Adam sits, right by the endless expanse of golden clouds. Nick is off gardening again, losing himself to the menial labor that is not really needed in a place like this. Chuck is either drinking, writing, or talking to God. Adam cannot fathom what that is like, being able to converse freely with a being like God, of all people.

He misses Michael. Despite being an Archangel, an unfathomably powerful being, Michael is surprisingly good company. A little naive, maybe. But Adam looks past all that. Michael is fierce, powerful and protective, and there is something about him that makes Adam want to sink into his embrace, the warmth he emits- He groans, shifting a hand in his hair. He is so fucked. He is in love, in freaking love with the Archangel Michael. The Archangel Michael. Holy fuck indeed.

"I'm sure he loves you too." A smarmy voice pipes up from behind him. Adam jumps, spinning around to see a short, older man grinning at him. What stands out to Adam, are the six huge wings jutting out from his back, gold and shining like the clouds around them.

"You're an-"

"Archangel. Yep." He grins holding his hand out. "Gabriel."

"Oh." Adam sat, dumbfounded. It's not like he hasn't meet Angels, or even Archangels before. Hell, his boyfriend(boyfriend?) is an Archangel himself. He takes Gabriel's hand, pulling himself up.

"Why are you here?" Adam asks.

"Cause I'm dead, kiddo. Got shivved by my brother. No hard feelings, though." He looks down, as if seeing something Adam cannot.

"What are you looking at?" Adam asks Gabriel. The freaking Archangel Gabriel. Adam seems to be going through various bouts of existential crises lately. Such is his life.

"Oh, you'll be needed down there soon." Gabriel says lightly, patting Adam on his back with a wing. "Candy?"

"Uh-" Adam takes the piece of Candy and sucks on it, the flavor surprising but not unwelcome. It's been so long since he last ate, being trapped with Michael and Lucifer and Sam in the Cage. They managed to get out, didn't they?

"Take care of my big bro, okay?" Gabriel grins at Adam, "He needs someone like you, my man."

Balthazar comes back to the motel room, finding Dean Winchester on the bed with his face in his hands and a bottle of cheap vodka on the bedside table. He looked into the bathroom. Castiel leans against the wall, face blank, turning to look at Balthazar. Once he affirmed that Balthazar is of no harm, he turns away again.

"What. The. Hell. Happened?" He closes the door, striding towards Dean Winchester.

"Nothing!" Dean glares at him, reaching out to the table for the drink. Balthazar grabs it away.

"No way. Until you tell me what the hell happened, cause I'm sure I left you and Cassie here to talk it out, not-" He gestured "This."

"I think I love him." Dean says mournfully into his hands, wishing that he is more drunk for this conversation than he is now.

"Then go-" Balthazar throws his hands up in the air "And tell him, for dad's sake!"

"I did!" Dean shouts. "I tried! It was a mistake!"

"What is a mistake? Really?"

"No!" Dean grabs Balthazar. "It was not a mistake! But that's what Cas said! He said it was a mistake!" Balthazar freezes.

"You told him kissing him was a mistake?"

"What the hell else was I supposed to say?! Cas agreed!"

"Damn it!" Balthazar loses his cool. He grabs Dean by his collar, dragging him to the bathroom despite his protests.

"Cas." He drags Castiel up from his corner. "Dean." He forces Dean to sit. "You two, are going to talk this out. Properly, this time- and I will keep the buggered door locked." He glares at them. "Don't go out until you talk your respective shit out, because I," Balthazar points to himself, his accent becoming thicker, "I am so done."

He slams the door and clicks the lock.

"Cas." Dean whispers. "Cas."

"Dean." Castiel looks back. He heard them, Dean and Balthazar speaking from the room- he did not want to, but he did and the only thought in his mind is the fact that Dean loves him. The word is loud and final and holds too many implications for Castiel to consider. It stays in his mind, hope setting it's roots in him, refusing to leave. Dean loves, and it is something he never considered before.

"Did you mean it? When you said you love me?" Castiel asks. His voice sounds cracked, like shards of glass scraped themselves across his throat. Dean's confession will either burn him or be the water that restores his grace. Dean nods, and, in a fit of courage spurred on by alcohol Castiel's eyes, so damn blue, leans in and kisses Cas. It is all tongue, parched lips on parched lips.

Castiel pulls Dean back towards him, so damn selfish, refusing to let him go and letting them fall back together in the bathtub. The reach out to each other, seeking each other like travelers in the desert seeking water. They are lost men, but now, at least, they can be lost in each other. And they are, lost in each other, drowning, holding on as much as they can.

"Cas?" Dean breathes when they finally break apart."Did you mean it?" He asks. "That it was a mistake?" He has to know. He needs to know.

Castiel shakes his head, blue eyes burning so bright. "Loving you.." He whispers, voice so low that Dean is not sure whether he heard him right. But it still hit him- Cas loves him- God- "Loving you is never a mistake, Dean." Dean grins, not sure what he should say. God, Cas loves him, this Angel, who died for him over and over again- he loves him.

"Same here." He kisses Cas again.

"I don't deserve you-" Cas says when they part again. "I'm not-"

"If you say that you're not good enough, or anything like that-" Dean tells Cas, atmosphere suddenly serious. "Then I would ask you to kindly shut up." He snarls. "Cause if someone is not good enough, that would be-" He points to himself with his thumb. "Yours truly here."

"Dean-" Castiel breathes. "Dean-" His name, sounding like a prayer from the lips of an Angel. His Angel.

"Can we talk later, Cas?" Dean murmurs, pulling Cas closer to him. This is too good, too good for someone like Dean Winchester- but for once he will take what he can get and give what he can give and hope that it all works out.

"You are worth it, Dean." Castiel says with all his conviction, and Dean believes it.

"You are more than worth it, Cas." Dean tells him, and Castiel believes it, too.

The lock clicks open, but they are already too lost in each other to care.

A/N: Comments are love!