The witch is saying something about the day and Castiel, so it must have been a Thursday because Cas is the angel of Thursday. Dean knows this because he knows some things about Castiel. (Things Sam doesn't know he knows and doesn't need to know he knows.) But at the moment he's nursing a major headache from being thrown into something. He's not sure what it was; the witch is saying something about breaking a curse, but Sammy is bursting through the door and shooting her before she could finish that thought.
Dean thinks he might have missed some time, though, because Sammy shouldn't have been there. He was supposed to be burning her spell book. Now Sam is looking down at Dean asking him questions, but Dean isn't answering. He feels kind of dazed and may have a concussion, but before he could mention that he passes out.
When he comes to he's laying back in their crappy, Old West themed motel room. This time it's Sam and Cas looking down at him. Sam is fidgeting with the medical kit to distract himself, but Cas is just staring serenely at him. "I feel like I was successful turn in battleship by a teamster's transport."
The relief that washed over Sam's face turns to confusion as Dean sits up. Even Cas cocks his head, concerned. Dean isn't sure why. "What's double-cross e.g.?"
"Dean, you sound like a crossword puzzle."
Realization sinks in. That stupid witch cursed him while he was unconscious. And now she was too dead to help him break it. Not that she would help. But she could give clues. Fuck.
He looked back at Cas, "But I sound nominal at NASA to Celine Dion hit 'All by.'" The angel just tilted his head at Dean, "Am I correcting in thinking you do not hear the riddles you're speaking in?"
"'I've Seen All Good People' band!" The tilting only increased and he squinted. He was confused. Dean sighed and nodded his head. Cas stood up, "I'm going to try to find answers."
Before Dean could say anymore the angel was gone. He threw himself back on the bed. This was really going to suck. Sam sighed and mumbled something about maybe shooting the witch too soon.
A week of this crossword bullshit left Dean and Sammy at Bobby's seeking answers that probably couldn't be found. By now his responses to anyone were either clipped or non-verbal. He'd even tried writing stuff down, but it was the same result. It'd look right to Dean, but not to anyone reading it.
Sammy closed another book on witchcraft. "Well, she probably wanted to teach you a lesson or something. Did she say anything to you?"
Dean rolled his eyes, "I was publicly gay."
Whatever he said it left Sammy breathless with laughter. Dean wasn't sure if he was going to have to sell his soul again. Cas would save him again, right? After a few minutes of Sammy crying with giggles he got himself together, "you said it not me. But you still are."
"What did I utter aloud?"
"You finally admitted to being gay. Which some of us have known for a while, except maybe the one person you want to know." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively, but he was looking behind Dean. So the hunter turned to look and there was Cas. There had to be embarrassment on Dean's face since Cas just said, "I'm utterly indifferent to sexual orientation, Dean."
Great. Really fucking great. Of course then Cas just turns to Sam and starts talking about Dean like he isn't even there. Like Sam wasn't just trying to tell him something. Pissed off, Dean huffed at them, "I'm right X on a mall map!"
Like he did every other fucking time Cas ignored him, told Sam he'd keep looking and just left. This was shittier than first anticipated. "I'm auctioneer's alert to nine-to-five routine on Baby." Sam just gave him his I-Know-This-Is-Hard-For-You-And-I'm-Here-If-You-Need-To-Talk look. No thank you.
If he ended up destroying some random junker instead, well, no one needed to know.
It was another 3 days before Cas came back. Dean hadn't been stewing. Nope. He was just taking cars apart. They needed to come apart. So what if hadn't exactly been careful with them?
Again, the first thing he did was talk to Sam, but Sam just shoved him and Dean into the basement and told them to sort their shit out.
"Cas, I All You Need according to the Beatles you. And now that I can't talk to you, I can't tell you properly. That is the worst part of this curse. Because you don't understand the references and get frustrated and fly away. I don't want that. I want you. Here. With me."
Cas's eyes widened as Dean speaks, but Dean isn't sure why. He can't decipher his actual words, so who knows what the angel is actually hearing. But Dean can't think about it for too long since Cas is cutting him off and asking him to repeat himself. With a frustrated sigh Dean starts again, "Cas, I love you—"
Now he's being interrupted by chapped lips on his own. Dean's hand find their way to Castiel's elbows, anchoring him to something real as he returns the kiss, but the other man is breaking away and full on smiling, "I love you too, Dean. I think that's what she wanted you to see, because you're not speaking in clues anymore."
Dean can't think of the words, so he kisses that real smile off Castiel's lips, and really, that's all that's needed.