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Dean was half asleep one night when he heard light footsteps coming up the hall of the Men of Letters bunker. Dean frowned. It sure wasn’t Sam. He’s moose steps aren’t that quiet. Maybe it was Cas? But he went to bed hours ago. Cas was still getting used to sleep as a human and at the moment his sleeping patterns were bouncing all over the place. The footsteps got closer and closer until they stopped just outside of Deans room. Dean had a good idea of who was walking around in the middle of the night and it wasn’t his moose of a brother. Dean’s bedroom door started to creak as it slowly opened to reveal Deans suspect.
“Dean?” Cas whispered as he walked in the room.
“Cas?” Dean said tiredly as he sat up to look at the freshly fallen angel. “What’s wrong?”
Cas looked at the ground nervously. “Dean, I can’t sleep”
Dean rolled his eyes as he wiped his face with his hand. “Jesus….Well what’s the problem?”
Cas’s eyes flicked over Dean’s face then back to the ground again. “I had another nightmare”
“What about?” Dean asked swinging his legs out of the bed and on to the cold floor.
“We were out on a hunt…” Cas started off “…And I couldn’t heal you” he said quietly.
Dean stood up. “Cas…Were trying to get your grace back. You know that.” Dean assured as he walked up to his friend. “Y’know I got along pretty well for 28 years without you healing me Cas. It’s nice but I don’t keep you around as my personal Nurse Joy.”
“I know that Dean, but I still worry that something will happen to you or Sam and I won’t be able to save you. I feel useless.” Cas’s voice was so small and Dean’s heart hurt seeing his best friend feel like this.
“Cas, nothing is going to happen to me or Sammy, you got that? Dean said sternly putting a hand on Castiel’s shoulder. “Now c’mon dude… what can I do to put you to sleep?”
“I hate sleeping Dean. There is no point in it.” Cas said slightly annoyed.
Dean chuckled a little. “Sleep is good. Sleep is awesome if you do it right. Now C’mere and get comfy.” Dean said as he walked back and pushed Cas on his bed.
“Well I don’t enjoy sleeping.” Cas whined as he laid down on Dean’s bed. Dean walked around the other side and hoped in also. Cas had his head on the pillow, but Dean could tell he was all tensed up. Dean rolled his eyes as he moved over closer to Cas. He rolled Cas over on to his side as he slotted himself behind him and wrapped his arm around Cas’ waist. Dean smiled when he felt Cas relax into him.
“Shut your eyes and I’ll tell you a story” Dean said softly as he held Cas tighter against him. “Good Angel.” Dean praised as he saw Cas’s visible eye fall shut.
Dean smiled feeling warm in side. “Once upon a time there was this hunter”
“Like you and Sam? Or an animal hunter?” Cas interrupted.
“A hunter like me and Sam. Now hush, you’re supposed to be going to sleep.” Dean reminded.
“Once upon a time there was a hunter who lived alone. He only ever went out at night because he thought he didn’t belong in the light……Hey! I’m a poet and I didn’t know it!” Dean exclaimed proudly.
Dean saw Cas frown. “Okay, okay. Bad joke.” Dean sighed and rolled his eyes as he continued his story. “So this hunter stayed in the darkness because he could never find the light. And one day while he was out hunting there in the darkness he saw it. Only the light wasn’t the sun or a candle or anything like that. It was someone.”
“Someone?” Cas questioned and Dean smiled. “Yeah. They said they were sent to help him but the hunter was a bit prideful. He didn’t think he needed anyone’s help much less this creature of light.” Dean paused to look at Cas again. His face so peaceful. “But the creature persisted. The hunter tried to kill it, run from it, hid from it, but no matter what he did or where he went and not matter how he tried to leave it behind the creature kept coming back to him”
“Was it a stalker?” Cas asked seriously. Dean chuckled. “No it wasn’t a stalker” “Oh” Cas frowned.
“Anyway so the creature came to love the hunter and the hunter was an idjit for ignoring the signs. But he’d never known that love could be like and he didn’t think that he deserved to love of something as awesome as the creature of light.”
“Everyone deserves to be loved” Cas said caringly eyes still closed.
“Yeah well he sure didn’t think so. There were so many things he’d screwed up in his life he couldn’t bear it if he screwed up something like that. But even though he fought it and even though he tried to pretend it wasn’t happening, the hunter was kinda falling in love with the creature and was slowly being pulled back into the light.”
“Then what happened?”
“Well when the hunter finally saw the light it was too late. The creature of light had been taken away from him and though he searched and searched, he couldn’t find it again.” Dean said sadly.
“What? No! This isn’t a happy story Dean!” Cas turned to face Dean looking worried.
“Will you hush and let me finish?” Dean said sternly but affectionately.
“Okay.” Cas sighed as he turned and closed his eyes again.
“Okay... so the hunter had lost his light but he wasn’t going to give up anymore. He hunted using every skill he had in his arsenal, every connection he’d every earned trying to find the creature of light that had saved him from his self. It took a long time but the hunter was a stubborn son of a bitch and he found this creature of light.” Dean paused to pull Cas in tighter. “And he never let him go again. “Dean whispered lovingly.
“Now is that better?” Dean asked.
“Yes Dean. Castiel yawned.
“That was a nice story, but it seems familiar. Have you told me this before?” Cas said sleepily.
“I don’t think so Cas” Dean smiled looking at him insides full of butterflies. “Oh” Cas yawned
“Now go to sleep you fluff head” Dean chuckled closing his eyes breathing in Cas.
Cas broke the silence a minute later. “Dean?”
“Yeah Cas?” Dean yawned.
“Thankyou”
“You’re welcome”