Chapter warning- general weirdness, true form, me quoting the chapter of an Imagine Dragons song(don't hate), and no beta. NO BETA
"So…..", Dean asked the creature he was currently sitting on, his seat a humongous paw he had no fear of falling off of anytime soon even if he leapt and rolled several times, the appendage ending in talons longer than his own body and looking sharp enough to carve the skin off of atoms. "….Are you really a dragon bird thing?".
Castiel opened an eye, pupil-less and glowing with all the intensity of a blue sun, to focus on Dean. He found that he could stare into the heart and heat of that captive star for an eye unflinching. "No, but it is as close as your senses can process my true form without exploding from overload.".
"Awesome.", Dean sighed, looking around. He was currently nestled in the golden softness that covered Castiel's skyscraper sized body, the god's perceived form reminding Dean of Smog from the old Hobbit cartoon but with more feathers and fur in vibrant shades of iridescent gold and silver rather than scarlet scales. Wings, too many for Dean to count or keep track off, trailed down Castiel's spine, the wide spanning appendages folding and unfolding constantly. They were so large and engulfing Dean couldn't even find their edges, the lengths of them melding into the velvety void all around them. As far as Dean could figure out, the star studded space Castiel was lounging in was essentially the god's throne room, all sorts of beings seeking audience, orders, and favor with him though it was just the two of them at the moment.
"Where are we?", Dean asked anyway.
"Nowhere and everywhere.", Dean could hear Castiel's brand of humor in his voice, which was nothing like Dean had ever heard before. He had nothing to really compare it to, hearing it more in his head than with his ears. It reminded him of the way that thunder does sometimes, but on a more massive level. On the plus side though, his eardrums weren't exploding and his head wasn't threatening to crack open like an egg under the pressure.
"Oh, you're a riot.", Dean grumbled, digging his fingers through the golden stuff that was thick as a blanket and high enough to cover his lower half, thankfully so considering his current predicament. "Any reason I'm naked?".
"No. If your nudity bothers you, simply think of clothing. It is well within your means to do so now.", Castiel yawned, the sounds of his jaw clanking back together like an avalanche of teeth before the god nestling his head back down between his forepaws.
"Good to know.", Dean grunted as he got up, fully clothed now though he felt a little ridiculous wearing jeans and t-shirt in this place. In his opinion, a toga might be more fitting but Dean wasn't about to go down that the road of that fashion choice, mostly though because he didn't know the protocol for it. Did you wear underwear underneath a toga or did you free ball it like you would wearing a kilt?
Giving up on that mental inquiry, Dean walked across Castiel's paw until he got to the edge and immediately wish he had not looked over the side of it. There was nothing underneath them except the light of stars and the spaces in-between them. His unhappy stomach flipping and threatening to empty its contents violently, Dean ended up crawling back to his original place of seating, trying not to hyperventilate or think about even if he could. Was he even breathing air? It felt like it at least though the air held no odor.
"You need not worry about falling. It is impossible for you to do so now.", Castiel said, reminding Dean that he was sitting on god who was watching him through half lidded burning eyes. Before he could answer or question, Dean fell forward onto his hands and knees as something burst from his back on command, just not his own.
With some effort due to sudden imbalance, Dean righted himself, almost fearful to look behind him and what he might find there though he had a pretty good idea. He did notice that the halo was back, floating over his head like foxfire made of scarlet and blue violet light. Clenching his jaw to keep from saying something that could get him wiped from the face of existence, Dean looked over his shoulder to find his guesswork confirmed.
A pair of wings stretched out wide from between his shoulder blades, the individual feathers of them shimmering and twisting like flame frozen in feathered form. It gave his new appendages a rippling effect in shades of gold, burning oranges, heated reds, and blues only found in the hearts of the hottest stars while sparks of white were shed from them with every minuet movement.
"I think it's safe to say I'm not human anymore. Are you happy with yourself?", Dean ground out through clenched teeth, his hand curling into tight fists.
"Yes, I am quite pleased with your modifications.", Castiel said as he turned his great head to stare at Dean straight on.
"Fuck you.", Dean whispered, too consumed with rage to come up with anything more eloquent.
"You are not happy.", it was more statement than question.
"You think?!", Dean yelled, his wings going wide in agitation. Castiel did not reply, merely choosing to study Dean as he erupted, his form burning with golden flames dancing over his tanned skin. The hunter had no idea what the god was thinking, his expression unreadily while in his dragon like form. "Oh perfect. I can flame on.", he snapped at his new body in irritation though part of him thought it was pretty fucking cool.
Seeing that god wasn't going to answer him anytime soon, Dean fought with himself to calm down, at least enough to stop having flames shoot off of his skin. He was going to have to be careful when he got back to Earth. Bobby wouldn't be happy camper if Dean set his house accidentally on fire over something stupid, like them arguing over a football game or movie night. "Can you change me back?", Dean finally asked when he found that he could in a somewhat calm manner.
"Why would I do that?", Castiel actually sounded perplexed, if his tone was anything to go by.
"Because I asked.", Dean went for broke, hoping to paint god into a corner.
"No.", Castiel stated, firmly enough to make the stars or whatever the hell they were around them explode.
"What if I said please.", Dean shot back cheekily, because what the hell did he have to lose. His humanity was already gone.
"No, Dean.", Castiel said more softly this time, laying his head back down.
"Why not?", Dean resisted the urge to burst into the human torch again.
"Because I want you by my side for the rest of eternity.", Castiel said, closing his eyes as if to bring an end to the conversation. Dean had never been too good at taking hints like that though.
Crossing his arms over his chest, Dean glared at the dozing god. "I could rebel."
That was enough to make Castiel open his eyes again. "Please do not.", the god said, sounding more sad than angry with Dean's threat.
"If you love something, you've got to let it go.", Dean tried to express his point of view with a classic.
"That is stupid.", Castiel countered in return with an enormous amount of disgust.
"But true.", Dean pressed. He stood his ground as Castiel's head moved closer to him, blue sun for an eye taking up all of Dean's view, the orb many times larger than hunter.
"Would you leave me so easily?", for having no facial expression to reference, Dean was gleaning what he could from the voice that was actually not a voice. The concepts were playing merry hell with Dean's thinking. If Dean had to nail down an emotion, he would have to say that the god sounded distressed. The note of unexpected sadness made something twist painfully deep in Dean's gut.
"N-no.", Dean stammered out, looking away for the first time. "I guess not. Not right now anyway. So am I an angel now or what?".
"I would never make you into something as mundane as a mere angel, Dean. You are my Righteous Man, my Hunter of Twilight. When you are ready to come into your own, you will serve humanity as you have always done.", Dean could hear the pleased smile in Castiel's tone, the god sounding so very proud of himself. It made Dean feel ill at heart though still curious at his new title.
"What the hell does that even mean?", Dean complained, falling back down in a mess of flailing wings and limbs. He could tell that the new additions were going to take some getting used to.
"You will hunt, Dean. You will move through shadow and night which will be your domain from now on and punish those beings who would do harm to the weak, the unaware, and the innocent. You will answer the prayers of the desperate to offer them protection and if not protection, righteous vengeance. You will do as you have always done for you are a hunter, a warrior, a good man, and a pure soul.", Castiel intoned.
"And what if I don't want to?", the question sounded petulant even to Dean, who could practically hear Castiel rolling his eyes at him.
"Do you wish to do anything else?", Castiel countered.
"No…..', Dean admitted with a shrug, the two of them falling into a long moment of silence. Castiel closed his eyes again as Dean mulled over several things.
"You're a selfish bastard, you know that? But you're my selfish bastard and I got to keep you from making the Earth explode and shit.", Dean said softly as he kicked at the golden fluff irritably. He flopped back on his wings which were surprising comfortable and watched as strange comets passed overhead.
"I love you too, Dean."