A/N: This chapter contains some light violence...
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The Roadhouse was closed for the night by the time Castiel finally made it back.
"How was your date?" Meg teased when she spotted the weary angel.
"You're kidding, right?" Ellen asked Meg from behind the bar, raising an eyebrow.
"It wasn't a date," Cas sighed, "although I'm offended you would automatically assume Meg was joking, Ellen."
"It might as well have been a date," Meg beamed, "Clarence was so nervous. It was cute."
"I'm not cute," Castiel growled, tearing the itchy mask off. "And if I was nervous, it was only because Dean poses a threat to me."
"Whatever you need to tell yourself to be able to sleep at night," Meg put her hands on her chin, blinking up at Castiel with a teasing smile.
Cas squinted at her. "I don't sleep at night."
"No kidding."
"Dean knows too much about me, and his presence here compromises my entire life."
"That bad, huh?"
"That bad. If my true identity is revealed to the wrong people, I could face execution, imprisonment, or exile."
"You and Lucifer could be bunk buddies."
Cas shot the demon a withering look.
"Leave the poor angel alone, Meg," Jo laughed, joining them and grabbing the seat next to Meg.
"So how do you know this Dean?" Ellen asked. "He's got to be pretty bad if he's got you worked up like this.
Cas shook his head. "It isn't like that…we grew up together. This was before I came to Eden. We were best friends."
"Childhood sweethearts, you mean?"
"No," Castiel blushed.
"Oh my God. Meg's right!" Jo gaped, grinning.
"No, he never—I mean, we never—it was never—"
"But you wanted it to be?"
Cas scowled at them both, looking to Ellen for help. She just shrugged with a 'what-are-you-going-to-do' expression.
"I was going to tell you what happened tonight, but now I think I'm beginning to reconsider."
"Don't be like that, Clarence."
"Fun time's over, girls. Ash!" Ellen shouted.
"Yeah!" Ash shouted from across the bar, shooting up from where he'd been napping on a table. "Closing time?"
"We closed an hour ago, idiot. Angel's got something to tell us, so get your lazy ass over here."
Ash flipped his hair indignantly, but moved to do as Ellen commanded.
"So are we all going to die under Lucifer's fiery wrath, Clarence?" Meg prompted.
Castiel looked around at them. At his strange, twisted family. Always trusting and caring, despite their teasing and despite Castiel never giving them a reason to trust him. These humans—even the demon—were beautiful. They were works of art, and Castiel was lucky to have them.
"My name is Castiel," he found himself saying.
"Your name?" Jo clarified. "Like, your name name?"
"Huh," Meg said after a minute of looking him up and down thoughtfully, "Suits you."
"Castiel," Jo repeated, testing the name on her lips.
"Now why does that sound so familiar?" Ash asked, squinting up at the ceiling.
"The King's angels," Cas said.
"That's it! There's that younger angel in the court named Castiel…Wait. Damn, really?"
"Is that the pretty one?" Jo asked, leaning lazily against the bar.
"Nah, Anna's the pretty one," Meg winked.
"Oh my God, no, I'm right! Castiel totally is the pretty one!" Jo squealed, pointing at Cas excitedly. "Look! Picture him with like, brown eyes, white wings, and normal hair!"
"Holy shit," Meg laughed.
"I finally tell you who I am and you laugh," Cas said, bemused.
"That's because you are a member of the courts. You. I mean, doesn't that job require some sort of social skills or something? And some charm?"
"Yeah, no offense," Jo added. "You're just really…um, stern?"
"I think she meant freaky," Ash joked.
Castiel opened his mouth to say something but shut it with a frown, instead glaring across the room.
"I think you hurt his feelings."
"It's funny, Castiel," Ellen began, "I must've seen you with the court a dozen times, but I never even noticed…I mean, I never even guessed…"
"The last place anyone ever looks is under their own feet," Cas agreed with a small smile, "and I enjoy it because it allows me to make changes from both within the system and without."
"Not that this isn't fascinating, Clarence, and it is—really, I'm not just being sarcastic—but, uh….Lucifer? What's the deal with that?"
Castiel explained the situation to them and went over everything that had happened that night. Well…everything except the last bit with Dean.
"And I sort of…told Michael that two of my people would help protect the King."
"We're your people now?" Jo asked, "I don't know if I should be flattered or offended."
"Probably a little of both," Meg muttered.
"Jo, I think you should go," Ellen suggested. "You're always whining about how you wanted to help, and this way you can—but it'll still be safer than being here when Lucifer hits us."
"No way! I'm not going babysitting while everyone I love prepares for a war!"
Ellen frowned at her daughter. "Meg will agree with me. Meg, don't you think Jo would be safer in Sioux Falls?"
Meg sat up straighter, eyes wide, shocked to be pulled into the middle of a Harvelle showdown. She shot Cas a pleading glance. "I'm not touching this one with a fifty foot pole," Meg said, grudgingly adding, "But if Jo's going, I'm going too."
Ellen turned on Meg with a look angry enough to melt through flesh.
"Actually," Castiel cut in, wincing when Ellen turned on him next, "I already asked Victor—he still owes me for saving his life, and he did work in private security for a time. He, uh, asked if Ash would go with him, because…" Cas squinted at Ash, "they work so well together."
Meg elbowed Ash in the ribs.
"I'll do it!" Ash said, folding like a chair under Jo, Ash, and Castiel's pressure. "I mean…I'm better with protection detail than open warfare, anyway, so…"
"Save it," Ellen said, rolling her eyes.
"Thank you, Ash. I'll be outside the eastern gate at six with the King and Queen in the morning—that is, as Castiel. When you see me," Cas stood, leaning toward Ash threateningly, "Do not laugh."
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"Are you sure this is a good idea?"" Chuck asked nervously. He was dressed in peasant's clothing, walking with Castiel in front of Becky and Samandriel. The change of clothing made Chuck look like a completely different person—much more unassuming and nervous.
Castiel himself had dressed down for the occasion—wearing his vigilante clothing but with a thin blue scarf and without his tan coat.
"I had to agree to come along, Chuck. Your refusal last night looked suspicious, and despite the current circumstances, Michael still wants me dead."
"Yeah, but Eden needs you more than I do."
"I won't stay with you. I'm going to ride with you there and most likely return with Dean."
"Oh. Yeah, that works."
"Despite what Michael thinks, Samandriel, Victor, and Ash will be more than enough to protect you."
"I know. I'm not worried," Chuck said, shoving his hand in his pockets. They were nearing the gate, where Victor and Ash would be waiting. Dean would meet them well outside the city with the horses. "You were awesome last night, by the way. Totally scary and vengeful and…not at all you."
Castiel was about to protest, say he was more himself then than he was now, but then he heard a snort followed by a loud guffaw. Victor and Ash had spotted them, then.
When Cas looked toward the sound, his eyes widened. He saw Ash, hands, on his knees, laughing himself breathless. Victor stood beside him, yes, but so did Jo, Meg, and Ellen.
At first the rest of them didn't see what had Ash in such a state of hysteria, but when Castiel made eye contact, they knew. They all had different reactions. Victor's eyebrows shot up and his jaw dropped, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. Jo and Meg simultaneously burst into peals of laughter, Jo having to drop into a squat as she was laughing too hard to stand.
Ellen held out the longest, but eventually they were all standing there, laughing at Castiel.
Cas blushed and looked back at Chuck, who was giving Castiel and amused yet sympathetic smile. Becky was beaming from ear to ear, glancing between Cas and his friends like it was the most exciting exchange she'd ever witnessed. Poor Samandriel looked confused beyond measure, and uncertain of whether or not he should be offended.
"I suppose those are the vigilante's men," Cas mumbled for Samandriel's sake. "I'll…go speak with them."
When they saw him approaching, Victor, Jo, and Meg all started laughing harder. Ash, for his part, had composed himself, although the occasional giggle and snort escaped his lips.
"I told you not to laugh," Castiel whined, which sent Ellen into another bout of laughter.
"Not laughing at you, Cas," Jo giggled, "Cute necktie, though—I think I have one just like it at home. The lace is a nice touch."
Cas frowned down at his blue scarf.
"Ignore her, Castiel," Victor said, shaking his head, "But I do have a question for you: who do you get to style your hair? Because if I ever grow mine out—"
"Hilarious. Really, all of you."
Cas had never heard Meg laugh so hard—he was pretty sure he would have remembered the high-pitched cackle that was currently coming from her mouth. If it wasn't so amusing, he probably would've been more annoyed with the situation. "You're wearing an earring, Clarence!" she screeched, clutching her stomach. "An earring!"
"Oh my god," Jo laughed, just noticing the jewelry in question.
Castiel took a deep breath, raising his eyes heavenward. "Will you all try to contain yourselves? The King is watching."
"Oh, like we care," Meg said, but she tried harder to keep a straight face.
"Why are you here, anyways?" he narrowed his eyes at them. "I said Ash and Victor."
"We couldn't pass up a chance to meet you, Castiel," Meg grinned, "And, oh boy, it was the best decision we've ever made. Digging the guy-liner, by the way. You really do know how to make a girl's nether regions quiver, don' cha?"
"I am aware of how to do that."
Jo laughed.
"This is why I didn't want to tell you."
"No, you didn't want to tell us because you have trust issues and masochistic tendencies. But in case you didn't notice, we know and somehow, the world is still spinning, okay? So take a deep breath and try getting that stick out of your ass."
Castiel narrowed his eyes at the demon. "I don't have a—"
"So are we going or what?" Jo asked, rolling her eyes.
"I figured we could walk with you out of the city," Meg shrugged, "just until we meet up with Winchester."
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Dean frowned when he saw the group approaching. "What are you all doing here? The Angel said two of you were coming."
He tried several times to make eye contact with Castiel, but Cas studiously ignored him.
"Relax, lover boy," Meg sighed, "we just came along to see you off—and we wanted to check out the King's angels, make sure they could handle themselves. And I like what we've seen so far," she purred, winking at Cas.
Dean's frown deepened into a scowl. "Yeah, thanks.. We'll be fine from here."
"I'm sure you will. I can see you're in good hands. Although, maybe I should come with you too, just in case. What do you think, Cas?"
"Absolutely not," Dean said before Castiel could open his mouth. "Where's your boss, anyways? Why couldn't he come see us off?" the human asked a little nervously.
"The vigilante doesn't come out during the day, Dean," Cas murmured, "Everyone knows that."
"Gee, thanks for the input, Cas," Dean bit, turning away to help the King with his horse.
Castiel frowned at the human's back. What had he done to—oh, that's right. They were still fighting. To Dean, the last time they'd talked, Cas had shouted at him and had him kicked out of the castle.
"Good luck with that one, Clarence. Looks like you're going to need it."
"So you ready to go, your highness?" Dean asked.
"Call me Chuck," the King said, "we're going incognito here, right? You might as well."
"Will do," Dean nodded, mounting his massive black horse.
"Have a nice trip, Clarence."
"You know you can use my real name now," Cas observed, eyes never leaving Dean.
"I think I'll just stick with Clarence," Meg smiled, "See you, what, tomorrow night?"
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Dean and Castiel spent the first hour or so of the ride arguing.
"Dean, I hardly think that constitutes a—"
"Oh my God," Chuck groaned, "Will you two stop bickering?"
"You're driving us all crazy," Victor agreed.
"I think it's cute," Becky grinned back at them.
"Well, you're the only one," Chuck groused, "I'm getting the sense that you two know each other?"
"Isn't he a smart one?" Dean asked, voice dripping with sarcasm, "So glad we have intelligent men like you to run our country, your highness."
"Hey, don't snap at me. I didn't do anything to you," Chuck said, defending himself.
"'You didn't do anything to me,'" Dean laughed humorlessly, "Yeah, you're right about that. You're also right about me knowing Cas, by the way."
"Dean," Castiel warned.
"We were best friends, actually. But then, you know, Cas was ordered to leave his home and his family and friends in order to move thousands of miles to some random dude's castle."
"Oh."
"Ignore Dean. It was an honor, Chuck."
"No, Castiel, don't. I'm sorry, I—I never realized. I didn't think about it at all—what it would mean for you, coming here. And I'm sorry, Dean."
"Little late for that, buddy."
"Okay," Victor snapped, "Dean- ride in the front. Castiel- ride in the back. No talking to each other, and no yelling at the rest of us."
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Two more hours into the ride, Dean was starting to get bored with the steady stream of trees and gravel. It all looked the same and he couldn't concentrate on anything else because his mind was locked in a steady stream of: Cas. Cas. Cas. Regret. Cas. Longing. Cas. Cas. Cas.
He looked back over his shoulder: he was currently leading the odd, rag-tag procession, Ash and the not-Cas-angel close behind him, followed by Chuck and Becky, Victor, and Castiel bringing up the rear.
"Hey, Ash," Dean said, slowing his horse.
"Yeah?"
"Did I tell you I dig the haircut?"
Ash smirked. "All business up front, a party in the back."
Dean let Impala slow further until most of the group had passed him up.
Castiel gave Dean a strange look as he fell into line beside him, like he couldn't decide between kissing the human and killing him. Dean definitely would've preferred the former.
As if on cue, Castiel's eyes dropped down to Dean's lips and lingered before returning to his eyes.
"Hey."
"Hello, Dean."
Maybe Dean was imagining it, but Castiel's voice sounded different than it had that first day, higher and less gravelly.
"So, I—"
"Dean," Castiel said, more gently than Dean was expecting, "I…I'm sorry about yesterday. And today. And everything I've said since you came to see me. I'm sorry I didn't believe you, and I'm sorry I lashed out so harshly."
"Jesus, Cas, you don't have to—I'm the one that keeps screwing everything up, you're just protecting yourself. No, don't give me those sappy, pitying eyes. I mean it. There were probably a million better ways I could have handled yesterday."
Cas allowed himself a small smile, and Dean reciprocated the gesture. "That may be true."
"So does this mean we can be done fighting?" Dean asked. Castiel didn't answer, just kept giving him that look that registered somewhere between annoyance and fondness. "Because I was a dick then, and I was a dick yesterday, but I miss you and I think we've wasted too much time being mad at each other—"
"Are you apologizing?"
"I'm trying. Come on, man, I worked on this speech for like, an hour."
"Then by all means, don't let me interrupt you," Cas smiled, his eyes crinkling around the edges.
"All I'm saying is, we were best friends once, and we wasted fifteen years being mad at each other when we should've been supporting each other. I don't even care if you've turned into a stupid, mindless hammer of the courts, I just want the fighting to stop, because I…I need you, Cas," he said quietly, "We're family."
Castiel's smile softened. "That's the speech you worked on for an hour?"
Dean laughed. "Don't be a dick. You know I don't do apologies—you're lucky you're getting this much."
Castiel thought it over. "I forgive you for everything you said if you forgive me for leaving in the first place," Cas said, tilting his head to the side as he waited for Dean's answer.
"Deal," Dean grinned at him.
"Can I tell you something if you promise not to tell another soul?" Cas asked, lowering his voice.
"Okay."
"I'm not a hammer, as you say. I still have questions. I—I have doubts. I'm still the friend you knew, Dean."
"I know."
Cas thought Dean didn't look so sure. Like he was trying to convince himself even though he knew it was a lie.
They rode in silence for a minute, listening to Victor and Ash's loud back and forth banter.
"When were you last in Lawrence?" Cas asked.
"It's been a while," Dean admitted, scratching his neck, "A year? Mom comes and visits us down here, mostly."
"Us? You and Sam?"
"Yeah," Dean said, smiling proudly, "Sammy's a hunter too, and a damn good one. We usually work cases together, I was just put on border control 'cos I was annoying Bobby to death."
"Sam's good, then?"
"Yeah. Really good. That's kind of another reason I've been working cases on my own- Sam's engaged. Her name's Jess—she's…she's really sweet, Cas, but also kinda badass. I think you'll like her—she's a lot like my mom."
"What about your father?"
Dean's smile fell. "He, uh, bit it a while back. Stroke."
"I'm sorry."
"He was a dick," Dean shrugged.
"But he was still your father, dick or not. It must not have been easy for you to lose him."
"Yeah," Dean looked Cas up and down, small smile on his full lips, "Thanks."
"For offering my condolences?" Castiel's eyebrows drew together.
"Well…no one really seems to get that, you know? John pissed off a lot of people in his life, and even Sam…I think even Sam was sorta glad to see him go, but he was still my dad…" Dean coughed. "Your family's all good, too. I mean, I'm sure you keep in contact, but they're, uh…good."
Cas chuckled.
"Castiel," Victor said suddenly, turning to look at him, "it's been hours since we've passed another traveler."
Cas frowned. "Is that unusual?"
"Road like this?" Dean looked around, as if noticing their surroundings for the first time, "Should be packed at this time of day. We haven't seen a soul."
"What does that mean?"
"Ambush. Bandits. Bad weather. Construction. Could be any number of things, but its probably a good idea to keep a lookout," Victor said, eyes roving over the trees around them as the forest took on an ominous cast, shadows lurking where they had not been before.
"Huh. That was interesting," Dean observed to Cas a minute later.
"What was interesting?"
"He defaulted to you, not me. I'm the hunter, but he mentioned the road thing to you, the court angel."
Cas shrugged.
"Uh, Cas?" Dean said, narrowing his eyes, "I mean, he's just meeting both of us for the first time, right?" He watched for Castiel's reaction. The angel didn't meet Dean's eyes, muttering something about "not being sure why."
Dean frowned, looking back over the group.
Samandriel stretched his arms, wings stretching with them. The tip of the right wing brushed against Ash beside him, making the human jump comically in his saddle.
"Hey," Dean began, deciding to change the subject. "How come you don't, uh, wear your wings—you know, out, like Alfie?"
"Alfie?" Castiel raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah. Samandriel or whatever is kind of ridiculous, but I can't shorten it to Sam or Sammy, obviously, so I decided to call him Alfie because his last name is Alf—uh, something else crazy. He's cool with the nickname."
Cas nodded. "I don't keep my wings out because I'm not a show-off," Castiel raised his voice, watching Samandriel with a twinkle in his eye.
Samandriel half-turned in the saddle, "No," he said to Dean, "it's because his feathers aren't as soft and plush as mine and he's embarrassed."
Dean laughed at Castiel's pout.
Impala's ears swiveled toward the copse of trees to their left, whinnying nervously. It was the only warning he had before he heard several twangs and a small volley of arrows soared out of the brush toward them. In a flash, Victor leapt off his horse, dismounting Chuck from his and tackling him to the ground. Samandriel's wings flared out, shielding Becky from the onslaught.
Fortunately— Dean did quick damage control— most of the arrows missed their mark aside from two, one of which struck Chuck's horse, and another that left a large red gash in Samandriel's white wing. He didn't have time to ask if everyone was okay before at least twenty men and women were running out of the trees, wielding weapons.
"Shit," Dean swore, "Ash! Get Becky and Chuck away from here now!"
Ash nodded, dragging Chuck to his feet and checking that Becky was with them.
Dean drew his sword, and beside him, Castiel pulled a curved dagger shorter than Dean's forearm from his boot. Dean glanced at his friend, his stupid mind noting how good a determined scowl looked on his face— and how there was something about the look that seemed familiar, though he wasn't sure why.
"You're fighting with that?!" Dean demanded.
"I fight better up close," Castiel growled, his voice suddenly much lower than it had been, grating like two stones rubbing against each other, and his expression took on a feral cast.
The bandits— or demons or monsters or whatever they were, Dean couldn't tell yet— reached Victor and Samandriel first. Dean growled, urging Impala right into the middle of the fray. As the black horse cantered past one of the enemies, Dean swung his sword and chopped it's head clean off.
Another bared its teeth at him, eyes turning black.
"They're demons!" Dean warned the group, ducking as the demon swung at him.
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Cas made his wings visible. With a single powerful beat of them, he flipped gracefully off his horse and landed on both feet, calmly turning to face two demons with an intrigued tilt of his head.
"You were here waiting to kill the King," he guessed. "How'd you know?"
"You think Lucifer didn't know this would happen?" one of the demons sneered. "We'll get to the king once we kill you, angel."
Castiel tossed the dagger up, catching the handle so the blade was pointed toward the ground, and took a step forward, swinging his arm so the blade sliced a long, deep line from hip to chin in the closest demon. The demon gaped and gurgled, collapsing first to his knees, then his stomach.
The female demon he spoke to surged forward, swinging her sword with inhuman speed. Castiel caught it with his dagger and twisted, knocking her arm to the side. While she was thrown off balance, he pressed a palm to her forehead. There was a white flash of light and a scream, and the second demon collapsed dead.
Two more demons ran toward him and he marched to meet them. He stepped between them, catching them both by the throats, and drove them both into the ground, dropping to one knee. Two more dead. He lifted his head, eyes widening when he saw another demon standing in front of him with a smirk, already lifting his sword to bring down on Castiel's head.
A body barreled into the demon's, knocking it to the ground.
Dean straddled the monster and wrenched its sword from its hand, then lifting his own and driving it down with two hands.
He glanced at Cas, a smirk playing at his lips. "You're welcome."
In reply, Cas pulled a smaller knife from his other boot and hurled it. It spun past Dean's head and lodged itself with a dull thud into the chest of the demon sneaking up behind the human. "You're welcome," the angel said back.
Dean let loose an exhilarated grin, green eyes flashing. "I guess that makes us even."
Cas nodded, smile playing at his lips.
"Yeah, yeah. You two are adorable, but can you flirt another time?" Victor asked from a few feet away. He was wiping his sword on the shirt of one of the dead demons, trying to get the blood off.
Dean and Cas looked around—the battle appeared to be over.
"Well that was fast," Dean observed, climbing to his feet. "That the best Lucifer can do?"
Chuck and Becky peered up from over a boulder a few feet away. Becky stood, but Dean held a hand out to stop her.
"Is everyone okay?" he asked.
"Looks like," Ash said, reaching up to return his two thin blades to the sheaths strapped across his back.
"Someone go check the forest. Make sure there aren't any more of them," Dean ordered. Samandriel and Victor left.
"Like I said, Lucifer most likely had spies in the palace and found out we were transporting the King," Castiel said in a low voice to Dean.
"Yeah," Dean agreed, kicking at the nearest dead body, trying to see if it wore any crests on its clothing. If they were lucky, this was the only group and Lucif- his head snapped up. "Wait, what?" he gaped at Cas. "Cas, you didn't—"
"DEAN!" Chuck's panicky voice shouted.
Dean turned to see a demon kneeling on the ground twenty feet away. It looked injured, mortally so, but it had an arrow, knocked and ready, pointed at Dean's head.
He had only enough time to shut his eyes.
But then a hand was on his chest, sending him flying backward.
He soared through the air, hitting the ground with a loud thud, and all of the air in his lungs surged out in a rush. After a second of gaping like a fish on his back, he rolled onto his side, coughing.
"Shit, Castiel!" came Ash's worried voice.
The next second, Dean was up and sprinting toward the angel.
.
Cas dropped to one knee, wincing in pain. Ash chopped the demon's head off, and he, Becky, and Chuck were all by Castiel's side seconds later, cringing at something he couldn't see.
Dean ran over and dropped to his knees in front of the angel, one hand going to Castiel's neck and the other grabbing at his shirt, trying to find the trace of any injuries on his body. "Fuck. Are you okay? What happened? Are you hurt? Cas? Is there anything I can do? I am so sorry, dude. I wasn't looking—this is all my fault—"
"Dean," Cas gritted out. "It's okay. It's just my wing..."
Dean turned, noticing the arrow lodged in the angel's wing. He felt the heat drain from his face as he watched the rough white feathers around the injury slowly blossom into a bright red.
Castiel craned his neck to see—he saw the head of the arrow, as much as had torn through the wing to come out the other side, but he couldn't see the other half of the arrow or the place where it had punctured his wing without moving it.
"Dean," Ash said, "get out of the way. Let me look at it."
"Ash knows what he's doing—he's sort of an angel genius," Victor said, more to reassure Dean than Cas.
"I've patched up the vigilante hundreds of times, for injuries way worse than a little pinprick like that," Ash winked at Castiel.
"Pinprick?! There's an arrow hanging out of his wing!"
"Yeah, but looks like it missed the bone," Ash explained, "the bones extend along the top of the wing," Ash lifted Castiel's wing, having him extend it so he could point out the wing joints, patting the upper, less sensitive part of the wing. "And everything else, for the most part, is skin and muscle. Now, your boy Castiel's arrow missed the bone, the muscle, and all of the major veins. It'll hurt like hell for a bit, but he'll be fine."
"Dean. Let Ash look at it—he knows what he's doing," Cas breathed when Dean still hesitated to move. He screwed his eyes shut against the pain.
Dean frowned, scooting to give Ash better access to Castiel's wing, but didn't move his hand from Castiel's chest. "You okay? Cas, talk to me. Does it hurt? Is there anything I can do?"
"Count of three. One—" Ash mumbled, snapping the tip off the arrow and pulling it quickly out of the wing. Cas gasped, reaching up and grabbing whatever was the closest thing to him—which, in this case, was Dean's shoulder—with enough strength to bruise.
Dean looked at Ash angrily. "You couldn't've given him more of a warning?"
"Relax. He's had worse—haven't you, bos- er, Castiel?"
"No more demons around, by the way," Victor quickly volunteered to cover Ash's slip.
"Dean," Ash said, moving back from examining Castiel's wing to give the hunter an exasperated look. "You want to help? Go get me some water and my green bag. 'S better than fawning over the angel like a mother bear protecting her cub."
Both Dean and Cas glared at him before Dean grudgingly nodded and got up.
"I'm never trusting you with any secrets again," Castiel hissed the moment he was gone.
"My bad. What the hell've you got all over your wings, anyway, boss?"
"It's a…" Cas broke off, flinching as Ash tried to brush the feathers out of the way. The paint made them stick together and stay in place. "an oil-based paint. Sort of. It comes off with soap and water."
Ash knelt in front of the wound, examining it from every direction and "mhm-ing" occasionally. When Dean came back with the bag, Ash set about neatly and quickly bandaging up the wound.
Cas gave Dean a reassuring smile, but it quickly turned into a grimace when Ash poked at the area around the injury.
Dean growled, looking like he wanted to impale Ash with an arrow and poke, see how he liked it.
"How does it look?" Dean asked, practically breathing down Ash's neck.
"Dude. Space. You do get that angels are fast healers, right? Cas will be better in a few hours," Ash said, clapping Cas on the shoulder. "See? Already stopped bleeding. But the faster we can get him somewhere we can properly clean the wound, the better."
"Ash is right. We need to keep moving. We're not far from Sioux falls, right?" Victor asked.
"An hour, tops," Dean answered, standing and looking around.
"Uh, guys?" Chuck asked, looking like he was going to be sick, "my horse is dead."
"Great," Dean pinched at the bridge of his nose, "Impala can carry two, so someone can ride with me. I'm obviously not going to make you double up, your highness. So who's up for sharing a saddle with me for another hour?"
Everyone turned to look at Castiel.
.
"Cas. Stop fidgeting."
"I'm injured, Dean. I can fidget if I choose to fidget."
Cas was riding behind Dean on Impala, his wings tucked away so he wouldn't scare the horse.
"Oh, right, now it hurts," Dean rolled his eyes. Castiel had spent the first fifteen minutes of the ride insisting that he was fine, that it didn't hurt. When Dean stopped coddling him, Cas started using the injury to his advantage ("No, Dean, you have to ride in front because I'm injured—I'll ride behind you" and "Dean, can I have the rest of your water? I'm injured," "Be nice to me, Dean, I sustained an injury risking my life for you,").
Castiel laughed, his warm breath caressing the back of Dean's neck.
"But seriously, man, let me know if hurts, okay? Lots of nerve endings in the underside of wings, right?"Dean asked, glancing back at the angel.
Cas nodded, not recognizing Dean's pointed reference. "It's by no means comfortable."
"I have something that might help you," he said thoughtfully. He tried to reach into his jacket pocket, but ended up elbowing the angel. "Sorry. If you could, uh…"
Castiel slipped his hand into the hunter's pocket, smiling as Dean tried not to squirm, and pulled out a silver flask.
"It might, you know, help with the pain a bit."
"Thank you, Dean," Cas said, reaching around Dean's chest with his other hand to unscrew the top. Dean's eyes fluttered shut, and he was unable to stop himself from leaning into the surprisingly defined muscles of Castiel's chest. Apparently underneath the layers of dyed and rich clothing, Cas was pretty fit. So much for court angels being fat, lazy assholes.
The angel didn't pull away, lifting the flask to his lips and taking several long droughts.
"Uh…Cas?"
"Yes, Dean?"
"Did you just drain that whole thing?"
"It would seem so."
Dean swiveled to look at him. "Dude. That was like, straight up alcohol."
Cas shrugged and wormed the empty flask back into Dean's pocket.
.
It was late afternoon by the time they finally arrived at their destination. As every member of the party was filthy, haggard, and covered in blood, Dean led them around the outskirts of the city so they wouldn't draw attention to themselves.
"You'll be staying at my friend Bobby's, Chuck."
"Bobby Singer?" Victor asked, "As in, Captain of the Hunters?"
"Yeah. He's an old family friend."
Victor hummed, clearly impressed.
"How much farther?" Castiel asked. He had a slight headache, but the wound was well on its way to being healed. The problem, though, was the itching—Castiel's feathers trying to stitch themselves back together combined with the sticky paint covering his wings was causing a terrible, instiable itchiness, and he wasn't sure how much more he could take of it.
"Not long."
He'd met Bobby Singer a few times. Bobby would always pass through Lawrence if he was working a case nearby. One time, when Cas was nine, the Winchesters invited him down to Sioux Falls with them to visit Bobby. For the most part, it was a pleasant trip—barring the last night, which was ruined by a drunk John Winchester.
Dean turned Impala down a narrow dirt road, which led to a familiar, battered two-story house. Despite his discomfort, Castiel smiled up at it.
Dean stopped them a ways off, turning Impala to face the group. Cas slid off so Dean could dismount. "All of you, just…stay here while I explain what's going on," Dean said. "Except you, Cas. You're with me."
"Are you sure?" he asked, following Dean the rest of the way to the house and up the front porch steps.
"Yeah, Bobby loves you. Well, he thinks you're funny. 'Sides, he's probably not even home," Dean smirked, pounding on the door.
"Then what—"
After a moment the door swung open, revealing a tall—really tall (Castiel considered himself tall, compared to Chuck, Meg, and everyone else in his life before Dean showed up, and this man was taller even than Dean)—long haired young man.
He took in Dean and his rugged appearance, face registering shock, concern, and exasperation in rapid succession, changing quickly into annoyance when he noticed Cas standing behind Dean.
"No," he said, before closing the door in Dean's face. Dean laughed and tried to push the door open.
"Dean, I told you I don't want to be introduced to your boy toy of the week anymore!" the man's voice came from the other side of the door.
"Your what?" Castiel asked, narrowing his eyes at Dean.
Dean laughed nervously, still throwing his weight against the door. "He's kidding, Cas. He's, uh…he's a kidder, all right."
The door suddenly flew open, sending Dean flying inside. The taller man ignored Dean and his cursing, instead giving Cas a wide-eyed, hopeful look that would give a month-old puppy heavy competition. "Cas?" he asked. "As in Castiel?"
Cas tilted his head to the side. "How—"
The next second, his entire body was encased in a rib-crushing hug. From over the man's shoulder, Cas looked at Dean—who was climbing to his feet—with confusion. He reached one arm up and awkwardly patted the man's back, cringing when the movement sent a jolt of pain down his right side.
"Alright, that's enough," Dean grumbled, pulling the man away from Cas. "You're going to break him, Samsquatch."
"I don't think you can break an angel, Dean," the man laughed, smiling brightly at Castiel.
"Sam," Cas finally realized. "It's good to see you. You've…grown."
"Nice of you to notice, Cas," Sam nodded sarcastically. And now Cas could see the family resemblance. "Wait...oh my God. Please tell me...are you two, like, together?"
Castiel wasn't sure what Sam meant until he noticed Dean blushing a furious shade of red.
"No. Shutup, Sammy- we actually have a bit of a situation on our hands."
.
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A/N: Good news! Next chapter contains smut and shocking revelations (but not necessarily in that order) :D Reviews are very much appreciated, everyone!