A/N: I wrote a really cute oneshot like four months ago on AO3, and figured I'd share it on my fanfiction account as well! Hope you enjoy! (And if you're waiting for an update on my other story on here, I'm going to try soon to write more for it, I really am. It's just been a busy year.)
They were laying on the hood of the Impala, the moon high and Sam snoring in the backseat. Dean, Sam, and Cas had just finished up an easy case, a ghost in rural Oklahoma. Dean wanted to relax before finding a hotel, so Sam had decided to take a nap while Dean stopped on a deserted dirt road and got out to stare at the stars for a while. It was a luxury he couldn't believe he could afford.
They had done it. A few weeks back, they had closed the gates of Hell for good. Cas helped, and had very nearly died, but he came out of it alright. They all had. Dean could hardly believe it.
And afterwards, Dean had expected Cas to leave, do angel things, like he usually does. But he hadn't. He stayed with them, and while he never said anything on the subject, Dean suspected he had no intentions of returning to Heaven anytime soon. Rather than dwell on it, Dean just accepted it, and was secretly ecstatic. His angel was there to stay. At least, he hoped.
"Hey, Cas," Dean said, and turned his head to look at him. Cas had shed his tan trench coat and was leaning back on the windshield with his hands behind his head and his ankles crossed. He looked more relaxed than Dean had ever seen him look.
At the sound of Dean's voice, Cas turned his head, a small smile on his face. "Yes, Dean?"
Dean hesitated, then blurted, "What do your wings look like?"
Cas blinked and sat up. There was a pause before he said, "Would you like for me to show you?"
Widening his eyes, Dean leaned forward and supported himself with his hands behind him. "Are you sure? I mean, does it hurt? I didn't think you could make them just appear..."
Cas smiled and slid off of the hood. "No, Dean, it doesn't hurt. And I don't bring them out while in this body because, well, they're a bit of an inconvenience." He paused, standing in front of Dean where he was sitting on the hood. "But I can show you, if you wish."
"Well, I've always been really friggin' curious, so... um, yeah, Cas, I want to see." Dean couldn't quite pinpoint the reason for his nervousness.
Cas grinned - full on grinned, Dean had never seen him do that - and closed his eyes.
Dean was expecting a dramatic swoosh and the wings would pop out of his shoulder blades majestically or some shit, but that's not what happened at all. They appeared slowly, almost like a camera focusing. There was no dramatic entrance. They became solid in a way that made them seem like they'd been there the whole time, just invisible.
When the process was complete, Cas opened his eyes and smiled almost shyly. Dean slowly crept off the hood of the Impala, as if afraid that any sudden movement might make them disappear. Dean had assumed they would be black, and they were when he first looked at them, but upon closer inspection, they had a blue-ish tint where the moonlight hit them, making them almost shimmer. Dean walked closer, mesmerized.
When he moved to get a closer look at the feathers on Cas' right wing, Dean felt a tap on his shoulder and jumped. Cas laughed and pulled his wing back from Dean's shoulder.
"Dude, not cool!" Dean yelled, though he was laughing as he said it. Cas was laughing so hard his feathers were shaking.
"I don't think you realize how long I've wanted to do that to you," Cas choked out, still laughing. Dean had never heard him laugh like that, and as his own laughter settled into a content smile, he couldn't help but hope he'd hear that laughter more often. Cas' chuckling finally died down and they just stared at each other for a few seconds before Dean cleared his throat and looked at his wings again. He noticed that they were pulled in a little bit.
"How big can you make them?" Dean's jaw dropped as Cas spread them out to their full size, stretching to a span of longer than his Impala. They were massive. Dean closed his mouth and looked at Cas again, a silent question in his eyes. Cas understood and brought one of his wings closer to Dean. Rather than back away, like every instinct was telling him to, he reached forward and gently touched the feathers. They were smooth. He looked back up at Cas, a smile on his face, and Cas beamed, catching Dean off guard.
"Can you feel it?" Dean asked, referring to his touches.
"Could you feel it if I touched your hair?" Dean nodded in understanding, and went back to stroking the feathers. After a moment, he felt the other wing touching his shoulder again, except this time it was almost a caress. The other wing did the same to his other shoulder, and it was like he and Cas and the space between them were encased in a wing cocoon.
Dean locked eyes with Cas and suddenly, he had to ask. "Are you going to stay with us? I mean, I know you've been with us ever since we closed the gate, but I never know if you're going to disappear again."
Cas looked down. "I have... decided to cut my ties with the angels. I plan to stay on Earth, and it is my wish to become human. Heaven is not a place I wish to be anymore, not as an angel. The next time I plan to go to Heaven is when I die a human death after spending many years on Earth."
Dean looked shocked. "Cas, why didn't you tell me? And a better question here is, what the hell happ-"
"I didn't tell you because I don't want questions," Cas interrupted. "I'm not ready to talk of my recent experiences. I wish to forget them for the time being, and just be with you." He looked up and saw the questioning look in Dean's eyes. "And Sam." Dean's face reddened as he realized what he just accidentally said.
"Well, I want you to be with us, too." He paused and took a breath. "With me."
Cas tilted his head. "You wish for me to remain with you?" Dean nodded and Cas exhaled as if relieved. Dean felt the wings on his back push, and before he knew it, he was pulled into a hug, Cas' arms and wings wrapping around him tightly, his face resting in the crook of Dean's neck. Dean stood shell-shocked for a moment before relaxing into the embrace and wrapping his arms around the angel. He didn't know what had happened to Cas in Heaven, but it was clear that he was hurting from it, and Dean wanted to make him feel better. He pressed his lips tentatively to Cas' hair.
"Of course I want you to stay, Cas. I need you." Cas lifted his head to meet Dean's eyes. They were sincere. Before he could think about it, Dean lowered his head and pressed his lips gently to Castiel's. Cas responded by pulling his arms tighter around Dean.
After a few moments, they parted, smiling shyly at each other. They knew they'd have to talk about it later, what it meant and where they would go with it, but for now, they basked in the comfort of just being close to one another. The future was a mystery, but it no longer looked endless for either of them. They had something new to live for.