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Cas becomes human on a Sunday. It’s been coming for a while now; he’s been falling slowly ever since they brought him back from the empty. So it shouldn’t really be a surprise, but it still is, somehow.
It happens like this: Dean is making them dinner. They got back from visiting Sam and Eileen later than planned, and the sun is hanging low on the sky above the lake outside of their little cabin. Cas is sitting at the kitchen table, reading a book Sam lent him.
He's about to tell Dean about an interesting paragraph, when Dean hisses and the knife he’d been holding clatters to the floor. Cas is on his feet in seconds, appearing at Dean’s side so fast that it’s almost reminiscent of when he still had his wings.
“Are you okay?” he asks, reaching out to grab Dean's hand.
“‘m fine,” Dean says, “‘s just a little cut.”
Cas frowns as he inspects the cut. Compared to all the injuries Dean has suffered from throughout the years, it’s nothing. Just a tiny cut on his index finger. There’s hardly even any blood.
Dean tries to pull his hand back. “I’ll just run it under some cold water and put a bandaid on it,” he says.
Cas doesn’t let go of his hand. Instead, he pulls it closer, up to his mouth. He presses his lips gently against the cut, and allows his grace to flow through him and out of him; into the tiny cut.
A slight shiver runs through Dean's body. Cas looks up, and sees a slight blush covering his cheeks.
“Better?” Cas asks.
“Yeah,” Dean breathes. Then, he clears his throat. “You’re a sap, you know that?”
Cas smiles. “I’ve been informed.”
Dean chuckles, and turns back to the counter. “Hey, think you might’ve fixed my back, too,” Dean says, rolling his shoulders.
“Well, I plan on ruining it again later,” Cas mutters, sneaking his hands around Dean's waist and planting a kiss on his neck.
Dean huffs a laugh. “Who taught you to talk like that, huh?”
“I learnt from the best,” Cas says with a smile against Dean’s skin.
Dean snorts. “Flattery will get you everywhere,” he says.
He starts chopping again, after inspecting the knife to make sure there isn’t any blood. He’s chopping onions to put in a homemade tomato soup. Cas stays wrapped around him, chin hooked over his shoulder.
Suddenly Cas’ eyes start stinging.
He knits his brows together. His eyes start watering, and for a second he’s confused, because he doesn’t feel sad or overwhelmed, or any of the other feelings he associates with crying. Then it hits him.
“Oh,” he says.
“What’s that?” Dean asks.
“I think- I think that was the last of it.”
“Uhh, no, I think we’ve still got a couple of ‘em in the back of the fridge,” Dean says.
“What? No, Dean, not the onions. I think- my grace. I think I used the last of it to heal your cut.”
Dean stops, lets the knife fall onto the counter. He turns around, coming face to face with Cas.
“You what?” he asks, eyes wide. “Cas why would you- I was fine ! You didn’t need to- to-” his hands come up to cradle Cas’ face.
“Dean ,” Cas cuts him off. “It’s okay. I’m okay.” He smiles.
“You’re crying,” Dean protests.
“No, I’m- it’s the onions. The chemicals are affecting me. That’s how I knew that I- that it was gone.”
Dean runs his thumb across Cas’ cheekbone softly. “Are you sure you’re okay?” he asks.
“Positive,” Cas says.
“I just- this is a big deal, right? You just fell, that’s-”
“I fell a long time ago, Dean,” Cas says. “This is just- a delayed reaction. I'm fine , we knew this was coming.”
Dean huffs out a breath. Cas’ hands come up to cover Dean’s. He pulls them away from his own face, and plants a soft kiss in the center of Dean's palm.
“Besides,” he says. “I think getting to be human with you might be the greatest privilege of my very long life.”
He looks up at Dean's face, and there are tears forming in his eyes now. The corner of Cas’ mouth quirks up.
“You’re crying,” he says. Dean smiles despite himself.
“Shut up,” he mutters, “‘s just the onions.”
“Of course it is,” Cas says. He leans in to capture Dean's lips in a kiss. Cas had thought kissing Dean as an angel had been incredible, but it’s nothing compared to kissing dean as a human.
For the first time in years, Cas feels like he can fly.