Like Cats and Dogs

Chapter 9

"I think I'm finished asking questions," Cas sighs, rubbing his face against his pillow and nestling further into the pile of cushions and blankets.

"That was only three. You got seven more."

"When I think of some, I'll ask you."

Dean watches him, the crease between his eyebrows and the slight purse of his lips. He doesn't look upset, really, more...pensive. Not exactly the mood Dean wants to set.

"I'll take them. I got seven questions."

Cas raises his eyebrows and his lips twitch as his amusement spreads across his face. "Is that so?"

"Yeah. So. Cas. Where are we, exactly?"

Cas gives him a look and then glances around the room, his eyes jumping around. Dean isn't really sure what he's looking at, but there's a concentrated frown on his face so Dean just waits.

"My treehouse," he finally answers, like it's an obvious response to all of Dean's questions.

"Okay, yeah. We're in a tree, I got that," Dean rolls his eyes. "I mean, you live here? Where's your pack?"

"Yes I live here. Like I said, leopards are solitary. The pack is spread out in the forest here, we each have our own range that we claim as home."

Dean finds that hard to understand, quite honestly. His pack is so based around spending time together, bonding, all of that, he can't imagine living alone in the forest.

"Does everybody have a treehouse?"

"No," Cas laughs, low and throaty. "Everyone else lives on the ground. I just prefer it up here. Makes it harder to get to me, wouldn't you agree?"

He says it with a knowing spark in his eyes, and Dean knows he's talking about his labored attempts to climb up here when he first arrived. Dean growls at him.

"Uh, yeah, dude. I know. How the hell am I supposed to do that all the time?"

Cas smiles at that, and Dean knows it's because he basically just promised that he'd be here in this friggin' treehouse all the time. Although, he has to admit, it is nice.

"You plan on spending a lot of time here?"

"I mean, if i decide to even come back. Or, ya know, swing by. Or somethin'."

"There's a rope ladder," Cas sighs, petting Dean's hair with a smile. "I just have it pulled up."

"Dude. You have a rope ladder and you didn't think to toss it down so I could use it?"

There's a growl layered underneath his voice, but Cas seems to like it.

"Yes."

"Not cool, cat."

Cas sticks his lip out in a fake pout, scrunching up his eyebrows.

"So sorry, puppy, was I too hard on you?"

Dean growls. That's it. He's taken enough attitude from his cat. He lurches forward and tackles him as best he can, considering how close they are laying together already. It turns quickly into them both scrambling and grabbing at each other, both of them trying to pin the other down. Dean is thankful that the floor appears to be entirely made of pillows, so they don't have to worry about rolling off the edge. Dean laughs and growls, baring his teeth and letting a little bit of the wolf out to play. His wolf thinks this is how they should play with their cat all the time, they should wrestle and show their mate how strong they are. And Dean does, at least, try. He's got some weight on Cas, mostly because of height, and a stockier build, but not much. Cas is scrappy, strong, and impossible to get a good grip on. He's not an alpha, but damn the guy is practically made of bony elbows.