"Hello Dean."

"Whoa, Cas!" Dean swerved into oncoming traffic and then quickly swerved back, heart pounding a mile a minute. "Cas you oughta...oughta call or somethin' before you do that."

"My apologies Dean. Sam."

"Hey Cas." Sam turned around in his seat to face the angel, smiling a little at the sudden appearance of their friendly neighborhood angel. "How's the hunt for-whoa!"

"Whoa? Whoa what?" Dean felt concern well up in his chest and attempted to turn around only to have Sam push him to face forward. "What's-"

"It's nothing, right Cas?" Sam put a hand in his face to stop Dean from turning to see Castiel again, Dean attempted to lick his hand in the immature way he'd done when they were children and Sam grimaced before shoving him to face forward.

"Actually Sam, I-"

"It's nothing. Right Cas?" Sam added a little more inflection in his words and there was a long pause.

"Right. It is nothing of import Dean."

Sam turned almost fully in his seat, speaking lowly to Castiel and by the time Dean realized he could've just as easily looked in the rearview mirror to see what was going on, Castiel was slumped down, sitting awkwardly with only his head in Dean's line of vision.

Dean threw Sam a relatively good copy of the younger Winchester's patented bitch face. Sam tried for a smile in return but it was strained. "Promise, it's nothing to worry about. We'll explain when we stop."

"You better." Dean levelled another glare at Sam and looked back at Castiel in the rearview mirror. "Cas, you alright there buddy?"

Sam snorted softly and Castiel shifted awkwardly against the back seat of the Impala. "Yes Dean, I am fine."

"Buddy." Sam snorted again and Dean blushed. "Come on, I'm not stupid. I know you two are together. It was kinda obvious when I woke up one night to go to the bathroom and Cas was pinned beneath you and moaning Dean."

Dean didn't respond, only reached over and smacked his brother upside the head.

"Ow. Rude."

"Dean, you should not hit your brother, he was simply stating a fact. Did you not want him to know about our relationship?" Castiel straightened in his seat, eyes owl-wide and searching. Out of the corner of his eye Dean could've sworn he saw a feather float by.

"No, no, Cas I…" Dean sighed and smoothed his hair with a hand. "I'm okay with Sammy knowing, honestly, I...nevermind. Okay?"

"Of course." Castiel tilted his head curiously and then made a funny face. Dean's eyes widened to the point of being comically wide.

"You sure you're okay Cas?"

"I...I'm fine. I'm fine now."

Dean's curiosity peaked and Sam made a face. "We're checking into the next motel and you to are going to tell me what's going on."

Sam sighed. "Alright, sounds fair."

The rest of the ride was kept in silence, a very tense silence and Dean pulled into the next motel parking lot he saw, looking over to Sam. "Go check us in."

Sam gave him a grumpy stare and huffed but stepped out of Baby, tromping towards the front desk. He got them a room quickly and efficiently and his long strides brought him back to the Impala. "Room 120, around back."

Dean pulled around the building and hopped out as Sam unlocked the motel room door, grabbing their duffle bags from the trunk.

Castiel didn't move.

"Cas?" Dean looked up when he realized Castiel was still in the backseat. "You coming?"

"...Yes…" Cas was slow to step out of the Impala and when he did it was in a cloud of loose, fluttering feathers.

"Holy...Cas!" Dean took a look inside his Baby and blanched. "Is this what you guys wouldn't tell me?"

Cas nodded miserably as Dean attempted to clear the feathers littering the Impala out onto the parking lot asphalt. "I'm molting."

Dean's eyes went wide once again and he pushed Castiel to get in the room. "Get in there before someone sees you! And stay out of Baby until this molting thing is over!"

Castiel did as he was told, taking up stance to one side of the room as Dean locked the door behind him and tossed their duffle bags onto the bed Sam was sitting on. He looked utterly dejected and Sam gave Dean a disapproving glare, mouthing the words. "That was rude. Apologize. You shouldn't have yelled at him."

Dean swallowed and sighed. "I'm sorry for yelling at you Cas. You probably aren't enjoying this much either."

Castiel perked up a little but his expression was still pinched. "Molting is very...uncomfortable. I suppose you could call it itchy. It also becomes increasingly difficult to fly as my wings get weighed down. I was hoping to stay with the both of you until it's over. If that's alright?"

"Of course." Sam spoke up before Dean could. "Do you need anything?"

Castiel shook his head slowly. "I just need time to preen the feathers from my wings." He pulled his wings out so they weren't hiding behind his back. Two large, black feathered appendages and Dean stared for at least a full minute. They shimmered in the light, almost black and likely could've stretched from one side of the room to the other if Castiel had wanted.

Sam let out a low whistle. "Whoa. Never seen those before."

Cas shrugged and motioned to the free bed. "They normally aren't visible to humans unless in molt. May I?"

Dean nodded his approval. "If it keeps you from shedding all over Baby, go for it."

"Molting." Castiel corrected with a frown and Dean shrugged as he went to sit on the bed behind his angel.

"Whatever."

Castiel curled one wing around himself, nimble fingers beginning to thread through the feathers, picking out the loose ones and dropping them to the floor. He was creating quite the pile and Dean idly wondered where they were going to stash the evidence of the molt before they left the motel.

Dean took the quiet to examine the mess of feathers, watching as Castiel fluttered his wing once and a few dropped to the bed. He picked one up, finding it more navy than black as he twirled it between his fingers, smoothing it and marvelling at the softness.

"So, what, this is like some version of angelic bedhead?"

Cas turned part way to look at him and cocked his head, eyebrows furrowing. "I don't-"

"Nevermind." Dean cut him off and scooted farther forward on the bed. "Can I help?"

"I...suppose." Castiel let Dean settle his hands along the wing. "Just brush through them as you would hair, most will come loose simply by doing that."

Dean nodded and moved carefully, slowly. He was concentrated and it took him a while to realize that Cas had gone completely lax in his hands. His grin turned devious. "You like that, don't you?"

Cas nodded quickly, pressing into Dean's hands. "Please Dean?"

"'Course Angel." Dean moved his hands through the feathers in a slightly rougher motion and Castiel squirmed beneath ministrations. He brushed against the grain of the feathers, then to the side, then scratching slightly, finding which reactions he could pull from Castiel with each style.

Dean took his hands away for a moment and Castiel whined softly in the back of his throat. "Shh, just finding a better position." He moved to kneel, legs on either side of Castiel's hips. He pressed his lips to the back of Cas' neck, breath soft and hot. He began kneading and combing and tugging on the wing and feathers, careful not to overdo it.

Castiel keened, full on keened and Sam's head snapped up to stare at them.

"What are you two…" He paused and looked Castiel over, eyes going wide as he landed on the angels crotch. "Aw, guys...I'm...I'm going to go get another room. Thanks a lot Dean."

Dean smirked and brought out another keen before Castiel could apologize for interrupting Sam and the younger Winchester made quick work of escaping the room.

"Now, let's take care of those wings shall we?