A/N: Tumblr Prompt:"You're afraid that you'll lose me in big crowds so you always hold my hand but now you just hold my hand when there's only, like, five people around and I'm getting very suspicious"

—

It had all started when the case led them to a busy shopping mall.

Dean didn't like the thought of a newly-human Castiel possibly getting lost, so he grasped ahold of the fallen angel's hand, and lead him through the crowd, following Sam's head, towering over the shoppers.

It wasn't that Dean and Cas were small, at 6'1" and 5'11" respectively, they were rather tall, but Dean knew that Cas had a tendency to get slightly distracted, what with his new-found human emotions and senses, so it was better to be safe then sorry.

—

After that, Dean would grasp Cas' hand whenever there was a large crowd, or if they had to get somewhere fast.

Sometimes Sam would give his brother a funny look - which Dean couldn't quite put a label to, just yet - but the blond would always have a reason at the ready.

The subject would be dropped, and Dean wouldn't feel like he had done something wrong, in the eyes of his brother.

—

Soon he started doing it when he didn't need to. In the Bunker, or even in public, with only about 5 people around, Dean would take Cas' hand, and gently guide him to their destination.

Sam's funny look morphed into one that the elder Winchester vaguely recognised as a smirk, but not a smug one, a happy, 'I know something I don't think you even know, but I'm happy for you anyway' kind of smirk. More smile than smirk. Perhaps it was a little bit smug.

—

"Why do you enjoy holding my hand so much?" Castiel questioned one day, tightening his grip on the blond's hand, so the other man knew that he wasn't uncomfortable, just curious.

"What do you mean?" Dean was trying to play the 'I have no idea what you are talking about' card. It wasn't going to work - the fallen angel had picked up his observation skills from the Winchester brothers.

"You know exactly what I mean." he deadpanned.

The elder Winchester let out a deep sigh, and slouched into the dining chair behind him. Cas settled on the chair next to him.

"I just do, I guess. It's kind of hard to explain." Dean ran his free hand over his face, mildly embarrassed. "I like the feel of your hand in mine. Your hands are soft." He muttered into his hand.

Castiel heard him perfectly clear.

The blue-eyed man just squeezed the other man's hand again, giving him his brightest smile.

"I like holding your hand too." Cas told him. "It grounds me, and I feel secure. Plus, I like knowing you do not want to lose me."

"I never want to lose you, Cas." the green-eyed man told the dark-haired man firmly.

Just to reiterate his point, he let go of the fallen angel's hand, and placed both of his own on the other man's hips, pulling him into a standing position, moving him until he was standing between his legs.

One hand then moved up, threading into the hairs at the base of Castiel's neck, pulling him in for a kiss.

"I never want to lose you." the blond whispered against the fallen angel's lips, and they were drawn into another kiss.