Title: This is the soldier home from the war
Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Elizabeth Bishop
Warnings: pre-season 6
Pairings: Dean/Lisa, pre-Castiel/Dean
Rating: PG
Wordcount:170
Point of view: third
Prompt: Dean/Castiel. Since 6x08 I've been craving sleepy!Dean. He's adorable!
Castiel does not have much free time, and before Raising Dean he would never have considered 'playing hooky' from his duties. But, as Dean had pointed out many times, all work and no play makes Cas a dull boy.
And so, once in a while, Castiel leaves Heaven and visits Earth. He watches Dean from corners, checks to make sure Dean is healthy and safe.
Dean is doing well as can be expected, possible better. There is still sorrow in him, but he does love Lisa and Ben. His sleep is not often interrupted by nightmares anymore.
His soul cries out for his brother less than it did, and Castiel is glad. And part of him, the part that Dean grew so close to during their battle against Lucifer, feels guilt for letting Dean continue to believe his brother is dead.
But seeing Dean with this family, seeing him sleep through the night, soft and pliant and warm, not at all like he was when they journeyed together, Castiel is... content.