Cas shook his head, and hugged Dean tighter. Ultimately, that made his arm grow pins and needles, but he didn't care. Dean was so warm. He kissed at his neck. "Please don't make me." He whispered.

"Cas, baby-" He smushed his lips to Cas' cheek and pulled him away. "C'mere." He said as he stood up. "I wanna try something okay?" He walked him to the bathroom. Cas watched closely. "What, what are you doing?" He asked. Dean didn't answer him. He held his hand though, and kissed his knuckles. "Take a bath, okay? I'll run the water. And you can sit inside the tub, and pull the curtain so I can't see, and I wanna talk to you okay? I can tell you're upset. The hot water will help, I promise."

Cas had tried that before. It was true; it did help. Dean was hoping that Cas actually wasn't hurting himself, but he'd suspected it for a while now. He thought maybe that Cas haveing to see the marks would make him want to talk about it. The shower would do that. He couldn't ignore them when they were staring him in the face.

Cas nodded, walking in cautiously. He asked Dean to sit with his back on the wall. Dean hadn't ever seen him so bare, so he was careful not to accidentally show him anything. He planned to undress in the shower and toss his clothes out. He did so, and Dean folded them without a second thought. Cas made sure the curtain was covering all the way from left to right of the tub and then turned on the hot water. After a while, he sat and hugged his knees. Cas was starting to feel bad for keeping things from Dean. He chewed on his cheek and looked around the tub. He really should clean in here more often. He sighed. "What do you wanna talk about?" He whispered.

"You know what I wanna talk about." He replied with strain in his voice, rubbing the side of his face. He needed to shave. "I don't want to pry it out of you, but I want you to be able to talk to me. And if not me, somebody. Anyone at all."

"I think you already know and you want me to say it." He said. That thought actually really pissed him off. "Why do you want me to say it? You know the answer. And you know I'm ashamed of it. They're hideous to you, and everyone else. They make you cringe, and then you'd all pretend they aren't real so you don't have to worry! You'd be in denial. They are real Dean. And I don't want to go back. I don't wanna go back." He said.

"Cas..." Suddenly it all got too real. "Awe, Cas, Baby- I'm sorry..." He tried, sitting up a little. Cas heard the movement and clutched his thighs tightly. His bandage was holding on quite well still, because it hadn't near the water yet.

Cas clenched his teeth. The tape over the cotton pad and the wrap on his arm fell loose. "Damn it. Here. Throw this away for me." He handed it to Dean through the curtain. It wasn't so messy this time. The stains on it were actually quite neat. He smiled at them, but tried to wipe it off of his face before Dean could peak in and see. He blushed at the that. He almost would choose him seeing his marks over the smile about them. He traced the two purple gashes from a few nights ago and every line he found from the with-standing evening. The room grew quiet, until there was a knock at the bathroom door. "Cas, you alright?" Michael's voice rang through the door.

Cas' eyes widened. "Yes? Go away?" He requested, almost laughing now. Something about his brother finding him with Dean in such an intimate way made him happy. He felt like a normal teenager, with normal things to be embarrassed about for once. He giggled and shook his head. "Don't come in please. I'm in the bath."

"Close the curtain then, I need to-" He opened the door, to find Dean in the floor, stuffing something in the trash next to the toilet. He couldn't have known what it was. "Why-Hello, Dean!" He said, red in the face now. "Oh my gosh. Sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt, whatever you were- doin-g..."

Cas laughed, and pulled the curtain around his entirety. "Oh my god. Kill me."

Michael shut the door, but on his way out, he called "I'm going to guess he likes you too." It was a reference to their last conversation. The one they'd had over breakfast and on the ride to Benny's party.

Cas smiled. "Yeah, maybe."

Dean got up on his knees and sat next to the tub now. "Cas, baby?" He asked for him. "Can I see your face?"

Cas nodded, and pulled the curtain back a little bit. "Hi." He whispered. The mood was lighter now, but still serious. There was much to be discussed.

Dean reached in, and held Cas' hand. He didn't look, or try to pry. He just held his hand, and kissed his cheek. Cas shook his head and closed his eyes at the effort Dean was putting forth. "Please don't tell Michael. Please don't tell- I don't want them to take me away again. It's how I feel better. It helps me. I won't go too deep. I'll be careful. I'm always careful, please-" He whined.

Dean closed his eyes tightly, and kissed his nose. "You said you're ashamed of them. Why are you ashamed?"

"Because the doctors told me they were bad." He said. "Because they make the people I love worry about me."

"Well, I think you're beautiful. I'm sure your scars are too. But, I don't like seeing you injured. I could never enjoy my angel in pain." He kissed at Cas' shoulder. "So beautiful." He said, smiling. Cas thought about making a joke about blood kinks, but decided against it pretty soon after. Cas nodded, and hugged Dean's neck. "I think you're pretty great too, you know." He said instead.

"Yeah?" He asked. He smiled and rubbed Cas' side. "How are you feeling?"

"I don't know. I want to believe that my secret's safe with you." He tried to elucidate, but it didn't feel like he'd said enough. He sighed. "Dean, it's been an hour. Check the clock."

"What are you getting at?" The blonde headed boy chuckled and checked his watch. "Want me to leave?"

"No. Please don't go-" He said, hugging him tighter now. "I just... I thought maybe we could lay down. In the dark."

Dean blushed. "Yeah, that sounds nice. Most people do lie down to rest while in the dark, yeah. Why'd you mention that part? Plus, it's always dark in your room. I don't even remember what it looks like, really."

"I'll sleep in that black v-neck t-shirt you let me borrow the night you kissed me the first time." He kissed at Dean's lips, careful not to let him see his forearms or his thighs still. "And in the morning, you'll see."

Dean nodded. "I like that idea, angel. I'm going to step out. 'Have a smoke, alright? Are you alright?" He asked, standing up and looking away so he couldn't see into the tub. Cas appreciated that. He reassured him, and got dressed in the shorts and hoodie until he saw that Dean was out on the balcony that hung off of Cas' room. Cas slipped past the window rather strategically and got in the closet. He put on the black v-neck and then shut the lights off. He crawled into bed with ease, with the knowledge that Dean would be beside him soon enough.

When Dean returned a few minutes later, Cas requested that the bathroom light be shut off too. Dean agreed, and started to tug on the shirt he'd worn to Castiel's. "Do you mind?" Dean asked.

Cas smiled. "Nope. Not at all. Warmer that way. For me, at least." He reached out for him as he crawled into bed too.