Remain Hidden (DESTIEL AU)

Chapter Eight

Content Warning: Wing kink but not really smut?? Mostly just fluff

Cas had been his guard for over a month now. Their friendship had grown fast, although Dean remained the one who pushed Cas into doing things, and Cas was still the curmudgeony stiff one who'd rather keep to himself. Dean forced Cas to learn how to ride a horse, and played a game of hide and seek in the market (although Cas hadn't exactly agreed to play). Dean had been highly entertained watching the angel grow increasingly frustrated as he ducked under stands and peered over counters trying to find him.

Before Dean had been kidnapped, his father had been pressing him to take the throne by the time he was of age. But now that the Earth Empire was assisting in the Heaven and Hell war, King John seemed to have forgotten about it. Dean was just fine with that, preferring to spend his time with Cas then worry about running a kingdom.

Some days, it was just him and Cas side by side, other days Gabriel and Sam joined them. The two Princes had gotten close as well over the month that had passed, and Dean had heard about the mischief they had gotten into—something about consistently missing pies and chocolates.

As far as Dean and Cas' relationship, his affection for the angel had only grown over time, and Dean was struggling to stop himself from flirting with him again. He started picking up on Cas' minute habits, how he squinted his eyes and tilted his head adorably when he was confused, or absentmindedly plucked at his feathers whenever he was bored. They had even trained together, and Dean knew all of Cas' movements by heart. He was falling deeper and deeper in love with this beautiful angel, and knew full well it would only end in trouble. His father would never allow this, never allow them. It broke Dean's heart knowing he couldn't have Cas, but it couldn't stop him from feeling the way he felt. The only thing that had he holding out hope was on tiny sliver of possibility—when he was King, maybe he'd have a chance.

— § —

Castiel landed flat on his back, his wings sprawled out under him, his sword clattering to the dirt. Dean stood over him, grinning triumphantly and holding out a hand for him to take. After nearly three months of work, the Prince had finally beaten the angel in a real match. Cas took the hand offered to him, and Dean hauled him to his feet. His feathers were rumpled and dirty with mud, and he inwardly sighed. Grooming them tonight would be a pain.

"Good match." Dean said, handing him his sword. "Bet I could go up against a few angels myself now, huh Cas?"

Castiel had long since gotten used to Dean's nickname for him.

"Yes, you could." He replied, taking his defeat gracefully and sheathing his sword. The mud clung to his wings uncomfortably, and he made a face. "If you don't mind, Dean, I should probably wash this off." He said, gesturing to the earth caked to his wings.

"'Course." The Prince replied, glancing at the late afternoon sky. "Dinner won't be for a few more hours. I'll just wait for you to finish."

Cas raised an eyebrow, wondering what exactly Dean met by that, but went with it as the Prince accompanied him to his chambers.

His room was bare but tidy, his armor lying on the hardly used dining table with a polishing rag nearby. The windows had been thrown open to air out the stuffiness, velvet drapes billowing in the breeze.

Dean sat on the edge of his bed, looking around curiously. Cas didn't say anything, but closed to door to his bathroom where a tub of warm bathwater was waiting. He hurried to scrub the grime and mud from his skin and wings, massaging soaps into his hair and dunking his head under the surface to wash it out.

By the time he climbed out, the water was an ugly brown color from all the mud that he had washed away. Cas tugged on trousers and a shirt, stumbling back into his bedroom while scrubbing a towel through his hair. Dean looked around.