The Long And Winding Road

Screams echoed relentlessly through his mind, a consistent reminder of whatever the fuck he'd just faced off against. His once steady hands now shook as they clenched the wheel tighter, each turn and dip in the road drawing him closer to Cas.

Cas.

The name felt like a prayer in his horribly distorted mind as he navigated the dark road back to the decrepit house. Sam, having fallen asleep beside him about half an hour ago, allowed him to let go of a few fears that were banging around in his noggin but it was Cas who now occupied his ever racing thoughts.

Why had he stayed behind? The excuse of reading, cleaning, and cooking now felt like a stab to his aching heart.

In moments like these he found himself almost sickeningly grateful for every aspect of Castiel, even the little things he did that would normally drive him up the damn walls. From the way he'd not chew his food properly to his need to hover around him like a protective shadow, and even the seemingly smothering manner in which he 'saved him' from even the slightest of harm such as a little paper cut that wouldn't even affect him all that greatly – every thing that he viewed as down right annoying suddenly seemed to become the very things he yearned for most.

Each mile seemed to pass slower than the last, each moment without his angel seemingly dragging down his already weary and beat down soul further and further. His body ached for the soothing touch of the celestial being, the gentle touches and kisses were always a huge blessing to receive after long hunts.

The drive, which wasn't even that long to begin with, felt like an eternity now that his mind had focused purely on Cas. Fucking mental torture. With each turn and twist in the road, his longing for him only intensified, his own needy-ness causing him to push his baby well over the speed limit in a desperate attempt to find solace in the arms of his beloved angel once again.

It wasnt long before he was hauling Sam over his shoulder, in through the door and onto the makeshift sofa bed by the front room window. He loved his little brother but christ almighty was he heavy, much heavier compared to when they were younger. Memories of their childhood flooded his mind as he absent-mindedly tucked in a (once again) fast asleep Sam, his heart feeling heavy in his chest with the weight of his childhood nostalgia.

Lost in his thoughts, Dean was snapped out of his trance-like state when he felt a sudden yet familiar presence, a warmth that seemed to envelop him like a protective wave.

"Hello, Dean."

Turning, Dean was greeted with the sight of the angel that he relied on way more than he'd ever liked to have admit to. Suddenly giving up his badass "nothing can affect me" attitude, he threw himself into Castiel's arms and clutched onto him with a tight almost death grip.

Every ache and pain that pestered him seemed to melt away as Cas held him just as tightly, his touch infused with his angelic power that soothed both his body and soul. The pair were happy to know that the other was safe. No words were shared after Cas' greeting, all that was to be shared was a comforting silence that appeared to fill the empty space of the room.

He lifted Dean into his arms with little to no effort whatsoever, cradling him awfully close to his chest almost protectively despite the utter lack of danger in the house. Upstairs, in Dean's now unwillingly shared bedroom, he found some sort of peace being in Castiel's comforting embrace, grateful for the presence of the only true angel in his life. It was as if the universe had conspired to bring the two together, a divine blessing from the gods above that Dean forever cherished with every fiber of his being.

With gentle hands, Castiel helped Dean out of his bloodied up clothes, leaving him only in his boxers. As he examined Dean's body for any hidden injuries, finding none, a sense of calm settled over them both, allowing Dean to relax into the warmth of Cas' hands. There was a silent understanding between them, a language of touch rather than meaningless words which both men had heard countless times already.

In that moment, held securely in Castiel's embrace, Dean felt an overwhelming sense of love and safety wash over his once aching body, a feeling he had rarely known throughout his whole life as a hunter. It was the way Castiel cared for him, without judgment, that made Dean feel truly loved. And as sleep greeted him like an old friend, Dean surrendered to its embrace, finding peace in the knowledge that he was cared for by an angel of the lord himself.

As Cas had no need for sleep, watching Dean sleep was a moment of quiet reflection, a chance to admire the strength and determination of the stubborn young man now snoring away in his arms. Tomorrow held uncertainties, as did every day since he'd known the winchesters, but for now, all that mattered was the man that he held peacefully in his arms.