"Cas?"
The angel looked up blankly from his seat on the bed, his eyes never quite focusing.
"Cas, I just wanted to say thank you, and I'm sorry." Dean huffed, clearly holding in tears. "I mean... I know I asked for your help but I never thought... I just got you back, man."
He slowly lowered himself until he was sitting on the bed next to his broken friend. Castiel slowly turned to look at him.
"Dean." The hunter whipped his head around, his face brightening.
"Yeah, Cas, it's me. I'm here." Castiel gazed at him, uncomprehending. The angel's eyes swept over his body, taking in every detail, from the blood on his coat sleeve to the wet shine of his eyes. He looked away, staring straight ahead at the wall.
"No. This one is false as well."
The tears in Dean's eyes welled up, one spilling over. "What do you mean?" His voice broke. "It's me, Dean. You know," he voice became husky as he attempted to joke, "the one you gripped tight and raised from perdition?"
Cas shook his head violently. No. No! Dean reached out and held the angels face, turning it to face his own. "Come on, man," he said, stoking Castiel's cheek softly with his thumb. "It's me."
Excruciatingly slowly, Dean leaned in to rest his lips against the angel's. "Cas," he breathed, and Castiel moved in, desperately accepting the kiss. It was sweet and soft and the hunter's lips tasted salty, like tears.
They moved their mouths against each other's fiercely, like starved men. It became more passionate and soon Cas was lying back on the bed, Dean leaning over him, their lips still locked.
Castiel's eyes closed tight as he fought back tears of relief. "I love you," Dean whispered.
"Dean, I lo-" Cas opened his eyes and sprang back into the corner of the room.
"Well, well, well. This might be a new record," Lucifer said, reclining on the bed, grinning. Castiel flinched back tighter into the corner. "Little Dean-o, hunter extraordinaire. Who would've guessed you went for butch, huh Cassy?"
"He was not real," Castiel surmised quietly, not moving from his spot.
"Yeah, no. Sorry buddy," Lucifer laughed. "You almost got me at the beginning there though, Cassy. I was sure you weren't going to go for the gay thing."
Castiel looked at the floor, his expression unchanging. "Nothing to be ashamed of, Cassy. We all have urges. Some of ours are just more... attainable than others."
Lucifer prattled on and on, relishing in his success. Soon enough Meg came in and found Cas, still huddled in his corner, eyes glassy. She helped him up and tucked him into bed. "Who was he this time?"
He refused to meet her eyes, speaking almost inaudibly. "Dean."
She let out of long whistle. "That's gotta be tough, what with that thing you've got between you."
"Yes," Cas said, eyes fixed on the threads of his blanket. He lifted his fingers up to touch his lips. "It was 'tough'."