The Bonds That Bind

Crowley was a far better keeper of Hell, Cas mused to himself. When the demon king had been in charge, it had been clean and efficient in a cold, ruthless way of course. With Asmodeus in charge, it felt dirty, rotten as if no one cared not even those who took enjoyed the supposed fruits of the place. Obviously, he knew that this was HELL of all places but perhaps his prolonged exposure to Crowley had given him standards even for demons.

Most days he just sat in his cell, pointedly ignoring Asmodeus's once daily check-ins/taunts and Lucifer's incessant prattling. Instead he remained in his own head, spending days with his one, Dean Winchester. Days they could probably never have together in reality but ones he wished they could. He would love to take Dean to the Anatolia region, the garden may not be on Earth anymore but the fragments that remained were breathtaking. He imagined sitting amongst the beautiful woodlands, not worried about heinous creatures, somewhere safe and peaceful. Just having Dean in his arms, relaxed, was enough for him. He could almost feel the warmth, the serenity, the –

"Psst Castiel!"

Cas refused to break the fantasy. He kept his mind focused running his fingers through Dean's hair as he slept on his shoulder, legs intertwined. The gentle rise and fall of his breathing like calm waters on a lake.

"Castiel!"

He could feel Dean dissipate as annoyance tinged his consciousness and he opened his eyes to the Hell he was in. "What Lucifer?"

"You've had that same dopey expression on your face for the fifteen minutes. Daydreaming about Winchester again?"

"If you knew, then why did you ask?" he griped. It hadn't taken long for Satan to figure out where he went mentally but that didn't mean much, practically all of Heaven and Hell knew how he felt about Dean.

"I don't get what you see in him," Lucifer made a face. "They are all the same to me, like Dad's personal play-doh figurines or those Claymation characters from the movies."

"There is more substance to them than that."

"I'd rather not consider Winchester's substance thanks very much."

Cas growled, "Must you be so crude?"

"I'm surprised you got that," Lucifer approved. "I guess old Dean-o really has been rubbing off on you, eh?"

"You're disgusting," Cas disparaged.

"Okay yes that's true but seriously though, what's the appeal?" Lucifer asked. "I mean I guess he's alright looking."

"Dean is beautiful, within and without," Cas bit out.

"Sure," Lucifer rolled his eyes.

Cas huffed, "Do you actually want to know what I see in him?"

"Why not?" Lucifer pffted.

Cas approached the bars, weighing his words carefully. "I used to think like you. I wasn't quite so unfavourable to humanity, but I regarded them as rather one-dimensional, nothing more than a flock to be tended. So the day I pulled Dean Winchester from Hell, I wasn't rescuing Dean, I was saving Michael's vessel. That was all that he was. He was literally built to be that one thing."

"And yet…" Lucifer pressed.

"And yet he looked at me as if I was the one-dimensional being, the tool to be used, the solitarily functioning cog. He questioned fate and purpose in the name of free will. He opened my mind to choice. Haven't you ever thought about not being Satan? The fallen son? What if you just said to hell with revenge and being angry at Father and went off to an island to enjoy a life of leisure?"

Lucifer considered that for a moment. "I'm not sure," he said at last. "I really don't think that would suit me very much."

"It could," Cas supposed. "If you wanted it to. That is what I see in Dean. I see everything, the infinite spectrum of potential and choice and we walk it together. Sometimes not always physically but in our minds, we see each other's path and we understand and are with one another. I would have no one else beside me."

Lucifer regarded him speculatively. For once he didn't look sardonic or snarky or even disgusted but like he was genuinely trying to comprehend what was being said. "I don't understand," he concluded quietly almost remorseful.

"Then my sincerest wish for you is to either end up back in the Cage or to find someone who will make you understand," Cas went back to sitting in his corner.

"Not death?"

"We're not very good at staying dead," Cas groused.

"Fair enough," Lucifer conceded. "But you know this won't end well right? Your profound love? You'll lose one another eventually. Good at it or not, Dean can't live forever, you might though."

"Father promised Sam and Dean a place in Heaven when their times come but no matter where they go, where Dean goes, I will follow. Heaven, Hell, Purgatory, and even the Empty hold no surprises for us." Cas was silent for a moment before he remembered with smile, "You know, the first time they met, Jack said he would differ to Dean as my hoath-obza."

"Are you serious?" Lucifer chuckled.

"Dean nearly had an aneurysm," Cas laughed too.

"That kid has got some highly questionable role models." Lucifer shook his head.

"Parentage notwithstanding?" Cas raised a brow.

"Touché."

"You're not the fallen son anymore," Cas said baldly. "You're the father now. You do have a choice and your actions will not only affect you but your child as well."

Lucifer scoffed, "My son looks at you as his father and Dean to be his step-dad, which by the way is a great sit-com in the making. He's already making hair-brained, self-sacrificing solo missions to atone for some imagined sins – HE'S PRACTICALLY A WINCHESTER! If he doesn't pull a sawed-off shotgun loaded with rock salt on me when we meet, I'll consider myself adored."

"There's still room for you in his life," Cas countered. "Just think about what you want to do with that space."

"Whatever," Lucifer dismissed. "Where is Lover Boy and Wonder Moose anyway?"

Cas sighed, "Hopefully they've realised I've gone missing and are tracking down your son and/or working on a plan to get me, which will then be us, out."

MEANWHILE…dinoprint

A/N: Hey guys, yep, dinoprint. That was the only word I could think of to summarize that whole situation there. Just to be clear, Jack's First Christmas was the direct follow-up to Home Again and that whole universe, this is just a spin-off of sorts. An AU of an AU, gee hello meta-ness. Hopefully you are all have a wonderful holiday season and I will see you next year. ENJOY! R&R PLZ!