"I'm sorry about all of that," Castiel mumbles, staring at the untouched beer Dean had given him. The others shook their head, "Cas, listen," Mary sat up, "You're family. This family gets into trouble…"
"This family nearly dies," Sam continues,
"This family waits until our dying moments to say anything," Dean said quietly, barely loud enough for Castiel to hear him, to hear what almost sounded like bitterness in his voice. He wasn't given a chance to dwell on it before Mary continued, "You're one of us now, Castiel. You're one of my boys now." She smiles before getting up with Sam to their rooms. Dean didn't move.
"Dean?"
"'I love you'?" Dean glared at Cas, causing him to cower in his seat, "You wait until we all think you're going to die before you say that to me?"
"I-I didn't think you…"
"No. No don't say anything. Don't say anything until you get shot, or nearly killed again. I'll do the same since that's clearly how you think it should be done."
"Dean, wait!" Cas jumped up, grabbing his wrist before he could leave, "I didn't think you would feel the same way. With all the...the girls you bed and...I didn't think you-"
"Are you kidding me? With how many hints I threw at you? You are so blind!"
"Dean-does that matter? The point is you know now," Castiel trailed off, staring into Dean's green eyes before picking his words back up, "So what do you say?"
Dean waited a long time, seeming to search the man's face for any sign of a lie, for any sign that this could all be a trick or a dream. Dean looked down, licking his lips before looking back up at the angel, "I love you too."
Castiel sighed in relief, taking Dean into a hug. The two laughed softly, Dean hesitating before wrapping his arms around the other. How they had longed for this moment. Though it wasn't exactly as they had planned, they finally did it.
