Heyo! Here's a little one-shot that I found a prompt for from tumblr. I hope it's okay as I really didn't have much time to edit, so it's not my best work, but hey, it's destiel and we're all really desperate for it anyway. Review please and enjoy!

"Cas, are you sure that the vamps nest is here? I mean, it's a bit far from well… humans." Cas rolled his eyes and leaned against the window, feeling its coolness pressing on his cheek. He was beyond tired of Dean's snarky comebacks and to be honest, he just wanted to go home. He cherished his time with Dean, loved his jokes and bad singing and goofy smile, but Cas was just so tired. He had yet to tell Dean of his… unfortunate deal with the empty, but he couldn't bring that up now. No way would he ruin Dean's rarely seen happy mood. It was those moments, Cas could see his soul glow just a little bit brighter, and it fueled Cas's will to fight every time he saw how it pulsed with his heartbeat and moved with him in this graceful sort of way that was so mesmerizing to watch. But right now Cas could barely stifle his frown.

"Yes, Dean. I don't get these things wrong." Dean made a face, scrunching up his nose and throwing his head back with an almost deriding laugh. Cas wanted to smile at Dean, allow himself to enjoy the blissful feeling of Dean's soul lighting up. Instead he pinched the base of his wrist, skin turning white from the pressure. He winced slightly and released. He couldn't be happy. No chance he'd let somehting as little, yet as dangerous as Dean get in the way.

"Yeah okay, Mr. Rabbit-Insect hybrid." This made Dean laugh harder, a sound so illuminant that it made his soul vibrate. Cas watched him without the slightest expression of amusement. Cas kept his gaze steady, despite his rocking head. It felt as if it was too big for his shoulders, and as much as he wanted to smile at Dean, he couldn't be happy. His happiness would be the death of him, and Cas couldn't imagine that. Dean's smile faded as he met Cas's empty stare. He twisted the knob of the radio, bringing the song down to barely an audible whisper with the sounds of the engine purring and tires gliding over the road. "Man what's got you in such a funk?"

"Nothing." Cas lied through his teeth and both of them knew it. Cas was just too stubborn to admit it and Dean was just too stubborn to let it go. Dean let his hand drop from the steering wheel as he patted Cas's shoulder.

"Really man, you okay?" Cas didn't answer, he was too busy trying to formulate what to say. But everytime he brought his gaze to Dean's, who's eyes were not on the road, he found himself forgetting the lie he was circulating in his head. He just wanted everything to be okay. But he always found it so hard to lie to Dean.

"Really, I'm fine, a lot has happened and, to be frank, I'm tired." Dean nodded softly in understanding and let his hand linger on the familiar feeling of the trench coat, before pulling away and resting his hand back on the steering wheel. Dean turned back to say something, taking in the second to gaze at his best friend in the passenger seat. He opened his mouth but could barely get a syllable out before Cas shouted.

"DEAN THE ROAD!" Some drunk idiot came speeding down on the wrong side of the road, a junky El Cameno that sounded like a dying cow, but it was moving fast, swerving unpredictably, and did not stop for the two men in their car. Dean didn't even see it coming, all he saw was a light, but the shock of it coming at him had him at a standstill, reaching for the steering wheel too late. But Cas saw it just a second earlier, it was that second that saved their asses, as Cas pulled himself from the seat, and over Dean gripping the wheel and twisting it violently to the right, throwing them off the road and Cas back into Dean, The driver didn't miss though, as he slammed into the back corner of the Impala sending in a downward spiral as the tires spun in the wrong direction slamming the back end of the car into an old tree, instead of the field Cas had intended to pull into. Dean hit the breaks throwing Cas forward into the dashboard and Dean into him. When everything stopped, Cas finally allowed himself to exhale shakily.

"Dean?" Dean responded with a pained groan. "Dean are you alright?" Dean lifted his head, where blood trickled down behind his ear. His hands were shaky as he blinked rapidly, coming to his senses. He gave a little nod, and Cas knew he'd be fine. But the Impala… Dean was about to go nuclear.

Cas pushed on his side of the door, but found it trapped with another tree, a crack too small to climb through. So instead he reached over Dean's lap throwing open the door, and taking no time to wait for Dean, climbing over his lap and rolling out into the cool grass. He grunted, his head throbbing from being thrown into the dashboard, but he kept Dean from shooting through the windshield so he didn't care much. Dean pulled himself out, his knees trembling slightly, his body still adjusting to what had happened. He reached out for Cas, and Cas took his hand bringing him to his feet.

There was silence for a good ten seconds before the explosion.

"Son of a Bitch! That sonofabitch and his shitty El Cameno! Stupid dumb motherfu-"

"Dean! It's not that bad." Dean sputtered out of pure rage, kicking a rock and cursing and spitting at it when it hurt. Cas found himself holding back an eye roll. "Look, there's a road here. Someone's bound to live there, we'll go see if we can get some help or something." Cas found himself being Dean's steady voice, his reasoner, for years now. And to be honest, Cas kinda liked it. It gave him a job, a constant thing he could count on. He could count on Dean's explosions, and Dean could count on Cas's calming voice, whispering to him that everything will be alright.

There was something about the way Cas spoke to him, Dean found it almost soothing, when Cas would press his hand firmly on his shoulder, his gaze never lacking in sincerity, as he told him to breathe, that things would be okay. Something stirred in Dean now. Something told him Cas needed that foundation now, even if he had no clue as to why. Dean leaned down and kissed the hood of baby, telling her that he'd be right back and mumbled something about avenging her before chasing after Cas who had already set his sights on the shack tucked away in the back end of the overgrown field.

"This place seem familiar?" Dean whispered, his voice a low grumble of uncertainty. Cas glanced at him shaking his head in response. Cas stumbled over a stump, hissing at it briefly before tripping into Dean, who had been brought to a halt. The shack that they had seen before wasn't a little house at all. It was an abandoned barn. Cas groaned, wondering what the hell they were going to do now, but Dean couldn't say anything. He instead gestured to the markings painted messily over the walls and large metal doors beaten inward, revealing a dusty, mildewy room coated in sigils and devils traps and an old table turned over in the center. Dean knew this place, how could he forget it? He could perfectly remember the feeling Cas's grace had on him that night, the power that radiated off him. He could remember the fear, and then the sudden comfort of the angelic presence. He pretended to let that feeling slide although it never truly left him.

"Do you recognize it now?" Cas gulped as Dean grabbed his flashlight clicking it on and scanning the room with the faintest hint of a smile playing on his lips. Dean moved about the space, a complex expression written on his face as if he was thinking deeply. Cas stayed in the doorway. Suddenly Dean broke out into a large grin.

"We met right here. In this spot. You blew out the lights cause you're a dramatic little bitch." Cas couldn't help but let out a low laugh, stepping in to meet Dean. Dean dug in his pockets, pulled out the demon blade and thrusted it into Cas's hands. He bounded out of the room, pulling the dented doors out with him. Cas stood in the center of the room, alone in the dark.

Was this what the empty would be like? Just… nothing but him alone in his own thoughts, drowning in his own guilt and grief. His breath quickened, lungs contracting, and his feet swayed. He gulped, desperately searching amongst the darkness for a fraction of light. He saw nothing, heard nothing and couldn't tell where Dean had run off. Sweat gathering on his forehead, Cas called out to him, not far off from the way Dean had called out to him in purgatory. A lonely, desperate, grief-stricken call with no answer.

"Dean?" This time however, there was an answer, just not what Cas was expecting.

The barn doors suddenly burst inward with a nasty screech and in came Dean sauntering in like he was a god. He held a very stern expression, his hair far more disheveled than before. Cad tilted his head in confusion.

"I'm the one that gripped you tight and raised you from perdition." Dean spoke, chin to his chest in the deepest, gravely voice he could manage. He tried to keep a straight face, but he was bursting at the seams with laughter. Cas knew what he was doing, and couldn't help but join in. Cas fiddled with the demon blade in his hand, before plunging it into Dean's chest.

"Don't actually stab me dude!"

"It's just like last time, Dean." The two gazed at each other before doubling over laughing. Dean took the knife from Cas, replaced it with a flashlight and let the blade fall, attempting to regain his stoic stature. He inched closer, mocking Cas's first speech to him.

"I'm an angel of the lord." Dean giggled, making a stupid face and going on about how God commanded this and that. Cas furrowed his eyebrows and smiled fondly.

"Dean you forgot about the part where I showed you my wings."

"Well I can't exactly do it! You do it!" Cas began to shake his head, but Dean already looked like a curious five year old, patiently waiting for a puppy. So Cas gave in, positioning himself roughly where he stood the first time, stiffened his back and took a deep breath. His eyes began to glow blue and he focused his energy on those broken wings tucked away from thought about the sheer power they once held, the wings manifesting into gorgeous inky feathers that humans could see. And for the first time in years, he stretched out the beaten, battered feathers and let them stand at their full capacity. He couldn't make it thunder like he once could, and they weren't as beautiful, but they stretched across the back wall of the barn and Dean smiled so brightly at them, it almost hurt Cas. Cas wanted his wings, wanted those beautiful black feathers back, with their wingspan something to be jealous of, and most of all, he wanted to show them to Dean. He wanted to still feel worth something, but his broken wings were a constant reminder of what he wasn't.

"That never fails to amaze me." Cas's cheeks flushed a deep red. He hid them away in the shadows just as quickly as he revealed them, keeping his eyes on the ground in a sheepish expression. Dean scoffed lightly, punching Cas in the shoulder. The angel retaliated with a deep grunt, but smirked anyway. Cas brought his voice an octave higher, mocking Dean as he demanded Dean to tell him what he was. Dean laughed so hard his chest hurt, he really couldn't believe how much he'd changed in those years. An angel? He couldn't believe his eyes when he first me Cas. Now it was more of an everyday annoyance when an angel came across his path. Cas kept speaking, dramatizing everything, but Dean, easily cut him off as he stomped towards him and got into his face.

"What's the matter?" The smile faded from Dean's lips and the crinkle in his eyes disappeared as he thought about what Cas had said to him that night. "You don't think you deserve to be saved." Dean barely choked out, his words hidden in his silent shudder. Cas blinked, holding back the urge to tell Dean everything. Tell Dean about the empty and how sorry he was about everything. But he couldn't.

There was silence between them and Dean gulped, feeling the warmth that radiated off of Cas. He inched forward, their noses millimeters apart as he took in those big blue eyes that stared back. It was like a magnet, Dean felt his feet moving for him, his eyes sliding shut and he didn't feel any resentment from Cas as the angel placed a hand on his chest.

"Dean." Dean's eyes flew open and he wanted to back up and make a joke out of it, but he was frozen. Cas gazed at him, hand still over his heart, thumb smoothing over the button on his flannel. "Dean, I have something to tell you." Cas dropped the flashlight and as it hit the concrete, it cracked, killing the light that burned inside.

Darkness swirled around them.

Thanks for reading! Until next time,

-Daisy