Finding Faith [Destiel Love Story]

Chapter 11

He wasn't sure when it happened. One day, Dean was going about his life like he had before the angel arrived, and then the next day he's praying. He hadn't meant to. Castiel's name came out before he could stop himself and then everything he wanted to say in that moment just started playing follow the leader with the angel's name.

Dr. Sexy was on when he said it. He remembered how invested Castiel had gotten with the show and decided that he needed to know what was going on in the most recent episode since he couldn't watch it himself. Because, well, that's what friends are for.

"Cas," he had started. "Get this. Dr. Sexy just got dumped by that chick, Nurse Sultry." He shook his head. "But it doesn't really matter because he's totally about to get it on with Dr. Steamy. Meanwhile, Nurse Blue-Eyes and Nurse Naughty are betting on who can diagnose the most patients within a month."

Then Dean stopped himself. Saying those things out loud to someone who wasn't physically there was probably one of the most pathetic things he's done. He swallowed a lump in his throat, reaching over and fumbled with the remote a little before successfully shutting off the TV. He rubbed his hands over his face, internally groaning about how feminine was being.

That was over two months ago. Since then, Dean had made a habit out of praying to Castiel every other night. He never once asked the angel to come back. Castiel was fighting a war, he didn't need the stress of being cooped up in a boring house wondering if his brothers were okay or not. All Dean could do was try to give the angel bits and pieces of the domestic life without fully distracting him.

Everything changed on a Thursday.

Dean was so exhausted from work that he was having a lot of trouble unlocking his front door. Realizing he was putting in the wrong key, he searched for the right one, only to accidentally jam another key that didn't fit into the lock. He had, of course, forgotten to turn on his porch light that day. He couldn't see which goddamn key was which.

"What the Hell," he mumbled. "I use two out of five keys. What the hell are all these keys for?"

Finally able to get the damn door open, he stomped inside and slammed it shut. All he wanted to do was get out of his work clothes and sleep. As he passed the dining room, he tossed his keys to the table. They landed with a loud 'clink!' and then slid all the way off the edge. He glared at them, deciding he was too tired to even bend down and pick them up.

Dean trudged up to his room. Entering the bedroom, he ripped his shirt off, turned on the light, and then froze.

"Hello, Dean."

Dean swallowed a lump in his throat. He licked his lips. He opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out. He pressed his lips together. Castiel was looking at him with that confused expression he always had. Furrowed eyebrows, tilted head, squinted eyes. The familiarity of it all brought a grin to Dean's lips. He walked across the room to where Castiel stood by his mattress and pulled him into a hug.

"It's good to hear your voice, buddy," he said, patting the angel on the back. Castiel wrapped his arms around Dean, which only made his smile grow.

They pulled away, and when their eyes met, Castiel smiled. "I missed you, too," he said.

Dean couldn't breathe for a moment. He was too concentrated on that smile to do anything but stare. It was the first time he ever witnessed Castiel make that expression. It was radiant. Dean wanted to kiss him.

Instead he licked his lips, forcing his eyes back up to meet Castiel's. If he looked at that smile any longer he wasn't sure he could hold himself back.

"What are you doing here?"

Castiel's smile faltered. He was back to the serious, straight to business angel that Dean had always known. "Once my presence was no longer needed," he said, "I was kicked back out. Heaven is more stable now. The war rages on, but my assistance is no longer required."