Dean slowly woke up, feeling very tired and sore. Some soreness was in the right places. Some was in a very, very wrong place. He felt the very silky sheets underneath him as he started to remember some of last night which slowly came back to him; the curse, the calls, the drive, the . . . oh, shit.
He closed his eyes for a moment in acknowledgement of what happened and philosophically shrugged. If it was going to happen, at least it was with the wolf. He felt the wolf's arm around him and patted it, adding his hoarse voice to wake the very warm wolf up.
"Derek. Get your dick out of my ass. I got to go."
Derek mumbled into the pillow, "I'm not in your ass, beautiful." He removed his arm from Dean, knowing he was about to find out Dean's reaction once he got back from the bathroom. He sighed softly as he felt the hunter get up and go to the bathroom. Of course, he admired the view until the door was shut.
He got up and pulled on some boxers for the conversation to make Dean more comfortable. He heard some cursing in the bathroom after Dean finished peeing and wondered at it. Then he heard what sounded like Dean peeing again but couldn't figure out why it sounded so different. Maybe he should suggest a prostate exam to Dean.
A little while later, Dean exited and demanded in a normal voice, "What the hell, Derek?"
Derek frowned and stated firmly, "I couldn't let you die, Dean. Not if I could do something to save you."
"That's not what I'm talking about," Dean interrupted dismissively. "I remember all that. What I want to know is why there was so much inside me. I mean I get that you didn't wrap up being supernatural with the super healing but do you normally have that much come out at one time?"
Derek was at a loss of words for a moment then started slowly, "It took more than one time, Dean. We were up for hours, getting it completely out of your system."
"Huh," Dean responded in shock. He had stopped in the middle of the room and now stood there in the nude. "I thought it would only take . . . Wow, I didn't know."
"Are you okay now?" Dean nodded slightly, still a bit shocked. Derek continued hesitantly, "Are we alright?"
Dean refocused on Derek and saw the wariness in the wolf. He swallowed and actually thought about it for a moment. He tried to verify what he felt. Derek had become very nervous when the hunter finally responded hesitantly, "I'm not mad at you or anything. I would have done the same thing in your shoes."
"Really?" Derek verified doubtfully.
Dean rubbed the back of his neck briefly only then noticing his state of undress and the wolf's eyes on him. He tried to keep his body from responding. He only succeeded a bit while he located his boxers on the floor. He walked over to them as he answered, "Yes, really. I'm not going to let a friend die if I can help it so we're good. Just don't announce it to the world or anything. I got a rep to maintain."
Derek smirked as he watched Dean put his boxers on. "You got it. Want some breakfast?"
"You know it," Dean answered happily.
They fixed breakfast together and the hunter seemed to be mulling something over. Derek tried to figure it out with his senses but he ended up asking as they sat down, "What's on your mind, hunter?"
Dean didn't answer him right away. He started to answer a couple of times but finally asked bluntly, "Was it good for you?"
Derek's fork stopped halfway to his mouth then lowered back down to the plate. He clarified carefully, "The sex?" Dean gave a stiff nod. Derek narrowed his eyes and wondered, "Why are you asking me?"
"Just answer the damn question," a very red faced Dean countered.
Derek sighed and answered honestly, "Yes. I actually did. In fact it was one of my best nights surprisingly, especially for it being the first time."
Dean checked his eyes for deception and found none. He sighed heavily, "For me as well. Do you think it was the curse making it that way?"
"Why would a curse do that?" Derek questioned curiously. "I thought that curses were supposed to bring unpleasantness to you?"
"Supposed to," Dean agreed then thought for a long time as he continued to eat.
After they finished and were cleaning up, Derek inquired curiously, "What are your plans now?"
"Sleep," Dean stated succinctly, still very tired.
"Take the bed," Derek offered. "I'll do work down here." Dean nodded and headed up the stairs. He was asleep before Derek even got comfortable in his chair. Derek was relieved that Dean seemed to be taking what happened so well. A small part of him was also very happy that Dean had liked it.
Dean woke up after his normal four hours and felt better, almost human. He stretched then headed down the stairs. He saw Derek wearing his reading glasses that were definitely not sexy. Yes, they are, that small part of his mind, not in denial, rebuked.
He shook his head at himself and took a seat on the couch. He saw Derek glance at him over the book he was reading. He felt like his entire world had changed last night and wasn't sure what to do now.
"Can I help?" Derek asked after a long moment of Dean staring at him.
"Don't know," Dean admitted honestly.
"What are you thinking about?"
"This changed everything," Dean answered softly.
"What do you mean?" Derek prodded shutting his book.
"I don't know. It's like everything is different but still the same," Dean tried to explain.
"You're talking about last night," the wolf observed. "It changed how you viewed yourself and others but it didn't really change you. It just opened up more views for you."
"But it did change. Now I know . . ."
"You don't know anything for certain. You were assuming before your nap that it was all the spell's work. We are not witches. We don't know if that was an effect of it or not. We probably won't know," Derek expounded reasonably.
"Unless we do it again," Dean argued softly with a reddening face.
Derek sensed some arousal but he knew it was probably better to wait. The wolf countered, "Look, I'm all for doing it again but shouldn't we wait some time before we do that? You know, make sure the curse is out of your system, not to mention you're a bit down in the health department. Unless you just want to go without caring whether it's the curse or not."
Dean thought about that and it made sense. He admitted with some regret, "You're right. I just . . ."
"I know, Dean," the wolf interrupted quickly. "I would love nothing better. I just want to make sure because this time you have a choice."
The hunter nodded in acknowledgement. "So what do we do now?"
"We hang out like last time and you stay for a couple of days to get your strength back before you hunt again so I don't worry as much," Derek told him firmly.
"You're such a woman, pretty boy," Dean teased.
"No, you're definitely the pretty boy. I'm handsome, remember? Now I know you are still under the curse," the wolf teased.
"You're delusional, is what you are?"
Just like that, they fell into their old rhythm of friendship. They visited Al's bar for a few rounds of pool and beers then went back to the loft. Dean knew he'd have nightmares that night and Derek sensed his fear so he dragged Dean up the stairs and told him, "I can stop the nightmares better if you are beside me. Now lay down and go to sleep. Don't you dare drool on me."
"Who are you talking to, dog boy?" Dean snapped back but felt happy that someone was willing to help him get a good night's sleep. "Don't you dare cuddle me. I'm not a cuddler."
"Whatever you say, beautiful," the wolf responded playfully but it came out slightly seductive to the hunter's ears and he blushed at the compliment. They both got into bed in their boxers and quickly fell asleep.
Derek woke first the next morning to a clinging Dean curled up on his chest. The hunter was definitely cuddling. The wolf smirked at how he was going to tease the hunter about it when he woke up. And so began a few fun filled days with his friend.
Four days later Dean found a hunt in Nebraska. It appeared to be a ghost or poltergeist. He hated leaving his friend because he was having fun but he had the itch again and needed to go hunting. He told his friend that night that he was leaving early in the morning. Derek understood and was slightly amazed that Dean stayed with him that long. After a promise to call, Dean left in the Impala feeling rested and rejuvenated.
