Dean opens his eyes slowly, squinting from the sunlight that had made its way into the room. His eyes scan the room to see if Alpha was around, but all he sees is an empty chair and the blanket thrown haphazardly across it. He coughs a few times, wincing as he does so.
"How are you feeling?"
Alpha's soft voice startles Dean, causing him to sit up quickly.
"Al-Alpha!" he stammers, already getting into the standard kneeling position for greeting Alphas, "I didn't know you were there. How may I serve you?" The tired Omega didn't look up, as looking into an Alpha's eyes is a form of insolence, but he could certainly smell that Alpha reaction was… sad?
"Dean," he twitched to let Alpha know that he was listening, "I asked how you're feeling."
"Oh! Oh, right, sorry Alpha. I feel okay- I mean, I still feel sick, but I can serve you. How may I serve you?" Dean inwardly cursed himself for his rambling, but no training session in the Center had ever taught him how to react if an Alpha treats an Omega like this.
"I already told you, you don't need to serve me. Not like that. Not yet."
"That's not all that I can do, Alpha. Do you need breakfast? I can make breakfast." This sentence was met with silence. Cautiously, Dean fills the silence by examining Alpha below his neck. His hands are rough, calloused, and they're held stiff at his sides. He's already dressed in his Work Clothes, and Dean notices that he's slightly doubled over at the waist. He noticed all of this in the span of a few seconds, and then Alpha speaks once more.
"Dean…" the Omega's head snaps back down, the scent of fear permeating from him, "Remember what I said last night? You can look at me. I will not hurt you."
"Respectfully, Alpha, it is against the rules to look at you directly. That's what we were taught in the Center." At this, Alpha kneels down, and tilts Dean's head up so that they are face to face. Dean's eyes were still fixed to the side, but it was good enough.
"You live under my rules now." Surprised, and forgetting himself, Dean's eyes snap onto Alpha's face, and for the first time, he notices just how amazingly blue those eyes are.
"Now Dean," Alpha days quietly, sending involuntary shivers down Dean's spine, "How are you feeling?"
"Ho-honestly Alpha, I'm alright. It's really just a cough. I will be okay. I pr-promise." Alpha searches Dean's eyes, perhaps for an uncomfortably long time, before standing up with a grunt, momentarily pressing a hand to his side. Dean sees all this, but says nothing. It is not an Omega's place to ask questions.
"I'll cook up some breakfast," announces Alpha, "Then I have to go to work. I wish I could spend the day with you, but a job's a job I guess."
"Please, Alpha. I will cook breakfast. That's what I'm here to do." But of course, the moment's ruined by Dean launching into a particularly nasty coughing fit.
"No. You're here because you're mine, and I take care of my possessions." Dean would have denied it, but the way Alpha turned all possessive like that awoke something deep inside him, something he swore to never let see the light. Alpha must have misinterpreted the silence that followed, so he spoke.
"Fuck, I'm sorry. That came out wrong. What I mean is that while it may be your job to 'serve' me, or whatever, it's my job to take care of you. And that's why you're here. So I can take care of you. So for the love of God, just sit down and let me do my job."
Even though words were spoken that were less-than-gentle, Dean felt oddly… comforted by Alpha's outburst.
"Yes Alpha. Whatever you wish. May I get up and sit on the couch?"
"Of course Dean. You can go wherever you want in this house, and I will not punish you. This is our house now, so that means it also belongs to you." Alpha paused for a moment, seemed to be considering something.
"But please don't go into the smaller second floor bathroom. The one with the white door. Please." Dean nodded vigorously, not even wondering why he couldn't go in that room.
"I will not enter the room with the white door, even to clean. Thank you for informing me of this limit." Another drill line. "I will wait here until you are done with breakfast. Thank you for cooking for us." Alpha simply smiles and walks out of the living room, leaving the smell of satisfaction and… pain?
Castiel walks into the kitchen, making sure he's out of sight from his Omega before pressing a shaking hand to the cuts on his side. He's sure that the sickly scent of pain was leaking from him, but he could hardly stop it. Double checking to make absolutely sure that Dean was still on the couch, the Alpha slowly pulls up his shirt to reveal the bandages he had applied only an hour ago. So far so good, he thinks, when he sees no blood on the white surface.
Gingerly, he pulls his Work Shirt back over the wound and takes a few sips of water from his flask. After waiting a few moments to compose himself, he opens up the fridge to reveal the newly-stocked shelves.
What the hell should I make for breakfast?
Dean stares at the plate Alpha brought in for him. On it are two eggs, five strips of bacon, two pieces of toast (with butter!) and in his other hand he carries a tall glass of orange juice.
"Alpha? Is this all for me?" Alpha shuffles his feet, obviously timid about something.
"Uh, yeah. I hope it's good enough. I didn't really know what to make…"
"Are you kidding me? I haven't eaten a meal like this since Early Schooling! Thank you so much Alpha Castiel!" Dean beams up at his Alpha and takes the plate and cup, careful not to spill.
"I should've gotten a tray. Hang on." Alpha disappears around the corner for a moment, then comes back with a wooden tray. "Best I could find, Here you go." He helps Dean get all his stuff situated on the tray, stopping when Dean starts to cough again.
"Here, drink some of the orange juice. It'll help your throat." Eagerly, Dean drinks, downing half the glass in one go.
"Oh my God, I forgot how good this stuff is." Alpha chuckles a bit, then winces, his left arm jerking to the right.
"Alpha?" the Omega asks timidly, "Are you alright? I'm sorry if questions aren't allowed, but you look like you're in pain."
"What? No, yeah, I'm fine. And you can always ask me questions. That's allowed here as well."
"Why are you hurting, Alpha?"
"It's nothing. I just fell a couple days ago, it's nothing serious. Don't worry." Looking doubtful, Dean relented, picking up a strip of bacon with two fingers then biting into it slowly.
"You really know your way around a pan, Alpha Castiel. This is amazing."
"Thank you very much Dean. Please eat it all. You're much too skinny to be healthy." Dean only made a noise of happy assent before digging into the eggs with gusto. Alpha laughs again, then makes his way towards the door.
"Sorry to leave you here alone, but I need to go to Work. Call me if you need anything, okay? I left my number on the fridge and the phone is on the wall in the hall. Please take it easy today. Watch some TV, eat some snacks, explore the house. Mi casa es tu casa, and so on so forth. Any questions?" Dean just shakes his head, mouth too full of eggs to answer. "Alright, good answer. I'll see you when I get home, around four-ish. Goodbye Dean."
Dean quickly swallows the food in his mouth before answering, "I hope you have a good day at Work Alpha Castiel. Bye."
And with that, Alpha left, and Dean was left to enjoy his food and ponder his newfound freedom.
