Dean woke up the next morning and took a long, hot shower, his mind comfortably blank. Sam had left early to get breakfast, and Cas was still snoring softly on the couch.
After his shower, Dean toweled off and threw on some pants and a t-shirt. He stretched, then went to stand in front of the mirror to brush his teeth.
He bent down to rummage through his toiletry bag for the toothpaste, and when he stood back up, he nearly jumped out of his skin.
"Dammit, Cas!" Dean exclaimed, looking at the angel in the mirror who was standing directly behind him. "You're gonna give me a heart attack one of these days."
Castiel cocked his head to one side. "Sorry, Dean."
Dean sighed and turned around to look at Castiel. "Don't worry about it, man."
Dean ran a hand through his slightly damp hair, feeling a little bit nervous at Castiel's close proximity. At one point in time, he would have lectured him on personal space. But today was different. Today, he didn't mind.
"So what's up, Cas?"
Castiel blinked at him, as if unsure of himself. Finally he said with some hesitancy, "Dean, about last night... Was it real?"
"Huh?" Dean asked, knowingly playing dumb. "What you talking about, Cas?"
"When you kissed me," Castiel clarified. "Was it real, or just because of the game?"
Dean felt a flush creeping up his neck. "I, uh, could ask you the same thing, Cas."
"Dean," Castiel said with a sense of urgency. "I need to know."
Dean bit his lower lip. Castiel was looking intently into his eyes, demanding an answer. He knew a lie wouldn't work. The angel would see straight through him.
"Yeah, Cas," he admitted sheepishly. "It was real."
Castiel's gaze immediately softened and he let out a sigh of what sounded like relief.
"And was yours real?" Dean asked quickly. He was floundering and he knew it. This was uncharted territory in the book of Dean Winchester.
"Of course, Dean," Castiel replied sincerely.
"I, uh," Dean began, his voice almost cracking.
"Hey, guys," Sam called from the other room. "Come check this out."
Dean brushed past Castiel, "Coming, Sammy."
Castiel caught Dean's arm on the way out, who turned back, expression hopeful.
The angel smiled at Dean, and he felt his heart skip a beat. This could work. This could really work.
Dean flashed Cas a brilliant grin, then gave him a wink.
Then they were in the motel room with Sam.
"What's up, Sammy?" Dean asked cheerfully.
Sam did a double-take when he looked at Dean, but didn't comment on his unusually chipper mood this morning.
"I think we've got a case," Sam told them, motioning for them to come look at his laptop.
Dean stood on one side of Sam, looking over his shoulder, and Castiel on the other.
Sam pulled up a web page and gestured at the screen.
"What the hell is that?" Dean asked, his expression skewed with a mix of confusion and disgust. There was a colored illustration on the computer of what looked like a glowing whale skeleton swimming in a dark sea.
"It's a Bake-kujira," Sam explained. "It means 'ghost whale' in Japanese."
"A ghost whale," Castiel mused, looking at the computer with interest.
"Yeah," Sam continued. "It's an old Japanese legend. They're supposed to be the vengeful spirits of whales that were killed by men. They're said to bring a powerful curse to the village of anyone who sees them."
"What kind of curse?" Dean asked, crossing his arms.
"Famine, fires, and disease," Sam replied as he scrolled through the web page.
"So Free Willy's out for blood," Dean said, laughing at his own joke.
Both Sam and Cas shot him an unamused look, and Dean rolled his eyes.
"So why are you showing us this, Sammy?" Dean asked.
"Because there's a whole crowd of people claiming to have seen one off the coast of a small town in Florida," Sam replied. "And several of the witnesses died from severe fevers the night they saw it."
"Well what's a Japanese ghost whale doing in Florida?" Dean asked skeptically.
"No idea," Sam said with a shrug. "But it sounds like a case to me."
"We're what, about 12 hours from Florida right now?" Dean asked.
Castiel nodded. "I believe so, Dean."
"All right then, boys," Dean said. "Looks like we're hitting the beach."
An hour later, they were all in the Impala, heading south. Dean and Sam were in the front, with Castiel sitting in the middle of the back seat.
Dean looked in the rearview mirror at Castiel, who was staring out the window. He allowed himself for the first time to consciously admire the angel's appearance. He's face was truly beautiful, and his eyes were such a pure shade of dark blue, fathomless as the sea.
'Damn,' Dean chuckled to himself, 'I should write poetry.'
He glanced up again to look at Cas. Castiel had shifted his gaze to the mirror and was staring back at Dean in the reflection. Dean immediately looked away, slightly self-conscious.
When he looked again, Castiel had closed his eyes and was leaning his head back on the seat. Dean smiled and a wave of warmth washed over him. He knew the truth now. He'd always had these feelings for Castiel, but he'd misinterpreted them as friendship, brotherly love. He wondered why it had taken him so long to see the light.
"Dean," Sam said quietly from the passenger seat. "You've practically been on cloud nine ever since last night. If there's anything you'd like to talk about, you know I'm right here."
Dean looked at Sam with a disgruntled expression. "Sure thing, Oprah."
Sam smirked. "Look, Dean, all I'm saying is you can talk to me."
Dean nodded. "Everything's great, Sam."
"Yeah, I can see that, Dean. But if you want to talk about the reason you're so upbeat all of the sudden, I'll totally understand and support you."
Dean rolled his eyes. So Sam knew. Of course Sam knew. Hell, Sam had probably figured it out ages ago.
Dean sighed. He wasn't ready to talk to Sam about his feelings. He wasn't sure why talking about it at all was even necessary.
"I'll keep that in mind, Sammy," Dean said finally.
He turned on the radio, hoping Sam would take the hint.
"I want to know what love is, I want you to show me!"
Foreigner, he thought to himself sarcastically. Perfect timing. He felt the now-familiar blush begin to color his cheeks as he couldn't help thinking of Cas while the song continued to play.
"I'm gonna take a little time, a little time to look around me."
Sam looked over at Dean, grinning like a possum.
"Shut up," Dean growled.
Sam turned away, snickering.
"In my life there's been heartache and pain
I don't know if I can face it again.
Can't stop now, I've traveled so far, to change this lonely life.
I want to know what love is, I want you to show me.
I want to feel what love is, I know you can show me!"
Damn, Dean realized. I'm in deep.
(for the song reference :
https/youtu.be/tUYGzZ0tQpA )
