torture him about it. At least until Dean was ready to admit to it…
Dean and Castiel lay side by side, tangled in each other’s limbs, holding the other’s sweaty body against his own securely. Neither of them said anything. What more was there to be said? They understood perfectly.
Castiel buried his head in the crook of Dean’s neck, inhaling his scent and committing it to memory. He pressed gentle kisses along Dean’s collar bone and neck, up to the sweet spot behind his ear.
Dean hummed softly at the sensation and Cas was determined to memorise every sound he made, every breath the man in his arms, every inch of his body took so he could remember him when he had left his hunter.
Dean was doing much the same; letting Cas plant sweet goodbye kisses all over his naked flesh and filing away the feel of the former angel’s lips on his skin, every delicate heartfelt touch. Dean pulled Castiel closer to him, cradling the other man’s head on his chest.
“Hmm, Dean…”
“Shhh,” Dean soothed, “You don’t have to leave till morning. Sleep Cas.”
“Dean…”
“I know Cas, I know,” Dean said with a smile. He pressed a kiss to his angel’s hair, breathing in his fresh shampoo and sweat, before falling asleep in each other’s arms.
The next morning, Dean awoke to an empty space next to him on the bed, where Cas had been the night before. He ran his hand over the dip in the mattress where Cas had been, burying his head in the pillow next to him, inhaling Castiel’s lavender scent once more.
He sat up and spotted a note on the bedside table. Dean picked it up and read with a smile on his face:
'My Dearest Hunter,
Thank you, until the next time,
Your Angel'