AN: This is one is for my fantastic girlfriend on her birthday. Its not my best work but here you go anyway. Happy Birthday!

The handprint was something Cas was curious about. Cas was something he was curious about for that matter. These were both things that seemed to be unique to Dean, a burn he kept covered and a 'nickname' he always seemed to use. But Castiel wasn't good at curious and he was even worse that the small wisps of humanity that seemed to work their way inside of him no matter how hard he tried to stay focused on his orders.

If Castiel hadn't been trying so hard to avoid expressing his curiosity he might have noticed the fact that Dean valued the little mistakes that set him apart from the other angels. But instead Castiel focused on being the angel of the lord that he was supposed to be and turned his mind away from the questions raised but the human man who always seemed to pull an equally human reaction from the angel.

LineLineLine

It was a while before Castiel saw the mark he had left on Dean's shoulder, he really had only intended to inform Dean of the location of a seal but arrived in the motel room to the sound of running water and the absence of both Sam and Dean. He connected that the sound was a shower and that Dean must be in it as the impala was still parked outside so he stood awkwardly in the center of the room and waited. When the water sound stopped and the door opened Dean emerged singing what he called Metallica and without a shirt. Castiel could see the scared imprint of a hand that on Dean's shoulder. The handprint was recognizably his and Castiel fitted his own hand against it without thinking about this 'personal space' Dean kept speaking about.

"I appear to have burned you when I raised you from perdition. I apologize for causing you pain."

"Dude. You pulled me out of hell, I think I can handle a little scaring if it gets me out of hellfire."

Castiel wasn't sure what to do with this acceptance, this statement that was as close to thank you as Dean came without alcohol so he blinked himself away, he could just tell Sam about the seal.

LineLineLine

The next time Castiel found himself alone in a motel room with Dean he felt even more out of place, Dean's face was scrunched up and his thrashing indicated that he was experiencing a nightmare. Castiel contemplated seeking out Sam to come and help Dean with whatever was ailing him but then discarded the idea, Dean was too proud to open up to his younger brother. So instead Castiel walked up beside Dean and reached out, once again fitting his hand against the scar on the man's shoulder.

"Dean wake up. Its Cas, you're okay." That was interesting, the nickname, he had used it in regards to himself. Castiel no longer dislike the nickname but to use it on himself, perhaps that was a bit to human…

"Cas?"

Castiel turned his attention away from his own thoughts and back to the human in front of him. "Yes Dean. You were distressed and I concluded that waking you was the best way to minimize your discomfort. Was I incorrect?"

"No, you were right."

Castiel though this tone might be the ever illusive sarcasm but then no sarcasm had a face to and this was not it. This expression was … defeat. Apparently there was more to comfort than he had believed, franticly searching through what he knew of human actions he found the concept he was looking for.

"Do you want a hug?"

Dean looked shocked for a moment and Castiel wondered if he had chosen the wrong words to describe what he was offering but then Dean nodded and sat up, leaning against the angel. Castiel let his host's arms wrap around Dean in the way that muscle memory suggested was the right way to hug a human. Perhaps if Castiel was the angel he wished he was, that others wanted him to be, he would have left it at that, just offering the bland comfort that was as good as humans could offer but when he looked down at the man who was slowly relaxing against his chest he felt compelled to offer all that he could.

So slowly he extended his wings and wrapped them around Dean as well. He felt Dean shift slightly in surprise but then his breathing began to even out, not quite asleep but calm. And then Cas smiled, because he had found a way to use his humanity and his grace in the same moment to ease the pain of the human he was so determined to protect.