The next morning when Dean woke up, he expected to see Castiel, still in dog form, next to him. So when he tightened his arms around a sleeping, human, naked Castiel, you can just imagine how surprised he must have been.

He blinked his eyes in confusion, still half asleep. The bandages that had covered Cas' wound on his shoulder had come unraveled, probably when he had shifted into a dog, and hung loosely off of him. Dean had stitched up his wound while he was still passed out, but it needed to heal properly before it could be uncovered. Dean considered waking Castiel up, but he really did look exhausted, and he needed to recover from the fight anyways. So, being as careful as he could, Dean pulled the bandage fully off and rewrapped it from his armpit, across his chest, and to the opposite shoulder, effectively covering most of the gash.

"I can't believe he still hasn't woken up yet..." Dean thought, staring down at Cas. He now had several bruises that were starting to bloom all over his chest, and probably the rest of his body too. That fight had really taken a toll on the poor guy... Dean shook his head, lying back down and tentatively wrapping his arm back around Castiel's bare torso. He pressed his forehead into Cas' back and began to listen to his steady, even breathing.

"The bed's not big enough for both of us, huh...?"

Castiel's deep voice startled Dean and he jumped, trying desperately to pull his arm away, only to have it held in place. Cas rolled onto his side, facing Dean with a cocky smirk.

"You seem to be feeling better..." Dean mumbled, still trying to tug his hand back away from Cas.

Castiel chuckled and held Dean's arm around his back. "Yes. Thanks to you, Dean. But we're getting a little off topic... Were you planning on going back to sleep with your arm around me? You knew I had reverted back into a human and you didn't kick me off the bed? What was all that talk of there not being enough space to accommodate both of us?" His hand felt freezing cold in comparison with Dean's.

Sighing, Dean stopped trying to resist and let Castiel pull him closer. "I just... Cas, I didn't... I didn't mean to make it awkward or anything..." He tried to avoid making eye contact, and ended up instead staring at Cas' lips. He could feel his cheeks warming up and closed his eyes quickly. "Wouldn't want to make it awkward..."

And he felt the gentle pressure on his mouth; a tentative kiss, soft, yet filled with emotions. Cas' one hand, tangled in his hair, held the back of his neck, and the other tilted his chin upwards, though there was barely any contact at all.

Dean didn't even hesitate before returning the kiss, getting over the initial shock almost instantly and retaliating with enthusiasm.

But Dean felt butterflies in his stomach as Cas began to take his shirt off; it was different than normal. It wasn't the kind of butterflies you get when you have your first kiss, or the kind you get when you're about to do something dangerous and start to feel nervous; no, it was something else completely. "Cas..." He murmured, grabbing his arm. "Stop."

Castiel looked like he was far beyond being embarrassed as the grip he had on Dean's shirt loosened and he quickly put distance between them. "I- s-sorry, I don't know what I was thinking... I just..." He pulled the blanket tightly around himself, suddenly self-conscious.

"No, Cas I'm just... I-"

"You don't love me in that way." Castiel looked utterly heartbroken. Again, it pained Dean to see him like this; vulnerable, weak, dejected... "I didn't mean to force myself on you like that, Dean, it was... Foolish of me to think..."

It wasn't, so much, that Dean didn't feel affection or attraction towards Castiel, but more like he didn't want to rush into this all at once, only to have their relationship crumble around them if something happened. That was just it though; he loved Cas, more than anything. He just didn't want it to go like this. "You deserve better," he thought desperately, cursing his inability to speak his feelings. "You idiot..." He whispered, returning his arms to their rightful place around his torso. "I just don't want to rush this... What we have is different... It's not like anything I've ever had before, and I don't want to screw it up. Don't you see, Cas...? I care too much about you to fuck up your life." He and Castiel were face to face again, but this time, Cas lay against him with a more protective, comforting intent. Intimate, yet innocent. Again, Dean had failed at getting his true meaning across. "God damn it... All I'm trying to say is that I do love you, Cas...!"

Cas smiled and kissed his cheek softly. "I love you too Dean."


A/N: Short, sickeningly sweet chapters... Eugh. That's what its come to... I swear the action is starting again soon... Rate and review guys! It motivates me! (And keeps me writing this fanfic instead of my photographer!cas fanfic... Which is coming along nicely... OwO) But anyways, yeah, asexual!Dean makes an appearance! Is Cas out of character in this chapter because I feel like he is a little bit... Oh yes and... The season finale of season 9... Yeah I'm gonna cry. Anyone have any theories about whats gonna happen?