You heard Dean call your name as he and Sam entered the bunker. You met them in the library.

"Hey," you said, "how'd the case go?"

You looked from Sam to Dean, not particularly caring who answered, but the look in Dean's eyes grabbed your attention, and you held his gaze. He stared back at you a moment before he looked away.

"Went fine," Dean said.

"So, what was it?"

"Rogue Cupid," Sam said.

"You're kidding."

"Nope. He was making people fall in love who hate each other. In the end, the Cupid's arrow wasn't enough and they were attacking each other within a few weeks."

"Sometimes days," Dean added.

"How did you handle it?"

"Cas got another matchmaker to take the rogue back to Heaven after we caught him," Dean said.

You caught a glimpse of that look in Dean's eye, again. And, again, he looked away.

"You okay, Dean," you asked.

"Fine. A little tired, maybe. It was a long drive back."

You nodded. Dean lifted his bag from the table and slung it over his shoulder. He flashed a small smile as he walked past you toward his bedroom. After he was out of earshot, you turned to Sam.

"Is he really okay," you asked.

"I don't know. I'm glad you asked, because I was thinking the whole way back that he seemed a little off. While he was driving he was really quiet, then he'd just start smiling for no reason. I didn't say anything. We'll just keep an eye on him."

The two of you said goodnight, and you went to your room. Over the next couple of days, Dean seemed his usual self. He spent most of his time trying to find a case, searching newspapers online. He decided to make dinner one night, and he carried the plates into the library, calling out to you and Sam, who were scanning the shelves. Dean sat the plates on an empty table. He pulled out a chair as you walked up, a slight smile turning up the corner of his mouth, and he held it as you sat.

You were sure your face gave away your surprise, but you sat.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

You and Sam gave each other a look, and you just shrugged your shoulders. Dean sat next to you, and you noticed a few times that his leg would wander over and his knee would touch yours.

A few more days passed, and you noticed that Dean was touching you more in general. A hand on your arm as he squeezed past you in the kitchen. A hand on your shoulder any time he sat down next to you. His hand at the small of your back while you walked. He was even taking your hand to help you out of the car, if he made it to you before you got out.

Despite the fact that The behavior wasn't really normal for Dean, you loved it. You had been in love with Dean for quite some time, and you were enjoying the attention he was giving you. Other than the exchanged looks of confusion with Sam, you didn't question it.

One night as you walked past Dean's room, on you're way to your own, you heard him laughing through a crack in the door. You knocked softly and pushed it open.

"Hey," you said.

"Hey." He sat up and paused what was on the television.

"What's with all the laughing?"

"Three Stooges. I bought them last week, and this the first chance I've had to watch."

"I love the Three Stooges," you said.

"Really?"

You nodded.

"Well, get over here, then."

Dean made room on the bed, and you hesitated before sitting next to him. You kept one foot on the floor, and sat up straight. Dean grabbed one of his pillows and put it behind you.

"Get comfortable," he said.

You leaned back against the pillow, and when Dean settled back again, he was closer to you. Your shoulders touched. You almost questioned him then, but he pressed play, and the two of you were soon laughing.

Dean eventually had to get up to change the disc. When he sat next to you again, he put his arm around you. Casually at first, but then his hand began to rub up and down your arm.

"Dean," you said softly.

"Yeah," he said, mid-laugh. His eyes were still on the tv.

"What's going on with you?"

Dean looked at you. "What do you mean?"

"The way you've been lately... with me."

Dean smiled and paused the show, which had just started again.

"You finally noticed."

"I've noticed since you started. Holding my chair, always touching me..."

"You don't want me to?"

"I didn't say that."

Dean smiled and leaned in toward you, but you put a hand to his chest.

"I'm probably an idiot for questioning, but... What brought this on?"

"I don't know," he said. "All I know is, on the way home from that last trip away, I couldn't stop thinking about you. When we got back and I saw you, I wanted to grab you, but I wasn't sure how you felt about me. I thought, maybe I should take it slow. Feel you out."

"You? Take it slow?"

Dean laughed. "Yeah. Weird, huh?"

"Yeah, it is weird. Weird enough for me to question if you really feel the way you feel."

Dean sat up. "What do you mean?"

"You said you felt this way after the last case away? Which case was that, Dean?"

"It was the rogue Cupid."

"Uh huh."

"Yeah, but he was putting together people who hate each other. I don't hate you. Never did. And you weren't anywhere around, so how could he make me fall in love with you?"

"I don't know, but we need to look into it."

You moved to get off the bed, but Dean grabbed your wrist to stop you. He put his hand to your face and his thumb gently rubbed over your cheek.

"Why question it?"

"Because if it's not real, what's the point?"

"It certainly feels real."

"I think we should get Castiel down here. See if he knows anything."

Dean hesitated, but sat up and called for Castiel. You stood as you explained your concerns to the angel, and he agreed.

"That does sound like the work of a Cupid arrow," Castiel said. "And, to be honest, I saw it happen."

"What're you taking about," Dean said. "The rogue was putting together people who hated each other."

"I'm not talking about the rogue. The other one. She grazed your arm when you handed the rogue over to her."

"So?"

"That's all it takes."

"Hang on," Dean said, "I thought for this to work we would have to both be hit with Cupid's arrow."

"Not necessarily," Castiel said. "These angels can sense love in any form. If they touch you without a specific target in mind, it will awaken feelings of love that you've hidden, or repressed."

"Wait," you said, "so, you're saying that Dean was in love with me before the arrow?"

"Yes."

You turned back to Dean. "Is that true?"

"Well, yeah... I guess. I always cared about you. I wouldn't let myself fall in love with you."

"Why not?"

"Come on. You know me and Sam's track records. They're not good."

"And you didn't find it weird when you suddenly couldn't deny those feelings for me?"

"I did, but the more I thought about you... about us... the more natural it felt. What about you? I mean, how did it affect you when you weren't even around?"

"It didn't," Castiel said.

"It didn't," Dean asked as he turned back to you.

"It didn't," you said.

Dean walked toward you, and you glanced at Castiel.

"I think we can work it out from here," you said. "Thanks for your help."

Castiel nodded, then disappeared.

"It didn't affect you," Dean said.

"No."

"How long have you-"

"It didn't take me long to fall in love with you, Dean. I know you don't think much of yourself sometimes, but you are so easy to love. You're a good man."

Dean scoffed and turned his head, but you put your hand to his cheek and made him look at you.

"You are. You're such a good man that you were willing to deny yourself even a possibility of love to try to protect me."

"Then why don't I still feel that way? Why am I willing to risk it now?"

"I guess Cupid's arrow made you allow yourself to open up to the way you feel. Sometimes love makes you take risks. I'm willing, if you are."

Dean leaned in and kissed you gently. His hands caressed your head, and his fingers combed through your hair at your temples.

"I've wanted to do that for a long time," Dean said. "Why don't get back to the stooges?"

"Really," you said with a smile, "I was expecting you to want to turn the tv off."

A huge grin pulled at Dean's lips before he kissed you again.

"I kind of like the idea of taking it slow," he said. "It would be new for me. Maybe it would help change that track record."

"I like going slow," you said with a smile.

"So... stooges?"

"Stooges."

Dean flopped onto the bed and held his hand out to you. You climbed beside him and he pulled you against his chest. He kissed the top of your head, and sighed.

"This is nice," he whispered into your hair.

He pressed play, and you were soon laughing again. Dean held you close as his chest rumbled with laughter beneath your hand.

Another hour passed, and you felt yourself drifting off to sleep. You shifted to get more comfortable, and you threw your leg over Dean's. He wrapped both arms around you and let out a satisfied grunt that made you smile.