The human shivered as light, tentative fingers ghosted over his back.
"So who's it going to be?" A baritone voice murmured into Dean's ear. "A lowly soldier-" here, the voice took a derogatory tone- "Or a mighty Archangel like me?"
Dean's hands clenched into fists. He tried to break free of the invisible ropes that bound him, but it was useless- the Archangel had him rooted to the spot with his powers.
Dean looked up to see another figure frozen opposite him. His heart squeezed painfully as he realized who it was.
Wide, scared, and despaired blue eyes stared back at Dean. Then, the angel lowered his eyes and slightly bowed his head, as if telling Dean that it was okay if he chose Michael over him.
Like hell no, Dean thought fiercely, sending the angel a look. Cas, you child…
"I choose…" Dean started slowly, inwardly smirking at the Archangel's sudden intake of breath. Keep dreaming, you douchebag. "I choose… the lowly soldier."
Castiel's eyes snapped up to meet Dean's once more, though this time, they were filled with tears and emotion. Dean saw something like hope and something else flash through his angel's eyes, something that filled the human's chest with a hot, burning fire.
A furious silence slipped in. Dean could feel confusion, then raw, white-hot anger pulsing off of the Archangel, but he didn't- couldn't- give a fuck. All that mattered was the angel across of him; the angel that had given up everything and had done everything for him.
A terrifying screech abruptly tore through the air, followed by the frantic sound of beating wings. Dean fell forwards, managing to catch Castiel as the two of them stumbled to the ground.
"Cas?" Dean whispered, craddling the angel's head in his arms. "Are you okay, man?"
"I'm… fine," Castiel whispered back. "Though I don't understand why we're whispering."
Dean let out a bark of laughter, surprising himself. "I don't either," he admitted, fingers playing with the angel's hair. It was just so silky and fine and so soft…
Castiel opened his mouth to reply when a sudden flash of pain pierced his very core. He buckled in the pain, his hips thrusting upwards, and a scream tore through his lips.
"Cas!" Dean yelled, alarmed. Desperately, he took his angel up by his arms and stared hopelessly as his angel convulsed, buckled, and screamed in pain. Realizing that he was shaking, Dean found that he had never been so frightened before in his life.
Lights began to shine from Castiel's mouth and eyes. Oh no, Oh no, oh no,Dean desperately thought. Not like this… Please, oh God, please…
As Dean watched the light explode from Castiel, he felt himself falling backwards, and his vision turned gray. Before he got the chance to curse or plead, the human collapsed to the ground, pulling the now-comatose angel with him.
Forever after, Dean would never be able to remember his ultimate rejection to Michael. He would never remember how those blue eyes had gazed at him with strength and love, would never remember how it felt to run his fingers through Cas' hair.
He would never remember accepting his feelings for the now ex-angel, would never remember the moment he decided that he was definitely in love with the geeky, awkward other-wordly creature.
Everytime he saw the ex-angel, Dean would feel his stomach flip and his heart cry out for unknown reasons. He would miss the little looks Cas sent him when he wasn't looking, would miss the meanigs behind every small gesture.
He would never know that while he forgot everything, Cas remembered it all.
