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Noctilucent. Adjective. Shining or Glowing by Night.
He gazed up at the sky from the hood of his 1967 Chevy Impala. He was young, couldn't have been more than 17. His name was Dean. And he was looking after his brother Sam while they spent a few nights at their uncle Bobby's house. It had probably been the hottest summer they had ever experienced before and it was only June 1st. The angel watching over Dean had observed this much.
Dean was sweating his ass off on the hood of his car but all he cared about was the CD Bobby just gave him and the stars that were positioned perfectly that night. As he gazed into the starry abyss above him he didn't feel truly alone and that feeling didn't scare him for once in the past 13 years he's been doing this. He makes a wish. A promise. To the stars above him, really it becomes a reminder, to get out of this hell. And for a second, the summer heat and the cicadas stop and he could feel his music and it's almost like the stars actually listened to him.
This could probably be Castiel's fault, a young cherub sent down to look after Dean while his big brother Michael prepared for war in heaven, he was silently watching Dean gaze up at his father's creation lovingly, he heard Dean's prayer and accidentally got too close to the barrier Jophiel set up so he couldn't be detected by the hunters. Being a young cherub he doesn't fully have his wings. It made the heat vanish and the cicadas stop for a second, but he quickly backed away from Dean and the barrier around him.
But he heard Dean, and something went off inside of him an overwhelming feeling of wanting to help like it was his life mission but it wasn't. his life mission was to serve in the army of heaven, it was his only purpose. So hearing Dean pray, promise, to himself to get out of this life his cruel excuse of a father got them into, it set off a forest fire inside of Castiel. An uncontrollable flame of hope and passion, of rebellion. But it was off in the horizon, untouched, untapped, while he grew into his wings.
The rest of the summer went normally, Sam got the first of his growth spurts and their dad came back a few days later, drunk and already fighting with Bobby about the kids. Castiel kept tabs on Dean and only had to save him once that summer. John took the credit for it.
After everyone was gone, the only constants in Dean's life became hunting, the stars, Sam and Cas. it was getting harder and harder, as the years went on, to keep that promise he made when he was seventeen but, whenever he was with Cas he felt that same feeling he did the night he made it. Like he wasn't alone, and with Cas, he was never alone, that's why he was always with him. And deep down Dean thinks that the angel feels the same way and it gives Dean a certain type of comfort only experienced hunters are prone to seek out.
That burning forest fire inside of Cas grew through the years as he grew physically and in rank. and when Dean first met Castiel face to face, sparks flying all around them, it felt like the fire inside of Castiel was inside of Dean as well, it made it easier to fall in line beside him, and quickly that feeling turned from friendship to love for Castiel and being by Dean's side was the only place he could share that same burning desire for a new life, sometimes he thought he had a life with Dean as a hunter and he was perfectly happy being by his side, but he had always longed for more from his friend.
And then there was more.
It happened one night when they closed a case and all three of them had gone back to the bunker. Dean, feeling restless as usual, grabbed his keys, got in his car and drove down the tunnel that leads onto the main road that passes in front of the door and parked it. He laid across the hood of his car, with his headphones on and a jacket wrapped around him listening to the same music he listened to on the night he made the promise. He looked up at the sky but only saw two ocean-blue eyes. He took his headphones off and Cas backed away from him.
“Hello Dean,” he said gruffly and a flutter of butterflies went off inside of Dean. He readjusted himself so he was sitting crisscrossed on the hood now giving Cas room to sit with him.
“Cas” was Dean's reply.
“What are you doing out here?” he asked before Cas could say anything.
“I was looking for you” another flutter of butterflies as the angel climbed onto his car.
“Well I couldn't sleep, so I'm out here”
“Enjoying the view?” Dean blushed, he had been staring at the angel but only realized when Cas said something. The angel nodded up to the sky and it clicked for Dean, he was talking about the stars. Dean wanted to facepalm but he stilled himself.
“Yeah i am” he answered looking up with Cas. It was another spectacular night but as he gazed at the stars it didn't feel right, Dean didn't feel that feeling when he looked up, he felt it when he looked at Cas. There was a moment of realization for Dean, and as he looked at his best friend who joined him for stargazing he realized two things, one being that he loved him and wanted to spend the rest of his life with him and the second being that his best friend was glowing.
“Cas, bud, I think you might be glowing” he laughed a little
“I know Dean” was Cas’s response.
“Why are you glowing?” It was more of a light blue glow that illuminated Dean’s pink face and made his pupils bigger than they already were. It didn't really outline Cas’s body but it started where his grace was and moved out, it put Cas’s face in shadow.
“When a guardian angel, me in this case, completes a mission or falls in love ” he coughs and Dean almost explodes.
“They tend to glow at night around their person , based on the brightness I would assume I’ve completed my mission” he hesitates but Dean already knows what he’s going to say, completely not processing what Cas just told him Dean reaches for Cas’s hand. It’s warm and the skin is softer than Dean thought it would be.
“Can I kiss you?” Dean asks and fireworks go off inside of Castiel.
“Yes” he doesn't hesitate and before he can blink Dean is kissing him. It's a sweet and gentle kiss, one that Cas would never expect from Dean but he leans into it. He slides Dean into his lap and makes sure he has a good grip on him before getting off of the hood of Dean’s car. They separate so Cas can open the door to the backseat and they slide into it together with Cas on top now. They switch so Dean can be on top and Cas takes his trench coat off and puts it in the passenger seat. Dean helps him with the rest of his clothes.
“Can you keep the trench coat on?” Dean asks him after they’ve both taken all of their clothes off, Castiel blushes but grabs the coat and slips it on, the rough worn fabric against his soft skin makes him shiver. The glow illuminates the car ceiling and Dean’s face as they kiss and switch positions. The trench coat ruffles with every movement and looking at Castiel moaning is something Dean wants more of in life. The trench coat is definitely helping.
After they finish, they both get dressed with smiles on their faces and new memories, they go back to the bunker and Dean makes his famous eggs and bacon. No one notices that the glow isn't there anymore.