Dean woke up, head groggy, woozy and feeling as though he'd just been on an all night bender without recovering properly in the morning. He groaned, raised his hand to his head, fingers covering his eyes to block out the light, eyelashes tickling against his palm with every blink he took. He sighed, a brief gush of air that tickled against his hand as he scrubbed at his mouth with his fingers, before heading into the bathroom, deciding that he really needed a shave.
He couldn't understand where he'd gotten three days growth from, when he knew he'd shaved just the morning before. He briefly wondered if he'd perhaps been unconscious or sleeping for longer than he'd thought, then thought better of it. Sam would have woken him before now if that had truly been the case. He shuffled into the bathroom, blinking at the feel of his own body, wondered why it felt so alien this morning. His body felt too light somehow, too skinny to truly be his own muscular frame, and he wondered why he felt like he'd lost a few inches in height too. His limbs seemed uncoordinated, barely biddable to what he wanted them to do, which was currently walk in a straight line.
He shook his head, and muttered to himself - "Boy, Dean, you must have gone on a true bender last night; your brains are scrambled."
He frowned at the sound of his own voice, wondered why his voice was gruffer than usual, accent altered from a Kansas one to something more northern. He padded into the bathroom on swift feet, suddenly feeling the need to check his own reflection, an insane thought filtering through the fog and the befuddlement of early morning haze.
He reached the mirror over the basin, screwed his eyes shut before positioning himself roughly in front of it, hands balanced upon the barely reassuring edge of the basin before he chanced a look in the reflective surface in front of him. Even though he was slightly off center, missing the mirror almost by three inches, he could still see enough of his own body to know that it wasn't his own body after all. He opened his mouth and yelled loudly, in a voice that was not his, using a mouth that didn't belong to him, spewing curses from a mouth that didn't often swear ....
Sam heard a horrified yell coming from the bathroom, followed by a swift string of inventive curses, pulling the young hunter from sleep. He sat up, pawing at his eyes groggily with one large hand, before struggling to his feet and yawning loudly. He padded to the door to the bathroom, knocked on the solid wood surface, before he called through the wooden barrier.
"Dean? That you in there? What's up?" he said, on the tail end of a yawn.
"No, it's not me," came a voice that had Dean's tone but wasn't his voice. "Well, technically I'm me, but I'm not - really - me."
"Dude, you're not making any sense. What's going on?" Sam asked, checking Dean's bed to see that the sheets were rumpled but the bed itself was empty.
He wondered if he was dreaming yet knew that it felt too real to be a dream; the heat in the room was enough to convince the young hunter that he was awake. He sighed, heard movement on the other side of the bathroom door and waited until the wooden barrier slowly opened, admitting the sight of Castiel standing on the other side. Something about the way that he was standing was so unlike how Castiel usually stood, ramrod straight and always on the point of attention, nor was it Jimmy's softer, friendlier slouch. Sam had spent enough time with Jimmy Novak about a year ago to remember how Castiel's vessel stood, and this wasn't it. Instead, it looked more like how Dean held himself, imposing without being too dominating, strong and slightly too macho.
"Dean?" Sam asked, eyes skimming over the familiar dark brown hair and bright blue eyes of Castiel's vessel in the hopes of coming across something that vaguely represented his brother.
"Dude, this is so not funny," came Dean's response from Castiel's mouth, using a gruffer tone than he usually did, a slightly altered accent that was jarring to Sam.
Sam couldn't help it; he laughed, throwing his head back and subjecting the air to guffaws and the loudest belly laugh he'd had in a long time, enjoying the look of growing discomfort that was spreading across his brother's borrowed face.
"I repeat, dude, this is so not funny," Dean said again, as a smile hitched its way across Castiel's full lips, sending his eyes into crinkled amusement at the corners and it was only then that Sam realized he'd never seen Castiel smiling before.
He slowly stopped laughing, wondered why the angel never smiled and thought it a waste. He wondered if angels even had a sense of humor, knowing the evidence seemed to point otherwise. He remembered Dean saying on a few occasions that Castiel had laughed a couple times in his presence, and Sam didn't want to know what they'd been doing at the time to prompt that from the usually solemn angel.
"This is really bizarre. Can you remember what happened?" Sam asked, when Dean strode into the room, making Sam stare at him curiously.
It seemed strange to see Castiel striding so manfully when his footsteps were usually much faster, more measured and deliberate, with less of the swagger that Dean possessed. He sighed and knew that it was going to take some getting used to, more so for Dean than for him. He followed his brother in a borrowed body back to the bed and sat across from him, staring at Dean peeking out from behind Castiel's borrowed eyes. He rubbed at his head, feeling the beginnings of a headache blossom in his temples, thinking that his current train of thought was really not doing him any favors. This really was going to take some sorting out. He tried not to think too hard about Dean being in a body that belonged to a man who was being used as a vessel for an angel. The possibilities for infinite confusion were just that - infinite.
"No, dude, I can't remember. All I know is, I went to bed as me, and woke up as Castiel," Dean shrugged in response to Sam's question, slender shoulders moving beneath the tan coat, turning helpless blue eyes onto his brother. "Or rather, Jimmy. I think. Dude, this is confusing."
Sam nodded, slowly, trying to hold back a laugh at his brother's plight while staring fixedly at the floor. He looked up when Dean nudged him with one of Castiel's shoes harshly to meet the scowl of Castiel. Sam knew it was Castiel's scowl because as far as his limited knowledge went with Jimmy Novak, he didn't think he was one to be predisposed to frown in such a forbidding, warrior of God, way.
"This isn't funny, dude, I swear it isn't. I want my body back," Dean muttered, voice going deeper still with angry harshness and sounding even more like Castiel.
"I know you want it back, but you gotta admit, this is a little bit funny," Sam said, starting to laugh once more. "Just by a little bit."
"This is like Freaky Friday, but I'm swapping bodies with my own boyfriend," Dean groused, getting up to stride across the room helplessly. "I'm trapped in Castiel's body, I mean, Jimmy's body, both of their bodies. Hell, this is giving me a headache."
"Call Castiel, then. Call him here and maybe we can get closer to finding out what the hell happened," Sam said as he sighed, stopped laughing, kneaded at his temples with one large hand to forestall the headache from spreading.
Dean grunted, pulled the phone from the pocket of the familiar tan coat, before finding his number on Castiel's phone and calling it. He waited a few seconds, blue eyes fixed intently on the far wall as he shifted and paced, seemed intent on moving, rapid gestures of being ill at ease that was pure Dean when he was uncomfortable about something.
"Cas? Hello," Dean said, when Castiel picked up on the other end. "Notice anything different this morning, have you?"
Sam watched, mouth still twitching with amusement as he listened to the one sided conversation, brief though it was.
"Yeah? Well, get my butt here immediately so we can sort this out, okay?" Dean groused, before disconnecting.
Dean slumped down moodily upon the bed, stared at Sam just as moodily, waiting in silence until the familiar rush of wind and whispering wings announced the arrival of Castiel. His now larger frame blotted out the light and he looked no happier than Dean felt. Dean blinked, disconcerted by being faced with himself, looking at his own body obviously inhabited with someone else. Even Sam blinked in surprise, already having gotten used to Castiel's body acting like Dean. It seemed strange to see his brother, who he knew better than anybody, standing stiff, almost to attention, like Castiel always stood. He even tilted his head as he regarded Dean in the angel's chosen vessel.
"Hello, Dean," Castiel said, in Dean's voice.
"Yeah, hey, Cas," Dean replied, without much enthusiasm.
Castiel blinked, head still tilted, as though he was waiting for something. Dean stared at him, then sighed, before he chuckled at himself more than Castiel. He stood, slid his hands around hips that should have been his own, then pressed a kiss to a mouth he should have been kissing with. He smiled when Castiel used his hands to bracket his face, tongue lapping at Dean's new lips until they parted, allowed Castiel to slide his borrowed tongue inside Dean's new mouth.
Dean pulled away, stared at his own face looking back at him, then said - "Dude, that was weird. It's like I was kissing myself."
Castiel tilted his head, then smiled, mysterious smile looking oddly out of place on Dean's mouth.
"I wouldn't know," Castiel replied, with head tilted to the side.
"Oh, no, of course not. You're not even in the right body to begin with," Dean groused, with a sigh. "Is this what it feels like to you?"
"I don't know, Dean. What do you feel?" Castiel asked, his tone seeming alien in Dean's voice.
"Weird. Kinda displaced, like my limbs don't fit right," Dean replied, looking down at Jimmy's body and staring at a slender hand upraised.
"It's not so bad, Dean. You get used to it. Besides, I like my chosen body - my usual one that is," Castiel replied, with another mysterious smile. "Yours is nice, too."
Dean, at least, laughed at that, but he didn't get a chance to reply before Sam interrupted, sounding as uncomfortable as he looked right then.
"Okay, awkward," he said, standing to tower over the pair of them, feet shuffling against the carpet as he moved closer to them.
Castiel looked up to him, green eyes reflecting a little of the angel held inside his new body, which Sam found quite disconcerting. He sighed then spoke to Castiel.
"D'you have any idea why this happened, Cas? Did you do this?" he asked.
"Why would Cas do something like this, Sammy?" Dean broke in, tugging at Sam's elbow to attract his attention back to him once more.
"He's right, I wouldn't," Castiel replied. "Besides, I don't have the power required to swap bodies any more, if I ever did. I never tried."
Sam sighed, the situation quickly losing its appeal now that they were starting to try and figure out the cause and consequence of the body swap. He pushed his hand through his hair, before sighing again.
"Okay, who does have the power to do something like this?" he asked, looking first to Castiel then to Dean when he realized that he was looking at the wrong body.
Castiel used Dean's shoulders to shrug, before he said - "Only a really powerful angel or demon could pull off a feat this big, but the question remains why? Why bother? It achieves nothing."
"A really powerful angel?" Dean asked, picking up on a few keywords from Castiel's sentence.
Sam glanced at his brother housed in Castiel's vessel, before picking up the thread of his brother's thoughts.
"Like an archangel?" he asked, turning his gaze to his brother's body.
"Yes, exactly like an archangel," Castiel replied, a grim expression that was alien to Dean creeping over his new face as he stared intently at Sam.
"Like Gabriel?" Dean pressed, to which Castiel nodded gravely, as though he had had him in his mind all along.
"Exactly like Gabriel," he confirmed, with a long suffering sigh at his erstwhile brother.
"Son of a bitch! Wait til I get my hands on him," Dean cursed, turning away to pace the room angrily, tan coat swishing around his legs as he passed Castiel and Sam swiftly.
"Sounds like his M.O. at any rate," Sam said, more to himself than to either Dean or Castiel as he stared blindly at his own thoughts. "He's back to his old tricks again, it looks like."
Dean cursed loudly, swinging his borrowed fists on front of his new body, which looked strangely uncoordinated as he tried to manipulate unfamiliar muscles and limbs into familiar gestures. The effect looked comical, and even Castiel was smiling as he reached for Dean tenderly. He seemed to have no problem controlling his new body, Sam observed, but he supposed that the angel had inhabited many bodies over the millennia so wouldn't have any trouble adjusting to yet another new body. It made little difference to the angel, or so it seemed to Sam.
"We need to call Gabriel here, to reverse what he did," Sam observed, as he watched Dean take Castiel's hand gently, staring at his lover uncertainly, as though searching for something familiar behind those eyes that should have been his.
The love there was unmistakable, tenderness evident despite the shift of bodies, glaring forth from two pairs of wrong eyes and it proved at least to Sam, that their love remained undiminished despite the change of bodies.
"I agree. I don't think Dean can put up with this much longer," Castiel agreed, to Sam's earlier question, without ever taking his eyes from Dean's new ones.
"What he said," Dean replied, with an affirmative nod.
Sam smiled softly to himself at their closeness, at the way they seemed to know things about each other without ever exchanging a word, forestalling the need for talk. It only further confirmed their special closeness, the depth of their relationship that they knew what each other wanted, needed, even thought at any given moment. Sam wished that he had that kind of closeness with someone else, yet even then, he doubted it would match that which Castiel and Dean shared. They had been through a lot together, and seemed to speak without words at times, merely with glances, caresses, gentle touches and soft kisses.
When both moved closer to one another again, Sam shook his head at Dean and Castiel's altered walks and bearing. Dean's body was stiff, more like Castiel's usual gait, while Castiel carried himself with that trademark Dean Winchester swagger. The effect was both amusing and disconcerting to the hunter and he choked back a laugh hastily. He noticed though, that they still were holding hands despite the shifted bodies, as though they were seeking comfort in each other in uncertain times. He smiled softly at that, couldn't help but feel a little gratified that at least they were going through this together, were both affected by it and had each other to turn to. He was still surprised that Dean was taking it so well, considering.
He watched as Dean turned to Castiel, before his brother said - "Have you still got some of that Holy oil left over? I think we need to make a booty call to an archangel."
Castiel nodded his slow, deliberate nod, and the gesture was out of place when he used Dean's body for it. It seemed that the gestures were exclusive to the personality and not the body that personality inhabited. Sam had often wondered how much of Castiel showed and how much was Jimmy when the angel was riding the man's body. It seemed that a lot of it was Castiel, judging by how he was manipulating Dean's body to his own bidding.
Both Dean and Sam waited while Castiel disappeared, to return a couple minutes later holding the jar of holy oil he'd procured from Jerusalem, retrieving it from wherever he'd been hiding it all this time. Dean privately surmised that Castiel must have an angelic safe box somewhere, that Castiel stowed his holy oil, halo polish and whatever he used to groom his wings.
Five minutes later and they were outside, behind the motel in a deserted field blocked from general view and Dean and Sam watched Castiel complete the ritual, Enochian words tripping easily in Dean's voice before they waited. Within moments, Gabriel's familiar small form appeared before them, scowling as the backdraft from his wings scattered their clothing and mussed their hair. Castiel quickly lit the oil, effectively trapping the archangel within its fiery confines.
"Yes?" Gabriel asked, face expressionless, as though struggling to keep laughter contained. "Well? You called? I hate to think why."
"You know why, Gabriel," Dean said, stalking around the ring of fire, looking as though he were finally in control of Jimmy's body at least, although not entirely comfortable with it.
"Dean, is that you?" Gabriel asked, innocently, peering at Castiel's vessel closely, as though he really didn't know.
"You know it's me in here," Dean groused. "And you've put my boyfriend in my body."
This last said as he pointed at his own body nearby, with Castiel inside. Gabriel tilted his head to the side, a look on his face as though he didn't really care.
"Yeah? What do you want me to do about it?" he asked, with a diffident shrug.
"Put us back, Gabriel," Castiel prompted, looking unimpressed.
"Mehhhhh, maybe," Gabriel said, staring at the sky and tracking the progress of a passing bird as though bored.
"You put us back now or I swear I will kill you myself, somehow," Dean vowed as he stepped to the other side of the fiery line and glowered at the archangel within. "It won't take much pushing at the moment, I tell you."
Sam stepped forward, and restrained his brother with a gentle hand upon his tan coated sleeve, before shaking his head at him, staring into his cerulean blue eyes earnestly. Dean sighed then stepped away reluctantly, although he did keep his eyes trained upon the trapped archangel, as though imagining every last thing he wanted to do to him and then some.
Gabriel still looked unaffected, boredom suffusing his face and dulling his hazel eyes as he stared around at them all. They waited expectantly, before he sighed expansively, clapped his hands sharply. Dean felt a rushing, wrenching feeling sucking at his liver, the brief sensation of flying briefly through the air, before he was firmly in his own body once more. He couldn't help but run his hands experimentally over his chest and hips to reassure himself that he was who he was supposed to be. He was, after all, quite attached to his real body.
"Why d'you do it, Gabe?" Dean asked, finally satisfied that he was who he was supposed to be.
"I was bored. Besides, I wanted to teach you a lesson, and also because I like you." Gabriel replied, with a mysterious smile at the trio before him, but refused to be budged to reveal more of what that lesson actually was.
He just waited, standing there and demanding to be freed now that he'd switched Dean and Castiel back to their true forms. Finally, Sam grew bored, and told Dean, then Castiel to just let him go, realizing that no one would get anywhere with the stubborn archangel before them. Reluctantly, Dean nodded at his lover, and Castiel broke the ring of fire, doused one section of it with a handful of mud and letting Gabriel disappear into thin air with a mischievous chuckle following him.
Dean sighed, hands shoved deep into the pockets of his jeans, before turning away, demanding the need for food, seeing as he'd skipped breakfast and some of Jimmy's hunger stayed with him. He walked away without waiting for either his brother or his boyfriend, leaving them no choice but to follow him, to try to catch up. It wasn't long before they were driving on their way, heading for the nearest diner, Castiel sitting in the back seat of the Impala, staring primly out of the side window, watching the scenery roll past.
Castiel had long since gone on mysterious angelic business, by the time that Sam and Dean left the diner nearby, after the elder Winchester had demolished three burgers, two portions of fries, four milkshakes and half a slice of toffee cheesecake. Sam kept stealing glances at his brother, a smirk in place upon his lips as he did so as they walked in the fresh air of a summer's afternoon.
Finally, Dean said - "What?" - after not being able to stand any more of his brother's pointed looks, which usually preceded awkward questions or a joke.
"Never mind," Sam said, turning away, amused, catching onto Dean's dubious mood, uncertain as to how to voice his questions at any rate.
"What?" Dean persisted, reaching out to stop his brother in his tracks, spinning him around to face him and giving him no chance at avoidance or escape.
Sam shrugged, a smile still in place on his face, before he finally gave voice to what was on his mind.
"What was it like in Castiel's body? Jimmy's body, I mean?" he asked, genuinely curious.
"I don't know, Sam, I was too busy concentrating on getting out of it to take field notes," Dean replied, with a roll of his eyes.
"You must have felt something, Dean. You were in there long enough," Sam persisted, refusing to give up. "You must have been tempted to play a little. You were in that bathroom long enough for a start first thing this morning."
"I thought you were asleep. And no, I was not tempted," Dean said, defensively; a little too defensively, Sam thought.
Sam continued to stare at him expectantly, not believing a word of it, until Dean finally relented, caved and nodded, a sly grin crossing his face as he stared at his brother.
"Okay, I was a little tempted, but you're forgetting something. Castiel's my boyfriend; it's much better and more fun to sleep with him when he's in his own body, vessel, whatever, than violate him when I'm using it," and Dean winked coquettishly at his brother, unashamed in the things he was admitting.
Sam coughed, looked uncomfortable, then said - "Okay, a little too much information there, Dean."
"Well, you asked," Dean pointed out quite fairly, he thought.
Sam had to concede to that point, before turning away to look at passing traffic.
"Come on, I'll take you to the motel, then I'm going for a drive," Dean said, gesturing to his brother to get in the car, walking around the sleek vehicle to get behind the wheel. "Need some time to clear my head after the morning I've had."
Sam had to smile, shaking his head at his brother before getting in the passenger side, remaining quiet for the rest of the trip back to the motel. He didn't mind being left to his own devices, deciding he could do with a nap, leaving Dean to clear his mind as he'd stated he wanted. Sam knew that he needed the time alone after all. He didn't know how he would have reacted in Dean's place. Dean waited until Sam had gotten out and walked round the vehicle, before calling for his brother, making him turn to stare askance at him.
"If Cas swings by the motel, tell him where I am, would you? I'll be at the docks," Dean said, with a smile. "Got some things I want to talk to him about."
Sam nodded, but refrained from lewd jokes, just said - "Okay."
Dean nodded, remained silent as he watched his brother turn away and retreat into the motel room, wooden barrier of the door closing behind him and shutting him from Dean's view. The elder Winchester nodded to himself and pulled away from the motel, headed towards the nearby docks, fresh air and hopefully clearer thoughts ...
Dean looked out over the docks, watched the birds drift down on the thermals to settle upon the water, before he trained his eyes upon the people unloading the cargo from freighters, fish from a fisherman's yacht, assorted goods from overseas. He blinked against the sparkles playing across his face from the sun being thrown up from the waves below, shielding his eyes from the glare instinctively.
He turned when he heard the distinctive sound of Castiel's wings cutting through the air and he smiled when he saw his lover standing there, staring at him, hands pushed deep within his coat pockets. He looked beautiful, hair shifting perpetually in the breezes and Dean was suddenly grateful he was back in his body once more. Okay, he knew technically Castiel was in his vessel and wasn't in his true form, but the sentiment was still there. At least he wasn't inhabiting Dean's body any longer.
He straightened, stretched, then approached Castiel tentatively, suddenly shy as though nervous of what Castiel had seen in his own head while he inhabited Dean's body. There was some things he didn't want Castiel to see, about what he'd endured in Hell, about what he'd done in the past. He pushed his thoughts away from what he didn't want to think about, instead focussing on what he'd be happier on Castiel seeing - his own love for the angel, unspoken yet forever acknowledged, always felt, always strong.
As if reading Dean's thoughts and inner turmoil, Castiel gave Dean one of his trademark mysterious smiles, before he said - "It's alright, Dean. I didn't see much of anything while in your body. Your memories went with you when you hopped into Jimmy's body."
Dean tried not to let his relief show, but Castiel still caught it in the shift of his face and shoulders. He smiled again, liquid blue eyes growing distant as he stared at Dean. He opened his mouth to speak once again.
"I did, however, feel your love for me, Dean," he said, smile brightening his face and making his expression tender. "I never realized before just how much you truly loved me."
This time, Dean let his relief show and he gave Castiel one of his lopsided grins, eyebrows lifting quickly as they stared at one another.
"I'm glad you felt that, Cas," Dean admitted, smile turning tender as Castiel's.
He closed the distance between them before cupping Castiel's cheek with one warm hand, smiling when the angel leant into his touch, eyes half closing as though he enjoyed the contact. Castiel turned his face slightly and kissed Dean's palm gently, warm silken lips lingering against sensitive skin and sending shivers through Dean's body. The hunter closed his eyes, smiled when Castiel repeated the gesture, sensations heightened now that his sight was robbed by fragile eyelids closed.
He sighed, then said - "I've been doing some thinking while I've been out here alone, Cas. I think I know what Gabriel's lesson was."
He opened his eyes and saw that Castiel was staring at him expectantly, eyes wise as though he'd already guessed the answer and was waiting for Dean himself to acknowledge it. Dean smiled at him, caressed Castiel's cheek with the pad of his thumb before sighing.
"I think he was trying to tell us, or rather me seeing as it affects me more, that it doesn't matter what body we're in, our love for each other remains," he said, slowly, looking down to the ground between his feet then back up at Castiel again.
Castiel nodded slowly, then smiled slightly, full lips curving gently as he continued to stare unblinking at Dean. He felt contentment settle through him that Dean had finally realized this.
"That's true enough, Dean. Love conquers all, and I think Gabriel knows that, and was trying to make sure we knew that," Castiel concurred, gently, dipping his head slightly as he nodded at his lover without ever taking his eyes from Dean's.
"You might have known that - you're an angel, you're made of love," Dean said quietly, knowing that it wasn't quite true.
All of the angels he'd seen, bar Castiel himself in recent times, had all been arrogant, violent dicks, all out for themselves and as far from loving beings as it was possible to get. Castiel shook his head, negating Dean's words as the hunter had expected.
"No, Dean; I told you once before - angels are warriors of God. Are you not familiar with Revelations?" he asked.
"Not in the sense you mean," Dean said, with a grin which soon faded at Castiel's level look. "Not really, Cas."
Castiel looked away, then said - "I think you're wrong. The lesson was just as much for me as it was for you. Not all angels are like me, you should know that. You've met my brothers and know what they're capable of. You've also seen how much I've changed since I've been barred from them, from my home, my powers."
Castiel paused, but there was no blame in his words, not this time. Dean watched him, waited, and in time, Castiel began to speak once more.
"I have learnt to love and it's because of you. Even though I knew you loved me, I didn't know how much. I owe Gabriel just as much as you do for letting me see that," he said.
Dean remained quiet, thought back over his time in Castiel's vessel and examined the feelings he'd picked up on while there. He did what Sam had asked him about not so long ago, doing it for Castiel's sake rather than his brother's. Then he smiled and all he could remember was such comfort and light left behind, as though there was something of Castiel left in Jimmy; something warm and loving.
Castiel was watching him as he thought and it seemed as though he knew what Dean was thinking about, the realizations he'd come to, and he nodded, slowly, liquid blue eyes reflecting the sea behind the hunter perfectly. The reflected blue made his eyes seem depthless, ageless, wise and infinitely more unknowable and untouchable than Dean had ever known them, yet still he wasn't shaken.
"You left something in Jimmy, didn't you? A part of you," Dean said, feeling suddenly cowed and overwhelmed beneath the weight of all that was happening.
Castiel nodded again, remained silent, as though waiting for Dean to continue.
"It was love," Dean said, in amazement, to which Castiel nodded again, smiling this time.
"Why are you so surprised by that?" the angel finally asked, staring at Dean curiously as though sometimes he really didn't know Dean at all.
"I don't know what that's like Cas," Dean admitted. "Or at least I didn't before."
Castiel remained silent, staring at Dean intently, as Dean processed the new information. Dean grinned, looked truly happy for the first time in days, before leaning in to press a kiss to Castiel's soft, sweet mouth gratefully.
"You really do love me," he said, in amazement.
"With everything I have, as I know you love me," Castiel said, with an assured nod.
"With everything I have," Dean repeated, never taking his eyes from Castiel's.
Dean smiled but remained silent when Castiel closed the gap more, kiss magical and soft against his lips. He responded, eyes now closed, hand threading through the soft, warm hair at the back of Castiel's head, lost himself to the feel of Castiel's mouth working smoothly against his, the feel of his tongue inside his mouth, the clash of teeth and shift of lips as they kissed.
Dean tried to put more of his love into his kiss, despite knowing that it was unnecessary, that Castiel already knew the depth of his love from being inside his body for such a short amount of time, yet doing it anyway.
Castiel pulled away, leant his forehead against Dean's shoulder and whispered - "Dean!" - against the leather jacket. Dean shuddered at the naked need and love evident in the angel's tone and he wrapped his arms securely around Castiel's body, tucking his chin against Castiel's shoulder and snuggling against him, loving the feel of Castiel's slender hands resting against his ass.
He sighed and couldn't think of another time where he'd felt so content, so happy as whenever he was with Castiel, held in his arms, kissing him, making love to him, knowing that perfect love was all for him alone. Then a thought made him pull away slightly and stare at Castiel curiously. The angel tilted his head at him, waiting for Dean to ask him whatever was obviously on his mind, curious smile curving his lips as he stared with liquid blue eyes at him.
"So can you read Jimmy's thoughts then?" Dean asked, voice quiet as he stared into Castiel's eyes, caressing his cheek gently.
"Sometimes," Castiel said, slowly. "When he's awake. He's so far down into this body, I'm often not aware of what he's thinking or feeling all of the time. He likes you though, Dean."
"I don't know whether that's a comforting thought or not to be honest, Cas," Dean said, wryly.
"Did you not feel him in there, with you Dean?" Castiel asked curiously, tilting his head at the hunter as though genuinely curious.
Dean thought about it, blinking as he rubbed the back of his head thoughtfully.
"I guess not, Cas. I didn't know what to look for," admitted the hunter, ruefully. "All I could feel was you, your love for me."
Castiel smiled at that, seemed to know what Dean was trying to get at and not minding. He looked away, eyes glancing back towards the sky and reflecting some of the blue back in his irises. Dean stared at the curve of his neck, the fine expanse of milky skin, the darker stubble and finally the liquid blue eyes of Castiel when he looked back at him once more. Castiel smiled again, ever so slightly, more with his eyes than his mouth. Suddenly Dean felt safe in the knowledge that he was loved, felt cradled in its warmth and ever present state.
Castiel watched the hunter closely, saw one tear slide down his cheek upon the realization that Castiel truly loved him finally, truly sank in, before the angel leant in and kissed the tear away. Dean rested his hands against the angel's hips, nuzzled his neck and inhaled the intoxicating scent of him, pressing his lips against the fragile skin in a lingering, soft kiss. Castiel purred, a gentle sound that conveyed his contentment, sounding much like an overgrown cat to Dean. He chuckled against Castiel's neck, thinking that it was probably the way angels showed their contentment.
He shook his head, unable to get the thought of - wings like a bird, purrs like a cat - out of his head. He sighed against Castiel's neck, pressed another kiss to his skin again before drawing away slightly, looking down upon Castiel's full lips hungrily. Dean had always liked his lips, so softly kissable, so endlessly inventive when they were alone, shaping themselves against Dean's body, laving against nipples and hard muscles, around his cock gently.
He gently eased Castiel out of sight of the docks, ducking behind a pile of crates nearby, feeling safer behind their shaded expanse, blocking them from public view and affording them some much needed privacy.
He nuzzled Castiel's exposed neck once more, then said - "Get undressed, Cas. Now."
Castiel stared at him, full lips puckered as he picked up the scent of Dean's arousal hanging thick in the air and he smiled, shrugged out of his coat obediently. He felt his vessel's dick respond to his own excitement, grow hard and aching between his legs, felt the sweat bead upon his skin. He knew he wanted Dean, knew he wanted to fuck him, to be inside him or have Dean inside his own body; he didn't care which. He quickly undressed until he stood naked before his lover, dick hard and curling up towards his abdomen, flushed in the warm sunlight.
The soft breezes played across Dean's skin as he slowly undressed, smiling at Castiel who watched him, hungry eyes trained upon every scrap of skin that was revealed, following the trail of fine hairs on Dean's abdomen as they dipped into his jeans. His eyes remained upon the hunter's waistband, blinked once, slowly as Dean unbuckled his belt, pushed the heavy material of his jeans away, revealing the hard bulge of his erection against the thin cotton of his boxers.
Dean loved the look on Castiel's face, so eager, so needy, yet tender, loving as though he really wanted to be with Dean, so focussed upon him, it was as though no one else mattered for him. Dean knew the feeling; since Castiel had come along no one else had mattered for him either, apart from Sam and Bobby of course, but they were a different set of emotions that he held for them. It wasn't the love he had for Castiel.
He closed the distance between them, ran hands over Castiel's body gently, eyes following the track of his fingers across smooth, soft expanses of skin, making Castiel shudder with need, breath rasping in his throat. Dean sat down upon the ground gestured for Castiel to straddle him and smiled when he felt the familiar weight of Castiel sitting upon him. Their eyes locked as the angel rested his hands upon Dean's shoulders, long fingers splayed across taut skin, pale against Dean's tanned muscles.
The hunter leant in, claimed a kiss, enjoyed the feel of Castiel's dick brush against his own as they moved. Castiel gasped into Dean's open mouth, hips rolling against Dean's, creating friction against their cocks. Dean rested his forehead against the angel's shoulder, head moving with every gentle movement of Castiel's body, whimpers and purls of need mewling in his throat at the feel of Castiel rubbing himself against him.
Pleasure roiled through him, made him crave more than just friction from his lover and he stopped Castiel with an effort. He looked up at Castiel and that one glance said everything he wanted to say to him, for Castiel stopped rutting against him with one of his almost there smiles that brightened his liquid eyes and made them shine.
Dean spat on his hands, knowing that he'd left the lube in the car and didn't fancy the prospect of walking through the docks naked, with a monster hard-on, to get it. He knew he'd get arrested in no time, and didn't want to cut into his time with Castiel by annoying fripperies like the police. Castiel lifted himself from Dean's lap obediently, without being asked, guided Dean's hand to his hole and moaned when the hunter's skilled fingers breached him.
Dean tried as best he could to loosen Castiel with the awkward angle of his hand restricting his movements, smiling still when Castiel fucked himself upon his fingers, cutting out half the job and proving that the angel was enjoying the sensations. Dean watched Castiel's erection swaying near his face, was tempted to take his lover's dick in his mouth and suck him off, but Castiel pulled away, impatient to get started and knowing he was loose enough for Dean's dick.
The hunter didn't argue, all too eager to make love to his boyfriend as much as Castiel seemed to want him, smoothed more saliva over his erection swiftly, grunting softly with every stroke of his own skilled hand. Castiel watched him touch himself, loved the way that Dean's face shifted and went slack with the pleasure that was overtaking his senses., before positioning himself over the top of Dean's dick eagerly. He pressed down upon him, whimpering at the first feel of Dean's dick slowly breaching him, excitement thrilling through him and making him feel alive, vital, anchored there.
Dean eased into Castiel slowly, watched the angel's face fall slack at the feel of Dean filling him, thick shaft fitting snugly inside him, moving until he was fully sheathed inside his lover. Castiel threw his head back and groaned loudly, dick bobbing against Dean's abdomen and smearing pre-come over his skin as he shifted slightly, tried to get a little more comfortable against the hunter's body. Dean held him, soothed his hands over Castiel's back, felt the angel start to rut slowly against him, hips grinding against his before their bodies started writhing in time, picking up the pace into a more fluid rhythm.
Castiel turned his gaze to Dean's, found his lover already staring fixedly at him, swept his tongue over plump lips as their gazes locked and never left each other. Dean moaned, breath huffing in heavy pants from parted lips as Castiel's hips slammed against his own, as the angel fucked himself eagerly upon Dean's dick. Castiel was whimpering out an eternal plea, as he started touching himself furiously, hand moving in time with Dean's dick inside him, lingering over the spots he knew were good.
Dean watched as Castiel finally broke eye contact, to throw his head back once more, exposing his throat to Dean as he came, splashing out over his hand and across their abdomens with a whimper of Dean's name. The hunter felt Castiel's body tense and ripple around him, orgasm pulling his body tight and he shot his load into his lover, filled him with the spurts of his thick release and he screamed Castiel's name into his chest, words muffled as he climaxed.
Finally their bodies stopped writhing, leaving Dean still sheathed inside his lover's ass, staring at one another once again. Castiel's ripe lips were parted, looking red and swollen in the shaded recesses of the crated shadows, and Dean felt his heart leap. Castiel looked beautiful and he was his. He was glad that they were in the right bodies now to fully appreciate the experience, able to bask and fully appreciate the love they'd seen in each other's bodies. For once, Dean knew that they both had a lot to thank Gabriel for ..
-fini-