Work Text:
"Thanks, Angel," Dean casually says as he plucks the open book from Castiel's hands.
Angel. It's a simple word, one he's used plenty of times before. Occasionally, he'd switch it out for Sunshine or Feathers or just plain Cas, constantly cycling through the nicknames as if he stayed on one too long, Castiel would notice.
They all started as a way to mock the angel, something that wasn't very hard to do, but quickly turned into more of an everyday routine. At this point, he doesn't even remember how Angel came to be, just that he knows it lost its original meaning a long time ago.
Dean watched amused as the angel—who had at this point heard him call him this a million times—furrowed his eyebrows in confusion and tilted his head in that little endearing way that always made Dean smile.
"You're welcome, Human?"
Dean couldn't help but chuckle as he took a seat across the table, placing the now closed book down in front of him. "All this time and you still don't get it, do you?"
"My apologies, Dean. I didn't know I was supposed to 'get it.'"
"It's fine, Cas." Dean shakes his head, trying to hide the smile that crept on his face. "Some things just aren't meant to be gotten."
Castiel nods his head in understanding. "I would like to learn, though."
Dean, caught off guard by the angel's sudden interest, spends the next couple of seconds staring at Castiel's curious expression. Once he remembers that he's supposed to respond, he raises an eyebrow and leans back in the chair. "Really?"
"Yes. I believe learning what you mean will help me understand it better."
"I-" Dean closes his mouth, debating on how he wanted to approach this.
He watched as Castiel frowned. "If it's too much trouble, you don't have to. I could always ask Sam."
Dean's eyes widened, and he quickly said, "No!" Fearing what his brother might say, which caused the angel to raise an eyebrow at his sudden outburst.
He coughs before continuing. "I...What I meant was no, it's no trouble. Just give me a minute to figure out what to say."
Castiel nods his head, and Dean lets out a sigh of relief. He's sure that Sam would've spun it in some way that it's clearly not. But now Dean's cornered himself because how is he supposed to explain that Angel is just some nickname he started using to mock him?
Dean looks down at the book on the table, then blurts out, "Dear."
"Deer?" Castiel says, confused.
Dean looks up and nods his head. "Yeah. It's, uh, like dear. As in a term of, uh, endearment one person uses on another person they...like. Like, a husband and a wife! Except in our case, it would, uh, be friend and friend."
Castiel just stares at him, which Dean assumes is the angel processing what he just heard. He gives it a couple of minutes before asking, "Did that make sense?"
Castiel blinks once, then goes, "Yes, I believe it does."
Dean nods his head in relief. "Good, good."
"So, now that we have discussed that, can I have my book back, love?" Dean freezes. "Or would you prefer beloved? Or even darli-"
"No, Cas, that's not what I meant!" Dean quickly interrupts the angel before he can continue his questions.
"But you said-"
"I know what I said." Dean rubs his face with his hands. "Obviously, you didn't understand me after all."
"You said angel was like dear in the sense of it being a term of endearment. Love, beloved, and darling are all terms of endearment."
"Yes, but between two lovers. We are not lovers, Cas," Dean exasperates.
With no hesitation, no momentary pause, Castiel goes, "Why not?"
Dean laughed, not knowing whether he was joking or not, but quickly stopped once he saw the serious look on the angel's face.
He scoffed. "Because that would mean I'm gay, and I'm not gay."
Castiel raised an eyebrow momentarily before shaking his head. "I don't see why that's an issue? I am a multidimensional wavelength of celestial intent, Dean. I don't have a gender."
"The issue is I'm not into men!" Dean says, knowing full well that's not what the angel meant.
Castiel rolls his eyes. "Then why call me Angel? Or Sunshine? Or Cas?"
"I-" Dean closes his mouth and crosses his arms over his chest. "Those are just nicknames. Friends use nicknames for each other all the time!"
"But you have clearly stated that those are terms of endearment said to one another by lovers. Which would mean that you-"
Dean abruptly stands up. "I clearly didn't explain it right then."
"Maybe we should ask Sam-"
"We are not bringing Sam into this," he quickly protests.
Dean watches as Castiel grins before saying, "Is it because you know he would agree with me?"
Dean opens his mouth and immediately closes it. He can't argue against that because he knows it's true. Sam would agree with him. It's then that Dean begins to wonder what if he did like Castiel in that way?
Dean, with his eyes fixed on the book, slowly sits back down. "I was mocking you. That's how it started. I didn't believe you, and so I mocked you. Called you Cas and Sunshine and Feathers and Angel with pure annoyance in my voice. And," Dean shakes his head, "I don't know when it happened, but all that annoyance turned into something else. Something....different. Something I couldn't explain."
"You started liking me."
Dean nods. "Yeah, I guess? You became less of an annoyance, more of a…friend. Then, what I used to say to mock you became genuine and an everyday thing." He finally looks up at the faintly smiling Castiel. "I actually meant it."
"So, why did you explain it the way you did then?"
Dean sighs. "Because I couldn't think of anything else."
"Or maybe it was the way you wanted to explain it all along?"
Dean looks at the angel and realizes that he's right. He could've picked anything else, but he chose what he said.
"Do you want to try it?"
Dean blinks. "What?"
Castiel rolls his eyes, then smiles. "Do you want to try it?"
Confused, Dean asks, "Try what exactly?"
"Being lovers." Dean looks at the angel for a moment before bursting into laughter, causing Castiel's head to tilt. "I don't see what's funny about my question."
Dean stops laughing. "You, Cas."
Castiel frowns. "I see. Well," he stands up and pats his trenchcoat, "I guess I'll be going then."
Slightly panicked that he hurt the angel's feelings, Dean holds a hand out and says, "No, wait, Cas. That's not what I meant."
"I understand what you meant, Dean. And I assure you I will not ask it of you again."
Dean bites his lower lip as he watches Castiel begin to walk away, knowing he has a choice he has to make and quickly.
He mutters, "Fuck it," before loudly exclaiming, "I want to try it!"
Castiel stops walking and turns around. "Do you really wish to?"
Dean nods his head, knowing that he might regret this later. "Yes."
Castiel nods his head, then walks wordlessly back to the table. Instead of walking back to his seat like Dean assumed he would, the angel walks up to him.
"Wha-" Dean doesn't get to finish his question as he's interrupted by fingers lifting his chin up and soft lips being pressed against his. After a moment that felt like an eternity, Castiel pulls back, leaving Dean feeling strangely sad that it's over.
"That was..." Dean's words trail off as he slowly begins to realize he actually liked it.
"I know." Castiel nods his head. "I think we both are going to enjoy this."
Dean laughs, then nods his head. "Yeah. Just maybe."