Title: Between the hero's going and the god's coming

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from C. Day-Lewis

Warnings: AU; takes place in Hell; spoilers for season 5

Pairings: Dean/Crowley

Rating: PG13

Point of view: third

Wordcount: 290

Prompt: Crowley/Dean; the angels didn't get to Hell in time, and Dean became a demon. He still doesn't like the idea of the end of the world, though.

Crowley never likes visiting the workroom. He's far too sophisticated for Alistair's methods. He's a businessman, after all. And Alistair's insane. Bloody insane, pardon the pun.

But Alistair's pupil, his fair-haired boy, his darling pet… Dean Winchester, the Righteous Man, breaker of the First Seal.

Alistair's off visiting with Lucifer, recently released from his cage by Dean's brother, soon to become the unlucky vessel of the MorningStar. And Dean is here, safe in Hell, so there will be no vessel for Michael, unless he settles for plans B through Z.

"Darling," Crowley calls, striving to ignore the poor bastards strung up all over the place, in various stages of torture. Dean truly is a master. He's already surpassed Alistair in skill and it won't be long until he's better than even the Lord of Hell.

"Be right with you," Dean says, bent over a sobbing soul, bloody blade in hand.

Crowley doesn't know if Dean will want to aid him in derailing Lucifer's plan. It may in fact be the most foolish thing he's ever done, either the overthrow idea itself or asking Dean to join him.

But with Dean's help…

Dean turns to face Crowley, smirking. "It's a stupid fuckin' plan, dude," he says, crossing his arms across his chest as he leans against the wall. "And if you help me keep Sammy out of Lucifer's grasp, I'll help you come up with somethin' that might actually work."

Crowley considers that for a moment, watching Dean watch him.

"Alright then," he says. "Let's seal the deal."

Dean's smile is as sharp as the razor dangling from his fingers, and he bites down hard before Crowley pulls away. "Sealed by blood," he murmurs against Crowley's mouth. "We got work to do."