(A/N: Language. Also, Dean and Cas sleep together probably next chapter, but there's nothing sketchy going on, so I'm gonna keep it at PG-13. If you have a problem, you probably shouldn't be reading slash. Just don't leave those opinions here. Move on.)
Cas changed into the faded sweatpants and soft tee. Pulling the shirt over his burned back, his eyes stung, but he told himself to stop. He told himself to be strong, to fit in. He didn't need any special treatment. He couldn't hold Dean and Sam back.
"Hey, how's he doing?" Sam asked hushedly, motioning in the general direction of Dean's room. Dean sighed.
"Come on. Dude, even you can tell." Sam glared at him. "Uh, sorry. No offense intended." Lifting his hands in surrender, Dean grinned. His smile was tense, and Sam decided to lighten up on him. He knew that, for all his faults, Dean was responsible. No, not responsible, exactly - Dean was a disorganized, fly-by-the-seat-of-his-pants mess - but he absolutely felt responsible. For everything. Dean would be the one to mentally beat himself whenever anything happened to someone he loved. He'd take the fall just as hard as Cas.
Maybe harder.
Dean sat at the table, hands pressed together against his nose, brow furrowed. His eyes were shut tightly, his jaw clenched, his shoulders tense. Sam sat across from him. "You're not okay."
"I have no clue what to do, Sammy. We got a fallen angel on our hands, a crap ton of others that we'll have to deal with soon enough, and I feel like I'm forgetting something. Oh, yeah. The gates of freakin' Hell. We're nose-deep in the shit. And, you know, you're not in peak condition either." Blinking back tears, he continued. "Not that it's your fault. Cas didn't go and try to fall, either. I just feel pretty goddamn stressed out. I feel like I'm choking, and I put myself through it for you two, and for Charlie and Kevin and everyone else." His voice rose. "You've got your trials? I've got mine. And I carry yours, and Castiel's, and it's not your fault that I do, but God, is it hurting me. And I can't stop it." He tried to catch his breath, and Sam held out his arms. "C'mere." They hugged, two brothers. Family.
"Come on, man. You know I don't do this Lifetime movie shit. Give me a break."
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comforter (destiel)
FanfictionCas learns how to be human, with Dean's help. Pairing: Destiel. Warning: spoilers for season 8. If you haven't seen it yet, you might not want to read this yet.
