Revelations

Insecurities

When Sam delivered fresh cinnamon rolls and coffee the next morning to the room, he interrupted Cas from gazing at Dean's sleeping form.

Still he welcomed his best friend's intrusion which lasted briefly because the younger Winchester wanted to take a morning run. It was six thirty and both of them being early risers, barely complained about Dean sleeping like a baby on his ruffled bed.

"So after I talked to the boyfriend yesterday," Sam sipped his Chai tea and found the taste rather lovely, "he said that the night when Miranda didn't show, he distinctly remembered seeing a guy lurking across the street. And guess what? The description he gave me matches the looks of John McKinnon, the victim before Miranda."

"The shifter was still utilizing that form?" Cas frowned.

"Weird right?" Sam bit into his cinnamon roll and chewed. After coming into the room, it was so evident that Cas had slept in the same bed as his brother. The other bed was neatly made up. And he wondered if they were really okay, if the steam had been blown off or if things were still shaky.

"After Dean gets up, we can talk to the other victim's family."

"Kelly Richards?" Sam couldn't stop admiring how the other man kept gazing intently as his brother. "Well she's the first one. About four weeks ago, I figure. Maybe you two could check out where she worked and I could pay her mom a visit."

"Sam," Cas blinked at the older Winchester. "Just because Dean and I are a couple now, it doesn't mean that I wouldn't mind being paired up with you. And I'd like to."

"Great," Sam beamed at him and felt all tingly inside. "Hopefully he could let go of you though. Dude's been mushy ever since. He reminds me of a can of soup."

"Dean has been...going through a lot," Cas said softly, recalling the prior day's conversations between them.

Sam frowned though. "You two okay?"

"We are. We're just working through a few barriers."

"Like his inability to talk about his feelings and anything other than his looks?" Sam was teasing. "Truth is, he pretends to be shallow but he's deeper than I am. Dean would rather hide the truth than talk about it. But when he gets comfortable with you, he doesn't hold back. And I guess he's opening up to you and you're realizing that there are plenty of things you didn't know about him, huh?"

"I'm learning so much about him," Cas admitted. He sipped his coffee. "More than I've learned in the time we've known each other."

"Word of advice," Sam swallowed and licked his lips. "He cries easily when he has to talk about himself. And I don't mean this as something funny but if he cries, it means that he's breaking those barriers to let you in. It freaking hurts him to break his walls, Cas. Dean has locked himself inside so many layers over the years, sometimes I can't even get in. But you can. You always could. And when he cries, don't distance yourself from him. Hug him. Even if he fights you. Just...he loves cuddles."

"Thank you," Cas smiled. "I really appreciate that, Sam."

After the younger Winchester left, Cas sat on the window seat and stared for a long time at the morning traffic on the highway. The heavy trucks, the speeding bikes and the few persons that dared to cross. He also studied an owl who had drifted further into the maple tree just outside the window. And he wondered if perhaps the owl had built a little house inside the tree with a comfortably sized living room, bedroom and kitchen.

"Morning, darling," Dean's groggy voice greeted him a little while after as soft footsteps padded upon the floor.

Cas turned around and into a deep kiss that unearthed a low moan from both of them. "Good morning, my love," he said smiling into the kiss as Dean hovered above him and then stood up. "Did you sleep well?"