Title: I Don't Understand

Supernatural fanfic

Pairing: kinda sorta maybe implied Cas/Winchester brothers

Rating: pg, pg-13 for implied things, So if you don't like implied slash, don't freakin' read it.

Warning: none

Summery: Castiel doesn't understand a human ritual and seeks clarification.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Supernatural related.

This was done for my brain twin because I made a stupid bet with her! Stupid earthquakes.

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"Dean."

The older Winchester brother turned to look back at Castiel who was walking with Sammy behind him.

"What now Cas?"

"Why are we doing this?"

"Doing what?"

"Walking. Shouldn't you be driving?"

"It's cool Cas." Sam piped in. "The burger joint is only a couple blocks away. It's not gonna kill us to walk."

"Not really. There is quite a lot that can kill you. Humans are very fragile."

"Well thanks a lot Cas." Dean said in his signature "I'm being a total dick making fun of you" voice. "As if we didn't have enough to worry about with the end of the world hanging over our heads, you have to go reminding us lighting can strike us dead as we take stroll for dinner."

The cast out angel looked confused and turned to Sam to see if he could enlighten him as to what he said wrong. Sam Windchester just rolled his eyes.

"He's being a jerk Cas. Don't pay attention to him.

Castiel went back to his usual stoic quietness as all three walked on, though; it wasn't long before Sam noticed Cas was watching couples passing them.

"I have a question."

Dean and Sam both sighed and braced themselves for whatever that question was going to be.

"What is it Cas?" Sammy sighed.

"Why are people holding hands? What is the purpose of it?"

"This is all you Sammy."

"Me? Why do I have to do it?"

"You brought it on yourself."

Sam groaned and rolled his eyes as he tried to sort his thoughts out. Castiel in the mean time remained silent, doing what he had always done, watching quietly.

"People hold hands for lots of reason Cas. Uh… children hold their parents hands for like… comfort and stuff. Friends do it sometimes… couples in love hold hands… that's it. I got nothing else."

"But why?"

"I don't know. There's lots of reasons."

"I find your customs… very confusing."

"Don't angels hold hands or something?" Sam asked, confused how Cas couldn't grasp the simple concept.

"No." Castiel said simply. "We don't touch."

Cas didn't sound upset or concerned with the admission, he was simply telling the brothers about his own people.

"Why?"

"We just don't."

Sam and Dean both shifted through their memories and found the only times they had seen angels make physical contact with one another, something bad always happened. Cas watched another couple pass and turned to Sam who now regretted going out to eat on a Friday night.

"Is it common practice for humans to touch like that?"

"Pretty much." Sam shrugged.

Cas looked straight forward again and looked almost contemplative. Of course, it was hard to tell with Cas. His face almost never changed expressions.

"Dean . May I hold your hand?"

"What? NO!" Dean snapped, completely caught off guard.

"Sam said it was common to do this. Perhaps if I try it I might understand."

"No. Just… NO!"

"Why not?"

"Lets see, I don't know, how about every time I'm "touched by an angel" I'm teleported back in time, or my memory is erased MIB style, or I'm just getting a good old fashion beating. So forgive me if I'm not all hokey dory holding your damn hand."

Dean looked over his shoulder to glare and was met with Cas's disappointed face. Or what Dean thought was his disappointed face, but again, it was hard to tell what the angel was feeling. Sam must have seen it too, and he pulled his hand out of his jacket pocket and offered it to Castiel.

"Don't mind him, he's just pissy when he hasn't had a burger every five seconds. I'll hold your hand."

Castiel looked at Sam's palm and then up at Sam.

"You are to nicest abomination unto the lord I've ever met."

"Ummm… thanks?"

The angel reached out his hand and let it hover over the younger winchester's as he tried to figure out just how to go about doing this.

"Here, like this."

Sam turned Castiel's wrist and placed the palm of his hand in his. Not the girly way with interlaced fingers, but just a solid grip like how Dean used to hold his hand when he was a kid. Cas stared down at their hands as they walked, nearly running into a lamppost.

"Does something happen?"

"Nope, that's pretty much it."

"I fail to see the purpose of this ritual."

"I guess… it's just a way to show affection. You know, as friends."

"Then, we're friends?" Cas asked.

"That's not all you are." Dean grumbled to himself.

"Sure Cas." Sam sighed, out of ideas how to explain thing anymore clearly.

"Dean, we should hold hands."

"I already said no!"

"Then you're not my friend?"

"Dean! Just hold his hand It's not gonna kill you."

"No way!"

"Dean, Cas dragged your ass out of hell! The lest you could do is hold his hand!"

"Son of a bitch!"

Dean stopped walking and took Castiel's hand.

"THERE! Happy now?"

Now a human, angel, human chain the three continued down the street awkwardly. Dean looked put out and uncomfortable, Sam just looked tired and Cas still seemed lost on the whole concept.

"This is all there is too it?"

"Yeah that's it."

"Oh."

"You were expecting something else?" Dean snapped.

"All the others where smiling doing this. Does it make you happy to hold hands?"

"Oh it's just sunshine and rainbows."

"Shut up Dean. Well, I guess. People hold hands when their happy so…"

"I see." Cas said flatly, looking ahead but he didn't let go of either Winchester's hand. "Are you happy? I wanted to take your mind off the danger."

Dean sighed and rolled his eyes, but the sassy comment he had in mind stayed behind his teeth.

"Thanks Cas. I feel better already." Dean sighed, only being half sarcastic.

"Good." The angel said simply.

The three continued walking hand in hand for another minute.

"When do I let go?"

"Any time you like." Sam said, getting uncomfortable now with how long this whole thing had gone on.

"Alright."

Cas didn't release either of them until Dean had to pull his hand away to pay for the burgers.