"Good to see you back among us, bro"
Dean watched his brother as he went over and reached out his fist, greeting him. He responded by bumping it, before pulling him into a hug. He had missed him. It had been a week since he was sent to solitary confinement for assaulting Bobby. There, time didn't flow, just silence and empty walls trying to break you. But not anymore. Now he was free. "It's good to see you, Sammy" Dean said, drawing back from the hug. He had watery eyes but his brother didn't point that out, despite loving his sensitive side. Dean sniffled and looked around, expecting to see someone else besides Sam but the two of 'em were the only inmates standing in the hallway. "Where's Cas?"
"He's in his cell. Look, he's still dea-"
"Caaas! I'm back!"
Dean didn't let him finish and rushed down the corridor. He couldn't wait to see him again. Jeez, he had done nothing but thinking about it throughout the week. Castiel was the reason why he had survived that solitary hell. Reaching his destination, he stopped at the doorway and saw his cellmate lying on the bottom bunk, absorbed in a book. He took his time to watch him, allowing Sam to catch up with him and grab his arm. "Wait a minute, Dean" Sam panted as he stepped in front of his brother. Castiel realized he wasn't alone and sat up with an alarmed gasp. Dean, confused, tried to get past but Sam kept zigzagging to give him no access. He was frustrated and his brother, noticing it, got ahead of it. "Castiel is still recovering from Bobby's assault. He doesn't like being touched at the moment. It's better to leave him some space, distance"
"But it's me, Dean. I stopped Bobby. I sent him to the infirmary"
"I know but you charged me with protecting Castiel and that's what I'm doing, even when it's you"
The two Winchesters stared into each other's eyes, none of 'em giving in. Both men were hard heads but there was a fire within Sam that Dean had never seen before. Castiel stepped in, though only by three feet, sensing that things could have gotten ugly. "T-thank you for saving me. You spent a whole week in solitary confinement because of me, it must have not been easy..." Castiel said with a whisper, his voice trembling. Sam, eventually, moved aside in order to listen to him and his brother took the opportunity. He walked up to his cellmate but the latter backed off. "Please, don't come closer"
"Cas..."
"Dean, don't push him"
Dean was really hating the way his brother was talking to him now. Just like he was one of those dumb kids who didn't get it. His fist clenched in anger but Castiel's words distracted him. "I'm trying to cope with what had happened. Sam has taken really good care of me and has helped him a lot. Still, I'm not over it. Every time I close my eyes I can see him, I feel him. The way he touched me, all the thing he said to me" Castiel explained as he fought back the tears that were threatening to come. He was living a nightmare, only that it was real life and he couldn't wake up from it. He still remembered the first night sleeping alone after Dean had been sent to confinement. They had to call three doctors to hold him down and sedate him after a bad dream... "I know you mean well but... I need more time. Just, be patient"
"Maybe we should let Castiel rest for a while"
"Yeah. Got the message"
Dean turned around and stormed out, bumping into his brother's shoulder. Sam didn't respond to his provocation. He glanced at Castiel to make sure he was okay and then walked out of the cell as well, standing next to the door on watch. He hadn't left the other prisoner alone not even a minute after his panic attack and since then Castiel hadn't lost sleep anymore.
"What should I do about you?"
Dean threw a pebble on the ground, making it skip once or twice. No. The fresh air of the exercise yard couldn't cheer him up either at the moment. He was kind of disappointed by the welcome back from Castiel and his brother. The former hadn't even approached him, much less kissed him, while the ladder had been acting... bossy. What a nerve! If he had known that was what would have happened, probably he- "Look who's made it out of the solitary confinement" A familiar voice shook all those thoughts out of his head. Dean didn't have to turn around, he had already recognized who it was. Jack. The blond inmate showed off his usual toothy smile and sat on the bench next to him. "So, how's it going?"
"I don't wanna play, Jack"
"Neither do I. Unless it involves a crop and so much, too much, spanks"
Dean rolled his eyes and strove to ignored him. The last thing he needed now was psycho Jack bothering him. Well, he had other things to worry about. "Jack, I'm no longer in love with you. Actually, I've never been. I only used you for sex" Dean stated, hoping that would be enough to stop whatever Jack was planning to do. Evidently, it didn't as the blond prisoner reached for his ex's crotch and started to rub it through the thin fabric. Dean was quick to grab his wrist and squeezed it as hard as he could. "Stop right there if you value your hand. I have a boyfriend"
"Such loyalty to somebody who overlooks it. I feel bad for you"
"I'm not buying it. I'm done with your mind games"
Jack grinned, unattached. He was always so self-assured to make other people question themselves. "You can believe me or not, but I bet you have seen the established relationship between your brother and Castiel. They do have some chemistry, what you think?" Jack asked, picking at his ex's weak spot... his jealousy. Dean tried not to show it but that idea hit close to home. Jack took advantage of the situation to pull his hand away and got up. "When you open your eyes, you know where I am. My cell is always open for you... and not only that"
"I'm not interested"
"Whatever. See ya around"
Jack walked away, leaving Dean surrounded by doubts. What if that was true? Was there something going on between his brother and Castiel? Sammy had such a fire in his eyes... Could it be that-? No, it couldn't... Right? Dean felt like he was going insane, his head splitting. He needed answers and he needed 'em now.
"What the hell are you doing?"
Dean rubbed his eyes to make certain that he wasn't dreaming. He had just returned to his cell and there, in front of him, Castiel was snuggled up on Sam's shirtless chest, both prisoners peacefully resting on his lower bed. He had spent the rest of the day convincing himself that Jack had told him nothing but bullshit and now... Why was his brother not wearing his shirt? Castiel parted himself from the other inmate who jumped out of the bunk, his muscles flexing so manly. "Dean, hi. It's not what you think, bro. I'm just helping out Cas. We found out that the heartbeat relaxes him and makes him feel safe" Sam explained as quietly as possible. He could read some suspicion in his brother's body language, like that eyebrow tick. He was agitated, tense. "Dean... Believe me"
"Do you think I'm an idiot? I see what's going on here"
"D-Dean... That's the truth"
Dean burst into a nervous laugh. The truth? So he was being paranoid, huh? No, he wouldn't have let them pass him off as the bad guy, not this time. "If that's true..." Dean argued as he grasped the edges of his shirt and ripped it open, exhibiting his bare chest. Yep, he looked a little bit crazy right now... "You'll have no problem huddling up on me, won't you?"
"Y-you're scaring me..."
"Yes, brother, calm down"
Dean punched the wall so hard he hurt his hand. Sam didn't allow himself to be intimidated, though. He had seen worse. His brother had done worse. He had set fire to his foster parents' house, although he was pretty much excused for it... "Don't you dare tell me to calm down? I trusted you, Sammy. I guess that when the cat was away the mice used to play. Jack was right after all... Did you two fuck already?" Dean inquired, by now rambling in delirium. Castiel promptly shook his head, unable to say a word as he was afraid that even the tiniest little thing would have set his cellmate off. Yet Dean didn't need to be stroked, he did it himself. "I don't believe you. I don't believe you anymore!"
"Dean, you're overreacting. Have you been taking your pills?"
"Fuck you, Sam!"
There was a moment where everything stilled. Then, the apocalypse. The two brothers came to blows. Punches, kicks, elbows. No holds barred. In no time, the jail alarm went off and the cell became filled with guard pulling their guns on the three prisoners. Castiel put his hands in the air, terrified, while the Winchesters didn't stop at all. A couple of officers had to step in to separate 'em. "Okay, break it up. Break it up, I said!" The head guard shouted as other officers succeeded in pushing the two brothers up to the opposite side of the room. Still, they were showing resistance. The head guard sighed. "Let's keep the Winchester separate and take the younger one back to his cell"
"No, leave him here. This is his cell now. I don't wanna see any of 'em ever again"
"Dean..."
A slight nod after which Dean was shackled and escorted out by a long line of officers, the cell slowly emptying out. The head guard was the last to leave, darting at Sam a warning glance and then at Castiel. Soon, they were alone and wrapped in such a piercing silence ruined only by their heavy breathings and racing pulse.
