Day Twenty Three: Arguing:

The harsh shrill of a cellphone made both Cas and Dean jump.

They were cuddling on the couch watching TV. Cas rested his head on Dean's chest as Dean wrapped his angel up in his arms.

The top of Cas' head collided with Dean's chin as he tried to get up to answer the phone.

"Argh! Cas!"

Cas tumbled off the couch, "Sorry! Sorry, Dean," He said, rubbing the top of his head. He slid into the kitchen and snatched his phone off the counter.

"Hello? Oh, uh, hey Nate, what um-What's up?" Cas rubbed the back of his neck. His voice shook and his eyes flicked over to Dean.

Dean sensed that Cas was uncomfortable so he rose and went over to Cas, a questioning expression on his face.

He watched as Cas avoided Dean's eyes, focusing his attention on the hem of his shirt.

His expression changed from confusion to hopeful as he looked up at Dean, "Really?" He grabbed an envelope and pen and jotted down a time and the name of a popular bar in their neighborhood.

Dean tilted his head and read the name. He furrowed his brow. Who was this 'Nate' and why was he asking Cas to join him at a bar.

Dean tapped Cas' arm with the back of his fingers and jutted his chin out, trying to find out what was going on. Cas shook his head and held a finger up.

Dean felt heat rise into his face. Did Cas just brush off Dean?

"Okay, sounds like a plan. Thanks, Nate. I'll see you tonight." Cas hung up and placed the phone on the counter. He looked to Dean with a smile, "That was Nate, from the restaurant; he invited me to go out with the group tonight. I guess they've accepted me, finally." Cas huffed out a laugh.

Dean bit his bottom lip, "Is Nate one of the douchebags who lied to you about where they were going the other week?"

Cas looked down at his feet, embarrassed, "Well…ya but before you judge, we've been getting along much better. I mean, we're joking and laughing and actually having fun at the restaurant now. I think they've accepted me, Dean."

Dean was still skeptical about all this. He cared about Cas, a lot, and he didn't want to see him come home heart broken and upset again.

"Okay, but what if-"

"What if they lie to me again? Dean, they apologized, I told you this. They said they felt like total pricks for lying to me and they wanted to make it up. Don't be so…overbearing." Cas said jokingly as he walked around to the other side of the island.

Dean stared back, incredulous, "Overbearing? I'm sorry Cas, but do you not remember what happened? How upset you were?"

Cas clenched his jaw, "Yes, Dean, I remember…and you don't have to remind me okay? It's done, it's over and I've forgiven them. Can you?" Cas gestured to Dean, his cheeks flushed with anger; his blue eyes sparked with fury.

"No. I can't Cas. Just because someone says they're sorry, they don't always mean it. What if they do it again? What then? You're going to come home, crying and upset that they've tricked you again?"

"I'm not a baby, Dean. I don't cry at everything," Cas said, his voice going up an octave.

Dean gripped the edge of the counter and leaned forward, "Newsflash, Cas: you are technically a child in this world!"

Cas' mouth popped open, "I am not a child! Just because I'm becoming more human each day, doesn't mean I don't understand forgiveness!"

"You can forgive them all you want, but you'll never understand how cruel people can be. Angels see the good in people before they see the bad, and that my friend," Dean sneered, degrading Cas, "Is how you will get hurt over and over again." Dean walked around the counter, pointing a finger at Cas and nudged him in the shoulder, a little harder than he intended to.

Cas gave him a look of disgust and smacked Dean's hand away, "I've been on this Earth as a human, feeling what humans feel, doing what humans do, for long enough, and I think I can see past the good in people and work out what makes them 'bad'. For you example, you-" He pointed at Dean, squinting his eyes. Dean looked taken aback, "-As soon as I was assigned as your guardian angel I loved you, in every form of the word. You amazed and captivated me because you cared about everyone and everything in your life. When your parents passed away, you were there for Sam and you helped him to live a normal life. That's why I became human! I became human for you Dean because you deserved someone to love you the way you've shown love to other people!"

Dean's mouth was opened in shock; he wasn't sure what to say to Cas. He opened his mouth to respond, but the former angel was fuming, "But now…now that I understand feeling and emotions, I'm starting to see that you aren't all love and caring. You have one of the worst human attributes a person can have: jealousy!"

Dean gasped, "Excuse me?"

"You heard me, jealousy. Because I know behind your 'worry' for me, you're jealous that I got invited to go out with friends. Jealous that I might flirt and hang out with other guys and Heaven forbid I can go out and have fun without you exuding that disgusting jealousy!" Cas stepped back from Dean, a bit nervous that Dean might hit him. His fists were now balled up and his jaw was clenched.

He shook his head and held his hands up, palms towards Cas, "Fine. You don't want me to feel protective of you, then I won't. Maybe you aren't as ready to understand human emotions as you think you are because that's not jealousy I'm 'exuding', Castiel!" His voice shook with anger as he said the angel's full name, like he was punishing a child. He pushed past Cas, bumping into his shoulder and forcing him to fall into the fridge.

Cas watched as Dean grabbed his coat, his phone, and his apartment keys. His heart pounded and he started to regret everything he had said.

"Dean-"

Dean held up a hand to stop him, "No. Don't. Go out and have your fun. I…I need…" He looked around the apartment, until his eyes fell on Cas again, "I need to leave. I need space from you. You obviously don't need me right now."

Tears formed in Cas' eyes as Dean walked out. He jumped as the door slammed shut. Cas looked around at the empty apartment; the silence was deafening. He ran his hands over his face and through his hair. As he slid down the fridge, he let the tears pour down his cheeks. Cas wasn't sure how long he sat there, sobbing into his hands, but only one thought ran through his mind.

What have I done?

Tears continued to roll down Cas' cheeks and through his fingers. His phone rang multiple times as the clock ticked closer to seven…seven thirty…eight…

Castiel wouldn't be going out tonight.