Disclaimer: Blah blah blah, generic disclaimer here.

Dean lied in the bed, nearly asleep, Cas next to him, unable to take his eyes off of dean.

"Would you like me better if I was a woman?" Cas asked.

"Wha?" Dean grumbled, clearly too close to sleep for the question to have fully registered. The realization dawned; he shot upright and looked at Cas, no longer even slightly tired. "What?!"

"Would you like me better if I was a woman?" he repeated calmly.

"Where is this coming from?" Dean asked, wildly perplexed.

"I… I know your relationship with women. You like to have sex with them. But not me. Your society frowns on homosexual relations. As I am in a male vessel, you are less happy with me than you would be with a woman."

Dean stared at him, trying to process what he was saying.

"It would not be easy, but I could perhaps find a vessel more suited to your need."

He leaned forward and kissed Cas.

"That's not really necessary," Dean whispered.

"But," Cas began. "You would be happier that way. We have not been together long, and I fear that because I do not appeal to you, we will not be together much longer."

Dean kissed him again.

"I like you just the way you are," he said.

"But I-"

"I'm happy Cas. It has nothing to do with how you look. Sure, I like women, but you're not the first man I've been with. It doesn't matter what you look like, it's you I love, not your vessel. Though, I gotta say, I kinda like this-"

He stopped suddenly, realizing what he'd said.

Cas stared at him, shocked.

"You…" he began. "You love me?"

"What?" Dean asked, feigning confusion.

"You said you love me," Cas repeated, a half smile forming on his face. He knew that Dean didn't throw words around carelessly, as many humans did.

"Yeah," Dean said quietly, avoiding looking directly into Cas' eyes.

But Cas had different plans. He reached out and tilted Dean's face toward his own and kissed him.

"I love you too Dean."