"Dean, I think I love you."
Dean just thinks that, that's the best thing he's heard this entire shitty day.
Castiel is nervous – fiddling his thumbs and glancing to his shoes up to Dean's blank expression. His blue eyes are bigger and bluer than ever, sparkling with curiosity and hope. Dean shuffles his feet, and opens his mouth. Then closes it. He doesn't have words to say.
"I– I know love is a big word, but I've been reading up on it, and I know you tell me not to listen to what the people in the Internet say but I think I do love you. Being a celestial being, I'm not exactly sure if what I'm feeling is actually love but I hope it is and I understand if you don–"
"Cas,"
Cas' words stumble to a halt. His mouth keeps opening and shutting like he can hardly contain himself, but he finally clamps it shut and looks up at Dean with big eyes.
"I think that's the best thing I've heard all damn day," Dean says with relief in his voice, shoulders slouching as he gives Cas a small smile; one that barely touches his lips.
"Really?" Cas frowns, as if that was not the answer he was expecting, even though he had hoped for it.
"Yeah," Dean nods. "I'm glad to know someone other than Sam loves me around here."
Cas' frown deepens, and disappointment fills his chest. "Oh, of course." He mumbles, eyes flicking to the ground as he shrugs. Of course Dean would take it as a non romantic type of love. Cas loves him. Loves his soul. He wants to keep him safe, and hold him near, and show him how much he loves him, and actually claim him as he once rightfully did out of Hell. But Dean doesn't see it as romantic. Not only does Dean practically hate relationships, but of course, he likes a woman's body.
Cas shouldn't have figured Dean would look past the male genitalia for Cas' celestial soul. Perhaps Dean isn't as deep as Cas makes him out to be–
"Cas," Dean says insistently, halting Cas' erratic thoughts. Cas glances up quickly, peeping at Dean through his eyelashes with his hands twiddling thumbs by his waist. His breath hitches as Dean's hand comes forward and his thumb wipes across his cheek, just under his eye. He hadn't realized he'd been crying. He hadn't cried much as a human, and definitely didn't feel it as an Angel again. "You're crying." Dean states, obviously.
Cas reaches his own hand up and touches just underneath his other eye. He pulls his hand away and sees the glistening tears on his fingertips. "Yes, so it seems."
Dean pulls Cas in suddenly, wrapping his arms tightly around Cas' shoulders. Cas hadn't realized how big of a man Dean was until he was enveloped in his chest, buried by his shoulder and his neck, arms securely tucking him in. More tears gush from Cas' eye, but Cas doesn't feel the sadness or make a sound.
"I love you too, Cas. You don't know that?" Dean questions quietly, almost a whisper in his ear.
"I know you appreciate me as a friend, Dean. Solely as a companion." Cas says as he steps back, out of Dean's embrace. "But nothing more."
"Cas," Dean laughs almost bitterly. "You're so blind." Cas blinks, pursing his lips, almost offended. "Ever since you pulled me out of Hell, I've been yours. I might've been a little bit negative about it, in denial or something, but hell. How many hints do I have to drop? I'm yours."
"Mine?" Cas almost whispers. "After all these years, you're accepting to be mine?"
"I didn't know I had to accept. But yes, God, Cas. I am accepting. I'm yours. All yours, and you're mine. Are we clear now?"
Cas clears his throat. "Yes, I uh, believe so."
"Good." Dean says, and that's the end of it, or so it seems, until Dean's large hand wraps around the back of Cas' neck and pulls him in. Dean's mouth is sweet and savory, soft and hard, warm and inviting. Cas never realized how much he wanted to kiss Dean until now. Cas does his best to kiss back. It's just like dancing, with Dean.
Dean pulls back with panting breaths. "Is that a big enough hint?"
Cas glances down at Dean's mouth, and licks his lips. The taste of Dean is potent and amazing. "Yes,"
