Only Human

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(Kind of inspired by the song by Christina Perri)

Although Castiel was shocked when Dean came stumbling into their room, breath reeking of alcohol, he was by no means surprised. He had been starting to become more and more reserved lately, which worried Castiel very much. When he would try to offer Dean words of comfort or pull him closer in their bed, Dean would try to put as much distance between the two of them as possible. Tonight was different, however. Dean staggered across the room and straight to Castiel before collapsing at his feet.

"Dean, are you alright?" Castiel asked nervously. Dean was quiet for a few moments before vaguely mumbling, "M'fine." Judging by the state he was in, Castiel didn't believe him for a second.

"You're not "fine," you can hardly stand." He reached his hand out to Dean, who took it grudgingly. Cas pulled him up to sit on the bed with him. "You haven't seemed "fine" for at least a week."

Dean tried to stand but lost his balance immediately, falling back onto the bed. "Just leave me alone won't you? S'what you want." He turned his back on Castiel and attempted once more to stand before falling again, after which he apparently decided to just give up.

This annoyed Castiel greatly. "Dean, just tell me. What is it that's on your mind?" He looked at Dean, silently urging him to speak. He in turn just closed his eyes and didn't acknowledge Cas's question. "Dean!"

"What?" he snapped. "You're a fuckin angel, you have bigger problems than mine. Like me." Dean glared at Castiel, yet he could see the guilt that hid in those bright green eyes.

"I don't understand."

That just seemed to irritate Dean further, and he turned his back on Castiel. "Then mind your own fucking business. You don't need to be dealing with all my crap. Go off and do your angel stuff, that's what you really want. Anything's gotta be better than me." His voice was full of anger and self-loathing, a tone Castiel knew all too well and wished he didn't know at all. To him, nothing was worse than hearing Dean like this.

"Dean." He placed a hand on the hunter's shoulder, and he could feel his body shaking. Castiel noticed a few drops on the bedspread which could only be from tears. "Dean, look at me."

Dean grudgingly turned around and glowered at Cas. "Just make it quick, okay?"

That was one of the last things Castiel expected to hear. "What?"

"Make it quick. Tell me you're leaving. Just don't draw it out too long." The pain in Dean's voice was clearly audible. "Go, before I stop accepting you're going to."

That was when it dawned on Castiel. "Dean, I'm not going to leave you. I'm never going to leave you."

Dean looked at him, surprised. "But you're a friggin angel. You have a shitload of heaven duties or whatever. You... could find someone more worthy of you. And there's no way in hell that's me." He held his head in his hands. "You're a friggin angel," he repeated, "one of the most powerful sons-of-bitches in the universe. And I'm... I'm only human. There's nothing special about me, nothing good for that matter."

He was stopped when Castiel stood up and glared at Dean. The hunter's eyes now only contained fear, but Cas almost smiled when he sensed a hint of arousal. "Dean Winchester," he began, "yes, you are only human. Yes, I have duties, Yes, I am a celestial being. I will agree with you there."

"My point," Dean interrupted, but shut up when Castiel held up a finger.

"But, I will not sit quietly and listen to you degrade yourself like that."

Dean had the expected reaction, staring dumbfounded at Cas. Really, how many times would it take to get simple facts into his head?

"You are full of good. That is just about all you are. Your love for Sam, your dedication to saving lives, the way you care so deeply about your friends. Why is it so hard for you to spare some of that love for yourself?" Castiel was pleased with the way Dean's eyes widened, and could almost hear the gears in his head turning. "If there was nothing special about you, you would still be in hell, or worse, one of the demons you hate so much. Or perhaps, you would be alive, but without Sam, whom you did not sacrifice your life to save. How many people would not be here today, if not for you?"

"But..."

"And there is no one I would rather have, nothing that I would choose over you."

Dean looked at Castiel, and the green eyes he loved so much held a hint of understanding.

"So, you're not leaving?"

Cas chuckled and sat down again next to Dean.

"You've told me before that you need me. What if you need me again?" He noticed Dean's eyelids starting to droop, and moved him so that he was lying down. When Castiel lay down beside him Dean was just awake enough to give him a soft kiss.

"I don't think I'll ever stop needing you."

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(Author's note) wow that demon line is kind of upsettingly ironic now oops

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