Unexpected Destinies Chapter 70
Title: Unexpected Destinies
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: up to and including Exile on Main St., AU from the end of season 5
Warnings: AU, slash, wing!fic
Word Count: 2,244
Summary: Dean learns more about Castiel's wings.
PAST
Sleep left Dean slowly and he smiled contentedly as he knew exactly what that meant. He let himself come awake gradually, enjoying the warmth and blissfulness of an excellent night's sleep. When he became aware enough to sense his surroundings, it was to find himself cradled up against Castiel as usual, one of his angel's arms wrapped around his waist. He nuzzled the skin next to his face but didn't get an immediate reply. He stopped instantly, realizing that his lover was focusing on something in Heaven so much that he wasn't completely aware of what was happening down here. Oh, he knew that Castiel kept an eye out to make sure that nothing happened to them, but as his lover- mate?- he flew under the radar.
It was something that Dean had discovered a while back when he'd woken up to find his lover essentially zoned out. He'd been worried at first, thinking that something bad had happened to him, but he'd learned better since then. It also didn't happen often, but he cherished those moments that it did. He'd quickly come to understand the fascination Castiel had with watching him sleep. His angel seemed to be completely relaxed in those instances and they provided a rare opportunity to observe his lover without Castiel noticing or being watched in return.
He opened his eyes slowly so as not to be blinded should it be light out, but Dean quickly discovered that he needn't have bothered. Although Castiel had moved his wings during the night (was it? he really needed to figure out what day and time it was), some of them were still arched over them, cocooning them off from the rest of the room. Those were probably different wings from the ones that had been arched over them earlier as he was practically wrapped up in at least two pairs of wings, the feathers of which being the reason he was so warm as they'd never made it under the blankets and sheets earlier. And that also explained why the mattress felt so much softer then he remembered it as being.
He was still more then a little amazed that these wings had been there all along and that he'd just been completely unable to see them. Dean had seen some of Michael and Raphael's pass through various objects in the room before they'd left and he'd witnessed Castiel's going through the bed when he'd rolled his lover, but they just felt so real and solid to him now. The thought had him lifting his hand up and off his angel's body to touch the feathers blanketing them. They were as soft as Michael's had been but now that he was paying attention, he could feel the slightest hum of something. It wasn't too strong, in fact he could hardly even feel it, but it was definitely there if he concentrated on it. That he hadn't felt it before with Michael made him think that it must have something to do with him not being angelified right now.
His earlier awe returned all at once and Dean felt his breath catch in his throat. He was touching an angel's wings! He couldn't honestly say that it was something he'd always wanted to do as he'd never used to believe in angels, but he'd definitely been fascinated by the shadowy traces he'd glimpsed in that barn upon first meeting Castiel and that awe and fascination had only grown since they'd gotten together. He remembered only all to well his lover's words about how protective angels were of their wings and so he knew what a great honor it was that he'd been given here. He felt a little bad and guilty about how he'd simply assumed that he had the right to touch them earlier, but in all fairness, his angel had touched him with them first and Castiel was always trying to get him to accept his own worth. Still, he wasn't going to take the honor for granted either.
His fingers stroked the feathers for a while, slowly acquainting himself with their texture and give. Dean then followed one back to the wing itself and lightly felt the webbed skin from which it grew. It didn't feel like normal skin and was in fact different from anything he'd ever felt before. He supposed it probably did much the same as skin, though, protecting what lay beneath. It was warm, soft and pliable though he didn't dare press too strongly for fear of hurting his lover. Castiel had said that they only allowed those they trusted near enough to touch their wings, which to him clearly implied that they were more fragile and vulnerable then the rest of an angel. Then he got to what felt like bone, deceptively thin and fragile, and he wondered if it was hollow like bird bones were. The thought started to bring back a memory from when he'd been a kid and Sammy had found an injured sparrow, but it quickly vanished as his questing fingers found what felt like another oil nub, only far smaller then the ones at the base of his angel's wings.
The fact that it released liquid onto his fingers pretty much confirmed his guess and Dean pulled them back and just looked at the oil for a moment, rubbing it between his fingers. The thought of what he'd used it for brought a huge smile to his face. Given Castiel's reaction to what he'd done, he expected that he'd be able to stop buying lube from now on, well, if this was something angels produced constantly anyway. Not wanting to get up to find something to clean his hand with and figuring that it was wing oil after all, he rubbed it gently onto the feathers. The flaring of the wing beneath his hand was his first indication that his lover was back with him and he looked up to find a soft, open expression on Castiel's face that made his heart trip in his chest.
"Is this okay?" Dean asked, stilling his fingers.
"It is more then merely okay. For an angel, having one's wings groomed is a very pleasurable activity."
"Pleasurable, huh?"
An amused and tolerant expression crossed his lover's face before a kiss was pressed to his forehead. "Although it can be sexual as well, that is not what I meant. I believe it may be akin to a really good massage based on your reactions to those."
"Oh, I see. You'll have to tell me what to do then."
Castiel smiled again and Dean frowned. There was something to that smile, but he couldn't figure out what exactly. "What?"
"Nothing. You are just a very generous and giving mate, Dean."
"It's nothing special, besides you've been giving me massages for a while now."
"It is something special and you would have offered even if there was nothing I could do in return."
"That's why it's called being in a relationship, Cas, because you love and care for the other enough to do things just because you know that they'll like it, even if you get nothing out of it yourself and trust me, with this, I'm definitely getting something out of it."
"What?"
"Are you kidding me? Your wings are awesome!"
Unexpectedly, the wings behind Dean flexed and he was drawn forward and into a kiss that he instantly reciprocated. His whole body was still warm and lazy and he knew that he hadn't been asleep for very long as he still felt partially sated. There was no further intent behind the kiss, instead it was just a lazy exploration and demonstration of affection. The wings that remained wrapped behind him, their feathers trailing softly over his skin, made him hum in contentment and reminded him of his task. Eventually he pulled away to pursue it.
"Show me how to properly groom your wings, Cas."
In reply, Castiel pulled away all but one of the wings that had been wrapped around his own body to reach Dean's, leaving in place those that were cradling him. That one his angel held up above them, stretched out. It was one of the smaller wings, but still more then long enough for him to reach comfortably without needing to relinquish his comfortable position up against his lover.
"You need to start at the outer edge of the wing, at the bone," Castiel explained, placing Dean's hand there. "This is where the oil glands are located, so you will collect oil there to spread over the feathers as you groom them. Spread your fingers and run them down the wing, following the direction of the feathers."
"Does going the other way hurt?"
"No, it doesn't hurt, but it is quite uncomfortable and can significantly reduce the speed at which we can fly."
Dean did as he was told, slowly letting his fingers card through the feathers, enjoying the simple feel of them even as his fingers grew slick with the oil once more. Although the wing hadn't seemed particularly messy to begin with, he could clearly see a difference with the feathers that he'd groomed as they appeared glossier then the rest.
"Do you do this yourself normally?" Dean asked.
"Yes."
The moment that Dean felt some resistance, he stopped, trying to figure out what was wrong. "Cas?"
"One of the feathers is most likely twisted and misaligned, you need to readjust its position so that it lies like the others."
Obligingly, Castiel brought the wing a bit closer and Dean reached up with his other hand so he could brush the surrounding feathers aside for a better view. As his lover had thought, one of the feathers underneath the outer layer was twisted out of place. Gently, he shifted it so that it was in the right position once more before he continued on. It was a soothing task that he found he quite enjoyed doing, not only because it was so novel, but also because it allowed him to do something for his angel and he could see how much Castiel enjoyed it.
As usual when he got absorbed in a task, Dean lost track of time and it wasn't until his stomach growled that he realized how long he must have been at it. Somewhere along the line, he'd pulled himself into a seated position and his lover now laughed, sitting up and kissing him.
"Why don't you shower while I go get you something to eat?" Castiel suggested.
"But we're not done yet."
"You can finish the rest later if you wish."
"Yeah, I wish, I like doing it and your wings look so much better."
"That is because it has been a long time since someone else groomed them for me."
Dean frowned at that, not liking it in the least and he resolved to ensure that he did so on a regular basis from now on. Castiel deserved to be pampered for all that he'd done for him and this was such a simple thing to do, even if it took a while with all of the wings that his lover now possessed. Which reminded him.
"How long was Michael in me?" Dean asked. "I totally lost track of time as he kept flying to different countries and all."
"You were with Michael for just over a day and a half."
"Oh, okay."
Which meant that they had less than three days before Michael would need to take him as his vessel again. Dean was torn between fear at what it had felt like the first time for the archangel to do so and elation at the fact that they'd be joined again and he'd be able to feel Michael's Grace alongside his soul. It almost made him feel dirty to think that, like he was cheating on his lover with one of his angel's own brothers.
"What is bothering you, Dean?" Castiel questioned, arms tightening around him.
He huffed, amazed as always how attuned his lover seemed to be to his every mood these days. "Nothing. It's just that... well..."
"Dean?"
"I'm not quite sure how to put it. Being Michael's vessel, it's- it's quite intense."
Castiel pulled him closer and Dean felt bad about bringing this up now, so soon after the archangel had left him. He knew the whole thing had been really hard for his lover, but he didn't have anyone else to talk to about it. Besides, he didn't want to talk to anyone else about this.
"Michael is the first and, in all probability, the most powerful archangel," Castiel stated. "As such his Grace is far brighter and more all encompassing then that of any other angel in all of Creation."
"Don't I know it," Dean laughed shakily. "But it's not all bad, it's just that I don't know what to think of it all. Parts of it... parts of it weren't bad at all."
"I am glad to hear that. I had feared that your being awake and aware might be more of a challenge and burden for you then simply being suppressed by my brother's Grace."
"Maybe it would have been at that, but when have you ever known me to take the easy route, Cas?"
"Never."
"Damn right. Now, enough of this chick flick crap, I need to shower and you need to find me some breakfast or whatever the hell they're serving now."
Chapter 71
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: up to and including Exile on Main St., AU from the end of season 5
Warnings: AU, slash, wing!fic
Word Count: 2,244
Summary: Dean learns more about Castiel's wings.
PAST
Sleep left Dean slowly and he smiled contentedly as he knew exactly what that meant. He let himself come awake gradually, enjoying the warmth and blissfulness of an excellent night's sleep. When he became aware enough to sense his surroundings, it was to find himself cradled up against Castiel as usual, one of his angel's arms wrapped around his waist. He nuzzled the skin next to his face but didn't get an immediate reply. He stopped instantly, realizing that his lover was focusing on something in Heaven so much that he wasn't completely aware of what was happening down here. Oh, he knew that Castiel kept an eye out to make sure that nothing happened to them, but as his lover- mate?- he flew under the radar.
It was something that Dean had discovered a while back when he'd woken up to find his lover essentially zoned out. He'd been worried at first, thinking that something bad had happened to him, but he'd learned better since then. It also didn't happen often, but he cherished those moments that it did. He'd quickly come to understand the fascination Castiel had with watching him sleep. His angel seemed to be completely relaxed in those instances and they provided a rare opportunity to observe his lover without Castiel noticing or being watched in return.
He opened his eyes slowly so as not to be blinded should it be light out, but Dean quickly discovered that he needn't have bothered. Although Castiel had moved his wings during the night (was it? he really needed to figure out what day and time it was), some of them were still arched over them, cocooning them off from the rest of the room. Those were probably different wings from the ones that had been arched over them earlier as he was practically wrapped up in at least two pairs of wings, the feathers of which being the reason he was so warm as they'd never made it under the blankets and sheets earlier. And that also explained why the mattress felt so much softer then he remembered it as being.
He was still more then a little amazed that these wings had been there all along and that he'd just been completely unable to see them. Dean had seen some of Michael and Raphael's pass through various objects in the room before they'd left and he'd witnessed Castiel's going through the bed when he'd rolled his lover, but they just felt so real and solid to him now. The thought had him lifting his hand up and off his angel's body to touch the feathers blanketing them. They were as soft as Michael's had been but now that he was paying attention, he could feel the slightest hum of something. It wasn't too strong, in fact he could hardly even feel it, but it was definitely there if he concentrated on it. That he hadn't felt it before with Michael made him think that it must have something to do with him not being angelified right now.
His earlier awe returned all at once and Dean felt his breath catch in his throat. He was touching an angel's wings! He couldn't honestly say that it was something he'd always wanted to do as he'd never used to believe in angels, but he'd definitely been fascinated by the shadowy traces he'd glimpsed in that barn upon first meeting Castiel and that awe and fascination had only grown since they'd gotten together. He remembered only all to well his lover's words about how protective angels were of their wings and so he knew what a great honor it was that he'd been given here. He felt a little bad and guilty about how he'd simply assumed that he had the right to touch them earlier, but in all fairness, his angel had touched him with them first and Castiel was always trying to get him to accept his own worth. Still, he wasn't going to take the honor for granted either.
His fingers stroked the feathers for a while, slowly acquainting himself with their texture and give. Dean then followed one back to the wing itself and lightly felt the webbed skin from which it grew. It didn't feel like normal skin and was in fact different from anything he'd ever felt before. He supposed it probably did much the same as skin, though, protecting what lay beneath. It was warm, soft and pliable though he didn't dare press too strongly for fear of hurting his lover. Castiel had said that they only allowed those they trusted near enough to touch their wings, which to him clearly implied that they were more fragile and vulnerable then the rest of an angel. Then he got to what felt like bone, deceptively thin and fragile, and he wondered if it was hollow like bird bones were. The thought started to bring back a memory from when he'd been a kid and Sammy had found an injured sparrow, but it quickly vanished as his questing fingers found what felt like another oil nub, only far smaller then the ones at the base of his angel's wings.
The fact that it released liquid onto his fingers pretty much confirmed his guess and Dean pulled them back and just looked at the oil for a moment, rubbing it between his fingers. The thought of what he'd used it for brought a huge smile to his face. Given Castiel's reaction to what he'd done, he expected that he'd be able to stop buying lube from now on, well, if this was something angels produced constantly anyway. Not wanting to get up to find something to clean his hand with and figuring that it was wing oil after all, he rubbed it gently onto the feathers. The flaring of the wing beneath his hand was his first indication that his lover was back with him and he looked up to find a soft, open expression on Castiel's face that made his heart trip in his chest.
"Is this okay?" Dean asked, stilling his fingers.
"It is more then merely okay. For an angel, having one's wings groomed is a very pleasurable activity."
"Pleasurable, huh?"
An amused and tolerant expression crossed his lover's face before a kiss was pressed to his forehead. "Although it can be sexual as well, that is not what I meant. I believe it may be akin to a really good massage based on your reactions to those."
"Oh, I see. You'll have to tell me what to do then."
Castiel smiled again and Dean frowned. There was something to that smile, but he couldn't figure out what exactly. "What?"
"Nothing. You are just a very generous and giving mate, Dean."
"It's nothing special, besides you've been giving me massages for a while now."
"It is something special and you would have offered even if there was nothing I could do in return."
"That's why it's called being in a relationship, Cas, because you love and care for the other enough to do things just because you know that they'll like it, even if you get nothing out of it yourself and trust me, with this, I'm definitely getting something out of it."
"What?"
"Are you kidding me? Your wings are awesome!"
Unexpectedly, the wings behind Dean flexed and he was drawn forward and into a kiss that he instantly reciprocated. His whole body was still warm and lazy and he knew that he hadn't been asleep for very long as he still felt partially sated. There was no further intent behind the kiss, instead it was just a lazy exploration and demonstration of affection. The wings that remained wrapped behind him, their feathers trailing softly over his skin, made him hum in contentment and reminded him of his task. Eventually he pulled away to pursue it.
"Show me how to properly groom your wings, Cas."
In reply, Castiel pulled away all but one of the wings that had been wrapped around his own body to reach Dean's, leaving in place those that were cradling him. That one his angel held up above them, stretched out. It was one of the smaller wings, but still more then long enough for him to reach comfortably without needing to relinquish his comfortable position up against his lover.
"You need to start at the outer edge of the wing, at the bone," Castiel explained, placing Dean's hand there. "This is where the oil glands are located, so you will collect oil there to spread over the feathers as you groom them. Spread your fingers and run them down the wing, following the direction of the feathers."
"Does going the other way hurt?"
"No, it doesn't hurt, but it is quite uncomfortable and can significantly reduce the speed at which we can fly."
Dean did as he was told, slowly letting his fingers card through the feathers, enjoying the simple feel of them even as his fingers grew slick with the oil once more. Although the wing hadn't seemed particularly messy to begin with, he could clearly see a difference with the feathers that he'd groomed as they appeared glossier then the rest.
"Do you do this yourself normally?" Dean asked.
"Yes."
The moment that Dean felt some resistance, he stopped, trying to figure out what was wrong. "Cas?"
"One of the feathers is most likely twisted and misaligned, you need to readjust its position so that it lies like the others."
Obligingly, Castiel brought the wing a bit closer and Dean reached up with his other hand so he could brush the surrounding feathers aside for a better view. As his lover had thought, one of the feathers underneath the outer layer was twisted out of place. Gently, he shifted it so that it was in the right position once more before he continued on. It was a soothing task that he found he quite enjoyed doing, not only because it was so novel, but also because it allowed him to do something for his angel and he could see how much Castiel enjoyed it.
As usual when he got absorbed in a task, Dean lost track of time and it wasn't until his stomach growled that he realized how long he must have been at it. Somewhere along the line, he'd pulled himself into a seated position and his lover now laughed, sitting up and kissing him.
"Why don't you shower while I go get you something to eat?" Castiel suggested.
"But we're not done yet."
"You can finish the rest later if you wish."
"Yeah, I wish, I like doing it and your wings look so much better."
"That is because it has been a long time since someone else groomed them for me."
Dean frowned at that, not liking it in the least and he resolved to ensure that he did so on a regular basis from now on. Castiel deserved to be pampered for all that he'd done for him and this was such a simple thing to do, even if it took a while with all of the wings that his lover now possessed. Which reminded him.
"How long was Michael in me?" Dean asked. "I totally lost track of time as he kept flying to different countries and all."
"You were with Michael for just over a day and a half."
"Oh, okay."
Which meant that they had less than three days before Michael would need to take him as his vessel again. Dean was torn between fear at what it had felt like the first time for the archangel to do so and elation at the fact that they'd be joined again and he'd be able to feel Michael's Grace alongside his soul. It almost made him feel dirty to think that, like he was cheating on his lover with one of his angel's own brothers.
"What is bothering you, Dean?" Castiel questioned, arms tightening around him.
He huffed, amazed as always how attuned his lover seemed to be to his every mood these days. "Nothing. It's just that... well..."
"Dean?"
"I'm not quite sure how to put it. Being Michael's vessel, it's- it's quite intense."
Castiel pulled him closer and Dean felt bad about bringing this up now, so soon after the archangel had left him. He knew the whole thing had been really hard for his lover, but he didn't have anyone else to talk to about it. Besides, he didn't want to talk to anyone else about this.
"Michael is the first and, in all probability, the most powerful archangel," Castiel stated. "As such his Grace is far brighter and more all encompassing then that of any other angel in all of Creation."
"Don't I know it," Dean laughed shakily. "But it's not all bad, it's just that I don't know what to think of it all. Parts of it... parts of it weren't bad at all."
"I am glad to hear that. I had feared that your being awake and aware might be more of a challenge and burden for you then simply being suppressed by my brother's Grace."
"Maybe it would have been at that, but when have you ever known me to take the easy route, Cas?"
"Never."
"Damn right. Now, enough of this chick flick crap, I need to shower and you need to find me some breakfast or whatever the hell they're serving now."
Chapter 71