Lips of Honey and Ash

 Dean looked down at the smoldering pile of ash that was previously known as Ed Bright and sighed. Cas stood next him quietly. Dean picked up the large bucket of water he had got from the clinic where Ed's body had been found and poured it over the flames slowly, dousing the flames.

Cas sighed frustrated.

“I know, Cas. This is all so confusing.” Dean mumbled.

“I feel so helpless!” Cas confessed, “You were right, Dean. I'm just a baby in a trench coat. Perhaps I never should have come...”

Dean looked down, “I didn't really mean that, Cas.”

“I'm useless. I can't even help to break into a place, let alone kill anything.” Cas murmured sadly, “I'm just dead weight.”

“No, Cas!” Dean demanded grabbing Cas by the shoulders.

“What, Dean?” Cas growled pulling away, “You said it yourself. I'm not needed here. I have to leave it all to you guys... again...”

“Cas. Look at me.” Dean spoke taking hold of Castiel again, but this time with a tighter grip, forcing the winged man to look at him.

“Let me go, Dean.”

“Cas, please listen to me.” Dean pleaed.

The Angel said nothing.

“I didn't mean it like that, okay? I didn't mean to hurt you, buddy.”

“Dean... you only like me because I can do stuff for you.”

“Who told you that!? Because I never did! Cas, who ever told you that is wrong. I don't like you just because of your powers. I like you for more than that.” Dean demanded.

“Like what?”

Dean looked over Cas's face slowly, “I like you for... you. I like you for... your personality... and your hair... eyes...” Dean moved closer to Cas with each trait that he spoke of until he was so close to Cas that there was only an inch between their faces.

“Dean...” Cas whispered, eyes half lidded already.

“Lips...” Dean finished before pressing his lips softly over the Angel's lips. They were soft and tasted faintly of honey and ash. Dean couldn't get enough of his taste, and pulled closer to his trench coated angel. Dean had denied himself this opportunity for too long, and now that it had finally come to pass, Dean was drunk on Cas.

Cas' breaths came in broken gasps as his love kissed him deeply. Castiel, Angel of the Lord had fallen from the Grace of emotionlessness when he found this particular human. Dean Winchester. Castiel was undoubtedly and uncontrollably in love with him, but he refrained. He watched as Dean went from girl to girl, heart breaking every time, but knowing that it could never come to pass. And now... Dean was kissing him. Cas could not have been happier.

In fact, Cas was lost in a blissfulness that was only broken when Dean pulled away, gasping for air, but still held close to Cas.

“Dean...”

“Yes, Cas?”

“I... I'm sorry. I just... want you to know, that... I love you.” Cas spoke truthfully for the first time, confessing his feelings.

Dean looked into Castiel's impossibly blue eyes for a long time, and he too realized what this meant to him. His heart was bursting with joy, and his stomach was doing flip-flops and knotting itself up so tight it almost hurt because... Dean really love him too. Dean loved Cas.

“Me too...” Dean smiled.

Cas burst out with a bark of laughter.

“What!?” Dean exclaimed.

Cas didn't answer, but continued to laugh with the joy that filled his being. Cas grabbed Dean's face and kissed him again.

“I love you, Dean. I love you more than words... You... You silly human... you gave me purpose, Dean. I was just a mindless soldier before you... just doing as I was told, but you... you turned me around. Flipped my whole world upside down... I didn't know what was happening to me. Who was this mud monkey, and how could he do this to me with just the glance of an eyes? It's because you changed me. You made me realize what love is, and... I love you.” Cas confessed unable to stop the flow of words that poured from his mouth and he meant every one.

Dean smiled bigger than he had in years, and began to laugh a little himself, “I love you too, you clueless angel.”