Sleepless Nights

Morning

The next morning when Dean woke up Castiel was still fast asleep beside him. He carefully got out of bed, trying not to wake him. It was probably the first good night's sleep the poor guy had gotten in days, if not weeks.

When Dean went to the kitchen to start on breakfast he found Sam already sitting at the table with his laptop open in front of him.

"Have fun last night?" he said with one of his classic Sam smirks.

"I don't know what you're talking about," said Dean, hoping to put an end to the conversation before it got too awkward. Was it possible Sam had seen Cas go into Dean's room and not come out?

"Oh, come on. I saw Cas go into your room last night when I was up late doing research."

Yep. Apparently so. "Stupid moose," Dean thought. "Why can't he just mind his own damn business?"

"Nothing happened last night. Poor guy just couldn't get to sleep, that's all. He's not used to it yet."

"Yeah. Sure."

"Jerk."

"Bitch."

At this moment Cas entered the room, still wearing the plaid pyjama pants and old white t-shirt he'd been wearing the night before, only now with his trench coat on top. His body was heavy with sleep and his hair was messy, but his eyes more rested and a brighter blue than they had been in a long time. For some reason they took Dean's breath away and were all he could focus on as the angel crossed the room to plop himself down at the table. Everything else was just a blur in the background as the sight of Castiel took up Dean's whole vision. His whole world.

"Well. I'm gonna go...do something. Call me when breakfast is ready," Sam said with a wink. Dean came to his senses just in time to give Sam a dirty look and flip him off as he laughed and left the room.

"Dean?"

"Yeah, Cas?"

"I wanted to thank you for last night. I found the experience to be quite enjoyable."

"Yeah, uh, Cas, that was fine for one night but it really shouldn't happen again."

That's what Dean knew he should say. He knew he shouldn't lead Cas on to believe that what had happened was okay for friends to do all the time or that anything could come from it. But until Dean had figured out if all of that was even true, he didn't want to ruin anything or close and lock any doors, just in case he decided that having Cas next to him in bed every night was in fact what what he wanted. He expected to feel uncomfortable at the thought, but it actually didn't sound bad at all. Besides, he couldn't make himself say no to those gorgeous blue eyes. So what he said instead was, "Yeah. I did too."

After a few moments of awkward silence Dean heard Bo Burnham singing from the next room

My whole family thinks I'm gay

What do they know anyway

My grandma gave me a present just last year and the card said 'Happy Birthday, Queer'

"DAMMIT SAMMY!"

The music stopped sand Sam's response came shortly after. "Is it safe to come in? Or will I be interrupting something?"

"I swear to God, Sammy, if you don't cut it out you'll be in the backseat for three months. And I won't cook for you either."

Sam tried to feign being scared, but couldn't manage to keep a straight face as he walked in and saw how red Dean's had become.

"Speaking of which," he says, turning back to his usual serious self, "I think I found us a case in Utah. Buch of disappearances in and around Holladay. I think it could be a djinn."

Dean, thankful for the change of subject, decided not to comment on how a couple missing people didn't really seem like their kind of thing, especially with all the angel shit that had been going on lately, and replied instead with, "We got lamb's blood?"

"We'll have to get some on the way."

"Dean?" Cas spoke up.

"Yeah, Cas?"

"Could I maybe accompany you?"

Dean glanced at his brother, who's expression seemed to say "Leave me out of this one."

"I think you better sit this one out, man. You're still on the mend and someone's got to babysit Crowley."

"But Dean," Cas protested in what was almost a whine, "Sam's still on the mend, too. How come he gets to go?"

"'Cause Sam's a stubborn jackass and if it's a djinn, I need him watching my back. Last one we hunted almost killed me."

The words came out more harshly than he had meant for them to. But he couldn't tell Cas the real reason he wanted him to stay behind. He couldn't say out loud that after the events of last night, and the way they made him feel, however insignificant he claimed them to be, Dean had realised he had a lot to think about and figure out. And it was probably better if Cas were out of the picture for a little while while he did so.

With a sour and almost hurt look on his face, Castiel turned on his heel and started to storm out of the room.

"Oh no you don't. You get back here and eat something. You're human now and you didn't eat dinner last night."

Castiel really didn't feel like eating right then, but once those emerald green eyes met his, he couldn't bring himself to say no. Even when he was mad at Dean, he still cared about him and wanted to make him happy. And so, albeit rather indignantly, he slumped down at the table and took an angry bite out of some leftover pizza.

"Now," Dean said. "Sam and I are gonna make a quick supplies run so you won't have to and then we're going to Utah and you're staying here. Understood?" Castiel gave a reluctant nod. "If you need anything, give one of us a call. Otherwise, we'll see you in about a week. Alright?" The angel didn't respond but Dean knew he understood.

It took less than an hour for the boys to get on the road and, for some reason, Dean got the urge to ruffle Cas's hair and kiss him on the top of his head on the way out the door.

But he didn't.