My Mate, My Bond 5/7 (FIC)
Title: My Mate, My Bond 5/7
Rating: (light)R
Pairing and Characters: Dean/Cas, Sam/Gabriel, mentions of a couple other characters
Spoilers: Not really. AU
Warnings: A little language, mpreg (but nothing graphic at all, it’s angel!preg so it’s different)
Word Count: ~3,900 (this chapter)
Summary: In this world, angels are known and low in numbers. In order to keep their numbers growing, they have begun taking humans as their partners. Once a year, families are chosen to give their first-borns up to be paired with the angels. They are bonded at a young age to avoid mixed feelings that come with adulthood. The Winchester family has been chosen and Dean is put in the mix. He is paired to Castiel, but will he accept the human?
This Chapter: Dean finds out more about his bond with Cas and deals with the decision he has to make because of it. Sam and Gabe welcome their baby. Dean and Cas go from ages 28 to 35. Sam and Gabe go from 24 to 31.
A/N: I’ve never read any kind of mpreg so I completely made up how angel pregnancy happens. There is nothing graphic or gross and I don’t dwell on it much this chapter, I promise (if mpreg bothers you).
Previous
Sam had asked Dean once if he was okay before Dean had slammed the phone down and ran to his car, pulling a confused Castiel behind him. He rocketed to Sam and Gabe’s, ignoring Castiel’s worried questions.
Once at Sam’s, Dean busted through the door without even knocking. He was on a mission to find out how this had happened. His mind rushed with thoughts of Gabe somehow taking advantage of Sam. Just knocking his brother up at all kind of made Dean upset. Sam appeared as Dean called for him, with a worried/angry look on his face.
“Dean, what are you doing?”
Castiel was right behind Dean and tried to hold the angry man back. Dean pushed his hands off. “Where’s Gabriel?” Dean tried to push past Sam to find the angel.
Sam stopped him. “Dean, he’s not here.” Dean turned frantic eyes to him. “What’s your problem?”
Dean held out his hands. “Can you explain to me how exactly you’re having a baby?”
“Uh,” Sam furrowed his brows in confusion, his eyes shifted to Castiel, who was avoiding eye contact with the taller brother. “I think you understand where babies come from, Dean.”
“Between humans of opposite genders, yeah!” Dean was irritated at how calm Sam was. “Who knows how angels pop into this world?”
Sam looked further confused. “Dean, I’m pregnant.” Dean’s eyes widened. “Did you not understand that?”
Dean looked his brother over. He didn’t look pregnant. “But, you’re a guy. How…?” He turned to Castiel for help, but the angel was picking imaginary lint of his shirt. “Would someone explain to me what is happening?” His voice was rising in panic and fear. He knew what pregnancy and birth did to human women. He didn’t want to imagine what an angel’s birth could do to a human body.
To keep his brother’s head from exploding, Sam pulled Dean into the living room and sat him down. He nodded to Castiel, letting him know that he was off the hook for now. They would have a talk later. “Dean, all you need to hear from me is that Gabe and I planned this, we wanted this.” Dean felt his insides relax slightly. “I knew what I was getting into and I am happy about this.”
Dean felt his fists unclench and his heart slow down. If Sam had wanted this and was happy, Dean could be more at ease with it. “Sam, I’m glad you’re happy, but how is this possible? I understand male angels and female humans and vice versa, but…”
Sam sighed. “You should ask Cas about that. I can’t believe he didn’t tell you, especially since you two have bonded physically. Most of the time, those that survive that end up pregnant.”
“Survive?”
“Yeah, Dean.” Sam said it like it should have been obvious. “Not everyone gets through that part.” He tilted his head. “Didn’t you realize that?”
“Well, Cas said that he could hurt me, but I didn’t think…”
“A few people that were bonded the same time as you and me have died. Some on their 18th birthday. If the angels aren’t careful or can’t control themselves, they can tear humans apart, even if it’s their mate.”
Dean shook his head, he hadn’t really thought about that. “I didn’t know. I trusted Cas.”
Sam nodded. “You should. He would never hurt you.” He smiled. “You should probably ask him about the details of this.” He laughed lightly. “I wondered how you two haven’t already had a baby, given how much you talk about…you know,” Sam turned a little red, “how much you two…” He waved the end of the sentence away. “Anyway, just go talk to your angel, Dean.”
“Believe me,” he glanced back to the kitchen where Castiel was waiting, “I will.” He stood up and smiled at Sam. “Congratulation, Sam. I’m glad you’re getting what you want. Mom will be happy to get a grandkid.”
“Thanks.” Sam beamed. He suffocated Dean with a tight hug before letting him go.
Dean drove slower on the way back, but he and Castiel were silent. Castiel knew he would be interrogated when they got home and Dean was trying to keep his temper in check. He wondered how many things Castiel was still hiding from him about their bond.
As they entered the house, Castiel turned to face Dean. “Dean, I just want…”
“Why didn’t you tell me about this, Cas?” Dean cut him off, anger flaring inside.
“I was going to, eventually.”
“When? When I turned up pregnant without knowing how?”
“No.”
“God, first it was the urge to be physically closer thing, then the bonding ritual, and now this. Is there anything else you’re hiding from me, Cas? It always seems like Sam knows everything and I’m always in the dark.”
“I’m sorry, Dean.” Castiel was wringing his hands. “I wanted to tell you, but it never seemed like a good time, and, I’m sorry, but you never seemed like you wanted kids.”
Dean deflated a little. “You never asked.” Castiel looked up as Dean turned away. “So, how does all this work anyway? Will Sam look like he ate a basketball and get all hormonal?” Dean smiled at the image.
“No, not exactly.” Castiel buried his sudden feelings from Dean saying he could want a family to explain. “It’s not like a human pregnancy. Sam obviously isn’t physically equipped to carry and give birth to a child, and angel pregnancies are different.” He took a breath before diving into his exposition.
“When mates bond at 18, the human, or the woman, form the ability to carry the child and many conceive during this process.” At Dean’s horrified look, Castiel quickly explained. “An angel isn’t born the same way humans are. We don’t have a soul like you, we have grace. We don’t form bodies during our pregnancy stage, our grace grows. What Sam is carrying inside him is basically a form of angelic grace that will grow to be an angel.”
Dean’s brain was reeling from all the new information. “So, what happens later? Will Sam just fart out a ball of grace?”
Castiel looked disgusted by the description. “No, he won’t,” he scowled at the word, “fart out anything. When the angel is of mature enough age to take a solid form, Gabriel will remove the angel.”
“How?”
“It’s dangerous.” He looked nervous to explain. “He will reach into Sam’s soul and carefully remove the grace.”
Dean felt fear wrap around his heart. “And how will Sam take that?”
“Painfully, unfortunately.” Castiel bit his lip with nerves. “If Gabriel slips or moves too hastily, Sam will die.”
“What?” Now this suddenly didn’t seem like something he was okay with happening to Sam.
“I’m sure Gabriel is very capable.”
“Not much comfort, Cas!”
“Sam said he knew what he was getting into.”
Dean sighed and covered his eyes. He hoped Sam really did. “I need a drink.” Dean walked to the fridge and retrieved a beer. Castiel followed.
“Dean, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I would have if I thought it was what you wanted, but…”
“You don’t know what I wanted, Cas.” Dean’s heart clenched. Sure, he had dreamt about having kids running around or teaching a son to fix cars or playing baseball, but he never thought it was possible. “I thought I knew what I had and what I could get.” He took a drink, watching Castiel drop his eyes.
“Is that,” Castiel’s voice was soft, “something you wanted?”
Dean swallowed the beer and stared at the contents in thought. He knew his answer, but the risks made him pause. “I don’t know. Maybe I should see what happens to Sam.” He smiled. “One angel Winchester baby at a time will probably be more than enough trouble.”
Castiel nodded, having expected a similar answer. “Whatever you wish, Dean.”
Dean looked up at the sorry tone in the angel’s voice. He set the beer down on the counter and lifted Castiel’s chin. “I’m not saying never, Cas, just not now.” Castiel nodded. He leaned down and kissed Castiel softly. He felt a wing brush across his cheek gently while Castiel stayed still.
He pulled away and picked up his beer again. “Hey, how have I not been knocked up yet? We have had plenty of sex.” He smiled at the memories and sat down at the table.
“I’ve made sure that you didn’t conceive.” He moved closer to the table, wings hanging loosely behind him. “Much like human women, you have a prime time of conception chances certain times of the month. I tried to avoid those days despite my heightened attraction during that period.”
Dean snorted. “Geez, I actually ovulate?” He shook his head in disbelief. “Strange life.” Castiel watched Dean for a few moments with an unreadable face. “What?”
“You’re taking this much better than I expected.”
Dean shrugged. “There’s nothing I can do about it. I wish you had told me about this before, but now that I know, it’s okay.”
For the next few months, Dean and Castiel were more wary about when and how they had sex. Apparently, there is no type of angel birth control and condoms don’t prevent it since it was part of their souls binding and not the mixing of cells like humans.
Dean was also beginning to notice when he was ‘ovulating.’ He hadn’t realized it before, but there were certain times when he had been all over Castiel and the angel would pull back. Now, he could be aware of what was happening and try to help Castiel in not getting him pregnant. He wasn’t always successful at it, though.
“Dean, please.” Castiel was trying to lean back, but Dean had practically crawled onto his lap. He would hurt Dean if he forcibly moved him. Castiel groaned as Dean pushed him down with a passionate kiss.
Dean pushed at Castiel’s clothes as he kissed his neck. “I don’t care, Cas.” He grabbed the amulet hanging against Castiel’s chest. “I want you.” He pulled the angel up by the necklace to kiss him again. “Now.”
Castiel shuddered at the growl in Dean’s voice. His wings flapped excitedly and he held Dean’s back tight as they kissed again. Shirts were lost in their moves and Dean was grinding against Castiel with no sign of slowing down. Castiel was fighting the urge to manhandle Dean down and have his way with him, but it was getting harder every second.
“Cas, how easy is it,” he groaned when a wing played against the back of his head, “for me to get knocked up? ‘Cause I can’t see this stopping soon.” He thrusted into Castiel, making them both moan.
“The chances are the same,” Castiel’s breathing was labored as Dean continued to move, “as human conception.”
Dean started undoing Castiel’s jeans. “If you’re inside me, right?” Castiel groaned and nodded. Dean leaned down to whisper in Castiel’s ear. “What if we switched?” At Castiel’s confusion, Dean imagined images of him thrusting into Castiel while the angel moaned and wrapped his legs around Dean’s waist.
Castiel caught the images in Dean’s mind and made a low noise in the back of his throat. Dean smiled and pulled the angel’s jeans off. “You’d like that wouldn’t you, Cas?” Castiel nodded and helped Dean out of his pants.
When Castiel wrapped his legs around Dean and pulled him closer, Dean laughed. “Easy,” he kissed the angel that was getting more eager by the second, “I gotta make sure you’re ready, Cas.”
“I am.” He pulled Dean’s head down and kissed him, biting his lips harshly.
Dean grunted and bit back. “I don’t wanna hurt you.”
“You won’t. I’m ready, Dean.”
Dean was pulled into another harsh kiss and Castiel lined Dean up with a free hand and thrusted onto him. Dean slid in easy, but Castiel was tight around him. “Jesus!” He dropped his head on Castiel’s shoulder, panting. Castiel didn’t wait for him and thrusted his hips into Dean with quick movements. “Dammit, Cas.” Dean clenched his eyes shut, pleasure shooting through him.
He soon caught up with Castiel and thrusted into him with a matching pace. They didn’t last long as the new feelings for both of them were too much to hold back. They both came with a cry of each other’s name, Castiel shattering the lights again. It’s a good thing he could fix them right after. Dean didn’t want to think about how much money they would be spending on light bulbs otherwise.
A few weeks later, Dean was visiting Sam on one of his days off. Despite his denials, Sam was definitely eating more and a little bit more emotional than he used to be. He was eating a bag of chips while Dean watched with a smile.
“What?”
“Nothing,” Dean laughed, “I just don’t think I’ve ever seen you eat chips before.”
“Shut up.” Sam dug into the bag for a few more.
“So how has the whole baby thing been going?”
Sam shrugged. “Fine. It’s weird. I can tell it’s there, but I can’t physically feel it, you know?” He crunched a few chips between his teeth. “Sometimes I feel like I can hear the baby’s thoughts. I don’t know how to explain it.”
“Nothing bad then?”
Sam shook his head. “No, it’s good, just different.”
Dean nodded, grateful that Sam was okay. “How long will you be pregnant? Is it nine months or…?”
“Gabe said it was about eleven. So,” he counted in his head, “I’ve got six months left.”
“Good luck with that.”
For the next six months, Dean worried constantly about Sam. He wanted everything to go okay and for him to have a healthy angel. Sam didn’t change much for the last part of his pregnancy. To anyone who didn’t know about it, Sam looked completely normal, although the junk food had made him gain a little weight, but not too much.
Dean was kicking Castiel’s ass in one of their favorite video games when he got the call from Sam telling him to get ready to be an uncle. He was ready to run to Sam’s house when Castiel simply flew them there in a blink. He was a little nervous about how he found the couple.
Gabriel was tying Sam to the bed with ropes. “Um, is this a part of it?” He didn’t know what exactly was going to happen.
Gabriel nodded. “This is for his safety. If he thrashes in pain, I could kill him.”
Sam was taking calming breaths as Gabriel tested the ropes on his ankles. “Are you okay, Sam?” Dean pulled up a chair beside the bed.
He nodded. “Yeah, just a little discomfort in my back.” He closed his eyes and breathed as Gabriel climbed on the bed.
The angel looked at Dean. “You might want to leave the room. The grace will be too much for your eyes.”
Dean looked at Castiel, a refusal on his tongue. There was no way he was letting Sam suffer alone. Castiel shook his head. “We’ll be outside.” The angel took Dean by the arm before he could refuse.
“You’ll be okay, Sammy.” He saw his brother give a worried smile as Castiel shut the door.
The screams coming from the room made every big-brother protection siren go off in his mind. Sam was screaming in excruciating pain and Dean couldn’t do anything about it. He moved to open the door and was pushed back by Castiel’s strong hands. “Don’t.”
“Cas, I can’t just stand here.”
“It will burn your eyes out, if you’re lucky.” Castiel gave Dean another powerful shove when he tried to open the door again. “Dean, do I have to tie you down too?”
Dean locked glaring eyes at Castiel before smirking at the angel’s serious look. “You would, wouldn’t you?”
Castiel stood guard at the door for the couple minutes that Sam was screaming. When the noise stopped, Dean was almost more worried. He saw bright light shining from the cracks around the door. His heart pounded in his chest as the light faded and the silence continued.
When the door unlatched, Dean pushed past Castiel and through the door. The first thing he saw was an untied, smiling Sam sitting up against the headboard. He let out a relieved breath. The sound of a cooing baby turned his attention to Gabriel, who was sitting beside Sam’s feet and holding a small baby with a small tuft of light hair. His heart swelled at the look of love Gabriel and Sam were sending the child.
Castiel put a hand on his back as he smiled at the couple. Dean turned to him and they shared a look that spoke volumes. Dean could see the want in Castiel’s eyes, the want to have the same thing and Dean couldn’t deny feeling the same thing. The whole thought was still terrifying, but he was coming around.
Dean looked back to Sam and saw him taking the baby from Gabriel. “So, do I have niece or a nephew?”
Sam’s smile widened. “A nephew.”
Dean moved closer to the bed to look at the boy. He had some thin light brown hair and Sam’s nose. Hazel eyes stared at him with an inhuman intensity. “What are you gonna name him?” The baby squirmed in Sam’s arms as Dean spoke.
“Nathaniel.”
“Nathaniel?” Dean turned the name over in his head. Dean would obviously call him Nathan, because Nathaniel sounded like a geek, but he liked it. He nodded his approval and held a finger out to him. “Hi, Nathan. Nice to meet you.”
Nathaniel made a happy noise and smiled. His little hand reached up and closed around Dean’s finger in an iron grip. He giggled when Dean made pained noises and pulled his finger back. Sam and Gabriel laughed.
“That’s my boy.” Gabriel patted his head affectionately.
Dean glared as a bruise formed on his finger. Castiel shook his head and looked at Sam. “He’s beautiful.”
“Thanks, Cas.”
Dean called their parents soon after and a few minutes later the whole family was there to greet the new member.
The first two years seemed to really wear on Sam. Dean visited frequently to help out and to get to know his nephew. During Nathaniel’s second birthday party, Dean and Sam were outside talking. Sam ran a hand over tired eyes.
“Dean, I love Nathan but that kid is killing me.” He smiled as Dean laughed. “I mean, he doesn’t sleep, never even gets tired, and he doesn’t need to eat, which doesn’t stop him from eating anything in sight.”
“Good thing Gabe has the same mannerisms.” Dean watched as Gabriel chased Nathaniel around the small jungle gym they had set up in the backyard.
“I know. I couldn’t have done this without him.” Affection sparkled in Sam’s eyes as Gabriel scooped up Nathaniel, the toddler squealing in delight.
Dean watched in envy as Gabriel held his son’s wrists and spun him around in circles. Castiel was standing across the yard from Dean. Their eyes met and they smiled at each other. Dean looked back to Gabriel as he let Nathaniel down. The toddler ran straight for Sam.
“Hey, buddy.” Sam picked him up and ruffled his light hair. Dean patted his shoulder before waving a goodbye to Nathaniel and walking over to Castiel. “Come on, let’s go talk to grandma and grandpa.” Sam carried his son to his parents.
“Hey.” Dean stood next to Castiel. They both watched Sam and Gabriel talking to Mary and John. Nathaniel was bouncing from all the attention. “That kid is gonna be spoiled rotten.”
Castiel smiled. “Yes.” He reached a couple fingers over and grazed Dean’s hand. Dean joined their hands.
When Nathaniel was old enough to be considered for school, Sam and Gabriel decided to home school him like most angels. Sam quit his job to stay at home and be his teacher. Dean visited one night as Nathaniel was doing some light homework at the kitchen table. He and Sam were in the living room.
“So he’s calmed down some, huh?” Dean glanced back as the boy swung his feet as he wrote on the paper on the table.
“Yeah, but he’s still so much like Gabriel.” Sam shook his head. “They almost gave me a heart attack when Gabe told me that they were playing hide and seek and Nathan had actually flown to a friend’s house across town.”
“Wow.” Dean would have probably torn the town apart looking for his kid if that happened to him. “So, I got a question for you.” He leaned in a little, not wanting Nathaniel to hear. “It’ll probably burn your pure ears, but,” he smiled at Sam’s bitchface, “does Gabe ever use his wings on you, you know,” he glanced back to make sure Nathaniel wasn’t listening, “at night, or day, whenever you two…”
“What?” Sam’s voice raised up an octave. “Dean,” he lowered his voice and leaned in closer, “Nathan is right there.”
“He’ll be fine.”
“No. I’ve never seen Gabe’s wings.” He furrowed his brows. “He told me that most angels kept theirs hidden. The only time I’ve seen wings at all was that one time in the bar when you were making Cas mad and he shoved a girl with them. Why do you ask?”
“You’ve never seen them?” Dean was shocked. Castiel had his out all the time when they were home. “Cas always…”
Sam shrugged. “Maybe he just likes to show them off for you. His mother did seem a little extreme, maybe she wouldn’t let him ever reveal them and now he’s overcompensating.”
“Maybe.” He still couldn’t believe it. He was the only one to really see Castiel’s wings and maybe one of the only humans to ever see their angel’s wings. “I gotta tell you though, the things they can do with those things…”
“Dude, stop!” Sam closed his eyes and waved his hands. “I really don’t wanna hear.” He was smiling and Dean didn’t bring it up again.
Dean asked Castiel about it later that night. “Sam was close to being right.” Castiel was sitting cross-legged on the couch beside Dean, wings lying over the arm behind him. “My mother never let me open my wings. She said that it was shameful to display them openly for all to see. Once I was free of her, I never wanted to hide them again. At least, not for my mate.” He smiled and brought a wing around to swipe across Dean’s chest and shoulder.
“I’m glad.” He put a hand up to let it run across the wing. He had gotten better at touching it without going right through it. “I’ve been thinking.” He watched his fingers play over the wing. “Sam and Gabe are so happy with Nathan, and the kid is great.” He looked up at Castiel. “I want that, Cas. I want a family like that.”
Castiel sat up straighter, wings perking up. “Me too, Dean.”
“I’m not saying it has to happen right now, but we don’t have to try to avoid it anymore. We can just let it happen whenever it’s meant to.”
Castiel smiled and nodded in agreement. His wings pulled Dean closer and they kissed. Dean may not be rushing, but he did kind of want his family with Castiel to start as soon as possible.
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