Hey, Cas." a familiar voices says, from the front of the store.
"Hello, Dean." Castiel responds, not even looking up from where he is cleaning his workbench. "I never thought I'd see you in my shop."
Dean chuckles. "Well, yeah, I'm not really one for a lot of tattoos." he says, and Castiel finally looks up, his eyebrows pinched together as Dean sits on the edge of the reclined chair in front of Castiel.
"So, why are you here, then?" Dean chews on his lip, his eyes sweeping the room before landing back on Castiel.
"I actually want to get one removed."
Castiel's eyebrows stay pinched together. "But...you don't have any tattoos."
Dean looks away again and rubs the back of his neck, a nervous habit that Castiel has noticed.
"Yeah, I do." he says, hesitantly. Does Dean have one? Castiel can't remember ever giving him one nor has Dean ever spoken about having -
"Oh." The word leaves his lips as a whisper because he understands now. Dean's talking about his soulmate tattoo.
"May I ask why?" Castiel can now see why Dean seems so nervous. It's very rare for someone to get their soulmate tattoo removed. Nearly unheard of, actually.
"I just...I just don't like the way it tells us who we are and aren't supposed to be with. I mean, if you met someone, who you really liked but they weren't your soulmate...what would you do?"
Castiel's never really thought about it before. Because ever since he's been born he's been told that soulmates are perfect for each other. And why wouldn't you want to be with that perfect person? So, Castiel has always suppressed any and all crushes he's ever had.
Including the one that he had on the man sitting directly in front of him. It had ended quickly though when he had seen Dean's soulmate tattoo. He remembers the disappointment he had felt when he had seen it peeking out from where Dean was buttoning up his shirt.
"So?" Dean asks again, dragging Castiel out of his thoughts.
"I guess I would...take a chance with the person I liked." he replies, agreeing with Dean and watching as relief washes over the other man.
"Yeah, anyways, let's just get it over with." Dean says, lying down on the reclined seat. Castiel sighs but reluctantly gathers up his tools from his workbench.
"Alright, shirt off." Castiel says, watching as Dean sits up slightly to pull his shirt over his head, the tattoo coming into his view, a pentagram with what seems to be flames surrounding it. Castiel leans over, inspecting it to see where it's best to start when Dean speaks up.
"No not that one. This one on my shoulder." Dean says, pointing towards his bare left shoulder. Castiel's breath hitches. Because right there in front of him is the tattoo he himself has had since he turned eighteen. A small handprint surrounded by wings.
Dean's his soulmate? Hold on a second.
"You, alright, Cas?" Dean's voice startles him, pulling him away from the tattoo on Dean's shoulder.
"Um...yes. I was just...I mean, maybe this isn't such a good idea." Castiel mumbles, avoiding eye contact with Dean.
"What? What do you mean this isn't a good idea? Just a second ago you were on board." Dean sits up even further until he's back on the edge of the chair, only inches away from Castiel.
"Well, what about your soulmate?" Castiel says, his voice desperate.
"Screw them, I like someone else!"
"Well, what if I'm your soulmate?!"
The only thing Castiel can hear is his own breathing. Dean's eyes are wide and somehow get even wider when Castiel rolls up his sleeve to show the exact same tattoo on his own shoulder.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Dean asks, his tone still laced with a hint of anger.
"I only just found out!" Castiel replies, throwing his arms up in exasperation. "I thought the one on your chest was your soulmate tattoo."
"What this? No, that's the one I got with Sam!" Dean says, sighing and leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees.
"Look, I'm sorry, Dean. I can still remove it if you like someone el -"
Castiel's cut off by a pair of lips pressing into his. Wait, what? Why is Dean kissing him? The logical part of Castiel's brain which says 'stay and enjoy' is unfortunately overtaken by the illogical part of his brain causing Castiel to pull back from where Dean has sealed their lips together.
"What are you doing? I thought you liked someone else!"
Dean just rolls his eyes and looks like he's about to bang his head into a wall. "You're the person I like, you idiot!"
Oh. Oh.
"Well...why didn't you tell me?" Castiel is beyond confused by now as he looks at Dean for answers.
"Because I didn't think you were my soulmate! I mean, have you seen you? You're covered in like a forest of tattoos!"
"I think I'm getting a headache." Castiel mumbles, his head falling into his hands. He hears Dean sigh in front of him and then there's a hand under his chin making Castiel moves his hands away. When he opens his eyes he only just realises how close Dean is.
"You know, when I pictured telling you that I liked you, this wasn't really the way it went." Dean says, his voice soft and his free hand coming up to brush Castiel's hair out of his face.
"Then show me how you pictured it."
Dean smiles. "Well, I said a few things and then you said a few things and then..." Dean trails off, flicking his eyes down to Castiel's lips and then back up to his eyes as if to ask if it's okay.
Castiel gives him a light nod and then Dean is leaning forward again and Castiel is melting against his lips. His hands move forward to curl into Dean's shirt only to realise as his fingers touch warm skin that Dean's still half naked.
He can feel Dean smile against him and it in turn makes Castiel smile too, breaking the kiss.
"I like that version." Castiel whispers, the faces still only an inch or so apart.
"Nah, I like this version better."
"So did you still want the tattoo removed or -"
Dean shuts him up with another kiss, mumbling something that sounds a lot like 'you're such an idiot' in between.
Come to think about it, Castiel likes this version better too.
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supernatural one-shots
FanficWhen I'm on tumblr and find amazing stories, and I just feel everyone should read it!