Dean heard the flutter of a sweet bird, and put the book down. "There you are..." He smiled.
"Hello, Dean..." Cas said, clearly exhausted.
"What's wrong?" Dean tensed up. "Are you hurt?"
"Don't worry about it...I just need to rest..."
"Cas, look at me..." Dean took a good look at him, and yeah, he looked fine, just beaten to a pulp. "What happened?"
"Just a little nick, Dean, nothing to be concerned about...I'm going to take a shower..."
"Not without me, you're not!" Dean got up next to him, holding the angel's back for support, who winced ever so slightly. "Did that hurt?"
"A little...but it's ok, really...I just need-"
"To rest, yeah, I got that, come on." Although Dean loved any excuse to have a shower with his angel boyfriend, since 'angels don't need showers, Dean', Dean wanted to be there in case Cas would slip and fall, hurting himself even more.
Dean went to the small of his back, but backed his hand up as he saw what was on Cas' back.
"Cas, wait...what the hell happened?"
Cas sighed, just wanting to relax and let the hot water do its bidding. "It's just a bruise, Dean, it will heal. I just need to help it, and-"
"Ok, well, I hate to break it to you, but no back rubs today." Dean was scared. Usually, any injuries Cas would obtain would just immediately disappear because, well, angel, but now was different, and he was getting really really worried.
Dean and Cas both hissed when Dean barely grazed Cas' shoulder blade while he was turning them around carefully to take turns underneath the hot water.
"I'm sorry...I'm so sorry, baby..."
"It's ok, Dean...I'm so-"
"Don't you dare. Now, come on, let's get out of here so I can take a closer look..."
They went to the bedroom, and Dean set Cas down on the bed. Although he had wanted to stand in the shower a little longer, it felt just as good to finally lay down. Dean went to go get the first aid kit.
"Dean? What's up? I've been calling for y'all...I brought pizza!" Sam motioned to the table.
Dean did not even look up. "Not now, Cas has been hurt, and I think it's his wings..."
Sam, appalled at the fact his brother was not interested in food, suddenly knew why when he finished that thought. "What? What happened?" He followed Dean, Dean unable to answer any of his questions.
"Dean?" Cas answered weakly from the bed. Now, seeing them, Cas' back was not only a bruise turning black and blue right before their eyes, but the redness surrounding it from the hot water made it look worse.
"Hey, baby, I'm here...let Sammy take a look." Cas nodded, and Sam got down on the floor to look.
"Dean...this bruise is circular, I'm guessing it is surrounding the base of his wing...Cas, what happened?"
Cas took a moment, trying to gather his thoughts. "Well, I doing my normal patrol of the Bunker, and-"
"Wait, you don't have to do that, Cas, this place is warded against anything and everything we can think of..." Dean rubbed his hand through Cas' damp forehead. He prayed it was not from a fever, just from getting out of the steamy shower.
"Dean, you have no idea how many prowlers there are that just sit and wait for you two to leave every day..." Cas hissed in pain.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." Sam held his hands up in surrender. He had put the lightest touch on the outside of the bruised area.
"You're ok, tell me, what happened next?" Dean gently coaxed.
"Well, there were more demons than I anticipated, and one must've snuck up behind me, and he jerked on my wing hard...which, happens a lot more than I care to admit, but...they just kept doing it, taking turns, and when I went to take off, that split second, he had a hold on it, and I-"
"You must've pulled it out of socket..." Dean finished.
Cas shook his head, tears welling up, embarrassed. "There was this, white hot pain, and it's better now, but..." It hurts, Dean...he was too ashamed to admit.
"Well, I hate to break it to you, but I'm gonna have to push it back in..." Dean said. He looked to Sam, and Sam nodded in understanding. "I'll be right back, Cas, and I promise it will be over before you know it..."
Cas nodded, focusing on Dean's face, when he noticed that white hot pain coming back. He whimpered pitifully, tears falling. Sam, feeling awful about what he did to his friend, started digging through the first aid kit that they made special for Cas [he was an angel, after all, which required, special care]. He found the ointment he needed, and gently started to rub it around the area, trying not to make a big deal about how horrifically colored Cas' back was. Dean was whispering sweet nothings to Cas, trying to distract him from the pain.
"Thank-you, both..." Cas whispered. "It's already so much better, and I can finally start to heal the right way..."
"Yeah, of course, Cas...I'll go bring you two some pizza..." Sam left, noting to take his time.
"You promise you're ok?" Dean rubbed Cas' cheek, wiping away the tear.
"I am, Dean...my wings they, they're delicate...powerful, but so fragile when hurt...that's why I'm thankful we can move fast with them,"
"But you just lost at a nasty game of tug-o-war..." Dean smiled.
Cas did as well. "I never want to play that game again..."
"Understandable..." Dean sighed. "You scared me, today...don't ever play off an injury like it's nothing..."
"You do the same thing, Dean..." Cas got a little bit of his attitude back, and Dean was finally starting to feel better.
"Yeah, well, you can see my injuries, I can't see yours..."
"Do you want to?" Cas' eyes got big, hopeful and nervous.
"Well, no, I've seen enough, but I'll take one more look, and-yeah, it's looking better..." Dean came back around to the floor in front of Cas' face after seeing for himself that the bruise was already looking less disgusting.
"No, Dean..." Cas smiled. "Do you want to see my wings?"
Dean paused, trying to process what Cas was just asking him. His wings? He and Sam had researched them before, and from what little they could find, all they knew was they were huge, but more shocking of all, they were an angel's most precious gift. They were powerful, obviously, but said to be one of the most beautiful things in all of creation. Dean had seen plenty of shadows of wings, including Cas'. Hell, when Michael the douchebag possessed him, even buried in the back of his own mind, he could feel the presence they carried.
"I...are you sure, Cas? That's a pretty, big deal, isn't it?" Dean said, unsure.
"It is...which is why I'm asking you..." Cas' eyes were getting heavy.
"Ok, yeah, how about after a nap, if you feel like it, ok?" Dean slid gently into bed, careful not to move or hug Cas, so as not to irritate his wing any more.
Cas hummed, snuggling down into Dean's warmth, and fell right to sleep. Dean eventually dozed off, still being the over-protective worry-wart he always was, not wanting to let his guard down. He was relieved to see that Sam was taking his sweet time "getting their food", but hopefully soon after they woke up, because Dean was hungry.
Dean woke up on the softest bed he could only dream of, and was shocked to see what he was laying on. Cas' eyes shot open, and the bed shifted from the sudden movement.
"Hello, Dean..."
"Cas?" Dean almost fell out of bed, he could not believe his eyes. "Your...your..."
"Yes, here they are..." Cas slowly sat up in bed, revealing his wings better. Apparently, Dean was laying on the one that was uninjured, as it was stretched out along the bed. His injured wing was folded protectively against his back. They were huge...and they were so beautiful. All of the colors of the rainbow illuminated themselves as the wings twitched and breathed in the sunlight coming in through the window. But in the shadow, they were not as bold, but still beautiful...almost like a darker rainbow...
Beautiful. Dean did not think he had ever seen something more beautiful.
"Cas..." Dean slowly walked around, examining every inch, every feather, and how they moved so naturally. "They're stunning..."
Cas blushed. "Dean..."
"No, they're just so beautiful, and...I had no idea..."
"Dean, just because the shadows are black doesn't mean they are..."
"They're rainbow!"
"Well, of course..." Cas said as if it were obvious. He laughed. "What did you think they were?"
"White?" Dean now sounded ridiculous.
Cas laughed. "That is so cliche, Dean..."
"How am I supposed to know? Lore about you guys have never talked about wings that much, other than the fact that they're a...very private thing..."
"Yes..." Cas glanced at them. "They are only revealed to humans most precious to us...and it's very rare..." He blushed.
"Hey, no chick flick moments..." Dean forced down his blush as well. Cas is showing me his wings? Me?
"It's true..."
"I believe you...now, uh, may I?" Dean pointed to the injured wing, still clinging to Cas' back.
"Ok, Dean..." Cas cautiously opened up his back to Dean. He let out a breath. "Sorry, it's still a bit sore..." The wing flung at Dean a bit, Dean jumping back. "And defensive..."
"It's alright..." Dean found himself saying it more to the wing than to Cas. Squatting down, Dean leaned forward underneath the wing, and yeah, the bruises still looked painful, but there was definite signs of improvement, even after sleeping for only an hour. He quickly got up, not daring to touch it. "Yeah, we're looking good back here."
"Good...I feel better." Cas' shoulders lowered in relief. Dean circled back around, still staring in awe at them. "You can touch them, if you want..."
"Are you sure?" Dean's answer was the healthy wing moving towards him slightly.
"Of course, Dean..."
Dean's hand reached out slowly, and the wing was anticipating his approach. When his fingers barely touched a feather, the wing twitched away.
"Sorry, they're very sensitive...it's alright...just go for it."
Dean tried again, and was surprised to see how smooth they were. He could not believe this was real. Dean Winchester, touching [petting?] an angel's wings. He could hear Cas moan in pleasure.
"Feels good, huh?"
"It's amazing, Dean..." Cas opened his eyes, feeling embarrassed. "Come here." He pulled Dean into bed, and the good wing wrapped around Dean's back. He kissed him. "Thank-you..."
"Nah, Sam did the dirty work, I was just the trickster..."
"No, well, yes, but just...thank-you Dean...for sharing this moment with me..."
"Thank-you for choosing me..." Dean kissed Cas back, both wings now hugging the hunter, thanking him as well.