Outside These Walls [Destiel]

Chapter 26 - Epilogue

Warm water splashed around Dean, the salty tang of the froth making his tongue curl as a wave smacked him over the head. Sam laughed from where he was standing, easily towering above the wave with a tiny Gabriel on his back. His brother had shot up from a normal height to something rather ridiculously tall. It had frustrated Dean at first, especially with the teasing that had come with it, but he eventually got used to it, especially when he got to bug Gabriel about his much tinier height.

Sam had suggested that they go to the beach to have some fun before he and Gabriel went back to college for their junior year. It hadn't taken much to convince Dean or Castiel to come along, especially when they were bribed with the soft white sands of Gulf Shores, Alabama.

Dean turned his head to look back at Castiel, the man sitting on the slope that led down to the water with the waves lapping over his legs and hips, a pleasant smile on his face as he twirled the shell Dean had found him in his hand. Dean grinned, his heart swelling as he let a wave pick him up, carrying him towards the shore, towards Castiel.

He eventually got close enough, letting the water ease around his lower legs as he crawled between Castiel's legs, kissing the man gently. Castiel smiled against his lips, running his hand over the dampness of Dean's face and hair and feeling the slight grit of the salt against their tongues when they met.

"You have sand in your hair," Castiel commented, running his fingers through the sticky locks in an attempt to get rid of the grit lodged there. Dean smiled, leaning his head a bit closer to Castiel's hand and pressing a soft kiss to his forearm, his fingers gripping Castiel's thighs a bit tighter so the waves didn't push Dean around too much.

"I could say the same about you," Dean commented, looking down at the sand the clung to Castiel's swimming trunks with a wrinkled nose, "You're going to have sand in so many places sand shouldn't be."

Castiel let out a light string of laughter at that, rolling his eyes as his hand fell back to keep himself propped up, "Then I call the shower first when we get back to the hotel," Castiel replied, closing his eyes and letting himself soak up the sun. Dean watched him, his green eyes sparkling with happiness.

"We could always shower together," Dean answered suggestively, a smirk reaching his voice and Castiel groaned, pushing Dean away with a heatless shove. Dean chuckled, sitting back and grabbing Castiel's arm, tugging it gently, "Come on, let's get some of that sand off of you before it starts to hurt."

Castiel grumbled but stood when Dean pulled him up, his hands moving almost automatically to Dean's forearms, letting him be his guide as he led him farther into the water, wading in several feet until it was chest deep, and the current rolled around their legs lazily.

"Are you sure there're no sharks around here?" Castiel asked, turning his head slightly as he heard Gabriel let out a yelp, followed by a bark of laughter from Sam. When Dean glanced back at them, Gabriel was surfacing with a splutter, growling at Sam and attacking him, knocking them both under the wave.

"Are you kidding me? The sharks are so thick about a mile out that there's just a line of black in the water," Dean said, grinning at the glare Castiel got on his face. He actually wasn't lying, having seen it from their hotel roof just that morning, but he wasn't going to tell Castiel that, "It's fine. As long as we don't go where we can't touch the ground, I'm sure any shark won't get close."

"I'm not very convinced," Castiel responded, moving a bit closer to Dean, who wrapped his arms around the man and let them rise and fall with the waves as they washed around them. When he slid his hands along Castiel's arms and sides, he found that the sand was washed away, and left nothing but the soft skin.

"I'll protect you then," Dean said softly, a breeze running through and chilling the water in his hair and neck, pleasing against the glare of the sun. Castiel wrapped his arms around Dean's shoulders, kissing his jawline gently and smiling.

"You always do," Castiel replied, the laughter of Sam and Gabriel filling the air around them as they relaxed in the comfort of their happiness.