Chapter Four
"So Crowley stopped by to thank you?" Sam asked taking the empty bowls into the kitchen. "I would say that doesn't sound like him, but lately it's any chance he has to talk to us he'll take it. How did he get in here?"
"I asked him the same question and all I got was, 'I'm Crowley king of hell'," Dean said imitating Crowley very poorly.
"We have to re demon proof this place," Sam sighed walking into the kitchen.
Dean propped his feet up on the library table and picked up the book he had left sitting there since before the hunt. Dean wasn't really a big fan of reading, he'd rather be out in hand to hand combat knocking some monster off his feet, but now it's like he'd do anything to get rid of this thing, so read he must. However before he even got a chance to find his page and loud knock on the bunker door boomed through the place and the sound of it creaking open had Dean to his feet nearly running to the stair well. As Castiel made his way down the stair case Dean felt his heart nearly leap out of his chest. He tried not to seem too excited.
Cas smiled at him and opened his arms slightly for a hug. Dean smirked in relief that Cas wanted a hug and walked over to him embracing him in his arms. "Hey there Cas," Dean greeted him.
"Hello Dean," Cas smiled crookedly hugging him close.
Dean wasn't sure how long he should hug Cas. Of course Cas wasn't sure exactly how long to hug Dean for, so maybe Dean could get away with a longer one than usual. Dean took a deep breath liking the smell on Cas. He smelled like stale leather, dirt, and a faint hint of what can only be described as angel smell. Dean thought that he didn't want to make Cas uncomfortable, so he started to loosen his grip around him only to feel Cas pull him back in a little bit. Dean fell back into position arms around Cas tightly. After a minute of just holding each other even Cas realized the hug was getting to long so he pulled back. Dean followed but left his hand on Cas' shoulder.
"That missing grace still givin' ya hell?" Dean asked staring into the way to blue eyes in front of him.
"Well actually Hannah managed to get information about my grace out of Metatron. He had it hidden by another angel who is dead now. So now they are searching through the clues left behind to find it," Cas explained.
"Why is Hannah helping you? Didn't you ditcher her a while ago?" Dean tried not to sound too curious.
"Well they believe that once I get my grace back there would be no more reason to kill angels in my name. When Crowley stole that rebel angels grace to give to me, the other angels didn't like it so knowing Crowley wants to keep me alive the key is to find my grace so no more of us will die," Cas answered. "Hannah is running things in heaven now so she said she would help."
"Oh, good for her," Dean pressed his lips together not really wanting to hear anymore about Hannah, Castiel's angel friend.
"But you look better," Cas edged the conversation on not wanting Dean to let go of his shoulder and leave him.
"Well thanks," Dean chuckled at Cas' compliment. "Sam and I just got back from a quick hunt."
"You were hunting?" Cas sounded surprised.
"It was a quick gank the SOB and get out fast type thing," Dean raised an eye brow. Cas just nodded and an awkward silence fell between them. Dean thought he could do this now. He had already confessed that this is what he wanted to himself; it was just him and Cas right here. How hard could it be to just tell him? Open his lips and let the words come naturally? "So Cas?"
Cas scrunched his eyebrows up quizzically and gave Dean a slight nod telling him to continue. But no words would come out of Dean's mouth. "Are you okay Dean?" Cas asked after a minute of Dean not replying.
"Uh… yeah, yeah I'm fine," Dean mumbled. Why couldn't he do this? Just tell Cas how you feel! Tell him right now! Dean yelled at himself in his head. This obviously wasn't going to work with words; maybe Dean could just make a move. He glanced down at Cas' plump perfect lips and back to Castiel's eyes. He took a small step closer to Cas watching him glance at Dean's lips. Dean slowly started to inch his fingers up Cas' shoulder so he was touching the warm bare skin on his neck. Cas' eyes fluttered close for a second and Dean's breath caught. Dean took a hard gulp and risked moving his whole palm on Cas' neck caressing the bottom of his jaw line. Dean could feel the stubble growing in on Cas' face. Dean started making his glances to Cas' lips more quickly now. Taking one more step so their bodies were just nearly touching, so he could feel the heat coming from Cas' body. Dean could do this.
"Oh hey," Sam called from the entrance to the library, following it with a loud throat clearing sound. So maybe Dean couldn't do this.
Dean stepped back away from Cas, quickly dropping his hand from his face. "Look Cas is here," Dean said gesturing to Cas.
Cas turned to look at Sam, "Hello Sam."
"Hey Castiel," Sam smiled opening his arms for a hug. Cas held open his arms awkwardly waiting for Sam's embrace. They had a two maybe three second hug max. "How ya been?" Sam asked looking Cas up and down.
"Um, fine Hannah got information out of Metatron about where my grace maybe be," Cas answered.
"Huh, how are you sure that the information is true?" Sam questioned.
"Well Hannah has her ways and well they took out his grace so it's easier to get information out of him," Cas said.
"Wait Metatron is human?" Dean asked.
"Yes," Cas smiled. "I know he's not dead but it's the next best thing." Cas pulled out a small glowing blue vile from a inside pocket of his dirty old trench coat.
"Is that it right there?" Sam marveled at it.
"Yes, but they don't know I have this. I just don't want anyway of Metatron ever getting a hold of it," Cas confessed.
"What are you going to do with it?" Dean asked.
"If I get weak I'll use it to heal myself and hopefully that will be enough time to get my grace back," Cas sounded hopeful.
"Well I have even more great news," Sam smiled. "I was on the phone in the kitchen with Charlie and she said she dug up a book called the 'Book of the Damned'. She thinks it may have a spell in there to lift the curse. She's on her way; she'll be here around noon tomorrow."
Relief struck Dean's heart. The book of the damned sounded better than anything that had been turning up lately. They've also never had a lead on a spell to get rid of the mark, this was good. "So I guess we wait for tomorrow," Dean smiled.
"Well I know that I'm completely exhausted from being drugged," Sam sighed. "I'm gonna head on off to bed."
"Sorry about that," Dean looked ashamed a bit. Sam just nodded and turned to walk away. "Night Sammy."
"Good night Dean, and you too Cas," Sam called to them. "Love you guys."
"Love you too kiddo," Dean replied.
"Don't let the bed bugs bite," Cas smiled nodding at Sam.
Sam laughed a little rubbing his eye and left the room. Dean glanced over at Cas. This was his chance. "So Cas?"
"Yes Dean?"Cas replied taking a step closer to Dean. They were almost as close as they were before. Cas tilted his head slightly nonchalantly trying to expose his neck hoping for Dean's fingers to return.
Feeling his heart quicken Dean leaned closer to Cas and said the only words his mouth would allow him to say. "You gonna wear those to bed?" Dean didn't expect that to come out.
"Well I wasn't really planning on sleeping Dean, angels don't sleep," Cas stated.
Dean knew that and felt stupid for saying it. He felt trapped on this path the conversation was leading him. "Yeah, I know just… Would you maybe want some comfortable lazy clothes while I wash your current ones?"
"Lazy clothes? I don't understand how clothes can be lazy," Cas asked confused. "Oh, wait I get it, clothes to be lazy in."
"Yeah I just washed some sweat pants and a t-shirt that might fit you in my room," Dean suggested.
"Okay," Cas agreed following Dean out of the foyer to his room.
A laundry basket of unfolded clothes sat on top of his bed. "Sorry I haven't had a chance to put these away yet." Dean dug through the basket leaving a mess of clothes on his bed. "Um here," Dean called glancing at Cas who had taken off his trench coat. He tossed him a soft red t-shirt. "And hang on let me see if I can find those sweat pants," Dean said putting the clothes back in the basket and going to his dresser. "These are my favorite pair; the best thing about them is that they're like shorts. Well I guess yeah they are shorts, so they're sweat shorts," Dean chuckled out loud turning around holding up the shorts to see Cas pulling the red shirt over his muscled torso. Cas stood in Dean's kind of lose red shirt and boxers. Dean didn't expect to see him like that. He didn't expect Cas to change right in front of him. Dean felt his eyes staring at Cas' naked legs and boxer bulge.
"Dean?" Cas broke his concentration.
"Oh yeah sorry here," Dean apologized embarrassed, handing Cas the shorts. Cas slid them on looking at them on his waist.
"They feel lose," Cas mentioned his fingers pulling at the waist.
"You have to tie the string," Dean said.
"What string?" Cas questioned checking the outside of the back of the pants.
"Here," Dean explained grabbing Cas' sides and pulling him in. Dean pulled out the front of the shorts a little revealing two holes with strings coming out of them. He grabbed the strings and pulled them nice and tight around Cas' waist. What was Dean doing? He knew Cas could do this himself. Dean tied the strings together and looked up at Cas who had a surprised look on his face. He looked Cas in the eyes for a second while he tucked the string in the shorts. He slowly let his fingers wrap around the front of his waist line making sure all of the string was in, before letting his knuckles trail a short but savored distance on Cas' stomach's warm skin. Cas blinked taking a deep breath. Dean did they same trying to think about his next move. He gulped. "Comfy?" He whispered.
Cas just nodded glancing at Dean's close lips. Suddenly Dean felt nervous and a wave of terror washed over him. He couldn't do this, not now at least. He took a step back and sat on his bed not looking at Cas. "These feel much better thanks," Cas said a bit of disappointment in his tone.
"Good, good… that's um, good," Dean replied still not looking at Cas.
"You should get some sleep Dean, I'll go read up on some spell books," Cas suggested.
"Yeah good idea," Dean smiled taking a chance to look at Cas. "Good night Cas."
"Good night Dean, don't let the bed bugs bite," Cas smirked at his words again.
Say it! Dean thought. Do it! "Okey dokey then," Dean smiled and watched Cas leave the room. Dean bit his lip hating himself. He changed into comfy clothes too and jumped in bed and fell asleep.