Price to Pay
Title: Price to Pay
Characters: Dean/Castiel pre-slash
Rating: G
Spoilers: For episode 5x13
Summary: Missing scene from 5x13. Yeah, that one. 700-words-ish.
A/N: No doubt everyone is writing a version of this. My fangirl!squee! wanted it to be more fluffy and h/c. What came out of my brain was a lot darker and more full of angst than what my fangirl!squee! wanted. *shrugs* Denial!Dean is in denial. Dean-ial? HA!
Castiel rouses enough that he can make it up to the hotel room with just Dean's support. He keeps trying to walk on his own, even though it's clear he's completely out of it. Dean shifts to hold onto him a little more tightly as he lets them into the room.
"Honeymoon suite," Dean says grandly. "The best humanity's got to offer in terms of creature-comforts."
Castiel casts a weary eye over the garish red wallpaper, heart-shaped lamps, and satin sheets.
"I certainly hope not," he says.
Dean shoots him a sideways glare, and Cas quirks what might be an exhausted half-smirk. It's hard to tell with him sometimes.
"Okay, smart ass, let's get you settled."
Together they work to get Cas onto the bed. Dean leaves to grab a washcloth out of the bathroom. By the time he gets back, Cas has his eyes half-closed. Dean wipes the blood off of Castiel's face efficiently and steps back.
"I'll set you up here for the next few days. You just concentrate on getting better quick as you can."
Dean doesn't say, We're gonna need that angel mojo sooner rather than later.
"You will have need of me," Cas mumbles softly.
Dean winces. Comments like that from Cas aren't coincidence; Dean always seems to manage to get his thoughts across loud and clear. The farther they go on this rebellion, the more Dean feels like he's constantly kicking a puppy when it comes to Cas. A dangerous puppy who could crush Dean in a second if it wasn't for the unquestioning loyalty, but still. It's loyalty Dean can't afford to waste. They need to take every advantage they can get. Sure, Castiel deserves more than Dean will ever be able to give him. But it seems that whatever tiny amount Dean can give him is all Castiel wants.
"Is there anything else? Something that'll help you?" Dean asks, though he already suspects the answer.
"No, Dean," Cas says. "I'm afraid the only thing that can help me now is time to recuperate."
"Okay," Dean says. "You're not gonna die on me, are you?" Cas breathes once, deeply. "Cas?"
"...I highly doubt it," Cas says, voice drifting.
"Good."
Castiel murmurs incoherently before his eyes slide shut completely. It looks like he's sleeping, but Dean's not even sure if Cas can sleep. Whatever he's doing, he doesn't seem to be conscious anymore.
Dean starts to leave, but he pauses and turns back. He's gripped by indecision for a moment and just looks. Castiel appears suddenly fragile, starkly pale against the bright red of the bed. Cas shifts slightly and lets out a soft, painful sounding groan.
If it was just Dean's life on the line, he'd die before letting one of his friends nearly destroy themselves like this. But everyone has a price. Throw in a few innocent civilians, and Dean's willing to up the ante. Throw in his family, and Dean's willing to go all-in. It's self-centered and douchey of him, but Dean's damned if he knows how to be any other way.
If there's one thing the apocalypse has taught him, it's that they aren't playing around anymore. Some things just need to get done, even if the cost is higher than he'd like it to be. Not that he knew what the cost would be this particular time. In any case, it's no use beating himself up about it now that it's already done.
Cas made his choice too. He'll live. That's good enough.
Part of Dean is briefly terrified that he's turning into that guy from the future. He tells himself he'd draw the line at getting any of his friends killed. The rationalization is a cold comfort with the icy finger of doubt tracing down his spine.
Dean pads silently up next to the bed. Gently, he pushes Castiel's hair off his forehead. Cas reflexively presses into the caress. Dean immediately pulls back. He doesn't know what the hell he's doing. He's wasting the time Cas bought them. Dean turns and heads resolutely toward the door.
He can only have faith that Cas will be okay. It's not worth much, but it's all he can afford.
Characters: Dean/Castiel pre-slash
Rating: G
Spoilers: For episode 5x13
Summary: Missing scene from 5x13. Yeah, that one. 700-words-ish.
A/N: No doubt everyone is writing a version of this. My fangirl!squee! wanted it to be more fluffy and h/c. What came out of my brain was a lot darker and more full of angst than what my fangirl!squee! wanted. *shrugs* Denial!Dean is in denial. Dean-ial? HA!
Castiel rouses enough that he can make it up to the hotel room with just Dean's support. He keeps trying to walk on his own, even though it's clear he's completely out of it. Dean shifts to hold onto him a little more tightly as he lets them into the room.
"Honeymoon suite," Dean says grandly. "The best humanity's got to offer in terms of creature-comforts."
Castiel casts a weary eye over the garish red wallpaper, heart-shaped lamps, and satin sheets.
"I certainly hope not," he says.
Dean shoots him a sideways glare, and Cas quirks what might be an exhausted half-smirk. It's hard to tell with him sometimes.
"Okay, smart ass, let's get you settled."
Together they work to get Cas onto the bed. Dean leaves to grab a washcloth out of the bathroom. By the time he gets back, Cas has his eyes half-closed. Dean wipes the blood off of Castiel's face efficiently and steps back.
"I'll set you up here for the next few days. You just concentrate on getting better quick as you can."
Dean doesn't say, We're gonna need that angel mojo sooner rather than later.
"You will have need of me," Cas mumbles softly.
Dean winces. Comments like that from Cas aren't coincidence; Dean always seems to manage to get his thoughts across loud and clear. The farther they go on this rebellion, the more Dean feels like he's constantly kicking a puppy when it comes to Cas. A dangerous puppy who could crush Dean in a second if it wasn't for the unquestioning loyalty, but still. It's loyalty Dean can't afford to waste. They need to take every advantage they can get. Sure, Castiel deserves more than Dean will ever be able to give him. But it seems that whatever tiny amount Dean can give him is all Castiel wants.
"Is there anything else? Something that'll help you?" Dean asks, though he already suspects the answer.
"No, Dean," Cas says. "I'm afraid the only thing that can help me now is time to recuperate."
"Okay," Dean says. "You're not gonna die on me, are you?" Cas breathes once, deeply. "Cas?"
"...I highly doubt it," Cas says, voice drifting.
"Good."
Castiel murmurs incoherently before his eyes slide shut completely. It looks like he's sleeping, but Dean's not even sure if Cas can sleep. Whatever he's doing, he doesn't seem to be conscious anymore.
Dean starts to leave, but he pauses and turns back. He's gripped by indecision for a moment and just looks. Castiel appears suddenly fragile, starkly pale against the bright red of the bed. Cas shifts slightly and lets out a soft, painful sounding groan.
If it was just Dean's life on the line, he'd die before letting one of his friends nearly destroy themselves like this. But everyone has a price. Throw in a few innocent civilians, and Dean's willing to up the ante. Throw in his family, and Dean's willing to go all-in. It's self-centered and douchey of him, but Dean's damned if he knows how to be any other way.
If there's one thing the apocalypse has taught him, it's that they aren't playing around anymore. Some things just need to get done, even if the cost is higher than he'd like it to be. Not that he knew what the cost would be this particular time. In any case, it's no use beating himself up about it now that it's already done.
Cas made his choice too. He'll live. That's good enough.
Part of Dean is briefly terrified that he's turning into that guy from the future. He tells himself he'd draw the line at getting any of his friends killed. The rationalization is a cold comfort with the icy finger of doubt tracing down his spine.
Dean pads silently up next to the bed. Gently, he pushes Castiel's hair off his forehead. Cas reflexively presses into the caress. Dean immediately pulls back. He doesn't know what the hell he's doing. He's wasting the time Cas bought them. Dean turns and heads resolutely toward the door.
He can only have faith that Cas will be okay. It's not worth much, but it's all he can afford.