Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Dean loved the cold. There was something clean and refreshing about a cold winter’s day. Layers weren’t as good as blocker spray, but they helped. He hiked his scarf up tighter around his neck and quickly returned his hands to the warmth of his jeans pockets.

He leaned against the cold steel of his car as he stared up at the looming brick duplex in front of him. He took in the chipped paint around the door frame, the rotted-looking steps and rusted metal banister. He thought it was kinda perfect and the sooner he got the lease signed and himself moved in, the better.

He had emailed the landlord for the listing on Craigslist and was relieved the guy was willing to show it to him the next day, and let him move in mid-month. Dean was tired of sleeping in the motel and it just wasn't safe there, but trying to find a place that would rent to him and not ask too many questions had been a challenge. This guy didn't want any kind of background check or presentation paperwork, just first and last. It was also affordable enough, since Dean had to figure out the job situation ASAP.

"Hey there," a voice called from the sidewalk, startling him from his thoughts and making him jump. He flushed with embarrassment and eyed the man walking toward him. He had two big brown grocery bags filling up his arms.

"Are you Chuck?" Dean asked hesitantly, trying to catch a glimpse of the man's face behind a bushel of kale.

"Nope, sorry," came a deep, gravelly voice that in no way matched the soft blue eyes and messy black hair. "He should be coming any minute, though. I'm Castiel. I live on the other side of the duplex. Are you the new renter?"

"Yeah, I'm Dean. Nice to meet you." He thought he should offer the guy a hand, but that would mean getting up in his personal space and Dean knew that sure as hell wasn't an option. He drew in a deep breath through his nose, seeking out the scent of this man when he was met with ozone, and fresh cut grass and ... ALPHA. He instinctively sunk in on himself, the fear rolling his stomach into a knot.

The man didn't seem to notice though, as he climbed the steps to the opposite side. "He should be here soon. I can put these down and wait with you, though? Or you're welcome to come in and warm up a bit."

Yeah I bet you would love that , Dean thought, sneering to himself, willing his heart rate to slow. He had used the scent blockers this morning and he shouldn't be giving off a smell to this guy other than boring old Beta.

"I'm fine, I can wait here," he replied, managing to sound a lot calmer than he felt, willing the man to go inside and take his overwhelming scent with him. Go away, go away, go away, go away .

"Alright. Well, it was nice to meet you. Welcome to the neighborhood." With that, the man shuffled into his house, locking the door behind him and Dean let out the breath he didn't know he'd been holding.

His fingers dug into the soft flesh of his thighs through his jean pockets, trying to get composure. Should he just get in the car and leave? How was he supposed to live right next door, hell, in the same building, as an Alpha? What choice did he have, though? He needed a place, and he needed a place in a Beta neighborhood that wouldn't ask too many questions, and that he could afford. As he grappled with what to do next another voice cut across his train of thought, making him jump yet again.

"Hello, are you Dean?" a scruffy-looking man asked.

Dean breathed in first before responding and was hit with a muted smell of Beta. The tension in his shoulders eased slightly at the scent. "Yes. You Chuck?"

"One and only. Come on, I’ll show you the place, and remember I did say it was in need of work."

Dean towered over the small man, and that gave him just a tiny bit of confidence, since he had felt about one inch tall since he scented the Alpha. Chuck showed him around the duplex and it wasn't in any better condition than the front of the building. The hardwood floor was warped, probably from water damage based on the stains on the ceiling. He noted the peeling wallpaper and wet musky smell of the place. It was small and narrow, a kitchen and living space downstairs and one bedroom and bath upstairs. He was glad to see there was a working washer-dryer in the basement so he wouldn't have to go out to do laundry.

"I'll take it. Is it, uh, still really $500 a month?" He knew the place was a shit hole and Beta neighborhoods were a lot cheaper than some of the rich Alpha communities in the city, but still.

"Yeah, that works for me. I mean, you said you could do some work to fix the place up so I figure that's worth a lower rent. Plus, I don't owe on the place, just wanna make enough to support my writing." Chuck smiled sheepishly, pulling out a piece of paper. It was the most simple lease Dean had ever seen but he happily signed it, handed over the cash, and before he knew it Chuck was handing him keys and running out the door.

Dean stood in the unfurnished living room and closed his eyes a moment, listening to the silence. He'd never lived alone before and it was a little unsettling. He had a moment of regret for not having his brother Sam come help him, but like he had insisted, Dean didn't own much and he could handle it on his own. He needed to be able to handle it on his own. Sam had been great the past few weeks, but Dean was ready to try and find some normalcy in his life again.

He hurried outside and opened the back door to the car, starting to haul out boxes and bring them inside. He was glad his Impala had a big enough back seat to hold it all so he didn't need to make multiple trips. He stacked the boxes in the living room, all four of them, and tossed his duffel and sleeping bag on top. His stomach gave an intense growl and he thought about whether he should order a pizza soon, since it was already getting dark out. He would be taking a risk that the delivery guy was an Alpha, but chances were slim since most Alphas didn't degrade themselves to work in the foodservice industry. He scolded himself for needing to rally courage just to order a pizza, and he took a few deep breaths and hit the numbers.

He paced the house as he waited for the pizza, his ears attuned to the muffled noises from next door. His neighbor was banging around in the kitchen from the sound of it, listening to low music he couldn't make out. Probably trying to find a way to make that kale edible, as if that's possible, he chuckled to himself. He knew that not all Alphas were bad. He knew logically that many of them were completely normal, rational people, like his brother was. But his gut, his gut smelled Alpha and all he could think was danger .

He breathed through his bubbling anxiety, continuing his pacing till the doorbell rang. He tried to look through the peephole but it was too grimy to make anything out. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door a crack seeing a pizza box, but it was not being held by a pizza boy, but by Castiel. Freezing in terror, he felt the gooseflesh rise up his arms. Come on Winchester, get a grip .

"Hi again. I see you uh, took the place. The pizza guy brought this over to my door, because he didn't know anyone lived here yet. I thought I'd pay and treat you to some pizza, as a welcome to the neighborhood." Castiel flashed him a small warm smile and Dean fought the urge to slam the door in his face.

"Uh- yeah thanks," Dean snatched the pizza box, nearly dropping it as he hurried to slam the door shut and slide the deadbolt through, panting. He could only imagine the look the other man must be giving his front door right now. He didn't want to be rude but better to be rude than, well, than risk losing control.

"You’re welcome," a voice called through the door and he cringed, feeling like a royal asshole. He listened till he heard Castiel return to his side of the duplex. He was shaking as he moved to the corner of the room and sat down with his pizza on his lap. The floor was freezing but the pizza was warm and the shakes eased off as he ate a few slices. Food helped calm him down. The warm cheesy goodness melted on his tongue and he savored it, eating way more than he should considering he only had another fifty-three bucks to his name.

When he finished eating he stowed the remaining slices in the fridge and stood staring at the bare apartment. It wasn't that late and he wasn't tired yet, so he walked a loop through the apartment, inspecting every nook and cranny of the place and making a mental list of all the things he would want to work on. He carried his clothes, sleeping bag and pillow up the stairs and thought that the first thing he was gonna need was a mattress. How he was gonna buy that mattress, he had no fucking clue. He had loved camping as a kid - this was just indoor camping.

He found the thermostat and turned up the heat before sitting down cross-legged against the wall, his cassette player in hand. As he tried to pick out a good cassette from his shoe box to help him relax he heard the tell tale footsteps of Castiel heading up to his bedroom. Dean cursed the incredibly thin walls. He couldn't help but listen to the sound of drawers opening and closing, the footsteps becoming lighter likely cause he took off his shoes. He heard the pipes creak - he must have started a shower or been running the sink. Dean wondered absentmindedly how old the pipes in this place were and judging by the water stains and smell, he should focus in on the plumbing as soon as possible.

Dean was exhausted from the day, truth be told, and the house was still freezing so Dean decided to climb into his sleeping bag, clothes and all, pulling it up close under his chin. He slowly began to warm up a bit as he pulled out his prepay cell Sam had given him and shot his brother a text.

Dean: Hey, all moved in

Sam: Yeah? how'd it go? I still wish you would have let me help

Dean: Went fine landlord was nice didn't ask many questions, place needs work tho

Dean: and I told you I could handle it and I did, took ten minutes to carry it all inside

Sam: I'll stop by tomorrow and check the place out

Sam: You doing okay?

Dean: that's fine

Dean: What’s that supposed to mean?!

Sam: Just wanna know you are okay, aren't I allowed to worry about my brother?

Dean: You most certainly are not, I am the older brother and I am entitled to all the worrying

Dean: Seriously though Sam I am fine

Sam: Fine is quickly becoming my least favorite word

Sam: Get some sleep, see ya tomorrow Jerk

Dean: Night Bitch

He closed the phone and listened again to the sound of soft footsteps in the room next to him and the squeak of the bed as well. Dean felt a flash of bed envy as his hips were already giving a painful pinch at being on the hard floor. He wondered how in the hell he got to this place. He was supposed to be better than this, smarter than this, he should have protected himself better. He could practically hear his father’s voice in his head, never let your guard down, don't let anyone get the upper hand, trust no one, especially Alphas . He was glad John Winchester wasn't here to see him, even though a small part of him longed for the feeling of safety his father provided. Dean rolled on his side trying to get more comfortable and failing. He had left the light on in the hall, completely by accident of course, but wasn't gonna get up now to turn it off.

He caught the slightest hint of Castiel's scent again, likely through the vents. It wasn't quite as shocking a smell as it had been earlier, and it had a soothing, calming quality to it he hadn't noticed before. It reminded Dean of warm summer nights, laying out under the stars and feeling the soft grass underneath him. Closing his eyes, Dean forced his body to try and relax as he drifted off to sleep.

Dean woke early, mostly because his body was protesting at sleeping on the hard ground. He stretched and rolled his neck a few times, yawning and wishing to god he had coffee with him. He really was in hell having to go through the morning without the sweet nectar of life. He bundled on a few layers before grabbing his dad’s journal and flipping through the contacts.

As an Omega, it was hard to find a job and most places required presentation paperwork. His best bet was working under the table for a friend of the family. He flipped through the book till he came to Singer Salvage Yard. It was a bit of drive outside the city and he hadn’t seen Bobby in years, but John had it down that he was Beta in his book, so it was worth a shot.

Dean applied more of the Beta blocking spray and popped his heat suppressant pills before heading out the door. With any luck he would have a paying job by nightfall and he was putting coffee maker top on his list of shit to get with his first paycheck.

********************

Castiel grunted in pain as he stubbed his toe on the chest at the foot of his bed. If that wasn’t a sign he should just crawl back in bed, he didn’t know what was. Still, he had promised to meet Balthazar for breakfast before work and he did really crave a good cup of coffee. He listened for sounds from his new neighbor but he couldn’t hear anything. The man was a mystery, though maybe it was just another example of Castiel’s poor social skills.

He had done everything Balthazar had suggested, he had smiled and offered assistance, introduced himself, and still the guy had looked at him like he was a pariah. Castiel was not skilled at interacting with people - one of the reasons he only had two friends to his name. Well he wasn’t gonna get bogged down worrying about the opinion of one standoffish Beta.

He made his way to the cafe a few blocks down the street, cursing the cold weather as he tugged his hat down over his ears. Balthazar had already ordered the usual and was waiting for him at their usual back table.

“Morning, sunshine,” Balthazar greeted the grumbling Alpha who snatched up the proffered coffee, taking a big sip and wincing at the burn. “Easy does it there, cowboy. You had a rough morning already?”

“No, I much prefer the bitter cold to my warm, soft bed,” Castiel grumbled again, snatching up a muffin from the table.

“Someone is a grumpy gus this morning,” Balthazar teased, taking a sip of his tea.

“Sorry, thanks for the coffee, Zar,” Castiel tried for a smile and it seemed to be enough to appease the other man.

“So did Chuckles get the new tenant yesterday?”

“Yeah, he moved in yesterday.”

“So go on, dish. Did you act like an actual human being or did you go all robot on him?”

Castiel shot Balthazar a warning glare, his Alpha hackles rising. “I was perfectly nice. He doesn’t seem to want anything to do with me. Who said you needed to be friendly with neighbors, anyway?"

Balthazar looked Cas over a moment. “Hmm seems like this guy has you all frazzled. Please tell me, is he some hot piece of Omega ass?”

“Balthazar!” Castiel scolded, “You can be so crude, you know that? And he is Beta, for the record.”

“A hot Beta?” Balthazar wiggled his eyebrows.

“Hard to tell under all those layers, but I suppose you would call him attractive, though I don’t see where you are going with this.” Castiel took another long sip of his coffee, reveling in the warm sensation down his throat.

“Just always holding out hope that my old friend won’t die a withered old bachelor. Is that so bad of me?” Balthazar made a few less then appropriate groans as he bit into his scone. “They have the best scones here, almost as good as home.”

“I’m only twenty-six that hardly puts me in the old bachelor category, thank you very much, and who are you to talk, old man?” Castiel scowled at him.

“Hey now, I may be thirty but I don’t look a day over twenty-one.” Balthazar wiggled his brows at Castiel, who couldn’t help but smile at his friend’s antics. “Seriously though, Cassie, you act like being an Alpha is some kind of curse.”

“I do not. It’s just that I don’t want to be looked at as just some Alpha knothead,” Castiel sighed not for the first time wishing he had been born a Beta and all this would be so much simpler.

“You are the farthest thing from a knothead, Castiel, and you know it. Oh shit, we’re gonna be late. Come on, let’s get out of here.” Balthazar jumped up and Castiel followed him out the door, heading into the office a few blocks down.

********************

Dean pulled up to the salvage yard and peered out at the old, worn-looking house. Not a thing had changed since he was a kid. He got out and gave himself a quick sniff check, not sure if Bobby already knew what he was, but hell if he was gonna give it away that easy if he didn’t. He knocked on the front door and held his shoulders back firm as he heard heavy footsteps approaching.

The door swung wide and Bobby stepped out, eyeing him. “What can I do for you?”

Dean swallowed hard before answering, “I’m Dean, Dean Winchester. I know you haven’t seen me in a few years bu-”

“John Winchester’s boy?” Bobby interrupted and Dean just nodded. “Well hell, I ain’t seen you since you was what, twelve years old. Shit, you got tall.” Bobby’s demeanor changed from agitated to relaxed and Dean let out a breath he didn’t notice he’d been holding.

“Yeah, you should see my brother. He’s practically giant status,” Dean chuckled and Bobby smiled warmly at him.

“So what brings you to my doorstep, Dean?”

“Well, I moved to town recently to be closer to Sammy. He’s finishing up university this year. I was just checking to see if you might be in need of any help around here. I could really use the job and I’m a good worker I promise.”

Bobby rubbed at his beard a moment. “You know, I could actually use some help around here. You any good with transmissions?”

“Yes, sir."

“The arthritis in my hands is worst at winter and it makes that kind of work a real pain in the ass. I tell you what, I got a mini-van out back needs a new tranny, and a jeep that needs a new set of tires, if you don’t mind starting right now?”

“That would be great.” Dean felt a wave of relief at the prospect of a real job.

“We can hash out the details once I get a look at your work today.”

“Thanks Bobby. I appreciate you giving me a chance here.”

“Yeah well, don’t thank me yet. Let’s see how you do.”

Dean happily headed out back and began work on the mini-van. He hadn’t worked in a garage professionally, but John had and showed Dean just about everything he knew. Dean hoped what he didn’t know he could figure out along the way. He ended finishing the job in record time and even managed to get an oil change done on Bobby’s Charger. Dean liked how far back the actual garage was set from the house and the front office. With any luck, Dean wouldn’t have to deal with too many people and could put his hands to work on the cars in peace.

Bobby came out to inspect his work and gave a little harumph of approval. Bobby gave Dean a few bucks for his day’s work and said he could come back tomorrow and he would get him on a weekly pay schedule.

Dean was sweaty, grease-stained, and exhausted when he pulled up to the house that night, but it was the best he’d felt in weeks. He climbed out of his car, bags of supplies for the house in hand and looked up to see that a flurry of snow was starting. He stood a moment and on impulse closed his eyes and stuck out his tongue, catching the cold, tingly flakes on his tongue.

He jerked his head at the sound of a trash can banging and looked to see his neighbor round the corner of their building, dragging out a trash can behind him. Castiel’s messy brown hair was already dusted in the light snow and his cheeks were pinked up from the cold. Dean took a moment to actually look at the man. Broad shoulders filled out his knitted grey sweater that tapered at lovely square hips. He was a bit broader than Dean but shorter by an inch or so. His eyes moved up over his adam’s apple to the sharp line of his jaw and shadow of a gruff five o’clock shadow. His eyes moved up and caught on Castiel’s who was now staring at him in confusion. Shit, way to look like a creeper, Dean.

“Hey,” Dean called with a tiny nod and jogged up the steps, fumbling with his key in the door. He heard Castiel walking up the steps behind him and for the life of him he couldn’t repress the tiny surge of fear that ran through him.

“We’re supposed to get a few inches tonight,” the gravelly voice came from behind him and he turned to lock eyes with the Alpha, who was now standing right next to him on the doorstep.

“No way, never would have guessed,” Dean chuckled sarcastically but was actually kinda grateful for the information. He should probably allow more time in the morning to clean off his car.

“Well if you need a shovel, I keep a spare on the back porch. You can feel free to borrow it. Unless you plan to stand out here and catch all the snowflakes on your tongue instead.”

Dean scowled a moment at the man. “You make it habit of watching people, Cas?”

“Do you?” Castiel countered and Dean just gaped at him a moment, unable to come up with a witty reply. “Have a good night, Dean,” Castiel smirked, shaking the snow off his hair and heading into his house, closing the door on a very speechless Dean.

Chapter Text

Dean was still bewildered when he got inside his house and put his bags down on the counter. He unloaded some groceries along with a cheap coffee maker, and had started setting it up when there was a knock at the door. He could smell who it was before he even got to the door. When he opened it up he found himself being squashed by a very enthusiastic, flannel-clad brother.

"Sammy! Easy does it, Sasquatch!" Dean grunted as the overgrown man nearly knocked the wind out of him. He was overwhelmed with the familiar smell of paper, leather, vanilla, and always Alpha.

"Hey, you better be nice to me or I won't show you what I brought," Sam laughed, letting him go and quirking a brow.

"You didn't?" Dean's eyebrows shot to the roof.

"Triple bacon cheeseburger and extra fries," Sam declared, holding out a greasy brown paper bag.

"Dude! I take back all the things I ever said about you," Dean smiled, snatching the bag and breathing in the delicious scent of bacon and coronary disease.

"And what exactly have you been saying about me?" Sam eyed him suspiciously.

"Oh, the usual, that you're a great big nerd with shaggy dog hair." Dean barked a laugh and jumped as Sam tried swatting the back of his head. "Gotta be faster than that, Samuel." Dean stuck out his tongue and proceeded to shove handful of fries in his mouth. This was a decision he immediately regretted as they burned the hell out of his mouth and he hissed, fanning his mouth and bouncing on his feet.

"That’s what you get for being a jerk." Sam shook his head chuckling.

"Don't laugh at my pain, bitch, it's freakin hot!" He immediately reached in the bag, however, and choked down another hot handful of fries, finding the searing pain worth the reward.

"Yeah, okay. Well I can't stay long. You wanna give me the tour or you just gonna sit there burning the crap out of yourself?"

"Not much to tour. You're looking at the downstairs." Dean gestured with his hand at the empty room save for two of his boxes and his guitar he had brought in earlier.

"You weren't kidding when said not furnished, huh?" Sam peered around. "Not even a bed?" Dean could see the worry starting to knit his little brother's brow.

"It's fine, I'll get some furniture in a few weeks once I get a few paychecks." Dean shrugged sitting cross legged on the floor and pulling out his cheeseburger.

"You wanna tell me again how you lost all your money? I thought you'd had a good amount saved?" Sam asked, sitting cross-legged across from him.

Dean had struggled to come up with a good excuse for his lack of funds and tried to put as much nonchalance to his words now as he could. "Told you, had a bad hand of poker is all. Drank too much and they took me for all I had."

Sam looked at Dean skeptically before sighing in resignation. "Well, did you find a job today?"

"Yeah. Do you remember Bobby?"

"Sure I do, we used to stay there in the summer when we were kids sometimes,right? He still have that salvage yard then outside of town?"

"Yup. He hired me as a mechanic, so I should have some steady income at least."

"My offer still stands, you know. I have some extra cash stored away, not much but-"

"Sammy, I don't wanna hear it, okay? I am fine, its just gonna be like indoor camping for a little."

"Hey, that gives me an idea!" Sam shot up from where he was sitting and bolted out the front door. Dean shook his head continuing to scarf down his burger and thanking god for little brothers when Sam came stomping back through the doors, his arms full of something.

"What are those?"

"Camping bed rolls. There are two of them - if you layer them it should help," Sam smiled proudly, dropping them on the floor.

"Man you really are a lifesaver, thanks." Dean smiled at his brother who just waved him off.

"Nothing you wouldn't do for me, man."

They sat in amicable silence for a few minutes while Dean polished off the rest of his fries.

"So, I'm guessing Bobby didn't ask for any paperwork?" Sam asked, staring decidedly at his shoes.

"How do you know?"

"’Cause he didn't call me, Dean. Does he know you're not a Beta?" Dean had almost forgotten that Sam was the Alpha listed on his presentation paperwork since his dad died. Such fucking humiliating to have his little brother as his god damn guardian.

"It's none of his business and it doesn't stop me from doing my job either way," Dean grunted, letting just enough finality into his statement so Sam might get the hint to drop it.

"I think its bullshit, Dean. They shouldn’t treat Omega’s like second class citizens. Why do you think I work at the Omega center on the weekends and I’m studying civil law? To put an end to these archaic backwoods laws.” Sam sighed, shaking his head. “So you're planning to keep using the blockers than? I thought you'd given those up?"

"What’s it to you?" Dean snapped, feeling more than a little defensive.

"It’s nothing either way to me, it’s just a few months ago you were all, I'm done with the blockers, I don't give a shit who knows I'm an Omega, Omegas need to start standing up for themselves. " Sam parroted his old words back at him.

"Sam, don't push this, alright? I can use blockers or not use them, whenever I damn well please. You ever think maybe I just wanna be able to be treated like an actual god damn person for once?" Dean stood now, crinkling the paper bag into his hand and tossing it in the trash. Sam stood now too, brushing his pants and looking at Dean with that annoying know-it-all look.

"I'm not saying you can't or shouldn't use them, but what the hell happened to, I'm not gonna hide anymore ? I just wanna know what the hell happened, and don't tell me nothing ‘cause I know that's a lie. Was it Michael?"

Dean flinched at the name and hoped that Sam didn't notice. "Sam I'm only gonna say this one more time. Drop it, this is not about him and this is not up for discussion."

Sam studied his face a moment, probably gauging how much more he could push before Dean socked him one. “When your ready to tell me what the hell is going on with you, I’ll be here, and you know I don’t give two shits how you live, Dean, as long as you’re happy.”

Dean sighed, rubbing his hands over his face. “I know that, Sam. Just let me do my own thing, okay? If I need your help I’ll ask, promise.”

“Yeah, alright. Say, are you free Saturday?”

“I’ll have to check my jam-packed social calendar but I’m sure I can squeeze you in. Why?”

Sam flushed a deep scarlet for a second. “I, uh, wanted you to meet someone, actually.”

Dean felt the grin stretch across his face. “Oh yeah? Did you finally find someone who doesn’t mind standing on a step ladder to kiss your moose lips?” Dean laughed and jumped back when Sam scowled at him. “Oh come on, don’t give me that bitch face. Who is the lucky person?”

“Her name is Madison, she’s in my international ethics class, and she’s really smart and so funny,” Sam said with an adorable sheepish smile on his face. “But, uh… she’s an Alpha.” Sam said this last part quietly. It was a major taboo for two Alphas or two Omegas to date, even more so then for an Alpha or Omega to date a Beta.

Dean flashed his nervous-looking brother a big smile. “I can’t wait to meet her Sammy.”

“Great! Well let’s meet at the Roadhouse for some drinks,” Sam beamed now. “Alright, I gotta head out. You sure you’ll be okay, ‘camping out’?”

Dean rolled his eyes. “Yeah, Sammy, I think I’ll live. Thanks from bringing the burger.”

“Sure thing, text me later, okay?” Sam headed out for the door.

“Drive safe, the snow's really coming down now.”

“I will, Mom. Night Jerk.”

“Night bitch.”

Dean watched as Sam drove off and locked the door behind him, shivering at the cold. When Dean returned inside he suddenly realized that he'd agreed to meet up at a bar, a fucking bar! Had he lost his damn mind? His heart started racing a little just at the thought of all those people, all those Alphas crammed in together and it made the bile rise in his throat.

Get a fucking hold of yourself. Since when are you such a god damn coward?

He snarled at himself and his panicked gut reaction. Dean had always been careful and aware of his surroundings but he'd never been scared. He knew how to handle himself and how to fight - hell, he'd fought off three Alphas one time by himself and barely got a scratch on him.

He went to the kitchen sink and splashed his face with some water to try and shock his system and calm the nausea that pressed at the back of his throat. He took a few slow breaths and tried to convince himself it was fine, he was fine, he could do this for Sammy and he had to get over his shit eventually.

Fake it till you make it.

The words came to mind, a saying that had stuck with Dean all these years. Frank, an ornery old guy who used to get Dean’s Beta blocker spray and suppressants, said it to him once. Dean remembered telling Frank he didn't know how to act like a Beta and Frank always told him, “fake it till you make it”. That is exactly what Dean had done all those years with his dad. It felt almost like wearing a fake skin, but he'd gotten so comfortable with it he almost forgot who and what he really was.

Well, he could do it again, he just needed time to get his confidence back. He began to wish he still had his old punching bag. That had always helped him let off steam. Despite his sore muscles and the twinge in his back from the days work, his mind was still running a mile a minute. He paced the house for a few hours, picking up a book and putting it down.

The snow had stopped falling and dropped almost a foot of snow when he peered outside. He checked the time and it was nearly one am. Still not feeling tired, he began pulling on his boots and every warm article of clothing he could muster and stepped outside greeted by an icy blast. The street was quiet and still except for the howling wind.

Dean quickly found the shovel Castiel had mentioned and began shovelling off his front steps. He worked his way to the sidewalk, feeling the sweat cool his skin under his many layers. He looked up at Castiel's steps, so covered in snow they looked like a mini mountain slope. He began shovelling. His shoulders protested and his nose felt raw from the cold, but all of that dulled out the nervous energy from before and he welcomed it.

He was finishing off the top step when suddenly the door opened in front of him and Dean, on impulse, swung the shovel, stepping back off the top step with a barely contained snarl in his throat. Fear coursed through his veins and he felt the release of pheromones from his sweat soaked skin. There was a tiny grunt sound and Dean felt his heart race as he looked up at a bewildered and annoyed Castiel.

"What on earth?!" Castiel huffed, glaring down at him. "Are you crazy?" The Alpha puffed his chest out and Dean caught of whiff of angry Alpha that made his stomach drop out.

****************

Castiel watched as the man on his front step slowly lowered the shovel to reveal flushed red cheeks and wide green eyes. His stance was still defensive but he stood a little taller, seemingly struggling for words to say. Castiel rubbed at his elbow that was grazed by the shovel and fought down his annoyance best he could.

"Sorry you uh- startled me," Dean said in a husky panting voice. That's when the scent hit him like a freight train. It was a mix of leather, cinnamon, and apples, bitter, sour apples and....

Omega!... not just Omega, scared Omega.

Without his bidding he felt his hackles rise. The protective Alpha roared in his chest at the smell, wanting to defend off whatever scared the Omega, to fight, to calm, to soothe all at once.

"You don't need to growl, knothead, I said I was sorry. I was just cleaning off your steps."

When had he started growling?

Castiel fought down every instinct screaming at him that there was danger and looked at the man in front of him.

Omega? Dean's an Omega?

It took his tired brain a moment to realize that Dean was scared of him, that he was the cause of the terrible smell affronting his nose. Dean's own nostrils flared a minute and recognition dawned across his face that Cas had scented him.

"It's fine, I apologize for the uh- growl, I did not intend to frighten you." Castiel kept his voice low and calming.

"You didn't frighten me, asshole," Dean snarled, body tensing again. Castiel's inner Alpha roared against the unvoiced threat and it took all his will power not to emit yet another answering growl.

“You hit me with a shovel at two in the morning and I am the asshole?” Castiel scoffed. The scent of scared Omega had dissipated on the wind replaced by something closer to annoyance.

“Whatever, your steps are clean,” Dean grunted and began retreating down the icy steps slipping a little and nearly falling. Castiel thrust out a hand, catching hold of Dean’s sleeve and halting his tumble down the steps. Though not very far a fall, it certainly would have hurt.

“Take it easy! Are you alright?” Castiel stared in confusion at Dean who was sending off a muddled mix of emotions mostly fear and distress. Castiel looked down to Dean’s sleeve where he was still gripping it tight. Embarrassed, he quickly let go and stood back a step. “Dean, are you sure everything is okay?”

“Peachy fucking keen, Cas,” Dean replied sarcastically before dropping the shovel and hustling to his own steps, and bolting through the door with a slam. Castiel stood there trying to make some sense of the strange events before he finally realized he was standing in the cold and should probably go inside.

If the man wasn’t a mystery before, he certainly was now. He was sure when he had scented him before all he had gotten was that muted smell of Beta. Come to think of it though, he had thought Dean was baking an apple pie or something based on the smell lingering through the vents later but he had brushed it off as his nose being on the fritz. Dean was an Omega, and one obviously hiding as a Beta.

Castiel was very familiar with different state laws regarding the use of suppressants, birth control, and blockers seeing as he taught law and ethics classes on the subjects. They weren’t illegal in this state though an Omega could only obtain them legally through a doctor with their Alpha’s consent. He had a sinking feeling Dean had gotten his blockers on the street as most independent Omegas had to do.

Still, an Omega using blockers wasn’t shocking to Castiel, even if they did smell terrible. He was more concerned with the man's odd behavior, cleaning off the steps in the middle of the night, and he was incredibly flighty and defensive. He wondered what happened to make him that way.

Great job, Castiel, you meet an obviously scared nervous Omega and growl at him. Bang up job .

He sighed, rubbing his forehead. He had been up late reading through a few thesis proposals when he’d heard the scraping at the front door and gone to investigate. He had no ability to focus on them anymore and decided sleep was in order. He headed up the stairs to crawl into his warm, fluffy bed and breathed in a deep calming breath.

He caught the scent again, just the slightest hint coming through the old vents. It smelled like apples and cinnamon, still the leather smell a bit weaker than it had been earlier. It wasn’t laced in fear like it had been. Castiel couldn’t help himself but stood, pressing his nose up toward the vent trying to get a better smell. It was… sadness that he was smelling. Castiel couldn’t normally scent emotions with Omegas or Alphas very well, not unless they were feeling a very intense emotion, but with Dean he felt like he could pick all these nuances to the scent.

He crawled back in bed, still feeling guilty for posturing in front of Dean the way he did. He was normally very in control of his emotions. A waft of intense flat Beta smell covered over the Omega undertones till they disappeared, Dean must have reapplied the blockers. He slumped back in bed and scooted under the thick blankets with a sigh. He could tell he wasn’t gonna fall asleep anytime soon and it was going to be a very long day tomorrow.

Chapter Text

Dean was horrified. How could he have been so stupid as to not reapply his blockers when he went outside? And on top of that, why had he felt the need to clean off the guy’s steps? And holy crap, he nearly took the guy’s head off with a shovel! Dean groaned, sliding down against the door, pressing his forehead against his knees and feeling lower than dirt.

What the hell is wrong with you, Winchester?!

Castiel had looked so confused, and when he had scented him, that Alpha growl - dear God, it sent such a tremble down his spine and not completely in the bad way. He was just so thankful that Castiel hadn't scented that hint of arousal on his part or he would be even more mortified... or even more fucked, literally if Castiel had decided to go all Alpha knot head on him.

Dean had been prepared to whack the Alpha over the head with the shovel once Dean realized his Omega scent had reached him. Luckily, his common sense had kicked in and he had scented the Alpha back and all he'd gotten was ozone, and grass, and protective Alpha. Castiel hadn't smelt like anger or rut or danger - if anything he'd had an avenging-angel protective-lion look about him.

It will be alright, you just have to never run into him again. That won't be so hard - it’s not like he lives next door or anything.

Dean frowned, feeling the embarrassment wash over him. There was no helping it though, so he dragged himself up off the floor and headed upstairs to take a hopefully scalding hot shower and pass out.

The shower did feel good, soothing his aching muscles even if the pressure wasn't great and the temperature wasn't as hot as he wanted it. To his humiliation, he had slick between his legs. Fucking Alpha growl. He toweled off and got dressed for the following day, jeans and all, before climbing into his sleeping bag that now sat on top of the pads Sam had given him. It was markedly better and he passed out the second his head hit the pillow.

"Well, hello there, handsome. May I buy you a drink?" The man next to Dean flashed him a wicked smile, his blue eyes sparkling.

"If you want, free country," Dean replied coolly, looking the Alpha up and down, admiring his thick head of black hair with a few salt and pepper streaks.

"I'm Michael. It’s nice to meet you." The man smiled warmly, gesturing to the bartender to bring another round. The man sat back, relaxed and leaning one elbow on the bar to face Dean. He didn't sit up to make himself taller or try to lean into Dean's space, and it set him immediately at ease.

"I'm Dean. Thanks for the, uh, drink." He took a sip of the whiskey and enjoyed the burn. He breathed in the scent of the Alpha without trying to be too obvious and he got clean linens and pine.

"Hmm, classic name. I like it, suits you." Michael flashed him another smile and Dean managed to keep his cool.

"Thanks, Mikey," Dean grinned and the Alpha gave a deep, rumbling laugh.

"Mikey huh? We'll see how long that cheeky little attitude lasts." Michael gave him a small devilish look that sent a chill down his spine.

"I guess we will." Dean, feeling courageous, gave the man a little wink and let himself enjoy the scent of aroused Alpha that wafted over to him.

"You are going to be so much fun," Michael grinned, finishing his drink.

Dean tossed back his own head, turning to the sound of something beeping.

As Dean twisted he heard his alarm going off, and he smacked his cell phone a few times before it stopped beeping. His chest ached a moment as the dream faded away, along with Michael's smile. He hated missing him. That was harder than anything else. He managed to drag himself out of bed and got ready to face the day whether he liked it or not.

*****************

Castiel hadn't slept a wink the night before and could feel himself nodding off at his desk, waiting for his students to arrive. He blew on his third mug of coffee, willing it to cool enough to drink, listening to the footsteps shuffling through the hall. The college was nearly all Alpha and Beta students, with Omegas only allowed to attend under restrictive guidelines and approvals. Colleges on the east coast allowed more Omegas to attend and there were even a few Omega-only schools up in Vermont.

He spent every semester going to the school board to petition them to admit more Omegas. He would show case studies and civil rights suits and build the best argument he could before sitting before the board, and every semester, they shot him down. He knew they probably wanted to can him for his extensive outspoken beliefs on Omega rights and it hadn't earned him many friends at the university. They only kept him on staff cause there were so few people as qualified as he was to teach the numerous legal, ethical, and philosophical classes he did.

More than once he considered moving east to a more progressive school, but then he reminded himself that that school didn't need him but the students here did. Someone had to be the voice of reason.

"Professor Novak?" a voice called from the door and he looked up, breaking into a smile.

"Hello, Sam. Come on in. You’re here early." Castiel always found he had a favorite student every year and Sam was certainly one of them.

"I know. I was hoping I could talk to you before class started." Sam looked a bit hesitant which was unusual for him, to say the least.

"Have a seat. What’s on your mind?"

"Well, uh... you always talk about Omega rights and how injustice so many of the laws are these days. I know that you also said if we ever needed help for an Omega that you had, uh… connections?" Sam was fidgeting from foot to foot.

Castiel stood up, closing the door to the classroom and returning to his seat. "Of course, Sam, you know anything you say to me I will keep in confidence. What is it that you need?" Castiel tried to sound comforting, seeing the obvious distress in the man's face.

"Well you see, my brother, Dean, he moved to town recently." Castiel was sure his heart missed a little beat as he heard the name but it was likely just a coincidence. "He's an Omega but I know he is trying to work independently and has been using blockers and suppressants. I just thought since he is new to the area I would try and find some for him. But I don't really know anyone or who to ask about it, and I doubt he does either. I don't want him going out looking for it on the street and getting hurt or sold crap drugs that might make him sick."

Castiel saw the worry etched across the young man’s face, he looked closer at the hazel green eyes, sharp jaw and tall stature.

"Sam, did your brother just move into a duplex on the southside? Sorta beat up place on 8th Street?"

The confused look on Sam's face answered his question before the words did. "How did you know?"

"I live on the other side of the duplex. I’ve met your brother already." Castiel rubbed the bruise on his elbow absentmindedly and shook his head."I will be happy to help, I have the number for a girl named Sara - she is a Beta who works for a pharmaceutical company. She has connections and should be able to get you what you need at a reasonable price."

Castiel began scribbling down the name on a post it note. "Thank you, Professor, I really appreciate this. There are so few people I can trust."

"No worries, and you can call me Cas outside of class, okay?" He handed the note to Sam who tucked it into his workbook with a smile.

"Small world, huh? You already meeting Dean?"

"It certainly is."

"Shit, you know he might not have wanted you to know he was an Omega. Can you promise not to say anything? He's a little sensitive right now." Sam looked at him with worried eyes again.

Sensitive from what?

"I found out Dean was an Omega sort of by accident last night." Castiel dipped his head as a flush creeping up his cheeks.  "I don't think your brother was too happy that I found out, but hopefully he knows that his secret is safe with me."

Sam smiled and nodded understandingly. "He can be a bit... prickly lately, but I'll talk to him. I know we can trust you - you’re one of the good ones."

This made Castiel's eyes crinkle with his smile. "You’re too kind, Sam, you are one of the good ones too. If you, either of you, need anything I am always available to help."

Just then the door opened and students began flooding into the classroom. Sam gave Cas another small smile and headed for his usual desk in the back. Cas always figured he sat in the back because he didn't want to be called on, but quickly learned it was only because he didn't want to block anyone's view of the board. Sam was probably one of the most considerate people he'd ever met.

Something in his chest warmed to think that Dean wasn't alone, that he had family and someone as kind as Sam standing by him. His curiosity still wanted to know what had happened to Dean to make him so nervous, but he tried to tell himself it was none of his business and went to start his lecture.

*************

Dean wiped the grease from his hands as best he could and stood back, feeling immensely accomplished at having got through all the cars Bobby needed an hour before he was supposed to be done. The salvage yard was quiet and empty and Dean pulled his hat down on his head and wandered through the littering of cars. He found an old exhaust pipe and looked at it for a moment, thinking it looked like a metal tree root.

He hummed, spinning the metal in his hand, thinking. He kept it in his hand and kept walking and stopped by an old beat up seat with springs sticking out of it. He inspected and began pulling out the metal springs till he had a collection of about ten of them at his feet. He gathered up all the metal chunks in his arms and walked back toward the shop.

"What you got there, Dean?" Bobby's voice came from the front porch.

"Just some scrap. Do you mind if I use it for something?" He panted a little, shifting the unwieldy objects in his arms.

"Yeah, go on ahead. Anything that can't be re-purposed on an actual car is all yours. What in the hell your gonna do with it, though, is beyond me." Bobby shook his head, going back into the house.

Dean lugged his haul to a big shed building behind the main garage he worked in. There were dim fluorescent lights and Dean peered around, assessing the potential. No one had used the space for anything but storage in a while and he figured Bobby wouldn't mind.

He searched the yard again, collecting as many pieces of exhaust piping as he could find and grabbed an old welding kit from the garage. He started laying out the pieces on the dirt floor, trying to line them up in some way that made sense.

It had been a long time since he'd done any sculpture work. He did small-scale stuff as a kid when he was bored, usually with dead branches he found in the woods, building forts for him and Sam. When he lived with Michael he'd had a large shed out back where he'd started in on metal work. He missed his shop, having left all his pieces behind when he left.

He stood back after an hour or so to see the layout and decided he would get to work welding a base tomorrow, if he had time. He honked and waved to Bobby as he left to head home, ideas for the piece swirling in his head. It was relaxing to just focus on the art and not worry about how complicated his life was.

He pulled up in front of the house to see Castiel on his front steps, spreading what looked like salt. He glanced and noticed that Cas had done his steps as well. He needed to talk to Castiel. To make sure he wasn't gonna out him for who he was, but the thought twisted his stomach in knots. Taking a few deep calming breaths, he slid out of the impala and walked up to Castiel.

"Uh, hey Cas, you got a second?" Dean stuffed his hands in his pockets and hunched his shoulders to the wind, which was picking up. Castiel turned and smiled at him, walking down the steps and standing at Dean's level, which he had to admit made him relax a bit.

"Sure, Dean. You know, I talked to your brother today."

That brought Dean up short. "You what?"

"Your brother, Sam, is actually a student of mine at the university. He mentioned his brother Dean moved to town, and we made the connection."

Dean chewed the inside of his lip a moment. Professor, huh?

"Sam's a real smart kid."

Castiel smiled and wow, if that wasn't something to see. "Yes, he is one of my best students. He should have his pick of law schools in the spring."

Dean nodded in agreement, hoping Sam wouldn't pick one too far away.

"Look, uh, about last night. I'm sorry I whacked you with the shovel and all, and I, uh, hope you don't mind keeping my... thing, on the down low?" He shifted his feet and felt like the words tumbled out of his mouth.

Castiel kept the smile on his face, though it took on a slightly more sympathetic twist. "Dean, your presentation is no one’s business but your own. I wouldn't think of telling anyone and it makes no difference to me."

Dean tried to get a read on the guy, see if he was telling the truth. Most Alphas were incredibly against Omegas hiding what they were - it was some kind of Alpha entitlement complex as far as Dean was concerned. Castiel didn't seem like the type, though, and for the hundredth time Dean reminded himself that not all Alphas were knot heads. He breathed in his scent and found it almost intoxicating with how good he smelled, like smelling spring in the middle of winter. He got no signals of aggression or even discomfort from the Alpha, just a steady calm.

"I appreciate that. Have a good night, Cas." Dean gave him a small smile, heading for his steps. His instincts told him to trust the guy, but his instincts had been wrong before. Actions speak louder than words. He figured he'd give it time to see who this guy really was before he decided friend or foe.

"Have a good night, Dean," he heard the Alpha call after him in a gravelly voice that definitely didn't send a shiver through him.

He spent the evening cleaning up the downstairs, sweeping the floors and then mopping them. He scrubbed at the sink and moved on to the cabinets before it was close to bedtime. He listened to the music coming through the walls and it brought him a strange kind of comfort, like he wasn't all alone as he felt.

James Taylor's How Sweet it is to Loved by You , came on, and since no one was watching, Dean swung his hips a little to the music and twirled around the mop like a dance partner. Dean had two left feet and pair of bowed legs so dancing was not his strength, but it was still fun if no one was watching. He started singing along without really noticing it.

" I needed the shelter of someone's arms, and there you were. I needed someone to understand my ups and downs, and there you were. ..." Dean chuckled, sliding across the freshly cleaned boards in his socks, pulling the mop with him. " But you brightened up for me all of my days, with a love so sweet in so many ways ."

Dean suddenly noticed the music was turned way down as he was belting out the chorus, and he snapped his mouth shut frozen in the middle of his kitchen listening. He swore he thought he heard a laugh and the song came back on loud again. Dean didn't dare start singing again, flushing red and thinking he really should look into soundproofing his walls.

He ate a PB&J for dinner and enjoyed listening to the continued music working its way through the walls. He also smelled something delicious coming through the vents and his stomach growled at the thought of a warm dinner. He sighed and went up the stairs to grab a book and try to sleep a little earlier. He settled down with his back against the wall of his bedroom and was quickly drifting off, his eyelids getting heavy.

“What did I tell you about your blockers, Dean!” John growled at him.

“Never go out without them, sir.”

“That’s right, I could smell you a mile away which meant any other Alpha could too. Is that what you want?”

“No, sir.”

“Alright. Now, don’t look at me like that, Dean. This is for your own safety.”

Dean bit his lower lip. “But why can’t I just be an Omega? Is that so bad?”

“We’ve been over this. It’s not wrong to be an Omega, Dean, it’s just not safe. Most Alphas only think with their knots and I don’t want to see you getting hurt or, god forbid, claimed by some abusive asshole. Do you understand, Dean? Why it’s safer if you’re a Beta? It takes the target off your back.”

Dean thought that through and he knew his dad was right but he still hated it. “I understand, sir. I will be more careful, I promise.”

John got a funny look on his face as he pulled Dean into his chest for a crushing hug that nearly knocked the wind out of him. “You don’t like me, that’s fine, it’s not my job to be liked, it’s my job to raise you right.”

The embrace changed and the room swirled before him, no longer the old motel room of his youth but the clean, crisp white kitchen of Michael’s house. He looked up to see Michael staring at him. “Where were you tonight, Dean?”

“What?”

“Who were you with? I can smell the Alpha all over you.” Michael’s voice dropped into a low growl.

“No one. It was just a bu-bu-buyer for my piece,” Dean stuttered and felt a flush creep up his cheeks.

“Why don’t I believe you? Sure that was all he wanted to buy? Are you so sick of me, Dean, you are selling that sweet Omega ass to any Alpha who walks by, huh?” Michael’s grip on his arms tightened and Dean snarled back.

“Let me fucking go, Michael. What the hell has gotten into you?!” Dean struggled but couldn’t pull away.

“You’re my Omega, Dean. You hear me? I don’t want my Omega coming home and smelling like he’s been out rubbing up against knots all day, do you hear me?” Michael shook him a little.

“Fuck you, Michael. You’ve had too much to drink. Go sleep it off.” Dean’s voice wavered a little. He didn’t see the blow coming, but as it smashed across his cheekbone, he saw stars.

He blinked awake, cursing and swinging his arms out, toppling to the side, trying to catch his breath. He panted, looking around but only seeing the empty room in his new house. The mats under him were all askew and he was tangled up in his sleeping bag. He waited for his heart rate to slow before checking the time and heading downstairs. He dug through one of his boxes and pulled out a bottle of cheap whiskey he’d had stashed at the bottom. He sat cross legged on the floor and took a swig, focusing on the burn of the whiskey and not the tears burning his eyes. Dean crawled over toward the vent in the floor and breathed in deep. He caught the smallest hint of grass and honey and smiled. The scent stopped the tears, and he curled up against the wall, slowly drifting back off to sleep as he breathed it in.

Chapter Text

Castiel breathed in the smells wafting from his chili, trying to tell what he was missing. He was just tossing in a bit more chili powder when there was knock at the door. Wiping his hands off on his apron, he turned the music down and went to get the door.

“Cassie! What smells so good?” Balthazar beamed at him, holding up a bottle of wine.

“Nothing you’re going to be eating,” Castiel grumbled.

“Oh come now, you wouldn’t hold out on me, now would you?” Balthazar batted his eyelashes and pouted out his bottom lip. “Plus, I already bought you your favorite wine to try and bribe you anyway.”

“Fine, if you must. At least I always make a double batch,” Castiel sighed, shutting the door and watching as Balthazar stalked his pot of chili.

“This smells devine, you’re the best chef, mon cheri.” Balthazar sat himself on a stool at the breakfast bar and popped the cork on the wine.

“So what is it you came here for, anyway?” Castiel sighed, going to stir the chili and turn the heat off.

“What do you mean? Can’t a friend just drop in on another friend to say hello?” Balthazar held a hand to his chest in mock hurt.

“You never just drop in, and whatever it is you want, the answer is no.” Castiel slid a bowl of chili to him and pulled out the cornbread from the oven.

“You wound me… but yes, I do in fact have a teeny tiny favor to ask.” Castiel scoffed, shaking his head, but Balthazar continued. “Come out with me tonight.”

“No.”

“Come on, Cassie,” Balthazar whined.

“No.”

“You need to get out. I am only doing this for your own good - just two drinks and we’ll be right back home.”

Castiel sighed, pushing the chili around his bowl with a spoon. “I hate going out to bars and I hate clubs even more.”

“I promise no clubs, just a regular old bar this time.”

“Last time I was washing glitter out of my hair for a week, Balthazar, so sorry if I don’t trust you.”

“I am not leaving here until you say yes, Castiel. So unless you want me to sit here and eat you out of house and home, you’ll go get that hideous coat of yours and come with me.”

Castiel glared him down, trying to tell just how serious that threat was. “Fine. But just two drinks and then we are home.”

“Deal!” Balthazar grinned and Castiel knew he had really done himself in this time.

**********************

Dean was pacing his bedroom, trying to decide why in the hell he had agreed to go out tonight. Dean used to love going to bars - he loved the drinks, the jukebox music, shooting pool or playing darts. Usually the more of a dive the better - at his favorite places his boots would stick to the floor. Now, though, the thought of being surrounded by that many people he didn’t know was making him want to throw up.

Suck it up, you can handle this.

Dean took a few calming breaths and considered texting Sam that he wouldn’t be able to go. He quickly dismissed that option, he had to go tonight and just deal with it. If he didn’t do it now, then when? He gave himself a sniff and realized he was sending off some intense distressed Omega scent into the air. He quickly reapplied his blockers and threw on his thick canvas coat, giving himself a once over in the mirror.

He’d gone over his stubble with an electric razor, figuring that was good enough, though his hair was a bit longer then he normally liked it. He had on a black tee shirt under a green plaid button-up and his only clean pair of jeans. He scolded himself for even caring. it wasn’t like he was gonna pick anyone up tonight. No, the goal was go out, have one drink, meet Sammy’s girl and get the hell out of dodge.

He hustled out the door before he had a change of heart and smiled when Baby roared to life beneath him. No place in the world made Dean feel more at home than in his car. It was a short drive to the Roadhouse and luckily the weather had improved and the roads were salted. He sized up the place and smiled just a little, knowing that Sam had picked this place for all the reasons Dean would have.

You got this, Winchester. Just one drink.

Dean made his way into the bar and surveyed the bar patrons. It was a busy Saturday night with hardly any room at the bar and most of the tables and booths taken. There seemed to be two pool tables round back and a dart board. He breathed in the smell of whiskey, sweat and cheap beer and it almost made him smile. He could tell the majority of the customers here were Betas, but there were Alphas in the mix as well and he even thought he smelled another Omega. He fought down his pounding heart and forced himself to stay calm. He scanned the faces till he saw Sam waving at him from a corner booth. He weaved his way over and found himself yanked into a bear crushing hug from Sam.

“Gotta let me breathe, Sammy,” Dean huffed as Sam let him go, beaming at him all the while.

“Dean I want you to meet my girlfriend, Madison. Mads, this my brother, Dean.” Sammy was grinning like an idiot as he stood back to reveal a gorgeous brunette with big, round, brown eyes. Dean caught of whiff of lilac, oranges, and ginger all rolled up in Alpha.

She shook his hand with a firm grip and a confident little smirk. “Dean. It’s so nice to finally meet you. Sam won’t stop talking about his big brother moving to town.”

“It’s nice to meet you too. Sam said you both go to the college?”

“Yeah, we met in a sociology class. Sam spilled his coffee all over my notes so to make it up to me he copied all of his for me.”

“Smooth, Sammy, real smooth,” Dean teased, elbowing his brother.

“Hey, it was an honest accident and I made it up to you.” Sam wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her into his side.

“You want a drink, Dean?”

“Hell yeah, I do.”

The three of them settled into the booth and shared a pitcher of beer. Dean felt himself start to relax listening to Madison and Sam chat about life on campus and plans for graduation. He kept his nose on alert for any danger, but as the first hour passed he started to actually enjoy himself.

“Hey there. Can I get you guys another round? And who’s your friend here, Sam?” A blonde woman with a warm smile stood by the booth, empty tray under her arm.

“Yeah, another round would be great, and this is my brother, Dean,” Dean smiled and reached out a hand.

“Ellen. Nice to meet ya, Dean.” She had a warm smile and a sweet muted Beta scent. “I’ll be right back with those beers.”

“Ellen owns the place. She and her daughter Jo run it together.” Sam sat back and gave a small wave to the short blonde tending the bar.

Another round of beers and Dean watched as the crowd milled about. A group of rowdy Alphas were hogging both the pool tables. Madison had gone to the bathroom and Dean had lost track of what Sam was saying as the smell of aggressive, aroused Alpha slowly grew in the bar.

“Dean?”

“Sorry what?”

“I just said, do you like her?”

“Oh yeah, Madison is great, Sammy.” Dean gave Sam a tight smile.

“You seem a little on edge. Is everything okay?” Sam was giving him the deep furrowed brow that Dean hated.

“I’m good, Sammy. Just drop it.” He really had to do better about keeping his emotions in check.

“I know you might have trouble finding this so I grabbed you some.” Sam lowered his voice and handed Dean a paper bag.

Dean gave his brother a confused look but stuffed the bag inside his coat pocket all the same. Dean was itching to head back home and again had lost track of what Sam had said when a familiar smell hit his nose. He smelled distinct fresh cut grass and storm. Glancing around, his eyes caught on a flash of messy brown hair heading for the bar.

***************

Castiel weaved through the mass of people, following Balthazar to the bar. There was only one stool free which was fine by Cas, since he preferred to stand anyway. He'd been to this bar with Balthazar maybe twice before and it was a drastic improvement to the dance clubs he often got dragged to. He knew the owners were Pro-Omega rights and would serve anyone of any presentation, regardless. It was a very popular bar, with the local truckers that moved through the city and with the local college kids making an eclectic mix.

He grabbed his bourbon on the rocks from Balthazar and started sipping on it as he scanned the room. He noticed a corner of increasingly intoxicated Alphas playing pool. If he had to guess, a few frat boys and some locals were playing a round. He scented mostly Betas in the bar though, and noticed Balthazar was already flirting with a pretty Beta girl before he was even a few sips into his drink. He was beginning to think he would need to get a taxi home.

His eyes then landed on a familiar shaggy-haired student sitting in a corner booth. Sam and Madison were sitting with someone, seemingly sharing a pitcher. Sam caught his eye and waved at him emphatically.

"Zar, I'm gonna go say hi to a student over there. I'll be right back." He didn't know why he bothered telling him since his friend was engrossed in conversation with the young woman next to him.

"Hey, Professor," Sam smiled at him as he approached.

"Hello, Sam, Madison. It’s good to see you." He turned to see who they were sitting with and was shocked to see Dean hunched down over a beer, looking beet red. He really shouldn't have been that surprised - they were brothers after all.

"Professor, this is Sam's brother, Dean," Madison replied, smiling. She was one of his favorite students as well.

"Yes, we know each other... hey, Cas," Dean spoke up in a rough voice.

"They are neighbors, actually. Small world, huh?" Sam laughed, his bright warm smile on his face. Castiel wasn't used to seeing Sam so relaxed and not studiously studying his notes or stressing about a latest grade. He wondered if that was Dean's influence or Madison's.

Dean shifted a little in his seat. "So what brings you out?"

Castiel caught the bright green eyes and was momentarily tongue tied. "Uh...um... my friend over there, Balthazar, he dragged me out for a drink."

"Don't frequent the bar scene much?" Sam asked, politely eyeing his brother.

"Uh, no, not usually, but I suppose it doesn't do any good to be a shut-in, does it? Wouldn't want to fulfill the cliche of the bookworm scholar, would I?"

"There are no patches on your elbows so I guess that's a start," Dean smirked and Castiel flushed red at the comment. Dean's eyes lit up. "No way, you actually have one of those? Is it corduroy, too?"

"Ha ha, very funny. It's a perfectly acceptable sport coat and it is not corduroy," Castiel replied indignantly.

"It is tweed, though," Sam added with a chuckle and the whole table joined in.

"Well, if you lot are gonna just going to tease me-"

"Don't be like that, Professor, really, I like the sport coat. I think its very sexy," Madison added, smacking Sam on the shoulder.

"Thank you, Madison. And you can call me Cas outside of the classroom."

"Cas... I like it," Madison smiled at him and he felt some of the blush fading. He glanced down at Dean who was tearing his napkin into little strips and Cas took a moment to admire his strong, elegant fingers. He'd hardly seen Dean without layers of winter clothing on, but now he was able to catch a glimpse of toned shoulders and the curve of his collarbone under his tee shirt. Fuck, Dean was one of the most attractive men he'd met in ages. Castiel quickly looked away before he let out any aroused Alpha scent and totally embarrassed himself.

"I should be getting back to my friend. It was nice seeing you all." Sam and Madison both gave him cheers with their drinks and Dean glanced up, giving him some kind of awkward side grin before he retreated back for the bar.

He tugged at the collar of his shirt, feeling a heat rising up his back. He was just glad he couldn't actually scent Dean - it may have sent his inner Alpha off. A small part of him did regret that he couldn't scent Dean. Something was bothering him and it would only take one quick sniff to tell what it was if not for the blockers.

A loud smack from the pool table caught his attention as the group of Alphas apparently broke a pool stick. The owner moved quickly to usher the offending asshole out, but the night was definitely deteriorating and as Castiel glanced to Dean he thought it may have something to do with the man's stiff stance in the booth. He decided it might be best to keep an eye on the trio in the corner, just in case, and it had nothing to do with his desire to stare at the lovely Omega... not... at ... all.

***************

Dean hadn't expected to see Castiel and it had shocked him a bit. He wasn't sure why, but he didn't peg Castiel for a roadhouse type. The man had looked, well, hotter than sin in his knit sweater and slacks, even if the trench coat hung on him like a potato sack. He watched as Castiel retreated back to his friend, a blonde man who was grinning and flirting with a pretty redhead.

At least they aren't dating if he is hanging all over that girl.

Why would I care if he's dating someone?

I don't care, nope, it’s no difference to me.

While arguing with himself internally he missed something Madison said and she looked at him with expectant eyes.

"What was that?"

"I was saying we should probably head out, but we can stick around if you wanna stare at the dreamy professor a bit longer," Madison teased, wiggling her eyebrows.

"I uh- what? No I wasn't- yeah let’s go," he fumbled through his words, jumping up and pulling on his canvas coat.

Sam chuckled. "He is your type, you know," he whispered conspiratorially.

"Not interested." He gave Sam a glare, hoping he would catch the hint.

"Yeah yeah, whatever you say."

"I'm gonna hit the head before I go." Dean added, realizing the beers were hitting him.

"You want us to wait for you?" Sam offered, pulling Madison into his side. He almost said yes to that offer, then scolded himself for even considering it. He could handle himself.

"No, you guys go on."

"It was so great to meet you, Dean." Madison pulled him in a hug and planted a kiss on his cheek. He couldn't help but smile at her.

"I can drop by Wednesday if you want to do dinner?" Sam offered.

"Sounds good, Sammy. It was good to meet you, Madison."

The happy couple wove their way through the crowd, and Dean headed for the bathroom.

He was happy to find the bathroom empty and surprisingly clean for a bar though, the night was young. He washed his hands in the sink and gave himself the once over. He really did need to get a haircut at some point, or he’d start to look like Sammy.

The door to the restroom banged open and Dean's nose was assaulted by the scent of Alpha with bitter notes of aggression running through it. His hackles rose and he felt his heartbeat pick up. The two guys were currently blocking the exit, laughing and pushing at each other before they stopped and noticed Dean. One of the guys was just a little bit taller than Dean, while the other was an inch or two shorter. Not that it mattered, even the lightest weight Alpha could usually overpower an Omega. Dean's training kicked in and he put his back to the corner and waited to see if they were actually gonna give him trouble.

"Hey there. I saw you earlier, you've got a hot little Beta ass," the tall guy crooned. Dean rolled his eyes, deflecting the come on with annoyance and masking his racing heart and sweaty palms.

"Why don't you let us buy you a drink, pretty boy?" the shorter man added.

"Thanks, but no thanks," he said, edging toward the door.

When a meaty hand grasped his upper arm, his reaction was instinctive and swift. He grabbed the man’s arm, twisting it up painfully behind his back and slammed his face into the wall. He let the man bounce back with a curse and then tossed him at his friend so they both went tumbling to the ground. Normally he'd throw in some witty comment about hands off, but his voice was so not working for that. Instead he bolted out the door, pushing through the crowd of bar patrons in a mad dash for air.

Once outside, the freezing night air hit him and he gasped in breaths, leaning against the wall of the building. He put his hands on his knees as he felt a dizzy wave of nausea hit, and he turned to puke in the nearby bushes.

"Dean? Are you okay?" a concerned familiar voice called from behind him. He had one hand braced on the wall for support as he waited to see if he was going to puke anymore. He knew it was Castiel, if not by voice then by the scent of grass and honey. Concern was rolling off him in waves. He threw up a hand over his shoulder to signal he was fine, still drawing in ragged breaths and mortified to be caught this way.

"I saw you bolt out of the bathroom. Are you sure you’re feeling alright?"

"I'm fine, just a little too much to drink." He'd only had one and a half beers tops, and it was the light cheap shit, but it was better to lie.

He finally turned around and met the worried blue eyes to go with the scent, and he had a strong urge to bury his face in the crook of the guy’s neck.

"Did those assholes give you trouble?"

God, Castiel did not know when to let a subject drop.

"Nothing I couldn't handle. I'm fine. Think I'm gonna call it a night." He took another breath and pushed off the wall. After a moment he realized that he had handled it, he'd more than taken care of himself. So why the fuck was he still so shaken up?

"Uh, Dean?" Castiel's voice sounded uncomfortably tight and he turned to look at the guy again. "If you’re really sober enough to drive, would you mind giving me a lift home? My friend took off."

He eyed the guy a moment. All he wanted was to be in the safety of his car, alone and on the way home. Castiel's shoulders were hunched and he rubbed at his arms. Dean took in his way-too-thin coat for this time of year and felt a pang of guilt at leaving the guy to wait for a cab.

"Fine. Get in," he grumbled, heading for his Baby and sighing with relief once seated on the familiar leather. The firm wheel beneath his fingers felt like home, even if he was sharing the space now with a very chilled and thankful-looking Alpha.

You just had to give him a ride home.

Dean scolded himself as he flipped on his lights and pulled away from the bar.

Chapter Text

Castiel slid into the front seat next to Dean and glanced around at the immaculate interior of the car. It was so obviously loved and cared for. The smell of leather reminded him a bit of Dean's own scent and that began to make sense. Dean was still pale, but seemed sober as he slid into the driver's seat and fished out his keys.

He could tell something had frightened Dean a great deal to make him bolt out of the bar that fast, and he knew the man hadn't drunk enough to warrant vomiting in a bush. Dean seemed uninjured except for the panic attack he seemed to be fighting. He knew Dean might need space, but he also in good conscience couldn't have left him alone. He wished he could scent Dean and tell exactly what he was feeling. Still, Dean had conceded to driving him home so maybe Castiel's instincts to stay with the Omega were not unfounded.

"What year is your car?" he asked as the engine roared to life, a rumble he could feel through the seats.

"It’s a sixty-seven Impala."

"Does it take a lot of upkeep? It seems in mint condition."

Dean smiled a little then, before setting his face back to stern indifference. "Yeah, it takes more effort than a newer car, but it’s worth it."

"I wouldn't know the first thing about working on a car like this, or any car for that matter." He thought about his boring tan Camry - it paled in comparison to this beauty.

"Yeah, well, it’s my job now so it's not too bad." Dean shifted a little in his seat, still seeming tense.

"You're a mechanic?"

"Right now, yeah. I just started at Singer Salvage off interstate 110." Dean shrugged a little.

Castiel was trying desperately hard not to stare at Dean. He was so tempted to reach out and smooth the furrowed line above his brow, and cup his rough cheek in the palm of his hand. None of that was an appropriate way to think about his neighbor. He quickly worked to keep his arousal under control, not wanting Dean to catch a whiff of it.

"Have you always worked as a mechanic?" Castiel asked, trying to focus on the conversation and not the way Dean's Adam's apple bobbed up and down when he swallowed.

"Uh no, not really. I did long-haul trucking for a few years before I took some time off. I know my way around cars, though, so the job works and I can stay in one place."

Castiel wasn't sure if he was pushing his luck or not but it was nice to have Dean talking. "Why did you get into trucking?"

"My dad did it. I started working with him right out of high school, kinda the family business. It's easier sometimes working as a team ‘cause you can switch off driving if you get tired." Dean stared off down the road but he seemed to be thinking hard about something.

"Does your dad still drive a truck?"

"What’s with the twenty questions?" Dean snapped at him and Castiel felt a flush creep up his cheeks. Dean let out a long sigh, stealing a glance toward him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you... My dad passed away over a year ago. It’s no big thing, just wasn't into working the job alone."

"I'm sorry to hear that. You two must have been close." Castiel wasn't sure what to say - he was shit in situations like this. What had Balthazar always told him? Try to relate to the other person. "My dad passed away when I was young. It was just me and my brother, Jimmy, growing up, mostly."

Dean quirked an eyebrow. "Younger or older?"

Castiel laughed at that. "Older by a whole two minutes and fifteen seconds. Something he never lets me forget."

"Twins, huh?" Dean grinned, a little of the tension leaving his body. "He live around here?"

"No, he is a summer sun kinda guy. He lives down in Florida, tending bar most of the time."

"No thanks, I'll take the cold."

"Same here," Castiel smiled thinking of how much bitching Jimmy would be doing about the cold right now.

Dean seemed to settle down into his seat a bit, relaxing his hands on the wheel. It wasn't snowing at least so the night was clear. Castiel breathed deep, wishing he could catch just a hint of Dean's scent, but the blockers were doing their job. He thought Dean's scent would be more relaxed now at least, judging by his body language. He stole a glance at the man and noticed a faint smattering of freckles across the bridge of his nose, barely visible. He quickly looked back at the road before his thoughts lead him to where else those freckles might be.

"Alright this is us- well not us us just you and me, separate, two separate destinations, I mean. Though they are sorta the same place, but not. I'm gonna stop talking now." Dean flushed as he turned off the car and practically leaped out of the front seat. Castiel fought down a smirk, the man was adorable when he was flustered, though he couldn't tell what got him worked up.

"Thank you for the ride, Dean. I do appreciate it," he said, getting out and hunching his shoulders to the cold wind whipping around them.

"Uh, yeah, sure. Don't mention it. Night." Dean nodded and bolted up his steps and was gone in a flash. Castiel often felt perplexed by other people’s behaviors but Dean was a real mystery to him. He slowly took the steps to his own home, suddenly wishing the drive hadn't been so short.

Do not get a crush on your neighbor. That can’t end well.

He mentally scolded himself as he kicked off his shoes and hung up his coat. It was late, but he wasn't in the mood to sleep yet. He went into the kitchen and started rummaging around till he found a bushel of Cortland apples. Well when you can't sleep, bake. He started slicing the apples and pulled out some ready-made dough from the freezer he had made a few weeks ago.

He clicked on his stereo and Etta James came on, with slow, bluesy notes filling the kitchen as she sang Sunday Kind of Love . Castiel smiled, swaying his hips and pressing the dough into the pie pan. He smelled the nutmeg and cinnamon, mixing it in with the chopped apples and thought of his freckle-faced neighbor. Not that Dean had anything to do with his baking choice - the apples needed to be used soon or they'd go bad.

Before he knew it the pie was assembled and in the oven as he wiped the flour off his jeans, thinking he should have used an apron. He thought about ways to kill the time while the pie was baking and for a half a second considered seeing if Dean wanted to come over for a night cap. He quickly squashed that idea and moved to his record player, pulling out a Stevie Ray Vaughan album. He listened to the crackle of the record as it started. He was almost certain he'd heard Dean singing along to his music the other night but he couldn't be sure. Likely he was being a bad neighbor and should turn the music down since the building was old and the walls thin. Still, Dean hadn't complained, and on the off chance he liked it, Castiel left it as it was and sat in his big comfy armchair staring at the wall between them.

**************

Dean woke up early Sunday morning, with a pained groan. The camping mats helped but they did not replace a mattress. He limped into the bathroom, shaking out a stiff leg and turned the heat up to max on the shower, hoping to loosen his muscles a bit. After a few minutes, however, it was clear that the shower wasn't going to heat up. Dean cursed, kicking the side of the tub and yipping in an undignified manner as pain radiated up his foot.

He stepped into his boots and trudged downstairs to the basement. Flipping on the lights, he found the hot water heater. It was electric which meant it wasn't the pilot. He shivered a little thinking he should have gotten dressed before coming down, but he eventually found that there was just a blown fuse on the circuit breaker connected to the tank. Luckily, Chuck had a few fuses left around so after some fiddling Dean was able to get it back up and running, not that it was going to get him a hot shower anytime soon.

As he headed back up the stairs, he heard the pipes creaking with the tell tale sign that his neighbor was using the shower. He closed his eyes and imagined Castiel's firm broad shoulders dipping under the stream of water. He could see the wild, brown hair drenched in water, Castiel's head tipped back, eyes closed as water streamed over his face and down his chest. He gave a little involuntary moan and palmed his growing erection in his boxer briefs.

"Fuck," he breathed, closing his eyes and feeling the familiar slick coming. Dean scolded himself for getting so hot under the collar just thinking about his neighbor. What was he, a god damn teenager? Now he really needed a shower. Sometimes being an Omega was just a mess. He headed back upstairs and, eventually getting his hot water, he slipped into the shower. His erection still demanded his attention, and hell, it was Sunday after all, may as well enjoy himself. He took his time running his soapy hands over his hard length. He was big for an Omega in that department, and most Beta girls he had been with hadn't questioned his size.

Thoughts drifted again to his neighbor, hearing that guttural growl and imagining teeth pressed into that pink lower lip. He wondered if he would taste like a thunderstorm if he licked up the side of his throat, and what the hell that would even taste like. He imagined the heat of Cas’ body pressed against him and those long elegant fingers, one hand holding firm on his waist and the others teasing at his slick hole. The very thought of those teeth grazing his own neck sent a shiver through him and he came hard against the shower wall.

He closed his eyes and just let the water rush over him, washing away all the evidence of his imagination and lust run wild. He had to get a handle on this, and fast. The very last thing Dean needed or wanted was a crush on anyone, much less his neighbor, much less an Alpha. Once he had scrubbed all over, he got out of the shower fast, vowing never to let his neighbor slip into his fantasies again. It was likely best to try and avoid the man at all costs.

Once dressed, he made coffee and mulled over what household chores he might try to tackle when he heard a yell of pain and a curse from out front of the house. Dean instinctively bolted toward the front door, swinging it open. His eyes landed on Castiel holding one hand firmly in the other while sucking on one of his fingers.

"Uh, you okay?" Dean asked, still standing in the doorway without any shoes. In fact he was only in sweat pants and a tee shirt, and cold air was sending goosebumps down his arms already.

Castiel glanced up and slowly pulled his long finger out of his mouth and Dean tried not think about that mouth or those fingers. "Yeah, sorry, didn't mean to startle you. I just burnt my finger a little I am fine." Castiel gestured at the tan Camry parked in front of his Impala with the hood up and engine running.

"Something wrong with your car?" he asked, folding his arms across his chest.

"Just a funny sound. It’s fine, really." Castiel waved a hand at him as if telling him not to bother. Dean sighed as he watched Castiel peering at the engine like it might jump up and bite him.

"Wait there and don't touch anything." He closed the door and jumped into his boots and threw on a coat and scarf before heading back outside.

The sun was bright and blinding and he blinked against it a few times before his eyes adjusted. He marched over to a very embarrassed looking Castiel, standing next to his car. Dean could hear exactly what he was talking about and knew what it was before he even looked at it.

"You really don't have to bother. I can just take it to a mechanic." Castiel gave him a wan smile and shrugged.

"I am a mechanic, and I think I can save you the trip." Dean leaned over, staring at the engine. For being the most boring car ever assembled, they tended to run forever. He looked it over and had a hunch he could fix the sound. "Wait here a sec." He went to the Impala, popping the trunk and pulling out some WD40 before heading back to the car.

"What’s that for?"

"I think your fan belt is just a bit dried out so I am gonna spray it down, see if that helps with the noise." He applied a minimal amount to the belt and listened as the squealing sound slowly diminished. "It may need to be replaced in a few months, but for now it looks fine." He leaned back up and looked at Castiel who was grinning broadly.

"Thanks, you saved me a trip and probably an unnecessary bill." Castiel pressed his right index finger to his lips again.

"Let me see," Dean held out a hand and Castiel just stared at it in confusion. "Come on, I get burns like that all the time. Let me look at it."

He wasn't sure what possessed him to say that but Castiel lowered his hand, placing it palm up in Dean's. Dean grasped it and held the burnt finger up to get a better look. It was smooth and shiny.

"It’s really not that bad," Castiel repeated as Dean nodded and felt an odd reluctance to let the other man's hand go.

"It's gonna blister. I would put some coconut oil on it, if you have any."

"Thanks. I think I have some." Castiel stared at the burn, brows furrowed and drew in a long deep breath before letting it out. Dean watched as something swept across Castiel's face as he drew in another long deep breath, eyes fluttering half-shut. Castiel let out a low, rumbling purr from his chest, barely audible.

Fuck. No blockers on.

Dean cursed at himself as he knew his scent was likely thick in the air between them by now. He also just noticed how incredibly close they were standing. He took a few steps slowly backwards, somehow his dad’s voice echoing in his head, Don't run, it will only make them chase you . He shook off the thought. He didn't need to run from Castiel, at least he really hoped not. He tested the air a moment and caught a strong ozone scent of arousal. Castiel's eyes opened and locked with Dean's, and he hoped he didn't look or smell as anxious as he felt in that moment. Heaven help him if Castiel caught the hint of his own arousal on the air. Castiel might bend him over the car right there and Dean wasn't completely sure that was a bad idea.

Castiel flushed red in his cheeks and quickly stared at his feet, looking utterly abashed and shifting a step back from Dean. He didn't like it, to see the Alpha retreating, when his baser instincts were telling him to run and hoping he'd be chased. God damn hormones , he internally groaned at himself as if his body had no self-preservation instincts at all.

Before Castiel could offer some awkward apology, Dean jumped in. "Well, I better get back inside before my coffee gets too cold."

He reluctantly backed away from the alluring-as-fuck scent toward his front steps. Castiel's eyes latched onto him again and he seemed a bit more in control of himself.

"Yes, uh- thank you for the help, Dean. I really appreciate it," Castiel's smile seemed a bit forced and Dean gave him a little salute and jogged up his steps, hurrying back inside. He leaned against the door and closed his eyes, letting the little rush of adrenaline pass from his system. What was this guy doing to him? He stayed there for a few minutes before his grumbling stomach reminded him he hadn't had anything to eat yet. He moved toward the kitchen when there was a soft knock on the door.

He peered through the peephole that he'd cleaned off and saw Castiel standing on his front step. He seriously considered just ignoring him till he went away, but thought better of it. He wasn't gonna be a coward, and Castiel had never shown any signs of being dangerous. He opened the door and Castiel stood there with his hands behind his back.

"I wanted to give you this a thank you, for the ride home and for helping with my car." Castiel brought round a flaky, golden pie from behind his back.

Dean's mouth watered at the sight. "Did you bake that?"

"Yeah, I baked it last night," Castiel shrugged sheepishly.

"You in the habit of baking in the middle of the night?" Dean chuckled, eyes still locked on the baked good before him.

"When I can't sleep I bake, or sometimes cook. I had the apples so I wanted to kill some time."

"It's apple?!"

"Well yeah," Castiel replied, confused at Dean's shock.

How the hell did this guy know his all time favorite guilty pleasure?

"Uh, if you're sure you don't want it…" First he was lusting after the guy, now he was lusting after his pie.

"I am positive. Please take it," Castiel held it out and Dean took the masterpiece, breathing in the smell of buttery crust and cinnamon. It did not escape him that his own scent was very close to that of an apple pie.

"Thanks, Cas. It looks really good." He gave a genuine smile then and Castiel seemed to brighten up a bit. Dean could smell the content smell of honey coming from the man. Castiel nodded and retreated as Dean shut the door.

Taking his prize over to the counter, he quickly grabbed a fork and dug in.

***************

"Come on, pick up," Castiel huffed, pacing back and forth in his living room, phone pressed to his ear.

" Ello?" A groggy-sounding voice picked up the line.

"Jimmy, I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

There was a loud yawn and sound of footsteps on the other end.

" Do you know how early it is, little bro?"

Castiel checked the clock on the kitchen wall. "Actually, it's eleven already."

" On a Sunday, Cas. Come on, I didn't even get in the house till- five hours ago." The last words were a bit slurred by another yawn.

"Well, get a cup of coffee, cause I need to talk to someone and since I don't have many friends, you're it," Castiel snapped.

"Ouch, way to make a guy feel loved ," Jimmy griped.

"Sorry, I just... I need advice. I don't know what to do." He tried not to sound as dejected as he felt, flopping into his favorite arm chair.

"Man, you must be desperate to be calling me. Alright, never fear, Jimmy is here. Tell me what’s up."

Castiel hesitated, not even sure where to begin.

" Come on, spit it out, I'm sure your neurotic little mind is making whatever it is out to be way worse than it really is."

"It's my neighbor, he's- well he's... fuck, I don't know." He chewed his bottom lip a moment before pressing on and just getting it over with. "I think... I like him."

"You think you like him? Liiiiike you think he's a swell guy or you wanna fuck him into the mattress?"

"Jimmy!"

"What? It's a legitimate question."

"I enjoy his company and I'm attracted to him as well." Castiel felt like that barely touched all the things he'd been feeling.

"Wow. Well, good for you, bro. I'm failing to see the problem here. Did you scare the cute little Beta off with your surly-ass attitude?"

"I am not surly, and he is not a Beta... actually, he's an Omega," Castiel listened to the silence on the other end followed by Jimmy's loud raucous laughter. "Jimmy... Jimmy... Jimmy, this is not funny."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Okay, it's just the last thing I expected you to say. Come on, you're the only Alpha I ever met that hasn't been with an Omega. I also still fail to see where the issue is. Last time I checked you didn't have an issue with Omegas. I mean you have a pretty awesome Omega for a brother if I do say so myself.”

"Of course I don't, you know that. It’s just he smells... amazing, like the best thing I ever smelled in the whole world, at least when he isn't wearing blockers."

"Ah, now we're getting somewhere. Baby's in the closet, huh?"

"Yes, he is currently living as a Beta. It’s only been by accident I found out his true presentation."

"And you think he smells like sex on a stick?"

"Would you stop making this about sex? He's obviously nervous and been through something but I don't know what it is, and I know it's none of my business. I just can't stop thinking about him and when I scented him today... I've never felt anything like that before, not ever."

"Hold the phone a minute... do you think he's your mate?"

Castiel paused a moment, thinking back to that feeling he had, the draw he felt towards Dean. It was intense and felt so incredibly right, but could it really be that?

"I don't know, I have never found my true mate before. How would I know what it feels like?"

"I'm gonna need more coffee - make that an Irish coffee. Why don't you start from the beginning and tell me everything?"

Castiel sighed and started telling Jimmy all about Dean, right from the first day he moved in. He told him about his bright green eyes and golden brown hair. He told him all about Dean hitting him with the shovel and all about seeing him at the bar and their drive home, right up to the awkward encounter that morning. He told him about how anxious and scared he seemed, but that the few times he let his guard down he was kind and funny and easy-going. He explained that he had this strong need to protect and to care for him. He spared his brother the description of his intense arousal at scenting Dean but he made it clear the attraction was nothing he'd ever felt before.

"Well, you want the good news first or the bad news?"

"Just go on already, I'm giving myself an ulcer over here."

"He sounds like he's your mate, Castiel."

"Is that the good news or the bad news?"

Jimmy chuckled, "That's completely up to you, little brother."

"So what do I do about it? He's obviously not interested in me. I've scared him off two times now."

"Put on your big boy Alpha pants and talk to him, spend time with him and get to know him. Show him the kind, caring and intelligent Alpha you really are and it will all work out."

"How can I do that when his smell drives me mad?"

"You are the most controlled person I have ever known, Castiel. Loosen the hell up, already. Trust yourself, you're not gonna hurt him. Plus, he is still wearing blockers mostly, right? So just test the water and see how it goes."

"I suppose you're right. I can't just ignore it, especially not with him living right next door."

"No, you can't. As long as you don't go shaking your knot in his face, I think you will be just fine."

"Ewww, Jimmy, really?" Castiel rolled his eyes. "Thanks for the help. I miss you."

"Anytime little bro, anytime, though preferably not before two PM next time."

Castiel laughed, "Bye Jimmy, love you."

" Bye, Cas. Love you too. Keep me posted."

Castiel hung up and sunk down deeper into the comfy chair, furrowing his brow at his phone. Talk to Dean and test the waters... that didn't sound too hard, so long as he could keep himself in check. All he knew was that he had to try, even if nothing else came of it then friendship. Maybe that was the best place to start.

Chapter Text

Dean spent the next two weeks being as busy as possible. He found the less time he had to sit around and think, the better off he was. He stayed later and later after work to continue his project. He had come across some beautiful old blue glass on the property and was spending hours twining wire around the shards, making a pile of them. He'd also started welding the base of the project, and almost had the base of the tree completed.

He was sitting on an old metal stool trying not to think about how the blue in the glass looked a lot like his neighbor’s eyes, when there was a knock on the shop door. He looked up to see Sam's tall frame poking around the door frame.

"Hey, Dean," he called, smiling as he came into the shed.

"What ya doin’ here, Sammy? Everything okay?" Dean sniffed at the air to try and get a read on his brother and he caught a bit of apprehension. He could have seen it just by looking at the stiff carriage to his shoulders.

"Yeah, it’s all good. I mean, well, I don't know if its good or bad. That's why I came." He stumbled a bit over his words, which was totally unlike Sam. "What are you making?" Sam's eyes went wide looking at the glass all laid out on the table and the metal frame sitting on the floor.

"Just a little project to keep myself busy. Now what has you all tongue-tied? Spit it out." Dean was not one to beat around the bush - if there was bad news he wanted it laid out for him.

"Well, I saw Michael today."

Dean froze where he sat, feeling a wave of nausea rush through him and felt the color drain from his face.

"Dean, are you okay?" Sam was suddenly right in front of him and he wasn't sure how he'd got there so fast. He blinked rapidly and tried to pull in a deep breath but his throat felt tight and it was hard to get air in.

"I- I- I can't," Dean managed to wheeze out. He felt strong hands grasp his shoulders as he scrunched his eyes shut.

Michael found me, fuck, fuck, fuck, Michael is here.

"Dean, I need you too breath with me, okay? Count backwards from ten. Deep breath in, just like that and then out. Just look at me, okay? I’m right here."

Dean opened his eyes, breathing deep and staring at Sam's hazel eyes. The scent of calming Alpha washed over him, of brother and home, and he felt his muscles start to relax and his breaths come easier. He didn't know how long they sat there, with Sam coaching Dean through his breathing till he felt well enough to try talking again.

"Sorry ‘bout that, Sammy." The adrenaline drop was hitting him now that the panic attack was subsiding and he felt even more nauseous than before.

"It’s alright, Dean. Here, you want some chocolate?" He pulled out a Snickers bar that Dean gratefully took and began eating.

"What did Michael say? Does he know where I am?" He needed to know just how screwed he was, and he really should have seen this coming - it wasn't like Michael didn't know where Sam lived.

"He was looking for you. I told him you moved west to California and I hadn't seen you in months. He said he wanted to fix things with you, and he wanted a chance to explain, but you had changed phones and he wanted your number." Sam watched Dean's face closely as he relayed this information.

"Did you give it to him?"

"No, of course I didn't. I said if my brother wants to talk to you he will, but unless he does, to back the hell off. He said he was only in town for the night on business and said to tell you he was looking for you." Sam bristled a bit, hands resting on his hips now. "Now are you gonna tell me what the hell happened with you two? Should I have kicked his ass instead of sending him off?"

"No, Sammy, you did the right thing, and I am not talking about this." He did think the sight of Sam knocking Michael on his ass would feel good, though he kept that to himself.

"Dean, that's not good enough. You just had a full blown panic at the mention of his name! Did he hurt you? If he did, you can tell me, I won't judge you for it, Dean, but I can tell you haven't been right since you moved here."

"Sammy, what happened between me and my ex is nothing you need to worry about. Do I look injured or beat up? No, I am fine, so just drop it, okay?" He also knew that the marks Michael had left that night were faded and gone now, and would not have been visible above his clothing anyway. Michael was too smart for that. He could see his brother gearing up to argue so he cut him off. "Sam, I am asking you to leave this alone, for me. If I wanna talk about it I will, but until then don't harp on it, okay?"

Sam shifted side to side, obviously weighing the pros and cons of pushing Dean and letting it go for now. Thankfully Sam's shoulders relaxed a bit and he moved to lean over the table, looking at the pile of glass.

"So what's with all the blue?"

Dean gave Sam a smile that he hoped conveyed his thank you for him dropping the topic, "It’s for the ice. I’m making a willow tree in winter. I plan to dangle these little blue glass pieces like iced-over leaves on the tree. Not sure how to mimic snow yet, though," he mused, turning over some wire in his hand.

"That will be really cool when the light hits it, I bet. Kinda like that dream catcher you made me with glass in it. Do you remember that?"

Dean did remember. Sam had been having bad dreams so Dean made him a dream catcher to keep the nightmares at bay. It didn't actually do anything, but it helped Sam sleep, and even John was willing to hang it from the rear-view when they were on the road. "I remember that. Dad kept it in his rig once you said you were too old for it." Dean smiled at the memory.

"I didn't think he'd keep something like that," Sam started twirling a piece of glass in his hands and seemed lost in thought a moment.

"How's Madison?" Dean asked, trying to draw his brother back to the present.

"She's great. Working on a big thesis paper for one of Professor Novak's classes. You seen much of him around lately?"

Dean tried to hide his flush at the mention of his neighbor. Dean had been trying his damnedest to avoid the man, who just seemed to be there every time he turned around. He dropped off another pie saying he couldn't finish it on his own. He had grabbed Dean's door when his arms were full of groceries, and he had even helped hold the ladder while Dean chipped ice off the gutters. It didn't help that the man’s scent only smelled stronger and more alluring by the day. How was that even possible? Dean had never smelled anything so good in his entire life, making living so close to the man almost unbearable.

"All the freaking time. I swear that guy is stalking me," Dean grumbled to himself, though he knew that accusation was harsh.

"Is he really giving you trouble, Dean?" Sam sounded concerned now, and he decided to backtrack quickly.

"No, he isn't, he is nothing but nice and respectful, I promise."

"Why don't you try hanging out with the guy? You could do with a friend so you aren't holed up in here or your house all the time. Do you talk to anyone besides Bobby?"

"Bobby makes just fine conversation," Dean scowled, not liking where this was going.

"About shop talk, sure, but would you at least try for me?"

Dean frowned at him, knowing Sam had a point but the whole reason he moved away was to take a break from people, wasn't it? Why did he need to make friends, anyway?

"Fine, I will do something social this week, I promise, if it gets you off my back." Dean knew Sam wouldn't let it drop and he would rather hang out with Castiel than have Sam bring by his nerdy college friends. Castiel may be incredibly smart but he never made Dean feel stupid the way the college kids did.

"That's all I ask, and speaking of social, I’m going away next weekend with Madison to her parents’ cabin. I don't think they have any cell signal up there, but I can leave you with the land line for an emergency."

"Just don't get eaten by any bears, ya big moose," Dean smiled and Sam rolled his eyes. Sam headed out and Dean contemplated what Sam had said, determined to maybe try and talk to Castiel when he got home. The thought made him smile more than it should have and he felt a little prickling of arousal, picturing his dark hair and stubble-covered jaw. He applied more blockers on the drive home just to be sure none of his Omega scent escaped this time.

He parked and went straight for the shower, rinsing off the grease and grime of the day. He had installed a new shower head and it helped with the subpar water pressure. He still wondered what Castiel's side of the building looked like. He got dressed in clean jeans and sweatshirt and got to work, cooking up a quick, cheap dinner. He was still saving for an actual bed and maybe a couch, so he kept his food budget minimal.

Lucky for Dean, cooking on a budget was his forte, and he had whipped up a shepherd’s pie in no time. He applied his blockers and sat down with a book Sam had given him before he left. Soon, Dean's nose told him the dish was done and he pulled it out, smelling the salty and savory aroma. He had made a lot of it, hoping for leftovers. The thought struck him that maybe this was a chance to be neighborly and share his dinner. It went against his whole plan to avoid the man, but maybe that plan was just futile, seeing how close they were. He could hear Castiel moving about downstairs so he knew he was home.

Before he changed his mind, he slipped on his boots and grabbed the casserole, heading for the door. He felt a shiver of nerves run through him as he knocked on Castiel's door, that he decided to blame on the cold. The sound of footsteps approaching made his stomach sink, and he thought it might be a terrible idea and maybe he could just turn around when the door swung open to reveal Castiel standing there in all his Alpha glory.

"Hello, Dean." Castiel's smile lit up his entire face. The dude was beaming at him like the damn sun. It was distracting... and hot as fuck, but mostly distracting.

"Uh, hey Cas, I uh, had some extra dinner and didn't know if you might want to share? Unless you’re busy, of course." Dean slowly started to retreat back down the stairs, casserole clutched in his hands.

"I'd love to. I was just going to reheat leftovers. Want to come in?" Castiel stood back and Dean took a deep breath, smelling the happy honey scent coming from the man. He moved to follow him inside.

Dean's eyes went wide as he took in the place. It was night and day with Dean's side of the duplex. All of the layout was the same but the similarities stopped there. The hardwood floors had a beautiful deep red cherry finish, the walls were painted a soft cream color and there was art sculptures and shelves of books all over the living room, framing a flat screen TV. There was a comfortable but stylish couch and matching chair that sat on top of a very expensive-looking oriental rug. The kitchen was obviously redone with all the latest fixtures and a mix of dark charcoal coloring and white cabinets.

"Um, holy shit, dude." The words slipped out of his mouth before he could pull them back.

"Do you not like it? My brother designed it for me I don't know a thing about furnishing a house." Castiel shrugged nervously.

"It’s uh, well, it’s nice. Like, too nice."

"Too nice?"

"Yeah. I mean, this place belongs on the west side of town, not in southie." Dean shook his head trying to imagine why anyone would spend so much money fixing up a duplex in a poorer Beta neighborhood. Hell, this place belonged in Manhattan, not Sioux Falls.

"It probably would, but I don't care for the attitude of the people on that side of town, and plus, this place was affordable enough I could fix it up nicer than I could have in the west end. Can I take that for you?"

Dean offered over the casserole and watched as the Alpha set it on the counter and grabbed two bowls and spoons.

He sat at the breakfast bar, breathing in the now familiar scent and letting it calm him. After his scare that evening he was kinda glad not to be alone. Especially if Michael really was in the city. He knew it was nearly impossible for Michael to know where he was living, it wasn't like he was listed anywhere, but still it was nice to have someone to hang out with. Fuck, Sam was right, but there is no way in hell he gets to know that.

"A lot on your mind?" Castiel asked, smiling and sliding over a piping hot bowl to Dean after sticking a spoon in it.

"Me? Nah, nothing going on up here, believe me."

"I sincerely doubt that, Dean." Castiel frowned at him and Dean just shrugged.

"So what do you do for fun, anyway?" he asked through a mouthful of food and damn, he had outdone himself.

Castiel flashed him that smile that made his breath catch and gestured to the book shelves. "I like to read, especially when it’s not just grading papers. I love a good fantasy or science fiction series."

"Did you read the Dark Tower series? Sam just dropped that book off for me today."

"I have. It’s great, Stephen King is such a talented author."

They ate and chatted about their favorite books. It turns out they both also shared a love of old western movies and Dean loved hearing Castiel's gravelly voice say, “Go ahead, make my day”. It nearly made his cock twitch in his pants. Something about that deep gravelly voice made his stomach do flips, and it was more than just an Alpha cadence too, it was something else.

Before he knew it, they had finished eating and had just been sitting chatting for almost an hour. It was getting late and Dean figured he should head back to his side again, though he felt reluctant to leave.

"I have a copy of Searchers and True Grit if you wanted to come over tomorrow. We could do a mini John Wayne marathon?" Castiel smiled and Dean couldn't help but return his own closed-lip grin.

"I'd like that. I should probably be heading home, though, it’s late." Dean stood, feeling suddenly awkward, though he couldn't say why.

"It’s a plan, then. Just let me put some foil over your dish for you." Castiel went to wrap up the dish and handed the leftovers back to him. Dean thanked him and hovered by the door, truly not wanting to leave, his heart thumping at the idea of being alone.

"Thanks for having me over, Cas."

"Any time, Dean. Thank you for bringing dinner. You’re a very good cook." Castiel held the door for him and Dean tried not to visibly preen under the compliment.

"Have a good night, Cas."

"You too, Dean."

With that, Dean headed back to his apartment, forcing down the urge to bolt inside. He still kept an eye out on the street, but he didn't see anything but the elderly neighbor walking her dog, and two young kids who should likely be at home on a school night. He locked the door and put away his casserole before heading up to bed.

His anxiety crept back in as he lay on the mats in his room. His mind was reeling, keeping him up between thoughts of Michael and thoughts of Castiel. He wondered where Michael was staying. Did he really have business in town or did he come all this way looking for Dean? He breathed through the whirling thoughts and tried to focus on Castiel, the strange, kind Alpha who smelled so good.

Making friends with Castiel was seeming like a better and better idea. That didn't mean he wouldn't keep his guard up, he wasn't going to have a repeat of Michael - not ever. Michael had been so nice and charming, though his scent had never pulled at Dean the way Castiel's did. Looking back on it, there had always been a strong undercurrent of danger with Michael. He finally fell into a restless albeit dreamless sleep.

The next week Dean found himself over at Castiel's most evenings. He didn't dare have Castiel see the inside of his place, not after he got a look at how nice his side was. He didn't think Castiel had any misconceptions on Dean's wealth, but he didn't need to know he couldn't even afford furniture.

They worked their way through Castiel's western movie collection and Dean had to admit that dinner was good enough to override his guilt of letting Castiel cook most nights. He also spent time going through Cas’ vinyl collection, which was extensive, though he apparently inherited it from a relative. It was easier being with Castiel than he imagined, and what he liked most about Castiel was he didn't ask any prying questions. He didn't want every gory detail on Dean's life. There were times he almost wished Castiel would ask him, but then thought better of it. It would take a lot of whiskey to pull most stories out of Dean, and he was not dumb enough to get drunk around an Alpha.

He was heading home on Friday night when Castiel stopped him at the door, a soft hand on his shoulder and God help him for leaning into the touch a bit. Castiel hadn't laid so much as a pinkie finger on Dean in the week or so they'd been hanging out.

"There’s a big storm coming in tomorrow. It sounds like it may be worse than they were anticipating." Castiel's frown deepened.

"Huh. Good to know. Better stock up on food and water then." He actually had enough dry food to stay hold up for the weekend, but it put a damper on his plans to go to Bobby's and keep working on his sculpture.

"Well, there is supposed to be high winds and temps are dropping, so if you need anything you'll let me know?" Castiel almost looked pleading which seemed a strange way to offer assistance.

"I can handle a storm, Cas. Not my first storm living in the Midwest, huh." Dean smiled at him and on instinct gave the man’s shoulder a squeeze before heading out the door. Cas called goodnight out to him and smiled at the kind gesture from Castiel, however unneeded it might be.

He woke up the following morning, kicking off his sweaty sheets. He wondered if he turned the thermostat up too high and moved into the bathroom to take a quick shower. He kept the water cooler than normal and felt immensely better as he put on some sweats and a tee-shirt ready to have a lazy day inside. He took his suppressants but didn't bother with blockers since he wasn't going anywhere.

He made eggs for breakfast and felt famished right up until the time he actually went to eat them and the smell nearly made him throw up. The flushed feeling from earlier that morning was back - he began to wonder if he hadn't caught a bug. He peered out his front window to see it was dark out and wind was already making the snow and sleet go sideways.

He went back upstairs and found a thermometer, taking his temperature and finding he was at 100.9 degrees. Figures he would get a sick on his day off at home. He ran cool water on a rag and held it to his head while ditching his wasted eggs. As the day wore on, he got more and more uncomfortable and his temperature crept up again. It wasn't till he felt a tell tale slick start between his cheeks that he realized what was happening.

Dean should have known it was a heat coming on. He had ignored everything his dad had taught him about suppressants. Suppressants really only worked to delay a heat, not stop them completely. John insisted Dean go off his suppressants twice a year and cycle through a heat so that his body never overrode them unexpectedly. They would take a week off twice a year and go up to cabin owned by a friend, Rufus. No one was up that far so it was less likely an Alpha would catch his scent.

His heats normally only lasted a few days, and then he needed some recouperation time from dehydration and lack of food. John or Sam had always helped him through his heats, making sure he drank or ate enough. He'd been on suppressants non-stop for over a year now, since his dad died. He tried to remember his last heat and he thought it was two years ago. A hot flash hit him and he groaned, feeling a cold sweat start and the aching beginning in his hole. He had decided to live as an Omega openly after John died so he'd ditched his blockers, but he had always kept up with the suppressants. He kept thinking, Next month I will go off them and cycle through a heat , but he always had a reason to avoid it. Mostly he wasn't ready to be mated to Michael, and a mating bite only took in the system while an Omega was in heat. Then when things went down with Michael, the idea of going into heat alone without his ever-present father keeping him safe was even more daunting.

"Nice job, Winchester," he growled at himself, realizing that Sam was out of reach for the weekend up at the cabin with Madison. His body ached and he could feel the pheromones wafting off of him. He prayed that the storm would keep any Alphas nearby from scenting his heat. His body was screaming at him to be filled, it wanted a knot and it wanted it now.

He dragged himself up the stairs and found his bag of supplies. He stripped out of his clothes, finding his medium-sized dildo. Unlike many stereotypes, Omega's were not mindless knot-hungry creatures during their heats. At least their minds could still reason and make decisions, despite what their body wanted. What Dean was aching for was a knot, but the dildo would have to do. His cock was already achingly hard as he pressed the dildo into his wet and willing hole. His free hand stroked his dick as he lay back on the mats, panting and feeling the impending orgasm rip through him at rapid speed. His breathing leveled as he rolled onto his side, legs already feeling weak and useless.

A shiver ran through him and he wasn't sure if it was the heat or fear running through him. He didn't think he could make it to the bathroom anymore, the heat had seized his body making his joints ache and muscles weak. The only thing that would ease that was when his heat ended or he received a lot of Alpha cum. He was cursing himself for not realizing what was going on earlier and at least grabbing water and some food before he was stuck.

Just then the house gave a mighty creak as a huge gust of wind swept by. The lights flickered out, leaving Dean in the low, grey light of the storm. If Dean had been scared before, not that he would ever admit it, but he was now truly and completely fucked.

Chapter Text

Castiel sat at his kitchen counter, stirring a bowl of soup to help it cool and listening to the storm howling outside. He had checked the news - the storm was worse than they had been anticipating. He had a large generator installed just a year ago and he had refueled it before the storm, so he wasn't too concerned.

The lights flickered. He had just pulled his sweater around his shoulders when there was a loud cracking sound and the lights all went out, making him jump. Grabbing his phone, he hit the flashlight and went to turn on the generator. It took about ten minutes before his house was booted back up and the lights were back on.

The temp was dropping fast, and he wondered if there was a generator for Dean’s side of the duplex. Whether habit or instinct, he went toward the vent and breathed deep to try and catch Dean’s scent. The smell was utterly overwhelming, hitting him like a freight train.

Dean was in heat and his brain was screaming at him mate, mate, mate, my omega .

His muscles went rigid and a possessive growl started low in his chest. The sweet smell was coursing through his lungs and before he knew it he was out the house and standing in the sleet and snowy rain by Dean’s front door. He couldn’t think straight, all that was running through his head was mate, claim, mate, Dean , cycling on repeat. He had to get in there. He pulled up the welcome mat and found the hidden key and quickly made it inside.

He smelled even stronger in there and it was dark, since the power was out. That’s when he heard it, a small tiny whimpering sound that if he hadn’t had Alpha strong hearing would not have registered over the howling wind. He took the stairs two at a time, desperate to get to Dean. He had to get to Dean.

He found Dean in the bedroom, and it took all his self control to hold himself back and take in what he saw. Dean was curled on his side on top of a sleeping bag, white as a ghost, and his soft, freckled skin shivering and drenched in sweat. The smell of brown sugar and apples and sweet omega slick was overpowering and Castiel took a step forward, when Dean lifted his head to meet his gaze.

The look of absolute terror and defiance in those green eyes brought Castiel up short. Dean snarled at him, lip raised, baring his teeth, the very definition of a frightened, injured animal. He forced himself to smell again and he caught the heat tinged with fear. He was suddenly mortified that he’d raced over here to claim Dean when he obviously was in need of help. He forced himself to breathe slowly and willed his erection to go down since that was the last thing he needed.

“You try a-anything and I’ll kill you,” Dean snarled as a shiver shook his whole body. Castiel, for the first time, took in the situation. With the power out, the temperature was dropping fast in the apartment. From the looks of it Dean had no food or water, hell, he didn’t even have any furniture, and he knew that while in heat he would be far less able to move around. Dean curled in on himself, hands trying to cover his nudity and not succeeding very well.

“I am not going to hurt you, Dean. When did your heat start? How long have you been like this?” Castiel softened his face as much as he could, crouching down without invading the man’s space.

“What’s it to you? Just get the hell out.” Dean closed his eyes and moaned, muscles tightening, and Castiel knew they were screaming at him to get a knot. He eyed the sex toys laying on the sleeping bag next to him.

“Dean, I am not leaving here without you. You could die - you need help through your heat.” Castiel was glad his voice had leveled out and he desperately wanted to get Dean back to the warmth and security of his house.

“If you're going to fuck me and knot me, just do it now and get it over with,” Dean’s voice broke and his breathing was labored.

Castiel moved slowly down onto his knees, putting his hands on his thighs. “Dean, look at me.” He waited till Dean lifted his gaze to stare up him through long lashes. “I'm not going to rape you, I am not going to do anything to hurt you. I would not knot you against your will, Dean. Please let me help you.”

Dean stared at him but didn’t answer, only put his head back down on the sleeping bag in a kind of defeat. Castiel thought that might be the best he was gonna get. He took the sleeping bag and laid it over Dean, wrapping him up in it. He scooped the man up in his arms bridal-style, and tried to breathe through his mouth so as not be overwhelmed by the smell of Dean’s heat.

He discreetly grabbed the toys from the mats on the ground and carried Dean downstairs. Dean’s eyes were now scrunched shut and he was leaning into the heat of Castiel’s chest. He suddenly wished there was some way to get him to his house without going outside, but there was no way around it. They ducked out into the storm and Castiel sheltered Dean as best he could till he got Dean to his front door and inside.

“I'm gonna run you a bath, alright? Try and warm you up.” Dean just stared warily at him and shrugged. Castiel ran the bath and got Dean a glass of water while he waited for it to fill. His scent had seemed to settle some and the fear was calming down. Castiel held the glass to his lips and helped him drink.

“T-t-thanks Cas,” the Omega managed to get out and Castiel tried not to preen under the short but kind words. He knew Dean’s body was feverish but he’d been in the cold house for so long he needed to warm back up.

“Come on, let’s get you in the water, then back in bed, okay? Maybe you can get some sleep.”

Dean gave a little sarcastic bark of a laugh but let Castiel pick him up. Dean’s skin felt clammy under his hands and he resisted the urge to press his face to the crook of his neck and smell the sweet scent of mate. He set Dean down in the water where he had added some bath salts. Dean visibly relaxed the second his body hit the warm water.

He decided to give Dean a moment's privacy and went downstairs to heat up some soup for Dean. He wasn’t sure if he'd would be up for eating anything, but at least it would be ready. As he climbed the stairs he heard Dean give a low, whimpering sigh and the smell of sex and Dean got stronger as he approached the room.

His body trembled at the thought of Dean’s soft skin and firm muscles, his eyes dark with lust and slick between his legs. He imagined Dean’s fingers pumping in and out of himself under the warm water till his beautiful cock came in a burst of release and pleasure. He bit down on his lower lip hard, struggling for control again before he pushed those thoughts out of his mind.

He waited a second before knocking on the bathroom door. He peeked in and Dean was flush-faced, arms gripping his knees under the water. Castiel knew how exhausting his rut could be and it wasn’t nearly as incapacitating as a heat. He could only imagine how tired Dean must be feeling.

He knelt down next to the tub and smiled at Dean. Without thinking, he reached out a hand and dragged his fingers through the auburn hair. He worried a moment he had crossed a line, that the gesture was too intimate, but to his surprise Dean let out a low, purring sound, closing his eyes and turning his face into the touch till Cas was holding his face in his hand.

He stayed very still, not wanting to break the moment between them. Dean’s eyes fluttered open and he gave Cas a small, shy smile, ducking his head. He took that as his cue and drained the tub, grabbing a towel and helping Dean up. He helped to dry Dean off without letting his hands stray.

“Do you want to borrow some clothes?” Castiel offered but one sniff told him Dean was already producing slick again.

“No that’s okay, no point.”

Dean was right, so Castiel took him to bed, tucking him in and sneaking the toy under the covers for him. Dean flushed a bright pink when he noticed Castiel had brought his dildo, but didn’t say anything.

“I have some soup. Are you hungry?” Castiel brought the soup over and Dean eyed him suspiciously. The stubborn man just shrugged and Castiel brought the bisque to him. Dean managed a few bites before he was panting again and squirming under the covers.

“I'll be downstairs on the couch. I left you some water. Just yell if you need anything, okay?” He waited a second before turning to go and was halted by a quiet voice behind him.

“Thanks.”

Castiel turned and saw Dean’s eyes were shut, and he smiled, seeing him warm and safe. He closed the door behind himself as he headed back down the stairs to the living room. He found an extra blanket and got ready to sleep on the couch. Settling down, the house creaked with the storm outside and the generator gave a loud rumbling hum.

Still, he couldn’t avoid hearing Dean when he cried out with his release yet again. He palmed his own aching erection as the longing to go upstairs and give his mate the knot he needed coursed through him. He wanted to feel Dean beneath him, he wanted to be the one causing those noises and so many more. He wanted to bring them both relief and sink into the beautiful perfection that was Dean Winchester. He knew he couldn’t though, he knew that Dean needed to trust him first and maybe this was their first real step.

***************

Dean couldn’t believe what a mess he had gotten himself in. He had managed a few hours sleep that night. Castiel’s bed was soft and warm and smelled like heaven. He couldn’t help but rut into the sheets, breathing in the scent of Castiel still on his pillows as he worked the fake knot in and out of himself. The pain and pleasure were mixed together as he came yet again into the sheets, his moan muffed by the pillow.

He breathed through the small reprieve he had between orgasms. His muscles still felt like jello and his skin was clammy and uncomfortable. Castiel had checked on him a few times through the night, bringing him water or a granola bar at one point. Dean was feeling a bit delirious now from lack of sleep, and he blinked as he looked out the window to see the sun coming up.

His body wanted Castiel so bad it physically ached. He’d never been around an Alpha who wasn’t family during a heat before. Certainly not one who smelled so amazing. He’d never wanted anyone's knot like he wanted Castiel’s right then. It took all his self control not to stick his ass in the air and beg the man to fuck him already. God, he wanted it so bad, but he also knew that was likely just the heat talking.

Then again, Castiel didn’t smell like other Alphas did. He smelled like home, there was no other way Dean could describe it. The man was beautiful with that dark hair and blue eyes and square jaw. He’d carried Dean like he’d weighed nothing at all. He still couldn’t figure out why Castiel hadn’t taken him right there. He’d seen the erection the other man was sporting and saw lust in his eyes and heavy scent of arousal. He couldn’t understand it - Dean was weak, he couldn’t fight back not, like he was. Dean didn’t know a single Alpha who wouldn’t have taken advantage of that, save his dad and brother who would never do that to a vulnerable Omega. He was starting to think maybe Castiel was made of better stuff than the average man.

As if on cue, Castiel peered around the corner, a steaming bowl of food in his hand. Dean smelled the brown sugar and maple syrup and had to smile, thinking the food matched his own scent. He was able to pull himself to sitting and took the bowl from the other man, letting his fingers linger over the other man’s just a little longer.

“It’s just oatmeal. Did you sleep at all?” Castiel put a hand to his forehead and frowned at the fever he still felt there. The heat would go for at least another two days, but he was feeling stronger than the night before.

“A little,” he said, taking a few bites and then his stomach was just not having any more. He did drink some proffered water and Castiel ran his fingers through Dean’s hair again before heading back down stairs. Dean’s gut screamed at him to call after Castiel to pull the man into the bed with him. He bit down on his lip hard enough to bruise to keep the words in.

His heat took over again and he writhed on the dildo, praying that it would be over soon.

It took another day before it finally started to subside. Dean was in and out of consciousness during that time, whimpering with need and dying for relief that he couldn’t have. The Alpha gave him space, but was always there with a drink or to help him to the bathroom.   

He was in one of the last waves of his heat as he pictured strong arms holding him safe and tight. Pink lips wrapped on the nape of his neck and imagined sharp teeth sinking into him with a growl as a knot swelled within him, and he came hard, crying out “Castiel!” at the top of his lungs. As he came down from his orgasm, muscles aching, he realized what he’d done. A thought occurred to him then… could Castiel be his mate?

He’d heard of true mates of course. They weren’t common, but it didn’t stop people from obsessing about finding theirs. Dean had never thought about having a true mate, it had never been something he thought someone like him would have. He pressed his face into the pillow and breathed in the smell again, the smell of Castiel, the smell of mate.

Fucking hell, he’s my mate!

He was kicking himself for not seeing it before and now it seemed clear as day. He didn’t know what to do with this information. He wasn’t sure he was ready for something like that. He still needed time to get over Michael, to get his bearings. He wondered if Castiel would wait for him, wait for him to figure all this out.

The Alpha in question came into the room, giving Dean a warm smile. “How are you feeling?”

“Like hell,” he replied honestly.

He came in the room, sitting on the edge of the bed next to Dean. His pulse quickened in proximity to the man. Castiel’s long graceful fingers felt his head and then gripped his wrist, taking his pulse.

“Seems like your heat is over. Would you like a shower? Maybe some real food?”

Dean nodded sheepishly, feeling like a gross mess. He hated how messy being an Omega could be. Castiel scooped him up off the bed, and he would have protested but his legs were still wobbly and if he was honest, it just felt good to be so close to him. He tried to smell the man discreetly, smiling at the honey and fresh-cut grass scent of summer.

There was a seat in the shower, and Dean convinced Cas he could take it from there, so the man finally left him to get cleaned up. The warm water was amazing on his aching muscles and he scrubbed himself three times with Castiel’s body wash till he began to feel human again. He even managed to dry off with one of his big fluffy towels, and wrapped it around his waist before going back out into the room. He saw Castiel finishing putting new sheets on the bed and gathering up the dirty ones in his arms.

“Sorry about that.” He wondered if he should offer to get new sheets, but he thought that would take a lot of his furniture savings to replace that thread count.

“Don’t be. I'll wash these - it’s not a problem.”

“What day is it?” Dean had lost track of time in the haze of it all.

“Monday afternoon. Your boss called on your cell phone, and I told him you were sick but would call him back as soon as you could.”

“Fuck, I didn’t even think of that.” He slumped against the door frame, thinking he really should head back to his place. “Did the power come back on?”

“Yes, it came on the morning after the storm. I have a generator so I never lost power completely.”

“Shit. I wonder if my pipes froze.” Dean groaned at the thought of more water damage.

“Don’t worry about it, I managed to hook up your heater to my generator and it kept the house warm enough for the pipes to avoid freezing that night.”

“When did you have time for that?” He scowled at the man, who was now tilting his head in confusion.

“I found time. It was no problem, really, Dean. I'm just glad I found you.”

The sincerity in those words brought Dean up short. “Well, I guess I really owe you one. I’m sorry you got stuck taking care of me.” He rubbed at the back of his neck and stared at the plush carpet.

Suddenly the Alpha had moved right in front of him, dipping his head to catch Dean’s eye. “You don’t owe me anything, Dean. I was happy to help you. I know you’d do the same.”

Dean shrugged and gave him a small smile. “And it wasn’t hard for you?”

“Hard for me?”

“To have an Omega… in your bed. You sure you're an Alpha?” Dean teased a bit.

A dark look came into Castiel’s eyes as he crowded Dean against the wall. His eyes travelled down Dean’s bare chest and back up to his eyes, desire clear on his face.

Castiel’s next words were low and gravely. “You are welcome to feel my knot and confirm for yourself. If you are asking if it was difficult not coming up here and stuffing you full of my knot while I claimed every inch of you as mine, then yes, it was a challenge. As I said before though, no matter how much I want you, and let me be clear on this… I want you,” Castiel's eyes blazed and Dean swallowed down his arousal before Castiel continued, “I will only have you if you want me back. And I am a patient man, Dean Winchester.”

Dean licked his lips, staring at the man before him, and on instinct he leaned forward, capturing those pink lips in his. He pressed into the kiss, warm and inviting and felt the vibration of Castiel’s purr of pleasure rumbling through him.

He finally pulled back from the kiss. “Can we uh- still take it slow?” He felt like a damn coward.

A wide grin broke out across Castiel’s face and Dean thought he wanted to see more of that. “Of course we can, I'm in no rush. You're worth waiting for.”

“How do you know that?” Dean gave him a skeptical smile and Castiel laughed.

“‘Cause I just know, alright?”

“Well maybe it won’t take THAT long if you keep feeding me so well.” He smiled more openly then, and Castiel’s eyes crinkled in the corners.

“If that’s all it takes, I better get cooking, then.”

“Maybe you should, but I can help.” Dean took a chance, lacing his fingers with Castiel’s and the touch felt good. It felt safe.

“Let's get to it, then.”

And with that, Dean got dressed and spent the morning making omelets with Castiel, thinking he could maybe get used to this.

Chapter Text

Castiel finished putting the last dish in the washer and turned to see Dean leaning back in his chair, a contented smile stretched across his face. Dean looked calm, his eyes shut and chest rising and falling with slow, steady breaths. His scent of apples and brown sugar was strong and he smelled genuinely relaxed. Castiel much preferred Dean like this and he tried not to stare when he stretched his arms out over his head, leaning back to show taut muscle over elegant square hips. He desperately wanted to put his mouth to that small offering of skin but bit down hard on his cheek to keep his focus.

“Dean,” he called, getting the man’s attention and he was quickly staring into those startling eyes. “Now that you're feeling better, would you like to tell me how you ended up in such a predicament?”

Dean’s jaw seemed to stiffen a bit and he sat up straight in his chair, “I don’t think that’s any of your business, Cas.”

“I’d beg to differ, seeing as you could have been seriously hurt. You could have died, Dean. I’d like to know that it's not going to happen again. It's very foolish not to properly prepare for your heat.” He didn’t mean to sound scolding, but he just couldn’t get the image out of his mind of Dean, shivering and helpless on those mats in the dark. Things could have been so much worse.

“Foolish? Fucking foolish? You know what, Cas? Fuck you!” Dean jumped down off the stool and strode toward the door. God damn it, Castiel, how are you messing this up already ?

“Dean, wait.” He moved after Dean, managing to beat him to the door and he placed a hand firmly against it, blocking the now surly Omega.

“Out of my way, Cas.” Furious green eyes stared him down but Castiel held his ground.

“Stay and talk to me. I’m sorry I said that, Dean. I didn’t mean to call you foolish.”

“Don’t go making assumptions about things you know nothing about. You have no idea what it’s like.” Dean was practically vibrating with tension and Castiel wasn’t sure how things deteriorated so fast. He needed to get things back on track before Dean took off on him.

“You're right, I don’t know, but maybe you can tell me and help me understand.”

Dean made an annoyed scoffing sound and crossed his arms.

“I want to understand, Dean. I just want to know you, and know you're safe. That's all I was trying to do and obviously at it, I’m…” he hesitated a moment, “I’m not very good at all this… communicating.” He tried to look properly abashed.

Dean’s shoulders seemed to drop a bit as he studied Castiel’s face. Crossing his arms, he stared at the floor a moment sighing, “It was foolish, it was really dumb and I’m just an idiot like that.”

Castiel took a chance. Moving a step toward Dean, he reached out to grasp the man's stubbled chin in his hand and gently lifted his face till their eyes met. He wondered momentarily how someone so tall could seem so small in that moment.

“You, Dean Winchester, are not an idiot. You are bright and thoughtful, and I know how capable you are of taking care of yourself, this incident aside. If you want to tell me about it I just want to listen. I am not judging you, Dean.”

“Yeah fine, whatever… you got any more pie, though?” Dean struggled to put a small smile on his face and Castiel reluctantly took his hand away.

“Yes, I do have pie. Come on, let’s sit on the couch,” Castiel grabbed the pie and fork and met Dean on the couch. Dean sat cross-legged, pie tin on his lap and began digging in.

“I take suppressants,” Dean started after swallowing a big bite of blueberry pie. “Normally I go off them every six months and let myself cycle through a heat, usually in a safe, remote place.”

“Did you do this alone?”

“No…my dad or Sammy were usually with me, just making sure I had food and water and that no one bothered me,” Dean seemed to leave out the unspoken, so that no Alpha found him .

“Anyway, since my Dad died over a year ago I just kept putting it off and stayed on the

suppressants. I mean I knew if I didn’t go through a heat eventually it could happen on its own, suppressants or not. I dunno, I should have known it would hit, I just kept thinking I could deal with it later.”

“So when your heat hit this time, you weren’t expecting it.”

“Of course I wasn’t. You think I would have planned to spend my heat like that without any supplies or planning?”

“Well you did have your average sized black dildo. You weren’t completely unprepared.” Castiel felt a pillow smash into his face making a muffled umphf sound.

“Jackass, and it’s hardly average sized,” Dean was hiding a smirk, blue staining his lips.

“I'm sure it's … adequate,” Castiel couldn’t help but smile, knowing his own size, and let Dean think on that.

“Uh huh,” Dean rolled his eyes now, taking another bite, “I'll just have to plan better next time, that’s all.”

“I understand your coming into heat unexpectedly, but what I don’t understand is, where all your furniture is?”

“That’s easy. Don’t have any,” Dean shrugged it off as if to say, no big deal, lots of people don’t have furniture .

“Dean, you’ve been living without a bed for over a month now?”

Again a shrug, as if nothing about that was wrong.

“What are you doing the rest of today?”

Dean gave him a wary look, scooping up the last bite of pie, “I dunno, why?”

“Let’s go shopping then. We need to get you a respectable place to sleep and maybe something to sit on other than the floor.”

“Look, that’s nice of you and all, but I'm fine, I’ll get a bed another time.”

“You cannot go another night without one, Dean.” He leveled a firm stare at Dean.

“Well, maybe I don’t want one,” he countered and Castiel rolled his eyes.

“Why are you so against getting a bed? You seemed to like mine.”

This made Dean flush a little, and Castiel couldn’t help but admire the way the freckles stood out when he did.

“I can’t afford a bed, alright? I need a few more weeks pay and then I can go buy one, but it’s fine, I can wait till then. I am not some soft delicate flower Omega, alright?” Dean glared at him in challenge.

He tried to pick his next words wisely. “Well then, there are two options I can see. We go shopping and you allow me to buy you a bed and mattress, for which you can pay me back for later, or never as far as I am concerned.”

“Or option two?”

“You simply stay here in my bed until you can buy your own. Though I do hope if you picked option two you wouldn’t want to leave.” Castiel chewed the inside of his cheek, hoping he wasn’t pushing his luck.

“And if I don’t like these options?”

Castiel fixed him with the firmest Alpha stare he could muster. “Then too bad, because those are the only options on the table. You are not spending another night sleeping on a cold, hard floor.”

Dean threw his hands in the air in exasperation. “Fine, you win! We can go shopping for a bed, but nothing expensive or fancy, okay? I get to pick.”

Castiel couldn’t keep the wide grin off his face. “We have a deal, on one condition.”

“God, you are one demanding jerk, you know that?” Dean’s words might hurt more if he wasn’t smiling.

“We take your car. I love the smell of the leather,” he grinned, and Dean’s jaw hung open a moment before snapping shut. Dean shifted a bit in his seat and Castiel caught a faint scent the Omega’s arousal. Maybe I should have just offered option two , he mused but got up off the couch offering Dean a hand, who still seemed a bit flustered. He was really looking forward to their little outing.

*********************

Dean had gone back to his place and bundled up, and it took Castiel and himself a while to clear the snow and ice off the Impala, but eventually they were on their way to a local furniture shop. Castiel had wanted to go to some place like Pottery Barn, but Dean knew he couldn’t afford that, and he had every intention of paying Castiel back. He drove to a discount furniture shop on 9 th street with huge sale posters in the windows.

He couldn’t help but grin when Castiel eyed it dubiously. “Come on, princess, let’s check it out.”

Castiel scowled but followed Dean into the store without a word. There were lines of kitchen tables and chairs, couches, and lamps. They made their way to the back and found the rows of mattresses and bed frames. He eyed the price tags, looking for the cheapest one he could find. He spotted a basic queen-size innerspring and it was a third the price of all the others.

“This one will do,” Dean nodded, thinking it should only take him another week or so to save up the money for it.

“Don’t you want to try a few of them out first?” Castiel asked as he sat down on the mattress in question. He bounced up and down on it a few times and it creaked as a scowl grew on his face. “This one doesn’t seem very comfortable. Come on, let’s look over here.” Castiel bounced up and headed across the store to a line up of memory foam mattresses.

“Cas, I don’t need one of these, the regular kind is fine,” he protested, but Castiel took Dean’s hand and pulled him down on to the closest mattress in question. They lay side by side, staring up at the store's ceiling. Dean felt the warmth coming off Castiel’s hand, since he still hadn’t released it. He had to admit, the contact was nice, soothing even. He fought the urge to shift over just enough to their arms might press together. The bed was nice, Dean could feel his body weight slowly sink into the material molding to his body.

“I like this one, it’s got a good balance of plush and firm. What do you think?”

“It’s really nice, Cas, but like I said, it’s out of my price range.” He was starting to get annoyed. How many times was he going to have to say how poor he was already?

“I think you’d be surprised, Dean. I'm a good negotiator,” Castiel pulled up off the bed and Dean refrained from reaching out to pull his hand back. “I’m going to find a sales associate. Why don’t you try out these few beds here and I’ll be right back.”

Dean sighed and rolled off the current bed, moving to the next closest one. This one was firmer but Dean thought he kinda liked the support. He glanced at the sticker price and rolled his eyes. This one was not gonna happen. He did wish fervently he could have it, though. He’d secretly always wanted a memory foam mattress. They REMEMBERED you, how cool was that?

He hummed a moment to himself, thinking of Castiel's warm, inviting bed. He was still pretty shocked the Alpha hadn't tried anything during his heat. The smell alone should have been irresistible to him and Dean was fairly certain he wouldn't have had the willpower to say no. He couldn't help wondering what that would have been like to feel Cas all over him, owning him, filling him.

"Hey handsome, you looking for someone to test that bed out with?" A soft chuckle reached Dean's ears and he sprang up to a sitting position, his nose catching the scent of aroused Alpha. A man with a dark black crew cut sat down on the mattress by Dean's knees and gave him a toothy smile.

"I'm all set, thanks anyway." Dean gritted his teeth and got ready to roll off the other side of the bed when he felt the man’s hand clasp onto his knee.

"Oh come on, a pretty omega like you out here by yourself looking at beds, alone? You must be looking for an Alpha and I'm up for the job, beautiful."

Dean cringed at the contact and only just realized he hadn't put on any blockers. He'd felt so safe and comfortable around Castiel it must have just slipped his mind.

Before Dean could open his mouth a loud, ominous growl came from behind the man. Dean looked up to see piercing blue eyes and downright dangerous look on his neighbors face.

"Please remove your hand from him before I make you," Castiel growled out with a little huff.

The other Alpha turned to size Castiel up, still keeping a firm hand locked on Dean’s knee, the grip becoming almost painful.

"I was having a nice conversation over here. Maybe you should butt out?" He countered and turned his back on Castiel to lock eyes with Dean again.

Dean cleared his throat glaring the Alpha down. "You have two seconds to get the fuck out of here before my friend and I throw you out." Hearing Castiel's deep threatening rumble in his chest and smelling that intense scent of lightning and scorched earth gave him a strange kind of calm and confidence.

The Alpha frowned at him and looked between the two of them, still not moving. Castiel seemed to have lost his patience, grabbing the collar of the man’s shirt and dragging him backwards away from Dean. He tossed the man across the showroom floor and he landed with a thud. Dean bolted up to stand next to Castiel and tried not to let his jaw drop. He'd known Castiel was strong, hell, he'd carried Dean like he weighed nothing, but the guy was packing some seriously hidden Alpha muscle under that trench coat.

"When someone asks you to leave them alone, you do it." Castiel let out one last growl and the guy scrambled up to his feet and hurried out of the store. Dean took a tentative step forward, putting a hand on the bristling Alpha's shoulder.

"Hey, remind me not to get on your bad side," he gave an awkward chuckle and Castiel's face fell a little as he turned to Dean.

"I'd say I'm sorry I tossed that guy on his ass, but then I have never been one for lying." Castiel looked Dean up and down a moment, seeming to assess his wellbeing. "However, if I upset you, I am sorry for that, I did not intend to."

"Nah, man, we're cool. That guy was a royal jerk. Sorry, I forgot to put on blockers." Dean felt a bit embarrassed to have drawn so much attention, the other shoppers in the store all glancing over at them.

"You have every right Dean to go out in public without blockers and not be harassed. Your scent is not an open invitation for anyone to manhandle you," Castiel's words made Dean itch with embarrassment. Not that he didn't agree it was just strange to hear anyone voice that opinion other than Sam.

"You've been spending too much time with my brother."

Castiel tilted his head in confusion. "I have been spending the normal amount of time with Sam for one of my senior students."

Dean had to chuckle a little at that and the sales associate came over to them with a clipboard in hand.

"Hello, Mr. Novak. Is this your friend purchasing the mattress today?"

"Yes Julia, this is Dean and he is interested in one of these models," Castiel gestured at the three mattresses behind them.

"Do you have a specific one in mind?" The pretty woman flashed a smile at Dean and he hesitated, thinking this was pointless. He still couldn't afford them.

"Well, that one is nice but it’s a bit out of my price range, so I think I'll take the inner spring over there."

Castiel frowned at him before turning to the sales woman, "I think Julia here can work out a better price on this one, can't you?"

"That is a very popular model, Mr. Novak. I don't know if my manager will let me come down in price." She cooed, looking at Cas like he was made of dollar signs.

"Now, I know for a fact that this is last year's model of this mattress and you need to move the old stock out. I also know that they are having a fifty percent off sale on this brand, just down the street. Now if you can't get us a reasonable price on this one, then we can just take our business down the road."

The woman looked more than a little flustered as she eyed her clipboard. "Well I guess I can check with my manager and see what we can do, I mean I'm sure we can find a way to match that price." She smiled, clicking her way toward the back office. Castiel had a smug grin on his face.

"If it’s really half price down the street why don't we just go there?" Dean asked in a whisper as the woman was coming back.

"Because I don't know if it’s half off or not down there.

Dean understood the smug grin a little better and elbowed Castiel conspiratorially. "You little liar, you," he hissed, smiling at him.

Castiel just shrugged. "A small lie, and we can get you this mattress for the price of that one." Just then the woman reappeared.

"Alright Mr. Novak, how does this price sound?" She held out a clipboard.

"Throw in free same day delivery and you have a deal," Castiel countered.

She eyed him a moment before stretching out her hand, "You have a deal, Mr. Novak. I'll go get you an invoice and we can process your payment."

"Does that work for you, Dean?" Castiel asked, turning and showing Dean the number. It was the same price as the inner spring.

"Uh yeah, that works for me."

Castiel dragged Dean around to look at bedding, a box spring and bed frame before he finally told Castiel if he didn't stop adding stuff to the order he was walking out. The other man had sighed in resignation and the woman had rung up all the purchases. They did get a good deal, but it was going to take time for him to pay Castiel back and he didn't like that feeling.

He still thought Castiel had worked some kind of magic to get delivery of everything that afternoon. He watched as Castiel directed the movers and tried not to feel embarrassed at the state of his empty house. The beautiful new bed looked out of place in his barren bedroom. He thought the bed looked as out of place here as Castiel himself. An elegant, handsome, confident Alpha amidst the beaten down building with a screwed up Omega.

"I uh, appreciate the help, Cas, it was nice of ya, I think I'll probably call it an early night." He tried for a smile but even he knew it likely wasn't convincing.

"Is everything alright, Dean?" Castiel's voice held that note of concern. "If you don't like it we can still return it."

"No, it's great Cas, really, I love the bed." Now he felt like an ungrateful jerk.

Castiel stepped forward into his space and Dean couldn't help but draw in his scent, now sweet like honey and grass. "Talk to me?"

Dean sighed, and looked up at the expectant look on the man's face. He just didn't know how he felt, and he'd never been very good at the whole talking thing. "It’s all too... too much."

Castiel studied him a moment more. "I never meant to make you uncomfortable Dean, I consider us friends now and this is what friends do for each other, is it not?"

"Well, maybe, and we only just met, Cas, you hardly know me," Dean added in the internal, if you did you wouldn't want me .

Castiel reached a hand out to cup Dean's face a moment and he didn't even roll his eyes since the touch felt so damn good. "I look forward to learning everything about you, Dean, so maybe we can be more than just friends. I believe proper courting behavior is friends first and then lovers."

"Lovers!" Dean exclaimed with a laugh, "what century are you from, dude?"

Castiel tipped his head in confusion a moment. "The same as you, of course."

Dean laughed again at the look on the man's face, and damn if it wasn't a beautiful face. He really needed to stow his shit and give this guy a chance.

"Well, if we're gonna be friends, you wanna split a pizza for dinner? My treat?"

"You sure you don't want me to go?"

"Nah man, stay, lets eat. If you don't mind sitting on the floor, that is."

"I'd eat pizza with you on any style of furnishing or lack thereof." Castiel's face broke into a wide grin, small wrinkles around his eyes. Dean could feel himself almost drawn into the man like a moth to a flame, but he managed to keep his feet firmly planted. He did, however, reach out for Castiel's hand, lacing their long fingers together.

"Come on, let’s go put in the order. No veggies on my pizza, though."

"As you wish, Dean."

Chapter Text

Dean flipped on the extra light in the shed as the daylight started to fade in the room. He liked working in natural light, but he only had time to work on his piece in the evening so he made do. With spring coming the days were getting longer, however, and he hoped to have it finished by the time the weather was good. It had been a few weeks since his sudden heat and he'd spent most of his free time with either Castiel or Sam, and on one occasion both of them.

Castiel was proving to a be a man of his word when it came to befriending Dean. He spent hours asking Dean about himself, likes and dislikes. Dean did the same and found himself feeling more and more at home around the Alpha. He'd still avoided talking about his past relationship. He knew if he wanted things to move forward with Castiel he'd have to eventually. For a little while longer, though, he wanted the past to stay in the damn past where it belonged.

Sam had been furious with him when he confessed about his unexpected heat, but was very relieved Castiel had been there to help. Sam had also been a big lumbering pile of guilt for a few days that he hadn't been there, till Dean smacked him upside the head and said it wasn't his damn fault - he couldn't predict the future. His brother had calmed down after that and things had gone back to normal.

He stared at his pile of metal and began twisting some of the last pieces of glass leaves into place on the wire branches. He had found some white and silver spray paint and planned to dust the rusty metal with it to give the illusion of snow. There was a creak at the door and Dean smelled the scent of fresh grass clippings. He called, "Hey, Cas," over his shoulder. When he didn't hear a reply he turned to see Castiel standing in the door frame of the shed, eyes wide.

"Uh, you okay, Cas?" Dean was a bit bewildered at the look on Castiel's face. His blue eyes narrowed past Dean and were looking his sculpture up and down.

"What is this?" Castiel asked his voice low and soft and maybe touched with a hint of awe.

Dean tried not to blush, embarrassed. "It’s not done, just something I've been working on to kill time."

Castiel moved up next to him and he stood back to let Castiel examine his work. The tree stood nearly seven feet now, with long, draping metal branches that Dean had curled into a swaying pattern as if they were blowing in the wind. He took a moment while Castiel was fixated on the sculpture to look at the man's profile. He admired the sharp lines of his face and light pink hue to his lips. He absently wondered how the stubble that shadowed his face would feel on his neck.

"You made this?" Castiel's voice snapped him out of his musings.

"Sure, yeah. I mean it’s just a pile of old junk I pieced together." He gave a small shrug, feeling a little uneasy with Castiel's fixation on the hunk of metal.

"This is not junk, Dean... this is beautiful," Castiel blue eyes were wide as he reached out and ran his fingers over the smooth glass leaves.

"It's not done.  I still need to add the snow and I think the root structure needs a little work, and..." His last words were cut off as Castiel's hand gripped his arm and pulled him down into a heated kiss. Dean opened his mouth just a little, enjoying that sweet taste he was learning was all Castiel. He felt the shiver pass over his skin as Castiel released him and he took a second to center himself.

Dean grinned at him sheepishly. "What was that for?"

"That was just for you being you," Castiel chuckled softly, "and this..." he leaned in, kissing him again, this time softer and a bit more reverent. "That was just for me."

Dean shifted a little feeling the deep desire to soften into Castiel's strength but like always, something held him back. He was beginning to think Castiel was a damn saint, waiting so long for Dean, with nothing more than kissing between them the past few weeks. Dean felt a sudden determination to push just a little further. He stepped up into Castiel's space, pressing their chests together, feeling the long line of hard body against his own. He tipped his head and nestled his nose just behind Castiel ear and pressed a kiss to the soft skin there.

Castiel let out a little whine and Dean smiled against the man’s skin. "You smell so fucking good, Cas, wanna taste you so bad." With that he licked a thin line up Castiel's neck, feeling the other man shiver.

"Dean." Castiel's rough voice came almost as a warning. He took a chance and ran his hands over Castiel's shirt and under his coat, running along his ribs till his long fingers were splayed out on the man’s shoulder blades. Castiel growled at the touch and his own hands pulled at Dean's lower back, slipping down the curve of his ass. He gave a very unexpected gasp as Castiel lifted him off the ground and sat him down on the wooden work table. Dean panted, wrapping his legs around Castiel's waist, pulling the Alpha into him and pressing wet kisses up his neck.

He felt the press of Castiel's hard body and graze of his teeth on Dean's neck. He was achingly hard, his erection straining at his jeans. He wanted more - he was cursing the layers of clothes between them. He raked his nails down Cas's strong, muscled back and felt him rumble with pleasure. He knew he was going to be soaking through his jeans soon if he didn't put some distance between them.

He moved his hands around and released his legs reluctantly, pushing Castiel back a few inches. The Alpha moved easily, but his disappointment showed on his face. There was still a bit of feral lust in the man’s eyes, and he was so tempted just to flip over on the table and let him take him right there.

He shook the thought from his head. "Sorry Cas, I- I don't think I'm ready yet, but I really want to be." He felt incredibly foolish and childish for putting on the brakes, especially when he had initiated everything.

Castiel only gave him a warm smile. "Don't apologize, Dean, I told you I can wait. Mind you, when you are ready I promise I'll be gentle with you."

Dean quirked an eyebrow. "Well, not TOO gentle I hope."

That made Castiel out and out laugh. "We shall see, Winchester. Did you finish work on my car?"

"Yes, I replaced the belt and a few pulleys, nothing major."

Castiel placed his hands on Dean's hips and helped him down off the table.

"I can't believe you hid this from me," Castiel scolded gesturing at the sculpture. "Do you like any other mediums of art?"

Dean grabbed his coat, following Castiel out of the shed and locking up.

"I used to sketch a lot, like with charcoal or pencils mostly, but I didn't bring any of my supplies when I left." Dean slid into the passenger side of Castiel's car and rubbed his cold hands together.

Castiel got in and quickly started the car, risking a glance at Dean. "Where was it that you left?"

Dean swallowed hard, staring down at his lap. "When I left my ex before I moved to Sioux Falls."

Castiel kept his eyes on the road and yet Dean could almost feel his eyes on him. Dean watched as Castiel's nostrils flared a little like he was trying to catch Dean's mood. He obviously couldn't, not with his blockers on.

"Would your ex not let you take them?" Castiel asked softly and not accusingly.

"I uh- just didn't have time to pack them. I was in a hurry when I left and I couldn't find the key."

"Key?"

"Uh yeah, key. The studio was locked, he locked it."

Castiel's frown deepened and Dean shifted in his seat a bit. He really didn't want to have this conversation.

"If you don't want to talk about this, Dean... It's okay, I understand," Castiel's long fingers reached across the center console and Dean happily laced their fingers together, the Alpha’s strong grip reassuring.

"It’s just... embarrassing, that's all." That was putting it mildly. Humiliating was probably a better word.

"I assure you, Dean, you have nothing to be embarrassed about with me."

"It didn't end well, with Michael. I didn't have much time to leave. I think he thought by locking the studio up it might prevent me from leaving while he was at work. He guessed wrong." He stole a glance at Castiel seeing an almost pained look on his face. "It's not that big a deal, Cas, really. I can always get more supplies later, and it's just a hobby anyway."

"I'm sorry you were in that position, Dean. I actually have some empty sketchbooks and art supplies in my attic. They were Jimmy's when he fancied he'd become an artist. I bought them for him for his birthday. That obsession lasted all of a month before he quit." Castiel gave a soft smile at the memory and Dean relaxed a bit. "They are yours if you want them."

Dean gave the Alpha's hand a little squeeze, "I'd like that, so long as you let me sketch you."

Castiel let out a laugh. "Paint me like one of your French girls, Jack," he teased.

"Really? A Titanic reference?" Dean snorted.

"Oh come on, not you too. Balthazar hates that movie.  Well he really hates the Celine Dion song and therefore the movie."

"No I don't hate it, but if you tell anyone I said that, you’re a dead man." Dean gave him a warning glare.

"Your secret’s safe with me."

They pulled up to the duplex and Castiel invited Dean over for dinner. He happily accepted, feeling immediately comforted once he set foot in the house, surrounded by the scent of Castiel.

Castiel shucked off his coats and rolled up his sleeves as his phone buzzed. He sighed as he lifted it to his ear. "Hello Jimmy."

Dean grinned, feeling just a tad mischievous. He waited till Castiel had turned his back to him before slowly creeping over.

"I'm glad you called."

Dean slid his fingers slowly around Castiel's mid section, feeling him jump just a little and stutter, "uh- yeah I was gonna see if I could give your old art supplies to Deeeeean?" His voice went up in a high pitch as Dean licked a strip up the back of his neck.

Dean held back a chuckle as he slowly worked Castiel's shirt from the waistband of his pants with a few tugs.

"Yes, sorry, I'm a bit distracted at the moment. What was that?"

Dean was having way too much fun feeling Castiel squirm under his touches. He moved his hands to palm Castiel's now growing erection and this time he actually gasped.

"Jimmy, I have to go, I'm sorry. Thank you for the s-s-supplies." Castiel slammed the phone shut down on the counter and twisted in Dean's arms to face him.

He went to speak but Dean quickly covered his mouth with a kiss. Pulling away, he placed a finger on his lips to signal he should be quiet. Castiel gave a confused look but nodded. Dean wanted to do this right. He kept eye contact with Castiel as he slowly lowered himself to his knees on the plush carpet. Blue eyes gazing down at him went wide as saucers and Dean ran his tongue slowly out across his lower lip feeling the Alpha tremble under his hands.

Dean undid Castiel's belt and slowly drew down the zipper of his fly, the snap of each little buckle echoing in the silent living room. Dean's fingers slid into the black boxer briefs and wrapped around the warm, hard erection. He'd been dying to get a look at Castiel for a while but he knew he had no intention of stopping at looking.

"D-Dean?" He chose to ignore Castiel's small questioning tone and figured actions would speak louder than words.

Pulling him out, he was... substantial. Dude had not been kidding. He wasn't even at full mast and he was a good deal longer and wider than his toy. Dean delicately rolled his fingers along the shaft, flicking his thumb just under the head and getting another gasp from the Alpha. Dean smelled the heady scent of arousal like a summer thunderstorm. It was downright intoxicating and he bit his lower lip, moaning. He felt fingers run through his hair, carding into them and giving a small, gentle tug.

Oh hell yes, he was going to have fun watching Castiel come apart piece by piece. He stuck out his tongue and took a quick swipe, tasting him before moving to wrap his lips around the tip.

"Jesus fucking Christ!" Castiel panted, his grip on Dean's short hair tightening just a fraction. Dean wasted no time working over his thick erection, swirling his tongue and hollowing his cheeks. He moved his hands to grip the Alpha's thick muscular thighs for balance and reveled in the taste of the man. Dean knew he was good at giving head and he was normally a generous partner but he never derived much of his own pleasure from it.

This... this was different. This was hot as fuck and he felt his own pants getting tighter as he continued to milk Castiel for all he was worth. It wasn't till he saw the knot swelling that he moved him deeper into his throat past his well-trained gag reflex and swallowed around him, the knot brushing up against his stretched lips.

"I'm- I'm g-gonna, Dean..." Dean moved one hand to give a tiny tug on Castiel's balls through his pants and pressed a finger by his perineum and sent him over the edge, coming hard down Dean's throat. He'd almost forgot how much an Alpha could come and he worked hard to swallow it all down, enjoying the sweet taste of it and letting his eyes flicker closed.

He slowly pulled back off of him and helped brace Castiel as he slumped to his knees in front of him and buried his face, panting, into the crook of Dean's neck.

Dean couldn't hide his self-satisfied little chuckle. "That good, huh?" He ran a hand up Castiel's back and felt immensely proud to have rendered Castiel so utterly speechless.

He felt a murmur against his neck. "What was that?" Dean teased.

"You jerk, that was, that was," Castiel pulled in a deeper breath, "unexpected... you sure you’re okay?"

Dean thought for a second and smiled, breathing in that wonderful scent of home. "Yeah, Cas, That was great." He squirmed a little as his erection started to go down, but decided he was happy to wait his turn till later.

Castiel pulled back, holding Dean's face and staring at him with that piercing kind of look that said Dean hung the moon . It made him squirm.

"You are so beautiful, you know that?" Castiel leaned in to kiss him, likely tasting a bit of himself still on his lips. "Your lips," kiss, "are so," kiss, "soft," kiss, "and amazingly hot," kiss, "wrapped around my cock," kiss, "you’re gonna be the death of me, Winchester." Castiel kissed him one final time, hard and fervent on the lips and Dean happily returned it, letting the praise wash over him.

"You’re pretty fucking hot yourself, Cas," he chuckled, leaning back on his heels.

Castiel stood, a bit shaky, and reached out a hand to Dean who happily took it.

"So I had my appetizer, what's for dinner," Dean winked and Castiel burst out laughing.

"Whatever the hell you want, Dean. Name it."

"Double bacon cheeseburger and fries." He nodded.

"Coming right up." A swift kiss to his cheek and Castiel was grabbing a take out menu, and Dean thought he was an incredibly lucky guy.

*********

Castiel felt a little weak-kneed until the burgers arrived and Dean dismissed any of his offers to reciprocate. He shot the Omega little glances while they ate to make sure they hadn't stepped over the line but Dean seemed calm and content to devour his dinner. Castiel was itching to get Dean below him and work him over till he was a writhing mess of want and need and watch him tip over that edge.

He must have been stuck in his own head because Dean was waving a hand in front of his face. "You okay there, Cas?"

"Yeah, sorry, did you say something?"

Dean gave him a wolfish grin. "I said, why don't you get me those supplies and I can start a sketch of you."

Castiel quickly slid off his chair and hustled up the stairs to grab the supplies from his attic. He was glad Jimmy was okay with him giving the set to Dean, seeing how long it had gone untouched. He had a feeling the paints would be all dried up but the pencils and charcoal should still be good. He brought the box down and set it on the kitchen table, letting Dean dig through it to get whatever he wanted.

Dean pulled out the many unused sketch pads of different sizes and stacked them, taking out the pencils and charcoals and sharpeners as well. He grabbed a sketch pad and held it up to his nose, breathing in the scent of the paper.

"Hmm, reminds me of Sammy a little. He has that paper smell, you know? Though his is a bit more like books, shocking!" Dean chuckled. "Go sit over on that chair, keep your butt right on the edge and rest your forearms on your thighs."

Castiel quickly got up and took his position, Dean came over and shifted his arms and tipped his head a few times till he was were he wanted him. Dean planted a soft kiss on his cheek that gave him a small shiver before backing up to sit cross legged on the couch.

He watched Dean's hand move in long curved strokes over the page, pencil in hand. Castiel settled into his position, which was comfortable enough, and kept his breathing shallow. Dean worked, glancing up frequently and sticking his tongue out to the side while he sketched.

"Can I see it yet?" he asked hopefully after a few minutes.

"No, just wait, don't move," Dean replied, not taking his eyes from the page. Castiel watched him closely and fought the urge to jump up and snatch the sketchpad so he could see.

"Would you stop fidgeting?" Dean scolded him with a brow raised. Castiel frowned, he was trying to stay as still as he could. "Oh, don't start pouting on me."

"I do not pout," Castiel replied indignantly. Castiel was not a pouter, he left that up to his brother.

"Sure you don't. Then relax your face, I’m almost done." Dean shook his head, grabbing a different pencil. Castiel let out a long sigh and tried to soften his face and failing. Is he drawing me with seven heads or something?

"Just think happy thoughts, alright, think about... think about what you would like to do to me in return later." Dean shot him a little wink and Castiel felt his dick give an interested twitch at the thought.

"Are you ready for that?" Castiel asked cautiously knowing how much Dean hated talking about this stuff. He didn't want to push him.

Dean stopped sketching for a second. "Maybe... we can just see how it goes?" There was a hint of pleading just under the surface in that question.

"Can I ask you something, Dean?" Dean gave him a quick nod and ducked his head behind the sketch pad again. "Don't get me wrong, what you did earlier, that was... well that was mind-blowing. But can I ask what changed? I mean you threw the brakes on pretty hard back at the shop and then once we got here you seemed much more... uh, comfortable?"

Dean froze a second not meeting his eyes, then let out a long sigh. "You really like to talk stuff out, huh." It wasn't an accusation, more of an observation, and Castiel just nodded. "If I tell you, will you sit perfectly still while I finish?"

"Yes," he answered hurriedly.

"I lost control once. I let someone get the better of me, and I guess it just kinda shook me since then. So when we were in the shed and you lifted me up and you moved between my legs I guess it was just too much for me." Castiel bit the inside of his cheek, desperate to ask about a hundred questions but kept quiet. "But I still really wanted you, Cas, like REALLY wanted you. So I guess I just wanted to take some control back and going down on you, I had all the control, so it just felt good. Does that make sense?"

"It makes all the sense in the world, Dean. I must sound like a broken record, but I am sorry someone hurt you before."

"It’s really not that bad, I swear, lots of people have been through much worse. I'd get it though, I mean if you think I've got too much baggage, you'd be right, I do. I'd understand if you want to stop this, whatever this is."

Castiel watched the fear and insecurity flit across the other man's face and he so desperately wanted to go and kiss all that worry away. He'd promised to stay still though, and he was going to do just that.

"Dean, I want you and all your baggage, no matter how much it is. As long as you'll take me with mine?"

Dean's face smoothed a bit, though his eyes were still on the sketch pad. "Yeah okay, Cas. I'm done by the way, wanna see?"

Castiel leapt up off the chair and shifted over to Dean, who held out the sketch pad to him. He looked down at the drawing. Dean had drawn him in all black and white, capturing the relaxed set of his shoulders, the graceful curve to his fingers. Castiel though the man in the picture looked incredibly handsome, a relaxed strength to him. Is this how Dean really sees me? His eyes caught on the one bit of color on the page. Dean had colored in the blue in his eyes and it made them stand out, making it look like Cas was staring out from the sketch pad.

"You only colored my eyes," he said stupidly.

"Yeah, well I couldn't not. That blue was hard to match. Still don't think I got it right."

"It’s really beautiful, Dean. You are very talented."

"I had a beautiful subject, so that helps."

Castiel felt the heat creep up his neck. "Did you just call me beautiful?" He fought to keep the grin off his face.

Dean shrugged smiling. "If the shoe fits."

Castiel lowered himself to kiss Dean and handed back the sketchpad.

"Mmmm, I could get used to that," Dean sighed.

"I certainly hope you do," he replied, planning to kiss Dean soundly and as often as possible.

***********

Dean had really enjoyed getting to work over a sketch pad again. He also couldn't complain about getting an excuse to stare at the very sexy Alpha he was sitting with for an extended amount of time. He was currently laying on his back on the couch, head pillowed in Castiel's lap, sketching a design for a new sculpture. He felt his lids getting heavy, though, as Castiel's fingers carded through his hair. He was more tired than he realized and glanced up to see Castiel still reading one of his student's papers. He thought Castiel looked a bit worn as well and, checking the clock it was nearing midnight.

"Hey, I think I should head out and get some sleep," he reluctantly pulled himself to sitting and rubbed at his eyes, fighting off a yawn.

"You could stay here with me? My bed has plenty of room and I promise not to try anything, unless of course you want me to," Castiel gave a sleep grin. Dean chuckled and leaned over to plant a kiss on his forehead.

"Tempting offer, handsome, but I gotta get up early, and plus, I wouldn't want to put that new bed to waste, would I?"

Castiel gave a petulant whine at that and stuck out his bottom lip. "Fine, if you must leave me," Castiel continued to flash his big baby blues at him. Such a soft child-like expression on the big Alpha made him laugh.

"Nice try, but if I can resist Sammy's puppy dog eyes I think I can resist yours. I really should head back to my place tonight, though - I want to get some laundry done and if I stay here we'll just end up tangled in bed till late tomorrow afternoon."

He got up and stretched, moving to the table and putting the sketchpad inside.

"Mind if I grab that tomorrow? I'm spent."

Castiel nodded. "Of course. Do you want to meet up for dinner?"

"Sam and Madison were gonna meet me for Chinese. You wanna come?"

"Sounds great," Castiel flashed him his megawatt smile that always made Dean feel like his brain was gonna short circuit. Dean moved into Castiel's space and paused, the tension becoming electric between them. He breathed in the familiar honey scent, and ever so slowly bent to kiss him again. It was soft and unhurried, like it would be one of many kisses. He loved the taste of him the smell of him and he heard that voice in his head chanting quietly, mate, mate, mine, my mate.

They pulled apart and Dean slipped out the front door, feeling warm and safe as he trotted down Castiel's front steps heading for his own door. It was the smell that halted his steps - it was familiar, it was fresh pine and clean linens with just a tiny bit of a burnt tinge to it. He froze on the small sidewalk and looked up at his steps. Looming above him, leaning in the door frame to his place stood a face he knew all too well.

Light blue eyes sparkled at him and a lascivious smile spread across his lips. Michael cleared his throat. "Hello, Dean. Did you miss me?"

Chapter Text

Dean watched his breath mist out like smoke in front of him, the night turning colder than he anticipated. Michael was just a few steps above him, a mere arm's length away. The instinct to run was coiling inside him. He was much closer to Michael then he was to Castiel's door, there was no way he could make it there before being caught. His eyes darted over to see the light turn off in Castiel's living room. His heart thumped hard in his chest, his hand gripping the railing.

It's okay, you can handle this, it's okay , he chanted in his head, frozen like a deer in headlights. Michael hadn't moved from his spot, leaning against the door, thumbs hooked casually in his belt loops. He smiled warmly at Dean and his blue eyes looked dark in the dim streetlamp light.

"How did you find me?" Dean managed to get out, though it was a bit shakier than he'd like.

"Your brother. I had a feeling he was lying about you going to the coast. I, uh, hired someone to follow him and they eventually found you. You look just as beautiful as ever, Dean," Michael's voice was calm and steady as his eyes raked over Dean’s body. The look made him feel naked, exposed.

He shivered involuntarily. "You hired an investigator to find me?" He tried and failed to keep the hysteria out his voice.

"Of course I did, Dean. I missed you, I needed to know you were okay." Michael's eyes softened around the edges and he took a step closer to Dean, who retreated back to his own step. Michael put up his hands in front of him in a surrendering motion. "I'm not here to hurt you, Dean."

"Fuck you, Michael. Get the hell out of here." He laced the words with as much threat as he could. He hated himself for it but he longed for Castiel to come. He almost wished they were mated, then Castiel might be able to sense his distress even from a distance. He still considered yelling for him or bolting back for his front door.

"Dean, please let me make it up to you. I've changed and I need you," Michael batted his eyelashes at Dean.

Dean wasn't falling for it. "What I need is for you to get the fuck off my steps before I make you go." He knew that might push Michael's limits and he saw the flash of anger cross his face, before he schooled his expression back to a smile.

"I understand you're still mad, baby, but I can make it up to you," Michael stepped forward in two quick steps, grasping Dean's upper arm before he could get away. Michael still had that warm, friendly smile, until his nostrils flared a moment, scenting the air. The look the Alpha leveled at him was downright predatory. "You've got blockers on... and you smell like... you smell like some other goddamn Alpha."

In a flash, the old Michael, the one he fled from, was baring his white teeth at him, his scent turning from pine to burnt and acrid ashes. Dean struggled for words, fighting to say something, anything, call for help, calm the Alpha down, but his mind was whiting out in momentary terror.

"M-m-michael, let me go," his voice was small. He pulled back, braced to run, but the hand tightened on his upper arm.

He heard click of a door opening, and glanced up to see Castiel standing at the top of his steps a trash bag in hand, staring down at the scene in front of him. Relief at the sight of him flooded over him like a bucket of ice water.

"Dean?!" Castiel dropped the bag and leaped down the stairs, hopping the railing with grace he didn't know the man had. Suddenly Castiel was pushing himself between Michael and Dean. "Let him go!" Castiel snarled, body practically humming with energy.

Michael stood his ground, grip still firm on Dean's upper arm. "He is mine." Michael's voice was low and he was emitting his own growl now. Coming back to himself a bit, Dean took the moment to lift his foot and smash it down on top of Michael's loafer. Michael howled and the grip on Dean's arm released. He moved back a few steps till he was leaning against the Impala, Castiel moving between them now.

"Dean is his own man, not yours. Now I don't care who you are but you better get the hell out of here before you feel my wrath." Castiel looked downright murderous as he shoved Michael so he tottered back a step.

Michael looked like he was about to lunge and Castiel cocked a fist back, but something kept Michael from following through. He stood up tall, straightening his coat lapels and looking between the two of them. Michael's eyes finally locked onto Dean's, making Dean's stomach flip.

"You aren't safe here, Dean. How well do you even know this Alpha?" Michael sneered at Castiel. "I know you, Dean, I came halfway across the country for you. Come home with me, to our home."

Dean mouth was dry but he managed to answer him in as clear a voice as he could muster, "Go, Michael. I don't ever want to see you again."

Michael stiffened.

"You heard him," Castiel growled, fists at his sides but still clenched tight.

Michael gave Dean one last worried look. "I'm coming back for you, Dean. I'm your Alpha and I'll prove it to you. You belong with me." Michael leveled a look at Castiel. "If you lay a hand on him you'll live to regret it."

Dean watched as the Alpha stormed off toward his Lincoln and peeled off down the deserted street. The adrenaline started to leave him and his whole body felt cold and shaky. He slowly slumped against his car, sitting on the cold pavement. Forehead pressed to his knees, he tried to take deep, steadying breaths. He jolted when he felt a hand on his shoulder, but looked up to see it was only Castiel crouched in front of him.

"Can you walk?" Cas asked softly. Dean wasn't sure what the answer was, but he was starting to think no. Castiel pressed his lips into a firm line. Dean felt an arm slide in behind his back, another under his knees as Castiel lifted him up. Dean closed his eyes and pressed his face hard into Castiel's neck, wrapping arms around him. He didn't care how childish it made him feel, he simply latched on tight, breathing in the scent of his mate, letting it soothe his ragged nerves.

"You're okay, Dean, I'm here, alright? You're not alone," Castiel soothed as he carried Dean into his house. Dean didn't protest and the lump in his throat kept him from answering. "Oh my love, I'm so sorry." A sweet kiss was pressed against his neck as he was carried up the staircase. He vaguely registered that Cas just called him his love. He was so damn tired of being strong, being fine. He was a Winchester and Winchesters are always fine, no matter what. Except maybe, just this once, he wasn't fine, and he could leave some of his worries on someone else's shoulders.

Castiel lay him in bed and he couldn’t help but snatch his pillow, clutching it to his chest and burying his face in it. He was embarrassed at how much the scent of the Alpha soothed him, but Castiel seemed to get it as he lay down behind Dean and pulled the covers over them, curling up, body pressed firmly and reassuringly behind him. Castiel didn't ask him any questions and didn't push, he was just there, a comforting, warm presence.

He knew they would need to talk, and he knew Michael meant what he said and it wasn't over. For the moment, though, Dean was thoroughly worn out and to his own surprise, he managed to quickly drift off to sleep.

****************

Castiel waited and watched as Dean’s body softened against his own, breathing slowed and heavy. He carded his fingers through Dean's soft brown hair, fighting to not disturb him. He was shaking with pent up rage, and it took all his self control to stay put and stay calm. No matter how much he wanted to go and hunt down the Alpha knothead who scared Dean so badly, he also knew he couldn’t leave Dean now if he tried. His Omega needed him here and now.

“My sweet Dean, what happened to you?” he whispered to the sleeping man curled up against him. He had tried to give Dean space, given him time and let him decide when he was ready to talk, but he couldn’t stay in the dark much longer, not when there was an actual threat out there. He needed to know more about this Michael if he was going to help Dean stay safe. He wondered if Dean would talk come morning, or just shut him out like he had before.

He couldn’t sleep, his mind racing with what happened. He kept running through all the what ifs in his mind.

What if I hadn’t thought to take the trash out?

What if I’d done the dishes first or waited to do trash till morning?

What if Michael had grabbed Dean the second he saw him?

What if Michael had taken that swing at him, would he have hurt him?

Would he have killed Michael or worse, Michael killed him?

Things could have gone so very much worse. He slipped from the bed, and once he was sure Dean hadn’t woken up, he tiptoed downstairs. He grabbed his phone and dialed the only person who he knew would be up so late.

“Cas? It's late. Everything okay?”

Cas could hear loud dance music in the background.

“Hey, Jimmy. Yeah, everything is okay now, I just needed to talk.” He went to the front window, pushing the curtain aside and glaring out at the street, feeling like a damn watchdog.

“Gimme a sec.” There were muffled noises and then the sound of the music died down. “Okay, lay it on me.”

Castiel gave a sigh of relief and recounted the entire evening to his brother. Jimmy was never going to be one to give good advice regarding finances, career growth, or lifestyle choices but what he was good at was people. He also knew what being an Omega was like, and he may have the best insight on understanding what Dean was going through.

“So he’s sleeping upstairs now and all I have gathered is he ran from this guy, but I don’t know why.” He grit his teeth, peering back out the window.

“I’m surprised you didn’t lay the guy out,” Jimmy answered, a note of surprise in his voice.

“I wasn’t going to beat him up without cause to,” Cas answered indignantly.

“Well, I just remember a certain brother going all Alpha on a few bullies our sophomore year, and those guys just called me names.”

“I would like to think I have matured since high school, Jimmy, and besides, I did want to knock the jerk’s teeth out… I can’t say that I won’t if he lays a finger on Dean again.” Castiel couldn’t keep the growl from bubbling up his throat.

“I get it, but from what you’ve said Dean is very capable of doing that himself.” Jimmy asked, a bit softer now.

“Of course he is, he’s tough, I know he can handle himself, but… but he shouldn’t have to. He shouldn’t have to be in danger in the first place and he shouldn’t have to defend himself alone.”

He could feel the heat and anger rising in his chest, and he took a few steadying breaths.

“Cas, listen to me, okay? You did everything right. There is nothing more you can do now but just wait and listen when he is ready to talk.”

“But he won’t talk, not about this. He told me about his childhood growing up on the road, working with his dad, he talks about his brother, and his love for old muscle cars, and western movies, and all variations of pie,” Cas takes a deep breath. “But the year after his dad died before he came here… He won’t talk about it, he just says it was bad and he left quickly and that’s it.”

“I know it’s frustrating, bro. Believe me, I get it, but this is something you can’t force him to tell you.”

“Why not?!” Castiel’s voice rose and he quickly snapped his mouth shut, listening to see if he may have woken Dean, but hearing nothing.

“Because I have a feeling Dean’s embarrassed, and has a pretty bruised ego and is, from the sounds of it, justifiably scared. Being that afraid, admitting to being that afraid just makes it all the more real. He will tell you when he is ready to do that, but if you push him now you’ll push him right out the door.” Cas bit his lip and nodded, forgetting Jimmy couldn’t see him. “Patience, brother. Just be there for him just like you’re doing. You're a good Alpha, Castiel.”

He flushed a little at the praise. He could tell  Jimmy was being serious when he used his full name. “Yeah, okay I’ll try my best. Think I’m gonna bring up some water and a candy bar for him since he may still be a bit shaky.”

“Sounds like a plan, and I am off to go keep the good people of Miami liberally intoxicated,” Jimmy chuckled.

“Be safe, Jimmy. I miss you.”

“Miss you too. Bye, bro.”

Castiel hung up feeling just a bit better. He checked and rechecked the locks, feeling a bit paranoid before heading back upstairs with two Snickers bars, a Gatorade and a glass of water. He set them all down by the night stand and slid back into bed. Dean immediately flipped over and nuzzled into his chest  eyes scrunched shut tight. Castiel bent to plant a kiss on top of the Omega’s head. He breathed in the smell of home, the smell of mate and fell asleep knowing Dean was safe in his arms.

*****************

Dean slowly blinked awake and squinted at the bedside clock to see it reading 5:54am. He peered over his shoulder to see Castiel wrapped around his back, snoring softly into a pillow. It took a good amount of effort but he managed to slip out of the bed without waking the slumbering Alpha. His mouth felt dry and he felt strangely shaky and light headed for having just woken up. He spotted the Gatorade and candy bar and quickly downed both of them, feeling a bit more steady afterward. He inwardly laughed—breakfast of champions—and snuck downstairs.

He had always known somewhere deep down he couldn't run from Michael forever. He knew he wasn't gonna let him go that easy. Granted he could have made it harder on the man, moved to some unknown city where he didn't know anyone. Michael had read him like a book, knowing he would go straight to his family when things went sideways. Thinking of Sam, he knew he had to talk to him. He felt bad leaving Castiel without a goodbye. The Alpha had been pretty amazing during Dean's freak out. He found a stack of post it notes and left a message for him.

Thanks for last night,
talk to you later
-D

He was still dressed from the night before and carefully scanned the street before heading to the Impala. He drove across town, fingers gripping the wheel, trying to shake the general sense of unease. He pulled in front of the student housing, rechecking the address Sam had sent him. He hadn't actually visited his brother's place before. With it being right near the college it was also right next to the rich Alpha side of town and Dean hadn't really felt like going anywhere near there. He knew it was cowardly but fuck it he had enough on his plate.

He scaled the steps up to the third story walk up and knocked lightly on the front door. He knew that Sam had two Beta roommates but he hadn't met them yet. No one answered but he heard soft shuffling so he knocked again a bit louder. The door clicked open and a very tired looking Asian kid poked his head out.

"Yeah?" he grumped looking not too happy at a visitor so early in the morning.

"Is Sam home?"

"Who's asking?"

"His brother, Dean."

The kid nodded and opened the door for him to step in, "I'm Kevin. I'll go see if he's up."

Kevin disappeared down a hallway and Dean looked about the small but fairly neat apartment. He figured one of the other guys had to be a neat freak since he knew it wasn't Sammy. It took a moment but Sam eventually came striding out in pajama pants and one of Dean's old Zeppelin tee shirts.

"Hey, I don't remember lending that to you," he grumped but Sam only scowled at him heading toward the small kitchen and fumbling with the coffee maker.

"Wha-Wha..." Sam let out a huge yawn before continuing, "What are you doing here, Dean? and so early?"

"I needed to talk to you."

"At... six forty five in the morning?" Sam blinked again starting the coffee pot and pulling out two old mugs.

"It's important, and I need to be at work in an hour."

Sam nodded and filled the two mugs with coffee, pouring a little cream into Dean's, just how he liked it. They flopped down on the old beat-up couch and took a few sips of coffee while Dean tried to figure out what to say.

"So what's up, Dean? Is everything okay with you and Cas?"

"What? Oh yeah, Cas is great, better than great and still way out of my league."

Sam sighed. "He's not out of your league, Dean, you're both intelligent, kind, funny, and good people. your exactly the same league." Sam added an eye roll for extra emphasis.

Dean flushed, a little uncomfortable with the compliment. "Look, I didn't come to talk about Cas... it's about Michael."

Sam's face took on a meaningful frown and he set his coffee down. "So?"

"He came by the house late last night. He tracked me down. I think he hired someone to follow you till they found me. Cas showed up and ran him off for now but he's gonna come back." Dean set the coffee down, feeling queasy at the thought.

"Well fuck... is he dangerous, Dean?" he looked at his younger brother and knew he had to come clean eventually.

"Yeah, Sammy, he's dangerous. I just don't know if I should pack my shit up and leave or stay and deal with it?" Dean being the big brother was always the one with all the answers and it felt wrong looking to Sam for advice or help. It was his job to take care of Sammy, not worry him with his bullshit problems.

"I don't think running is going to help. If he is this determined he will just find you again and then you'd be truly alone. If you stay here, you aren't alone, you have me and you have friends and we can figure this out together." Sam gave him an encouraging smile. "I bet we can file for a restraining order, and at least that way you can call the cops on him if he gets too close, you know?"

Dean nodded his head, thinking maybe that was a good start. He was really relieved Sam was handling it with such a level head. The last thing he wanted at the moment was him to go flying off the handle. He should have known, though, Sam was always logical and mature even if he was hot headed.

"We will figure this out, Dean. I won't let that creep near you." Sam got that determined, stubborn look on his face. There was a knock at the door and Sam frowned, getting up to answer it. Two men stood at the door asking if he was Sam Winchester before handing a packet of paper and telling him he'd been served.

"What the hell, Sammy?!" Dean exclaimed, jumping up off the couch.

Sam was glaring down at the papers in front of him and suddenly got a sick, pale look on his face. "Fuck."

"What is it?"

Sam's lip pressed into a straight line as he gripped the papers.

"Sammy, what the hell is it?"

"We can figure this out, Dean. Don't freak out, okay?"

"Well yeah, sure Sammy, now that you said not to freak I am cool as a damn cucumber," Dean replied, exasperated.

"Michael is filing for Alpha custody over you, he is claiming I am unfit to manage your care, and that he has a claim to you as your mate."

Dean froze, his jaw dropping open.

"Dean, are you okay? Dean?"

He could hear Sammy's voice but it felt a bit far off and everything seemed a little grey around the edges. When he focused again he was sitting back down on the lumpy couch, his head bent down toward his knees and Sam was next to him, rubbing small circles on his back. He had a passing thought that he wished Cas was there, he desperately wanted his mate in this moment. Cas wasn't really his mate, though. Not yet, anyway, and he shouldn't be burdening the guy with all his baggage.

"Here's some water, Dee." Sam handed him a glass and he gratefully took a sip, leaning back and rubbing a hand over his face. "We'll fight this, alright Dean? He isn't taking you anywhere, understand me?" There was a bubbling anger rising in Sam's voice and Dean could practically feel the hum of protective Alpha stirring in him.

"How exactly are we gonna do that, Sammy, huh? You got money lying around for a lawyer? Cause I sure as hell don't."

"Fucking bullshit archaic, outdated, god damn laws. I swear this is why we need the Omega Freedoms act to get passed in the Senate—so Alphas can't pull this kind of crap over Omegas anymore. It's wrong—Omegas are not second class citizens!" Sam was standing and yelling now, and Dean sighed.

"What got you on your soapbox this morning?" a grungy looking man wandered out from the back hall, sporting a messy mullet of all things.

"Fucking bullshit laws, that's what did," Sam exclaimed.

"Fight the man, brother." The man fist pumped the air and, grabbing a mug of coffee, stumbled back to one of the rooms.

"Who was that?"

"Ash, my other roommate. Look, Dean, I will figure out the legal side, okay? There are a lot of lawyers who work pro-bono. I know some of them as professors. He doesn't have a case, I mean, he's not your mate, right? He’s just lying?"

Dean sighed and pulled his shirt collar a little to show a faint scar mid-shoulder. "He's not my mate, Sammy. We were never together when I was in heat, and he bit me below the mark anyway. It's so faded you can barely even see it now. I mean it's not a true mating bite but do you think he could make it pass in court?"

Sam looked at the shoulder and seemed to school his features before responding, "I doubt it, but he can use it to push his point of how close you were to being mated. Fuck, Dean, he bit you?"

Dean pulled his shirt back up and stood abruptly. "Yeah, he fucking did, but I didn't exactly tell him he could, I wasn't consulted in that decision making."  He gave Sam a look daring him to say another word.

"God, Dean, I should have tore that fucker’s throat out."

"I am pretty sure we can't afford a defense attorney for that either. Murder is still frowned upon."

Sam gave a barking laugh, shaking his head. "Yeah, but I bet I could get off on manslaughter, crime of passion."

"Who is Sam murdering?" Kevin asked, heading toward the door, messenger bag slung over his shoulder.

"He's not murdering anyone," Dean replied and Kevin gave an uninterested shrug.

"Good, and it wouldn't get him out of buying more orange juice, were all out. See ya," the kid waved and headed out the door.

"Look, I gotta go and get to work, how long do we have on this court thing?"

"We have eight weeks till the first hearing. We have time, Dean. I'm going to get changed and run over to my professor's office right now."

"Sounds good, Sammy." He gave his brother a squeeze on the shoulder, only to have him wrap his long arms around him, pulling him into a tight hug.

Sam finally let him go and walked him to the door. "Talk to Cas about this, Dean. He may be able to help, and watch yourself."

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be careful, Sam, promise."

Dean headed down the steps and managed to make it into the Impala, hitting all the locks before his body seemed to crumble on him. Waves of terror washed over him at the thought of Michael getting custody of him. He wouldn't do it, he'd have to go on the run, only this time go underground so Michael could never find him. He may never get to see Sammy again, and Cas... he'd have to leave Cas.

He waited till the shivering feeling subsided before starting the engine. He pointed Baby in the direction of the Bobby's shop and fought every urge in his body to jump on the highway and never look back.

Chapter Text

Castiel woke to find his bed alarmingly empty. He checked the bathroom and bolted down the stairs till he found a note stuck to the kitchen counter.

Thanks for last night,

talk to you later

-D  

Cas felt a bit of anger flare up in his chest that Dean would leave like that without waking him. Especially since there was an obviously threat to Dean's well being on the loose. He felt exhausted having been up most of the night keeping an eye on Dean. His phone started buzzing and on top of the counter and he snatched it hoping it was Dean but frowning to see Sam's name.

"Sam?"

"Hey Cas, have you talked to Dean this morning?"

Castiel scowled. "Not this morning, no, but he left a note."

"Ah. Well, I guess he will probably talk to you, but I think we’re gonna need some legal help and... and I know my brother and he sucks at asking for help."

Castiel sighed, sitting on a stool. "I’m starting to figure that out."

"Yeah, it’s kinda what he does. He said you two had a run in with Michael."

Castiel clenched his jaw at the name. "We did, though he wouldn't talk about it after. I’m not even sure of the nature of their relationship. Did he call you this morning?"

"He came by the apartment to talk. Michael is suing me for custody over Dean to be his Alpha Guardian."

"WHAT!?" Castiel launched off the stool, knocking it over with a loud clatter to the floor. He cursed and picked it back up, demanding Sam tell him everything. He listened, grabbing a pencil and taking down a few notes.

"I'm afraid he may bolt, Cas." Sam let just an edge of fear into his voice. "But I tell you what, I’ll grab Dean and run myself before let this prick drag him off anywhere, I don't care what a court says."

Castiel could feel the beginning of a pounding headache. "We won't let that happen. How long before you’re summoned to appear in court?"

"Eight weeks."

"Alright, can you make me a copy of the papers and bring it with you to class this afternoon so I can look them over? I have a friend who may be able to help I just need to talk with her."

"Thanks, Cas. I really appreciate it, and uh- you'll keep an eye on Dean? Make sure that prick doesn't show up again? I mean, I know he can handle himself, but I'd feel better knowing he has backup."

"Of course, Sam, I won't let any harm befall Dean while I’m around, I promise."

"Good. I think Dean's gonna be pissed at me, ‘cause I called Bobby too and gave him the heads up so he should be safe at work."

"You’re a good brother, Sam. I’ll see you this afternoon."

"Bye, Cas." Sam hung up and Castiel checked the time. He wanted to run over to the shop that minute and see Dean with his own eyes. He fought the urge to grab his keys and do just that, settling for sending him a text to confirm he'd made it to work okay.

Cas: Did you make it to work okay?

Dean: Yeah just fighting with a head gasket on this outback

Cas: Good, are you coming over tonight? I'd like to see you

He considered scolding Dean for taking off but he figured now wasn't the time.

Dean: Did Sam talk to you?

Cas: Yes, he did

Dean: Son of a bitch, I'll deal with him later. No I think I need some time to myself tonight, if that's okay?

Dean: Rain check?

Castiel frowned at his phone. He didn't want to push the other man, but the idea of not seeing him was giving Castiel an ulcer. Still, he needed to rein in his own emotions and let Dean come to him when he was ready to talk about it.

Cas: Door’s always open Dean, I am here if you need me

It was a long while before Dean replied and Cas was about to send another text when his phone buzzed.

Dean: Thanks

Dean: <3

Castiel stared at the last symbol unsure of what it was. He got frustrated and typed the symbols into his search engine on his phone and realized that it was a heart tipped on its side. Dean had sent him a heart emoji? For the life of him he could not begin to understand the mixed messages Dean sent sometimes. He wondered if someone more astute in human interaction would be doing a better job of it than he was. Still he would not let the gesture go without being reciprocated, he knew that much, and sent a final text to Dean before getting ready for his classes.

Cas: <3

********************

It was a long day in the shop. Dean’s muscles ached and he was covered in grease but he felt a bit more steady the longer he worked. Bobby checked up on him a lot during the day, coming in to grab a wrench or offer him lunch or get an update. He didn't get suspicious until the third time he came in, asking if Rumsfeld was in the garage.

"Bobby, are you checking up on me or something?" He grabbed a rag and wiped the sweat from his brow.

"No, why would you say that?" Bobby grumbled defensively.

"Did Sam call you?"

Bobby's mouth opened and closed like a fish a few times but he didn't answer which was answer enough.

I'm gonna kill my damn brother . "I’m just fine, Bobby, you don't need to keep tabs on me. Sam is overreacting."

"Didn't sound like overreacting to me." Bobby crossed his arms, leveling a paternal glare at him.

"Look, I appreciate the concern, but I am able to take care of myself, you know. I can handle that asshole if he shows up here." He honestly wasn't sure who he was trying to convince but he put as much confidence behind the statement as he could.

"Yeah, well, I'm still gonna be keeping an eye out and you just have to deal with it." Bobby gave an end of discussion head nod and headed out the door.

He'd never admit it to anyone but he did feel a bit better knowing the old man was on the lookout. He felt a small tension ease from his shoulders as he pulled out the last car of the day for pick up. He headed around back to the work shed when his eyes caught on a few cans of paint. It looked like Bobby had bought a few cans a while back in varying colors, maybe intent on repainting the shed or garage and just never picked one. He snatched up the red bucket and carried it to the back of the garage.

He grabbed a rag and sunk it into the paint, smiling at the cool, smooth sensation of the paint as it dripped a little on to his skin. He knew a brush would work better but he just couldn't be bothered to find one. He began sweeping his fingers over the metal siding dragging the rag up and down across the grey surface. He popped open a blue can of paint and swirled the colors together. He didn't have anything particular in mind but it began to take on the look of the sky at twilight. Warm reds turning into purples that blended into the blue of night sky.

He dug around and found some old white trim paint. Taking a tiny dab of it on his fingertips, he flicked white specks at the top of the blue sky giving the illusion of stars. He turned, looking up at the actual night sky and thought it was a pretty poor comparison, but it was the best he could do.

His mind drifted then, as he stared up at the clouds floating by him. He thought about the night he and Michael had laid out in the backyard, looking up the stars. That had been the first night Michael had said he loved him. He talked a little of how they had been fated to be together and Dean was made just for him. He had wanted to believe Michael so badly at the time, but there had always been this voice inside him telling him it wasn't right.

He wiped the paint absentmindedly on his work clothes and ran his hands under an outside faucet, before heading back to his car and longing for his bed. Though that was a half-truth - he was longing for Castiel's bed, which was maybe all the more reason he felt he should spend the night alone. He'd become too reliant on the Alpha and he needed to take care of himself.

Dean was fighting back a yawn once he finally parked Baby out front of his house. He felt the exhaustion of the day pulling at him. He looked around the street carefully before getting out, making sure there was no sign of Michael. Castiel's car was parked out front and the lights were on. He hesitated, wanting to climb a different set of steps but he forced himself to go to his own door, quickly locking it behind himself.

He was covered from head to toe in paint and grease, he'd even managed to get it in his hair. He frowned at himself in the mirror before taking a long, hot shower, rinsing the day away, quite literally, down the drain. He pulled on boxer briefs and slid under the covers, curling up on his side, trying to see if he could catch a whiff of Castiel's scent. There was nothing but his own scent around him, though. He felt his stomach growl, likely frustrated at the lack of dinner but nothing seemed more important to him that moment then drifting away from his worrying thoughts and falling asleep.

Dean stirred the pasta absentmindedly on the stove, unable to take his eyes off the bruises that were now purpling on his wrists. He needed to end it, things had already gone too far. The thought scared him, of being alone again. He felt ashamed that he was less hurt at the thought of not seeing Michael again. The front door slammed in the distance and he jumped, accidentally flinging some pasta to the floor.

"Dean!" Michael's voice called out as he strode into the kitchen. Dean took a sobering breath and turned to face him. He knew Michael wasn't gonna take it well but he also knew what he had to do.

"Hello, Michael," He replied, putting down the spoon. Michael’s light blue eyes met his and there was a look of pained hurt that cut through Dean.

"Why is there a bag packed in the hall?" Michael asked, almost a bit too calmly.

"I am moving out, Michael. This weekend." He braced himself for a violent outburst but Michael just stared at him, bewildered.

"I said I was sorry, Dean. I didn't mean to hurt you, you know I'd never hurt you." Michael pleaded now and Dean thought this was maybe a millions times worse than being faced with the man's rage.

"But you did, I've got the black eye to prove it." He pointed at his right eye that was thankfully less swollen.

"It was an accident! One rash move and I had too much to drink. You have to forgive me, Dean." Michael edged closer to him and soft pained look in his eyes made him soften. He wanted to stay, then, the small voice in the back of his head telling him maybe it really was just an accident, that Michael loved him.

"I'm sorry, Michael, really, I never wanted it to end this way. But you know it’s about more than last night. I can't breathe with you anymore, I can't make a single move without you on top of me. I don't want to be your little Omega house pet anymore."

"You don't know what you’re saying! I give you everything, everything you could ever want." Michael's voice was starting to rise. "I built you a studio for your art, I gave you a beautiful place to live, and bought you nice clothes without holes in them. All I ever asked for was a little respect from my Omega, a little loyalty."

"You can't buy me, Michael. I never loved you for your money. I just wanted someone who cared about me, about what I wanted. I wanted someone I could love back and give myself to, and it just isn't you."

Dean heard the water boiling over and turned around to shut off the heat, when something solid hit him from behind, knocking him to the kitchen floor. It knocked the wind right out of him and he tasted blood in his mouth where he’d bitten his lip. Dazed, he tried to move but couldn't get any purchase with the heavy weight on top of him.

"You are my Omega, Dean, do you hear me? I picked you up off the street, you were nothing but trash before you met me." He felt a hand clamp hard around the back of his neck and the panic started to rise.

"M-Michael, stop this," he spluttered out, barely able to take a full breath with the weight on his chest.

"You don't understand, Dean, it’s dangerous out there, you need me. I am the best Alpha you’re ever gonna get, and I should have brought you to heel a long time ago. It was my mistake being so soft on you. This is for your own good."

Dean felt the hand reaching under him, pulling down his pants and boxer briefs, leaving them tangled around his ankles. He tried to kick and move but he felt dizzy and faint from the lack of air. Michael was strong and kept the hand firmly clasped on the back of his neck as Dean squirmed and struggled beneath him. He'd never in his life felt so completely vulnerable and exposed.

"You don't wanna do this, Michael. Please stop!" he begged, because that was what he was reduced too now.

"Shut your mouth, Omega whore! I'll show you what you’re good for, and why you need me." Michael didn't say another word before slamming into Dean with a feral growl. Dean whimpered in pain, not nearly slick enough, the force of it jarring him. Michael set a brutal, painful pace and Dean shut his eyes, trying to drift off to a safe corner of his mind, where the person he'd trusted most wasn't brutalizing him. He felt lower than the dirt on the floor. He didn't know how long it lasted, he'd gone limp and pliant beneath the Alpha, eyes shut tight, trying to block it all out.

Michael was spewing a litany of hateful words but Dean wasn't registering them anymore. Finally Michael came with a growl before sinking his teeth into Dean's shoulder, causing him to cry out in pain. Dean just thanked his lucky stars the Alpha hadn't knotted him. He flinched when the satiated Alpha planted kisses all along his neck and over the tee shirt where he had bitten right through. He could feel the blood soaking in.

"My Omega. You’re going to be my perfect Omega, aren't you? As soon as you go into heat next, I'll claim you as mine for real. I'm going to go put your bag back upstairs and no more talk of you leaving. I love you, Dean." Michael planted a kiss on Dean's tear-stained cheek, leaving him alone on the cold tiled floor.

***********

Castiel sat reclined in his bed, coffee mug sitting next to him, a stack of papers on one side and law books on the other. He'd gone to the library and pulled every book he could find on Omega guardian laws, sifting through them in between lectures and office hours. Sam had shown him the summons he'd received and he’d managed not to go into an Alpha rage at the thought of someone trying to take Dean.

He'd hoped he'd been reassuring to Sam, and he’d put in a call with a professor friend over at the law school across town. He knew she would help them and still took cases for free on occasion when she wasn't teaching. Feeling his eyes burning with exhaustion, he moved all the papers and books to his chair and tried to decide if he wanted to shower before bed.

That's when he smelled it - a faint whiff of sour apples and fear coming through the vents. He pressed his ear up to the wall and heard the faintest sound of crying and hitching breath on the other side. He bolted for the stairs, heart hammering in his chest, the overwhelming flood of hormones through his system egging him on. His inner Alpha roared at him to run faster, that his Omega needed him. He made it to Dean's door to find it locked. He scrambled to pull the spare key from his pocket and hurried up Dean's staircase, flicking on the light in his bedroom.

Dean was curled into himself on the bed, tears pouring from his eyes, wetting the sheets beneath him. Cas felt a physical pain in his chest at the sight of it. He moved slowly, not wanting to frighten him. "Dean? Dean, it’s Cas." He kept his voice low and soothing.

Dean blinked up at him through teary eyes and just stretched out a hand. That was all the prompting Castiel needed before he sat down on the end of the bed, pulling Dean onto his lap. Dean straddled him wrapping his long arms around his neck and burying his face against his shoulder. He held onto him tightly, pressing soft kisses to his temple telling him he was safe over and over again.

"S-s-sorry, Cas," Dean mumbled.

"Can you tell me what happened?" Castiel waited as Dean's crying stopped and his breathing slowed.

"I had a bad dream," Dean's voice was small and barely audible, completely unlike the warm deep voice he normally associated with the Omega.

"I'm here to listen, Dean."

"You'll think I'm weak."

"I'd never think that about you. You’re the bravest person I know, and this coming from the brother of Jimmy Novak, so that's saying something." That earned him a light chuckle from Dean before he fell silent again.

"I dreamed about Michael, about the night I left," Dean kept his face turned away from Castiel but he felt the man's fingers clutching at his shirt. "I told him I was gonna leave him, he'd... gotten drunk and hit me the night before, gave me a black eye." Castiel tensed underneath Dean but firmly kept his lips sealed and anger in check. "Things had been going downhill for a while but I just didn't want to see it. That was the last straw so I packed a bag and when he got home I told him I was leaving... he didn't take it well, he- he... Fuck, why is this so hard?"

Castiel nuzzled against the stubble on Dean's cheek. "Take your time, Dean."

Dean took a deep breath. "He forced himself on me. I should have seen it coming, I should have guarded myself like my dad taught me. I turned my back on him, though. He knocked me down, and then I couldn't move, I swear I tried but I just... couldn't stop him." Dean shook a little and Castiel tightened his grip, feeling the man relax against him. "He didn't knot me and I wasn't in heat but he did bite my shoulder, broke the skin." Castiel had noticed the faint teeth marks before but had been too nervous to ask, hoping Dean would tell him in time.

"I'm so sorry he did that to you. It wasn't your fault, Dean," he soothed, pressing another kiss to the top of the man's head. thinking he should have torn that Alpha's throat out.

“I just never thought he could do something like that. I trusted him.” Dean’s body became a little heavier in his arms, a slight shiver running through him. Castiel grabbed the blanket, wrapping it around Dean’s shoulders.

“Thank you for trusting me with this, Dean. I know it was hard for you. Please believe me when I say that you did nothing wrong, he had no right to hurt you like that. You should have been safe around him, you shouldn’t have needed your guard up. You were incredibly brave to leave him. That takes such a huge amount of strength.” Castiel felt the ache in his heart for what Dean had been through. He was in awe of the fact that Dean was trusting him at all after what that Alpha did.

“I waited till morning and he left for work. He drained my bank account, and took the keys to my car. Luckily I had a spare set hidden and few hundred bucks stashed away. I just wanted to start over, you know, and now… now my past is coming back to haunt me anyway.” Dean sighed, pulling back a little and pressing his forehead to Castiel’s. He hoped the touch grounded Dean as much as it grounded him. “I don’t wanna have to leave here,” Dean said barely above a whisper.

“You don’t have to go anywhere. I promise you we will figure this out. You’re not in this alone,” Castiel said firmly.

Dean sat up a bit and gave Castiel a sad smile. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you.”

Castiel leaned forward, kissing Dean softly. “You must have saved the world a few times at least.” Dean chuckled heartily and it was such a beautiful sound. “But maybe I did too, since I found you. Now how about you and I go back to my place and I make you some hot chocolate?”

“With marshmallows?” Dean grinned now.

“All the marshmallows you want.” Castiel kissed the tip of his nose, thinking there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do to get to see that dimpled smile.

Chapter Text

“I dunno about this.” Dean fidgeted, pulling at the tie Castiel had put on him. “I hate this damn monkey suit. Is this really necessary?”

“Yes, Dean, we need to make a good impression. Stop pulling at the tie, you’ll mess it up,” Sam scolded.

“I think you look very dashing, for what it’s worth,” Castiel added and Dean had to fight off the smile. His nerves were still on edge ever since the papers had come from Michael.

“She will see you now, Mr. Winchester.” The guy behind the front desk gestured at the big oak door.

The three of them stood and headed into the elegant office. The decor all looked very high-end, and there was a good view of the city from this high up in the building with floor to ceiling windows. The woman behind the desk looked up at them, smiling. She was a petite woman with curly, fiery red hair and wearing an elegant navy dress.

“Rowena MaCleod. And these two handsome devils must be the Winchesters. Come sit, Castiel has told me all about you.” Dean sat in the middle, bracketed by Sam and Cas. The woman looked Dean up and down and he felt a bit like she was undressing him with her eyes. Dean took one look at her and thought she was a shark in Chanel.

“Thank you for taking this case, Rowena. I know how busy you are.” Castiel moved to give Dean’s hand a little squeeze and he appreciated the contact.

“Think nothing of it, deary. Now be a good lad and hand me over what you have there,” Rowena turned her attention to Sam holding out her perfectly manicured hand.

“This is all he sent over — it’s the petition for custody, along with my Alpha guardian paperwork we filed when our dad passed away,” Sam gave her the papers, looking a bit anxious himself.

She threw him a little wink, flipping through them. “You kept good records there, Samuel, that will be a big help.” She glanced through them again, eyes darting over the page. Dean started chewing on his lip, leg jiggling in his seat till Castiel put his hand on his knee to still him.

“Well, it seems that Michael is trying to prove to the court that Samuel is unfit to be Dean’s guardian, then propose himself as a viable option for the role. He would have a hard time proving that Dean here is his mate — the blood testing for that is unreliable at best, but I think he would just be going for showing a previous relationship with Dean. You said there is a bite mark they could match dental records to?”

Dean flushed red and just nodded at her, like it was any of her damn business.

“Right, well I think so long as we show Samuel is a fit guardian, and that Dean has no desire to be under Michael’s care, the case shouldn’t be difficult to win. I have never lost a guardianship case before, Mr. Winchester, so you wipe that frown off your gorgeous freckled face. Trust in me, deary, I know what I’m doing.” She locked eyes with Dean then and he saw the confidence in her eyes.

“You’re sure he can’t win this?”

“I’d say it’s highly unlikely. The court doesn’t usually favor old mates over family members, at least in this state. Worst case scenario would be Sam is declared unfit and they match Dean with a state-appointed guardian. I think that Michael is hoping if this happens you would choose him over a state-appointed Alpha.”

“Like I would ever fucking pick him!” Dean growled at the very thought. “This whole fucking system is shit.” He crossed his arms, shaking with anger that anyone thought he needed a guardian to begin with.

“I fully agree, Mr. Winchester, but until those Omega emancipation laws get passed, the world is what it is. I will have my investigator, Charlie Bradbury, dig up all the little pieces of dirt on Mr. Angelus she can find. In the meantime, here is a checklist for you, that the state will be looking at to show Sam is a fit guardian. Now if you all don’t mind I have a lunch date with a very handsome investor and it wouldn’t do to be late.” Rowena stood handing a packet to Sam who nodded fervently.

Castiel reached out a hand to Rowena, who shook it gently. “Thank you again, we will make sure to get everything taken care of.”

“Anything for you, angel. Now go on and scurry off.”

Castiel ushered Dean and Sam out of the office and they rode down in the elevator in relative silence. Dean wasn’t really sure how much better he felt. Michael was bad, but a state-appointed Alpha could be worse. Most were just power hungry knotheads looking for an Omega to do what they wanted with. He would run before that happened. Glancing at the two people next to him, the last thing he wanted to do was leave them.

“It’s going to be okay, Rowena is very experienced at this. She can work magic on a case.” Castiel’s voice was its same confident tone, and he wondered if anything ever rattled the Alpha.

“Thanks for calling her, Cas, I appreciate it-”

“We appreciate it,” Sam added.

“Would you like to come with me to campus, Dean? I have to give a quick lecture but we could grab dinner after my office hours?”

Dean knew the offer was well-meaning but he also couldn’t just avoid being alone either, that wouldn’t do him any good. He pulled the tie off as they headed out for the car and slung it over his shoulder.

“That’s alright, I’m gonna head home and finish the work on the back porch. It might be ready for stain tomorrow.”

Castiel looked tense but only nodded.

“I’ll be fine, Cas, I promise.” He slid into the Impala and flicked on the radio to silence any protest. He dropped Sam at his apartment and Castiel on campus, giving the man a swift kiss before heading home.

He changed out of the monkey suit, putting on a pair of soft jeans and a tee shirt before trying to decide whether he needed more supplies to finish the steps on the back porch. He always felt better with a job to do and was grabbing his tool box from the basement when there was a knock at the door.

His heart automatically raced, going on the defensive. He hadn’t been expecting anyone so he cautiously crept over to peer out the peephole and see who was there. He had to angle his face to look down and was surprised to see Madison standing on his doorstep. He opened the door and there she stood with a smile and an armful of equipment.

“Hey, Dean. Sam mentioned you’d be home this afternoon. I have some stuff for you.” She hefted up what seemed to be a punching bag and dragged it inside, Dean moving to help her.

“What’s all this?” he asked as she shoved a duffel bag at him.

“Boxing gear, some gloves, tape, a speed bag and this punching bag. I’ve tried lots of martial arts and kickboxing and regular boxing over the years. I have all this equipment but nowhere to put it in my apartment. Sam said you liked to box and you had a basement. If you’re game, I thought we could hang it all up and spar together?"

Dean narrowed his eyes at her. “Did Sam put you up to this?”

“Hardly, he just kept stubbing his toe on all this stuff and bitching about me finding somewhere else to put it. If you don’t want to I can bring it back to my place and just deal with Sam’s bitch face.” She smiled and Dean couldn’t help but smirk, imagining the sasquatch tripping over all that stuff every morning.

Dean seriously doubted, however, that this wasn’t his brother trying to meddle in his life. Still, he did want to box again, get back some of his training from him and his dad would spare. He looked at the beat up equipment and then at the brown eyed girl staring at him, waiting for a reply.

“Alright, let’s do it.”

The two headed down to the basement and set up the supplies. Dean put on a pair of shorts, and Madison already had work out clothes on. They started light, just running through a few exercises. Dean felt a rush when he made solid contact with the punching bag. Madison was good, she had obviously been doing this for a while and despite her small frame her Alpha strength was impressive. They were both red in the face and sweaty by the time they were done and gulping down water in the kitchen.

“Damn, it feels good to hit something,” Dean said between sips of water.

“Yeah, it does. Let me know anytime you wanna spar. I’m gonna be sore tomorrow, I can already tell. So out of shape,” Madison groaned a little, stretching her shoulder out.

“Me too, its been a while. Thanks for bringing all this stuff over. This was just what I needed.”

Madison looked at him for a moment like she was picking out her next words. “Can I say something, Dean?”

Well that never boded well. “Free country… well for most people anyway.”

“I kinda know what your going through. It’s not easy being a female Alpha. My ex was an Alpha who thought he was being all macho by dating an Alpha chick, that he could rein me in. It didn’t end well. Every guy I meet feels they need to find a way to bring me down a peg, until I met Sam. He just… well he just saw me for me, I guess. You find someone like that and you don’t let them go. This world can suck sometimes but it’s a hell of a lot easier to handle with help. I just wanna say you can talk to me, if you ever need someone to talk to who isn’t your brother or your boyfriend.” Madison gave him a genuinely warm smile, and Dean pulled her into a hug on impulse. It felt good to hug someone who posed no threat to him. He thought that’s why he liked touching Cas so much, the fear wasn’t there.

“Thanks, Maddie, I appreciate it.”

“It’s Madison,” she corrected, giving him a stern look.

“We’ll see,” he laughed, walking her to the door. “My brother is damn lucky to have you, and you can tell him I said that.”

“I’ll be sure to let him know,” she smiled and waved, heading out to her car and Dean quickly locked the door behind her.

Still feeling like he had some energy left and daylight hours to burn, he headed for his original task of the steps on the back porch. As he began hammering in the boards, the setting sun warmed his back, and he felt a calm come over him he hadn’t felt since he saw Michael’s face. He was still a bit embarrassed by he meltdown two nights ago when Cas found him sobbing from a nightmare. He was sure that was when Cas would realize what a mess he was and walk away, but instead he’d just been there for him, a steady, reassuring presence. He only hoped he might have the chance to repay that kindness and show Cas just how much he meant to Dean.

**************

Castiel had been a bit distracted with his Saturday lecture class and was glad to only have two students come by to go over papers on his office hours. Being away from home put him on edge — not being near to Dean was starting to do things to him. Finally he was able to pack up and head home, grabbing a taxi since he hadn’t taken his own car. He jogged up his steps, tossing his bag haphazardly before his ears picked up the sound of banging coming from the back yard.

He went outside to find Dean crouched down hammering away on the back steps. The sun was lighting up his hair and the sweat dripping off his brow and down his nose. Cas watched for a minute as his muscles strained with each swing of the hammer. He sat back on his heels a second and wiped at his face admiring his work. Castiel tapped on the door to draw attention to himself and Dean shot him a shy smile.

“Hey there, handsome.” Dean smelled down right sinful and Castiel had to focus his energy on holding his breath. Dean had definitely sweated off his blockers.

“Hello, Dean.” He kept his hands in his pants pockets, trying hard not to look too closely at the way Dean’s shirt clung to his shoulders.

“How was class?”

“Good. I’m not sure they fully grasp the socioeconomic consequences to the bill of 1982 but hopefully the reading I assigned will help with that.”

Dean gave him a crooked smile, standing up and dusting off his hands. “Sounds like riveting stuff.”

“Are you teasing me, Dean Winchester?” Castiel raised a brow at the man.

“I would never dream of it,” Dean placed a hand over his heart and put on a serious over the top pouting face.

“Uh huh, I’m watching you, Winchester,” he said, wagging a finger at him.

“Don’t I know it,” Dean wiggled his eyebrows and scooped up his tools from the steps, bending over slowly to give Castiel a full view of his round ass. He tugged at the collar to his shirt feeling a heat flush over him.

“Thats uh- that’s yeah, I um-” Castiel struggled for words and probably would have kept babbling if Dean didn’t come over to him and silence him with a kiss. Castiel felt like there was a magnet pulling him toward Dean’s body. Every nerve ending was screaming out at him to touch and hold and own. He opened his mouth to him, tasting the sweet omega scent and letting it wash over him. His cock was rock hard already and he pressed it against Dean’s hip bone, reveling in the pressure. He wanted to be in Dean’s warm heat so bad he could cry.

“Easy does it there, cowboy.” Dean pulled back a little and nodded down to his arms. Castiel had a death grip on Dean’s biceps. Mortified, he let go, taking a step back. Dean’s face dropped and he followed after him running his hands up Castiel’s chest. “Hey, it’s alright, Cas, I’m just saying if this is gonna start heading that way maybe we should head back inside.”

Castiel nodded, still feeling horrible about holding Dean like that and grinding up against him. That was likely the last thing Dean needed with all the stress he was under and after what that monster had done to him.

“I’m gonna take a shower and then I’ll be over for dinner, I can cook if you give me rein on the kitchen?”

Castiel just nodded, still trying to take shallow breaths to keep Dean’s scent from overwhelming him again. Dean just shook his head and pecked him on the cheek before heading back to his own place. Castiel hurried back into his house and went upstairs to change into comfortable pants and tee shirt, willing his erection down. His skin felt itchy and hot and for the life of him he could hardly focus enough to start pulling ingredients for dinner together. He stuck his head in the freezer enjoying the cool air for a minute and began wondering if maybe he was getting sick.

“Cas! I got some of those chips you like so much, if you want a snack before dinner,” Dean’s voice rang out from the front door. Castiel turned then and looked at Dean, hair still a little damp, in a tee shirt and his soft, paint-covered jeans. There was a little red on his nose from being out in the sun that afternoon and Castiel took in a long deep breath.

It hit him like a freight train then, rolling through his body. A growl worked its way up his throat. Mate, my mate, mine, mine, mine . He felt his muscles coil like a lion preparing to pounce on its prey. Dean had frozen where he stood, bag of chips falling to the ground. Castiel wanted to bite, to claim, to knot his Omega, and his whole body was screaming for it.

“Cas, I need you to listen to me, okay? Are you going into a rut?” Dean’s voice was level and it took him a few moments to process what he said. He tried to run a systems check on his body and quickly came to the conclusion that that’s exactly what it was. His muscles ached with the tension and his erection which was back at full mast was almost painful.

“Get out of here,” he growled out, turning to the kitchen island and gripping the counter top.

No, no, no, not now, please not now.

“Cas, it’s okay, alright, you’re gonna be fine.”

Castiel blinked up at Dean and wondered what the hell he was still doing there. “I said… go, I can’t — I can’t handle you being here, your scent — it’s — it’s too much.” He struggled to get the words out, feeling like at any moment he was going to toss reason aside and mount Dean right in the living room. He groaned at the mental image, pressing a hand to his erection. He’d never felt a rut this bad in his whole life. They were sporadic with Alphas, and came on much faster than an Omega’s heat. Still he’d always found them more of an annoyance than a real danger. This was different, Dean was here, his mate was feet away from him and his body was doing everything in its power to convince him to just let go and take what he wanted.

He thought he was still strong enough to bolt up the stairs and lock the door when it happened. He’d never smelled anything like it in his life, and was pretty sure it was the best scent on earth. Aroused omega flooded his sense, Dean was turned on, and by the smell of it leaking sweet slick.

“Fuck,” he growled, pressing his eyes shut and clutching to the counter like it was a damn life line. “Run, Dean.” Why wasn’t Dean running? He looked up at the Omega then with pleading eyes.

“I’m not going anywhere, Cas.”

******************

Dean had thought Castiel was a little off earlier, a little more handsy than he normally was. Castiel was the paragon of control and had hardly touched him since Dean’s confession a few nights before. He could see the rut was hitting the Alpha hard, his whole body shaking with the strength of it. He knew logically he should get the hell out of there just like Castiel said. But he looked into those pleading eyes and caught one whiff of the aroused Alpha and knew he wasn’t gonna leave him.

A part of him was terrified, knowing full well if he did this he’d only have as much control as Castiel gave him. An Alpha in a rut was a force to reckoned with, and once he got his hands on Dean, that was it. The thought of it sent a shiver down his back and he felt his own arousal rising to meet Castiel’s. He needed this too, he needed to feel Castiel all over him, owning him, replacing those horrible memories with something better, something built on trust. And that was it in the end — he trusted Castiel, and that was all he needed to know.

“I’m staying. I trust you, Cas. It’s gonna be alright.” He moved to pull his tee shirt up and off, tossing it over the back of the couch while kicking off his shoes and socks. He looked up to see Castiel’s eyes raking over his body, the muscle taut in his neck and arms. Dean shifted and felt the slick between his cheeks and a growing ache within him.

“It’s not safe, I don’t wanna hurt you,” Castiel said through gritted teeth.

Dean moved slowly toward him, feeling like he was pulling the pin on a grenade. Castiel turned to face him and he saw the fear mixed with lust in his eyes. “You won’t hurt me, Cas, I promise. I trust you and I can take it, I want you. Let me do this.”

“Are you really sure?” Castiel sounded just a tad hopeful.

“Yes, I am.”

With those words Castiel was on him, kissing him hard, and wrapping his arms around him. Dean shivered with intensity of it, kissing back and sinking his hands into Castiel’s hair. He rocked his erection up against Castiel’s and that earned him a hungry growl from the Alpha.

Fuck he was already coming undone, letting out a tiny needy whimper when strong fingers dug into his hips. He pushed back a moment and took in Castiel’s messy hair and pink lips.

He got a wicked idea and couldn’t contain himself. “Catch me if you can, Alpha.”

He spun and bolted for the stairs. He heard a bark of laughter followed by a growling and thundering of footsteps after him. He flew up the staircase, swinging around the turn and leaping forward, heading for the bedroom. He managed to yank open the door before a weight slammed into him. Strong arms snaked around his torso and he felt teeth graze the back of his neck.

“Mine,” was all Castiel said, and yet that one little word nearly had him coming in his jeans.

“Yours baby, all yours,” he panted as he was pushed into the room and felt hands fumbling with his jeans. He felt warm skin pressed to his back and realized Castiel must have shed his own shirt when running up the stairs after him. They fell onto the bed in a tangle of limbs and he flipped over onto his back and had to grip the mattress to keep from falling off when Castiel divested him of his boxers briefs and jeans.

Dean immediately grabbed his own weeping cock in one hand and grasped it firmly to try and stave off his impending orgasm. He felt like a damn teenager in his first heat and he was not gonna come without that glorious cock inside him. Castiel towered over him a moment, eyes glazed over in lust, his own clothes having hit the floor at some point.

“Dean?”

He knew what he was asking, and staring up at this man, he know without a shadow of doubt that he wanted this. Castiel was not Michael. He felt nothing but a rush of desire and lust for this man, and let out a whine. “I need you Cas.”

Castiel moved with surprising grace and gripped Dean’s wrists, moving them to his sides before he began licking and biting along his torso. Dean squirmed and wiggled under Castiel’s ministrations and got a growl for it. He tried hard to stay still but couldn’t help arching up off the bed and tossing his head back as Castiel’s lips clamped down on his nipple in a teasing bite.

“Holy fuck!” he couldn’t believe anything could feel this good. He hiked up his knees, legs falling open to this gorgeous man, who took the invitation, moving slowly south, hands dragging and nails scratching lightly down his sides. Before he could even process the overwhelming mix of sensations, warm, wet lips wrapped around his cock, swallowing him down. He fought for control, trying not to come yet, but he was right on the edge and Castiel’s tongue pulled and teased at him in all the right ways. He felt a long finger pressing and circling at his wet entrance. He was already incredibly wet and open and whimpered with the need to be filled. Two fingers sank into him and he grabbed onto the bedding for something to hold onto.

Castiel hummed against him. Fingers pumping in and out of him with a delicious stretch. Castiel finally hooked his fingers, brushing that one glorious spot and Dean couldn’t wait any longer. He came hard, crying out with the shock of it, toppling over the edge. His muscles were loose, but he barely had a moment to catch his breath before he felt the fingers pulling out. He whimpered at the loss of them. Castiel climbed over him, pressing his lips to Dean’s, devouring him with his mouth. Castiel lined up with Dean and he never wanted to be filled so bad in his whole life as he felt the hard cock slowly pressed in. Dean groaned into the kiss at the feel of the stretch and the burn. He felt utterly and completely owned, every nerve ending on edge, still feeling the aftershocks from his orgasm. It was too much and yet not enough, all at once.

“More, I can take it, please,” he begged and Castiel obliged him, starting a hard thrusting into him. Castiel growled as he started a pounding rhythm, hip bones slamming into him and likely leaving bruises but Dean didn’t care, it still wasn’t enough, he wanted all of him. Dean’s cock steadily grew hard again aching and bobbing in between them. Castiel’s knot began pushing against his rim and a moment of fear washed over him, thinking there was no way it was gonna fit.

Before he had a chance to speak, Castiel had shifted and started hitting his prostate, sending waves of pleasure through him. He couldn’t help but sink his nails into Castiel’s back, the cresting of his second orgasm hitting him even harder than the first. He let it all go and came again, feeling Castiel cry out his name as he followed him over the edge, coming deep inside him. His knot pressed against his rim but never breaching him.

Castiel collapsed on top of him, sweating and shaking as Dean closed his eyes, breathing in the scent of his mate. He wrapped his arms and legs around him tight, holding them pressed together just a little longer. Dean couldn’t even remember coming more than once so close together and he’d never felt so deliciously spent before.

“You’re so amazing,” Castiel panted, nuzzling at his ear.

“Back at ya,” Dean grinned, riding the euphoric high. “We should have done this ages ago.”

That earned him a chuckle as Castiel rolled off of him, and pulled Dean up on top, flipping them. Castiel smiled up at him, holding his face in his long, elegant fingers. “Beautiful,” he purred, kissing the end of Dean’s nose.

“You’re a sap after sex, aren’t you?” Dean chuckled.

“How can I not be with an Omega like you in my arms?” Castiel let out a contented purr again, a goofy, happy smile stretching across his face.

“I’m gonna clean up and go order us some pizza. I’m gonna need some nourishment to keep up with you.” Dean smiled back, just thinking about a round two.

“Better order extra, because it’s going to be long night. I’m not done with you yet, Winchester.”

“Music to my ears, Novak.”

Dean looked down at the satiated Alpha. For the first time in a long time he felt an inkling of hope for the future.

Chapter Text

Dean moved around the kitchen in a groggy haze, putting away dishes, brewing coffee and wiping down the counters. He smiled to himself as he thought of the night before. As exhausted as he felt now, it had been incredible. Quite possibly the best sex of his life, freeing in a way he had never expected. He was pretty sure there was an extra swagger to his bow legs but it had been well worth it. He spun around when he realized the kitchen was clean and beelined it for the living room. He began to shuffle Castiel’s loose papers into a pile, and picked up all the red pens he had left lying scattered around the house.

He heard the heavy foot falls on the stairs and smelled the familiar scent of wet grass and honey as Castiel yawned, staggering into the room. Dean looked up suddenly, feeling a strange sense of shyness when faced with the Alpha. He watched him, trying to get a read on his body language. He saw loose, relaxed shoulders and a soft grin, and knew that they were okay.

“I put coffee on. It's almost ready.” He gestured to the kitchen and Castiel nodded, using both hands to flatten his hair.

Dean snuck up behind him when his back was turned, giving his hair a ruffle. “Don't go flattening out that sex hair—I worked hard on that!”

Castiel narrowed his eyes at him but couldn’t keep the smile off his face. “Worse reasons to have messy hair I suppose. I'm in desperate need of a shower.”

Castiel bent and planted a kiss to Dean’s cheek before pouring two mugs of coffee and dousing his own in cream. “Were you cleaning?” Castiel asked after they both made it through a few delicate sips of very hot coffee.

“Uh, yeah. I mean, just killing time while the coffee brewed,” Dean shrugged, but when he glanced at Castiel, it looked like there was something he wasn’t saying. “What is it?”

Castiel just smiled and shrugged, sipping at his coffee, but Dean wasn’t gonna be put off with a cute smile. “Go on, say what’s on your mind.”

“Just seemed like maybe you were… nesting?” Castiel looked like he wasn’t sure if Dean was gonna toss his coffee in his face.

He opened his mouth to refute that observation when he paused to think about it. He’d been doing that more often lately, feeling a need to shift things around, clean things and organize the things in Castiel’s space. “Maybe?” he replied out loud, truly unsure of the answer. “Is that a bad thing?”

Castiel set his coffee down and wrapped Dean up in his arms, breathing in Dean’s scent like he loved to do. His Alpha scent washed over Dean, soothing his nerves. “There is nothing wrong with that, Dean. I think it’s great you feel comfortable enough to do that. I want you to feel at home here, my space is your space.”

Dean's shoulders relaxed a little as he let that sink in. Castiel didn’t think he was some crazy,  needy Omega. He hadn’t really heard of unmated Omegas nesting especially outside a heat, but he couldn’t deny the intense impulse. He was beginning to realize what a big part of his life Castiel had become and that he was, in turn, inserting himself into Castiel’s life as well. It was all a bit unnerving.

“Dean?” Castiel’s voice could always express so much with a simple word. Caring, concern, maybe even love.

“Thanks, Cas. You're too good to me sometimes.” He nuzzled back shamelessly into Castiel’s warmth.

“I think we deserve each other, for better or worse.” Castiel leaned back and planted a kiss on his forehead and Dean realized there was one very important thing he’d meant to ask Castiel.

“Can I, uh, ask you something… about last night?”

Castiel slowly let Dean go, gesturing to the stool, and they both sat side by side at the breakfast bar while Dean gathered his thoughts. “You can ask me anything, Dean.”

“Why didn’t you knot me? I mean, I was sure you were going to, it would have been okay.” He had felt a little bit of bruised ego that Castiel had held back, wondering if he had done something wrong.

“I wanted to, Dean, but doing that is a really big step and I wanted to wait till we’d talked about it.” Castiel looked a little embarrassed if Dean was reading him right, which seemed very unlike the confident Alpha he’d come to know.

“What is it, Cas? What are you not saying?”

“You're going to laugh.”

“I promise I wouldn’t do that,” Dean bit back a few jokes that were trying to make their way out of him to lighten the mood, but he knew Castiel might shut down if he did.

“I kind of thought the first time we would be tied would be when we bonded,” Castiel didn’t look at Dean but stared fixedly at his coffee.

Dean felt a smile creep across his face… Cas wanted to be his mate, his bonded mate. Dean had accepted that Castiel was his mate on some level, and he had to assume Castiel felt the same draw and attraction towards him, but neither of them had brought it up before. As if to speak about it out loud might make it something real and therefore something breakable.

He’d been surprised Castiel hadn’t offered to mate him the second Michael had shown up. It was what most Alphas would do—lay claim to their Omega when a threat showed up. He knew Castiel had likely wanted that, to claim him, and he’d be lying if he said he didn’t want the same on some level. But Castiel, being the wise intuitive person that he was, must have known that wasn’t really what either of them wanted. He didn’t want to be pushed into a mating for the wrong reasons, and doing it out of fear of Michael was the wrong reason. Castiel had known that, but it hadn’t stopped him from wanting Dean. For the hundredth time he wondered how he got so lucky to find someone like Cas.

“You're something else, you know that?”

“I know that I am not what you considered average, not for an Alpha. I have been made well enough aware of that,” Castiel frowned a little.

“No, no Cas, you goof, I mean it in a good way. You aren’t like any Alpha I've ever met, and that’s a good thing. You're, well, you're you, and that’s a pretty amazing person.” That brought the smile back to Castiel’s face, as Dean continued, “and for what it’s worth, I’m glad you waited, ‘cause I think I’d like that too, you know, someday.”

They both sat quietly together finishing their coffees, knees brushing up against each other. Castiel was like a solid wall of comfort to Dean. Everytime he felt himself ready to pull away, he’d look into that face and was drawn back into him like a magnet. He still felt like a mess most of the time but it was moments like this that made him hope that it could get better.

“You got classes today?”

Castiel nodded. “You going into the shop?”

“Yup, that’s the plan. Say, uh, why don’t you come over to my place for dinner tonight?”

“I’d love that.” Castiel took his empty mug and they both showered before heading off to their jobs for the day.

Dean's mind was a bit fuzzy and distracted at work, and he was glad that none of the cars Bobby sent him were all that difficult. He struggled through and felt his belly give a growl around two o’clock since he’d forgotten to eat. The door cracked open and he looked up to see Sam coming in. Apparently there was a god ‘cause he came bearing food.

“You may be my new favorite person.” Dean snatched the paper bag from his brother, pulling out a pb&j and quickly setting into it.

“You could wash your hands,” Sam grumbled, pulling out another sandwich from the bag. “We haven’t had time to catch up so I thought I’d come by on your lunch.”

“How are finals going?” Dean asked after finishing his first half of the sandwich in record time.

“They suck, but I only have a few left. I’m more worried about picking a law school.”

Sam settled down on a few stacked tires which was as good a seat as any in the garage. He’d been dreading asking Sam what schools he was looking at, fearing how far some of them might be.

“So you narrow down the choices yet?”

“Yeah. I mean, I plan to go to USD Law. It's only an hour from here, and I think I can get almost a full ride.”

“What about one of those fancy Ivy League schools?”

Sam just shrugged. “I don’t need to go to those schools to become a lawyer and practice law. I just wanna be able to help people and change the system and I can do that from here. Plus, I dunno, it’s been nice being here, putting down roots. I don’t really wanna move so far away.”

Dean fought down the urge to smile, thinking an hour was way more doable then halfway cross-country. He thought about what Sam said about moving around a lot though and how they never really had a home before.

“Do you remember that winter when I was, I dunno, maybe nineteen and you were fifteen, and Dad left us up at the cabin?”

Sam smiled, handing Dean another sandwich. “Course I do, we were there for two months by ourselves. You even chopped down that Charlie Brown christmas tree for us. You were covered in sap and hands bleeding, if I recall.”

“Things I wouldn’t do for you, Sammy,” Dean smiled, “and you remember I went into a heat then too, right? It was the first one I went through without Dad there.” Sam nodded his head, remembering. “You stood at the damn door with a shotgun like an army of Alphas were gonna come snatch me away.” Dean grinned, seeing Sam purse his lips a little.e

“How was I supposed to know they wouldn’t? Plus I’d only just presented as an Alpha,” Sam gave him a steady bitch face and Dean only grinned in return.

“Yeah well, I kinda started getting comfortable there, you know, and cleaned up the place, found that new couch and fixed the leak just kinda… you know-”

“Nested?” Sam supplied and Dean blushed a little at the word, it sounded so damn domestic.

“Well yeah, when Dad came home he saw what I’d been doing. He sent you out for food and he had a talk with me. He told me I shouldn’t really let myself nest or get comfortable anywhere because it was only going to make moving around that much harder. He said moving around a lot could be hard on Omegas but it was best for me, that I didn’t risk getting tied down, that it was safer that way. Leaving the cabin that time was the hardest. I didn’t want to go and I ached for that stupid lumpy mattress and leaking roof and I understood what Dad meant then. If you never get attached it never hurts to leave.”

A bit of a silence fell between the brothers and Dean twirled the empty sandwich bag around his fingers, staring at the cement floor. He could practically hear his brother thinking.

“Dad was right about a lot of things, Dean, but he was also really fucking wrong sometimes.” Dean gave a short laugh at that but Sam pushed on, “Look you can’t live your whole life afraid to settle down somewhere, afraid to make connections with people. That’s what Dad did after Mom died and did he ever seem happy to you?” Dean shook his head, there was no denying their father never really found peace after their mom. “Are you starting to think about settling down here? Maybe with Cas? Is that what this is all about?”

“I already tried the whole settling down thing, Sammy, after Dad died and look where that got me.” He thought back to moving in with Michael, how happy he was to finally have a home. Four walls that were his. Thinking about it, the pain of losing that home was worse than the loss of the Alpha.

“Yeah, but this is different isn’t it? Cas is nothing like Michael.”

“Cas is something else, that’s for sure,” Dean felt a smile warm his face at the thought of the Alpha, his Alpha. “If I tell you something you have to swear not to freak out, okay?”

Sam’s eyes went wide and his mouth gaped open like a fish before he snapped it shut nodding, “Yeah, I promise.”

“I uh, I think- I mean I know…Cas is, well he is my mate.” Dean knew his voice got small at the end. Just saying it out loud, he half-expected to be struck down by lightning.

“No shit! Are you serious? Like soulmate mate?” Sam gaped at him, making him feel like he wanted to jump up and slap him. Going on that impulse he reached forward and smacked Sam upside the head. “Ouch! Alright, sorry.”

“Don’t be an ass. I think he is my mate, I mean we haven’t talked about it but there’s no way he can’t smell it. Whenever I’m around him it’s just like this overwhelming pull.” He wasn’t sure he was explaining himself very well.

“Wow, I mean you hear about that stuff but it’s not very common. That’s intense, man. You guys haven’t even talked about it?”

“You know I don’t like talking about this shit, and I didn’t really know what to do about it. Was I just supposed to say, ‘Well, you smell great. Wanna bite my neck and be stuck with me the rest of your life?’”

“Yeah, Dean, say it just like that. Real romantic,” Sam said, rolling his eyes.

“I’m not gonna just bond with someone I hardly know ‘cause they smell good.”

“Or because your ex is causing trouble?” Sam offered and Dean nodded.

“I don’t even know how I feel about the whole bonded mate thing. I mean, that shit changes you, like changes your chemistry, the core of who you are.”

“I don’t think it works like that. I think it’s more just a bonding of two people, not a melding into one. That’s not how Dad described it, anyway.”

Dean squinted at Sam now. “When did Dad talk to you about that?”

“I asked him once, what it was like to find a true mate with Mom. I think he was drunk enough to give me an honest answer. He said that it was just like he finally knew who he was and like he saw her for who she was. He said it was overwhelming and scary but also felt incredible and like he’d found home in a person, not a place."

“Dad got all poetic and shit like that?”

Sam shrugged, “Well I don’t remember the exact words, but something like that.”

Dean thought on that, being that exposed to one person, giving yourself completely over to someone else. He wasn’t sure he could ever trust anyone that much. In the end who would really want to see that much of Dean anyway? What if Castiel didn’t like what he saw and felt like he was stuck with Dean?

“Well, I haven’t decided anything yet, but I do feel like I should maybe do something nice for him. He’s really been pretty great lately.”

“Why don’t you plan a date for him, surprise him?” Sam offered and Dean was glad he wasn’t pushing the bonding thing.

“With what?”

“I dunno show him something you like to do. I took Madison to a shooting range, like Dad used to do with us as kids. She really liked it though she had terrible aim.” Sam laughed, getting up and dusting his hands off on his jeans.

“You know, I might have an idea for that. I just need to make a stop after work. Thanks, Sammy.”

Sam gave Dean a pat on the shoulder. “Anytime, Dean, and whatever you decide to do, with the Cas thing, I got your back. You know that, right?”

“Yeah, I know it. Now get outta here and let me work.”

Sam left and Dean began to plot his plan for the night. He might not know what he wanted in the long term but for the moment he wanted to make Cas feel special, and he had a pretty good idea how to do that.

***************

Castiel had gone through multiple cups of coffee and was still dragging in the late afternoon. He was writing his outline on the board for his next class, stretching up on his tiptoes when he heard a wolf whistle at the door.

“Damn, Cassie, I thought you were taken. Keep flashing your abs like that and you’ll have every available coed all over you,” Balthazar teased, sauntering into the room. He hastily pulled his cardigan down and turned a scowl on him till he saw the coffees in his friend’s hands.

“I’ll forgive you for the rude comment since you seem to have brought me the nectar of life,” Castiel snatched up the coffee and smelled the hazelnut.

“Complimenting your abs is hardly rude. You wanna see rude, I could tell you what I think of your-”

“Enough, Balthazar, I am too tired to keep up with you today.” Castiel took a sip, saying, “Better not let Dean hear you talk like that. He’ll knock your block off.”

“Gonna sick your Omega on me?”

“He boxes and can throw a mean punch. I wouldn’t test him.” Castiel grinned a little.

“Fair enough, Professor. I hope you treat that man of yours better than your best friend,” Balthazar mock-pouted and Castiel chuckled.

“I reserve all of my good side for him now, but thank you, really, I needed this.”

“That man wearing you down is he?”

“In the best way, but I need to rally tonight since I think he’s planning something.”

“How do you know?”

“He texted and said he is planning something.” They both burst out laughing.

“Direct. I like it,” Balthazar smiled. “Have fun tonight, you Alpha stud.”

Balthazar bowed out of the room with flourish as the students started filing in. Castiel tried to drain his cup to make it through the next lecture. He managed to muddle through with the thought of Dean waiting for him, and made it home and showered before he checked his phone.

Dean: wear your favorite work jeans and a tee shirt you don’t care about.

Cas: ???

Dean: See you soon ;)

Castiel frowned at the phone, wondering what Dean was up to. He threw on an old Rolling Stone tee shirt with holes by the collar, then his favorite pair of ratty work jeans that had holes in the knees and grass stains from the previous summer he couldn’t get to wash out. He thought he looked more like he was ready for yard work than a date. He did flatten out his hair, parting it to the side for some semblance of effort.

He knocked on Dean’s front door, even though he had a key and heard a bit of shuffling and padding of feet followed by the door swinging open. Dean stood there bare-chested, a pair of dark wash jeans sitting low on his hips and a big grin across his face. Castiel’s jaw dropped a little, and Dean quirked an eyebrow at him. “You just gonna stand there looking, or do you plan to come in?”

He froze a second before spitting out, “In, definitely in.” Castiel smiled broadly at Dean, planting a kiss on the Omega’s cheek before coming into his house. Castiel peered around the living room and saw a huge white drop cloth covering more than half the room. Standing in the middle were two beat up looking easels and two blank white canvases.

“Is this paint night?” Castiel chuckled nervously, suddenly feeling wary. He didn’t have a creative bone in his body when it came to art. Sure, he could appreciate it, but create it? He figured out stick figures in the first grade and left it at that.

“Yeah, I kinda thought it might be fun to teach you a few things about painting. I bought the easels second hand and picked up a few supplies. It’ll be fun!” And hell, with a hopeful smile like that there was no way Castiel was going to say no.

“Why the huge drop cloth? It covers half the room.”

“Well this kind of painting can get really messy. But first, food. Are you hungry?”

“Always. What are we having?”

“This is my Dad’s cure-all kitchen sink stew. It’s got a real kick to it and I normally only make it when Sammy has a cold but I wanted to make you something that was mine, you know? And this was all I got.” Dean looked a little embarrassed but Castiel moved past him, smelling the stew. He ladled out a big bowl for himself.

“This looks wonderful, Dean, thank you.” They both happily inhaled the soup and he mulled over what Dean had said, reading between the lines that home cooked meals of any kind were likely rare in Dean’s childhood. He wondered not for the first time what Dean’s dad had been like. He knew Dean had worshipped his father but he wondered if he was deserving of all that adoration.

When they were finished, he found himself standing in front of the easel, with Dean holding out a paper bowl of light blue paint. He looked at it dubiously. “Where are the brushes?”

“Oh, we don’t need those. We’re finger painting tonight.” Dean got a devilish look on his face. “Come on, trust me, dip your pointer finger and index in the paint then streak it across the top half of the page, okay? Just watch me.”

Dean dipped his fingers in the paint and raised them up to drag them across the top of the page in a sweeping motion.

“But is the paint safe on your skin?”

“Of course, it’s made for this. Come on, give it a shot.” Dean elbowed him a little and he dipped his fingers in the cool paint, rubbing it between his fingers a little, enjoying the feel of it.

“There you go. Now come on, just color the top half blue. It doesn’t need to be perfect.”

Castiel watched Dean’s fingers streak and dance across the canvas, pulling the blue across the page, and tried to mimic the motion himself. His lines were a bit more stiff and defined but he thought it wasn’t that far off from Dean’s. Dean had him rinse his hands in a bucket of water he put between them and they repeated the process with the green.

Dean had put on some soft Etta James tracks and Castiel felt himself relaxing with each swipe of paint. He couldn’t help but watch Dean out of the corner of his eye. The elegant movement of his body was mesmerizing and he nearly streaked red all over his sky, but Dean caught his hand. Instead he ended up smearing it on Dean and apologizing, but he only waved it off. They were both already fairly splattered in paint.

“So now we can add the bee,” Dean proclaimed, searching around and pulling up a bright yellow paint.

“Bee?”

“Yeah, don’t you like bees? I mean you go on and on about them, figured we could paint a bee on a flower. It’s a pretty simple picture.” Dean shrugged and ducked his head a little but Castiel cradled his face with his paint covered hand and lifted his chin till he met his eyes.

“I love it. This is the perfect picture. But how on earth do I make it look like a bee and not a blob?”

Dean’s confident smile returned and artfully used his thumb to make the body of the bee, then, dipping his thumb in black, used the edge of his nail to make the stripes and outline the wings. Dean had to help Castiel clean his bee up so it at least sort of resembled the desired insect. He was startled at how decent his painting had come out.

“You are a very good teacher. Do you ever think about teaching art?”

Dean stuck his tongue out a little, something he did when he was distracted in thought.

“Never thought about it. I’m not classically trained.” He went back to touching up some white to the skyline on his painting, giving the illusion of clouds. Dean looked over at Cas and caught him staring.

“You’ve been staring more at me all night then your painting. Not sure how good a teacher I am if I can’t get you to focus.”

“Well if my teacher wasn’t standing in front of me bare-chested, covered in paint, maybe I wouldn’t be so distracted. You’re far nicer to look at then any painting.”

Dean stared fixedly at Castiel as he pulled his bottom lip into his mouth. He took a step forward into Castiel’s space, heat radiating off his skin, and Castiel smelled the scent of arousal and spice of cinnamon coming off him. Castiel’s eyes fixated on Dean’s paint-covered fingers as he began dragging them down his own torso leaving a myriad of colors all the way down to below his navel. Dean hooked his thumbs in the top of his jeans then and rocked back on his heels, giving Castiel a beautiful view. He sucked in a few sharp breaths at the sight.

“I don’t see why you find this distracting,” Dean’s smile took on a taunting edge. Fuck, Castiel was so lost in that smile. He quickly wrapped a hand around the back of Dean’s neck and pulled him in for a hot, crushing kiss. Lips pressed together and hips bumping against each other, it felt like they just collided into one another. He ran his hands over any available skin in front of him and only protested a little when Dean began pulling off his tee shirt and tossing it to the side.

They collapsed in a heap to the floor, kissing and licking and biting, and Castiel seriously hoped the paint was non-toxic cause nothing was keeping his mouth away from Dean’s skin now. Paint spilled around them on the drop cloth but he couldn’t begin to care as he laid Dean out below him and began kissing and playfully nipping his way down that perfect chest.

Dean whined and his back arched, stretching his long elegant neck and allowing his eyes to slip closed, surrendering to Castiel’s touch so beautifully. It was these few moments when Dean really let go that Castiel loved the best. Taking that trust and paying it back in love and security and pleasure. It made his inner Alpha purr with joy. Dean’s legs pulled up to wrap around Castiel’s hips as he moved back up to kissing his neck.

Dean tasted devine, like sweet and happy Omega and Castiel felt his erection pressing against the thin fabric of his jeans. All it took was a change in angle and a press of hips and soon their denim-clad erections were rubbing against each other, pulling delicious noises from deep in Dean’s throat. It was a primal, needy sound and Castiel rutted against him, already feeling so very close.

“Dean, Dean I- I think I’m-” He ran out of words as he felt a growing tension and ache, a desperate need to give in and let himself come.

“It’s okay, baby, I’m so close too, don’t stop, please...” Dean’s voice was raspy and worn and Castiel sunk his hands into Dean’s short hair and continued his assault on the man’s neck, pressing him into the floor, desperate to feel closer, feel every inch of Dean.

Dean’s breath caught and he gave a hitched gasp as he shuddered beneath Castiel. That was all the Alpha needed to cry out Dean’s name and let his own orgasm wash over him in waves. His face pressed into the crook of Dean’s neck right by those hidden scent glands and he sucked in a steadying breath, falling limp around him. His breathing slowed and he felt a hand carding fingers through his hair.

“Are you getting even more paint in my hair?” Castiel mumbled.

“Maybe. This was all really just part of my master plan to get you in the shower,” Dean planted a soft kiss on Castiel’s temple.

“Mmmhmm, well all you had to do was ask,” Castiel sat back and pulled Dean up to his feet. Before Dean could begin to protest he leaned forward, wrapping his arms around the Omega’s legs, lifting him into a fireman’s carry. “To the showers it is,” Castiel said, getting a firm grip on Dean’s thighs.

“Hey, I can walk, you know,” Dean grumbled and though Castiel couldn’t see his face he was sure he was smiling.

“Just enjoying the view,” Castiel replied, giving Dean a playful slap to the butt. He felt a little pinch to his own cheek and yelped a little but kept a firm grip as he moved toward the stairs.

“You’re not the only one with a view,” Dean chuckled and he felt fingers dance across his back side. He was already almost half-hard again.

“You dirty, dirty boy you. If you’re really lucky, we will get all clean and maybe I will make you dirty again.”

“That better be a promise,” Dean laughed, squirming halfheartedly. Oh, it was a promise, and one Castiel had every intention of keeping.

Chapter Text

The weeks started to fly by as spring was in full swing. Sam, taking his part of the whole court case very seriously, showed up with a truck load of used but sturdy furniture one weekend. Luckily he had brought Madison, Ash, and Kevin to help move everything, and Dean finally had a fully furnished house. Nothing really matched but it was all in decent shape. Dean and Sam had nearly come to blows when Sam tried to refuse his help in paying for the furniture. When Castiel stepped in and threatened to send them each to timeout if they didn’t calm down, they finally agreed to split the expense.

Dean was starting to feel like he might just belong here. He worked out with Madison three nights a week and was feeling his muscle tone returning and that knot in his chest loosening with each hit on the sand bag. He even got up the stones to go to poker night at Sam’s place and wiped the floor with them even though Kevin swore he cheated. Bobby had cleaned out one of his large, unused garages and told Dean he could put his art supplies there and use the space how he wanted. Dean had managed not to cry as hugged the old man and insisted on cooking them dinner that night to say thank you.

Despite all of this, he could feel the growing anxiety that was simmering just below the surface. They were only two weeks away from the hearing now and despite Rowena’s assurances that it was all going to be okay, Dean couldn’t shake the uneasy feelings. He was trying not to feel paranoid but every so often he swore someone was watching him. They had a final appointment with Rowena and her investigator Charlie in a week and he hoped that might put his mind more at ease.

Castiel had been amazing through it all, far too good for Dean. Even with Dean’s occasional nightmares, Castiel would just help sooth him back to sleep. To top it off the sex was unlike anything he’d experienced before. He’d loved being with beta girls and even his first time with Michael had been good, but this was different. He could let go completely with Castiel, and just surrender to him without fear or embarrassment. He could, for a little while, just be. When Castiel sank into Dean, filling him up and stretching him, he felt like he never wanted to feel anything but that ever again. They still didn’t talk about the mating and Dean wasn’t sure what he would say if they did.

He was sitting at the roadhouse bar and drifting off in thought about a future with Cas when a hand smacked him on the back, making him jump. “Easy there, cowboy,” Jo chuckled as she came around to duck back into the bar.

“Don’t give a guy a heart attack,” Dean grumbled at her and she only grinned.

“Mom! You got Dean’s burgers ready yet?” Jo called and Ellen yelled back something Dean couldn’t make out. “Another minute. How are things going at the shop?”

“Same old same old. Say, did you and your mom find out if you're free for the barbecue?”

“Wouldn’t miss it. We can get coverage at the bar that day. It’s still a surprise, right?”

Dean grinned. “Hell yes, and you better keep it that way.” He wagged a finger at her and she only rolled her eyes. Dean was planning an actual surprise birthday party for Sam, with the help of Cas and Madison, of course. He thought of all the shitty birthdays, and stolen convenience store gifts he’d given Sammy over the years and loved the idea of actually throwing him an honest to god birthday party. He thought back to even a few months ago, and he would have dismissed the idea of being around that many people as nuts.

“Here you go, I threw in extra fries for you. Extra crispy, too.” Jo handed him the paper bag already getting grease stains on it.

“Thanks, you're the best, Jo.” Dean pecked her on the cheek and headed out the door.

He opened the bag and smelled the delicious aroma of dinner as he headed to his car. Maybe if he hadn’t had his nose in the bag he would have smelled it coming. As it was he didn’t know anyone was behind him till he felt a hand wrap around his arm  pulling him to the side with a jarring yank. Dean dropped the food and stumbled to get his feet properly under him. He wanted to move to swing but two hands gripped his wrists hard and slammed him against the brick alley wall. Light blue eyes fixed on his with a sharp, white smile.

“Dean, baby, I just wanna talk,” Michael cooed at him and Dean’s nostrils flared with the scent of Alpha overwhelming him.

“Get off me, Michael.” Dean lowered his voice to a growl, baring his teeth. Michael had the balls to look offended and Dean was shocked when he actually released his wrists and took a step back, though blocking his exit. Dean didn’t waste a second but cocked his arm back, throwing a punch straight for Michael's gut, and heard the air whoosh out from between his lips.

Michael staggered a little, lifting his head with a teasing smile on his lips. “Guess I deserved that, huh?” Dean held up both fists, taking a firm stance, trying to remember everything he practiced, fighting the paralyzing fear that always gripped him around Michael. “You smell so scared Baby, I promise I’d never hurt you, don’t you believe me."

“Get the hell out of my life, Michael,” he managed with a snarl. “I don’t need you. You're not my Alpha any more.”

“Oh baby, I will never stop being your Alpha. The moment I saw you in that bar, I knew you’d be mine. You were so nervous, nothing but false bravado but I saw through that, Dean, I saw through you. Deep down you were just a scared Omega looking for an Alpha to step into his life and tell him what to do.”

“That’s bullshit!” Dean spat and in a tiny corner of his mind wondered if that was true.

“Is it, Dean? Weren’t you happy with me? Didn’t I give you what you wanted, a home of your own? I only want what is best for you. Don’t you think this Alpha is just using you? Or is it the other way around?” Michael cocked his head to the side like he was examining Dean. “Are you just using him to fill that void, that hole deep inside you? The part of you that wants, no needs, an Alpha to take control?”

The words were like a punch in the gut. He felt someone had dumped a bucket of ice water over him. His lips pressed into a thin line, stance still stable but he couldn’t control the fear and shame dripping off him. “Just shut up and go! You don’t know Cas and you don’t know me!”

“Hit a nerve, huh? It's okay, I understand, it’s in your nature. That was something your father never understood—you needed to embrace who and what you are. You're damaged, Dean. Your father messed you up, you don’t even know how to be a good Omega. Stop using this Alpha to make you feel better, let him go and find a his own Omega that won’t toy with him like you are.”

“I am not toying with him,” Dean’s voice was losing its anger, the words hitting him harder than any physical blow.

“You are, Dean, I know you are, cause I know you. You haven’t even moved in with him, have you? Bet you just keep stringing him along and won’t even take his knot. I knew you hadn’t! It's because you know he isn’t meant for you, that I was there first, that I will always have been there first. If you love him, Dean, you’d let him go. Come back to me.” Dean scoffed at that, like he’d ever fall for Michael again. “That’s all I want—a chance to show you how to be a good Omega for me. I can forgive your faults, the running away, the lack of submission, I can deal with all of it, but can he? Will he still love you when you screw up, want you when you run? ‘Cause we both know its coming Dean, you’ll run from him like you ran from me, but he won’t come after you like I did, because he doesn’t love you like I do.”

“That’s not love, Michael. You’ve never loved anyone but yourself.” His words were cracked, and hard to push past the growing lump in his throat. Fuck, he felt the burning in his eyes but he wouldn’t cry in front of him.

“I know it’s hard to believe, Dean, but I do love you, and I am what’s best for you. I just want you to think about what I said, okay? I know you’ll do what’s right. You won’t let him settle for someone else's Omega, you’ll do the right thing and let him go.” Michael stood back then, away from Dean, leaving an opening to the street.

Dean wasn’t gonna waste any time and went to move past him when the Alpha put a hand on his shoulder. “I’ll see you in court. Our old friend Zachariah will be there.”

Dean’s rage turned to fear. He remembered Zachariah. He hated Zachariah.

Michael laughed at his wide eyed look. “He’s the judge, Dean, and he knows where an Omega belongs. Don’t you worry. It will all work out in the end.”

Dean pulled away from Michael and bolted down the street, leaving his dinner abandoned on the sidewalk. He dove into the sanctuary of his car and revved the engine before peeling out down the street. He drove as fast as he dared, street lights flying by him and eyes now blurry with tears. The lights became fewer and fewer and eventually there was nothing but asphalt in front of him and trees lining the way. All of Michael’s words kept swimming in his head and he couldn’t stop hearing it. He knew that the reason he hated it so much was because it was partially true.

He’d done nothing from day one but use Castiel. He’d been weak and scared just like Michael said, and he’d let this Alpha, this kind, wonderful Alpha, take care of him. Castiel deserved better than sloppy seconds. He deserved a real mate, one who wasn’t scared of bonding, one who acted the way an Omega was supposed to act. Castiel deserved to be loved with someone’s whole, untainted heart. Michael was wrong in that Dean wasn’t his anymore and never would be, but he was right that he was broken and right that Castiel deserved better. He’d wished he’d left his walls up, never let the Alpha in, because now there was no way not to hurt him.

The Impala started to make a growling, puttering sound and he glanced down at the gas gauge to see she was completely empty. He managed to pull the car over to the side of the road before she complete stalled out on him. He glanced at the clock and saw it was getting close to ten o’clock, and he was miles outside the city now.

He scrambled in his back pocket for his cell phone and saw the slew of missed calls and texts. Most were from Sam and Cas, which made him feel even more like an asshole then he already felt making them worry. He wasn’t sure what to say to them, feeling embarrassed for having done exactly what Michael said he would do and run. He took a few calming breaths and dialed Castiel, who picked up on the first ring.

“Dean! Are you okay? Where are you?” The fear in his voice cut through Dean like a knife.

“I’m fine, Cas. Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” His voice sounded hoarse like he’d been crying  and well of fucking course it did since he had been. “I just went for a drive to clear my head and I ran out of gas. I’ll be back soon, okay? Don’t worry.”

“Where are you? I can come get you.” He could hear shuffling around and Castiel speaking to someone saying Dean was alright.

“I’ll be fine. I just need to get some gas in the tank and I will be home in a few hours, okay?” He didn’t really want to admit he had no idea where he was and knew it was going to take him a long time to get back.

Sam’s voice came on the line then. “I'm coming to get you, Dean. Don’t be a stubborn ass. Just tell us where you are.”

Dean bristled at that. He might be a stubborn ass, but that didn’t mean he liked to be reminded of it. “Sammy, I am fine and I can get myself home.”

The thought of going home to two very worried and overprotective Alpha’s suddenly wasn’t feeling very appealing.

Castiel came back on the line. “Dean, just promise me you’re safe.” Castiel’s voice dropped low, “I miss you, come home… please.”

Damn if that didn’t break his heart into a million pieces. He managed to suck in enough air to reply, “I'll see ya soon.” He quickly hung up the phone, not trusting himself to say any more. He got out and listened to the crickets in the night air. It was still pretty chilly, being early spring and he moved to the trunk, finding an empty gas can. He vaguely remembered seeing a gas station at some point on his drive so started the slow walk down the empty road. He thought he’d been walking an hour when the lights at the gas station appeared and he felt exhaustion hit him, along with hunger, seeing as he had ditched his dinner.

He was glad for the time to think, though. He filled the tank and grabbed some hostess apple pies from the convenience store before he started the longer walk back to the car with a full gas can. He wondered if this was penance for his stupidity. If so, he thought it was well deserved. By the time he made it to the Impala, driven back to the gas station, filled up the tank and started heading back home, it was after midnight. He figured if he drove straight to get out of the city, he could drive straight to get back.

Dean spent his time strengthening his resolve, knowing he should put distance between Cas and himself. He’d become too dependent on him, too used to Castiel being there for him. He didn’t want to leave, but with Zachariah as the judge he now didn’t think he stood a chance. He needed to get home and get his things settled, and then it would be time to move on. He knew it would hurt Cas, hell it would hurt Sammy too, but better it hurt now than later. It would only hurt more the longer he waited, and Dean cursed Michael's name as he approached his now temporary home.

***************

Castiel was exhausted, literally sick with worry. He was about ready to tear the damn city to pieces to find Dean. When his phone had finally rung, and it was Dean, he felt weak with relief, collapsing in the nearest chair. He had finally convinced Sam to go home and that he would text him the second Dean returned. He paced the house while he waited, peering out the front window every few minutes. He grabbed a hammer and started to pick a spot on the wall to hang the bee pictures he and Dean had painted.

He imagined more and more buying the other half of the building from Chuck and merging the two sides back into one big house. He knew Dean would like to have a big kitchen to cook in, and so would he. He wanted to be with Dean more than he’d wanted anything in his life. It just seemed so tenuous, like he was holding onto the string of a balloon by his fingertips and one gust of wind would blow it away and out of reach. He’d be damned if that gust of wind was Michael.

It was nearly three am when he heard the Impala rumbling in front of the house. Castiel shot Sam a text before he bolted outside to find Dean. Dean got out of the car looking exhausted and drawn, and Castiel could smell the sadness on him as it soured his scent.

“Dean?” he called, running to his side and sweeping him up in a hug. He buried his face in Dean’s neck and breathed him in. Even though the scent was sad and scared and a muddled mix of unhappy emotions, he was just so damn glad that Dean was back. A small whine escaped his throat and he felt Dean’s hand start to rub circles on his back. What kind of Alpha was he, not tending to Dean’s needs first? “Are you alright? Come inside.”

“Cas,” Dean pulled back from him and against his instincts, he allowed the action. “I’m really tired, so I’m just gonna go to my place and sleep, okay?” His voice was flat and had lost all the bounce to it that he’d gained in the past few weeks.

“I’ll come with you,” Castiel didn’t want to push Dean about what happened, but he couldn’t bear the thought of letting him out of his sight.

“Cas-” Dean started with an exasperated sigh.

“Please, Dean, I just need you near me. I promise I won’t push you to talk, okay?”

Dean eyed him and a sad smile started on his face. He nodded and started making his way toward Castiel’s door. Castiel jogged up behind him, noting the drop in his shoulders and fought every instinct telling him something was really wrong. Dean was utterly silent as they stripped down and crawled into bed. Castiel was desperate to say something but didn’t dare. Thankfully when Cas moved toward Dean to curl up behind him, he met no resistance as he planted soft, delicate kisses along his Omega’s neck, hoping to soothe whatever was troubling him.

Dean let out a small sigh and nuzzled down into the pillow, his body softer but his scent still reeking of fear, of sadness. Cas wasn’t sure how he would be able to sleep at all knowing something was wrong, but he couldn’t fix it.

“I’m glad you’re home,” he whispered into Dean’s hair and got no response. It took a while but eventually sleep found him.

When he woke, the bed was empty. He found a post it note on the nightstand.

Went to work,

see you later

-Dean

Cas was cursing himself for not waking up when Dean left. Something was still bothering him and something had made Dean take off, but he didn’t know what that was. He had a few early classes and he was distracted at best through his lectures. He couldn’t shake the uneasiness growing in his chest. Luckily Sam was Castiel’s teaching assistant for that class and had just strode into the room.

“Sam, can I ask a favor?”

“Yeah, anything, Cas.”

“Can you please run through the slides with the class? I just really want to get home, I’m still kinda worried about Dean.”

“I can do that, man. Did he say what happened yet?”

“No, I am hoping he will talk to me tonight. Maybe I can loosen his lips with some pie.” Cas gave a half-hearted smile that Sam returned.

“Hey, Cas, just uh, don’t give up on him, alright? Sometimes its a real fight to get him to start talking but once he does he opens right up, okay?”

Castiel gave the tall Alpha a quick hug before running to his car, hoping he could make it home before Dean and maybe surprise him with dinner or something to help ease the conversation. He was surprised to see the Impala parked out front when he got home. It was early for Dean.

He glanced at the car and saw two boxes in the back seat and his body stiffened. He heard footsteps and saw Dean at the top of his stoop, a small box under one arm. He looked caught like a deer in headlights.

“You’re home early.” Dean’s voice was strained.

“You’re running.” It wasn’t a question, it was plain as day. “Were you going to tell me, Dean?”

“Yes, I’m not leaving till tomorrow, I still have to get a few things sorted away.” Dean was standing tall now, body stiff as though preparing for a fight.

“Don’t.” Castiel’s voice was small because if he didn’t keep it small it would be a roar.

“Please, Cas, let’s not make this harder than it already is, okay?” Dean walked down the steps and tossed the small box in the back seat.

“What happened, Dean? What changed?” Castiel could still fix this.

“It’s not gonna work out, okay? I don’t want to be here anymore, Cas.” Dean’s voice was getting more agitated but the smell on the air was still despair, not anger.

“Talk to me, please. Just sit down and have dinner and tell me what is going on.” Castiel watched as Dean turned heading for his house and ran after him. “Dean, is this something to do with Michael?”

Dean swung around with a small growl. “This isn’t about him, okay? It’s about me and it’s time I moved on. I shouldn’t have stayed this long anyway.”

“That’s a load of crap, Dean, and you know it. You’re happy here, we are happy here, and I am willing to fight for that.” Castiel’s hands gripped the door frame.

“I’m not talking about this with you. It’s over, alright? I’m sorry to hurt you but I can’t do it anymore.” Dean’s scent was burning his nose with Omega in distress, but what was Castiel supposed to do when the threat to Dean was Dean himself?

“I don’t believe you want that, Dean. Just talk to me. Why won’t you open up and just tell me what’s going on?” Castiel could see Dean slipping through his fingers, see Dean’s walls going up as he was shutting down.

“Leave me alone, Cas, alright?” Dean huffed, moving to try and shut the door.

“No, tell me what I did wrong, Dean. I can fix it.” Castiel was feeling desperate now and he was sure his scent stunk of rejection.

“You didn’t do anything wrong, Cas. You never do. You’re the perfect Alpha, and the perfect Alpha deserves the perfect Omega.” Dean swung the door then, slamming it shut in Castiel’s face. He called through the door, “Go, Cas.”

Castiel was filled with fear and anger and waves of hurt. The door between them felt like it may as well be an ocean. He dragged himself to his house and stood in the living room, then started pacing back and forth trying to think of what to do. If only Dean would talk, he knew they could figure this out. He snatched up the hammer he’d left out from putting the pictures up and swung it in his arms while he paced. He glared at the bloody wall between them. Always something hurting Dean pulling him away, he was so damn tired of these bloody walls.

Before he could think, he pulled back his arm and swung the hammer full force at the wall. It sunk into the old drywall with a loud bang. It felt amazing, it felt like being one step closer to his Omega. He was done with these bloody walls. He began to swing, throwing all his hurt and his pain into the wall, tearing it to pieces, drywall flying across the apartment. He squinted at the dust but continued his assault on the wall. He threw at the wall all his Alpha rage at the world for making Dean feel small, at Dean’s father for making him feel adrift, at Michael for hurting his beautiful, strong Omega.

“What the hell are you doing?!” Dean’s voice called to him from the door, but he couldn’t stop hammering away at the goddamn wall.

“Let me in, Dean!” Castiel yelled, swinging the hammer and using the teeth to pull chunks of wall away.

“Are you crazy? You’re going to bust through to the other side, Cas!” Dean was standing in the doorway, green eyes wide.

“What,” BANG, “do you,” BANG, “care,” BANG. Each word punctuated by a swing of the hammer. “...if you’re leaving?” Castiel frowned at the wall, unable to stop himself, unable to look at Dean.

“Stop this, Cas, you’re gonna hurt yourself! Just stop!” Dean’s voice cracked and Castiel turned to look at him, eyes burning and blurring with tears.

“I love you, Dean, I love you so much.” He dropped the hammer to the floor and stepped back. There were pockets of light coming through the broken slats. “You just have to let me in, you just have to let me love you.”

****************

Dean stood frozen, staring at Castiel, his beautiful, sweating, desperate Alpha.

“You love me?” His voice was hoarse and his resolve had been weakening since the second he’d seen Cas standing by his car.

“Of course I do! You’re it for me.” Castiel stared at him now and so help him, he was crying. Cas was crying. His mate was crying and he did that. His mate loved him.

Dean closed the distance between them, wrapping his arms around Castiel’s neck and slamming into him. His hands clung to the soft sweater, and he made soft shushing noises as he held the Alpha close, breathing in the calming scent of his mate. How had he not smelled the distress on him before? It was so overwhelming now.

“I’m sorry, Cas, I’m so sorry,” he whispered, pressing kisses to Castiel’s neck just below the ear. Castiel gripped him tight and they both sank to the floor, Dean straddling his lap.

“I- I saw Michael,” Dean began. Castiel’s body went rigid under him but he didn’t say a word. Dean was glad since he wasn’t sure if he was going to make it through this. “He said some really fucked up shit, and I know, I know most of it was bullshit but some of it… some of it was right. He was right about me. I’m weak, Cas, and I’m broken, so fucking broken. You can do better than me, you deserve an Omega you don’t have to work so hard for, it shouldn’t be this hard.”

“Dean, I never wanted easy,” Castiel whispered back, his voice even deeper and more ragged than normal.

“I have stupid nightmares, Cas, and I’m scared of my own damn shadow like I’m a child. I don’t even know how to be a good Omega. I should be taking care of you or some shit and all I do is take from you. I’m too much of a fucking coward to walk out the door without my damn blocker spray on, that’s how messed up I am. I never even lived in one place longer than a year in my whole life. How can I make a home with you? I don’t even know what that would look like. You should just let me go.” His voice dropped and despite his words, he clung even harder to Cas.

“Dean, look at me.” Cas pulled back, cupping Dean’s face in his hands, waiting till Dean raised his eyes to meet his. “I don’t care about any of that. I think you’re the bravest person I ever met. You were in a dangerous relationship and you left, with barely more than the clothes on your back—I call that brave. You’re so strong, Dean. You never gave up, you keep fighting to make your life better. You’ve made me so happy, can’t you see that? My dull, boring life has been filled with music and laughter and life, you bring such joy to everything around you. As for all that perfect Omega nonsense, we are supposed to take care of each other, and I think we’ve been doing a pretty okay job of that up till now.”

Dean gives a weak smile and shrug. “But you do so much for me, Cas.”

“I love doing things for you. It makes me feel so good when I can make you feel safe or happy. You do so much for me, I don’t know why you can’t see that. You fix my car and cook me dinners, you taught me to paint, you helped me through my rut. But it isn’t some kind of competition on who does more, there’s no checklist, Dean, no scoreboard. I take care of you and you take care of me—that’s how we make this work.”

Dean nodded his head, feeling incredibly foolish. “I’m so sorry. I really let him get in my head this time.” He took a deep breath, pulling in Castiel’s scent. “Did you mean what you said?”

“What?”

“That you love me?” He felt stupid for asking, but he needed to know, needed to hear it again.

“Dean Winchester, I’m madly in love with you,” Castiel said, a smile stretching across his face.

“I love you too, Cas,” Dean grinned and slammed their lips together in a heated kiss. He rocked his body against Castiel’s, needing to feel him, to feel all of him. Castiel let out a growl and Dean whined into the kiss, licking and nipping at him silently, begging for more. He wanted to feel Castiel’s words. He needed to feel wanted, to feel owned, to feel claimed, and to feel loved.

“Need you, Alpha,” Dean panted, grinding down onto Cas’s growing erection and feeling the slick starting between his cheeks. Castiel moved fast, pushing Dean back against the floor, tearing off his shirt and making quick work of the rest of their clothes. Castiel tugged and pulled at the fabric like it was personally offending him, obviously just as desperate to feel Dean’s skin as Dean was his. Dean pulled his legs up and let them fall apart, opening up for his Alpha, needing to be filled by him. He didn’t think he’d ever wanted anyone so bad in his whole life.

“Mine,” Castiel growled.

“Yours, baby.” Dean reached for him and Cas placed one hand on Dean’s hip and the other cupping his jaw as he lined up. Cas sank into him fast with a low rumbling growl. The stretch and burn of it was overwhelming and Dean tossed his head back as he felt split open in the most delicious way. Castiel paused, searching Dean’s face, the scent of arousal and desire and mate thick in the air between them.

“Fuck me hard, make me feel it, Alpha. I need to feel you.” That was all the encouragement that Castiel needed as he began thrusting into Dean. It was fast and he had no prep but his body doesn’t seem to care, opening up for his Alpha like he was always meant to be there. Castiel pressed him into the unforgiving hardwood, and he clawed at his back, body flooded in sensation, a mantra of mate, mate, mate, pounding through his mind with each thrust. It was rough and primal and so fucking right, Dean whimpered and whined in pleasure.

Castiel shifted his angle and drove into Dean, hitting that wonderful spot, making his achingly hard dick pulse with need. He wasn’t going to last, he wanted to tell Cas, but he couldn’t find the words before he was screaming out, his orgasm crashing over him. He felt a few more uneven thrusts before Castiel was growling and pumping him full of his release. They both shook and clung to each other, and Dean was certain they'd both be left with bruises, and he couldn’t give a fly fuck about it.

He lazily licked and kissed at Castiel’s neck, tasting the sweet scent of mate on his tongue. He nuzzled against the crook of his neck and thought about the day he would get to put a mating bite there. The thought didn’t scare him like it used to. He turned his head and looked over at the wall, and the scattered bits of drywall and wood strewn about them.

“You put a hole in my wall, Cas,” Dean mumbled, kissing at the Alpha’s jaw.

“Yeah, I did, huh?” Cas replied letting out a sigh.

“Does this mean I get to pick out a new paint for the living room?” Dean grinned and Castiel narrowed his eyes at him.

“Yes, this was all part of my master plan to get your help redecorating,” Castiel rolled his eyes and Dean planted another kiss on his cheek.

“Well, I guess it worked. I’ll just have to stick around and help you fix it.”

“I’d be lost without you,” Castiel said in a more serious tone.

“Back at ya, Cas.” Dean wrapped his arms around him, hiding his face. He knew the fight wasn’t over, but he felt more sure than ever of exactly what it was he was fighting for.

Chapter Text

Castiel’s eyes tracked Dean’s movements as he paced Rowena’s Office. He’d ignored when Cas had gestured to him to sit down and Sam had taken the open chair in his stead. Cas watched his boyfriend roll his shoulders for the eleventh time, cracking his neck.

“Alright Samuel, so you got your brother’s house fully furnished, correct?”

“Yes.”

“And you signed all the appropriate paperwork with his employer to prove you found a safe work environment for him?”

“Yeah, Bobby signed everything,” Sam added. Castiel heard a mumbled curse behind him but chose to ignore it. The tension radiating off of Dean was making Castiel sick to his stomach.

“Lovely, and you installed the locks on his house for security?”

“I put the damn locks on my own damn house cause I am not an invalid and Sam wouldn’t know a flat head from a phillips head screwdriver if it bit him in the ass,” Dean snapped, rounding on Rowena.

To her credit she raised a sculpted brow at Dean, looking completely uninterested in his outburst. “Right. Well the Omega household is secure and that is all the court will care about.”

“None of this matters,” Dean threw his hands up now looking between the three of them. “If Zachariah is on this case, nothing we do is going to matter. You know why? ‘Cause he is going to take Sam’s guardianship away and he is going to give it to that sadistic bastard, and there’s not a damn thing you can do to stop him.” Dean slammed a fist down onto her desk, making her cup of pens rattle.

Castiel went to open his mouth and offer soothing words to his Omega when Rowena cut in, “Dean, I told you that we will handle that, I am well aware of the Judge Adler situation. I'm working on it.”

“What does that even mean?” Dean crossed his arms over his chest, standing to full height, and Castiel resisted the urge to reach over and place a calming hand on his hip.

There was a quick knock at the door and Rowena called out, “Come in, deary.”

The door to the office swung open and a bright-eyed redhead came bounding into the room. Castiel took in her less than professional attire of jeans, a hooded sweatshirt, and a Zelda tee shirt and cracked a small smile. She grinned around the room, a laptop clutched to her chest.

“You rang, oh wicked one?” The woman gave Rowena a smirk.

“Gentlemen, this is my associate, Miss Charlie Bradbury. Charlie, this handsome fellow here is my friend Castiel, and these two tall lumberjack looking men are Sam and Dean Winchester.” They all gave her a small nod of acknowledgement.

“Geez you guys look glum, who spit in your cheerios?” Charlie cocked her head at the serious faces around her and Castiel tried for a weak smile.

“Yes well hopefully you can be of assistance with turning their frowns upside down. I have a job for you,” Rowena leaned back a bit in her chair, steepling her fingers.

“You already gave me a job for the Winchester case and I told you I think I have an idea where I can get some dirt on this Michael guy. I just need a little more time,” Charlie complained.

Castiel saw Dean flinch just a fraction at the name before bringing his shoulders back and standing up tall.

“I need you to get me proof that Judge Zachariah Adler has a prior relationship with one Michael Angelus.”

“You're trying to prove conflict of interest?” Sam chimed in with that inquisitive tone Castiel had become so accustomed to hearing in his classes.

“Exactly. I knew you had a big brain hiding under all those chocolate locks, Samuel. Judge Adler will never recuse himself without some hard evidence that he has a relationship with one of the parties involved. I can’t go around accusing a judge of such misconduct without the proof to back me up. Now if our girl Charlie here can work some magic on that laptop of hers and get us what we need, I believe we can get ourselves a new judge.”

“That will work?” Castiel asked trying hard not to let too much concern leak into his voice or scent for fear of working up Dean even further.

“I know what I’m doing, angel, just give me a wee bit of faith, alright?” Rowena replied without an ounce of trepidation.

“I can get it done. Don’t worry, Dean, I’m on the case.” Charlie gave Dean’s arm a little squeeze, then leaned over and whispered to him, “I really like saying that,” giving him a wink. Dean’s face flashed a small smile for the first time all day. “So Dean, how do Michael and this Adler guy know each other?”

“I’m not really sure,” Dean rubbed the back of his neck eyes staring at the floor. “I only met him twice, Michael just introduced him a friend visiting from out of town. Guy was a real creep, liked to say all kinds of nasty shit to me and then try to play it off as a joke.”

“Asshole with a knothead complex, got it. Well, I'll see what I can dig up but it might take some time.”

“Time is not on our side, deary. The first hearing is in two weeks and we need him off the case by then.” Rowena gave Charlie a stern look and the other redhead just stood tall, giving her a stiff salute.

“Aye aye mon capitan. It was great to meet you guys. I’ve got this covered, I promise I turn up more skeletons in people’s closets than Brennan and Booth.”

“Actually the bones are rarely found in closets. In fact most tend to be found outside and often by joggers,” Castiel replied.

Charlie’s smile broadened and she punched his arm lightly. “You watch Bones! I knew I liked you. Does this mean we’re best friends now?”

Castiel smiled warmly at her. “You’ve got some stiff competition for the title but I'll put you in the running.”

With a wave and grin the charming girl swept out of the room and left the other occupants staring after her.

“She’s, uh, interesting,” Dean stated to break the silence.

“She is brilliant at what she does and that is all that matters. Now I have all I need from you, so go home, take some deep breaths, and this will all be over before you know it.”

Castiel sincerely hoped he could trust Rowena. She’d almost never lost a case and had a real ruthless side to her. Though perhaps a little ruthlessness is just what they needed.

They left the office, all of them deep in thought about the pending hearing. Dean laced his fingers with Castiel’s and he gave them a small reassuring squeeze. Once they dropped off Sam he was beginning to get a little worried about the silence. He glanced over at Dean as his fingers moved over the steering wheel, tightening his grip and releasing it. Cas knew Dean would talk when he was ready and not a moment before.

He always hung back just a bit when they got home watching to see if Dean would head for his house or his own. He headed for Castiel’s door and he breathed a sigh of relief. He knew Dean was worrying and left alone he would only get worse. Dean slumped down right in the front hall leaning against the back of the couch directly across from the hole Cas had made in the wall.

“You know, it wasn’t all bad,” Dean said picking at a loose string on his jeans.

Castiel moved to sit next to him, pulling up his knees and looking at his previous night's handiwork. “What wasn’t all bad?”

“Michael… he wasn’t all bad, you know?” Dean didn’t meet his eyes.

“You’ve only ever told me about how it ended,” Castiel tried to keep his voice calm.

“I’m not saying he’s a good guy, because he’s not, but… he’s not just a monster either. Did I ever tell you about the zoo?” Castiel shook his head. “We were watching some nature documentary, something on big cats of the savannah, and I told him I’d always wanted to see a tiger or a lion up close. You know Dad never took us to any when we were kids, just never had the time. So I woke up the next morning and he’d cancelled all his meetings and taken the day off and drove us to the zoo. We got ice cream and hot dogs and saw all the big cats and elephants and the cool reptile house. It was a really perfect day, you know?”

Dean let out a long sigh, tipping his head back. “Even then though, looking back I can see things I didn’t notice. Warning signs. Like when an Alpha would stand too close to me he’d move in between us and scowl at me, say, ‘you're like an Alpha magnet, aren’t you’. Or how he told me to change that morning out of my shorts because everyone didn’t need to see his Omega’s legs. He was pretty possessive even then. But it wasn’t in the protective way, it wasn’t like he was worried about me being okay, he was worried about how I made him look. Anytime I tried to talk to anyone he would butt into the conversation, pull me away. I didn’t notice it then, I just liked the attention, he made me feel wanted. I don’t know if I’m making any sense.”

“I get it, there was a reason you were with him so long. Everything is clearer in hindsight Dean. He was a wolf in sheep’s clothing—you couldn’t have seen that coming. I don’t believe the world is black and white, filled with people that are all good or all evil. We all have a little of both in us. It's which side we choose to nurture and what choices we make that define who we are. The world might be a simpler place if evil monsters didn’t hide among us.”

Dean nodded staring at the wall again. “I think I want to go off the blockers.”

Castiel turned to look at Dean, shocked that he would suggest something like. “What? Why now?”

“Same reason I did after my dad died, I’m tired of being afraid all the time. I am tired of not being myself. Being an Omega isn’t all of who I am, but it is a part of who I am, and I don’t want to hide that part anymore. I let my dad keep me afraid for all those years and then I let Michael do the same damn thing to me. So yeah, I think I’m gonna throw the rest of my blockers away. Do you uh, think that’s a good idea?” Dean looked up at Castiel through his dark lashes, searching for acceptance.

Castiel made sure to pick his next words carefully. “Whether you wear blockers, Dean, is completely up to you. There is no right or wrong decision, it’s whatever you feel comfortable with. For the record I love you no matter how you smell or how you choose to present yourself to everyone else.” He leaned over, placing a soft kiss on Dean’s cheek. “So long as I get the real you that’s all I care about.”

Dean’s smile softened a little at that and his shoulders relaxed. He was glad to watch some of the tension ebb out of his body and Dean leaned his head over on Castiel’s shoulder. He planted a kiss to the top of his head and put a reassuring hand on his knee. They sat for a few minutes in silence. Something Castiel appreciated in Dean was that he never felt the need to fill the silence.

“Sometimes I don’t know what you see in me. I’m more trouble than I’m worth.”

Castiel frowned down at the beautiful man beside him utterly bewildered how this man could not see just how wonderful he was. “Watch what you say, I do not take kindly to anyone talking down to the man I love, even you.”

“I drove you crazy enough to punch a hole in the wall,” Dean flung his hand at example A across from them.

“That was not my finest moment. I should go pick up some drywall material.” Castiel tilted his head, wondering how much it would cost to fix.

“You're missing the point that my life is so messy right now. You sure you still want in on all this? The shit show that is my life?”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way, and it’s not a shit show as you say. It’s a rough patch, and there are bumps along the way but I promise things will get easier, Dean. We just need to stick it out together. And patch that damn hole.” Castiel smiled at Dean who seemed to lighten and return it.

“I kinda like it, actually,” Dean chuckled. “Seriously though, I’ll help you fix it. It’s as much my fault as it was yours. Takes a lot to get my attention sometimes.”

Dean gave him a sheepish grin, “Yes, well I will tear down the whole damn wall if that’s what it takes but I think Chuck may object to that method.”

“He didn’t even notice I painted when he stopped by for rent. Guy's in his own world,” Dean shook his head. “Thanks for being cool about all of this and the blockers too.”

“I could help you wash all those blockers off? In a nice warm bath?” Castiel grinned, breathing in the muted blocker scent and imagining all the sweet tangs to Dean’s real smell.

“You just wanna get me naked,” Dean huffed.

“The thought may have crossed my mind. Can I help it if my mate is stunningly handsome?” Dean stiffened underneath him and it took a moment before Castiel realized what he had said. “Uh, I’m sorry Dean, I didn’t mean to imply… I mean, I know you're not my… at least you're not yet but I was hoping someday—”

“Cas, baby, stop. It's OK,” Dean interrupted his rambling and he snapped his mouth shut, hoping he hadn’t scared Dean off. Saying I love you was a huge step but they had avoided any talk of mating, like if they said it too many times, Beetlejuice would show up. “You just caught me off guard is all. I like the sound of it though.”

Castiel relaxed a fraction at that. “I really like the sound of it too, but there's no rush.”

“I know that, but I have been thinking about it, and I just wanted you to know that. I never thought I would consider a commitment like that, but it’s something I want with you.”

Castiel lifted Dean’s face so he could read his eyes, “It makes me stupid happy to know your thinking about it too, Dean.”

Dean laughed, “Well how can I not? Have you seen you?”

Dean nuzzled at Castiel’s neck, then licked a teasing swipe up the side. He hummed appreciatively, tipping his head back and Dean leaned over him, mouthing at his neck with soft, sweet kisses. The sensation of Dean’s soft lips on his skin was electric. Teeth nipped at his earlobe as long fingers slipped under the waistband of his pants. Their bodies began to rock together and suddenly he couldn’t remember why they still had clothes on. Dean seemed to have the same thought as he began pulling at the hem of Castiel’s sweater, yanking at it and tossing it across the floor. Castiel's head was buzzing, drunk on the taste of Dean.

Dean’s fingers carded through his hair, messing up his neat part as their lips crashed together. Dean straddled him and rolled his hips, grinding down on Cas where he was growing painfully hard. It was all hard pushes and pulls, firm bodies rocking against each other, seeking out friction. Castiel let the growl crawl its way out his throat as he divested Dean of his shirt. Lips parted just long enough to remove the offending fabric before they pressed together again, stealing his breath. This was how he loved Dean, free and uninhibited. He never looked stronger and more sure and Castiel can’t get enough. He was so consumed in the beautiful, writhing man above him, he almost didn’t hear the clicking sound followed by a quiet creak.

“Hey Cas, surprise, I’m—Holy Crap!”

Castiel head snapped up to the doorway where stunned blue eyes stared down at him, an obvious smirk forming on his lips. Dean was staring up in anger and bewilderment at the intruder as Castiel tried to find his voice.

Finally he squeaked out, “Jimmy?”

*****************

Dean’s brain struggled desperately to shift gears from humping his boyfriend in the living room to meeting his brother. He slid off of Castiel and immediately snagged his shirt, pulling it on as he stood up on shaky feet.

“What the hell, Jimmy? Haven’t you heard of knocking?” Castiel grumbled, grabbing his own shirt and pulling it on, then turning to give Dean a cursory once over before turning back to his brother.

“You gave me a key, remember? And I didn’t exactly expect to find you in this state of undress at eleven am on Tuesday,” Jimmy smiled at his brother and rolled his eyes.

Dean couldn’t stop staring at them—the same exact blue eyes as Castiel. Jimmy was the spitting image of his brother, and though Dean had seen pictures of him, he still couldn’t get over the uncanny resemblance. His hair was a dark auburn brown like Castiel, but it was longer on top and looked messy and windswept. His body was lighter too, though just as tall and with the same square jaw. Though Castiel was fairly pale, Jimmy was all tanned, sunkissed skin. Topping it all off, Jimmy was wearing pink cargo pants and a loose blue hawaiian shirt that screamed Miami, and looked wildly out of place in the cold spring of South Dakota.

“What are you doing here?” Castiel’s tone was quickly going from annoyed to concerned.

“I came to check up on you. Seemed to me like maybe you could use a little brother support and so here I am.” Jimmy twirled a hand and bowed a little. Dean wondered why Jimmy thought Cas needed help. Had he been more stressed about all of Dean’s drama than he’d let on?

“You know I hate surprises, Jimmy,” Castiel sighed, “but it is good to see you.” He pulled his brother in for a tight hug, and suddenly Dean felt like he was encroaching on a private moment. He took a few steps back.

“So this must be Dean,” Jimmy said, letting go of Castiel and moving toward Dean, pulling him into a tight embrace. Dean stood in shock as a sweet honey scent touched with lemon hit him. The bit of honey reminded Dean of Castiel, but the lemon and hazelnut scent were all Jimmy and all Omega. He remembered to hug back right before Jimmy stepped back, letting him go.

“Nice to meet you.” Dean tried for a smile but he still felt awkward, getting caught out like that.

He looked Dean up and down a moment and whistled. “You sure know how to pick ‘em, bro, hot damn.”

Dean blushed a little and didn’t miss Castiel’s eyes narrowing at his oblivious brother.

“Behave, Jimmy, or it’s nothing but salad the whole time you're here.” Castiel raised a brow at his brother and fuck, if that wasn’t just a little hot. Castiel’s dom brow was not helping Dean get his arousal under control.

“Yuck! You wouldn’t dare.” Jimmy made a disgusted face and Dean smiled.

“Vegetables won’t kill you,” Castiel sighed.

“But they taste like crap,” Dean scowled and Jimmy laughed.

“See, he gets it.” Jimmy reached down and hoisted up a duffel bag onto his shoulder. “Now I'm going upstairs to unpack and take a nice hot shower. Then you can fill me in on all the latest excitement.” Jimmy pecked his brother on the cheek and gave Dean a wink before climbing up the stairs.

Dean watched Castiel as he leaned back against the couch. “Sorry about that, I had no idea he was coming.”

“It’s alright, shit happens.” Dean worried at his bottom lip. “But uh, you're okay, right?”

Castiel tipped his head a bit. “Yes, of course, I mean I wasn’t expecting him, but we can figure it out.”

“No, I mean he seemed worried about you. Should I be worried about you?” Dean stepped in a bit closer to Castiel, breathing in his scent and smelling that same honey smell he loved so much.

“He over exaggerates. You don’t need to worry about me, Dean, I promise.” Castiel gripped his chin, pulling him down for a quick kiss. “I'm only sad that we can’t finish what we started. I can make sandwiches while you go shower if you want?”

“Shower does sound good, and normal clothes.” Dean watched Castiel’s face but caught no sign of agitation. “You’ll tell me though right? If things are getting too much? You know it goes both ways, if you ever need to lean on me. I’m stronger than you think.” His voice betrayed him, getting a bit smaller at the end.

“You are one of the strongest people I know. Thank you, Dean. If I need a shoulder, yours is the first one I will run to.” Castiel sounded sincere and a bit of the tension eased from Dean's chest.

*****

The next two weeks flew by in a blur for Dean. Jimmy turned out to be a pretty cool guy, always quick with a joke and a smile. He was a sharp contrast to Castiel’s more stoic demeanor. Castiel did seem to relax around his brother though and it reminded Dean a bit of Sam and himself. Despite the bickering, Sam always had a way of making Dean feel better and vice versa. He was glad to see Jimmy do the same for Cas.

Michael made no more surprise appearances but the tension and anxiety was growing inside him like a pot about to boil over, and he couldn’t turn the heat down on it. He had followed through with his decision to stop the blockers. He hated the way they smelled and it was kind of freeing not wearing them. He got a little antsy walking by Alphas he didn’t know on the street or in the shop at work, but so far things had gone okay.

He sat in Castiel’s armchair in a light grey suit and green tie that apparently brought out his eyes, whatever that meant, watching the commotion around him. Sam and Madison were flipping through paperwork on the couch and Castiel was refereeing Balthazar and Jimmy who were at each other's throats.

“Who invited this asshat anyway?” Jimmy grumbled.

“I'm his best friend, darling, and you better get over it ‘cause if Cassie needs me I'll be here,” Balthazar retorted.

“I'm his brother and brother trumps friend. And his name is Castiel, not Cassie.”

“Cassie here does not need another person to worry about today, you little brat.”

“How dare you? He doesn't need to worry about me, I’m not the one who keeps making lewd jokes, you British prick.”

“No? So that joke about Dean’s tie bringing out his eyes and how Castiel should hold onto that for later, that wasn’t a crude joke?”

“Made you laugh, and I didn’t say what he should keep the tie for—”

“Okay, enough guys! Can’t you two get along for five seconds?” Castiel threw his voice into its deep, commanding Alpha growl. Normally Dean would find that sexy but at the moment it just set him more on edge.

“I think I have all the papers put together, but Rowena said we shouldn’t need them. It's just the initial hearing and we won’t present evidence till later in the week.” Sam began stuffing stacks of paper in his briefcase, ignoring the two men fuming at eachother.

Madison insisted Sam bring the papers anyway and Jimmy offered to help carry them, which set off Balthazar teasing him for hitting on Sam, and after that, Dean lost track of the commotion. His ears began buzzing and he felt like he was suffocating. He bolted up out of the chair and ran for the door, struggling to suck in air. Before he knew it he was in the corner of his kitchen sitting on the floor, back pressed against the refrigerator. He hugged his knees to his chest and scrunched his eyes shut, trying to get in air but the harder he tried to breathe, the less air he felt he was getting.

“Breathe with me, Dean,” he heard a deep voice, but just shook his head—he couldn’t breathe. “Come on, Dean, you can do it. Just breathe with me, deep breath in.”

He tried to listen to the voice and pulled in a shaky, almost painful breath. “Good. Now slowly let it out, that’s it. Back in nice and slow, and then let it out.”

The warm voice coaxed him through his breathing, and he slowly felt like he was coming back to himself. Castiel's scent flooded his senses and helped him to stop the shaking and open his eyes. Cool blue eyes met his and he was suddenly incredibly embarrassed.

“Sorry, man,” he mumbled, still feeling a bit out of it.

“Here, you need some sugar in you. Did you eat anything yet this morning?” Dean shook his head and Castiel handed him a half unwrapped Snickers bar.

“Thanks, Willy Wonka.” Dean cracked a small smile as he took a bite of the candy bar, letting the chocolate melt a little on his tongue.

“Wish I had time to get you a proper breakfast but we need to leave in a minute.” Castiel carded his fingers through Dean’s hair.

“I know, it was just a bit… much.” He was a great big loser coward was what. “Sorry I freaked out on you.”

“Dean, you have nothing to apologize for, today is a very high stress day for you. Come on, I’ve got you.” Castiel stood up and stretched out a hand to him. He took it, letting Cas pull him up. He felt a bit of vertigo but shook it off and followed Castiel back to his house.

The inhabitants looked quiet and chastened and he felt another pang of embarrassment. They were all just there trying to support him. He caught a sudden whiff of annoyed Alpha and turned to look at Cas, who had his hands on his hips and puffed out his chest.

“Alright, Sam, it’s time to go. The rest of you, while we appreciate all the support I think it’s best if just the three of us go to the courthouse.” Jimmy and Balthazar moved to protest but Castiel threw up a hand to silence them. “Enough, I mean it. You two can fight over who gets to do the dishes from breakfast for all I care, but you are not coming.”

Dean had never loved Castiel more than in that moment. Sam gave Madison a kiss on the head and smile as she handed him his briefcase. She came over and gave Dean a kiss on the cheek as well and the three of them headed out. Dean wanted to drive, thinking the feel of Baby rumbling underneath him might help center him.

Castiel’s hand snaked across the black leather and rested on his knee, steady and firm. He could do this, he could handle Michael and Zachariah and anyone else that came at him, because Dean was going to be strong enough to handle it, and he wasn’t going to have to handle it alone.

“Team free will, here we go.” Dean shifted into drive, his baby growled to life and they headed off to seal his fate, one way or another.

Chapter Text

Dean could do this. At least, that's what he kept telling himself as he parked the Impala at the courthouse. He walked inside, flanked by Castiel and his brother. The smell of sweet vanilla and leather on one side and honey and fresh cut grass on the other were incredibly calming. The building was fairly quiet, being early in the morning. They moved through the metal detectors and found Rowena standing by a bench in a stunning dark green suit with a pencil skirt, and her fountain of red curls intricately wound up on the back of her head.

Dean smiled to see Charlie standing beside her holding open a manilla folder and going over something. Charlie glanced up, and smiled, waving as she saw them. She was wearing a pair of chucks, jeans, and zip up hoodie that looked like Boba Fett's armour. He moved to stand next to her and leaned down, whispering, “I’m no good to you dead.”

Charlie burst out into a bubble of laughter, covering her mouth. “Exactly why I’m here, Solo.” She gave him a conspiratorial wink.

Castiel tipped his head at the two of them in confusion. He seemed like he was about to open his mouth when a nearby door swung open and court official beckoned the group inside.

“You’ll do great, get on in there,” Charlie smiled and nudged Dean forward. He followed Sam and Castiel into the small courtroom. He knew it was just the first hearing where both lawyers were supposed to present their cases—the next day was when they would actually argue the case.

“Alright now, Samuel here is going to sit with me at the front, but you, Dean, will sit on the bench with Castiel. I am hoping we can get Judge Adler to recuse himself and if all works out we can get Judge Mosley on your case for tomorrow.” Rowena seemed utterly confident and at ease, which he had to admit was reassuring.

He smelled him before he saw him, the scent of pine and Alpha flooding his senses. He turned to see Michael striding down the aisle. He had another clean cut formidable looking Alpha at his side, and both were smiling and chatting as they came upon Dean’s little group.

“Dean, you look beautiful, darling.” Michael smiled at him, using the same line he used to say to Dean every morning.

There was a low guttural growl behind Dean as he felt the press of a hard Alpha body behind him. Castiel was rigid against him, muscles taut, a hand possessively placed on Dean’s hip. He could tell it was taking all the man’s self control not to pounce.

“Miss MacLeod, I’ve heard a lot about you and I expected someone taller. Richard Roman,” the tall Alpha said, extending a hand.

Rowena only sneered. “Just what we needed, another Dick in the room. It’s not the height of the lawyer, poppet, it’s the brains, and I’m afraid you're outclassed here. Come now, boys.” With a snap of her fingers she moved toward her table and Sam followed her, grinning.

Dean moved to follow Castiel to the bench when he felt fingers graze against his shoulder and whisper in his ear, “See you soon. You smell amazing.” Dean cringed, jerking his shoulder out of Michael’s grasp and moving to sit on the far side of Castiel, keeping the Alpha between himself and Michael. He knew he needed to stay calm, cool and collected, but that seemed an impossible task with Michael in the room.

The side door opened and Dean watched Zachariah enter. He scanned the room, eyes landing on Dean. He felt like they bored into him for a moment and though his features were carefully guarded, the recognition was there, and he felt drawn back to the first night he met the unpleasant man.

“Such a pretty bitch you have, Mike. Does he cook and clean too?”

Dean was moving past where Zachariah was lounging on the couch and felt a hand tap his ass.

“I’m not a bitch, asshole,” Dean spat, slapping the hand away.

“Don’t be so testy, babe, he was only teasing.” Michael came in the room and handed them all drinks, Dean taking his stiffly.

“My apologies,” Zachariah said with a condescending smile. “I always forget how sensitive Omegas can be.”

Dean felt a boiling anger in his gut but pushed it down, and bit his tongue. He wanted to haul off and punch the guy but the look Michael gave him steadied his hand.

“I’m gonna check on dinner,” he gritted out and moved toward the kitchen and away from the asshole Alpha. When he came back down the hall he could overhear them talking.

“I’m telling you, Michael, they need a firm hand. Omegas don’t know what’s best for them, and it’s your job as the Alpha to decide that. All these liberal-minded idiots crying out about Omega rights, they don’t understand that Omegas are lost without an Alpha to tell them what to do. Omegas just need to be stuffed with a thick knot and to know their place in the home. You gonna breed yours up or enjoy that young, thin body for a while?”

Dean swallowed hard, listening for Michael's reply, waiting for his forward-thinking boyfriend to kick this guy out of the house. “He’s on suppressants still, but those won’t last much longer. One way or another he’ll go into heat, then I can show the bitch what a real Alpha can do.”

“Dean, Dean are you okay?” The rough voice of Castiel shook him back to the present and he looked over at worried blue eyes. He gave him a squeeze on the thigh to let him know he was okay and looked up to see Zachariah shuffling papers on his desk.

“Alright, we are here today to settle a guardianship case regarding one Dean Winchester, is that correct?” Zachariah smiled at Dick and turned a polite but diminished grin at Rowena.

“Judge Adler, I have papers here that I plan to submit requesting that you recuse yourself from the case due to conflict of interest.” Rowena held up the file and tossed a wink at Roman, who looked unimpressed.

“And why would I recuse myself? I have no history with the Winchesters or with Mr. Angelus here. You're stalling, Miss McLeod, and I don’t take kindly to that in my courtroom.”

“I believe you will want to see my file before making any snap decisions today… Your Honor,” she added the title almost as an afterthought.

Zachariah sighed dramatically and waved a finger. “Counselors approach the bench.”

Dean watched as Dick and Rowena walked around their respective tables and she slid the folder up onto his desk. He watched the expression on Zachariah’s face slowly change from annoyance, to concern, to anger and finally to fear. Dean didn’t even need to smell the guy to see the fear written on his face. Zachariah glanced over at Michael who had a scowl set firmly on his face.

“Well, it seems I may have been confused, but I will be stepping down from this case for uh- for personal reasons. Miss McLeod, Mr. Roman, please bring your case files to the clerk and she will re-assign your case.” Zachariah stood abruptly, passing an apologetic glance at Michael and a frown at Rowena before hustling out of the courtroom.

Dean was flabbergasted to say the least, having no idea what on earth that folder contained. Michael and Dick headed out of the courtroom first, looking flustered and angry, which Dean had to admit was satisfying.

“What the hell was in that folder anyway?” Dean asked.

“See for yourself.” She gave him a wicked grin, handing over the folder. He opened it with Cas and Sam peering over his shoulders. There were several photos of Zachariah and Michael leaving what looked like an elite club. He flipped the pages and found a register for the Alpha Allegiance organization and found his and Michael’s names both highlighted. Dean was pretty sure he’d seen that group plastered all over the news for shady dealings and Omega abuse. The members list was highly confidential and from what he heard, impossible to get a hold of. The hate group disguised as a civil liberty group was about as secretive as they come. He couldn’t believe Charlie had managed to dig up this much information on them. Of course Zachariah wouldn’t want to be publicly affiliated with such a controversial group. It was the perfect thing make him back down.

“Remind me to get Charlie a really big thank you cake,” Sam said, shaking his head with a smile at Dean.

“Oh, I think she deserves a thank you pie for this one,” he replied, handing the file back to Rowena.

“Told you she would come through. Case isn’t over yet boys, and she is pulling together the last bit of information I need to make this a guarantee.” Rowena’s heels clicked as she strode out of the room, heading to file the paperwork.

“Does that mean we can go home for today?” Dean asked, looking between Cas and Sam.

“Yes we can. Rowena will call us with the new judge assignment and the time for the actual hearing.”

Dean and Cas made their way to the parking lot, leaving Sam behind to help Rowena pull together the rest of the case that afternoon. He darted his eyes around the lot and caught sight of Michael and Dick standing only a few cars away from the Impala. There was another man standing next to them who Dean recognized as Raphael, Michael’s adopted brother. Raphael was a brute, following around as his brother's assistant and stooge. He never liked Dean, never thought he was a good enough Omega for his brother and they shouldn’t be together. At least on that they could agree.

“Dean,” Castiel only managed the one word but he could see the anger and distress in his face, smell it on him like the thick air before a storm.

“Hey, don’t let them rile you up okay, they can’t touch us. Let’s just get in the car and go.” He slipped his hand into Castiel’s and tried to put on a brave face.

“I can control myself, so long as they don’t touch you,” Castiel glared at the three men who turned their faces up to them. “Otherwise no promises.”

Dean went to reply but Castiel began striding forward. He had his keys in his hand ready to go the second they reached the car.

Michael stepped forward from his cronies. “Dean, I wish you would just talk to me.” He laced his words with sweet concern.

“Remind me to tell the academy about your stellar performance of being a concerned normal guy. You forget that I know you, Michael. I know who you are and you're not fooling me.” Dean moved to the driver's side while Castiel strode around to the passenger side.

“You’ll be home with me soon, Dean, and I promise to take care of you.” Michael smiled but there was a threat behind his eyes, a promise.

Dean ignored him, sliding into the front seat and not even bothering to buckle up before pulling out and speeding out of there. Castiel slid across the bench seat and without saying a word, pulled Dean’s seat belt on before sliding back to his own side.

“I’m impressed, Dean. Not surprised, but impressed,” Castiel said once they were halfway home.

“With what?” What on earth was the Alpha talking about.

“With you. I know how hard this is for you, how many old memories it brings up. You’re very brave to stand up to him, to take your life back.”

“Well, what am I supposed to do, leave you and Sammy here all alone? You two would be lost without me,” he gave a small half smile.

“We certainly would,” Castiel affirmed and made Dean feel a flush creep up his neck. He reached forward to the radio and turned up the volume on a Van Morrison song. They made it home and Castiel strode into the house first, heading to make sandwiches for lunch.

Balthazar’s voice echoed down the hall, “You know, you're an awfully toppy bastard for an Omega.”

Jimmy replied with a laugh, “Don’t pretend you didn’t love riding my cock, and there’s more where that came from.”

Jimmy came giggling out into the living room wearing nothing but a pair of blue lace panties followed by Balthazar tickling his side in nothing but his boxer briefs. He stopped abruptly when he spotted the return of his brother and Dean. Balthazar nearly ran into him, eyes darting up in shock.

“Ummm, you're home early,” Jimmy replied, sheepishly biting his lower lip. Balthazar was flushed red, hiding behind Jimmy, who seemed far less disturbed by the turn of events.

“Jimmy, I swear if I go upstairs and smell you in my bed your days are numbered,” Castiel raised his eyebrows at his brother who cocked a hip, looking completely unimpressed.

“Easy there, Alpha, I kept our extracurriculars to the guest room, I promise, scouts honor.” Jimmy held up two fingers in a scout salute and Castiel just rolled his eyes.

“You were kicked out of scouts if I remember. Go put on some clothes, you too Balt, and I'll finish making lunch.” Castiel turned to grab bread while the scantily clad men whispered and hustled back to the guest room.

Dean sat down at the counter pulling over a plate to start helping. “You seem pretty relaxed for having just seen your brother in a pair of panties,” Dean smiled.

Castiel just let out a long sigh. “He is a grown-ass man and is free to do as he wants. Do you honestly think this is the first time I caught Jimmy in panties?” Dean nodded since he shouldn’t have been surprised. “I always had a feeling those two would either kill each other or screw so I guess I am glad it was the latter. Hand me the tomatoes.”

Dean handed over the tomatoes to start slicing. Jumping off his stool, he snuck around behind Cas and just breathed in his scent. He planted a kiss just behind his ear, enjoying the little humming sound Cas made in response.

He pressed his lips right by Castiel’s ear. “I have a pair of panties like those, you know. If you can guess the color maybe I will show them to you.”

Castiel’s breath hitched and there was a clunk of knife onto the cutting board. Dean glanced down, happy to see no blood and stifled a giggle.

“How many chances do I have to get it right?” Castiel asked, his voice strained.

“Hmmm, one chance.” Dean was loving this game, hands resting firmly on Castiel’s hips. To his credit the Alpha picked up the knife and continued to prepare lunch. He was kinda cheating, he had several colors. Though he hadn’t worn them in years, he didn’t want to part with them, but had never felt quite right showing them to Michael.

“Purple?” Castiel twisted to watch Dean’s face.

“Good guess babe, I’ll grab them for tonight,” he kissed the shell of Castiel’s ear and smelled the sharp scent of Castiel’s arousal. Jimmy and Balthazar reappeared and Dean shifted his pants a little before moving to grab a sandwich.

***************

Castiel suggested they get out of the house for the afternoon. Putting away his classwork, they went over to Dean’s makeshift workshop. Castiel lounged in a rickety old folding chair, watching Dean lazily paint and sketch. He could watch Dean work for hours, the way his muscles tightened when steadying his hand, the twirl of a pencil in his long, elegant fingers. Dean often flipped and tossed his brush or pencil in the air catching it without even looking. Castiel couldn’t contain the chuckle when on occasion this action would cover him in a smattering of paint from a wet brush.

“I love your painting clothes,” Castiel sighed looking at the worn, paint-covered light denim with holes in the knees. The look really came together with his paint-smeared white tee shirt that clung to his frame.

“You say that about anything I am wearing,” Dean laughed, mixing paints on his pallet, aka an old hub cap.

“Not true,” he objected till he tried to think of something that Dean looked bad in. “Well, maybe a little true. But this is my favorite look on you.”

Dean rolled his eyes but smiled all the same. Dean’s scent took on that sweet apple smell laced with cinnamon and Castiel breathed it in over the paint fumes. He smelled like happy Omega, and considering the mess they were in with Michael, he was happy Dean could find a small respite from the madness. His heart swelled a moment with such overwhelming desire for Dean, desire to protect him, love him, make him always smell this happy and sweet.

“You okay over there, Cas?” Dean asked, raising a brow and likely seeing or smelling his mood. He couldn’t think what he’d done to deserve such a perfect mate.

“I couldn’t possibly be better.”

Dean shrugged with a bit of mischief in his eyes, “Hmm that sounds like a challenge.”

Dean stretched his arms up above his head so his shirt rode up above his hips exposing a small bit of skin. Castiel licked his lips and watched Dean’s hips shift a little and the tiniest bit of purple lace stuck out the top of his jeans. Castiel swallowed hard, his cock already growing in his jeans.

“Dean,” was all he managed to say, desperately needing to see more of his perfect Omega. He couldn’t keep the pleading out of his voice.

Dean put his arms down and gave him an eyebrow wiggle. “Like what you see, Cas?” Castiel just nodded vigorously. “I’ve never shown anyone these,” Dean admitted, voice smaller now. “I never liked looking… pretty,” he said, struggling on the last word. Dean bit his lip a moment, turning to face Castiel and running his thumbs under the waistline of his jeans. “But with you I feel… I feel like I can wear something like this and it doesn’t make me feel weak.”

Castiel stood up from his chair, taking slow and determined steps toward the man in front of him. He cupped Dean’s face with one hand and with the other hooked a finger in Dean’s jeans, pulling him flush against him. Dean gave a breathy gasp at that and Castiel pressed a warm, gentle kiss to his lips before pulling back a little.

“Show me.” He stepped back though it almost physically pained him, and watched as Dean pulled his shirt up and off over his head. He slowly flipped the button on his pants, and dragged the zipper down, each click of the teeth revealing the shiny satin beneath. It took a little wiggle, and maybe a stumble kicking off his boots, before Dean stood before him. Castiel wanted to fall to his knees and worship the Adonis before him. Dean’s cock strained against the dark purple satin of the panties, trimmed with lace around the top.

“Do you like them?” Dean’s voice was hoarse and his eyes on fire.

“I think you’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” Castiel let out a little whine as he palmed his erection. “Fuck, you're gonna be the death of me, Winchester.”

Dean lunged forward then and nearly knocked him over, arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him into a heated kiss. Castiel’s hands immediately went to Dean’s perfect, round ass, grabbing two fistfuls of the satin-covered muscle and giving it a squeeze. Dean let out a breathy moan and bit at his bottom lip. Unable to contain himself he knelt down and lifted Dean up off the ground.

Strong thighs wrapped around his waist. As his hands traveled south he felt the dampness on the panties, Dean wet and waiting for him. The room filled with the heady scent of both their arousal. Normally Castiel would want to take his time slowly pulling Dean apart, but tonight, tonight he just needed to be in the warm tight heat of Dean’s body as fast as possible.

Dean seemed to be on the same page, rocking his body in slow rolls against Castiel. He let out a growl and turned them both, pressing Dean’s back against the wall. He lowered a hand to hastily undo his pants and free his now aching cock, knot already starting to swell.

“Need you Cas, need you now,” Dean panted. Castiel was breathing hard but managed to line himself up, pulling the thankfully stretchy panties to the side before sinking into Dean, in one slow burning slide. “Oh fuck, fuck, fuck,” Dean cried out at the burning pressure. Castiel was unable to produce any sound, overwhelmed by the tight wet heat around his cock.

He bottomed out and froze a moment, allowing Dean to adjust and settle on him. He leaned forward, placing his nose in the crook of Dean’s neck and scenting him. Kissing and licking along his neck, he pressed his whole body weight against Dean, revelling touching every part of him. Dean made small rocking movements, egging Castiel on and with a low growl he set a steady pace, pounding up into the warm wet heat. Dean was a whimpering mess between them now, arms wrapped around his neck in a death grip that was just this side of painful.

His knot began to swell, pushing at Dean’s rim and he moved a hand between them, gripping the omega’s satin-covered erection in his hand, giving it a few well-timed squeezes and flicking his thumb over the tip. Dean cried out then, coming in a torrent right into his panties, body spasming and shaking. Castiel grunted, pressing his teeth to Dean’s neck and biting down, not hard enough to break skin but just enough to taste him. His orgasm crested and his teeth worked at Dean’s shoulder as he came hard, growling and resisting the urge to really sink his teeth into the sweet skin under him.

His head was swimming, feeling completely and utterly wrung out. He could feel that both their grips on each other were weakening so he lowered them to the floor, sitting down with Dean in his lap, their arms wrapped around each other. Castiel’s sweater and pants were damp, having not even gotten to taking his own clothes off. He couldn’t be bothered to care when he had his Omega wrapped up in his arms, safe and satiated. A low purr rumbled in his chest as Dean nestled in against him with a sigh. As they both regained their composure, Castiel began to imagine all the panties he wanted to buy his mate just as soon as he had the strength to walk again.

“Love you,” Castiel whispered, pressing soft kisses to his neck.

“Love you too, Cas,” Dean replied slowly, moving to get up and collect his clothes. They both cleaned up best they could before making a hurried exit, hoping not to be caught out by Bobby. As they drove home, Castiel had a renewed hope that tomorrow was going to go their way and soon Michael would be out of their lives for good. Castiel wasn’t gonna let anyone stand between him and his mate, court or not. While that realization scared him a little it was also comforting, and he leaned his head on Dean’s shoulder as they headed for home.

Chapter Text

Dean shifted on the hard wooden bench, feeling his heartbeat hammer in his chest. He tried to will his heart to slow down, his scent to lose its sour undertones. There was just no way he could channel himself into calm, so instead he directed his feelings toward anger. Anger that Michael was putting him through all this, anger at the system that allowed him to, and anger at himself for having gotten in this situation. The rage bubbled and boiled in him till his scent went from sour to burnt. Castiel turned to glance at him, sensing the change in his smell but didn’t say anything. Sam stood by them, arms crossed, waiting for Rowena.

The back door to the small courtroom banged open and Rowena came striding in, wearing a navy pinstripe suit and a scowl that did not bode well. Dean swallowed the hard lump that had been forming in his throat as she came to stand in front of them.

“Well boys, we’ve had a bit of a… set back,” she sighed a moment, still holding her head high.”Judge Moseley is unavailable and they switched us over…to Judge Henrikson.”

All three of them just stared at her. “Aaand what exactly is wrong with Henrikson?” Dean asked cautiously.

“Nothing per se, he’s just…he’s a wee bit strict with the law. He is very just, but very rigid. We will just have to hope that we can convince him the law is on our side.”

“Where's Charlie?” Sam asked, arms still firmly crossed.

“She’s coming, she is just working on our last piece of insurance.” Rowena grabbed her briefcase and marched toward her bench, pulling Sam along behind her. “Come now, giant.”

Sam gave Dean and Cas an attempt at a reassuring smile before he sat down with Rowena. Dean’s anxiety ratcheted up a step as Michael and Roman came walking in. He’d seen them from a distance in the parking lot with Raphael, though he wondered where his brute of a brother was now. Dean sat at the end of the bench closest to Michael's side, refusing to be intimidated.

As Michael paused by Dean’s shoulder, the hairs on Dean's arm rose and he could feel eyes raking over his skin. Michael didn’t say a word though, just moved to the bench with Roman. He heard a small creak and looked to see Castiel’s fingers gripping the bench below him, knuckles white. He placed his hand over Castiel’s, giving it a reassuring squeeze as the side door opened and the judge walked into the room.

Judge Henrikson walked in with an intense air of authority that silenced the room. He took his seat and sat, flipping open the case file in front of him. Dean couldn’t believe he’d come to a point in his life where one person could pass judgement on the rest of his life. The uncomfortable silence was thick in the air and almost suffocating, but Judge Henrikson did not seem like someone to be rushed.

“We are here today for a guardianship hearing regarding one Omega Dean Winchester. The dispute is between his current guardian, a one Samuel Winchester and the contestant, Michael Angelus.” Henrikson lifted his head scanning the room. Balthazar and Jimmy sat with Madison in the back, promising to be on their best behavior. “I don’t hear many cases like this one anymore, so why don’t both attorneys come forward and enlighten me to why we are here?”

Rowena and Dick both stood and he gestured to Roman first. “We are here, Your Honor, because Samuel Winchester has been sorely neglectful of his responsibility as guardian, leaving his ward in dangerous situations and not meeting his very basic needs. We will be here showing you how Samuel Winchester is unfit for the responsibility of guardian and that my client is more than ready to take on the care of this Omega.”

Dean breathed through his nose, drawing in slow, deep breaths. Rowena only grinned a little, clearing her throat. “We are here to present the case that Samuel Winchester is a loving and competent guardian of an independent and capable Omega sibling. We are also here to contest the fact that Michael Angelus would make a suitable replacement when he is, in fact, a dangerous and abusive alternative who is only trying to pull two loving family members apart.”

The judge glared at both attorneys for a moment before sitting back in his chair a ways. “Is the Omega in question in the courtroom today?”

“Yes, Your Honor,” Rowena replied.

“Alright, I will hear arguments from Mr. Roman first and then we will have a short recess before Ms. Mcleod makes her case. Mr. Roman, if you will.” Judge Henrikson gestured toward Roman who stood with a cocky side grin and adjusted his tie a moment before bringing up a folder toward the judge's bench.

“Your Honor, I would like to submit these pictures for your consideration. These pictures show the apartment that the Omega in question is living in. You can see from these pictures that there was no furnishings, not even a bed. The state of the apartment was also barely habitable.” Dean craned his neck, curious to see the pictures, and wondered how the hell Michael had managed to take them. The thought of Michael or someone working for him creeping around his house made his skin crawl. “There was no signature on the leasing agreement by Mr. Winchester, even though it is an Alpha Guardian responsibility to to confirm that an Omega in their care has proper housing requirements by state law, none of which are being met here.”

Dean couldn’t see Sam’s face but he saw the slight slump in his shoulders with each dig Roman was making toward him. “Furthermore, he has been allowing his ward to work in a less than desirable work environment for an Omega, with high Alpha exposure and not under supervision of a trusted Alpha or Beta employer.” Roman moved forward, fanning out another set of photos. “Here you can see the garage that said Omega works in, often completely alone where any Alpha coming for their vehicle could take advantage of him.”

Dean ground his teeth, biting back his retorts about how safe working at Bobby’s was and that Bobby would never let someone hurt him while he was working, and that he was more than capable of taking care of himself. He didn’t say any of these things though, knowing better than to speak out of turn no matter how much it frustrated him.

Roman turned a sympathetic smile toward Dean, laced with pity and condescension. “This poor Omega has been left to fend for himself in a cold apartment, sleeping on the hard floor and risking his virtue working in a dangerous work environment. All because his Alpha brother couldn’t be bothered to secure his Omega a safe warm place to sleep and work.” Roman walked up another folder to the judge and proceeded to show all of Sam’s tax paperwork and bank account holdings, stating that he did not meet the minimum income requirements to care for an Omega ward.

“Alright, Mr. Roman. Now, why do you believe your client would make a more suitable guardian for Mr. Winchester?” Henrikson gave very little emotion away in his face and it was hard to tell if he was buying Roman’s line of crap.

Roman’s smile widened and he produced several pictures of Dean and Michael together. Them just hanging out in the kitchen, Dean in his art studio, at a ball game or that trip to the zoo. He was doing a good job of establishing a solid relationship between Michael and Dean and he felt sick to his stomach that all those pictures were being used against him. Sure, he looked happy in that picture painting in the studio, because he’d gone out there to get away from Michael growling about how he didn’t do enough around the house and a good Omega would have had dinner ready. A picture only captured a small sliver of time, it couldn’t show what living with Michael had truly been like.

Roman produced all of Michael’s financials and details of his house, stating he could offer Dean a safe home where he wouldn’t need to work. He even had the balls to claim that they had an incomplete mating because Dean wasn’t in heat when Michael bit him, but that he had every intention of following through on a true mating. He could smell the intense metallic ozone scent rolling off of Castiel at those words. He wanted to lay a reassuring hand over his but was frozen to the wooden bench. He wasn’t sure his body hadn’t turned to stone listening to Roman talk.

“Thank you for this information, Mr. Roman. So your client is stating he is ready and able to take on guardianship of one Dean Winchester if the court is in need of an Alpha? It is a large responsibility, though I see he has filed all the appropriate paperwork.”

“He most certainly is, Your Honor, he only wants what is best for this Omega.” Roman grinned before taking his seat next to Michael.

Dean felt shaky at best as the judge called for a short recess. He didn’t know a lot about the law but he knew a strong case when he heard one, and he wasn’t so sure the law was going to be on their side. He was kicking himself for not just letting Sam help him earlier. Instead he had to be stubborn and make Sam look neglectful. He jumped a little when he felt a hand on his shoulder but looked up to see it was just Sam. He looked grim at best and was eyeing Dean cautiously.

Dean licked his lips and cleared his throat. “It's okay, Sammy, we got this.” He tried to offer his brother a confident smile but he knew it fell short.

“I’m so sorry, Dean, I should have helped you more, and we wouldn’t be in this mess.” He frowned, the weight of Roman’s words seemed to physically pull at his brothers shoulders.

“Hey, none of that. You're the best goddamn brother anyone has ever had and I am not gonna let that ass hat make you think any different. It’s not your fault I was a stubborn ass, okay?” Sam gave a small smile and nodded at that, still looking guilty.

He then felt a reassuring hand on his thigh and glanced to see a calmer Castiel looking at him.

Rowena came clicking over to them, her phone plastered to her ear. “This is not optional, my dear. You need to get here now—we are back in court in thirty minutes… Ms. Bradbury, time is of the essence… yes, I know… well I don’t know what warp speed if but so long as its fast… yes, just get here.” Rowena clicked off the phone and nodded at the boys. “It’s not looking good as far as keeping Sam your guardian, Dean. I won’t dance around the truth on that, even when I show your adequate housing now, Sam’s income still doesn’t meet the state requirements. Most judges will overlook this if the Omega has their own income source but I don’t know if he is that kind of judge. Cheer up loves, the fight isn’t over yet.” The small fiery woman marched back to the table and began rifling through her paperwork.

Dean fought the growing nausea at the thought of losing the case. If they gave Michael custody, would he be allowed to drag Dean out of the courtroom? Could he…collar him? It wasn’t something you saw anymore but it was still legal in the state for an Alpha to put a leash and collar on an unruly Omega in their care. It was disgusting and nothing short of slavery. Even in this state it was now a taboo practice, but he wouldn’t put it past Michael.

He glanced across the room to see Michael with a confident, easy smile, blue eyes sparkling. He looked just as handsome as the day they met in that bar. He’d never wanted to take a moment back so much in all his life. If he could just tell his younger self to toss a drink in Michael’s face and run as fast as he can, he would.

Before he knew it the court was back in session and it was Rowena’s turn. Charlie’s absence had not gone unnoticed and he wondered where his favorite nerdy redhead was.

Rowena made her case, showing the pictures of Dean’s house and the furniture and locks on the door. She showed pictures of Dean’s workplace and statements from Bobby regarding the safety of his work environment. She made a strong case that Dean was in no danger and had all his needs met. He felt a little bit better listening to Rowena lay out all the facts she could. He watched the judge, who examined all the evidence closely before clearing his throat.

“The letter of the law has very clear standards of care for guardians. While Mr. Winchester has made an admirable effort to improve many of these issues, he does not meet the income requirements. The standards that the Omega was left in are below state regulation and were that way for a matter of weeks. All of this makes him ineligible to continue as this Omega’s guardian.”

Dean felt his vision go a little fuzzy at those words and his mouth ran dry. Rowena made some protest and Castiel was squeezing his hand but it all felt very distant.

“Ms. Mcleod, I have made my decision regarding Sam Winchesters suitability. Now if you would like to represent said Omega and present your case for an alternative guardian I am willing to hear it, but my patience is thin now, counselor.”

“Your Honor, my client is more than ready and capable of taking immediate guardianship of one Dean Winchester,” Roman chimed in.

Suddenly Dean was up on his feet without really knowing how he got there. “Don’t I get a goddamn say in any of this?!” Dean yelled across the courtroom, his vision clearing. He still felt his heart hammering in his chest but he’d be damned if he took this lying down.

“Mr. Winchester, please take a seat. You have a chance to voice your opinion before I make any final ruling.” Judge Henrikson glared at him and he glared right back. Castiel tugged at his sleeve and he slowly allowed himself to be pulled back to his seat, vibrating with energy.

The back door of the courtroom swung open then and Charlie came waltzing down the aisle with a tall young man following behind her. Dean watched the two approach the bench and she threw him a wink before conferring with Rowena.

“Your Honor, I have a character witness regarding the fitness of Mr. Angelus.”

“Who is this witness?” Henrikson furrowed his brow, looking unimpressed.

“This is Mr. Adam Milligan. He was in a relationship with Mr. Angelus prior to his relationship with Mr. Winchester and can speak to the abuse he suffered.” The man standing by Charlie shuffled his feet, standing off to the side of her, eyes locked on the floor. Michael’s eyes were boring into the man with fiery anger.

“Alright, I’ll allow it, Ms. McLeod. Mr. Milligan, will you please step forward and have a seat?”

Adam nodded and with a little push from Charlie he made his way up to the bench, taking a seat next to the judge. Charlie pushed at Dean to scooch over and smiled at him as she plopped on the seat next to him. “Told you I’d come through,” she whispered and Dean, still confused, just nodded.

“Mr. Milligan, would you please speak to the court regarding your experience with Mr. Angelus?” The judges voice was softer than he’d heard it before and looking at Adam it was easy to see why. The scent of fear permeated the room as Adam locked eyes on Michael. Dean was impressed when he squared his shoulders and firmed his jaw, obviously fighting off the fear.

“Yes, sir. I was with Mr. Angelus for about a year—he was my boyfriend. He seemed really nice at first, helping me study and stay in school since my mom had just passed away.” Adam sounded melancholy at the mention of his mom. “I trusted him, and it was the biggest mistake of my life.” Adam glowered at Michael now and Dean felt his heart lighten, seeing the Alpha squirm in his seat.

“Was he not a fit guardian for you?” the judge asked.

“He started hitting me when I wouldn’t come home on time or didn’t do something he thought I should. He seemed forward-thinking, but it was just a mask—he’s a traditional Alpha. I tried to brush it aside, it was just that he was a bad mood and he still loved me. It became too much when he and I got in a big fight, he…he beat me up really bad, put me in the hospital.” His voice cracked a little at that. “I- I was too scared to report it at the time but a nice nurse—her name was Tessa—she took pity on me. She was an Alpha and an old friend of my mom’s, and she hid me away and filed for legal guardianship. We moved out of state and I haven’t looked back since.”

The judge nodded, listening to the story. “And what brings you here today then, Mr. Milligan? Do you know this Omega?”

Adam looked up, locking eyes with Dean and there was something there, something shared between them. There was understanding in those eyes, he knew what it felt like to have someone try to take your life away from you. “No, Your Honor. I was contacted by Ms. Bradbury who told me about Dean here and asked if I’d be willing to speak on his behalf.” Adam paused, collecting himself. “I never met Dean Winchester, but I didn’t need to. If he was going to be stuck in the same situation as me, I couldn’t just sit by and let that happen. Not when there was something I could do to help. Michael should never be allowed near another Omega, Your Honor.”

Dean sucked in a breath, watching the judge, still unable to read his face. “Thank you Mr. Milligan for your testimony. You may step down. Ms. Mcleod, do you have any alternative options for guardianship in this case? If you do, please put them before me now.”

Rowena nodded at the judge. “Just one moment Your Honor.” She turned around to face Dean and Castiel, leaning over the railing. “Alright, Castiel, I know you didn’t want to have to play this card but we are here. It's now or never, darling.”

“What’s now or never?” Dean asked, confused. Castiel turned to him, a nervous look on his face as he chewed at his lower lip.

“I uh- I filled out the paperwork to be your legal guardian—just a backup, in case things didn’t go well with Sam. I know we haven’t been together that long and I swear Dean I would never take advantage of you, I just want to give you the freedom the choice you deserve. This would just be on paper, you understand?”

Dean studied his face, the worry lines creasing at the corners of his eyes. He much preferred when those were laugh lines. “I understand, Cas, I trust you, okay? I trust you completely. Rowena, just go for it.” Rowena nodded and he felt Castiel slump in relief against the bench. “Don’t think you're completely out of the woods yet, mister. You should have told me,” Dean wiggled a finger at him and he had the good graces to look sheepish.

“Your Honor, Mr. Winchester lives next to a one Castiel Novak. He is a professor at the local university and has filled out all the appropriate paperwork to take guardianship in the event that Mr. Winchester could not.”

She handed a pile of papers to the judge who took his time sorting through them. He sighed, rubbing his forehead a moment before looking about the courtroom. “Mr. Dean Winchester, would you like to voice your opinion before I make my ruling?”

Dean stood on surprisingly steady legs. “Your Honor, if I got to choose I’d choose Castiel Novak. For the record and the court, I am an adult and completely capable of my own damn welfare. That included making the decision that I didn’t want to live with my abusive, rapist boyfriend anymore. If I could be my own damn guardian I would, cause this system fucking sucks...sir. But yeah, if you want my opinion, there it is.” Dean snapped his mouth shut, wondering if he had gone too far. The tiniest hint of a smile graced the judge's face before he put back on his steely glare.

“Thank you for your…colorful opinion, Mr. Winchester. I think I am ready to make a ruling in this case. I stand by my earlier decision that Mr. Sam Winchester does not meet the requirements for guardianship. I have two possible guardians for the Omega in question. Taking into account the testimony from both the character witness and the Omega himself, I am granting guardianship to one Castiel Novak.”

Dean felt a wave of relief wash over him as he leaned against the bench. It was over, it was really over and he could move on, move on with the man he loved. He suddenly had an armful of Alpha as Castiel sweeped him up off the ground, kissing him. He laughed out his nervous energy, kissing him back, letting the fear drain out of him. His nose was suddenly flooded with bitter pine and he turned his head to a raging Michael storming out of the courtroom. He felt uneasy watching his retreating form but shook it off as Sam and Charlie came over to pat him on the back and Jimmy and Balthazar were both fluttering around the little group. Madison gave his arm a little punch and he smiled at her, looking around at the people he now had in his life.

He saw Adam standing off to the side, a small brunette woman standing next to him. “Hey, uh, can I meet you guys outside? I want a moment with Adam.”

The group all nodded, Castiel planting a kiss on his head before the group shuffled out of the room. Dean walked over to Adam and watched as the woman smiled, kissing his cheek and left after the large group. “Tessa?” he asked and Adam just nodded. “I guess I owe you a big thank you, man.”

Adam shrugged his shoulder. “Was the right thing to do. He’s an asshole.”

Dean laughed, “He’s a fucking prick.”

Adam laughed at that too and they both smiled at each other. “I mean it though, you really saved my ass. I know that it was hard so just, thank you.”

“You're welcome, I just wish it would stay over, you know? So long as he’s out there, I just don’t know if it ever will be.”

“Maybe we can talk to Rowena, see about getting a restraining order or something. I mean it’s our word against his, but we have to try, right?”

“Yeah, I think we do. At least you seem to have a real nice Alpha now.” Adam grinned at him knowingly.

“He’s pretty great, I’m really lucky. Glad you found someone like Tessa,” he added.

“She really saved my life.”

They both headed out of the room and Adam went to meet up with Tessa, giving Dean a little wave as he headed back out through the front doors in search of his group. He squinted at the sun and looked to see his little crew gathered at the bottom of the steps. Castiel walked up to him looking like a damn angel, his face glowing in the sunlight. He watched as that smile turned into something else, a twisted look of anger as he looked over Dean’s shoulder.

He turned to look and saw Michael. He was arguing with Raphael fighting for something. Dean watched as Michael’s arm pulled away from his brother and something shiny and silver pointed out down the stairs. “You can’t have him!” Michael bellowed and Dean froze as he saw the barrel of a gun pointed at Castiel’s chest. There was no time to think, he threw himself down the steps, reaching for Castiel as heard the bang of the gun going off. He collided with Castiel, arms wrapping around him and both bodies collapsing onto the stone steps. There was yelling and screaming and a few more gunshots that rang out.

“Cas, oh god, Cas are you okay?” he looked down at Castiel and saw a small pool of blood on the front of his shirt. He couldn’t make any sense of it, though—the shirt wasn’t broken. Castiel’s face was pale and scared. He felt a cold wet feeling on his own back.

“Dean! Oh my god, Dean, just hold on, okay? Just hold on!”

Dean slowly looked down and saw the blood pooling on his own shirt, as he slumped back against the steps, stabbing pain shooting up his back. Cas was okay, Michael hadn’t hurt Castiel. He felt a hand applying pressure to his wound that was now screaming with pain. Castiel pulled him into his lap, hands cupping his face, babbling to him, but the words were becoming less and less coherent as his vision narrowed, and the last thing he saw was bright shining blue eyes before he was pulled into the dark.

Chapter Text

Castiel had always considered himself level headed. He’d been called stoic, stiff, reserved, and controlled. For an Alpha it took a lot to rile him, or ruffle his feathers as Jimmy always used to say. He felt hollow—where other people were filled with passion he was filled with… well, nothing. The only thing that had ever evoked emotions in him as a child was his brother, an underlying protectiveness and love. Even that was muted—Jimmy was a force of nature and sometimes Castiel felt like he had stolen all the fire and passion when they were born, leaving him bereft. Still he was at peace with it. He was who he was, and there were advantages to control and calm in one's life.

All of this had changed when just a few short months ago an Omega had shown up on his doorstep, stoking a fire in him he hadn’t known was there. Never had he felt such emotion, such love, and passion, longing and lust. He’d also felt fear, protectiveness and an anger like he never had in his whole life when someone had come to threaten his Dean, his mate. From the moment Dean walked into his life the levees had broken and it was like seeing a black and white world in vibrant color for the first time. Now the only color he could see was red—the red of Dean’s blood on his hands, soaking through his pants, and the red of his own rage.

He clutched the Omega tight to his chest, body vibrating with a deadly growl. All other sound had faded away—he’d heard other gunshots but not registered what had happened, only having eyes for Dean. There was yelling and through the haze he heard two snarls and the slamming of bodies. He looked up to see Sam and Raphael punching and wrestling with each other and Michael stumbling up from where Sam had obviously knocked him down.

He locked eyes with the other Alpha and he gently set Dean down moving to stand in front of him. The snarl was building in his chest to a crescendo. All rational thought had left him, only a pulsing thought of protect, kill, protect, kill, protect, kill, beating in his mind like a drum. They lunged and he felt his fist collide with the side of Michael’s face, giving a satisfying crunch. Fingers dug into his arm as a punch landed in his gut, knocking the wind out of him. They wrestled, muscles and body thrumming with a strength he didn’t know he had. He wanted to rip Michael to shreds with his bare hands.

He got his fingers around Michael’s throat and squeezed, enjoying the wheezing gasp for air and red that colored the man’s face. He had him, he had the bastard right where he wanted him, when a small, pained cry reached his ears…. Dean. He turned to see Jimmy and Madison hunched over his mate and that small distraction was all it took for Michael to break free of his grasp. He spun back to face him and was met with the barrel of a gun, the hard unforgiving metal aimed right at his chest and a satisfied grin stretching across Michael's bleeding, manic face.

The sound of a gunshot rang out in the air and Castiel flinched, waiting for pain that didn’t come. He watched as Michael collapsed in a heap on the ground, blood pooling beneath him. His eyes darted around to land on a small female officer with her gun still aimed at the fallen Alpha. Her caution was unnecessary, however—he knew the threat was gone, the light had left the monster’s eyes. Another small pained whine drew his attention back to Dean and he spun and landed hard on his knees next to him.

“Dean, it’s okay now, he can’t hurt us anymore. It’s over, you hear me? Over. Come back to me, please… I need you. Please don’t go, Dean, please,” he rambled, cupping the man’s face in his hands.

“We need a medic!” someone yelled as he continued a litany of pleading and begging for Dean to just stay strong. He couldn’t bear to lose him, not now, not after all they’d gone through. He couldn’t go back to that sad, blank existence–without Dean he would be lost, an empty husk of a man.

He didn’t know how much time had passed, everything blurring together, his world narrowed down to the rise and fall of the chest in front of him. Still breathing, he’s still breathing. Hands tried to pull him aside and he snarled and snapped at them, putting his body over Dean like a blanket. No one else would harm his mate ever again. They’d have to go through Cas.

“Cas, it’s Jimmy. You need to let Dean go so the medics can fix him, alright? Can you hear me? I need you to let him go. It’s gonna be okay, Cassie.” Jimmy’s voice broke through the haze and he lifted his blurry eyes to see his brother crouched next to him.

He saw the medics standing by and knew logically he needed to step back, but it was like his muscles wouldn’t let him. Jimmy reached out and slowly pulled Castiel’s arm back, guiding him to standing as Dean was lifted onto a stretcher and rushed to a waiting ambulance. Sam’s scent flooded his nose and he looked to see the tall Alpha, hair wild and eyes scorching, coming up behind him.

“Dean!” he called. Castiel noticed the blood dripping down his face—he looked a little worse for wear.

“They are taking him to the ER. Come on, both of you. Let's get to the car and we can follow them there,” Jimmy sounded as the voice of reason, Castiel unable to form his own words. Sam nodded and pulled out the keys to the Impala, and they dashed to the parking lot.

Madison hopped in the car at the last second, also looking flustered at best and Sam peeled out toward the hospital. Madison’s hand reached forward and slid her arm across his collarbone from behind, holding him. Cas watched as Sam raised his free hand to press her arm against his chest, and she leaned in to place a soft kiss on his cheek. It was a small, intimate moment between the two and it made Castiel’s heart ache for Dean. He wanted that touch, that reassurance.

“Man, you guys can really fill a car with Alpha stink, you know that?” Jimmy grumbled from the back. “He is going to be fine,” he added in a tone that brokered no argument. Sam and Castiel shared a small glance and it went unsaid that they both needed him, even if in their own ways.

The ER was fairly crowded when they got there. Cas was flooded with overwhelming scents of pain and distress that didn't help him to think straight. He tried and failed to pick up on Dean’s scent. Sam went to the nurses’ station, asking about Dean and they told him that the doctor would be out in a few minutes to talk with them.

Cas couldn’t sit. All he could do was pace in front the chairs in the waiting room, nose to the air, searching. It was torture, the worst kind he could imagine. People gave him strange looks but he couldn’t even bother to care. A beta woman shook her head at him as he paced another lap around the floor.

“What the hell are you looking at?” Castiel snapped at her.

“Cassie, sit down and take a deep breath.” Jimmy’s voice was strong and clear but Cas ignored it, eyes darting around to the doors, waiting for the doctor. “I’m not asking again, brother, sit your ass down. You freaking out is not going to help Dean,” Jimmy hissed at him this time.

Cas sighed and perched on the chair next to him, ready at any moment to jump up if need be. It felt a lot like that night Dean was gone, that empty feeling in his gut that had his inner Alpha roaring for its mate.

“Mr. Winchester?” a voice called from the double doors, and Sam and Cas bolted up to the doctor.

“That's me!” Sam replied quickly and Cas remembered that he was only made guardian less than an hour ago. No way all the paperwork would be updated yet.

“Your Omega was shot in the side. It seems to have broken a rib on that side so we have administered some pain medication and set the bone. Luckily the bullet went all the way through and missed any major vessels. It came very close to his kidney, however. He did lose a lot of blood but we are bring him up to get a scan before moving him to ICU. A nurse will be over to tell you what room he will be in.” Dean was gonna be okay.

“Thank you,” Sam said, looking relieved. Castiel finally noticed Sam was still bleeding from some kind of head wound.

“You should have them look at that Sam,” he said, his voice rougher than it normally was.

“I’m okay,” he shrugged, heading back to tell Madison and Jimmy what the doctor said. Luckily, Madison echoed Castiel’s concern and he finally agreed to have his head looked at. He wondered how Raphael fared against Sam, and couldn’t imagine it was good. It was an agonizing wait before they were called up to ICU. Only Sam and Cas were allowed to go and see him, as guardian and family member. He nearly slipped jogging down the slick linoleum floor once he caught Dean’s scent in the hall. Grabbing the door frame and swinging into the room, he zeroed in on the tall form stretched out on the hospital bed.

Dean flopped his head toward the door, eyes glazed over and gave Cas a weak, lopsided smile. Cas rushed to the side of the bed, cupping his stubbled cheek in his hand and looking him over. His skin was pale and he his eyes drooped from the drugs.

“Dean,” Cas let out a big breath and felt himself shaking with relief.

“Hey, is ookay,” Dean slurred a little, looking up into his eyes.

“Don’t scare us like that, Dean,” Sam scolded. He slowly twisted his head from Cas to look up at his brother.

“Aye Zammy, ows it goin,” he gave him another wide, toothy grin before a twisting movement seemed to make him grimace.

“Easy, Dean, you need to rest,” Castiel chided him lightly placing his free hand on Dean’s knee and giving it a comforting squeeze.

“They gave you some good drugs, huh Dean? Does it hurt much?” Sam asked, looking half amused and half concerned now.

“It urts, but I don’t care,” he nodded and his head wobbled a little, “and I don’t even care dat I done care.”

“That’s good, Dean. Say, I’m gonna leave you two alone and go fill out your paperwork, okay? Just get some rest, jerk.” Sam smiled warmly at him.

“S’okay, itch,” Dean huffed a laugh and winced again.

Sam left, giving Castiel’s shoulder a squeeze and he’d never been more grateful that Dean had such a devoted brother. Dean turned his gaze back on Cas and he could smell the metallic scent of the drugs in his system muddled with the muted but underlying pain. He almost lost him, he almost lost him forever. The idea of never seeing those bow legs dance around his kitchen, or never feeling the weight of him on his chest, or smell the sweet brown-sugar smell of a peacefully sleeping Dean, hear the raucous laugh when they curled up watching their favorite shows…

“No cry,” he hadn’t even realized he was crying but Dean’s face was now blurred, with tears falling on the hospital bedspread. He lowered his forehead to the edge of the mattress and let the tears go, wracked with quiet sobs. He felt a hand on his shoulder and Dean giving soothing noises. What kind of Alpha was he anyway if he couldn’t keep his mate safe? What kind of Alpha cried all over his injured mate who needed him?

“I’m so sorry, Dean,” he hiccuped into the blanket, too ashamed to look up at him.

“Why? Is not your fault,” Dean sounded a bit more lucid, fingers stroking the side of his face now.

“I should have protected you, I almost lost you, and, and, now you're hurt and—” He couldn’t even get the words out, you almost died .

“Look at me, angel.” Dean’s voice was warm and soft and Cas lifted his eyes, swiping a hand across his face to clear the tears. “I’m okay, I’m not le-leaving you, not ever. This isn’t your fault and its- its not mine. It’s his fault, you understand?”

Castiel manages a small, watery smile. “I understand, Dean.” He knows Dean is right, and hearing him say the words is a balm for his aching heart. “Get some sleep, okay? I’ll be right here. I love you, Dean.”

“I know,” Dean smiled and winked before his head fell back on the pillow and his eyes fluttered shut.

He watched Dean’s breathing slow and leaned in to place a soft, chaste kiss on his lips.

Everything was gonna be okay.

--------------------------

Two months since the incident at the courthouse, Castiel had only just managed to get his anxiety over it under control. Dean came home after only a few days in the hospital and had been healing at an exponential rate. He'd even started training with Madison again, though he had promised Castiel no sparring for at least another week.

“Where's the watermelon?” Dean called, face buried in the refrigerator.

“In your fridge. We ran out of space,” Cas answered as he continued filling various chip bowls. Dean sighed, pressing his face against the inside of the fridge and Castiel noticed he looked a little flushed.

“Are you okay? You look hot, come here.” He dropped the bag, moving to Dean’s side and placing the back of his hand on Dean’s forehead.

Dean squinted up at the hand, crossing his eyes. “I’m fine. I was just out in the sun getting stuff set up.”

“Are you sure? Maybe you have an infection. The antibiotics don’t cover everything, you know. I should check your injury site for swelling or redness.” He moved to lift Dean’s shirt, when he heard a huff and Dean pushed it back down.

“Enough, alright? It’s completely healed, like two weeks ago healed. I am perfectly fine, it’s just the heatwave. Stop worrying!” Dean rolls his eyes at him and it’s hard not to feel a bit petulant.

“I am entitled to some worrying considering the circumstances.” He crossed his arms and Dean smiled at him.

“I know, I get it, but Michael is dead, Raphael is locked up, and the guardianship crap is done. I am finally free, we are finally free, okay? For the first time in my life I feel safe, let me enjoy it a little.” Dean grinned at him and it was hard not to follow suit.

He nuzzled down into the curve of Dean’s neck, breathing in the scent of him. “You are safe Dean, always safe with me.”

Dean kissed his cheek, rubbing a hand on his back. “I know, angel. Now we got a party to get ready for.”

He stood up straight, and gave Dean a little salute that made him laugh. “I’ll set up the cooler with the beers. Is Madison still planning to bring Sam at one?”

“Yeah, that’s the plan, and everyone else should be here at twelve forty-five, and they better remember to hide their cars.” Dean snatched up the chip bowls, stacking them up.

“Sam is gonna love it, Dean,” Castiel reassured him.

“I know, but I want it to be perfect. We already had to postpone this shit first for the hearing, then ‘cause I got myself shot.” Castiel flinched a little when he brought it up. “But I really want to give Sam a birthday party even if it is July already. I was never able to give him a proper one before.” Dean’s voice got a little melancholy at the end.

“It’s gonna be a great cookout, Dean, and I even got some of Sam’s favorite rabbit food.” He gestured toward the baby carrots and celery waiting to be cleaned and set up on the counter.

“Yuck. He better appreciate it,” Dean laughed. They both continued to hustle to get the back yard all set up. Two coolers were filled with sodas and beers, chips, fruit salad, potato salad, and a host of other foods. Dean and Cas had gone in on a new big grill together and this was the first test run.

Jo and Ellen showed up first, bringing Sam’s favorite beer from the bar. Balthazar and Jimmy arrived next, bringing a gigantic cake from a local bakery. Castiel was trying to get used to seeing his best friend and brother together, but it still seemed a bit like an odd couple to him. Jimmy tickled Balthazar's side as he walked by and he winked at Cas when Balthazar scolded him for almost making him drop the cake. Kevin and Ash, Sam’s roommates, followed shortly after, bringing a folding table and cups for beer pong, and Bobby, Charlie, and Rowena all followed shortly after that.

Dean stood at the top of a step ladder, stringing up the last lantern lights. The ladder tipped dangerously and Castiel bolted to grab it, but Kevin beat him to it, grabbing the bottom and holding it still for him.

“You should be more careful, Dean, you're going to pull something,” he hollered at him and Dean just rolled his eyes and finished hanging the last light.

“Okay, Dad , I’ll be careful,” he laughed, getting off the ladder and Kevin offered to fold it up and put it away.

“Everyone is here?” Castiel asked and Dean looked around at their friends and family, all chatting and helping to set up the few food items.

“I think so. Now we just need the Sasquatch to show up,” Dean chimed in, and Castiel offered Dean a bottle of water since his cheeks seemed flushed with the effort of hanging the lights. “Do you think he’s gonna like his present?” Dean asked in a whisper.

This wasn’t first time he'd asked Cas this question and he gave him the same answer, “He will likely cry on you but yes, he is going to love it.”

“You don’t really think he’s gonna cry?” Dean asked, horrified.

Castiel chuckled. “Not impossible, but I will keep tissue on standby.”

“Fuck,” Dean grumbled.

“You will survive, Dean, I promise. I'm gonna go inside and wait for Sam. You want to come?”

Dean nodded and they headed into the house. No sooner had they stepped inside than there was a knock at the door. Dean looked nervous, but headed to the door and opened it up for Sam and Madison. Sam had his head thrown back in a laugh at something Madison said as she covered her laugh with her hand.

“What’s so funny?” Dean asked, letting them in.

“Nothing, nothing at all. How you doing, big bro?” Sam looked him over.

“Doing good, Sammy. Come on out back, I wanna show you the stairs I finally finished.” Dean led them out back and on cue, all the people in the backyard yelled “ Surprise!” at the top of their lungs. Sam startled, eyes going wide and his mouth comically hanging open.

“What is this?” he looked at Cas and Dean.

“Happy birthday, little brother! Sorry it's a bit late” Dean smiled and shrugged.

“You did all this for me?” Sam looked at Dean, obviously shocked and Dean shuffled awkwardly under the scrutiny.

“Come on, Sam, you're my partner for first round of beer pong, dude!” Ash called out and Sam gave Dean a little squeeze on the shoulder before heading down to greet everyone.

The sun was warm but they had a few umbrellas up for shade over the chairs. Castiel made sure everyone had a drink and that the chip bowls stayed full. Dean wielded a spatula at the the grill like he was born to it. He watched Dean’s hips sway to the music playing, and giving the burgers a flourishing flip in the air. Charlie was glued to Dean’s side, discussing the recent Star Wars movie released and comparing it to the previous Abrams film.

They all grabbed chairs and took a break from beer pong to eat the burgers and dogs. Castiel was enjoying the larger back yard since they took the fence down between the two sides of the duplex. Chuck showed up late and sneaked a packet of paper to Castiel.

“Did you sign everything?” he asked, tucking the papers away.

“‘Course, it’s all Dean’s now. Can’t say I'm gonna miss worrying about this place.” Chuck smiled at him. “Did you tell Dean yet?”

“No, not yet but we talked about him buying it once the settlement money from Michael’s estate comes in. I just hated the idea of waiting to get started on renovations.” Castiel couldn't contain the grin at the thought of turning both their homes into one. Tearing down all the walls between them once and for all, both physical and metaphorical.

“I’m happy for you, Castiel.” Chuck patted his shoulder before going to grab a burger.

A warmth filled his chest as he watched everyone laugh and joke and enjoy themselves. So many people he'd never had in his life before. Dean plopped down in the chair next to him, reaching over to lace their fingers together on his knee. Seeing the look on Dean’s face, he thought that he might be feeling the same thing. They had a big, beautiful family now.

“Time for gifts?” Madison asked, standing up and pulling out a bag from behind her back.

“You guys didn’t have to get me anything,” Sam said, waving his hands up but Madison just shoved a bag into his hands.

Castiel could feel Dean tense beside him and knew he was nervous about what Sam would think of his gift. He could smell the subtle anxiety off of Dean and rubbed soothing circles on the back of his hand. Sam opened his gift from Madison to find a signed first edition of his favorite book, Into the Wild . Sam opened up a few more gifts—whiskey from Bobby, a chess set from Kevin, a leather briefcase from Rowena.

“Really, you guys are too much. I never had a birthday party before,” he looked up at Dean, “and this is the best one a guy could ask for.” Sam said it to the group, but Cas knew the sentiment was for Dean.

“Go on, get your gift,” Castiel nudged his Omega, who startled a little before jumping up and running into the house.

He came back with a canvas clutched to his chest and arms wrapped around it. He walked up to where Sam was sitting and shifted his feet back and forth. “I, uh, made this for you. I know its kinda cheesy, but well, here,” Dean flipped the painting and thrust it into Sam’s hands.

As Sam’s eyes scanned over it, a hush fell over the group. When he finally spoke it was in a low and choked voice. “Is…is this Mom?”

“Yeah, that’s Mom holding you. I think you were just two weeks old, and then me and Dad off to the side there.” Dean stuffed his hands in his pockets, his cheeks turning redder by the minute. Dean had take a beaten-up, stained photo of his family and turned it into a truly beautiful painting. He’d captured the hazel in baby Sam’s eyes and the gold to his mother’s hair.

Sam’s face looked tight and, as Cas had predicted, his eyes began to fill with tears, running down his face. Madison handed him a tissue over his shoulder, but he couldn’t take his eyes off the painting. “It’s perfect, Dean, it’s- I’ve never, I mean… I’ve never seen mom like this… I love it.”

Sam stood up, handing the painting to Madison and wrapped Dean up in a massive bear hug. Dean pat his back and Castiel thought he might be fighting his own set of tears. “Easy does it there, Moose, you're gonna squish me.” Dean chuckled and Sam laughed, pulling back.

“Thanks,” Sam smiled now, getting a handle on himself. Castiel’s felt a tightness in his own chest at the exchange and he shared a glance with Jimmy, who was now perched on Balthazar’s lap. Jimmy’s eyes softened for just a moment before he threw him a wink and planted a kiss on Balthazar’s cheek. He was still worried his brother was moving too fast, having had his things brought up from Florida last week to move in with Balt. Ellen had even hired him to be a bartender at the road house and he still wished he’d been there to listen to Ellen’s speech on appropriate work wear to Jimmy that first day.

The afternoon stretched on and slowly people began to make their ways home as the afternoon light dimmed. Castiel wiped the sweat from his brow, looking forward to returning to the air conditioning and relaxing with Dean on the couch. He curled his toes and cracked his sore neck as he walked Ash and Kevin out to the street. Sam and Madison followed last, with Sam still reverently clutching his painting and Madison carrying his other gifts. Dean followed in behind them, wishing them well and waving at them from the door as they headed home.

“Man, I’m glad that’s done,” Dean sighed. “It was kinda fun though, having everyone over.”

“Mmm it was,” Castiel leaned over and planted a kiss on Dean’s cheek and felt the heat there. He turned and looked to see Dean looking even more flushed then earlier. “Are you alright, Dean?”

“I should say the same about you.” Dean held up the back of hand to Castiel’s forehead. “You're burning up, babe.”

Castiel huffed and rolled his shoulders, feeling a familiar twitch in his muscles. Dean’s eyes tracked the movement and the smell of sweet slick hit his nostrils. Eyes flaring, realization seemed to hit both of them at the same time.

“Are, uh, are you in heat, Dean?”

Dean licked his lips and Castiel watched as the pink tongue flitted across his upper lip. “Are you in rut, Cas?” Dean countered, voice already husky with lust.

Castiel did a momentary physical inventory, feeling his cock hardening in his jeans. “I think that is a resounding yes.” He glanced down at himself and Dean gave a small whimper at the sight. They were synced up—they were finally on the same rhythm, Dean’s body and his feeding off each other. They were primed, and Castiel could feel the strength of it pulsing through his veins. The pull of his true mate, the person who set his body on fire and his soothed his soul. They could be mated, if they claimed each other when both were in heat and rut they would be bonded for life, unbreakable. The magnitude of that seemed to settle on both their shoulders as their eyes locked together, a question hanging between them.

Dean cleared his throat, and whispered the words he’d been waiting to hear, “Cas… claim me.”

Chapter Text

Dean’s skin shivered despite his heat, his hair standing on end, and a low tension building in his muscles. Heats usually hit six months apart and this one wasn’t that far off, only a month early. He’d stayed on his birth control but had decided not to take the suppressants—with all the stress he wasn’t sure they’d work anyway. Plus deep down, though he’d hate to admit it, he knew he had to be off them for he and Cas to sync up. It was rare and usually only happened with true mates. He steadied his breathing, taking as shallow a breath through his parted lips as he could. The heady scent of Castiel’s rut smelled like an impending thunderstorm. Any minute the skies would open up and unleash heaven’s power on earth. Dean was fucking ready for it.

“Claim me,” he repeated, voice getting rougher with lust by the second. His inner Omega was screaming at him to submit, submit, submit . He wanted to let go, give himself to this Alpha with every fiber of his being.

Castiel let out a low, guttural growl that he quickly choked back. “Dean… you sure this is what you want? You want to be my mate? Cause once…once we do this…there’s no going back.” Castiel’s voice was a low rumble to his ears, the lust and tension building in the room till he thought he might burst.

“I know… I want you, Cas, only you. Please I—I need you.” Those last words nearly killed him to admit, and he cast his eyes momentarily to the floor. He felt a wave of fear hit him— what if he doesn’t want me? He couldn’t blame Cas if after all that he’d put him through he’d changed his mind. Maybe he was just sticking around till Dean healed and then was gonna look for a way to break it off. His mind whorled with possibilities as he felt two strong hands cradle his face.

Castiel’s blue eyes bored into him, seeing through him like they always did, right from the beginning. “You have me, Dean. You’ve always had me, and you always will.”

Dean couldn’t hold back any longer. He needed to feel the heat of Cas’ skin, the firm strength of his muscles. He leapt onto him, wrapping his arms around his neck, and legs around his waist. Castiel didn’t disappoint. His hands grasping under Dean's thighs, he buried his face in the crook of his neck. Dean’s mouth descended onto the exposed skin on his Alpha’s neck, licking and kissing and moaning at the taste of him. The clothes between them were driving him mad and he growled himself, now pulling at the collar of Castiel’s t-shirt.

Castiel carried Dean up the stairs and fuck if that still wasn’t so freaking hot. Before he knew it, Castiel collapsed over him on the bed, pulling off his shirt like it was burning him. Dean pulled off his t-shirt and let out a needy whimper when he felt Castiel’s hands tugging off his jeans. He sat up on his elbows, panting and staring up at the fully naked Alpha. He was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.

“Do you remember, Dean, when I told you I wanted to claim every inch of you?” Castiel arched one brow in question and fuck if that Dom brow shit wasn’t hot. Dean couldn’t form words so just settled for nodding. “That’s exactly what I intend to do,” and with a smirk, Castiel was on him, his mouth pressed to Dean’s, tongue begging for entrance. Dean opened up to him, kissing back with everything he had. He writhed underneath him, his cock bouncing hard between them.

He moaned, feeling the dull ache starting in his body, screaming at him to get the Alpha inside him. He’d spent his whole life as an Omega resisting and fighting this exact thing, this exact impulse. His body was built for it, and he knew that as strong as the pain of his heat was without an Alpha, it would be mind-blowingly amazing with one. Finally, fucking finally, he had the Alpha he’d been waiting for. Sweet and caring and strong and so incredibly hot and he wanted Dean, not just for the slick between his legs but for all of him. He could weep with the joy of it, but fuck if he’d stoop to crying during sex. He’d never live that down.

Cas pressed his body flush against Dean now, warm hard erections slotted side by side as Dean was pressed into the soft sheets of Castiel’s bed. Their scents mingled into a thick haze of apples and honey and it made Dean's head swim with the overwhelming lust. His knees pulled up and dropped to each side, opening up to Cas, and he grinned through the kiss when he felt the purr rumble up Cas’ throat.

Cas pulled up just a few inches, blue eyes searching his face. “Mine, all mine.” The sound he let out next was closer to a growl than a purr as his mouth descended on Dean’s neck. He threw his head back, reveling in the warm, wet mouth sucking and kissing and nipping its way down from his jaw to his collarbone.

“Yours, all yours… an-and you're mine,” he huffed out, squirming as Castiel’s teeth grazed the base of his neck. He was finally, FINALLY, going to feel those teeth sink into him.

“Must have you… Are you ready, Dean?” Castiel’s body shook with effort of holding still. Dean leaned up a little till his lips were pressed by the Alpha’s ear.

“Knot me. I’m ready.” He gave the earlobe a playful nip and Castiel’s body shuddered over him.

Dean felt Castiel’s hand slip between them and two long fingers plunge into him. His muscles were already lax and with the slick it was a smooth burn. Dean licked his lips, fingers clawing at Castiel’s shoulders. He needed to be filled and two fingers were not gonna do it. Castiel worked them in and out a few times, testing Dean like he always did.

“More, more… come on, angel,” Dean encouraged while canting his hips up. He didn’t even care that he’d been reduced to needy begging. He knew he’d never needed anything so bad in his life as to feel filled, owned, loved by the man above him.

Castiel’s fingers retreated and Dean gave a tiny, embarrassing whimper as his painfully hard cock bounced between them.

“Dean!” Castiel cried out as he pushed his substantial cock into Dean’s willing body. It stretched and burned, but felt fucking amazing. Dean blinked up at Castiel and let out a relieved laugh as Castiel settled between his legs, revelling in the feeling of fullness. When he locked eyes with him the room seemed to still around them, the only sound the heavy breathing between them. Castiel’s blue eyes were blazing now in full rut and the sheer power behind that gaze would be terrifying if it wasn’t Cas looking at him like that—looking at him like he was something to eat. He wiggled his hips, clenching down and it was enough to break the moment.

Castiel’s hands sank into the mattress under him and came around his back, gripping his shoulders and pulling Dean even further down onto him. He couldn’t contain the breathy cry he let out, head tossed back into the comforter as Castiel began pounding into him, hard. God if that wasn’t the greatest fucking thing he ever felt. His whole body was a wash of sensation and building tension and he couldn’t begin to focus on any one part ‘cause it was all just too much. The aches in his muscles were being replaced with a warm, soft feeling and he thought he may dissolve into the mattress as his Alpha fucked into him.

Suddenly he felt something thick pushing at his entrance, and he knew Castiel’s knot was beginning to swell. It felt big, way too big, no way that was ever gonna fit big. He shivered as Castiel slowly pushed it against Dean, insistent and demanding. Lips latched onto his shoulder and kissed, teeth dragging over the sensitive skin. “Let go, Dean. I have you,” Castiel whispered into the crook of his neck in that deep, gravelly voice.

Just like that, he felt his body relax and give, opening up for his Alpha. This was his Alpha, his Castiel, and they were made for this. He believed that with every fiber of his being as the knot slid inside him. It pressed against that sensitive bundle of nerves and had him seeing stars. The burst of pain was quickly overshadowed with mind-blowing pleasure. He didn’t think anything could feel better until Castiel picked back up with low, shallow thrusts into him and he was wrong, so incredibly wrong.

“Dean,” Castiel huffed a growl against his skin and he could feel his cock leaking and he’s about to lose it.

He needed to feel those teeth, he needed to be claimed but he couldn’t begin to form the words. All he managed was, “Castiel, please.” He felt the teeth sinking into the flesh of his shoulder and it sent him over the edge, the wave of chemicals pulsing through his body. Sharp teeth sinking into the muscle, sending an electric shock through his whole body. Pain throbbing through his shoulder in time with the bursts of pleasure with each thrust as Castiel drove into him. Castiel moaned into his skin and the pain sparked with each reverberation but fuck if it wasn’t amazing. His Alpha taking him, making him his.

He shook and trembled, his own mouth seeking out Castiel’s skin. By instinct he found the spot at the base of the neck and sank his teeth in with a possessive growl. Mine, mine, mine, all mine, his mind chanted as his body clamped down on Castiel’s knot and his teeth clamped down on his shoulder. Castiel’s mouth pulled off of him just in time to cry out Dean’s name as he came hard into Dean, collapsing on top of him.

Dean’s body twitched with the aftershocks of his release, arms wrapped around each other. He slowly pulled his mouth off of Cas, licking at the wound and pressing his lips tenderly to the spot, smiling. He felt the shiver run through Cas.

Castiel was still twitching and pumping into him with slow little thrusts that drew out a long, languid moan from him. He knew they were going to be knotted like this for a while, but as far as he was concerned they could stay like this for eternity. He closed his eyes with a smile as he felt Castiel’s tongue licking at the mark on his shoulder, and he let out a rumbling purr of approval.

“My Omega, my perfect mate, my Dean,” Castiel praised as he licked and kissed and breathed in the new scent of him. It was mingled now, the slight scent of honey on his own skin and Castiel definitely smelled faintly of apples. Castiel gripped Dean a little tighter as he flipped onto his back so Dean was on top, straddling him. He felt him pull his knees up, supporting Dean and taking some of the pressure off. Dean blinked his eyes open from his euphoric haze and stared into Castiel’s, as deep and blue as the sea itself.

“I love you,” Dean whispered.

“I love you,” Castiel replied with a smile, followed by a soft, gentle kiss. “Get some rest. You're going to need it.” And fuck, if that wasn’t the cutest fucking smirk he ever saw.

Dean chuckled, resting his head down on Castiel’s shoulders and letting his eyes fall shut. He felt a blanket being pulled up over them. This was where he was meant to be, this was it—he was finally home.

***************

Castiel watched as the water filled in the large bathtub, shaking in the fragrant bath salts and mixing it in with his fingers. He rolled his stiff neck, excited to sink into the warm water. It had been a long few days tangled up with his mate in bed. He smiled at the word “mate”—he had a mate. He turned off the water and padded back out into the bedroom to find Dean naked and sprawled on his stomach.

He was clutching a pillow to his face and lightly moaning as he lazily rutted against the sheets. Castiel watched the flex and release of the muscles in his ass, the strain in his back. His tiny moans and breathy gasps were muffled by the pillow he was biting onto, eyes shut and head tipped forward. He stalked toward the bed till he was standing by Dean’s hip mesmerized by slow and urgent thrusting of the man below him.

Green eyes blinked open catching sight of him. Dean only smirked still biting the pillow and let out a longer needy moan still clenching his teeth on the pillow giving a hard thrust with his hips. He remembered the exquisite feeling of those teeth locked onto his shoulder and unintentionally moved a hand to brush fingers over the still tender mating mark. It sent a spike of pain and electricity through him that was like a straight line to his cock. He had no idea how this man could still make him so hard after the marathon sex they’d been having.

Dean’s mouth popped off the pillow, and his head tilted back. “Like what you see, Alpha?” he grinned, eyes still shut.

Castiel held back the growl in his throat. “Aren’t you tired yet?” he teased.

“Mmmm, nope,” Dean sighed, arching his back and sticking out his perfect ass.

“Dean,” Castiel put on his Alpha voice, “I just filled the bath, as requested by you, no less.” He raised a brow at Dean, arms crossed in mock annoyance. As if he could ever be annoyed by Dean’s arousal.

“Just gimme one more minute,” Dean rammed his hips forward into the mattress and it felt like a punch to the gut. He wanted to mount and claim him again so bad, he ached for it. “Gonna make me take care of this myself?” Dean asked, pulling his knees up under him and stretching them out, shoulder width apart. Back arched and hands fisted into the sheets, he gave Cas a wink over his shoulder.

Cas was doomed, and he gave in, launching himself toward the bed. He sank home hard and deep, till his hips smacked against the back of Dean’s ass. Dean let out a howl, pushing back against him and Cas was amazed how tight and wet he still felt. He knew neither of them would last long so he wasted no time setting a punishing pace. His hands gripped onto Dean’s hips, pulling him back onto his cock with each thrust forward. Dean keened and scrambled for the sheets below him, finally breaking into a litany of whimpering and pleading.

“Please, fuck, Alpha, need you…please, hard... oh fuck, Cas,” Dean cried out as Castiel pushed his growing knot inside with a satisfying pop. It sent Dean tumbling over the edge, coming hard against the sheets, his muscles shaking. Castiel reveled in the pulsing heat of the muscles wrapped around him and his own orgasm rocked out of him, filling Dean up, marking him from the inside. As shaky as he felt, he still managed to lower both of them to their sides, pulling Dean into his chest to be the little spoon.

He nuzzled and kissed along Dean’s neck and shoulders with soft, lazy kisses. His hand splayed over Dean’s chest, feeling the comforting thumping of his heart. He could tell when Dean fell asleep, mouth going slack against the pillow. He kissed the back of his head and let his eyes drift shut, enjoying the heat and comfort of the body he was tangled up in.

He drifted for only a few moments before he felt himself slip out of the warm heat of Dean’s body. Despite the urge to stay in bed, he moved to slip around the slumbering Dean and refresh the bath he had started. He came out to a sleeping, contented-looking Omega. He didn’t have the heart to wake him, so carefully slipped his arms under him, hefting him into a bridal carry. Dean finally stirred as Cas lowered them down into the warm water of the oversized tub.

“Feeels good,” Dean mumbled, shifting to lie back to front with Cas, his head dropped to the side on his chest. The warm water and bath salts soothed his aching muscles and Dean purred, seemingly equally contented with the bath.

“How do you feel about breakfast after this?” Castiel asked, his fingers skimming over Dean’s skin in the water.

“Is it morning?” Dean asked, making Castiel chuckle.

“Does it matter?” he retorted.

“Nope, never a wrong time of day for breakfast.” He could sense Dean’s grin even if he couldn’t see it.

“I forgot to tell you, but Rowena called while you were sleeping,” Castiel bit his lip, suddenly nervous though he knew he shouldn’t be.

“And?” Dean turned in the water to look up at him.

“She said that Michael’s estate wants to settle out fast. They don’t want a trial or anything and they accepted your full request.” Castiel paused as Dean’s eyes went comically wide. “I’d say three million should be more than enough to put in that studio you were talking about around back.”

“Cas, you’ve gotta be shitting me. There's no way they are paying that much.” Dean’s voice cracked a little with shock of the news.

“Also, Rowena said they are shipping your belongings back here next week, all your sculptures and paintings, supplies, and anything else you listed for her—they agreed to all of it. I think they just want to wash their hands of it and move on.” Castiel thought it was for the best, because Rowena was ready to take them for all of it if given a chance in court.

“We can buy my side, from Chuck I mean. We can finally start renovations!” Dean’s excitement was infectious.

“About that… I kinda already bought it, in both our names. Well, I moved your name onto my mortgage and combined it for the whole building. It’s ours—we can start tomorrow if you want.” Castiel hoped the offer to smash things will keep him out of the dog house for going behind Dean’s back.

The Omega leveled him with a glare. “Why did you do that? We don’t even have the money yet.”

“Because I didn’t want to wait. Fixing up the two houses is all you talk about, and I knew the money was coming through even though we don’t need it to buy Chuck out.” He gave Dean his best apologetic look.

Dean huffed out a sigh and looked up at him again. “Well it’s done now, I guess, but you’ll have to make it up to me.” Mischief crept into Dean’s voice.

“Oh? And what can I do to make it up to my sweet—” kiss, “kind,” kiss, “forgiving,” kiss, “Omega?” kiss. Dean squirmed under the light tickling kisses to his neck.

“You can let me watch as you put that hammer to use again. I do like watching you take down walls.” Dean wiggled his eyebrows while Castiel chuckled.

“As you wish, Dean, and maybe I can talk you into wearing that tool belt of yours?”

“You only like that belt cause it pulls my jeans down low.” Dean raised a brow.

“No idea what you're talking about,” Castiel defended.

Dean let out a belly laugh, splashing and spinning in his arms. “I love your goofy ass, you know that?”

“I do know that. I love you too, Dean.” Castiel felt warmth spreading through his chest. Dean settled back down and he folded his arms around him, feeling like all the walls between them were finally broken down and it was just them, Cas and Dean, together like he knew they were always meant to be, and nothing was going to pull them apart.

Chapter Text

Ten Years Later…

“I swear if your teeth are not brushed in five minutes I am sending Uncle Cas up there to help you!” Dean bellowed up the stairs.

He heard Cas chuckle to himself as he approached the kitchen. He found Cas watching a bag of popcorn spin and begin the first few popping sounds. He loved the expanded kitchen in their house, especially the large island with a breakfast bar. It had taken them nearly a year to finish all the renovations, between issues with weight bearing walls and water damage. In the end, though, they had figured it out and the two halves of the building had merged beautifully into one blended home. He’d thought that having four bedrooms was a bit much but after Sam and Madison had their twin girls he was glad to have a place for them to stay. Doctors told them they were miracles babies, female Alphas rarely carrying to term, much less with twins. Dean knew they were meant to come into the world, even if they didn’t currently want to brush their teeth. He couldn’t imagine life without them around.

“Girls giving you a hard time again?” Castiel smiled at Dean and he felt his shoulders relax.

“Think they are all amped up about tonight…practically bouncing off the walls.” Dean shook his head, listening to the sound of feet thundering above them.

“It's a big night for all of us.” Castiel smiled, pulling out the popcorn and emptying it into a large bowl. “Why do you always threaten the girls that I will come up there and make them behave, anyway? You think they’d listen any better to me?”

Dean rolls his eyes. “Yeah, Alpha, they worship the ground you walk on they wouldn’t want you pissed at them. Me, they seem to have no problem pissing off.” Dean couldn’t help but grumble as he crossed his arms. Castiel leaned over and planted a kiss on his stubbled cheek.

“They adore their Uncle Dean, and you know it. You're the more fun one, anyway.” Castiel headed for the couch and Dean followed after him.

“Well, I am pretty fun,” he mumbled and Castiel smirked at him, earning him a little elbow in the side.

“How was your day with the girls?” Castiel asked, pulling one leg up on the couch and turning to face him. Dean couldn’t help but admire how beautiful the man still was after all these years, even if his hair was a little salt and pepper now.

“Good, we went over to the gallery early in the morning and they ran around the sculptures while I met with Tessa and talked over the two pieces we are adding to the showcase.”

“Did she think it would delay the opening?”

“No, she said it’s still on for next week and Sam and Maddie should be back by then to pick up the girls so they won’t miss it.” He felt a small ache in his chest for his brother, missing him already even though he’d only been out of town a week. Still, he missed the morning coffees and late night burgers they shared, even if it had been less frequent since the girls came along six years ago.

“People are going to love this collection, Dean. I think it’s your best work to date.” Castiel beamed at him, popping in a handful of popcorn.

“You say that about every art show I have. It can’t always be true,” he said, rolling his eyes and grabbing some popcorn himself.

“It can so be true. You get better over time, just like a fine whiskey. So, what did you do in the afternoon?”

“We went to the zoo and I got the girls ice cream sundaes.” Dean shrugged. “The penguins were funny as hell, man, but the girls like the giraffes the most, I think its ‘cause their dad is nearly as tall.” Dean laughed at his own joke.

“Well maybe it’s all the sugar that has them so—”

“Uncle Dean! Luna said I couldn’t wear the moon pajamas because she is wearing them and we can’t match but I don’t want to wear the heart pajamas!” Mary’s voice came from the stairs and they turned to see a mop of blonde hair and green eyes glaring at them.

“Mary, you can wear the moon pajamas if you want to, and it’s rude to interrupt. Say you're sorry to Uncle Cas.” Dean leveled her with a serious look.

She had the good graces to look apologetic at least. “Sorry, Uncle Cas.” With that, she bolted back up the stairs and Dean could hear the argument continuing up the stairs.

“Should I go up there?” Dean wondered aloud.

“I’d give them five and see how it pans out,” Castiel shrugged and then gave Dean a funny look. “You ever sorry we didn’t have any pups of our own?”

Dean shifted a little closer to Cas and leaned in to plant a kiss on his lips. “No, angel, I think being the cool uncles is more than enough for us. I like our lives, they are full to the brim with family, dude.” He pauses. “Do you wish we did?” He already knew the answer—it was something they had talked about many times over the years.

Castiel smiled. “I am completely content with my uncle status. All I need is you, Dean.”

“Sappy much?” Dean laughed but Castiel just shrugged.

“Guess I am, but it’s an emotional night.” The words lingered between them, the fact that Castiel hadn’t put on the news yet, letting them live a little longer not having to know one way or the other.

“Charlie wants us all over to her place for game night next week, too. She wants us to meet her new girlfriend,” Dean said, quickly changing the subject.

“Oh yeah? Must be serious if she is coming to game night,” Castiel replied, rubbing his thumb in circles on Dean’s knee.

“Yeah, well, I haven’t stopped hearing about Dorothy since they met. I feel like I’m in the damn Wizard of Oz movie or something,” he chuckled.

Just then his phone buzzed with a text from Sam.

Sam: Turn on the TV, we did it! I can’t believe we fucking did it

Dean froze, the phone in his hand. He felt a shiver run through his body as he stared down at the text, and he missed whatever it was Castiel was saying till he pulled the phone out of his hand and stared up at him.

“We… it's… they passed it,” he huffed out on a single shaky breath.

**************

Castiel stared at the phone, reading Sam’s text again and looked at Dean, who was still sitting in shock on the couch. He cleared his throat a few times before putting a hand on Dean’s shoulder, and green emerald eyes met his. “This is it—it’s really happening.” Castiel could barely contain the joy thrumming through his veins.

He felt his own phone vibrate in his pocket as a string of texts come in.

Jimmy: Woohoo!!! Free at last!!!

Charlie: Finally!!! Give Dean a hug for me <3

Balthazar: Can you believe they actually fucking passed the bloody thing! Jimmy won’t stop smacking me on the back the little bugger lol

Everyone he knew was sending him messages and he could even hear the beginning of hooting and hollering in the street. The girls’ feet thundered down the stairs, their eyes bright as they headed for the couch. Castiel set the popcorn down just in time before he got an arm full of six-year-old. Mary curled up in his lap while Luna, with her dark brown hair and brown eyes, curled up in Dean’s lap with a thump, knocking the wind out of him.

“Whats going on?” the girls asked in unison. Dean’s mouth opened and closed like a fish but no words came out.

Castiel jumped in, “Girls, remember how Dad is going on TV tonight?” Both twins nodded at him. “Well, he is going on to talk about the big bill they are passing in the House of Representatives today. The one that your Dad and Mom have been working so hard on.”

“All that boring grown up stuff with the papers?” Luna asked from Dean’s lap.

“Yeah, all that stuff, but we just found out that they won, and that means a lot of people in this country are finally going to be free.” Castiel felt his own throat tighten with the words. Suddenly fingers laced with his and Dean gave his hand a tight squeeze.

“Are they going to be on TV?” Mary asked, pushing her blonde curls out of the way so she could rest her face on his chest.

“Yes. Let's see if he's on yet, okay?” Castiel grabbed the remote with a stretch and flipped over to channel seven. There was a reporter standing in front of the Capitol building, where a raucous-looking crowd had gathered.

“Yes, Paul, the crowds here are overwhelmed with emotion, people hugging and cheering. This is truly a historic day for this country. I believe Senator Winchester is about to take the stage and speak to the crowd. We go to the front of the rally now.” Castiel watched the camera flip over to an empty stage. There, wearing a solid grey suit and dark purple tie, Sam took the stage to a roar of applause.

“Daddy! Look, Luna, it's Daddy!” Mary pointed enthusiastically.

Sam took the stage and lifted the mic up to reach him, giving a smile and wave to the crowd of people. It took a moment for the crowd to die down enough for him to talk. Castiel stole a glance at Dean, whose face was now focused in on the TV, hand still gripping Castiel’s on the couch.

“My name is Sam Winchester. I am an Alpha, and as such I have had every door open to me as I walked through this life. I may not have had much money and I worked hard to get where I am, but I never had a door shut in my face or an opportunity I couldn’t grasp. We live in an imbalanced world, where nearly a third of this country’s population is treated as lesser, as inferior, all because of a gender. We treated our fellow citizens as nothing more than property—something to be used and something to be controlled.” Sam paused, emotion filling his voice as he looked down at the stand and back up at the camera.

“My big brother is my hero… he always has been. I’ve looked up to him since before I can remember. He saved my life when I was just a baby, and continued to love and support me every second since then. He’s kind even if he wouldn’t like to show it, and he is brave, braver than he ever should have had to be. My brother is an Omega, my brother is best person I know...” Sam sucked in a breath, eyes beginning to water as the camera zoomed in and the crowd went silent. Castiel saw Dean’s eyes turn glassy as they watched the screen.

“I’ve seen this world beat my brother down, tell him he was worth less than me, that he wasn’t capable of taking care of himself. He was told, as all Omegas are told, that they are not equipped to handle their own free will. He walked through this world every moment of the day having to watch his own back, fear for his own safety, his own freedom. Because some Alpha may come and snatch it all away. And then I watched as he persevered, I watched as he refused to hide what he was for a half freedom. I watched him as he stood up in the face of those who would oppress him and said that his voice mattered.” Sam drew in a breath, tears falling now. “His voice matters, the voice of all Omegas matter, just as much as yours and mine.

A heavy silence lingered in the air as Sam pulled himself up to full height. “I knew that I wanted to lend my voice to those who weren’t being heard, that someone had to stand up and say we are better than this, that we can do better than this. I started this campaign side by side with Alphas and Betas and Omegas with one goal in mind—passing the Omega Freedoms Act, so that everyone in this country could be the rulers of their own lives, their own freedom, their own destiny. All I ever wanted was to make my brother proud, to make this world a better place for my daughters so they don’t have to live through the injustice that I saw thrust upon the Omegas of this world.”

“Today, I stand before you to say that after years of hard work, the voices of this country’s people have been heard. Today the Omega Freedom Act has been passed!”

A huge roar erupted from the crowd like a tidal wave, signs and flags waving in the air. Sam waited until it began to settle down before he continued. “Today, we have abolished the Omega guardianship laws across the country. Every Omega is free to live and work and love as they please, without fear of oppression. Tomorrow the sun will shine on a new day in this country—a day where I can stand and greet my brother as the equal he’s always been. I would not be here today without him… I love you, Dean. Thank you for showing me what true bravery looks like. And thank you to all of you, who came and helped make this country a better place for all of us… From the bottom of my heart, thank you.”

Sam jogged down the steps to applause and the camera panned to show him lifting Madison up into the air and spinning her around and crying tears of joy. Castiel felt his own tears threatening to fall and felt a tug on his shirt from Mary.

“Why is everyone crying?” She looked at him with concerned eyes. He looked up at Dean to see tears streaming down his face, one arm clutching Luna tight to his chest, cheek pressed against the top of her head.

“We are just all very happy, sweetheart. Your father and Uncle Dean helped change the world today. They're real-life heroes.” He gave her a watery smile.

“Like Batman?” Luna asked, eyes going wide.

Dean laughed then, a deep and hiccuping belly laugh, and he hugged her tighter.

“I’m not like Batman, I am Batman,” Dean said on a laugh, voice hoarse and rough.

“I think it’s time you girls go to bed.” Castiel stood, scooping up the sleepy child in his arms. Dean stood as well, still holding onto Castiel's free hand tightly, one arm supporting Luna.

Luna let out a huge yawn. “Will Mom and Dad be home soon?”

“Yeah, sweetheart, they fly home tomorrow.” Dean pulled Castiel’s hand up to his lips, placing a kiss over the joined knuckles, saying with his eyes what he couldn’t say in words.

“Tomorrow is a whole new day,” Castiel said, meeting his lover's eyes. He knew that it was all worth it. All the pain, all the heartache, had brought them to this moment, with their family safe in their arms, and the future full of possibilities before them, a bright and free future…together.