Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Castiel’s POV: 

Blue eyes slid over the small wooden music box he was using. The box was old—an antique, used and worn by time. Still, the vibrant wood shone with a bit of polish. He told himself he would never part with this box. Never. Yet here he was, placing it in the ground in the middle of nowhere.

It was cold. The ground hadn’t thawed from the recent cold front. Digging into the earth felt like trying to break through cement. Rocks threatened his casted wrist as he tried to dig around them. It was as if the ground wanted him to stop and did everything it could to make him. When the hand shovel wouldn’t get past the rocks, he used his nails and fingers, scratching and hurting them to pry loose the tiny stones. Even when his pale fingers bled and bruised, he dug.

After he had gotten a good-sized hole, he pulled back, wiping the sweat from his face with the back of his hand, smearing cold dirt and blood on his cheek. He panted at his success before grabbing the old music box and opening it. Blue eyes checked the contents again. A small bag of graveyard dirt was the first thing he noticed. He didn’t think it mattered if it was in a bag in the box, but to him, it did. It was sentimental. He hoped the little bag wouldn’t bother anyone; he didn’t want to dirty the inside if he could help it.

The second item was the bone of a black cat, ethically sourced from a cat that had died after being hit by a car. It had lain there, lifeless, slowly rotting until he came across it while driving for roadkill. He had done the right thing by taking a bone before burying it. The cat would now rest easier given a proper burial. Ashes to ashes and all.

The last item was a photo of himself—the last one in which he smiled. The last time he remembered smiling. He ripped his mother out of the photo slowly and delicately, folding her up and placing her in his pocket before lowering his own picture in. Winding the music box one last time, he watched the small ballerina move inside: going around and around before he sighed slowly and lowered it into the ground.  

He used his hand to cover it, spreading the dirt over the box till it was covered. He placed his hands on the dirt, as he looked at it. What did he do now? He had done his end. Endless research and this was the confirmed theory. Did he have to do something else? All he read about was just to put it in the ground. All the ingredients were there. What did he do-

“-Nothing.” A voice spoke, making the young adult turn around. “You do nothing, Castiel.” The human scrambled to stand seeing the man in the road behind him. 

“How did you know my name?” Castiel choked in confusion as the man held out his hand, revealing the photo that Castiel had just buried.

“Why do you think?” The man spoke, his eyes glowed red. “You invited me here.”

“You’re the demon?” The human choked happily. “You really came? I’ve tried this so many times and no one has come-”

“-Well, you just needed to find my crossroads.” The man asked. “...What is it you are willing to damn your soul for, Castiel?”

“You. I want you.” The human moved to him as the demon blinked confused. 

“...I’m sorry, what-” The demon started as the human shoved his fingers in the demon’s mouth checking his teeth with a small flashlight. 

“Good teeth. Eyes dilate perfectly, wow. Gorgeous normal eyes when you aren’t making them glow!” Castiel beamed, pushing his glasses upon his face. “How old are you? How many deals have you had-” 

“Wait, wait, wait.” The demon put a hand up. “What do you mean you want me?”

“I want you to come home with me for as long as I can have you,” The human stated as the demon blinked. “I-I’m a scientist. Demons are my life’s work. I have been looking for a living subject for years but no one would come.”

“Ah, I’ve heard of you.” The demon eyed him. “We were told you were too curious for your own good and to stay away. They don’t like humans knowing too much.”

“But you come?” The human questioned. 

“I do what I like. When I like it.” The demon took a seat on the human’s car hood. “...I don’t fear the king.”

“Then you’ll make the deal? Ten years with you and you get my soul?” The human asked as the demon eyed him for a long time. 

“What’s the point? If you publish or say anything no one will believe you.” The demon spoke. “Is it worth it?”

“It is to me.” Castiel breathed as the demon pushed off the car and walked to him, his hands shoved into his pockets. He pushed up his glasses. 

"Agreed?" the demon asked, exhaling deeply. "Ten years, then. You can do as you wish...and I'll answer what I'm able. But you'll be mine in ten years."

Castiel slowly nodded, swallowing, he knew what he was sacrificing. 

He needed this. 

He needed to know. 

The Demon bent down, his shadow covering the eager human who stood on their toes, reaching for a forbidden touch. When their lips met, The human's eyes lit up with an unnatural glow. The human, overcome by a rush of strong, desperate passion, pulled the Demon into a kiss that defied both Heaven and Hell. Power surged through Castiel, leaving him dizzy and confused, blood dripping from his nose. A flood of broken images filled his mind too fast to make it out exactly, leaving him reeling. He stared down at his shaking hands, his eyes wide with fear, before darkness took over, and he fainted.

___________________________________________________________________________

The human's blue eyes snapped open, and he bolted upright in bed. He glanced around frantically, and then relief washed over him as he recognized his surroundings. He was home.  He leaned forward, rubbing his face.

Was it all a dream? 

Castiel's eyes fell upon the music box sitting on his side desk. He gently lifted the lid, releasing a delicate melody. Inside, he found a photo of himself and his mother. It...must have been a dream, he ripped this in it. The human moved to set it down when he noticed dirt under his fingernails. His fingernails were caked in dried mud, his nails damaged from the little rocks from when he had dug in his dream.

It was a dream, right?

But if it was a dream...how did he get dirt there?

The smoke detector went off in his house causing him to curse, Castiel climbed out of bed and ran towards the kitchen seeing the demon curiously eyeing the toaster. The human cursed loudly moving past him to unplug the toaster. Castiel coughed loudly, fanning the air as he popped out what was inside. The human reached to yank out the charcoal food items, tossing them in the sink before watering them down. 

“Are you trying to kill us?” Castiel coughed.

“No, I am just trying out your...things,” The Demon commented rubbing his chin and watching the human move to fan the smoke alarm. 

“It’s not supposed to cook that long.” Castiel coughed.

“Then why make it able to cook that long?” The Demon asked. “Why have a ten on here if it’s not meant to be?” 

“Can you open a window?” The human begged as the Demon moved to his window trying to open it but it wouldn’t budge. “Mr. Demon, it’s locked, you got to-” 

The demon just forced it open with his strength breaking the lock and the window. The demon blinked as Castiel breathed annoyed but it was obvious the demon was confused. Kneeling to look at the broken glass and up at the window. Had he never been in a human apartment before?

“Mr. Demon? Do you have a name?” The human asked as the demon turned. “I can’t just keep calling you Mr. Demon forever.”

“No.” The demon spoke.

“No, what?” Castiel scoffed. “You don’t have a name?”

“I don’t.” The demon started when the smoke alarm stopped. The human took a second to register what he was told before he turned to him, Castiel eyed him pausing at that. 

“...What do you mean, you don’t have a name?” The human spoke. “What do people call you?”

“Normally, they call you pup till after their first deal.” The demon explained as he picked up some glass in his hand. “...You’re my first deal. Normally we take their names in honor of our first deal...but since I’m stuck with you for ten years that might be a little awkward…”

“...So...do you want me to name you?” Castiel offered. 

“If you don’t mind.” The demon stood. He followed the human who moved to the trash to show him where to put it. 

“Oh…” The human choked in surprise. This...wasn’t exactly what he imagined being stuck with a Demon forever would be like. “Okay.” The human pulled out his phone and started to google names. “Don’t touch anything.” 

Castiel mumbled as he took a seat at the table going through the names. The human kept glancing up to watch the Demon take time to open the drawers. He did say not to touch something but at least he wasn’t burning the house down. 

“...So mating, what exactly is that?” Castiel asked as The demon looked through the drawers. “I read it a lot in my research, I don’t get it.”

“It’s being together forever and procreating.” The demon spoke.

“So like marriage,” The human spoke as the demon shrugged. 

“I don’t know what that is. So sure.” The demon stated. 

“...You really have no idea about the outside world, do you?” Castiel spoke as the Demon nodded. 

“I’ve been in hell...we don’t really interact with humans.” The demon explained. “When we first come out into the world, we are summoned and learn through our deals. This is the first time I got out of hell.”

“Why do you make deals with humans?” The human asked. “You seem so powerful, why would you need us?”

“Besides the fact they teach us to blend in, teach us of human life to better our deals and help us breed.” The demon spoke. 

“Help you...breed?” Castiel asked.

“Demons can’t breed each other so we need humans…” The demon explained.

“So that’s why you bond with your first humans.” The human realized. These demons are so fascinating. “You mimic the people you make deals with and learn from them to better hide in the human world. Fascinating.”

“.... knowing human behaviors and this human world lets us live in it, till then we live in hell till we have learned enough not to stand out..” The demon spoke, turning the gas on the stove, it clicked loudly. “Despite it pissing off a lot of people, our deal will better help me do that-”

“Dean,” Castiel spoke as the demon turned off the stove turning to him. “How about Dean?”

“Dean…” The demon spoke. “I like it.” The human smiled softly at that. 

“Dean, it is then.” Castiel stood as he moved to the fridge to pull something out when his phone beeped. “Shoot, I’m late,” The human stated as he grabbed for his keys. “Are you hungry? Do you eat?” The demon nodded slowly. “I’ll order food to the door. Just open this door and take it when someone rings. Okay?” Dean nodded. “Stay here and don’t touch anything.” 

The human put on the TV, deciding on something educational. 

Maybe he can learn while Castiel was at work?

The human walked the demon to the couch and had him sit. 

“Are you allergic to anything?” Castiel asked but Dean just blinked. “I will take it as a no. I will be back.” The human patted his head awkwardly before he grabbed for the door and left. 

__________________________________________________________________________

Castiel bolted to his brother who sat at a cafe table outside waiting for him. He moved to him rushing into the seat a mess as he tried to calm down from his running. His brother raised an eyebrow.

“You look like shit,” Gabriel commented as Castiel took the coffee Gabriel had ready for him there. It was a bit cool but at least he could drink it without burning his mouth. Gabriel noticed the dirty and injured bruised fingers. Gabriel sighed, eyeing him. “...Still looking for imaginary demons?”

“I’m not crazy,” Castiel spoke firmly. 

“I didn’t say you are,” Gabriel said as he said nothing in response just drinking his coffee. “...You just have a wild imagination. Always have.”

“...You can pretend you didn’t see it.” Hel breathed softly. “But I can’t.” Castiel closed his eyes remembering the blood.

“...She was sick, Castiel,” Gabriel whispered. “...she did it to herself…”

“No.” He shook his head covering his face. 

“You can’t keep hurting yourself like this,” Gabriel spoke. “You aren’t letting yourself mourn, instead you want to prove demons made our mother-”

“-I don’t want to talk about this again,” Castiel stated as Gabriel closed his mouth. “You promised if I saw you for coffee once a week you wouldn’t do this.”

“...I’m sorry,” Gabriel admitted. “I just...worry.”

“I’m okay. I’m not mom.” He whispered, they were quiet for a long time as Gabriel sighed. 

“...Do you need more money?” Gabriel asked. He always asked after he upset him. Gabriel always apologized with money, never with words.  

“...Yeah,” Castiel admitted. 

“I’ll have another five hundred put into your account,” Gabriel spoke as Castiel nodded. His brother took care of him, despite thinking he was crazy. Never once got fed up with him. Just helped him. Gabriel made good money and was able to support him. He was grateful, it allowed him to focus on his work. “You were late today, did you oversleep?”

“Yeah.” Castiel lied as his phone dinged saying the food was delivered. He let out a relaxed breath. Dean was fed. “I actually took up gardening, so that’s why my hands look like this. You know, my therapist has been begging me to do something other than reading about Demons. So I took up gardening.” He wasn’t sure if Gabriel bought it but he didn’t argue.

“Gardening? I would never have the patience.” Gabriel breathed. “I don’t even think my cactus is alive.” 

“You have a cactus?” Castiel questioned.

“That’s exactly my point,” Gabriel commented, crossing a leg over the other. “That’s why I don’t garden.” Castiel snorted at that looking back at his watch. “Got somewhere to be?”

“Um...sorta,” He stated, glancing up innocently trying not to be awkward. Gabriel sighed as he eyed him. 

“Promise me you’re okay,” Gabriel said. “I know you have been obsessed with demons for years-” 

“They aren’t real.” Castiel lied. “I know. I’m not mom. I wish you’d stop worrying that I’m going to snap.”

“I’m not trying to make you feel that way. Mental illness runs in our family. I always worry about it for both of us...”  Gabriel stated. “I just...losing mom was hard on both of us, especially since you found-”

“Stop.” He stood, making his chair fall back. People turned to look at him. “I’ll see you next week.” Gabriel sighed sadly watching him go. Castiel got in his car, closing his eyes trying to calm his racing heart. He slumped over his wheel trying to calm down his heart. Remembering running into the house that day with Gabriel, calling for his mother in happiness to see her. Running towards his mother’s room-

Castiel jumped when someone hit his horn, he sat up rubbing his face before he put the car into gear and drove home. Castiel walked up to his apartment, pushing open the door but paused to see the demon breaking a kiss with a delivery man. Dean’s eyes glowed in a sealed deal. The demon turned to look at him who blinked in surprise. The delivery driver turned his head shyly and grabbed his keys. 

“S-Sorry, I-I’m not gay-” The man spoke as Castiel grabbed his wrist as he was leaving. 

“What did you want?” Castiel asked as the man looked down.

“...I wanted her to love me.” The man looked down before he pulled his hand away and left out the door. Castiel turned to see Dean’s eyes still glowing. 

“He...didn’t go to the crossroads,” Castiel whispered as he slowly moved to grab his notebook sitting at the table as the demon moved to sit in front of him curiously eyeing the human food he had. 

“My crossroads go where I go,” Dean said, digging into the food, it took a bit to understand how to figure out how to eat the hotdog but he managed with some pointers from him. Glad he had unwrapped it for him since it seemed a bit difficult for Dean to figure out. “Since I’m your house guest for the next ten years-”

“I made my home a crossroad,” Castiel whispered as the demon slowly nodded before he wrote it down in his book.

“This is good.” Dean moaned as the human continued to write.

“How...How do you go about making a deal with him?” Castiel asked. “How did that even come up?”

“Demons have an aura about us. People want to tell us their deepest darkest secrets.” The demon ate a fry sideways like it was corn. Appalled, the human reached out for a fry to show him how to eat it the proper way. Dean watched for a moment before eating it correctly. 

“So you didn’t have to say anything?” The human asked. 

“No,” The demon stated. “He handed me the food and just stared. I asked if he wanted to come in and he started just talking to me about the apartment. When he mentioned that he was planning to get a place like this before his girlfriend dumped him and ruined his life. I just...offered to fix that.”

“What did you get in return?” Castiel asked.

“His soul. Ten years from today.” Dean chewed moaning at the food. “This is delicious.”

“When do you reap their soul? Midnight?” The human asked. 

“No. The day of their deal, at the time they made it.” The demon spoke. 

“How many deals do you normally make a day?” Castiel asked. 

“A normal demon?" The demon stated. “A normal crossroads demon can make up to one or two a day. An older crossroads demon with experience? Five or six. A demon promoted to the real world? Anywhere up to ten to fifteen.” 

“A day?” The human stated. “So you guys get promoted?”

“We are crossroads demons till we know the world. It’s to gain experience.” Dean explained. 

“Hm.” Castiel wrote that down. “So how old are you…? You say you were young.”

“In demon and human years, I’m eighteen. Fresh out of hell.” The demon stated. 

“I’m nineteen, I’m older than you.” The human beamed innocently. “How old can demons get?” 

“The oldest I know is Lucifer himself. He’s older than any of us can imagine. But normal demons live till like a thousand years old before they retire and live out the rest of their days till they pass.” Dean spoke as Castiel blinked. 

“So Lucifer is real? He’s not a myth?” The human asked as the demon nodded. “What about God and all his angels?”

“I don’t know,” Dean confessed. 

“What separates the normal demons from Lucifer? Why can’t they live that long?” Castiel asked. 

“Royal blood,” The demon explained. “Royal blood is black and has agents to keep them living forever. Normal demons have red blood, it doesn’t have the same properties.”

“Fascinating,” The human whispered, writing it down. “And you mentioned we need humans to breed? So there are no full-breed demons?”

“The royal family,” Dean commented. 

“...Can you tell me more about the royal family?” Castiel asked as the demon shrugged. 

“I don’t know much about them,” Dean explained as the human nodded. “A little above my pay grade.”

“I see.” Castiel nodded as the demon eyed him, his eyes glowed in curiosity. 

“...What is it you are looking for Castiel?” Dean asked but the human ignored the question, writing it down. 

“Can you tell me what you do know about them?” Castiel spoke as the demon eyed him. 

“They might actually kill me for humoring you or kill you for knowing,” Dean mumbled as the human stopped writing to look up at him, annoyed. The demon heard his pen click in his obvious annoyance.

“I’m dead in ten years anyway. That’s what you do right?” Castiel glared at Dean in his anger. “In ten years on the day I made my deal in the EXACT moment I kissed you, you will make me brutally end my life making it look like a suicide, right?” The demon said nothing. “...I made a deal for YOU! That includes all you know! Now, do we understand each other?!” Dean sighed, crossing his arms as he sat back in his chair. 

“I get it now...This is personal.” The demon breathed. “If I had known that I wouldn’t have come to the crossroads.” 

“Did I ask for your observations on my life?” Castiel snapped looking down as he angrily scribbled into his notebook. 

“...Castiel, I can’t tell you what they wished for,” Dean said, it wasn’t judging. It seemed...like he spoke with sadness and concern.

“Stop.” The human snapped.

“I can’t even tell you who she made the deal with, even with our deal, even if I wanted to-” The demon explained. 

“STOP.” Castiel stood up fast slamming down his notebook, Dean was quiet as he eyed him. 

“...You already knew this,” The demon spoke as the human breathed heavily.

“...The first crossroads demon I tried to make a deal with,” Castiel whispered. “I asked for the info. He wouldn’t make the deal.” The human scoffed looking away. “Said all deals are private affairs, said to let the dead die with their secrets.” 

“It’s true, these secrets ...desires are ones they were willing to die for,” Dean stated. 

“Why do you guys get all high and mighty about dignity when you brutally kill them.” Castiel snapped, grabbing for his stuff. “You are all monsters anyways, why do you even care about their dignity?!” The human snatched something from the fridge before moving to his bedroom and angrily slamming the door. The demon stared at the door for a long time before he went back to eating, wondering if all humans were as angry as the human Castiel. 

Chapter Text

Castiel sucked in air as he opened his eyes, seeing eyes peering into his soul, the human shot out of bed in a panic panting holding their chest. Dean kneeled watching him sleep and blinked when Castiel panicked. 

“What the fuck.” Castiel snapped.

“Do humans normally make noises in their sleep?” Dean asked, not realizing that it wasn’t cool to watch people sleep. “You sound like a hellhound.”

“How long have you been there?” The human eyed him.

“All night,” Dean stated. “After you fell asleep.”

“Okay...you go to bed at the same time as me, this isn't happening again.” Castiel got out of bed, Dean moved to follow him when the human put his hand out stopping him. “Stay here.” 

“Why?” Dean asked. 

“I have to pee, I pee alone,” Castiel stated as Dean was made to sit on the bed. Dean looked down pouting like a puppy. The human eyed him and sighed, okay that little lost puppy look was adorable. “...I’ll open the door when I’m done.” 

Dean's soft smile was returned by a perky Castiel, who then closed the door. Dean's gaze fell upon a picture frame, which he picked up to study. The photo showed Castiel, a blonde woman, and a young adult man. Dean deduced that Castiel and the young man were brothers, or at least close relatives, due to their resemblance. The woman appeared to be their mother.

A swirling sound emanated from the bathroom as its door opened. The human paused, noticing the photo in Dean's hand.

“Can you put that down?” Castiel asked softly as Dean moved to put it back. The human didn’t sound angry at him for looking. Dean didn’t mean harm in it and Castiel could tell. “...Look, don’t touch, okay?”

“Okay,” Dean stated with a nod. The human moved to brush his teeth, looking at Dean as he did. 

“Come, I got a spare one for you to use.” Castiel sighed as he moved to help explain brushing teeth to Dean. 

_____________________________________________________________

Castiel, clad in boxers and a tank top, moved around the kitchen preparing breakfast for Dean. Dean banished from the kitchen after his near-arson incident, sat contentedly in the closest dining room chair, his eyes following the human's movements with curiosity.

Castiel's to-do list for the day started with getting Dean necessities for his ten-year stay. The human jumped feeling something brush against his ass, making Castiel turn to swat off whatever it was only to see Dean touching the boxers curiously. 

“Why does your underwear flow so much? Sometimes I can see your butt.” Dean asked. 

“D-Dean, you can’t just touch someone there.” The human blushed violently pulling his underwear away from his grip. 

“Why?” Dean blinked. Castiel groaned. How was he so sheltered?!

“What did you do all that time in hell till you got here?” He asked. “No one taught you to eat or what’s socially not okay.” 

“I slept,” Dean answered softly. Castiel turned to him. 

“Slept...like for a long time?” The human whispered, but before they could ask more, the doorbell rang. Castiel opened the door to find the maintenance man, an older gentleman who lived somewhere on the first floor. He was in his early sixties, he guessed, with a potbelly, balding head, and always slightly dirty from his work.

“You said a window broke?” The maintenance man spoke. Castiel slowly opened the door wider for the man who was holding a pane of glass. He pointed to the window Dean had broken when he tried to burn the house down. He walked back toward the kitchen, noticing the demon was watching the man. Dean watched the man like a lion stalking his prey, tilting his head. The human eyed the demon as he slowly took a seat next to him and grabbed his notebook, writing down what he was observing.

“So what happened to the window? Looks like you exploded a bomb.” The man joked as Dean blinked at him.

Dean was right. They strike up a conversation first. Was it his aura? What was it that made them want to speak to them? Castiel had lived here a couple of years now and this man never talked to him. 

“I broke it,” The demon explained calmly, going back to eating. 

“Man, you must be strong.” The man chuckled. “...You know, I was excited to be called to fix a window.” The man worked. “Honestly, I’ve had enough of my wife and was looking for a reason to leave the house.” 

“I’m sorry to hear about that.” Dean chewed. He slowly wrote down what he observed. This man was very open and honest with the demon. Starting to complain about all his problems, things he hated about his life. Private stuff. Stuff you wouldn’t normally tell strangers.

“-I don’t even REMEMBER the last time I got laid.” The maintenance man laughed bitterly as he finished the window. “...Man, I wish-” Dean got up at the word, slamming his hand on the table as he stood. Castiel jumped at the demon’s action, watching Dean as he moved to him. 

“Careful, a wish is something that should be taken seriously.” Dean slowly walked to him. “...What if I told you I could make one wish come true? Just one.” 

The human expected the man to blow off the demon or call him crazy but the man seemed to be contemplating his words. Why did people believe Dean so earnestly? Was it something about him? The demon’s eyes glowed red as he eyed him and he softly caressed his face. 

“...Just one?” The man asked as Dean nodded, blinking his long eyelashes at him. The man searched the demon’s face. “...What’s the catch? My soul?” He chuckled but a part of him knew. Castiel thinks deep down...everyone knows the price.

“Ten years from now, at this very second...you will be mine.” Dean breathed and his voice was soothing. Even now the human felt the pull to the words that snagged him at the crossroads. “Agreed?”

The maintenance man slowly nodded lost in his eyes.  

“Just...one,” The demon whispered. The man searched Dean’s eyes, the demon smiled softly as though...he could read his thoughts. “...That I can do.” Castiel's heart pounded as Dean leaned in for a kiss. The thought of watching this man sell his soul was unbearable. Overwhelmed by vivid flashes of blood and the sounds of the room, Castiel squeezed his eyes shut. Suddenly, he stood up, eyes wide open, before their lips could touch.

“Stop it!” Castiel was surprised when Dean, the demon who had been about to kiss the maintenance man, stopped and looked at him with concern. Dean had actually listened to his plea? He was worried about him? Feeling relief wash over him, Castiel let out a breath as Dean released the man he had been holding.

“Mind your goddamn business!” The maintenance man looked at the human, pissed at the interruption. 

Trying to get the demon to focus on him again, Dean moved to walk toward Castiel when the demon’s wrist was yanked back toward the maintenance man. The maintenance man slammed his lips against Dean’s as the demon’s eyes widened in surprise not knowing what to do. Dean slightly tried to push back from his chest with fear in his eyes. Seeing that fear...the human bolted to the demon to save him.

“Get off of him!” Castiel moved to Dean protectively, shoving the maintenance man off of him. “Don’t you EVER lay a hand on him again!”  The demon blinked conflicted, the human wondered if the deal still was sealed, but...the maintenance man’s nose started to bleed. Much like Castiel had done the night of the deal. The maintenance man wiped his nose happily on his sleeve.

“Did I get my wish?!” The maintenance man hissed as the demon nodded slowly, not looking at him. “Good.” The deal still happened despite the demon not consenting to the kiss.

“I-I tried to save your soul!” He breathed angrily as the man scoffed. “Do...you know what they do to you when your time comes?!”

“Would I rather be miserable for ten fucking more years till I die naturally or get what I want and enjoy life till I fucking die?” The man scoffed. “Fuck off and mind your own business.” 

“Are you done with the window?!” Castiel snapped. 

“Yes-” The maintenance man hissed. 

“Then get the FUCK out!” Castiel forced the door open with a hiss, causing the maintenance man to grab his toolbox and leave with a glare. Slamming the door repeatedly in anger, Castiel locked it and slid down to the floor, pulling his knees up to his chest and burying his face in his hands. Dean looked away, unable to meet the human's gaze as his anger consumed him.

“... I’m sorry …” Castiel's anger dissipated as the demon spoke softly. The demon looked ashamed as the human watched him. He hadn't realized demons cared about things like this; their instinct was to make deals. Dean hesitated... because Castiel had asked him to.

“...It’s…” Castiel sighed, running his fingers through his hair frustrated by the man...not the demon. “...It’s not your fault…” The human eyed him before getting up. “...Are you okay?”   

“He didn’t hurt me.” Dean tilted his head confused. 

“No, but he put his hands on you, that’s not okay.” Castiel stood turning to glare at the door the man left out. “Pig.”  The human moved to the kitchen to finish making himself his own food. “Dean, if someone grabs you like that you sock them in the face, you got that?! Deal or not, you don’t let people think they can walk all over you.” The demon slowly sat down to eat again as Castiel continued to rant about that stupid man when the demon’s voice got his attention.

“Thanks…” The demon breathed sincerely as the human turned. “...For protecting me…”

“...Thanks for stopping when I asked.” Castiel gave him a soft smile before going back to his cooking. Dean eyed the back of his head softly continuing to eat. 

____________________________________________________________________________

Castiel released a sigh as the demon fiddled with his seatbelt, endlessly attaching and detaching it. The human observed his innocent fascination, but a pang of reality hit him—demons weren't innocent. This young demon would grow into a monster, destroying lives and families. Despite his current state, Castiel's training would inevitably shape him into a more efficient predator.  With a heavy heart, the human unbuckled his own seatbelt and exited the car, the demon's gaze following him as he moved to open the other door.

“Come on, Dean.” Castiel opened the door and grabbed a shopping cart. The demon exited the car and followed Castiel toward the store. “Stay beside me and don’t talk to anyone.” 

“Okay,” Dean stated as they walked in. Castiel looked to see where the men’s clothes were before he started towards the aisle.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Dean's POV:

Dean watched the people going about their daily lives with fascination. Castiel headed straight for the shirts, looking for clothes for Dean. The demon stood beside him, ignoring Castiel as he held up shirts to check the size. Dean glanced around, observing a man pacing while talking on the phone and an old woman examining towels.

A small toddler running around the clothes racks caught the demon's attention. Dean moved away from Castiel to watch the child. The little boy stopped, noticing the demon peering out from behind a clothes rack. The kid smiled softly at Dean, who smiled back.

“Hi.” The boy smiled, he was missing a couple of teeth. His hair was a bowl cut of brown shaggy hair. Green eyes stared back into Dean’s who took in his little overalls and t-shirt. The demon kneeled to him. 

“Hi,” Dean spoke softly and kindly. “What’s your name, squirt?” The kid giggled and ducked quickly behind the clothes rack again. The demon went around the clothing rack, getting to the back of the clothes rack where the child would have been. 

He found himself no longer in the store. 

The demon gazed down at the hedge maze, then turned to scan the path behind him, but it vanished into the labyrinth. Only the oppressive sun and the maze surrounded him.

“Cas?” The demon called but no one responded. Dean turned around seeing the toddler peering at him from behind a hedge smiling again. “...Kid?”  The demon moved to get a better look at him but the kid bolted down the maze. 

“Come get me!” The kid laughed, Dean didn’t know why but he felt compelled to. 

“Wait!” The demon called before he bolted after him. Following the kid in turns after turns. “Wait, Kid!” Lost and confused, Dean bolted around the maze. He had no sense of direction or purpose. The heat was unbearable. Disoriented, he called out for the child once more, but the sound that escaped his lips startled him. “SAM!” The demon felt a hand yank him back roughly.

______________________________________________________________________

Castiel’s POV:

“DEAN!” The human screamed, barely pulling Dean out of the way of a semi on the road, the demon blinked seeing the semi-driver honking and cursing at them as he passed. “WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?! YOU CAN’T JUST WALK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD!”

“I-...” Dean glanced around so confused. “I-I wasn’t here...I was somewhere else.” Castiel looked like a frantic mother in his panic

“In your head maybe!” The human scoffed, checking him over for injuries. “Jesus, you scared me.”

“...but I was in a maze…” The demon started looking around making Castiel sigh.

“You stood next to me the whole time...you seemed out of it before you simply just walked out of the store and into oncoming traffic!” Castiel explained worriedly. “Don’t do that again. You stay by my side, got it? Hold my goddamn hand, if you need to, but don’t wander off!” 

“Okay…” Dean breathed. The human took a second to just look at him before he spoke again. 

“We got all we need, let’s go home,” Castiel spoke, taking the demon’s arm for the extra measure as he walked him back to the car. 

____________________________________________________________________

Castiel was busy writing a letter beside Dean, who was eating dinner. Dean watched curiously as the human scribbled, mumbling to himself as he referenced his notes. When he finished writing and signing the letter, Castiel turned to Dean with an innocent look.

“Are you willing to donate your hair to science?” The human asked.

“All of it?” Dean frowned, touching his hair. “...Okay, I guess.”

“Not all of it. I just need one or two strains.” Castiel chuckled as he rose and moved behind the demon. The demon glanced up at him. “Don’t look at me, I need to grab your hair, it’s making it difficult.”  

The human carefully plucked hairs, ensuring they had the root, from the demon's head as it looked forward. Dean winced slightly at the pinch but remained silent. Castiel then sealed the hairs in an envelope, wrote on it intently, licked a stamp, and affixed it to the envelope as the demon observed with curiosity.

“What are you doing?” The demon asked. 

“I’m taking some hair and sending it to my friend. He’s going to run some tests for me.” The human smiled at him. 

Dean, an agreeable test subject, allowed Castiel to do as he pleased. He found the demon to be pleasant company, though he was loath to admit it. Dean didn't even mind when the human took a few of his hair strains. Castiel gently petted the demon's head; he had been a very cooperative test subject.

“What are you hoping to see?” Dean eyed him.

“Just some more information about you guys biologically,” Castiel explained. “It’s nothing serious.” Dean nodded, not understanding that. the human snorted softly, noticing the demon didn’t know what he was talking about. “Don’t worry about it.” He got up and put the envelope and his keys on the side table for the next time he went out. 

Castiel turned back to Dean who was playing with a stamp, he took one placing it on his skin as the human sighed, moving to sit again. 

“Dean...Can I ask you a question?” Castiel took a seat on his desk. “What do you mean you slept for a long time when I asked about what you did in hell?”

“I mean I slept…” The demon looked down. 

“...Is that normal? To sleep for eighteen years?” The human asked as the demon shrugged. 

“I don’t know…” The demon, overcome with emotion, let out a breath and looked down. Dean shivered, remembering the cold, dark abyss where he had floated endlessly. Castiel's touch brought the demon back to reality.

“Dean?” Castiel spoke before he pulled his hand back. “You okay? You zoned out on me as you did at the store. It’s...It’s scary.” The human eyed him, it was like the demon was a completely different person when he zoned out. Like the vibes were off. Like the demon had… darkness to him. 

“Sorry.” Dean blinked, seeming out of it after thinking about it. 

“Did you want to talk about it?” Castiel asked but the demon seemed to recoil at that.

“Do...I have to?” The demon asked as the human took him in. Was the demon also scared when he zones like that?

“...We don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to…” Castiel stated with concern. “It just helps to feel better sometimes to talk about it.” Dean slowly turned to him.

“Then...I would like not to.” The demon smiled softly at him. This was the first time the demon refused him. 

“...Alright, come on. It’s bedtime.” The human stood tiredly. 

Castiel led Dean into the bedroom and directed him to the drawer that had been emptied for him. Dean retrieved his pajamas, as Castiel called them, and began to change. Castiel changed in the bathroom, only emerging when Dean said he was dressed. Meanwhile, Dean watched Castiel suspiciously.

“Okay,” Castiel spoke as he took a pillow and blanket to the couch, setting up a bed for the demon. “Now go to sleep.”

“Sleep?” Dean breathed in worry, something about it really set him off. The human saw the fear in the demon’s eyes. “N-No, I don’t want to!” 

“Dean?” Castiel spoke as the demon backed away. “Dean-” The human reached for him but the demon bolted out the front door. “DEAN!” Castiel panicked following him sliding on his sandals. 

Castiel was unable to keep up with Dean as the demon bolted down the stairs to the ground floor of the apartment building and disappeared into the rainy city night. Despite being in the middle of the city, the streets were relatively quiet. The human followed Dean outside, but the demon was already lost in the darkness.

“DEAN!” Castiel called holding himself from the cold. 

The human paced, conflicted. Should he wait for Dean to return on his own, or should he go after him? Dean was a supernatural creature; he could handle himself. But then Castiel remembered: Dean couldn't even eat a fry without help. How could he possibly navigate the harsh streets alone - or find his way back? 

He had to go after him. 

Castiel turned back towards the street and started to go find him with only his phone for light.

_____________________________________________________________________

“Dean!” The human called as he walked down a side street when he started past an alleyway he heard something knock into the trash cans inside. Castiel shined his light down there, not seeing anything, but he had to check. He walked down the alley stopping only when he came to see the demon sitting holding himself hiding behind a trash can. Castiel sighed so...sadly, he looked so spooked. “Dean…”

“No! I just woke up! I don’t want to go back!” The demon slammed back against the wall trying to get away from him before sliding down the wall holding his head and cradling himself. “P-Please! I’ll be good! Don’t make me sleep!”

“D-Dean?” Castiel kneeled to him, carefully reaching for him. He was shaking! He was so scared. “Dean…” The human softly cupped his face. “...I won’t let anything happen to you...I promise...I need you to trust me.”

“W-Why should I? Y-You hate me! I’m a monster!” The demon whimpered as Castiel’s heart hurt at those words.

“Why do you guys get all high and mighty about dignity when you brutally kill them.” The human snapped, grabbing for his stuff. “You are all monsters anyways, why do you even care about their dignity?!”

“...Dean, I didn’t mean it,” Castiel whispered. “I was mad, I shouldn’t have lashed out at you…” The human raised his face to look at him. “...If we are going to be stuck together for the next ten years, we need to trust each other. So trust me, when I say sleep...I mean the human sleep. That’s great. You’ll love it, and you get to wake up whenever you want.”

“I can?” The demon asked, perking up as Castiel nodded before he stood holding his hand out to him.

“Come on, we are going home...and we are holding hands. I don’t trust you not to run off.” The human joked as the demon slowly raised his hand placing it into Castiel’s. He helped him up before walking home together. 

_____________________________________________________________________

Getting home Castiel had them strip at the front door, throwing the wet clothes into the dryer. The human was too tired for modesty, grabbing towels from the laundry room, he gave the demon a towel to dry off. Making sure the demon cleaned his feet really well before heading to the bedroom. Dean and Castiel changed again into dry clothes. The human finished first walking to the couch, grabbing the blanket and pillow he had left there, and placing it back on his bed. 

“Come sit.” Castiel cooed softly as he moved into the bathroom to grab some pills, he placed two into the demon’s hand holding a cup of water. “Take this. Just put the pills in your mouth and swallow them with water. It will help you sleep.” 

The demon listened to his instructions before the human ushered him to lie on the bed, tucking him in before he went around turning off the light in the room. Castiel laid down beside the demon in bed turning to him as Dean stared at him. 

“It’s okay, we are both going to sleep,” The human whispered, moving to take his hand but the demon softly curled into him instead, taking advantage of the open space. He blushed, wanting to object, but...the demon was shaking. Castiel wrapped his arms around him, holding the bulker man close. “Mimic me.” 

The human watched as Dean took a slow deep breath. Trusting him, the demon listened as Castiel flowed calm and easy breathing. He soothed Dean with slow, caring strokes down his spine. The demon's shaking eventually subsided and his grip on Castiel relaxed. Pulling back slightly, the human could see Dean fighting to keep his eyes open.

“ It’s okay …” Castiel whispered so softly the demon could barely make it out. “ Close your eyes, till I count to ten okay ?” Dean closed his eyes. “ One…”  

Castiel only made it halfway through his count before the medicine finally took effect and Dean fell asleep. Releasing his grip on the demon, the human relaxed next to him and simply stared for a moment. As he watched Dean's lips move softly with each breath, He drifted off to sleep as well, counting the freckles on the demon's face as he did.

Chapter Text

"WHERE IS HE?!" The king boomed, his voice echoing through the room as the men bowed their heads in deference to his anger. The crowned prince, leaning against the door, observed his father's rage with a touch of annoyance. His mother's attempts to calm the king only served to amplify the commotion. The king's fury suddenly turned on his son. "WAS IT YOU?! YOU LET HIM OUT?! DO YOU KNOW WHAT HEAVEN WILL DO IF THEY GET AHOLD OF HIM?!"

“I do understand, but No. I didn’t let him out.” The older prince pushed off the wall, nonchalantly walking to his father. “I wouldn’t dare to earn your wrath.” The prince mocked as the king moved to him but the queen stopped her husband from striking him. 

“Lucifer! He wouldn’t! He’s just at that age where he’s stubborn is all!” The queen explained as Lucifer turned to her and then back at his son. 

“If I found out you let him out-” Lucifer glared but his son just eyed him amused. “...Find him. Get him back in his cage.”

“What is in it for me?” The prince asked as Lucifer glared. 

“Sam.” His mother sighed trying to calm them down but they were like oil and water, him and his father. 

“You will do it-” Lucifer hissed. 

“Lucy,” Sam’s mother spoke, making Lucifer sigh annoyed. 

“If you find him, I will let you mate someone of your choosing.” Lucifer offered making his son beam. 

“Done. I’ll find him.” Sam moved to leave, as Lucifer and his mother watched him go. 

Sam, eyeing the damage, moved to the pod that once held its prisoner. The pod was ripped open from the inside; it must have taken immense strength and power to escape. Sam was surprised anything could have survived this. He observed the blood on the metal pod before turning towards the exit.

“Now, if I escaped from my eternal slumber...where would I be…?” Sam asked, his eyes glowing as he tried to track him.

________________________________________________________________________

Castiel watched Dean sleeping peacefully beside him. The demon had been asleep for most of the morning, and according to Dean's earlier check, it had been almost ten hours. Castiel gently poked the demon's cheek, and Dean stirred slightly. Another poke caused the demon to open his eyes and blink tiredly at Castiel.

“Good morning, sleepyhead.” The human cooed to him as the demon sucked in air rubbing his eyes. “How was your sleep?” 

“Did I human sleep?” Dean mumbled making Castiel smile softly. 

“Yes. You human slept.” The human rested his chin on his palm. “Did you dream?” 

“Dream?” The demon asked as Castiel hummed “What’s that?” 

“It’s like...seeing things while human sleeping,” He stated but Dean shook his head no.

“I’m not sure…” Dean confessed.

“It’s okay, I don’t remember all my dreams either,” The human said sitting up. “Come on, time to get dressed and eat. I got food ready for you.”

“You have your shoes on,” The demon commented making him look down at them.

“Yeah, I have to go out,” The human spoke, nodding as Dean pouted. “I have to go somewhere.” 

“Do you have to?” The demon asked as Castiel touched and patted his head softly. 

“I’ll be back in a couple of hours,” He reassured. Dean nodded, accepting the fact Castiel had to go.

“Come back soon.” The demon breathed as the human turned to leave, leaving the demon home alone.

____________________________________________________________________

Castiel sat in the group meeting holding a coffee looking around anxious, he liked to take some coffee and just sit around. Since he had to go, he had no other options really. Requirements of being out of the mental ward and into his brother’s care, his brother’s requirements mind you. The human promised to go to the therapy aspect. He still kept his promise, except this was more of a group therapy get-together for trauma at a church near his house. 

Castiel came, drank some hot chocolate, and left. 

He never spoke about his mother here. It wasn’t his cup of tea to be so open about it. He hated the meetings, he hated coming here weekly. The human rubbed his face, feeling stubble he hadn’t shaved. He was debating about shaving it when a voice got his attention. 

“Castiel, coming for the cocoa, or are you interested in participating this time?” Benny, the priest who ran this program. A nice friendly fellow. He couldn’t stand people that were bubbly all the time. 

“No,” Castiel spoke before he turned to help himself to a donut. “I also came for the donuts.” Benny did a belly chuckle before patting his back.

“Always the jokester!” Benny smiled before moving away to call the group together. He didn’t know why Benny always seemed to find the positive side of things. It was annoying. Some people need to be sad. Some people need to feel something. Emptiness is a worse fate than being sad. The human looked away, holding the cup close. Losing his mom...he was swallowed in the emptiness. “Alright, everyone come take a seat!” 

Castiel sighed and bit into his donut before going to sit in the circle of chairs. 

_______________________________________________________________________

Dean’s POV:

Dean moved to the window near the fire escape, pushing it open, and leaned out to look at the city. It was off when he was home alone, it reminded him of his sleep. It was quiet in his sleep, he remembers nothing but the feeling of emptiness. The void of nothing. When you are in a pod, even in the liquid, you eventually lose the feeling of it. Your body adjusts to it and soon you have nothing left but yourself and the void of the liquid around you. He didn’t remember much about the time in the pod but he did remember. 

Fighting, the feeling of drowning as someone forced his head down the water, he needed for air-

The demon glanced at the door as it opened, but it wasn't the human who entered. A man walked in carrying a bag of groceries, which he set on the counter before turning on the light. Dean quickly hid in the darkness of the living room, concealed from the man who began unpacking the groceries.

Grabbing pots and pans from the cabinets, the demon curiously watched him. The man seemed to know his way here, he had a key, he must know Castiel. Dean took in his short stature, his brown hair, and a business suit. 

The man cursed, cutting himself with a knife, the demon’s eyes started to glow at the smell of it. Blood. His eyes glowed red before he closed his eyes trying to stop the urges this smell gave him. He never felt this way, the demon grabbed for the dining room chair to steady himself as the stranger turned to the noise. 

“Cas?” The man called as Dean squeezed his eyes closed hearing the man walking slowly towards the dark dining room. 

The demon squeezed his eyes closed harder, trying to bury himself into the darkness of the room when the light flipped on. Dean opened his eyes hearing the light switch, looking up. The man looked at him in fear, backing up as the demon pulled his eyes away from him to hide them with a hand in front of his face as his eyes continued glowing. 

“Who the fuck are you and what are you doing in my brother’s apartment?!” The man snapped. 

Dean was breathing heavily, closing his eyes again holding his knees to his chest. He could hear this man’s heartbeat. Thump. Thump. Thump. 

“Stay back.” The demon held his head. Thump. Thump. Thump. 

“No! Who are you?! Did you break in?!” The man’s eyes moved to the open window. He snatched the demon’s wrist forcing him up. “Get out before I call the cops!” Dean’s eyes snapped open, his eyes glowing brightly as he slammed the man into the wall. 

The man blinked in fear as the demon moved to him at inhuman speeds biting roughly into the man’s neck. The man froze in shock, feeling the bite to his jugular as the demon swallowed the blood hungrily. 

“Stop! It’s Me!” The demon was abruptly knocked off the man as someone slammed into him. Blood trickled down the man's neck as he slid to the ground, clutching it. Dean, struggling beneath the unrecognized man, glared at him with intensely glowing eyes. The man, head bowed, pulled a syringe from his pocket. “I’m not going to hurt you!” 

The man's words did little to deter Dean's struggle. But his efforts were futile, and he soon succumbed to the injection in his neck. An immediate wave of disorientation washed over him, and he collapsed, unconscious, beneath the man. The man, panting heavily, was still atop the demon when the front door swung open. The homeowner stood in the doorway, his eyes widening in shock at the scene before him. His gaze fell upon the stranger looming over Dean, and then...

“Gabriel?!” He dropped his stuff at the door bolting to him, moving to cover his neck with his sleeve. “Oh my god!” Gabriel choked out a syllable. The human moved with shaking hands to dial nine one one, he was panicked and in shock. 

“They won’t make it.” The tall man spoke as he glanced up in tears seeing the man’s eyes glow.

“Y-You’re a demon?” The human choked softly. “D-... Did you do this?” 

“No.” The tall man stated as Castiel’s eyes widened in surprise. 

“D...Dean?” The human turned to the passed-out man sleeping peacefully on the ground. 

“He needed blood. Judging by your friend’s finger, he cut himself.” The tall man kneeled looking at the fading life of the man losing blood. “I shall heal him, due to this accident...it's not his time.” 

The tall man placed his hand on his brother’s neck as it healed. The human breathed in relief as the demon pulled away from Gabriel. The wound. It was gone. 

“We shall go. We have caused enough trouble-” The tall demon moved to walk out the door with him but...A barrier kept him from pulling the demon’s body out the door. “What?” The tall demon tried again but it failed, he brought Dean back inside before shooting the human a glare. “What have you done?!”

“I-I…” Castiel choked as the tall demon eyed him. 

“What did you wish for?” The demon asked. “Never have I seen this happen before.”

“I-I wished for him,” He whispered. “I wished to study him, to understand him!” 

“Why the hell would you bond your life to a human?!” The demon hissed to the passed-out demon. 

“You guys took our mother!” Castiel hissed back. “I-I...I just wanted closure!” 

“...You wanted to figure out your mother’s wish.” The demon scoffed annoyed. “We can’t just tell you. Wishes are private-” 

“I-I know!” The human snapped as the demon eyed you.

“You’re Castiel. That troublemaker. I have heard of you.” The demon spoke. “Taking advantage of a youngin and making this deal is-”

“I had no choice!” He snapped. “You weren’t giving me answers. I did what I had to.” 

“Well...now you’re coming with me.” The tall demon snapped, throwing the human over his shoulder before he grabbed Dean doing the same.

“Let me go!” Castiel fought but Gabriel ran in front of the door.

“Stop! You aren’t taking my brother!” His brother spoke.

“Get out of my way.” The tall demon snapped.

“No!” Gabriel stubbornly hissed as the tall demon rolled his eyes in annoyance. With a sigh, the demon dropped Gabriel harshly onto the floor, then carefully placed Dean onto the couch. Castiel groaned in pain as he landed on the floor.

“What’s your problem?!” The human stood holding his arm.

“You are.” The tall demon snapped. “How can you be so stupid?!”

“Me?!” Castiel scoffed. 

“What’s going on?” Gabriel asked to get to the bottom of this. “Start with who the hell you are.” 

“I’m Sam, the demon prince.” The demon explained coldly. 

“The royal family?” He blinked in surprise. “...What would you want with Dean?” 

“Dean?” The tall demon eyed him but the human pointed to Dean.

“I-I gave him a name, he couldn’t have my name,” Castiel explained. “Especially if we were stuck with each other for ten years-”

“Dean isn’t...a normal demon.” Sam started. “He’s in danger here. Anywhere even.” 

“What’s going on?” Gabriel moved forward. “Why isn’t he normal?”

“Castiel has Dean told you about his past?” The demon asked as the human shook his head no.

“H-He remembers being asleep for a very long time. That’s it. He doesn’t even know how to eat with a spoon! How much of a past can he have?”

“...He doesn’t remember anything besides the pod?” Sam turned to see Dean sleeping.

“That’s all he does.” Castiel nodded.

“Now mind explaining why you felt the need to kidnap my brother and...his demon?” Gabriel crossed his arms.

“Dean...is my brother,” Sam explained. 

“So...He’s a royal prince too?” Castiel spoke in surprise. 

“Yes,” Dean's brother stated. “That’s why he needs to come with me. There are things far beyond you humans, and it’s dangerous for him to be open like this.”

“Who would mess with a prince of hell?” Gabriel scoffed at not buying it.

“One that can change the world as we know it,” Sam explained. “For better or worse.”

“What do you mean?” Castiel asked. 

“...When Dean was born...he was born cursed...his abilities were so powerful that the second he came into life the worlds darkened. With it the ones who sought power. ” The demon's brother started holding himself. 

“No one is sure why or how...but with his birth came monsters, humans and angels alike came for him. Wars were fought, and my father agreed with heaven that Dean must be destroyed...but he couldn’t...more like my mother wouldn’t let him.” Sam explained. “They hid Dean away by placing him into a pod locking him away for all time...but he got out..and ended up here. Now is memory ‘loss’-”

“Dean...is really innocent.” Castiel turned to look at him. “Whatever happened to him, he really has no idea about anything. Who he is. What he is. None of it.” The demon's brother looked at Dean sadly. 

“Escaping that pod...it must have done something to his memories.” Sam breathed.

“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?” Gabriel asked.

“Not sure...I guess not knowing will help me sleep better at night.” Dean's brother spoke looking down Castiel wanted to ask him more about that comment but his brother continued.

“How did he end up here with Castiel if he was locked away?” Gabriel asked. 

“Not sure, we keep him in a secure location with the other pods. It’s hard to find him in a sea of other baby demons. It was our way to keep him safe from anyone who would want him...he must have gotten out and ended up in the line of new releases. Ended up on a crossroads...and ended up here.” Sam looked at Castiel making his brother turn to him in anger.

“You wanted this?” Gabriel whispered making Castiel hold himself. “You told me all these years a demon killed her, and you agreed to the same situation you thought mom did?”

“I-I just needed to know,” Castiel whispered.

“Needed to know what?!” His brother hissed. 

“I needed to know why she hated us so badly that she made a wish to die in ten years!” Castiel snapped back. “She left us knowing we would be alone!”

“Cas…” Gabriel tried to touch him but Castiel turned away. 

“I want to know what was so important to her that she decided to die.” Castiel looked at him in tears. “I have to know.” 

“...” His brother said nothing as he moved to hold his brother. Castiel cried softly, holding his brother back. 

“Hate to break up this family reunion but we should be going,” Dean's brother said.

“Wait, go where?” Castiel asked, pulling away from his brother.

“Him being here is dangerous for every human around. So you, him, and I will be going.” Sam stated but Castiel shook his head. 

“No, I’m not going anywhere.” Castiel crossed his arms. 

“You have no choice.” He frowned. 

“Whoa, you are not taking my brother anywhere!” Gabriel moved between them. 

“This doesn’t concern you,” Sam stated. 

“It sure the hell does,” His brother spoke but Dean's brother ignored him.

“I need to keep my brother safe. If he returns to hell, my father will just kill him so heaven doesn’t find out and if heaven finds out, they will come and kill everything in their way just so they can either use him as a weapon or kill him.”

“Does anyone know he’s even here?” Castiel stated. 

“I do-” Sam started. 

“Anyone even knows he’s missing besides the royal family?” Castiel asked as Dean's brother frowned. “I’ll take it as a no. Then why move him? He’s safe here with me.”

“He won’t be for long-” Sam scoffed.

“Well, we will burn that bridge when we get to it, won’t we?” Castiel stated. “I understand you want to protect him, but moving him can cause more harm than good.”

“Why should I listen to you?” Dean's brother snapped. “It’s my brother’s life.”

“Mine too!” Castiel snapped back. “He’s my ward til the day I die. He trusts me. If I don’t trust you, he won’t.”

“...It’s dangerous-” Sam hesitated. 

“Then when you say it’s no longer safe, we will go. If you take us now, where will we go?” Castiel crossed his arms as Sam rolled his eyes. He was right.

“Let me get arrangements for a...safe house of sorts. We can run to it if something goes wrong.” His brother agreed. “That way, we are prepared.”

“Then I will stay here. With him.” He stated not budging on this.

“Why doesn’t Gabriel take you? He’s got a spare room? Otherwise, you’ll be sleeping on the floor. I have no room for anyone else. Dean’s got the couch.” Castiel offered as his brother shot him a look. “He saved your life, you kinda owe him one.”

“And who’s fault is that?!” Gabriel hissed as Castiel blinked innocently. “Fine, come on sasquatch. We can visit them tomorrow.” Sam frowned at the nickname but followed him towards the door. 

“We leave when I say we leave. No objections.” Dean's brother insisted as Castiel nodded. 

“I agree,” Castiel spoke, ushering him out the door. “I have blood to clean up, and you have some quality time to spend together since you will be living together. I’ll see you tomorrow!” 

“Cas-!” His brother tried but the door slammed in their faces. Gabriel sighed, annoyed, turning to Sam. “Come on, are you hungry? I think I still have some leftovers in my fridge.” 

Dean's brother had given Castiel's door a final glance before leaving the apartment with Gabriel. Castiel sat in the lone chair, watching Dean sleep observing the rise and fall of Dean's chest as he slept. Sam had said…that Dean was a prince. It was clear that Dean's dreams held more than just this. Who was the real Dean? Was it the peaceful soul sleeping before him, or something more sinister?

A whimper escaped Dean's lips as he stirred in his sleep, and Castiel knelt beside him. Gently, he placed a hand on Dean's forehead, calming the demon's nightmare and restoring peace to his breathing. Castiel withdrew his hand, his gaze lingering on Dean's peaceful form.

He had always hated Demons, he hated everything about them.

They took his mother.

Dean...Dean wasn’t like the others. 

He wasn’t like the ones who took his mom.

Dean was good...inside and out. 

He stopped when Castiel asked. 

He didn’t even hesitate to let his meal go. 

Castiel said stop and the demon listened to him. 

No monster would have stopped because some human told them to. Dean whimpered again as Castiel kneeled beside him, petting his hair. 

“It’s okay, Dean. I will protect you.” Cas trusted the demon without hesitation, which surprised him. They definitely needed each other. Gently, Castiel took Dean’s hand and leaned his head. The demon’s calm breathing helped Castiel fall asleep right there next to him.

Chapter Text

The clatter of something breaking jolted the human awake. He looked over to see the demon was no longer on the couch, but standing in the kitchen, staring down at the pot he'd just shattered with his demonic strength. Dean blinked innocently.

“Dean, I told you not to touch it.” Castiel got up moving to help him clean up. 

“Sorry, you make it look so easy.” The demon smiled innocently.

“What were you doing anyway?” The human asked. 

“I was trying to make you breakfast for a change,” Dean spoke but he wasn’t exactly getting it right.

“That’s nice of you but My kitchen and I would appreciate you not to.” Castiel slowly took the eggs from him when a knock on the door made the human turn. “Just a second-” He frowned when the front door was opened with force breaking the door off the hinge. 

“Sam!” Gabriel groaned. “We talked about this.”

“I don’t remember my strength,” The giant mumbled awkwardly, setting the door down. Castiel turned to move to yell at him but the demon pulled him behind him. 

“Get out.” Dean snapped to the demon. Sam eyed him slowly and amused a smirk on his face. 

“Dean...he-” The human tried but the giant raised a hand stopping him as Sam took off his coat, tossing it on a chair.

“Why are you trying to fight me?” The giant asked curiously. “...Do you remember who I am?” 

“Re...member?” The demon whispered confused but Sam paused reaccessing his question. “...Who are you...and why do you think I know you?”

“...” Sam’s eyes slowly moved to Castiel, and Dean stepped in front of him protectively instantly from the giant’s gaze. Sam smirked even more with a laugh. “...Are you trying to protect your first meat puppet? Your first to be harvested soul? It’s cute, but I don’t want him. Besides, I could break every bone in your body before you could even think of trying to hit me.” 

Dean clenched his fist as the giant stepped toward him he chuckled amused.

“...You still want to fight me?” Sam asked. Castiel's demon gave him a look of anger like one false step could make him snap. The giant rolled up his sleeve as Dean stared coldly. “Okay.” 

The human looked at Sam, initially thinking he was joking…but the second he realized, Castiel's eyes widened in fear. Sam wasn't joking. Sam smirked amused.

“Sam. No-” Castiel gasped in terror as the giant rushed toward him and Dean. In a swift motion, Castiel's demon shoved him aside, sending him crashing into a dining room chair to keep him safe. Just then, Sam drove Dean through the wall of the human's apartment. As he fell, the giant twisted mid-air, landing a powerful kick to Dean's chest that sent him crashing to the floor. The innocent demon hit the ground hard, letting out a grunt of pain, while Sam landed next to him with a smirk on his face.

“Stay. Down.” Sam commented with a scoff turning to return to the house but...Dean stood despite his pain brushing the dirt off of him. “...You still want to fight me?” 

The innocent demon charged at him with lightning speed, leaving the giant little time to react as Dean swung a fist his way. Sam managed to catch it, but just barely; The innocent demon's speed was overwhelming. He had hardly registered the punch before he instinctively moved to block it. In a swift motion, the giant twisted Dean's arm behind his back to thwart the assault, but Castiel's demon retaliated with a headbutt that caught Sam off guard. The giant groaned as he stumbled back, clutching his broken nose. Shaking off the pain, he spat out the dark blood that filled his mouth.

“SAM, STOP!” Castiel yelled.

Dean charged at him with lightning speed, leaving Sam little time to react as Dean swung a fist his way. The giant managed to catch it, but just barely; Castiel's demon's speed was overwhelming. He had hardly registered the punch before he instinctively moved to block it. In a swift motion, Sam twisted Dean's arm behind his back to thwart the assault, but Castiel's demon retaliated with a headbutt that caught the giant off guard. Sam groaned as he stumbled back, clutching his broken nose. Shaking off the pain, he spat out the dark blood that filled his mouth. 

“Gabriel! Stop! They are going to kill each other!” He panicked.

“Who cares?!” Castiel's brother snapped. “Do you seriously want to get in the middle of them?!”

“Stop getting distracted!” The giant hissed but Castiel's demon only faltered a moment before he fought back. Blood splattered on the floor as they fought, Sam only stopping when Dean fell onto the ground dizzy, coughing up blood. The innocent demon squeezed his eyes shut trying to stop spinning. He tried to get up but the giant growled down at him pushing his foot into his chest. “Stay. Down.”

Dean panted weakly before he collapsed into the dirt for the last time just closing his eyes. Castiel broke away from Gabriel to bolt to his side. 

“Dean?!” Castiel moved to hold his head on his knee, cupping his face. “Are you okay?!” Sam watched coldly spitting blood onto the floor as Castiel's demon passed out from his injuries.

“Did you accomplish whatever this stunt was for?” Castiel's brother asked as the giant smirked in his direction. “You didn’t hold back for a reason.”

“I wanted to see if this memory loss was a ruse.” Sam beamed innocently. “But it’s genuine. He’s not faking it. All that boy knows is Castiel…He could have ended that fight easily. I wouldn’t have been able to stop him if he really could remember. No way he would lose on purpose.”

“What’s the deal with him? I can tell even you are scared of him.” Gabriel crossed his arms. The giant said nothing for a long time. 

“I told you, he was cursed,” Sam mumbled.

“What does that mean?! Why does heaven, hell, and all its monsters want him?!” Castiel's brother snapped.

“Look. I don’t know. I was a child when they locked him away.” The giant stated. “But...he’s powerful.”

“He’s a weapon...it’s he?” Gabriel spoke as Sam glanced up at him. “Controlling him is controlling the world-”

“If he doesn’t destroy it himself...yes.” The giant crossed his arms. 

“...He’s doomsday,” Castiel's brother said understanding. “The apocalypse! That’s why they all want him!”

“I won’t let anyone hurt him. He’s my brother. I failed once to protect him and I have to live with that.” Sam snapped.

“You failed to protect my brother. Now he’s stuck in this mess.” Gabriel hissed. “Your father should have gone through and killed him as he promised. Because if anything happens to my brother, I’ll kill you, him, and everyone I have to.”

“I didn’t hold a gun to anyone’s head to make a deal.” The giant pointed growling in Castiel's brother’s face. “You should have been your brother’s keeper-”

“That’s rich, coming from you-” Gabriel spoke, getting in his face. Sam clenched his teeth as he stared down at the shorter man. 

“Stop it! Both of you!” Castiel yelled, getting their attention. “Dean’s really badly hurt. I need help.” 

Sam moved toward Dean after exchanging a glare with Castiel's brother able to easily bring Dean back to the apartment.

__________________________________________________________________________

The giant gestured over the apartment's gaping hole as it began to repair itself. Once Dean had fallen asleep, Castiel emerged from the bedroom, clutching a first aid kit. He headed to the sink to clean the blood from his hands and spotted the dark blood his demon had lost. At least Sam was telling the truth about that; Dean bore the royal black blood.

“You didn’t need to patch us up. We are healing.” The giant commented holding a cloth to his nose. “We should heal in a couple of hours.”

“If Dean wasn’t bleeding black blood I would have taken him to the hospital, no thanks to you.” Castiel snapped, cleaning his hands. 

“He’s fine, besides, he needs to be put in his place. He might not remember me, but he will at least follow me. I have demonstrated I’m his alpha. It will save us trouble up the line.” Sam commented. 

“What do you mean, you’re his alpha?” Castiel asked curiously, turning to look at him as he dried his hands. 

“We have...ranks. He doesn’t remember me, so he doesn’t know where he sits with me.” The giant sniffed, wiping his nose of blood. “We normally fight to show dominance and protect what’s ours.” 

“So you fought him to stop him from disobeying you,” The human asked.

“Yes and no. I stopped him from challenging me when I’m near you.” Sam stated. “He did all that…” He waved at the fixed wall. “To protect you.”

“Protect me?” Castiel spoke back. 

“He’s...imprinted on you like a baby duck or something. I haven’t seen anything like that before. I don’t know how else to explain it. We normally don’t fight demons over humans.” The giant scoffed, holding his bloody nose. “Fuck, he broke my nose good.” Sam moved his broken nose snapping it back into place making Gabriel turn to look away and not vomit at the crunching noise. “That feels so much better.” The human walked over handing him more tissues which the giant was grateful for.  “Got a shower?” 

Castiel pointed him over to the bathroom which Sam saluted and moved to the bathroom pulling off his shirt. Castiel's brother turned to his brother once he heard the shower running, grabbing for his hand and getting up.

“We are leaving.” Gabriel hissed moving to pull his brother out the door. 

“What?” Castiel asked, confused trying to pull his hand away. “No, Let me go. I’m staying.”

“Demons?! Really?!” Castiel's brother snapped. “This whole thing, this deal with the demon is done. You are coming home with me-” Gabriel turned to pull them out of the door, but Dean yanked his human back into the house. Castiel gasped in surprise as he slammed softly back into his arms. Dean wrapped an arm around his human and stared coldly at Castiel's brother.

“He said he’s staying,” Dean said, his eyes flashing red in threat. “Are you okay?” Castiel blinked realizing he was talking to him.

“Yeah, my brother and I are just...talking.” Castiel looked up at him taking in the bandages all over Dean’s body he had placed there, along with the large bruises. Hel wasn’t sure how he was even standing. “...You need to be resting, you shouldn’t be up. Come on, back to bed.”  The innocent demon glanced at Gabriel. “I’ll be okay, we are just talking.” 

Castiel slowly moved out of Dean’s arms before helping him back to the bed.  The innocent demon winced, sitting back down, but he was gentle to help him back to bed. 

“Stay in bed. Don’t get up till you are rested.” Castiel commented as Dean stared at him. “I can tell you just want to pass out again, and Sam reassured you won’t die from your injuries. So rest.”

“Sam?”  The innocent demon asked making him paused tucking him in. “...That demon? Who is he?” Castiel took a seat on the bed as Dean eyed him.

“...He says he’s your brother,” The human stated. “...You both have the black blood. He seems to be telling the truth.”

“I have a brother?”  The innocent demon paused. “Why don’t I remember him?” 

“He said you must have forgotten when you escaped your pod.” Castiel hesitated. “He said that is normal.” He lied.

“Oh…” Dean glanced down thinking before he raised his head to Castiel. “Do you trust him?”

“...Me?” Castiel blinked, turning away shyly under his intense stare. “Why do you care what I think?” He turned back to look at Dean when he realized he had sat up inches from his face. 

“Because I trust you,”  The innocent demon stated seriously, Castiel eyed his face taken back. 

“But….why?” Castiel swallowed. Dean's fingers softly brushed against Castiel's cheek, as if he was examining a painting. Castiel's lips parted slightly when hi's thumb grazed them. He let out a shaky breath against Dean's thumb, realizing he had been holding his breath. “I’m...not anyone...really...especially a judgment call like that.”

“Because...it’s you, Cas.” His demon breathed like it was obvious. “...Me and you, till the end...isn’t that right?”

The end.

The human looked spooked slightly by his words, he was right. Ten years. Ten years till their end. Till Dean would come for his soul, bounded by their bond. Fate. His demon would be his reaper and take all that he knew away...but why did Castiel...trust him?

Dean leaned closer, snapping Castiel out of his thoughts. The human could feel his breath against his lips. His demon’s face was so close to his. He could feel Dean’s soft fingertips lightly holding up his chin. Speaking as though he read his mind. 

“One day, I will eat you, my pretty... but for now.” His demon's gaze lingered on the human's face before he playfully traced his tongue along Castiel's lips. “... You’re mine.” 

Castiel observed as Dean gradually withdrew, his eyes shimmering with an unfamiliar intensity. This red hue was unlike anything he had seen before. The atmosphere crackled with tension as his demon wore a knowing smirk, causing the human's breath to hitch. Uncertain of why, he found himself shifting into Dean's lap, pushing him back onto the bed. There was an undeniable force as if the very fabric of gravity conspired to draw them closer-

BANG.

Castiel was startled by a noise from the living room and suddenly realized he was in a compromising position, straddling Dean with their faces close. The moment's intensity disappeared as his demon's eyes went from bright and intense back to their normal green, confusion replacing desire. The human instinctively pulled back, his fingers trembling as they left Dean's lips. He scrambled off his demon, quickly removing his hand from Dean's backside, and started pacing nervously in the thick, tense air.

“Well, goodnight, I’ll wake you in a bit….Excuse me.” Castiel turned to leave but his demon’s voice stopped him.

“Do you trust him?” Dean’s voice made the human pause at the door. 

“I don’t know,” Castiel admitted, looking away. “What he has been saying sounds true….but I’m still hesitant to trust him.” Dean watched the human quickly throw open the door and leave, leaving his demon alone. 

____________________________________________________________________

Castiel closed the door with a relieved breath, about to knock his brain with what the hell happened when he noticed what caused the loud bang. The giant angrily stood over Castiel's brother. His fist was slammed into the wall beside his head. They glared daggers at each other as the human walked over. 

“What the fuck, you two.” Castiel snapped as Sam moved away from the human, Gabriel continued to glare like his life wasn’t in danger. “Are either of you going to explain the hole in my wall?” He said nothing sitting in a towel and looking away.  “Gabriel, are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Castiel's brother explained as he ushered Castiel to the door. “Grab your shoes, they will need clothes here right?” 

“But-” He tried but Gabriel had grabbed his shoes and shoved him out the door. 

________________________________________________________________________

Gabriel’s POV:

Gabriel sat at his normal coffee shop with his brother after their shopping, He was breathing calming stewing in his annoyance. He was enjoying a sweet this morning, which he only broke his diet when annoyed which made his brother amused by him always. 

“I love the sounds of quiet in the morning.” Gabriel breathed. 

“Sam really got your feathers all riled up.” Castiel crossed his legs sitting back looking amused. “What was that whole thing?”

“What whole thing?” He asked. 

“Where he punched a hole in my wall?” His brother chuckled as Gabriel’s face looked annoyed.

“I just told him the truth,” He stated. 

“What do you mean?” Castiel tilted his head. 

“I just told him his brother doesn’t matter and you will always come first,” Gabriel stated. “I will never have anything happen to you, I promised mom-”

“I know.” His brother sighed softly.

“I failed to protect you by letting you even get in this deal,” He mumbled sipping his drink. “But I promise. I will find a way to save you and get you out of this contract.”

“I knew what I was doing,” Castiel mumbled back shyly as Gabriel shook his head.

“You didn’t. Do you know how I know that? Because after losing mom, you would have never made me lose you too.” He hissed, his brother glanced down at his tea at his words. Gabriel and Castiel said nothing for a long time.

“I’m sorry…” Castiel spoke softly as Gabriel looked away.

“Right now, sorry isn’t good enough,” He stated. “I love you and I won’t lose you. Even if I have to kill every Demon on this planet…but I just have to know. Does finding out why mom killed herself really worth it?”

“...She didn’t kill herself,” His brother whispered. 

“By signing that deal...she did,” Gabriel spoke, rubbing his eyes trying not to cry. He never cried. He bottled it up, Castiel hated to make his brother feel like crying.

“...I have to know,” His brother whispered again. 

“...And you really think Dean will tell you?” Gabriel asked.

“....Yeah. I think he will. With time.” Castiel stated. “If I play my cards right.”

“I really hope risking your life is worth it,” He commented but his brother didn’t answer. He knew it was. It haunted his life, and with this answer, he would get the closure he needed. 

“We should get back.” Castiel stood as Gabriel sighed. 

“Do we have to?” He sighed.

“Yes, I don’t trust Sam to be alone with Dean for too long.” His brother grabbed his bags and walked towards the car. Gabriel finished his cake before he moved to follow, grabbing his bags for the giant. They got into the car as Castiel sighed softly patting his knee anxiously. He took his time to start the car. “Are you okay with taking Sam?” 

“I took him home once,” Gabriel said. “At least I know Dean has to allow you to be alive for ten years. I don’t like him but I like him a lot more than Sam...You owe me for this.”

“I do.” His brother beamed at him innocently. “Thank you, big brother!” Castiel sucked up to him making him smile unable to stop himself. 

“Kiss ass.” Gabriel chuckled as His brother laughed loudly at that.

“You know I love you.” Castiel beamed as he shook his fist playfully at him. “Hey, can we get fast food? Dean should be up when we get there.”

“Fine, but I’m not paying,” Gabriel mumbled but his brother blinked innocently at him. “...Fine. I’ll pay. It’s all my money anyways.” 

“Love you.” Castiel beamed again as he pulled out of the parking spot. They pulled up to a fast food place, ordering when Gabriel sighed waiting to pay. 

“...Cas, when this is over, and I get your soul out of this deal… Promise me you will actually live.” Gabriel turned to him. “...You’ve lived in our mother’s shadow of her death for too long. Ever since we lost her, I feel like I lost you too.”

“I know…” His brother stated. “...I’m sorry.”

“Don’t say sorry to me.” Gabriel waved him off. “Say sorry to yourself. You gave up on yourself before you even started.”

“...” Castiel said nothing as he sighed sadly. 

“I love you,” Gabriel whispered, patting his brother’s knee with care. 

“I know.” Castiel gave him a reassuring soft smile as he moved to pull up to pay.

___________________________________________________________________

Castiel’s POV:

Castiel entered the kitchen and noticed Sam and Dean seated at the table. Their postures suggested a prior conversation, likely tense given Dean's crossed arms and the distance he kept from Sam. Dean remained uncertain about his feelings towards his brother. The giant looked up briefly as Castiel set the food before them.

“You okay, Dean?” Castiel asked.

“He’s fine,” Sam reassured moving to grab his meal but Castiel ignored him till Dean eyed his human and nodded softly. Castiel moved away to place the clothes he bought Dean in his bedroom before he came back out to see Gabriel placing their food in front of the brothers. 

“Thanks for the meal,” The giant said, scarfing it down. Dean, though, was confused by the wrapping. Dean hesitantly took a bite of the wrapped burger but stopped, not sure if that was right. Sam noticed before the human could react to help him. “See?” Sam moved to unwrap the burger which Dean curiously eyed the paper wrapping. “You eat this part,” The giant explained. 

Castiel slowly moved to sit next to his brother watching him, Sam seemed...to really care about Dean. He wasn’t lying about that. The way he delicately explained the wrapping to his brother. Answering Dean’s confused questions like why they wrapped it. Where did this cooked food come from? Why was this in a bag? Dean would turn after each answer to gauge his human’s reaction. Castiel would slightly nod to show Dean that what the giant was saying was the truth before Dean asked another. 

“You aren’t lying,” Gabriel mumbled before taking a bite of his own burger. “He really is clueless.” Castiel turned to his brother who seemed to be watching the demon brothers as well. It was quite odd to be so helpless. It was a show to them...but Dean. He wondered how Dean was mentally taking all this. 

Discovering he had a brother and that there were things he'd forgotten, things he didn't know, troubled him. The curse...He wondered if Sam would tell Dean about the curse and why Dean had been locked away. Castiel watched Dean eat properly once he'd been shown how to open the burger wrapper. Castiel could tell Dean about the curse too. Just come out and say it. If Castiel were Dean, he would have wanted to know...but...he couldn't. Dean moaned happily as he ate, and the giant beamed.

“It’s good, right?” Sam asked but Dean just stuffed more bites into his mouth. “Chew first! You’ll choke!” Dean didn’t listen, just taking more and more bites till he was struggling to chew. The giant snorted in laughter as Castiel tilted his head staring sadly at Dean.

He knew he couldn’t tell him.

As much as he knew Sam couldn’t. 

There was something so pure...so whole in Dean.

If the world was going to break Dean...Castiel’s wouldn’t strike the first blow. 

It was better Dean didn’t know…

Dean roughly continued to fit the food in his mouth as the giant tried to pry his mouth open. 

“You can’t eat all of that! You need to eat slowly!” Sam spoke, grabbing Dean’s head but Dean kept leaning away to shove more food in. Castiel chuckled softly, and Gabriel fought to contain his own laughter. The giant and Dean tumbled out of their chairs, wrestling on the floor. Dean tried to force more food into Sam's mouth while he struggled against him. The brothers' antics sent Castiel into fits of laughter.

Chapter Text

Castiel’s POV:

It was a process he realized, getting Dean to sleep at night. He was still scared, always needing coaxing to lay down. He had given up any attempts to have him sleep on the couch. If he didn’t want Dean up alone every night, he quickly adjusted to needing to give him about an hour to calm him enough to sleep. Holding his hand or face softly as he whispered at him it was going to be okay. Though he thought it would annoy him to have to do this…he found himself looking forward to the almost meditation he did to get Dean to sleep. Staring into his green eyes as Dean blinked them waiting for the medication feeling the human’s thumb softly moving against his cheek.

“Do you remember being asleep?” Dean asked as Castiel tilted his head softly at the words. 

“Like…my dreams?” He questioned but Dean didn’t answer, just continuing to wait for him to continue. “Not often. Sometimes I do remember my dreams…” Castiel continued. “...Do you remember your sleep?”

Dean blinked in thought taking the question more seriously than he thought he would. 

“...I remember being cold.” He breathed. “...I felt…cold.” 

“Cold?” The human repeated but Dean didn’t elaborate, he was sure it was because Dean didn’t know what else to say. “...Do you remember waking up?”

“...” Dean’s eyes fluttered in the memory and he quickly closed his eyes, flinching as though. “...it really hurt.” 

“Hurt?” Castiel whispered softly as Dean glanced away, obviously not wanting to talk about it, moving his face away from the human’s reach, making him suspend his hand in the air for a moment before putting it down on top of Dean’s hand. His eyes blinked tiredly making Castiel realize the demon wouldn’t be awake much longer. He seemed to be fighting the inevitable. “...It’s okay, Dean.” Dean’s eyes started to close. “Go to sleep.” 

Castiel rubbed soft circles on Dean’s hand till his breath evened out, he sighed, eyeing his face for a moment before getting out of the bed. His bare feet touched the cold laminated floors as he walked out to the kitchen to get water. Grabbing a cup from the cabinet, the human pressed his glass against the fridge water dispenser. Just listening to the water filling it up. 

He never thought he would be here. 

Helping a demon go to sleep.

Sam was right, he was like a baby duckling. 

Dean looked to him for reassurance when he was unfamiliar with things, and mostly anything having to do with the world around him. At least he didn’t have to teach him to shower by example. Luckily he was able to talk him through it from the other side of the door. 

What he didn’t understand was how Dean got to the crossroads. 

Sure, he got out of his prison, but what brought him there?

He glanced around the room curiously before he spoke wondering if his idea would work.

“Sam?” Castiel called to the air, a sound of shuffling made him turn to see the giant standing there. 

“You called?” Sam asked, leaning against the wall in the kitchen, Castiel set his water on the counter. 

“Shit, that worked?” He mumbled in thought. “I didn’t think demons could be summoned like that.”

“I’m paying attention since my brother’s your lap dog.” Sam glanced lazily at his nails. “In normal circumstances, I wouldn’t have bothered.” His eyes moved to him. “What do you want?”

“Dean was at the crossroads when I met him,” Castiel stated. “But how?”

“He was stored in the back of the fridge,” He commented before chuckling. “To keep him safe, they hid them among our pups.”

“Our pups?” He breathed remembering Dean had mentioned that before. “They are demons that haven’t made their first deal, correct?” 

“Yes.” Sam nodded. 

“...” Castiel contemplated his words looking confused, the giant realized and sighed. 

“What do you know about demon’s procreation?” He asked, the human paused. “I know you most likely asked.” 

“He said…that typical demons are unable to procreate with each other, and can only reproduce with humans,” Castiel stated. 

“We don’t carry our young like you either,” Sam explained. He pushed off the wall walking over to the human’s fridge. “We are a species derived from angels, like those pigeons, we hatch our children.”

“Hatch…like…eggs?” Castiel asked. The giant grabbed an apple, but the human frowned because he was saving it to make apple pie for Dean later.

“Yep. Like our counterparts, we have incubators that keep the children there till they are old enough to be on their own.” Sam explained. “Normally they are set to a heated temperature and kept nice and toasty.”

“...But Dean said he was cold?” The human breathed. 

“His…wasn’t an incubator,” Sam said. “Though he was housed in the same area, his wasn’t warm. Quite the opposite, actually.”

“...” Castiel blinked. “You…froze him?”

“I didn’t do anything.” The giant retorted, almost snapping. “I was a child myself.”

“So wait…you weren’t incubated?” Castiel spoke. “You said you were a child?”

"We are suspended in warm water when first placed in an incubator. The egg deteriorates as we age. We are completely submerged without the egg to protect us around age three and remain so until we are old enough to venture into the world and defend ourselves. The royal family, however, are born with their powers, and therefore do not need to be kept safe until they develop them," The giant explained.

“So how long has Dean been asleep?” He asked. 

“Almost twenty years.” The giant breathed. “He was forever frozen at eighteen, never aging a day.”

“So you guys like Cryo froze him and kept him suspended in time?” Castiel explained as Sam nodded. “...So when he got out-?”

“He must have followed the pups as they were released from their incubators,” Sam explained. “They are assigned clothes and a crossroad.” 

“...So that’s how I got Dean?” He breathed. 

“You got extremely lucky…or extremely unlucky.” The giant spoke biting into the apple. “Depends on your definition of lucky.”

“...Why are they so scared of him?” Castiel asked, pointing to the bedroom. “That man in there wouldn’t hurt a fly.” 

“He has no choice,” The giant spoke. “He was doomed from the start.” 

“I don’t understand.” He breathed. 

“...Your people talk about him a lot.” The giant leaned against the counter. “I believe you would call him the AntiChrist.” 

“What?” The human choked taking that in. “...but you’re his brother! Wouldn’t you also be considered an AntiChrist?” 

“...” Sam sighed softly, taking another bite of the apple. “...We are half- siblings. My brother was a result of an affair. A forbidden one between my father and another angel.” 

“Wasn’t your father an angel?” Castiel spoke. “Why would it matter?”

“That was why he fell.” He spoke. “Love.”

“Isn’t God all about love and light?” The human asked. “Why would he care?”

“...” Sam sighed. “...The angel he had fallen for was known as God’s Songbird. Her voice was so beautiful and all the heavens could hear her sing. However, she was precious to him. Locked away, untouched, and kept pure. Paranoid that the world would corrupt her.” 

He eyed the apple placing it on the table, the human watched as the giant’s eyes glowed. He raised his hand making the apple start to change. Pieces of the apple fell off into two little men and the apple itself turned into a cage with a smaller apple woman inside the bars of the apple prison. All the apple pieces springing to life. The apple angel known as Songbird curiously started to touch the bars of her prison.

“...Rumors were she was kept shackled to the wall of her room by a chain,” Sam spoke. The little apple girl in the cage began to experience everything the giant described as soon as he spoke. The words he uttered seemed to have a physical effect on her, a chain coming from the wall, pulling her backward with a yank, forcing a whimper from her lips, and causing her to fall hard to her knees.

“Her room was built to carry her songs throughout the heavens during set times throughout the day.” Sam continued. The angel in the cage started to sing. Its small voice was a pitchy whistle but still beautiful as she sat on her knees. “...Only two people had access to her. God’s most trusted. The angels Lucifer and Michael.”

The human’s eyes watched the apple pieces representing Lucifer and Michael grow the first letter of their name initial on their chest, which they patted curiously. Apple Michael and Lucifer happily moved to the cage. The little apples squeaked and were happy at their meeting. The little Songbird tried to stand to get closer but she was unable to. She pulled and tugged on the chain on her neck trying to get closer but it only caused her to fall onto her knees sadly. 

“They all became the best of friends. Enjoying their time with the Songbird.” Sam continued. Apple Michael turned to leave, leaving Apple Lucifer alone with the Songbird. “Through their interactions…Lucifer and the Songbird ended up falling in love,”  Apple Lucifer eyed her tenderly before holding out a piece of apple. Knowing she couldn’t reach it, he tossed it towards her. She seemed hesitant at first watching it roll in front of her, but then lovingly accepted it, smiling down at the piece.

“They knew God would never let her go,” The giant spoke, placing his hand in front of Apple Lucifer blocking his path from the Apple Songbird. The Songbird whimpered as Apple Lucifer was knocked onto his butt. “...So he planned a rebellion. All to rescue her.” 

Apple Lucifer started to pound on his hand trying to get past but Sam refused to let him. 

“What went wrong?” Castiel asked as he offered his hand to Apple Lucifer, the little apple climbed onto it. He raised him looking down at Apple Lucifer who squeaked at him to bring him back to the Songbird. The human lowered him to the cage just as the giant removed his hand. Apple Lucifer happily bolted to the cage trying to open it. 

“He went wrong.” Sam’s eyes moved to Apple Michael who seemed to be getting more and more upset watching them from a distance. “For he too had fallen in love with the Songbird.” 

“...So he told on them.” The human realized as Apple Michael ran over to Sam, the giant lowered his hand to the apple who struggled to climb up onto it, once he succeeded. He ran up Sam’s arm whispering into his ear, to which the giant nodded. Opening the top of the apple prison, he pinched the back of Apple Michael’s body and dropped him inside with the Songbird.

“Which made him ready for them,” Sam explained as the Songbird gasped at Michael being in her cage. Apple Lucifer yanked and pulled at the bars trying to get in as the Songbird pulled at her chains trying to get away. “When the rebellion attacked, God asked Michael for one thing…and as God’s most loyal son…he did what he was told.” 

Castiel watched a sword appear in Apple Michael’s hand as he moved to the Songbird. She squeaked loudly in fear as Apple Michael raised the sword. Though just apples, it wasn’t as violent as the human assumed it really was. Michael bonked the Songbird on her head making her collapse. Sam’s eyes moved to Lucifer, lazily grabbing him by the back. Opening the lid to the apple prison he dropped him inside as well. 

“...Seeing what he did…Lucifer gravely injured Michael.” The giant continued. They watched a sword appear in Apple Lucifer’s hands. Apple Michael and Lucifer exchanged a violent sword altercation till Lucifer bonked Michael on the head making him fall to his knees and run away holding his face molding back into the apple. “...Lucifer then lost the love of his life and his very best friend on the same night.” 

The human watched sadly as Lucifer collapsed to his knees crying soft squeaks as he held the Songbird in his arms. The giant ushered for Castiel’s hand which he gave it. Sam placed what looked like a small apple seed in it.

“But hidden behind the Songbird…he found an egg. Their child she had hidden in secret.” Sam breathed, ushering the human to give it to the Apple Lucifer. “Cradled in the Songbird’s arms was a blood-soaked egg.” 

Castiel gently presented the apple seed to Apple Lucifer, lowering his fingers in offering it. Apple Lucifer set down the Songbird and rose to take the seed. After nuzzling the seed, Apple Lucifer climbed into the human's waiting hand. Castiel then lifted Lucifer out of the cage.

“You see. All eggs are white and pure…” The giant touched the seed making it no longer brown but a darkened red. “...but his egg was red, stained forever with her blood. They believe evil imprinted on him the second his egg was damaged in the Songbird’s attempt to protect it. The blood soaking into the egg cursed him with the hatred and violence it had witnessed.” Sam spoke.

“...” Castiel swallowed as Apple Lucifer glanced down sadly at his egg. 

"They could feel the evil he was soaked in, even then, still soaked in their blood," The giant said as he touched the seed, causing it to sprout into a small apple person at his touch. "Despite the warnings, my father took him to hell and raised him. But as he aged, his powers grew. They feared him... and soon, even our father believed it."

Apple Dean moved to his father but Apple Lucifer backed away making him glance down sadly holding himself. Sam touched the former Apple making more pieces to form village people. They grabbed and threw Apple pieces at Apple Dean who whimpered hiding behind the human’s thumb. Apple Lucifer reached a handout trying to comfort him, but he stopped and looked away instead. The giant offered his hand to Apple Lucifer who climbed on leaving Apple Dean on Castiel’s hand. Sam placed him with the others as the human looked down at Apple Dean. 

"The fear and hatred poisoned him," The giant explained, watching Dean's apple body tense and tremble. "His own power twisted by their cruelty until he couldn't control it." Apple Dean's power lashed out, apple pieces flying and villagers scattering, some falling still. "They made him believe he was a monster, and that's all he became. Growing to hate the world and everything in it."

“So…they created their own destruction?” The human breathed as Sam nodded. 

“He believed that the world deserved to end. That no one was worthy of life.” He explained. “It took Michael leading Heaven and Lucifer leading Hell to stop him the first time.” 

“They worked together despite their history with Dean’s mother?” Castiel questioned.

“They had no choice,” Sam explained. “He started to destroy anything and everything, forcing them to work together.”

The giant took Apple Dean by the back of his body holding him contained in his fingers, he watched Apple Dean struggle and grip his fingers trying to get free. 

“When they defeated Dean, Heaven had assumed they had completely killed him but they hadn’t.” Sam breathed. “My father never gave the final blow, unable to kill the only connection he had to the Songbird…”

“So they locked him away?” Castiel spoke. The giant opened the apple lid and dropped him into the cage. Apple Dean whimpered as Sam placed the lid back on quietly. 

“Yes, and that’s where he stayed,” The giant spoke. Castiel seeing Apple Dean whimper, the human took off the lid and offered his fingers to him. Apple Dean lit up and climbed onto his hand. “...Till someone woke him at least…and now he’s here with you.” Apple Dean nuzzled into his thumb holding it. Castiel softly slid a finger against Apple Dean who whistled contently. 

“If he’s not hurting anyone, why don’t they let him go?” Castiel asked as Sam picked him up from Castiel’s hand. Apple Dean whimpered and struggled wanting back with his human. “He’s harmless.” 

"With Dean's death, a fragile peace settled in, a temporary truce forged from their shared struggle against a mutual foe. But if word of Dean's return spreads, it will spark an unending conflict between Heaven and Hell.” Sam breathed. “Should Dean fail to obliterate everything himself, the ensuing war will turn Earth into a desolate battleground, caught in the crossfire of celestial forces." The giant explained making the human glance down at the Apple Dean. The giant sighed softly looking away dropping him back into the apple prison. 

“This, with you, is the only freedom and peace Dean will be granted. Since he has no idea who he is, the powers inside him lay dormant. He’s almost invisible unless you know what to look for. That’s the only reason I found him.” Sam explained. 

“So…for now, he’s safe?” Castiel questioned. 

“As long as he doesn’t remember and wake that side of him.” Sam breathed, eyeing the human. “...If he does, the Dean you know will be gone forever.” The giant's hand smashed the apple prison with Apple Dean inside it. Castiel flinched as apple pieces sprayed everywhere. He choked out in horror for the poor Apple Dean but when he looked back, the apple was whole again. Surprised, the human picked it up and examined it. “Pray he doesn’t remember, Castiel. He will not be spared again.”

“But…you seem to love your brother,” Castiel whispered. “If he was as bad as you say, why do you love him even after everything he did?”

“...He was kind to me.” Sam choked out. “...I only ever remembered him being kind…” Castiel looked down sadly at his words. “I only ever saw him as my brother while the word painted him a beast.” 

“...Sam-” Castiel turned but Sam was gone. He glanced at the apple and sighed slowly, his stomach twisting with conflicted emotions about Dean's life. 

Dean was a Demon.

A monstrous one at that. 

A destroyer of worlds.

He glanced toward the bedroom his heart conflicted.

Castiel shouldn’t be feeling sorry for him.

…but he did.

He set the apple down, unable to stomach the thought of sleeping, he grabbed his supplies from the fridge to make a pie. 

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Dean’s POV:

Visions surged through his mind during sleep, vivid and intense, as if he were living them. He felt the warmth of blood on his hands, the brutal impact of a sword piercing his abdomen, and the blinding glow of flames consuming everything in sight, their searing heat licking at his flesh. The cries echoed in his ears. 

Oh, the cries!

“Dean?”  Castiel’s voice jarred him awake. He sat up turning to look at Castiel who sat beside him on the bed. He brushed his fingers over his sweat-covered forehead. “Did you have a nightmare?”

“Night…mare?” He breathed as Castiel nodded. 

“It’s when things upset you while you human sleep.” The human spoke. “Did something upset you?” Dean’s eyes glanced away slightly. 

The images were scary…but he wasn’t scared…He felt… angry .

Did that count as a nightmare?

“Want to talk about it?” The human asked which made the demon shake his head no. “Come on, Dean. I made you something we call pie. Do you want a taste?” Dean nodded before Castiel offered him a hand up and walked them both back towards the kitchen.

Chapter Text

Castiel’s POV:

He glanced over at the screen, his eyes taking in Dean’s teeth. It wasn’t an exact science. He had gotten an ear cleaner with a camera and was examining his teeth. Taking off the scoop it was just a simple camera with a light. Perfect for him to examine it. It was fascinating the inner workings of a Dean’s teeth. They were normal teeth, except for the fact in the middle of each tooth was a sharp point. When he pressed down onto the teeth, they shot out as though to pierce the flesh in its mouth. 

Dean blinked lazily, staring at Castiel who kept pressing onto the tooth with the scoop, watching as the sharp piece of tooth started to go up. 

“How fascinating,” Castiel mumbled, pressing a bit harder. Dean’s tongue moved to that tooth covering his view as he lightly smacked the tongue with the scoop. “Away.” 

“Ne uhehne ehn.” Dean talked with his mouth full of Castiel. 

“No talking. I’m taking photos.” The human breathed tapping at the tooth. It was interesting how the tooth was shaped though there was a sharp piece in the middle, the tooth seemed to encase it just enough to keep food particles from entering where the hole was. The hole wasn’t noticeable unless you were looking for it. Castiel hummed to himself writing down an observation he made when a voice made him jump. 

“Gabriel’s here.” Sam’s voice made Castiel curse when Gabriel unlocked his door with his key. 

“And so are you.” He turned as Sam eyed what Castiel was doing. “Don’t you knock?”

“Why would I need to? I don’t use a door.” The tall demon asked, making Castiel eye him annoyed. 

“What if I was shitting or something?” He asked seriously as Sam crossed his arms while Gabriel walked in.

“You shit in the living room?” Sam questioned, raising an eyebrow. 

“...Do you always have to be so snarky?” The human asked. Gabriel eyed them putting his stuff on the counter. 

“Unfortunately it's in the DNA.” Sam moved to Dean and pulled the camera out of Dean’s mouth. “Don’t let me treat you like a lab rat.” He mumbled, patting Dean’s jaw and closing it. Dean moved his jaw from left to right now free from having to hold his mouth open. 

“I’m not treating him like a lab rat,” Castiel grumbled, pulling gum from his pocket and opening it. “Chew on this, will you?” He pressed it to Dean’s lips, not even looking as Dean opened his mouth taking it without argument. He chewed a moment before he made a face trying to get it off his teeth. It was obvious Dean wasn’t enjoying it, trying to pull it from his teeth with his tongue. “Open.” 

Dean opened his mouth, and Castiel moved the camera to it again. Just as predicted the gum had gotten stuck on the sharp part of the tooth, forcing it to remain up. 

“Interesting.” The human spoke moving tweezers into his mouth, he grabbed hold of the tooth and pulled delicately. Castiel was surprised by the tooth's size and used the tweezers' measuring stick to measure it before recording the measurement. Dean appeared uncomfortable, resembling a dog with peanut butter stuck to its palate, and subtly tilted his head back for relief. Observing this, Sam rolled his eyes. The tall demon intervened by thrusting his hand into Dean's mouth and extracting the gum, causing Dean to close his mouth in satisfaction.

“Iron Giant, can you help me for a second?” Gabriel’s voice from the kitchen made Sam turn. Sam turned to stare at the gum in his hand before he smashed it into Castiel’s forehead. Castiel blinked with an annoyed sigh.

“Don’t open your mouth for him again.” Sam scolded pointing a finger at Dean who blinked up innocently at him. 

“Don’t listen to him, Dean,” Castiel mumbled, taking off the gum and tossing it into the trash. “Sam, want to be part of history-”

“-No.” Sam shut him down before he could begin. “He might be your little puppy, but I’m not.” He reached for the item Gabriel couldn't get, then handed it to him. Gabriel took the spaghetti sauce but huffed and handed it back to Sam after a moment of struggling to open it. Sam effortlessly opened it and handed it back. “Besides, HE wasn’t supposed to answer you. You aren’t supposed to be studying him in the first place.”

“Or what? I die?” Dean’s human responded, making Gabriel slam the cabinet looking at him pissed. “... Sorry, ” Gabriel said nothing, going back to cooking. 

“There’s things worse than death, Castiel.” The tall Demon warned, making Castiel tilt his head. 

Right…

He didn’t know what was in store for him… after . 

“...What happens to…us?” Castiel asked, making Sam tilt his head. “...After the end of our deal?”

“It won’t matter, I won’t let it happen-” Gabriel snapped. 

“...Demon pups normally eat their first souls,” Sam stated as Castiel remembered Dean’s words. “Then they are content till they feel the need to eat every hundred souls.”

Dean leaned closer, snapping Castiel out of his thoughts. The human could feel his breath against his lips. His demon’s face was so close to his. He could feel Dean’s soft fingertips lightly holding up his chin. Speaking as though he read his mind. 

“One day, I will eat you, my pretty... but for now.” His demon's gaze lingered on the human's face before he playfully traced his tongue along Castiel's lips. “...You’re mine.”

“So…he’s going to eat me?” Castiel glanced up, turning to look at Dean who was examining his phone. He tapped the screen watching it come to life before pushing the numbers on the screen. It gave him the incorrect warning.

This innocent little thing was going to devour him?

“That’s the thing.” Sam leaned against the wall. “...I don’t know.”

“What do you mean?” Castiel asked, turning back to Sam expecting an answer but he didn’t give one.

Dean may think he’s a baby…but he’s technically older than Sam. 

So it's possible he wouldn’t feel the need to?

However, he didn’t know what Dean’s count was. 

Every hundred souls, huh?

Castiel blinked at his words as he slowly turned back to Dean who he was pretty sure had locked him out of his phone for the next three hundred years, but that was a problem for another day. 

“What are the other options?” He breathed. 

“Do we have to talk about this?” Gabriel asked disturbed by the conversation. “It’s not happening. Let’s just not talk about it-”

“-You get sent to hell, tortured till…” Sam shrugged as though it was obvious. 

“Till what?” Dean’s human spoke. 

“We break you.” He stated. “If your soul can’t handle it and you splinter into pieces, your soul will be used to feed the pups as they grow in their incubators.” 

“And if I don’t break?” Castiel asked.

“...You slowly change,” Sam spoke. “You become something… else.”

“A demon?” Castiel whispered but Sam shook his head no. 

“There’s no name for it.” The tall demon explained simply. “Do you remember as a kid, you’d wake up swearing you saw something in the dark.” Gabriel and Castiel exchanged looks. 

“...There was never anything in the dark,” Gabriel whispered as Sam chuckled, amused by this. 

“...Was there not?” Sam turned to him who frowned. “... Are you truly sure?” When Gabriel didn’t respond Sam moved away from the wall. “In the abyss of hell, the beasts that are unable to recognize themselves feed on the remnants of shattered souls. The longer they remain in this darkness, the more their vision deteriorates, leaving them only able to discern the faint blue glimmer of soul fragments. Their bodies become twisted and deformed, morphing into nightmarish forms driven solely by an insatiable hunger.”

BANG!

Dean dropped the phone, making it tumble under the coffee table, making Castiel and Gabriel jump. 

“...Sorry.” Dean spoke softly

“I-It’s okay, Dean.” Castiel swallowed, his heart racing. Sam touched his hair with care leaning down to pick up the phone.

“You’re scaring everyone.” Gabriel snapped at Sam hitting him with a towel. “Enough you two. It’s not going to happen-” 

“-Do you think mom-?” Castiel choked out, tears filling his eyes. 

“-STOP!” Gabriel, panting with rage, slammed his fist into the wall, silencing everyone around him. Turning, he realized his fist had gone through the drywall. Wincing from the pain, he struggled to rip his hand free. “...I’ll pay for it later…Fuck that hurt.” He cursed to himself, shaking his fist as he turned. “Someone watch the fucking pasta!” Castiel’s brother stormed out of the house. Castiel flinched as his brother slammed the door, tears sliding down his face he got up moving to the bedroom. 

Dean slowly watched him go, standing up as if on impulse when the door slammed but Sam gripped his shoulder stopping him. 

“...Leave him.” Sam breathed. 

“But…he’s crying,” Dean whispered. 

“Trust me, he doesn’t want to see you.” He spoke before he sighed seeing he left his coat on the table, his eyes moved to the window staring at the pouring rain. “Let me go get the older one, you just sit here.” Sam ushered for Dean to sit before he turned grabbed Gabriel’s coat off the chair in the kitchen and walked out of the house. 

____________________________________________________________________________________

Dean’s POV:

The sound of rain filled the silence as Dean sat holding Castiel's phone, passing it back and forth in his hands. Ignoring Sam, he finally stood up and moved towards Castiel's door. He could hear soft crying from inside. Dean hesitated before knocking softly. Castiel's crying stopped.

“Go away.” The human sniffed. 

“Cas?” Dean’s soft voice filled the silence before he heard Castiel get up. After a couple of moments of fiddling with the door, Castiel pulled it open looking up at him with tears in his eyes. “...Your phone.” 

Castiel sniffed out a laugh taking the phone, he looked it over before he sighed sadly. 

“You locked me out of my phone.” He whispered, making Dean tilt his head. 

“...I don’t know what that means,” Dean admitted making Castiel smile fondly.

“I figured.” The human sighed softly, he was quiet for a moment. His face fell slowly as he stared at the background with his mother and brother. “...Can you tell me…what happened to her?”

“...” Dean blinked, saying nothing for a long time. “...I don’t know.” 

“You don’t know or you do know but you don’t know if you can tell me?” He frowned, making Dean look down. 

“...I don’t…know,” Dean admitted again, making Castiel’s anger apparent on his face. He gripped the door, the wood whined at the human’s grasp. “...And even if I could find out…I-...I don’t know…” He paused. “...if knowing will…make it any easier on you.” The demon looked up solemnly, making Castiel clench his jaw. “...I think…it wouldn’t do you any good-” 

“My mother’s options are your fucking dinner or being a fucking MONSTER, Dean!” He spat. “MY fate one day if you don’t make me a Scooby snack!”

“Not for a very long time-” Dean tried. 

“But in less than ten years!” The human growled. “You’re a fucking parasite , Dean.” Dean flinched as though hit, though there was no physical blow…he felt the pain…in his chest. What an odd place for pain to be from words. “Who the FUCK are you to say what’s good for me?”

“I-I…don’t want to hurt you.” The demon choked. 

“NEWS FLASH!” Castiel spat. “YOU will eventually FUCKING hurt me! Actually, you’ll do worse .” He crossed his arms. “You’ll fucking kill me.”

“...” Dean looked down sadly. “...I didn’t ask for the deal…you came to me.”

“Because you took my mother.” He hissed. 

“...She made her choice. A choice she chose to give for something that mattered so much to her she gave her life.” Dean explained before slowly meeting his eye. “...You of all people should know what that feels like.”

“...” He eyed Dean coldly. “... I fucking hate you.” The Demon flinched at the words. “...I want you to leave.” 

“L-Leave?” Dean choked in surprise, his eyes widening.

He didn’t know what to do.

How did he fix this?

…Maybe it was already too late. 

This shattered the second he kissed him making the deal, didn’t it?

“D-...Don’t make me go.” He swallowed. 

The thought of losing Castiel filled him with an unexplainable fear. It was like taping a broken mirror; the tape would eventually give way, and the mirror would shatter into pieces and you’d finally see inside. Though Dean’s insides felt more like the mirror was a cage. A beast contained inside. Scratching, Clawing, and rattling the cage wanting to be freed. Every fragment of mirror falling getting it one step closer to the freedom it could taste.

…and Dean feared the darkness inside himself. 

He didn’t know why.

“I get your imprinted to me like a baby fucking duck, but I’m not your mother!” Castiel spat, Dean winced as though it hurt…but he didn’t know why that felt like a knife to the chest. “Especially since you took mine!” 

“I-I-” Dean didn’t know what to say when Castiel angrily shoved him back away from the door before he slid down the door sobbing, holding his knees to his chest. “...Cas?”

“GO AWAY! I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN!” Castiel screamed, covering his ears. Dean sucked in the air in surprise, tears in his eyes, he felt one fall but he didn’t…understand why. He touched it rubbing the tear between his fingers. 

Dean didn’t understand this feeling. 

He felt like something hurt…deep inside. 

Was this what Castiel felt?

Dean slowly turned walking away from the door, leaving him alone. 

Chapter Text

Gabriel’s POV:

Gabriel, panting and upset, sat in the car, his face pressed against the horn. His hand was bleeding from fresh scrapes caused by the wall. The sound of a car door opening startled him, causing him to look up and release the horn.

“The neighbors must hate you.” Sam chuckled. 

“Fuck off.” Gabriel breathed as Sam sucked in air lazily before he leaned over, lightly flicking Gabriel’s forehead making him whine. “Ouch?” He rubbed his forehead when he realized his clothes were dry. His eyes fell to the wound on his hand to see it was no longer there. “...I’m not going to thank you.”

“If you did, I’d call you a good boy.” The tall Demon teased as Gabriel glared. “You’re missing out.”

“Eat me.” Gabriel spat before he paused. “Wait…you might... ignore that.” 

“I ate before I came here.” Sam started with a hum. “...I can make an exception though.”

“Why are you here?” The human whispered, gripping the steering wheel. 

“...You’re my ride.” The demon breathed, making Gabriel softly chuckle. 

“Fuck off, I’ve seen you poof places.” Gabriel sighed, shaking his head. 

“I don’t know…it just felt like the right thing to do,” Sam admitted, making Gabriel eye him. 

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d assume you’d have a heart.” The human breathed resting back against the chair and staring out at the rain. 

“...You might not understand our people, but it doesn’t mean we don’t feel what we do.” Sam rubbed his jaw. 

“You kill innocent people.” Gabriel scoffed. “Don’t get high and mighty with me-”

“You kill innocent animals for food, don’t you?” The tall demon asked. 

“That’s different.” He scoffed. “They are food.”

“So are you.” Sam chuckled. “The only difference is YOU come begging to be food. Put yourself right on the chopping block for the butchers. We are just down there living our lives till someone fucking summons us and forces our hand.”

Gabriel opened and closed his mouth. 

They didn’t say anything for a long time. 

“So you’re telling me you’d starve if no humans did deals?” Gabriel gave him a look.

“...There will always be deals.” Sam lazily remarked. “There will always be a couple that settles and regrets the other. There will always be a rich asshole wanting more. There will always never be enough time for someone. There will always be sadness. There will always be loss. The world turns and every few seconds someone wants something they can’t have.”

Gabriel looked down at his words. 

“...Have you never noticed?” Sam asked, staring at the driver’s side front window. “That you’ve never whispered your secrets to Dean or I?” Gabriel slowly turned to look at him. “I can control my influence. Dean…Dean with the mentality of a newborn pup can’t. Which is why any human in his vicinity will be compelled to spill their secret wants without censor.” 

“What? And I have you to thank for that?” Gabriel spat as Sam politely bowed. 

“I can turn it off.” Sam hummed amused, sitting up, he moved into Gabriel’s space, making him jump back. “What is it you want, Gabriel?” Sam’s words cooed so cocky with a slight chuckle to them. Like a siren’s call, the words sang sweetly into his ear, and Gabriel felt his eyes dilate. The world slowed for a second, the rain seemed to grow quiet. All Gabriel could hear was their heartbeats. 

Ba-dum

Ba-dum

Ba-dum

He sucked in air feeling as though the air just disappeared from his lungs. He opened his mouth, unable to stop himself. 

“ I wish I had run into Mom’s room first.” Gabriel choked tears sliding down his face. He couldn’t stop it, couldn’t help but tell him. 

“Nothing would have changed Gabriel,” Sam whispered delicately.

“ I-I could have protected him from seeing…” Gabriel looked away but…he no longer found himself in the car.

__________________________________________________________________________________

The past:

“You think mom will let us blow out the candles before or after dinner?” A voice spoke. Gabriel turned towards eleven-year-old Castiel. A wave of disorientation washed over him, a sense of déjà vu so strong it made him pause. It felt as if the ground beneath him had shifted, leaving him scrambling to regain his balance. He looked down at his hands, he was…an adult. Looking at the familiar aging hands…but he wasn’t twenty-eight when this happened... He…was sixteen. Castiel, noticing the abrupt halt, blinked his doe eyes in confusion as he stared at Gabriel. “You okay?”

“...Yeah.” Gabriel breathed slowly, moving to walk again. They held their backpack straps as they walked. “...And what do you mean us ?” He turned to Castiel. “It’s my birthday. Why should you blow out candles on my birthday? ”

“Your birthday was last week,” Castiel hummed. “Mom took us to Disneyland, remember? So now it's just a day and we can both blow out the candles.”

“Yeah, but that’s just how it worked out. Today’s still my birthday. Just because we celebrated it last week doesn’t make it not my birthday.” Gabriel chuckled, and Castiel shrugged. “I don’t even think we have any cake left.”

“We do!” The eleven-year-old spoke happily. “Mom bought us cupcakes.”

“Did she?” Gabriel laughed. 

“Yeah. She told me not to tell you till later but you’re about to see them in a second anyway, so I’m technically breaking my promise…and I’m kidding about the candle. I’ll just blow out one extra on my next birthday to spite you.” Castiel hummed, making Gabriel shake his head as they turned to walk up their home’s walkway when he stopped. Something about Castiel walking ahead to the front door made his blood run cold. He couldn’t tell why but…it sent a cold shiver up his spine. 

“Castiel don’t!” Gabriel yelled, making the eleven-year-old pause taking his hand off the doorknob. Castiel turned to look at him watching his brother run up to the door. “L-Let me.” Gabriel’s hand moved to the knob but as he turned it, time seemed to slow. 

“That’s not how it happened, Gabriel.” A voice made Gabriel freeze. He knew that voice. He didn’t have to turn to look at the man who stood beside him. Sam stared at him as Gabriel stared at the door, his hand shaking. 

“B-But if I go ahead-” Gabriel choked his eyes moving to Sam’s yellow glowing eyes. 

“Where were you really?” Sam asked when Gabriel felt a jarring movement like his rug was pulled out from under him again. His stomach felt left behind, sending a queasy sensation over him when he found himself in the middle of the walk away. Castiel grabbing for the door knob.

“...Castiel dropped something.” The human choked his voice, shaking as he kneeled down, grabbing a small pin that had fallen from his Spider-Man backpack. He took in the pin of a little Minnie's hands in the shape of a heart their mother had bought them. Her favorite character was Minnie. She had practically spent the whole week at Disneyland trying to find a gift for them that would symbolize her love for them. “...It was a stupid pin. The back kept falling off since she bought it. She said she would find a better backing.”

“Did she-?” Sam asked softly. 

“-Cas! Don’t run! You know better!” Gabriel choked in panic. He watched in slow motion Castiel pull the door open and run in. 

“He’s just excited.” Sam tilted his head. 

“He was accident prone, he was always black and blue from falls.” The human breathed with worry forcing the pin into Sam’s hand and quickly moving towards the door. Getting in, he closed the door forgetting once again Sam was even here. He kicked off his shoes as Castiel had just finished leaving his own half haphazardly by the door. Gabriel sighed tiredly picking them up and organizing them on the shoe rack. 

“WOW!” Castiel spoke, making Gabriel glance up moving toward the kitchen area. The eleven-year-old lit up seeing two vanilla cupcakes on the table. One candle on top of only one and a single letter next to it. 

“What made you realize something was wrong?” Sam’s voice made him turn. 

“The candle.” Gabriel slowly turned back to the unlit candles. “It was burnt down from being lit, and wax had covered the cupcake and melted some of the frosting.” As he said it, the image before him had corrected itself. “...I remember thinking how dangerous it was that she forgot she lit it and left it alone. The house could have burnt down-”

“Ew,” Castiel spoke, sticking out his tongue. “I may let you be the only one blowing out the candle…but I’m getting the unwaxed one.”

“Sure.” Gabriel nodded slightly, brushing off his words, his eyes slowly moving to the letter. 

“Mom!” The boy called moving down the hall towards the master. 

“...What happened next?” Sam tilted his head watching Gabriel move to the letter picking it up. It had his name on it in his mother’s handwriting.

“I felt something in the letter,” Gabriel said, opening the letter with his pointer finger, careful not to ruin the envelope. 

“And what was Castiel doing?” He asked as Gabriel’s eyes moved down the hall. 

“She'd fall asleep with the door locked, thinking she'd wake up before we got home. She did this often. So we weren't concerned when the door was locked when we got home. We knew where the spare key was, so we would simply let ourselves in to wake her up.” The human breathed.

Turned back to the letter when he opened it. He tilted the envelope, and a locking pin fell into his hand. One for Castiel’s. Gabriel's attention shifted to the pin he somehow still had in his hand despite handing it to Sam. As if compelled, he moved towards Castiel's backpack, which had been left on a bar stool, to re-secure the pin. Castiel rushed past him, sticking his hand into the vase and grabbing the spare key. Gabriel hissed. The pin pierced his skin when he pushed it into the bag. He watched the blood pool on his ring finger, staring at it for a long time.

“Then what happened?” Sam asked, making Gabriel jump before he snapped out of his thoughts to finish putting the pin on. Gabriel raised the envelope, slowly pulling out the letter. 

“...I realized what it said.” Gabriel swallowed tears in his eyes, unfolding the envelope. “Dear Gabriel, I love you, and I’m sorry, but please don’t open the door.” His eyes moved quickly to Castiel, who was slowly unlocking the door. “N-No. N-Not again.” Gabriel moved to stop him, dropping the letter, but he was frozen in place. He ran, but no matter how hard, he got nowhere. “L-Let me open the door instead.”

“Why?” Sam asked softly. 

“I-I can save him-” He choked, turning to him. 

“Even if you traded your soul.” The demon breathed softly. “...There are things in life that are defining moments. That no matter in any universe, in every time will always happen…” His eyes met Gabriel’s. “A demon deal is one of them.” Gabriel slowly started to slow down. 

“B-But if I-” Gabriel whimpered. 

If he just pushed him out of the way. He could have saved him from seeing it. 

Maybe, he’d never been on that crossroad to make the deal.

“You opening it. Me opening it. Him opening it.” Sam breathed, crossing his arms. “There will always be a crossroad, there will always be a deal…and there will always be Dean.” Gabriel came to a stop, watching as Castiel pushed the door open. Luckily, Sam spared him the memory of it. He watched Castiel’s face as he gasped in horror at the blinding light through the door.

Castiel's scream of agony made him finally be able to run to get to him. Together, they witnessed a sight so horrifying that it would stay with them forever, a scene straight out of a nightmare, far worse than any horror movie. He quickly grabbed the doorknob and slammed the door shut, but no matter how quickly he did it. 

The damage was done. 

Gabriel pulled the small Castiel to his chest, holding him as he cried. He squeezed his eyes shut, tears sliding down his face.

“...Can you take me instead?” His eyes moved to Sam who stared at him with sadness. His eyes gave it all. “Please. You must know how I feel. You love your brother.” Sam sighed looking down. “You can have my soul, torture it all you like…but let him live.”

“There are no substitutes. No exchanges. If I answer your plea to replace him, you need to have two souls to give…so we don’t accept trades.” Sam whispered, raising his hand. Waving his hand as if wiping the air away the vision faded.

____________________________________________________________________________

Gabriel found himself sitting in his car again. The Castiel he was holding was gone. He stared down at his open arms cradling nothing before he slowly lowered them. 

“I’m sorry about your mother,” The demon whispered, the human said nothing, wiping his tears. “...and your brother.”

“Don’t.” Gabriel cut him off. “...I will find a way to save my brother.” He gripped his hands into a fist. 

“...If anyone can, it’s you.” Sam breathed, Gabriel quietly stared at him for a long time before he smiled softly. 

“Thank you.” Gabriel sniffed. “Even if you don’t mean it.” He wiped his face before he stood. “We should go check on dinner.” 

Gabriel moved to leave but Sam grabbed his arm. The human sucked in air in surprise as to why Sam stopped him when Sam held out his coat. Gabriel smiled sadly taking it, feeling Sam’s hand move away from his wrist. Climbing out of the car, he used it to cover his head when he paused wanting to offer Sam some cover as well but he stopped seeing Sam leaning his face towards the sky. Gabriel watched him for a moment before Sam seemed to notice his gaze. 

“Not a lot of rain in hell,” Sam commented, raising his hand softly allowing the rain to pelt against it. 

“Aren’t you cold?” The human asked as Sam shrugged. 

“Kinda worth it, don’t you think?” He breathed. “Never know when I might see it again.” 

“...” Gabriel nodded softly before he lowered his coat from his head allowing the rain to fall against his face. 

Maybe he was right.

Maybe he did often take things like this for granted.

They exchanged a soft smile before they turned and walked inside. 

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Castiel’s POV:

He came out of the bedroom wiping at his swollen eyes, his tears had stopped a long time ago. So he finally forced himself to face the music. Pulling open the bedroom door, he glanced around the empty living room, his eyes searching for Dean. Castiel sighed looking down, maybe Sam took him for a bit to clear the air.

He felt a bit guilty.

It wasn’t Dean’s fault.

He was just upset. 

After hearing what happened to Dean’s mother…

…He should have never brought her up to try to hurt him. 

Especially since he is a fresh, doe eyed innocent being. 

He didn’t think Dean had meant to hurt him. 

…But Castiel had wanted to hurt him in his rage. 

So if anyone needed to apologize. He knew it was him. 

His eyes moved to the door when Sam and Gabriel came in. Watching Sam and Gabriel let out a small laugh coming into the room. Castiel paused in surprise when Sam closed the door behind him.

“What about Dean?” Castiel asked moving to the door with worry, he reopened it looking out as Sam and Gabriel exchanged looks. 

“...What do you mean?” Gabriel questioned. 

“...Isn’t he with you?” The human voice faded making everyone exchange looks. 

“Wasn’t he with you?!” Sam hissed as Castiel winced. “Dean?!” 

“We fought.” He choked watching Sam bolt around the apartment looking for him. “I-I assumed he went with you to give us some air.” 

“We’ve been alone this whole time in my car,” Gabriel explained. “...What do you…think he left?” Castiel bit his nails starting to pace. “A duckling demon that can’t dress himself without help is just loose ?”

“What did you say to him?!” Sam got in his face.

“I-I…” Castiel swallowed. God if he could cry he would. “I-I was upset. I said things I regret I-” 

“Castiel!” Sam snapped. 

“-I told him I hated him.” He choked. “I-I told him to leave and I never wanted to see him again.”

“WHAT?!” The tall demon hissed his eyes glowing in anger.

“Calm down!” Gabriel got between them. 

“What the fuck, Castiel!” Sam snapped. 

“I-I wasn’t thinking!” He breathed, shaking. “I-I didn’t think he’d take it seriously!” 

“You know he doesn’t understand the world!” The demon growled. “Besides! You’re HIS master, he would obey his contractor without hesitation.”

“I-I’m sorry!” Castiel choked upset. “C-Can’t I just call him back?!”

“He doesn’t know HOW .” Sam groaned.

“H-He came to me at the crossroads!” He reasoned.

“You summoned him in the crossroad, it forced him to appear. That’s how we learn. We put pups at the crossroads and they learn how to be a demon through experience. The more they are summoned the better they get at it till they can do it all alone.” The demon explained. 

“Can’t he go back to the crossroads?” Gabriel tried. 

“Right! I still have the box! I know how!” Castiel breathed hopefully.

“It won’t work because of your dumb ass deal!” Sam snapped, crossing his arms. “Castiel made himself Dean’s new crossroad, so unless he plans to shove the box up his ass to summon him-”

“This isn’t helping!”  Gabriel yelled. “Get your fucking coat, we are all going to search. He must have gone on foot. The more we argue, the farther he gets. Let’s go!” Castiel slid on his shoes and grabbed his coat as the two men slowly nodded, realizing he was correct. They quickly stepped out the door and into the rain.

Chapter Text

Dean’s POV:

Rain dripped onto him as he walked. He wasn’t sure where he was going, but he knew Castiel didn’t want to see him again. So he just…kept walking. He wasn’t sure how long he had been out here, but he eventually just took a seat on a park bench facing a lake. His green eyes slid over the rain hitting the playground equipment. 

“You’re getting soaked.” Dean turned, hearing a voice, and saw an older African American woman standing before him. She held a bag of groceries and an umbrella in one hand, and her other hand held a cane. Her beautiful smile lit up her face, and her black afro had streaks of gray. He wasn’t sure how she was balancing it all, especially with a slight tremor.

“Yeah.” The demon breathed, taking in the woman with the umbrella. 

“Got somewhere to go?” She spoke. 

“...” Dean glanced away.

He didn’t.

“Come on, boy. I don’t have much; I have a dry kitchen.” The woman spoke as Dean hesitated. "It’s going to get dark, and a little thing like you shouldn’t be in the rain.” The demon slowly got up, moving to her after her insistence. He softly reached for the groceries and the umbrella. She smiled, kindly handing them over before she started home, taking the wet stray with her. “You got a name?”

“Dean.” The demon breathed.

“Well, Dean, I’m Missouri.” She tenderly chuckled. “I hope you like Shepherd’s pie.”

“I…don’t know what that is.” He admitted. 

“Well, I’m honored mine will be the first you’ll try.” The woman hummed, heading to her door. Dean nervously held the door open to her small downstairs apartment, his eyes scanning her figure. He feared the consequences of getting too close; the humans he encountered typically made deals, but she was different. She was kind, and he didn't want to hurt her. As she shuffled into the kitchen, she thanked him for the tenderness.

“Have a seat, I’ll make some food to warm your belly.” She spoke with care, ushering him to sit at her kitchen table. Taking a seat, he watched her move to put the kettle on. 

He was waiting for it.

The inevitable conversation. 

She would start and-

“You know, I met my husband on that same park bench, over fifty years ago.” Missouri laughed. “Just like you, he was soaked to the bone. I asked him, ‘What are you doing sitting in the rain like that?’ and he shrugged, saying ‘Just enjoying the rain’.” She laughed fondly, Dean’s smile faded. 

There it goes.

“But you weren’t just enjoying the rain, huh, sugar?” The woman spoke as Dean shook his head no, looking down. She walked into the other room, handing him a towel. The demon took it with care, rubbing the towel on his head. “Did you get in an argument with someone?”

“How can you tell?” Dean asked softly. 

“You look so sad,” Missouri admitted as Dean’s eyes fluttered at that. “...They mean a lot to you, don’t they?”

“...” The demon nodded, his lip quivering slightly, looking away. He didn’t want to talk about it. 

It didn’t matter. 

Castiel didn’t want him. 

“Where’s your husband?” Dean asked as Missouri sucked in air. 

“He died two years ago,” She placed some tea in front of him. 

Ah.

That was going to be her wish. 

He watched her put the cup down before moving to the food she was preparing. He took a sip of the hot tea, he watched her continue to cook. 

“I told him to lay off the cigarettes.” The woman sighed affectionately. “Always said that he was too old to be a quitter.” She placed the meal into the oven to cook before she shuffled to the table. “He died the way he lived, though. He smoked one last one before he closed his eyes for the last time, holding my hand.”

“...He must have loved you a lot,” The demon admitted with a sad smile. 

“He did.” Missouri hummed. “As I him.” He rubbed the back of his neck. 

“I’m assuming you want him back?” The demon sighed, getting to the point as Missouri chuckled. 

“Of course I do.” The woman laughed. “Though I don’t think I’ll have to wait long, one day I’ll join him in that big sky.” Dean glanced up at that. 

“You don’t…want to wish for him back?” The demon asked, which made her shake her head. 

“No, No.” The woman waved him off, taking a sip of her tea. “He’s getting heaven ready for me to my liking. I know he is.” They sat in silence for a while when Dean tilted his head. 

“...So you…don’t want anything from me?” The demon asked, confused as Missouri laughed. 

“Just your company.” The woman sighed with care. “Do people normally want more?”

“...With me, yeah.” Dean swallowed. 

“No one just wants you for you?” She asked as he glanced down. 

“...My brother, I think.” He admitted, but he didn’t sound sure. 

“Is he who you were arguing with?” Missouri asked. The demon shook his head no. 

“...Cas.” Dean swallowed at his name, squeezing his fist. 

“Oh, baby…” She tilted her head, softly touching his hand. “They mean a lot to you, don’t they?”

“...” The demon nodded sadly as he felt her reach up to touch his cheek. It was wet. 

He was crying? 

Why was he crying?

Dean reached up, wiping his cheeks in surprise over and over, trying to wipe away the tears. 

“It hurts.” The demon breathed. 

“Where?” The woman asked as Dean pressed her hand to his heart. 

“Here.” The demon nodded with a sniff. 

“Oh, love.” Missouri cupped his face with her other hand. “...You love her, don’t you? This…Cas?”

Love?

He wasn’t sure…if he understood the word.

“I-I don’t know.” Dean glanced down at his chest. “H-How do I know?” 

“They make you very happy,” The woman spoke, not sure how to begin. “Does she make you happy?”

“...They do,” The demon admitted, rubbing his chest. 

“And the thought of never seeing her again, it makes you very sad.” She continued. “Right?” He nodded. “They mean the world to you?”

“...They are my world.” The demon breathed honestly. 

Castiel showed him how to be.

What to be. 

How could Castiel not be?

He remembered his human lying next to him, slowly breathing, trying to calm him to sleep. His eyes searched Dean’s own as he held his hand. How gentle he was with him. 

Being a new demon…

…everything was scary and nothing made sense. 

He couldn’t make heads or tails of this outside world. 

That’s why they stayed at the crossroads. 

They learned this in the safety of the crossroads. 

However, because of his deal with Castiel…he wasn’t granted that safety…but with Castiel…he did feel safe. 

With his human, everything made sense.

“...They hate me,” Dean whispered, looking away. “They said they never wanted to see me again.” His teeth chattered, but he wasn’t sure if it was from the cold or his emotions. “I…I don’t even know how to fix it. I-I don’t know what I did.” He covered his eyes. 

“Maybe they just lashed out,” Missouri asked. “Sometimes we get mad at people we care about for things they didn’t do.”

“...I…know it's selfish.” He whimpered, holding himself. “He can be mad about anything and take it out on me… but I want to be by his side. He makes the scary go away.”

“Oh, love.” The woman breathed, taking his hand when pounding on the door made them turn. 

“DEAN!” Castiel called, rapidly hitting the door. 

“Are you sure he’s in there?” Gabriel’s voice sounded. 

“I was able to follow his power. He is here.” Sam reassured as Missouri chuckled. 

“Looks like Cas came for you.” She softly cupped Dean’s face. “...You don’t come for people you don’t want in your life.”

“...” The demon swallowed at her words. 

“Go to him.” Missouri hummed as Dean turned towards the door. “And invite them for supper.” Dean got up moving to the door, he stopped staring at the door knob. Scared to face his human, worried about upsetting him again. 

“Dean! I’m sorry!” Castiel’s voice made Dean glance up. “I-I know it wasn’t your fault! I shouldn’t have been mad at you!” 

The demon eyed the door, still scared to open it. 

“I’m so sorry, Dean.” He continued. “You scared me so much that I couldn’t find you. I got so scared I never would see you again.”

“W-...Why?” The demon called as his human sucked in air so relieved he was there. 

“'Cause we are all each other got.” He admitted. 

“What am I chopped liver-?” Gabriel scoffed, but the tall demon covered his mouth. 

“You are the only one who understands my pain. You get me without judging me. You give without ever asking anything in return…and when I asked you to stop…you did.” Castiel breathed. Dean glanced down sadly in thought. 

“I still made the deal.” The demon whimpered. 

“Against your will.” He sucked in air. “Dean, it's me and you. Only us. Till the day I die.” 

“...” The demon glanced down. 

He…would kill him one day.

Dean would-

“Dean, it doesn’t matter, you can’t stop the deal.” Sam’s voice made the demon glance down sadly. “...Even if you want to. So just come out. You know you have to.”

“Sam!” His human snapped. 

“I’m being honest,” Sam stated dramatically with a loud sigh. “All he is doing is putting the humans inside at risk if they haven’t already made a deal-” Dean’s eyes widened in fear. He didn’t want to her Missouri, she is a nice woman. Dean slowly grabbed the door, opening it only to be greeted by his brother and Gabriel’s frowns of disapproval.

________________________________________________________________________________________

Castiel’s POV:

Seeing the demon again brought Castiel a wave of relief he hadn't expected. The thought of never seeing him again had been a heavy weight that only now he realized he wouldn’t be able to carry if they had not found him. This time, unlike before, Sam was able to track Dean, giving him the crucial knowledge of where to search. Unlike when he first looked for Dean, blindly trying crossroads until he found a demon-free one and Dean's power. He didn’t realize how badly he felt it till their eyes met. 

The last thing he told the demon was that he hated him and he never wanted to see him again.

…but did he really want that?

He had been so stressed about finding him, it didn’t really hit him till right now. 

He could have lost Dean forever.

How…had the demon wormed its way into his heart like this?

The idea of waking up alone, eating alone, sleeping alone…being alone. 

Dean…wouldn’t be there to ask questions, to irritate him with his clinginess…

He’d…be alone again.

“Dean, you just can’t wander off!” Sam sighed as the demon glanced down. “Do you realize how worried sick we all were? What were you thinking?!” The tall demon frowned harder. “What if you were found-” He sighed, stopping himself. Knowing the demon knew nothing of the dangers, he sighed, holding himself as well. “...You really scared me.”

“...I’m sorry,” Dean mumbled so softly, holding himself, Castiel’s heart broke. 

“You really need to understand human emotions, Dean.” Gabriel started when Castiel broke down, moving into the demon’s arms. 

“I’m sorry. I am so sorry.” Castiel choked, gripping him tightly. “I didn’t mean it! I d-didn’t mean any of it!” He was hyperventilating, he just kept repeating his apologies. He was crying so hard he couldn’t even begin to process it. “Please don’t leave. Please don’t leave.” He felt Dean’s arms slowly encircle him, cradling him close in while he sobbed so hard he saw spots. The touch to his hair as he caressed his skin with care. Dean just let him cry it out. He didn’t say one word, but he knew what the demon was saying back to him. 

“Come inside, dears. It’s cold and wet.” The woman’s voice made all of them but Castiel glanced over at her in the kitchen behind Dean.

“We should go, ma’am,” Gabriel spoke awkwardly, Sam and he exchanging looks. Worried about the repercussions if they stayed. 

“Your friend there needs a minute and some hot cocoa.” Dean’s friend frowned, not taking no for an answer. “Come inside, Dean. Take your little friends with you.” The demon didn’t argue, obeying the woman much to Gabriel’s worry. Dean led Castiel to the kitchen, where he had him sit down. The demon moved to walk away, but his hand shot out, gripping his shirt, forcing him to stay. Dean gave him a soft smile, simply showing he didn’t plan to leave, only grabbing the chair to sit next to him. 

“No. I-I don’t want him to hurt-” Gabriel hissed at Sam.

“It’s fine, Gabriel,” The tall demon whispered, touching Gabriel’s back, making in relax. “Just like he is with you, I can control his influence.” Gabriel nodded softly before following them all inside. Castiel was a hiccuping mess, wiping at his tears as she placed hot cocoa in front of him. 

“T-Thank you…” He sniffed, glancing up at her, realizing he didn’t know her name.

“Missouri, love.” Missouri touched his chin with care, moving to pour everyone something to drink. “Food is done in a moment, we are all going to enjoy something delicious.” The oven chimed. “There it is now-” 

“Did you need help serving?” Gabriel asked, taking off his coat. 

“I’d love the help.” She laughed with care as Gabriel moved to help her take it out. 

Tears welled in Castiel's eyes as he stared blankly at his untouched hot cocoa. His nails dug into his leg when, beneath the table's cover, Dean's hand found his, a warm, steady anchor he didn’t realize he needed. He lifted his gaze, meeting the demon's soft, forgiving smile, and a fragile answering smile touched his own lips. A shaky sniffle escaped him, followed by a watery laugh that held a note of surprised relief. He squeezed Dean's hand tightly, the simple contact sending a wave of comfort through him. He didn’t know what he needed right now, but…the demon holding his hand made him feel one thousand times better…and he didn’t know why. 

Chapter Text

Castiel’s POV:

He didn’t stop holding Dean’s hand the whole way home; he knew it was dumb. Dean was back. He was safe. He was home. But it didn’t feel safe. Like the second he let go, Dean would just evaporate. Just be gone. He knew it didn’t make sense, but he couldn’t shake this feeling. He couldn’t stop shaking. Castiel pulled Dean up to his apartment in silence, following Gabriel and Sam. Sam turned to him, crossing his arms. 

“Are you two children done fighting? Or do I need to put you on time out?” Sam smirked, amused, while Castiel moved past him. 

“Eat me,” Castiel, his red and swollen eyes betraying his recent crying, was in no mood for company. He quickly ushered Dean inside and slammed the door in the faces of Gabriel and Sam. 

“Ooh. He’s a bit touchy.” Sam commented as Gabriel sighed. 

“Leave him alone. He needs to figure his shit out.” He turned to leave, making Sam turn to him. 

“Is it okay to leave them?” The tall demon asked. Gabriel twisted to look back at him. 

“Dean’s part of figuring his shit out.” The human sighed before Sam followed him to leave. Castiel, who stood by the door, quietly closed his eyes and allowed his forehead to press against the door. 

Gabriel wasn’t wrong. 

He sucked in air just listening to them head down the stairs when he felt someone hold him from behind. Castiel glanced over his shoulder at Dean, seeing him just tenderly holding him. 

“I’m here.” He whispered tenderly to Castiel.

Did that make him feel better?

Why…?

Why did Dean cause such…mixed feelings within himself? 

He was a demon.

He should keep his distance. 

Castiel turned to hug him, tightly burying his face into his shoulder. Dean smiled softly at the touch, holding him back before Castiel turned away, sniffing. 

“Let’s go to bed,” Castiel said, sounding so exhausted, taking his wrist and leading Dean towards the bedroom. 

He just wanted to sleep. 

Changing in silence, they got into bed, Dean moving to take his hand, but Castiel instead just curled his whole body into him. Just…needing the closeness. Dean’s arm wrapped around him as they lay there only for a second before his eyes fluttered closed to sleep. 

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Missouri’s POV:

She was humming softly while cleaning her kitchen when she paused, noticing a young man leaning against the door frame.

"I'm glad you suggested I go outside," she said, causing him to look down, a hint of shame in his eyes. "He's a good kid, you know," Missouri added quietly, resuming her cleaning.

"...I'm not sure I should have," he admitted.

"Are you that afraid of your father?" Missouri asked. He shrugged and shifted, leaning back against the frame with his arms crossed.

"Dean wasn't always good," he mumbled.

"Neither were you when you killed his mother, Michael," she reminded him. His eyes dropped, teeth clenched, and he looked visibly saddened. "I believe everyone deserves a second chance…even you.”

“...I had no choice the day she died.” Michael frowned and said nothing, turning away. “I promised her I would spare him, allow him to live a good life…but he was tainted the moment she died. He killed so many…I don’t know if I made the right choice to lie that I never saw his egg that day or the day I lied when I told heaven we destroyed him.” 

“Why did you?” Missouri tilted her head. 

“...Because I loved her.” He glanced away. “...And he’s that’s left of her.” 

“You never moved on?” She asked.

“Same reason you haven’t.” Michael breathed, Missouri hummed tenderly. 

“I’ll keep an eye on Dean, now that I’ve met him, I can tell those poor boys are so lost.” Missouri held her cane tenderly. 

“I don’t recommend encouraging his affections…with this... human .” He frowned. “Humans are fickle, complicated, and they die.” 

“...I disagree,” Missouri spoke. “I think they are good for each other. Dean needs a whole lot of humanity and Castiel needs a whole lot of love.” 

“It’s great and all, till that human’s ten years are up.” Michael spat sourly. “Then we get the monster part two...and I can’t help myself if that happens again, knowing I could have changed the outcome by killing him. Not once but twice.”

“Boy, you came to me to keep an eye on him.” She frowned. “And I’m happy you did. That boy needs a gentle hand, and I tend to give it. He’s a good one. I can tell. I can see into his heart, and I just wish you could too…but you can’t look at him, can you? All you see is his mama-” 

“-He only gets this one. If he becomes the monster he once was because of this boy, I will end him. Promise be damned.” Michael sneered, turned away, and disappeared, leaving Missouri alone.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Castiel’s POV:

Opening his eyes, he stared at the empty bed next to him, staring at it for a long time, just…trying to process why it looked so wrong. When the fire alarm went off, Castiel groaned, throwing off his blankets and bolting towards the kitchen. Dean stood next to the toaster, examining it on fire, just tilting his head. 

Castiel grabbed the fire extinguisher from under his sink without a second thought, spraying it till the flames had stopped. He panted, slowly turning to Dean, who continued to blink.

“Hm,” Dean commented, still in thought.

“ Hm?! ” Castiel sneered. “Why are you actively trying to burn the house down?”

“I wasn’t trying to burn the house down,” Dean spoke simply, like it was obvious before he grabbed for the toaster despite the ash and heat and shook the contents inside without a second thought.

“Dean! That’s hot!” Castiel yelped, but Dean didn’t seem to notice. Shaking it till a small black charred something came out of it. Dean tilted his head again, not sure how he felt about what he was looking at. “...What? Is it not black enough for you?”

“I…think I did this wrong,” Dean turned, moving to the TV.

“Did…what wrong?” He followed him, watching the demon grab the remote. It was a couple of clicks before he replayed a part of a commercial.

“-Show your partner you love them this Valentine’s Day with a hearty breakfast down at Denny’s-” The commercial continued as Dean paused the breakfast of eggs, bacon, and toast. Castiel set the fire extinguisher down in thought, slowly walking to Dean, just staring at it. 

“...You…” Castiel paused, slowly realizing. “...were…trying to cook my breakfast?” Dean slowly nodded before returning to the toaster. “...What was in there?” Castiel put his hands on his hips, staring at it like a mother in silent horror that her child had made her breakfast.

“This.” Dean placed an egg in the toaster, making Castiel rub his lips together.

“...And…how did you stick the egg-?” He winced as Dean slammed his hand down on the fresh egg and shoved the egg shell and yoke into the toaster, then pulled down the toaster buttons to start it. “Hm.” Castiel watched it begin to smoke, making him quietly pull the cord from the wall. 

He was going to have to throw that away.

Deep breath.

Don’t be mad.

“What else did you do, Dean?” Castiel hated to ask. Dean smiled innocently as he walked to the stove. 

“It clicks but doesn’t do anything else,” Dean commented. “I couldn’t make the brown stuff.” Castiel yelped, turning off the gas when he realized it was on and waving his hand around. He pulled open the window, trying to clear the air of the gas. 

“...Brown stuff?” 

“This got hot. So I thought this would do.” Dean spoke, pulling out a long brown belt from the dishwasher. Castiel sighed slowly, trying to absorb all of this. 

“...Is…” Castiel sighed softly once again. “...Is that…my belt?”

“Brown stuff.” Dean smiled and offered it to him. Castiel turned to the TV, trying to understand. Bacon. He thought this was bacon.

“...Right. Thank…Thank you.” Castiel smiled a fake smile. “Anything else? I can only fear what you did with toast.” Dean ushered to the windowsill where the bread lay in the sun. “Oh. The least destructive one.” He grabbed the plain bread, wobbling it. “...Question. Why did you put the bread on the window and…not in the toaster? Do you think maybe…instead of eggs…the bread might have fit?” 

“...” Dean hummed in thought, softly taking the bread and placing it on the top of the broken toaster before shoving it into the slot like it was playdough. They stared at it for a short moment, and Castiel sighed. “...Hm. I don’t think it works.”

“...I fear I was mistaken.” Castiel gave up. 

“I’m sorry. I don’t think I did this right.” Dean asked with a sad, tender smile. “I think I caused you more problems…like always.” Castiel looked at him sadly at that. 

“Thank you for trying, Dean.” Castiel touched his arm softly. “I really appreciate you trying. It’s hard to make food for people.”

“You do it well,” Dean mumbled, making the human sigh softly. 

“Years of practice.” He reassured. “..Come on. Why don’t I buy breakfast? My treat.” 

“...” Dean didn’t seem pleased with this, making Castiel blink. 

“What’s wrong, Dean?” Castiel asked, concerned.

“...Can we…instead…make it together?” Dean asked shyly, looking at the toaster that was most likely trash. “...I would like to learn so I can make you some…better…than I did.”

Okay, his heart melted.

Dean…could be really cute sometimes. 

Castiel couldn’t help but the loving smile that slid across his face as he eyed him. It was really hard sometimes to hate all of the demons since all of Dean was one. How could he? Dean slowly raised his gaze to meet Castiel’s, who smiled, tilting his head. 

“I think…that will be a wonderful idea.” Castiel laughed softly before glancing at the toaster. “...I think I’ll need to hold off on toast till I can convince Gabriel to give me money for another toaster.”

“Did I break it?” Dean asked, touching it. “I’m sorry…”

“It wasn’t you...I fear it may have broken all on its own.” Castiel lied, picking it up by the cord and easily laying it into the trash. “How about this? I’ll hop to the store and grab us some stuff to make? How does that sound?” 

“I would like that, I think,” Dean admitted as Castiel beamed, moving to change. 

“You can stay here, okay? I don’t want you to get sexually harassed just for being.” He ushered Dean’s whole being, who glanced down. “People tend to confess their darkest wishes and try to tongue you.” 

"The only one who tried to tongue me was—" Dean began.

"Shush!" Castiel scoffed, causing Dean to smirk, crossing his arms in amusement. "...I would never have tried to tongue you." Attempting to leave, Castiel bumped into Dean, who had moved to block his path. Castiel met Dean’s gaze as his eyes subtly glowed.

"...Then, maybe ." Dean leaned in, his voice a sickly sweet whisper into Castiel's ear. Castiel’s heart quickened as he looked up. "...But now? " Castiel gasped, feeling Dean's breath on his neck, and cleared his throat, shoving past him.

"Over my dead body!" Castiel choked out, flustered, rushing out the door without his keys. "Stay here, I’ll be back!" 

Dean watched him leave, blinking, then slowly walked to the key ring, lifting the keys just as Castiel inevitably returned. Castiel could barely look at Dean as he quietly grabbed for the keys. He turned to leave, but Dean snagged his wrist, yanking him to him. Their lips roughly met in a desperation that Castiel couldn’t even begin to describe. The demon slammed him back against the wall, easily lifting the human up into his arms, feeling Castiel clinging to him. He moaned, opening his mouth to the Demon. If you asked Castiel how he was feeling in this moment, it could be summed up in the simple thought that crossed his mind. 

Never did he imagine such tenderness, love, and care could be offered to him by the very hands that may themselves have never felt it.

The thought crossed his mind as Dean’s hand cupped his face, holding him close. 

Despite the lustful kiss…

…his touch was so gentle.

The hands that would one day send him to his death…were lovingly stroking his cheek.

The thought sent a lurch in his stomach.

Welcome to the game called Castiel’s Denial!

I’m your host, the idiot currently making out with a demon.

For the million-dollar prize, all you have to do is answer this correctly!

Pop Quiz!

What was the first thing Castiel did when the reality hit him that he was kissing Dean?

1. Keep kissing as if nothing happened. 
2. Draw back and slap him for kissing him, then lecture him about asking first when they BOTH kissed each other.
3. End the kiss, tell a bad joke, high-five him, and then leave.

Lock in your results.

And the results are in!

Castiel ended the kiss, gazing into Dean's eyes. Dean was breathing heavily, his own eyes searching Castiel's, trying to identify the feeling that was making his heart race. Castiel could feel Dean’s heart pounding against his, and he saw the red glow swirling within Dean’s eyes. If he were being honest, he almost lost himself in Dean again as Dean's gaze shifted back to his lips. However, he laughed nervously and moved to get out of Dean’s arms. Dean blinked, a hint of disappointment crossing his face, but he let him go.

"That was..." Castiel blushed, licking his lips, trying to distract himself from looking at Dean as he quickly moved away.

"Was?" Dean prompted, waiting for Castiel to complete his thought.

"...um…better question! What do you call a kiss so good it could send you straight to hell?" Castiel laughed nervously. Dean just blinked without responding, he didn’t look amused. "...A Hotter Than Hell Kiss!" The room fell silent, Castiel clearing his throat uncomfortably. It grew even more awkward after a minute of silence. "Get it? Because…y-you’re a demon?" He laughed again and reached for the door. "Okay! I’ll be back with breakfast!"

"...Cas, can we please talk about what just happened?" As Dean reached for his wrist, Castiel pulled away. Dean hesitated when Castiel grabbed his wrist, then quickly changed it to a high-five.

"Go team," Castiel whispered quietly, leaving Dean thoroughly confused. His facial expression clearly showed his bewilderment. Castiel could practically see the question marks forming above Dean's head. He didn't stick around to figure it out, quickly leaving Dean alone as he exited, internally screaming in embarrassment.