Chapter 7
AN:Hey everyone! So I signed up for NanWriMo this year. Really nervous about it but if it helps me write a novel then I'm all for it. Anyway, I've had so much fun writing this.
Disclaimer: nope, still CWs and Kripke.
Cas woke slowly and painfully. Waking, in his opinion, was always a painful, jarring experience. The soft light from the broken blinds that hung from the window of the motel seemed to have a personal vendetta against him. His head was still pounding, he rubbed his wrists, thankful for the distinct lack of handcuffs.
"Morning sunshine!" Came an all too loud voice, the owner of said voice set a steaming mug on the dresser next to him.
"Can you please not be so loud." He gritted out vehemently, he said pulsing even as he spoke.
"Head still bugging ya?" Asked Dean, slouching comfortably in the wooden chair he had pulled closer to Cas's bedside.
"The pain I am experiencing has nothing to do with insects, I assure you."
Dean scoffed, and put two more pain relievers on his table.
Castiel quickly tossed them back, swallowing them dry, much to the grimace on Dean's face.
"Don't you have anything stronger?" He grumbled, taking a sip of his coffee. Black. Dean remembered.
Dean's expression went stony, and his voice dropped as he replied, "Not for you I don't." Cas looked up, perplexed at the sudden change in Dean's demeanor, and Cas was puzzled to why he would hold back when he was in so much pain. Not just physically, but inside he felt completely hollow. There was nothing there.
Maybe he thought he deserved the pain. Which, he would be correct.
Neither of them spoke for a while, Cas slowly savoring the bitter motel coffee and Dean stared at his phone for a while, though Cas could see him casting him pointing looks.
"We better be heading off. It's a long drive home."
Cas's stomach dropped at that word; home. His home would be forever cut off to him. And it was all his fault.
He nodded, not wanting to upset Dean. The idea of having to face everyone, to face them when they know what he did. He made his stomach flip unpleasantly. He knew he had too; he had to seek penance and hope they'd let me stay. He realized it the first day in jail; for once in thousands and thousands of years, he had nowhere to go. And he obviously made a piss-poor human if his semi starved state and recent incarnation said anything for him.
Dean had laid out a shirt for him to wear. He paused, running his fingers and savoring the feeling of soft, worn cloth. Clearly Dean's apparel, it smelled distinctly of leather and the interior of the Impala. It had a small blood stain near the collar.
Cas thought he was doing well putting on the tee shirt until it was half way over him and the bruising in his ribs seized from his position, stretching the bruised muscles painfully.
He stopped, panting and embarrassed.
"Ya stuck?" Dean asked, albeit humorously as he came upon Cas from a trip to the car, packing supplies.
"Dean..." Cas warned, the predicament not improving his mood in the slightest.
He heard footsteps and felt the tee being pulled gently to show his disheveled hair and embarrassed scowl.
Dean's hands brushed the shirt carefully around his waist, smoothing out a wrinkle. Cas kept his gaze on Dean, without his grace everything looked differently to him, including Dean. He saw the mans small scars and freckles that littered his face. The tiny lines caused by hard living and too much anxiety for one to handle. And then he was to his eyes, too green and too brilliant just like they'd always been. He couldn't see the shine of his soul anymore but the brilliance had no diminished. Dean had stopped, his breathing was soft and he was staring right back at the fallen angel. Cocking his head slightly to the right when he saw Dean's chest hitch, he was about to express his gratitude when Dean closed his mouth and steeled his gaze. "Personal space Cas." He spat before he pushed out the door.
Dropping his eyes, he slowly followed the other man. Shuffling his feet as he went.
SPNSPSPNSPN
Dean drove in silence for a bit, before he noticed Cas's trembling hands. Shit, he forgot the poor guy hadn't eaten in a while. And that small protein bar probably didn't satiate any hunger last night.
He pulled up into a small diner, told Cas to stay put, and walked in to order some food. He was pretty hungry himself, he hadn't realized since all the shit that had gone on these last few days. It wasn't like him to skip a meal.
Ordering a few burgers and pointingly ignoring the waitress' puppy eyes as he ordered.
He kept his eye on the Impala, watching for anyone suspicious and keeping an eye on the man who had made it a point to disappear on I him. Except this time he had to walk so Dean supposed he had the advantage.
Dean smiled politely at the disappointed blond who handed him his order. Hopefully the burger would lighten Cas's mood.
He dropped the grease stained brown bag in Cas's lap, who looked at him confused.
"It's a burger genius.' He stopped at Cas's bewilderment at his statement. 'what did you think I was going to let you starve?" He said, taking a bite of his burger and putting the car into gear.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Cas smile and dig into the bag.
Dean found himself smiling, warmth spreading through him as Cas finally ate, and looked like he enjoyed it. He immediately quenched the feeling, grabbing a handful of fries.
"It looks like someone wanted you to receive this." Cas said, breaking the silence and handing him the stained diner receipt.
Dean took is suspiciously only to roll his eyes at the hastily scribbled numbers on the back. He rolled down the window and tossing the crumbled bit of paper out, leaving it floating somewhere down the interstate.
He saw a very small smile from Cas.
"You shouldn't litter Dean." He said reproachfully, but the grin on I his face suggested he was attempting to make a joke.
Dean looked over the retort when Cas dropped his burger and flung his hands to the dash before shouting, "Dean!"
Dean looked up, and barely had time to slam on the breaks, locking up the old car and turning the wheel to avoid a man in the middle of the road.
"What the hell!" He exclaimed, and suddenly realized he had soccer mom armed Cas, who was thankfully wearing his seat belt.
Cas hadn't looked away from the road, but suddenly grew pale.
"Dean."
Looking up he noticed the stranger walking towards them, an angel blade gripped in their left hand.
AN: tell me what you think!
