Destiel One-Shots

It's Called A Mall, Cas

A/N: For the sake of this one-shot, let's pretend that Sam never got possessed by Gadreel and Cas was never made to leave the bunker.

When Dean looked up at Cas, who had just entered the bunker's kitchen, he nearly choked on his breakfast. He never expected to start his day with a mouthful of bacon going down the wrong tube, but here he was. Now, it's not like he had never seen Cas in his clothes before. Ever since the ex-angel had been found and brought back here, he had been borrowing Dean's clothes since Sam's were miles to big. At first, he had been confused as to why he couldn't just go back to his usual clothes now that he was relatively safe. Dean had spent almost half an hour trying to explain why clothes needed to be washed on a regular basis.

So, yes. Dean was used to seeing Cas in his clothes. What he still wasn't used to was the feeling he got every time he did see him. That feeling that seeing Cas like that was just somehow... right. Like he belonged in Dean's clothes.

"Dean, are you all right?" Cas asks, growing worried as Dean continues to nearly cough up a lung at the table. Dean, meanwhile, pounds on his chest with a closed fist a few times before risking taking a breath. With slightly watery eyes, he nods his head.

"Yeah, Cas, I'm good. You want breakfast?" He wheezes out. Castiel looks over the last few pieces of bacon on Dean's plate and feels his stomach rumble in hunger. Eating was still such a foreign concept for him. Dean must have heard his stomach as well, because he chuckles and gestures toward the table. "Take a seat. I'll be right back."

Cas does as he is told, sinking wearily down into one of the chairs around the small table. Being human is still definitely taking its toll, and not just physically. Mentally, he is exhausted. He had never felt so many emotions all at once before. Pain, sadness, regret, gratitude toward the Winchesters, but most of all he feels guilt. If it weren't for him, the angels would never have fallen. There wouldn't currently be a bounty on his head. So many of his brothers and sisters had perished because of him. He didn't even feel worthy of calling them his siblings anymore.

He's torn from his thoughts as Dean reappears, placing a full plate of food on the table in front of him. That's another new emotion he's never felt before. Love.

"There you go, Cas. Eat up and then we'll head into town to go shopping. We gotta get you some clothes of your own." Dean says, sinking back into his chair across from his friend. Confused, Cas looks down at the AC/DC shirt and faded blue jeans he has on. He never realized that Dean disliked sharing his stuff so much.

"My apologies, Dean. I did not realize me borrowing clothing was an inconvenience." He watches with curiosity as several different, unknown, emotions flash across Dean's face.

"No, man. That's not it. I couldn't care less, really. It's just, you know, if people found out that we were sharing clothes they'd be a little suspicious, that's all." Now Castiel feels more confused. Tilting his head, he searches Dean's face for clues, but comes up empty.

"Suspicious of what?" He finally asks. Dean blushes and starts fidgeting awkwardly across from him.

"You know. That you and I are..." He stops talking and merely gestures between the two of them vaguely. His explanation still hasn't cleared up any of Cas' confusion, however.

"I don't understand, Dean." Dean groans and rubs his face with his hands. He mumbles something that could be "you're really gonna make me say it, aren't you" before dropping his hands and looking Cas directly in the eyes.

"Here's the thing. Generally, when two people who are involved with each other, and live together, they sometimes share clothes. So, by you wearing my stuff, people could make assumptions about us. Like we're together. Romantically." Dean's cheeks are a pleasant shade of pink by the time he's finished. Now Cas understands. People will think that they are in a relationship, and that would make Dean uncomfortable. The last thing he wants to do is hurt Dean.