"… Is it supposed to be green?"

For some reason - one not even he himself knew - this was the first question out of Dean's mouth, as the concoction was passed towards him.

"That's what the book says." Sam answered, pushing the tome towards his brother, pointing at the sentence that explained what colour the mix should be.

"It looks like vomit. And that's not what it looked like last time." the blond groaned, looking slightly green himself, as he turned his head away from both his brother and the glass.

"We need to do this." the younger Winchester insisted, pushing the glass further towards his brother. "And the reason it's this colour is that it's a kitten you're mind melding with this time. Last time it was a dog."

"Okay, I can do this."

Dean downed the potion quickly, grimacing at the taste. He chanted the spell that was written on the paper in front of him, and then they waited.

—

The whole reason they were doing this again was that they were under the impression that the little black kitten - that was sitting quietly on the floor next to the table - had seen what had happened to Castiel, who had gone missing suddenly in the middle of a phone conversation with the Winchesters.

He was nearby - having phoned to check the number to their motel room - so they rushed out to see what had happened.

Instead of their angel friend, they found the kitten, standing next to what seemed to be a trench coat. When they checked, it was. And it was the one that they had seen Castiel wear, last time they saw him.

Because it had only been about thirty seconds before they got to the scene, they knew that the kitten must have seen something. Or heard something at the very least.

—

Of all the types of voices Dean was expecting to hear when the spell finally kicked in, it wasn't Castiel's. He even jumped when he heard the angel's deep, rumbling voice in his head.

"Dean, can you understand me?"

"Cas?" the blond exclaimed, eyes wide.

"That's Cas?" Sam asked, half excited that they had found their friend so easily, and half worried about what could have caused such a thing.

"Yes, it's Castiel." the low rumble spoke again. "It was Gabriel who did this to me, by the way. I'm not sure why, but I was definitely him."

"What's he saying?" Sam asked, slightly berating himself for not offering to try the potion this time - or at least suggest that both of them take it.

"He's saying Gabriel did it." Dean explained, leaning over to pick up the kitten. He placed Cas on the table.

Cas looked at Dean with wide, blue eyes; the look of wonder that was ever-present on his human face seemed cute on the kitten.

"I thought…" Sam trailed off. "Never mind. We should get back to the Bunker."

—

They drove back to the Bunker, Cas seated on his trench coat between the pair of them, talking incessantly to Dean.

He made a few bad jokes about Sam, who was driving, just so that he could see the blond laugh, which it did.

Sometime during the journey, Dean had started stroking Cas' back, who had just continued talking, albeit with increased enthusiasm.

When they made it back to the Bunker, Dean carried the kitten in, trench coat draped over his arm.

Sam went straight to the books, while Dean and Cas made their way to the kitchen.

The Winchester was still stroking the kitten's head, and he was purring contently.

Dean searched the cupboards, and came across what he was looking for. A few tins of tuna.

He emptied a can into a bowl, and then another onto a plate. He placed both on the table, passing the bowl to the angel-kitten, and picking up a fork to eat from the plate.

Castiel didn't hesitate, and quickly began to eat the fish.

Both men expressed their satisfaction of the food with a delighted and simultaneous 'mmm'.

—

Sam spent hours coming through books, trying to find a solution.

Dean and Cas spent the time curled up on the former's bed, kitten on the human's chest, both sleeping contently.

When they woke, Cas was in his human form once more. His heavy weight draped across the blond hunter. Who had woke at the same time as the angel.

Instead of moving, Cas just stared into the green-eyed man's eyes, searching for something. Anything.

Dean just wrapped his arms around the other man's waist, rolling them so that they were on their sides, still face-to-face.

"You were very chatty as a kitten."

"I was."

"You were also very cute. You make an adorable cat."

"Thank you." Cas' face lit up with a small smile.

"No problem." Dean laughed, brushing his nose against the angel's slightly.

The next thing either of them knew, they were kissing, gently, sweetly, slowly.

It was a promise for more to come, plus both of them were feeling too lethargic from their time as cats (though Dean was only honorary) to do much more. Instead, they ventured to where Sam was working, hand in hand, realising it would probably be a good idea to tell the man he could stop researching.

At the sight of the human-shaped Cas, and their held hands, he smiled.

"It's about time." He laughed. "I'm just glad I didn't need to lock you guys in a cupboard to finally get you both to admit your feelings to each other."

Dean just laughed, then realised what was said. "Wait, what?!"