"Calling all units. Bank robbery in progress..."
One town with more than it's fair share of crime. All day every day, shootings and robberies. Murders and muggings through the night. The city had so much crime, in fact, that a hero rose to defend it. Well, that's not right. The city had two heroes- the Angels, they called them. The Night Angel, and the Day. As far as the city knew, they were working together to try to keep the city safe- one labored through the night, and was rarely seen during the day.
"Calling all units. House fire on..."
The other Angel worked for the city through the day, only making occasional appearances after dark. What the city didn't know was that the two rarely spoke. They weren't connected in any way. Occasionally they would pass each other as they traded shifts- incidentally one of them held a day job and the other worked nights- and very occasionally, they would speak.
"Calling all units. Gunshots heard on..."
The Night Angel was tired. He would have liked to be asleep- it was his day off his job as a regular mechanic. But apparently crime doesn't sleep, or some crappy line like that. Usually he would be snuggled up tight in his bed, preparing for the night, which was still hours away. That other guy could deal with crime when it was light out, couldn't he? Evidently not- the town was going crazy and though the Day Angel tried his best, he couldn't keep up. The Night Angel watched the city carefully, trying to decide what was most important when a voice spoke from behind him.
"Hello." The voice was deep and gravelly. The Night Angel didn't have to turn to know who it was. He unconsciously straightened his posture, allowing his cape to flow majestically around him as he stared soulfully at the town below him.
"Hiya." He greeted after a moment. "Which one are you taking next?" he turned to face the other hero, who-for reasons unknown- didn't have a cape himself. The Night Angel found himself lost in electric blue eyes, not hearing a word his daytime counterpart said. He considered the outfit of the man in front of him- a white mask around brilliantly colored eyes, and a skintight suit of white and light grey. It had a pattern of diagonal stripes over the chest, effectively creating several v's. He wore silvery knee-high boots and had a small lean frame. He couldn't help it if his eyes drifted away from the other man's eyes and to his loin-cloth covered groin- it actually looked okay, it was longer in the back, presumably to preserve modesty even though his suit cover all of his skin. The Night Angel's thoughts turned quickly to his own outfit- his own mask was black, and had lenses over the eyes that acted as computer screens. His own-rather tight- bodysuit was almost completely black, except for the insignia planted above his chest, which was white. It depicted a pentagram with wavy sunbeams. His...privates... were cover partially by a large utility belt. He carried a regular old staff, but the other Angel carried what appeared to be a night guard's whopping stick-whatever that was called.
"Hello? Are you still with me?" The Night Angel couldn't help but hear the smirk in the other man's voice as couldn't help but blush as he snapped his eyes up where they belonged, blushing slightly.
"Why don't you have a cape?" The man laughed, flashing bright white teeth.
"Not everyone wears capes."
"But capes are cool." he argued feebly.
"On some people." the other agreed mischievously. The Night Angel felt his cheeks heat up again as the man started at him lewdly.
"Calling all units..." Both heroes snapped back to attention as the police line operator began speaking again.
"I'll go deal with the fire." The Day Angel announced before sprinting away, leaping rooftop to rooftop. The Night watched him go for a moment before shaking his head.
'It'll never happen, Winchester. You don't even know who he is.' He ran off to deal with the robbery.
That night, the Night Angel stood vigil on his usual rooftop, waiting for all hell to break loose like it did most nights.
"Hello." He didn't turn to see the other man.
"Hey there, Angel." The Day Angel sat with his feet dangling off the edge of the building and after a moment, his counterpart joined him.
"I think you'll have a quiet night." The white-clad man spoke. "I think they all got their rocks off this morning."
"I think you're right. So..." he hesitated awkwardly, prompting the other man to look at him. "I was wondering if we could... try to get to know each other a little bit?" The other man's eyebrow rose.
"It's be risky." he commented, not looking away. The Night Angel nodded.
"Yeah." There was silence as they both turned to look out at their city.
"You may call me Cas." The Day Angel eventually said. "Right now, that's all I'm comfortable telling you."
"I'm Dean. And I totally get it. We've both got some serious enemies around here."
"I can assume I don't need to tell you that anything we talk about is totally completely 100% secret?"
"Nope." Cas gave a brilliant smile.
"Good. I rather like you... Dean." The other man offered a grin of his own.
"I like you too, Cas." They were silent after that. Long hours passed where nothing happened and eventually Cas stood to leave.
"I should be working right now." he explained apologetically. Dean smiled and stood as well.
"Damn bosses just don't understand that we're trying to save the world, do they?" Cas gave a chuckle and shook his head. He bit his lip and glanced at the slightly taller man. He leaned in suddenly and pressed his lips quickly to the other man's, pulling back before he got a chance to respond.
"Goodnight, Dean." He ran quickly away, cheeks almost glowing in the night.
"Night, Cas." He smiled after him.
The heroes didn't meet for a few weeks after that- their schedules averaged out so they no longer needed two vigilantes at any one time. One particularly quiet night, the Day Angel appeared.
"Hello." he murmured as he looked up at the other man
"Hey there, Angel." Dean turned and winked at Cas. "Care to join me?" he asked as he sat, sprawling at the edge of the building. The blue-eyed man nodded, sitting next to him. "Can I do something for you?" The other hero bit his lip and looked away, over the darkened town.
"I... was lonely." He admitted after a moment. "I knew you were having a quiet night, so..." he trailed off uncertainly.
"That's great, man. Gets boring up here alone all night. Don't know how you do it in the heat all day."
"No cape." The Day Angel deadpanned. Dean laughed and nudged him with his shoulder.
"You're a regular comedian, aren't you?" he groused. The Night Angel couldn't keep his thoughts away from the kiss Cas had given him at their last meeting, but he didn't bring it up- that could turn really awkward really fast. Instead he went with the next-potentially uncomfortable topic. "So, Cas. Got a girlfriend?" Dean grinned when he managed to make the other man blush.
"No."
"Is it the day job?" The other man blushed harder.
"No."
"What, an attractive guy like you is willingly single?"
"I never said I was single." Cas pointed out.
"I-oh. Sorry." Now it was the Night Angel's turn to blush. "I... uh..."
"I am, but you shouldn't assume."
"You asshat!" Dean shouted. "You had me freaking out, thinking I had offended you or something!" The Day Angel laughed.
"I'm gay, Dean. I don't have a girlfriend because I'm gay. I don't have a boyfriend because of my... day job, as you put it." He paused a moment. "How about you? Anyone special wondering where you go every night?" Dean shook his head.
"Nah. Girls tend to like it best if you're around every now and again. Between the crap I have to deal with to get food on the table and this," he gestured out to the large city. "I don't really have time for women. Men... men don't seem to mind as much if you're gone at all hours of the day, as long as they still get off."
"So you have a boyfriend?" Cas asked hesitantly, biting hit bottom lip again.
"I never said that." Teased the other man. "I get off work a few hours before dark. Sometimes I'll pick a guy up, and we'll... get off."
"I see." Dean listened hard for any disapproval in the blue-eyed man's tone and couldn't help but smile when he didn't hear any. "So, you got a tragic back story?" Cas snorted.
"You're quite blunt, aren't you?"
"Sorry." Dean shrugged. "I don't really think before I talk..."
"I can tell." Cas assured him. "But yes, I suppose I do. Yourself?"
"Don't we all in this business?" Cas nodded his head in agreement.
"Or we're totally insane for other reasons. Think about it, Dean. We willing put our lives and limbs at risk every day to save strangers from other strangers. I'm almost always completely covered in bruises and I've broken more of my bones than I'd care to admit."
"Bananas make 'em heal faster." the Night Angel offered conversationally.
"Really? I always go for pineapple myself."
"Bananas are cheaper."
"True..."
"Anyway, I know what you're talking about. Thank god for doctor-patient confidentiality or the whole world would know who I am. I tell him most of my crap happens on the job though. Then my insurance pays the bills." Dean winked.
"It's a good plan. Unfortunately, my job doesn't offer insurance and isn't very physically demanding."
"What do you do?" There was a moment of strained silence. "Oh, sorry man, I-"
"I write. What, I don't think I'll specify. But I write." Dean nodded.
"I'm a mechanic. Do you go to the gym?" Cas smirked and looked at Dean out of the corner of his eye.
"You're going to have to get a better line than that." he teased. The Night Angel blushed.
"Aww, shut it. I was just wondering how you keep in shape for beating up assholes."
"I have a punching bag. I used to take mixed martial arts." Dean nodded.
"That's coo-"
"Calling all units. Shots heard..." Dean grimaced.
"That's my cue. I'll see ya around, Angel." Dean winked and stretched, hurrying towards the address repeating in his ear.
'The city is in chaos as crime runs free. One of our favorite heroes has been missing in action for three days now. The Night Angel can't keep up without his daytime counterpart, and so far there's no end in sight to the Day Angel's mysterious disappearance.' The news had been playing the same story all day, and Dean Winchester was getting annoyed with it. He was stuck in the stupid garage he worked at, instead of out and about beating all the shitheads he could find. Bobby, his boss, insisted they keep the news on in case the Day Angel reappeared. Dean was getting worried about the blue eyed man. For the first time since he first appeared a few years ago he wasn't around, saving the day. He hid it, but he desperately wanted to see the other vigilante swoop in to save the day. Last night a friggin' news crew had cornered him to try and talk to him about his 'partner'. He tried to explain- quickly with as few words as possible- that he had only spoke to the guy a few times and he really didn't know where to find him. That little gem had also been playing on the news all day, making Dean wish he wasn't so strongly opposed to punching a few innocent civilians, or at least their cameras. Dean groaned when he was finally allowed to leave the shop. He had been bent over cars all day and now he was on his way to bet punched and shot at and maybe killed. It was actually kind of amazing he was still alive after all this time- he had been actively fighting crime for about five years now- and despite what the public would like to think, he wasn't invincible. He could die just as easily as everyone else. The difference was that he just didn't care.
Bright reds and brilliant greens. Luminescent purples and dark, brooding blues. Geometric shapes of all kinds and sizes, tropical birds that screech and dive, attacking the heads of any who linger too long near their nests. Large flowers that bloom into sickly yellows and deep black. Ominous buildings that never grow closer or move farther away, no matter how long you walk. Red snow falling from the sky. Castiel Novak- known less formally as Cas and more formally as The Day Angel- had been living in utter Hell for days. He lived alone, so no one knew. No one was around to notice that he had a steadily climbing fever, that he hadn't been able to move for three days- he was dehydrated, and passed out. An empty bottle of Tylenol was on the bedside table next to his bed, and a stale glass of water stood next to it, collecting dust. He had been locked in his fever dreams for the better part of two days. Cas needed a doctor. The Day Angel needed saving. He needed a hero. But no one knew. No one would be around to save him, and Castiel Novak would die.
If this were any other story, that is. But since it's this one, a coincidence happens where our favorite characters meet, and one of them (three guesses which) basically saves the life of the other by getting him to the nearest hospital.
A knock on his door- but Cas can't answer. He doesn't know anything has happened at all.
"Uh, hello?" a voice through the door. "Anybody home?" Dean Winchester is one the other side, a stack of mail in his left hand. "I somehow got the mail of... C. Novak at my house. I was wondering if you had mine here?" Dean waited another minute, listening carefully. Some sixth sense told him everything wasn't okay within the small house. He knocked again and tried the knob cautiously. The door opened and he stepped in. "Hello?" He called out as he closed the door behind him. "Is anyone here?" he listened and heard labored breathing somewhere deeper in. "Please don't be doing anything sexual..." he murmured as he walked down the hall, following the quiet sounds. He opened a door- bathroom. He moved further down and came to an open door. Peeking his head in he saw what he was looking for. A man- who he assumed to be C. Novak- was curled up in the middle of a large bed. He had messy dark hair- and was dressed only in a pair of boxers, apparently. He whimpered and Dean moved closer. Tentatively, he placed his hand of the other man's back. "Fuck." he murmured as he pulled out his cell phone. "No wonder you didn't answer the door, buddy." Dean dialed 911. "Uh, I need an ambulance on 142 Maymeadow. I've got a guy here that won't wake up and has a fever out of this world. Yeah, I'll stay on the line." Dean absently hoped he wouldn't get in trouble for breaking and entering. Not too long later, the medics got there, and without bothering to wonder why, Dean got in the ambulance with them.
A day later, C. Novak finally began to move.
"Fuck." he rumbled without opening his eyes. "Why does my head feel like it's been hit by a wildly rampaging moose driving a semi filled with rampaging elephants?" he asked the room at large. An unfamiliar voice answered him with a chuckle. "Don't you judge me. My head hurts." He sensed someone leaning near him and reaching above his head.
"I just called the nurse for you." a gruff voice informs him. "She'll be in in a minute, I guess."
"Who are you?"
"Most people at least look at someone before asking that." But C. Novak just grimaced, gesturing vaguely to his head.
"Rampaging moose driving a semi." he reminded the other male.
"Right. That's impressive, considering how you've been practically comatose for a few days." Novak's eyebrows lifted slightly. "I can barely form proper sentences when I wake up after an hour or two."
"Comatose... is that why my head hurts?"
"Probably." the other man agreed easily. "So, your mail ended up at my house. Did you happen to get any mail for Dean Winchester at your place?" Novak screwed his eyes tightly.
"I don't remember the past couple days, really. Last day I remember was... a Tuesday, I believe."
"That's not too bad, it's only Saturday." A nurse entered the room and Dean stood. "Well, you're in good hands, C. Novak. I'll leave you to it. If my mail is at your house, could you send it my way?" The other man nodded absently. "Thanks. See ya." Dean left, winking at several attractive nurses as he did.
"He's been worried about you." The nurse informed the hospitalized man. "Wouldn't leave you last night."
'There were no reported sightings of the Night Angel the last two nights, and we can't help but ask ourselves if the same thing that has made the Day Angel disappear has now stopped the Night Angel. Is our town doomed?' Cas snorted as he lay in his hospital bed, watching the news-it was that or a Spanish soap opera featuring Pollo the talking (and apparently devilishly handsome) chicken. He had been on the mend for three days and two nights, and hoped to be discharged soon.
"Two nights and the world crumbles in on itself." he spoke to the empty room.
"Well," a quickly familiar voice said from the doorway. "The Day Angel's missing too. Crime's on the rise. People are getting scared."
"And what about you, Dean Winchester?" The blue eyed man asked, looking at him for the first time. "Are you scared?" Dean was shocked to silence-which may be a first- as he saw the other man's eyes. A shocking blue that he had seen before- but only on one other person.
"Me?" He recovered with a laugh. "Nah. They'll be back in action soon, I'm sure."
"Not to appear rude, but I was wondering... why are you here?"
"Oh, right. More of your mail showed up at my place. Thought I'd bring it to you." Dean offered the small stack of envelopes all addressed to 'C. Novak'.
"Thank you. We should tell the post office to learn to read." All of the envelopes had his correct address- they had just been delivered to the wrong place.
"So, what's the 'C' stand for?" Dean asked. Quietly, where no one could see, deep inside, he was nervous about the answer.
"My name is Castiel." That's all it took. Dean knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the man laying before him was the Day Angel. He hadn't been saving the town because he had been dying of fever.
"Can I call you Cas?" he tested, smiling.
"Well, they tell me you saved my life. So I suppose you're entitled to call me anything you'd like."
"It that a 'If you want but I'd prefer if you didn't?'" Cas offered a small smirk.
"No. I'd like it if you called me Cas." Dean grinned.
"Well," he clapped his hands. "Maybe I'll see you around, Cas. But I've got to get back to work." Cas nodded his understanding and Dean left, whistling a jaunty tune.
"Who are you?" Cas murmured as the other made his way down the hall. "Why do you keep coming back?"
'The Night Angel reappeared last night, though was unavailable for questioning as to where he had gone, or if he had any news on the whereabouts of the Day Angel, who has now been missing for 5 days. The city seems on the verge of collapse.' Cas groaned to himself as he made his way into his house. He had been set free earlier in the day, and was ordered bed rest and no strenuous activity for at least a week. That wasn't in the plans, though. It was getting dark by the time he made it home. He made himself a cup of strengthening tea and sifted through his mail as he drank it- all the mail that had arrived at him house was for Dean. Once full dark had fallen, Cas went for a walk towards the busier parts of town. When he deemed himself alone enough, he ducked into a quiet alley and began scaling the building. Once on top, he removed his shirt and jeans, showing his Angel suit below. He immediately patched himself into the police scanner.
"Calling all units. Robbery in progress..."
"Calling all units. Shots heard..."
"Calling all units. House fire on..."
"Calling all units..."
"Hey there, Angel." The Night Angel gave a wink as the Day turned to look at him. "Welcome back."
"Thanks. Where are you headed off to?"
"I'll take the robbery." Cas nodded.
"Okay." The Day Angel prepared to dash away.
"Cas?"
"Yes, Dean?" The Day Angel turned his head to look back at the Night.
"I'm glad you're back." Cas smiled.
"I am too." The heroes separated.
A few days passed where the boys saw each other all the time, as they got their city back under control. Dean spent his lunch break fighting crime and felt like he hadn't slept in a week. Cas 'took a break' from writing and was sure he hadn't slept in a month. Eventually, the thugs and thieves of the town got the message. The Angels were back, and they didn't like what was happening. Broken bones became the norm, and not just noses. The Angels wanted their city back, and it seemed they would do whatever it took to save it.
One night, Castiel slept instead of patrolling.
A few days later, Dean slept through his day off instead of beating up some jerks.
Their schedules returned to normal, and they went back to hardly seeing one another, something neither of them really appreciated.
One night, Cas was walking through downtown, trying to get home. His elderly neighbor had wanted to go out to do some shopping that apparently couldn't wait until morning. It took a while, but Castiel eventually managed to convince her that it wasn't safe and to let Cas go, because he was much less likely to be attacked. True though it may have been, less likely does not mean impossible. As he carried the plastic bags the short distance to his house, Cas was stopped by a gun pressed to his back.
"Don't make a sound, don't move. Don't turn around, just listen. In just a minute, I'm going to have you put down the bags. You'll get your wallet and drop it on the ground. Any jewelry you may be wearing will also be dropped. Are we clear?" Cas swallowed and nodded slowly. "Good. You just might come out of his alive. Now, put down the bags." Castiel did as he was told. "Now your wallet." The blue eyed man reached towards his back pocket, but spun suddenly, knocking the gun out of the man's hands. He shoved the heel of his hand into his attacker's nose and winced as the man's head hit a brick wall behind him, then smacked hard into the cement ground, staining it red. Coolly, Cas dialed 911.
Castiel's attacker was pronounced dead at the scene. The police assured him that there wouldn't be any legal problems down the road- it was self defense, and the town had special laws in place for such things, since the survival rate for muggings was so low. Cas heard one of the police remark to another that he hadn't been able to find a gun and promptly left, bringing his neighbors grocery bags- now slightly bloody- with him. That night, the Day Angel made his way to where he knew the Night Angel liked to wait out the night. He wasn't there, so Cas sat down to wait, hoping he would come by sooner than later.
"Hey, Cas." It had been almost an hour, and the Day Angel hadn't moved. "What's up?"
"I killed a man today." Dean raised an eyebrow as he sat next to his counterpart.
"Confessing to a nighttime vigilante? Not your smartest move." he joked.
"I'm serious. Self-defense."
"Oh. Good for you." But Cas was already shaking his head.
"I've never killed anyone before."
"Oh." Dean wasn't sure what to do.
"I thought he had a gun on me. But he didn't. They couldn't find one. He had something else that couldn't have killed me. But I killed him. I didn't think he would die. I just punched him. But he hit his head. Twice. And I guess it was too much." The Night Angel sighed and threw his arm around Cas's shoulders, pulling him close.
"It's okay, Cas. I know how you're feeling-"
"How, Dean? What am I feeling right now? I would love it if you could tell me, because I don't have the slightest clue."The Day Angel tried to pull away, but Dean held tight.
"You're confused." he murmured, close to his ear. "You wish he had a gun. You're numb, and you don't know if it's okay to go on without some form of mourning or sadness, because that man is dead because of you. But you know you did what you thought you had to, and you couldn't have stopped it." Tears began to fall down the other man's face, sliding easily over his mask. "You wish you could go back and change it, and you regret that he died. But you don't regret saving yourself."
"How could you possibly know that, when I didn't?"
"I've been there." he whispered, pulling Cas even closer and wrapping his other arm around him, so he was caged in his arms. "It's my tragic back story." Cas tilts his head in a manner that the other man interpreted as curiosity without pushing. "When I was little, I was walking with my mom. I had begged to go to the store with her," Dean let out a chuckle. "so I could protect her. But I was tired, and kept lagging behind. She was walking a little bit in front of me, and a man stopped her with a knife. He didn't see me, thought she was alone. I didn't notice him until somehow, my mom got the knife away from him. It hit the ground near my feet. She yelled at me to run, but I picked up the knife instead. The man saw me, and started to laugh. But he wasn't alone. There was a second man who stepped out of an alley, and he stabbed my mom. Then he told the other man they needed to get rid of me. I think they were surprised I didn't run. The first man tried to take his knife back, but when he leaned over to take it, I buried it in his face. I think I was crying. Then a cop car pulled up, and the other guy split. I still wish he had some kind of weapon, so I could justify it to myself. He hadn't done anything. Sure, he probably could have killed me with his hands. But I wish to God he had a knife, a gun, even some freaking pepper spray. Then it would feel like self-defense, not murder." Cas nodded, tears still flowing down his face.
"Exactly. That's exactly how I feel." He didn't move to leave Dean's warm embrace, and may have snuggle just that much closer as they sat in silence.
"Calling all units..." The Night Angel turned off his police scanner, and The Day looked at him.
"The police can get this one themselves." Cas hesitated and nodded, settling into the other's embrace.
"When I was eleven years old, my dad left me and my brothers and sisters. None of us were 18 yet, but we got by. Later I found out he had a hit out on him and had been told that if he didn't present himself to some mob or the other that all of his kids would be killed. He skipped town, left us at the mercy of a mob we had never heard of. The boss decided to kill us off slowly, one by one. He started with my baby brother, Samandriel. Then my oldest brother, Michael. Eventually I was the last one left. I was all on my own, 12 years old by that point. I don't know why I wasn't killed. It had been pounded into me since the day my dad left that my family would not be put into a home, we would rely on ourselves. So I didn't tell anyone. I started stealing food, clothes, money. I made sure I was the best possible student so my teachers would never want to talk to my parents. I've been on my own since then. As soon as I was old enough to get a job and start making money I stopped stealing. I was lucky I never got caught."
"That's intense." Dean murmured. "You're a survivor."
"You too." They sat in silence for a while, until far away sirens brought them back to the present. "I should let you get back to it." Dean nodded.
"Probably." Dean gave a final squeeze let Cas go, allowing him to stand. Cas offered his hand to help the other man up, and Dean accepted. He stepped well into the other's personal space, and giving him time to back away, leaned in. He pressed their lips together in a gentle kiss. Cas wrapped his arms around his neck, reveling in the strong hands on his hips. They shared several chaste kisses before the sirens sounded again and the Night Angel pulled reluctantly away. "Bye, Cas."
"Goodbye, Dean. I... hope to see you soon." he muttered shyly. Dean grinned and stole a final kiss before dashing away.
A week passed before the heroes saw each other again. It was around noon, on their rooftop. The Night Angel climbed to the Day Angel, his scanner already turned off. Hesitantly, wary of being denied, he leaned in close. Cas closed the distance and their lips locked.
"Hey, Angel." Greeted Dean when they pulled apart.
"Hello, Dean." That day, they talked. Cas turned off his police scanner and Dean forgot to go back to work after his lunch break was over. But neither of them particularly minded. As the sun sank ever lower, Dean took a chance. He glanced around before pulling off his mask. Cas stared in shock for a moment before everything clicked into place. "You already know who I am, don't you?" The blue-eyed man questioned as he took off his own mask.
"Castiel Novak." Dean answered with a smile. "It was your eyes, the second day in the hospital." Dean stroked the other man's cheek softly. "What about you, did you know?"
"I suspected, Mr. Winchester. But I didn't have any solid evidence."
"My life is literally in your hands now, Cas."
"And mine is in yours." They kissed in the sunset and changed into normal clothes.
"The city can survive on it's own for one night. Do you want to go on a date with me?" Cas grinned.
"Absolutely." The boys walked for about ten minutes, until they found a quiet but bustling little diner near the center of the city. The waitress tried to flirt with first Dean and then Cas, but found them both thoroughly uninterested in her. She may have spit in their food. They both ordered a cheeseburger and fries. Dean got a slice of pie and Cas ate the the ice cream that came with it. They laughed and flirted their way through the meal. Afterwards, Dean walked Cas back to his pride and joy- a 1967 Chevy Impala. That's a car, for you non-car oriented type folks. He drove Cas home and they made out in the car like horny teenagers for at least 20 minutes before as managed to pull himself away. Dean walked him to the door and they made out there for another 10 minutes until Cas gave in and dragged Dean into his bedroom. Needless to say, the Night Angel made no public appearances that night.
The next morning, Cas woke up first. He glanced at the clock next to his bed and groaned, moving Dean's arm from around his waist do he could escape to the bathroom. When he returned- only slightly more awake- he nudged Dean.
"What time to do you have to be at work?" He asked when he finally managed to get the other man conscious.
"Later." Dean grumbled into his pillow, willing the sun to stop shining so brightly.
"Do you even know what time it is?" Cas asked, tracing patterns on the other man's back.
"No."
"Hmm. Are you going to regret sleeping in later?" Dean thought about it for a moment.
"Are you going to leave?"
"No." Dean rolled over and pulled Cas close to him, pressing their bodies close together.
"Then I won't sleep." Both Cas and Dean showed up late to their day jobs, and neither really cared.
Over the next few weeks, Cas found himself falling for one Dean Winchester. He wanted everything with him. He was willing to let the city burn itself to the ground if it meant he got to spend a little while longer with the other man. He tried not to think about how dangerous that was for everyone involved. A few times he found himself lurking near the garage Dean worked at. A few times he changed from his Angel outfit and went in, just to say hi. And kiss. And laugh. And completely distract Dean from whatever he was doing for at least a solid 30 minutes. Crime all over the city was getting worse. The police were rushing people through training, just trying to get more people out there. The city had come to rely heavily on it's now often-absent vigilantes. The news began ragging on them, saying if they were just planning on leaving the city high and dry they never should have made themselves known in the first place. Some stations suggested that maybe they had a lover's spat and were too angry with each other to fight crime. Others thought they themselves had turned to crime. He would always grin when Dean showed up at his house and distracted him from the book he was supposed to be writing. Sometimes it was right after Dean got off work at the garage, and he would stay the night. Sometimes it was after a few hours of fighting crime, and he would stay the night. Sometimes-rarely- Dean would show up just after dawn and stay the day, sleeping away his sleepless night.
"Do you ever think about getting out of the business? Retiring, letting some other poor sap take up the mantle?" Cas asked one evening as they cuddled together on Cas's back porch, waiting for the cool that would follow the setting of the sun.
"I didn't used to. I always figured I'd die on the job, you know? Eventually pick a fight that went over my head."
"But now?" Cas asked hesitantly.
"Now there's you. Now I want to spend all of my time with you, and I don't want to leave you. And seeing how we're in the same business, what if something happened to you?"
"Could you stop?" Dean tilted his head slightly in a gestured he had picked up from the other man.
"What do you mean? Are you asking me to?" Cas shook his head.
"No, I mean... I don't know if I'm physically able to consciously stop. It's a part of who I am. I don't know who I'd be without the Day Angel."
"I... it would be hard. But I think with the right motivation I could do it." Cas nodded.
"Do you want to move in together?"
The men bought a house together in a calm little neighborhood in town. Cas moved from his one-seater cottage and Dean from his crappy apartment in the middle of the city. Cas got to meet Dean's little brother, Sam. Just to tease, Cas flirted outrageously with the hulking man, who didn't seem to notice the dangerous waters he was treading in when he played along to get a rise out of Dean. Sam didn't know his brother was the Night Angel, and consequently didn't know how strong he was. When Dean finally got fed up with the endless flirting, he turned to the larger man.
"Okay, here's the deal. You got me. You wanted me mad, I am. So. We're gonna arm wrestle. I win, you stop flirting with my boyfriend. You win, you get the satisfaction of knowing you're stronger than your older brother and of knowing that I'm pissed. Deal?" Sam grinned enthusiastically.
"Deal. You are so going down." Dean snorted.
"Let's just get this over with." Cas hurried to clear off the kitchen table and placed his hand on top of theirs as he counted down.
"3...2...1... go!" Sam's hand was on the table before he could even blink.
"2 out of three!" He demanded instantly. Cas hid his giggles as Dean agreed, already in a better mood from being able to beat his brother so easily.
"3...2...1...go!" This time, Dean held Sam at the top a moment before grinning.
"I'm gonna win." he assured his little brother. "You can't beat me. Are you even pushing yet?" Sam shot a glare at his brother and his arm began to shake, Dean didn't even look like he was trying as he slammed his brother's arm into the table.
"How the hell did you get so strong?" Sam demanded, rubbing his arm.
"Trade secrets, Sammy." Cas nudged Dean with his hip.
"I wanna arm wrestle Sam. I promise not to flirt with him anymore." Dean hooked an arm around Cas's waist and pulled him close so he could kiss him.
"Good." he growled when he released the other man.
"Cas, I don't wanna hurt you..." Sam said awkwardly as the mush thinner man sat across from him.
"I'm stronger than I look." Cas couldn't help but throw a wink towards the giant. Dean rumbled and Cas winked at him too. "Sorry, baby." Cas offered his arm to Sam. "Come on." Sam did as he was big and lightly grabbed the other man's hand.
"3...2...1...go." Dean murmured unenthusiastically. He already knew who would win. Cas made just as quick a work as Dean had, despite his small appearance.
"Which one of you is stronger?" Sam asked as he rotated his shoulder and stood. Cas offered a grin.
"I am."
"How do you know?" Dean blushed at the question and suddenly Sam didn't want to know.
Cas and Dean got a dog and kept unconsciously weaning themselves out of the fabric of the still-struggling town. Dean had been carrying a ring in his pocket for a week when tragedy struck. Sam had been attacked, and was dead. For the first time in a long time, Dean spent the whole night out patrolling, beating up anyone doing anything even slightly nefarious. Cas waited anxiously as he didn't come home at all during the day, or the next night either. On the next morning, Cas donned his Day Angel costume and lit out to find the man he loved. When he eventually found Dean, he was in the middle of a fight. His arm looked broken, but he was still attacking with all he had. Cas jumped in to help and the fight was over quickly.
"Come on, Dean. We need to get you to a hospital."
"No."
"Dean, your arm is broken and"
"I said no, Cas. There's no time. I need to get back out there." The Night Angel brushed past the Day and sprinted away. After just a moment, Cas followed, determined not to let his lover out of his sight. All day Cas and Dean fought together, brutally punishing anyone who dared break a law. By nightfall, Cas was exhausted and could only imagine how tired and pained Dean must have been. He had eventually convinced him to slow down long enough for Cas to make a rudimentary splint on his broken arm before setting back on his rampage to save the city- to save Sam. Cas took a hard punch to the nose and blacked out for a little while. When he came to, Dean was carrying him as gently as he could with just the one arm. They were in their neighborhood and Cas sighed with relief. Dean was headed home. The Night Angel's face was distant as he put Cas on his feet on the front porch.
"I'm leaving you." Cas just blinked for a few moments. "I'll be back for my stuff in a few days, I'll still help pay for the house."
"You're joking and it's not funny."
"We don't get to be happy, Cas. I don't get to be happy. Look what happened when we tried. Sammy's dead, the town is practically in ruin. We can't have what everyone else has. It's too late for us, Cas, don't you see?"
"Dean, you're grieving. Why don't you come inside,"
"No, Angel." Dean pressed a quick kiss to Cas's forehead. "I love you, Cas. But I can't let the city burn anymore. Not if other people will lose their Sammys." Tears fell from both of their eyes as the Night Angel walked away. As Dean left.
For a short time, a few days at most, Cas waited for Dean to come back, waited for him to realize his mistake. But he didn't. One day, the Day Angel showed up again. The next, all of Dean's stuff disappeared from the house. The dog stayed until Cas had the time to take it to the pound. Slowly, slower than anyone could have thought possible, The Angels took back the town. The city didn't notice that they never again saw the Day Angel during the night, or vice versa. They were too happy to have their heroes back and good as new. The Angels saw each other occasionally, from a distance during the uncertain hours between night and day. They never spoke. They didn't acknowledge each other. And less than a year later, the Night Angel was killed on the job, finally in a fight he couldn't handle. He was buried in a police cemetery after no one had claimed his body. He was buried under the name Night Angel. The city paid for the expansive ceremony. No one dared mention the addition of a cape to the Day Angel's wardrobe afterwards. A few months later, a new hero popped up. He took the Night Angel's place. He tried to get to know the Day Angel, but he was elusive. A few months after that, the Day Angel was shot in the head, execution style. He was buried next to Dean in another expensive ceremony where half the city showed up. He was buried under the name Day Angel. Their headstones where graffitied within a week. Within two, the Day Angel had a replacement. The story of the Angels was passed down from parents to children for generations. Where other heroes were quickly forgotten, Dean and Castiel thrived. A city never forgets it's first saviors, even if it never really knows them.