Living Like This

Thirteen

"Aaron, I d-didn't- I would n-never-" Aaron brushed past Cas and grabbed Dean, who looked angry, but also a little scared. Dean tried to pull away but Aaron held him fast, starting to punch him over and over. Cas was frozen, he didn't know what to do.

"Don't ever touch Castiel again!" Aaron shouted. Dean made a weak sound of protest, and he and Cas locked eyes. The almost desperate look in Dean's eyes snapped Cas back to reality and he grabbed Aaron's arm.

"Aaron, stop! Don't hurt him!" Cas shouted. Aaron turned towards him, rage painted across his face. "Don't hurt him," Cas begged. Aaron dragged Dean over to the door and threw him out into the hallway.

"Don't ever come near Castiel again!" He screamed before he slammed the door. He turned towards Cas, who was so scared he couldn't breathe. He could only imagine what Aaron was about to do to him. But he had gotten Dean out, and that was what mattered.

***

By that night, Cas could barely stand. His body sang with pain and his face was caked with tears. He had thought he'd known the worst of Aaron's rage, but he hadn't. No matter how much Cas had begged, Aaron hadn't stopped. There was a breaking of trust that night, on both sides. Aaron had told Cas never to speak to Dean again, and so when Cas was awake and alone at midnight, he truly was alone. As Cas sat on the couch he got a text. It was from Dean.

Are you okay?

I'm not supposed to talk to you anymore.

Well then I'll talk to you. Cas, I love you. I have for a while now. I don't know why you stay with this guy when he treats you like shit, but there's nothing I can do. I just want you to know, you can always come to me.

Cas stared at his screen. Dean... loved him? Dean loved him?

"That bastard." For the second time that day Cas stood up suddenly to face Aaron. Aaron pinned Cas against the wall and Cas dropped his phone. "How dare you. I told you never to speak to him again. Castiel I try to forgive your disobedience, but this time you take it too far."

"Please, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, don't hurt me," Cas begged, fresh tears running down his face. Aaron pulled Cas away from the wall and slammed him back into it, knocking the breath from his lungs.

"You belong to me!" Cas was slammed to the ground. "I saved you, you are mine!" He was being dragged into the kitchen. "If you can't remember that on your own, maybe I should help you!" There was a knife. Cas felt faint. He couldn't focus on anything anymore. His world was going black.