It's 4 AM

Four fucking AM

And Dean is pretty sure he's gonna kill Cas.

Which, y'know, seems kinda uncharitable given that the former angel is still adjusting to the very human concept of having to sleep every so often while Dean's been doing it his whole life.

But still. 4 AM.

With a grunt approaching a snarl Dean hauls himself out of bed and out down the corridor to the base's kitchen where all the fucking noise is coming from and of course where the person he needs to kill is.

Which he states in rather blunt terms

"Cas, it's 4 AM; stop or I swear I'm gonna gank you with a frying pan"

The ex-angel ignores him and yanks another batch of cupcakes out of the oven.

Jesus, it's even worse than Dean expected. He softens his approach.

"Look, you've got a freakin' bakery here already; I mean, don't get me wrong, I appreciate the pie man, I really do and the dinner rolls? They were good; really good in fact, but it's late and you haven't slept and I haven't slept and Sammy actually drugged himself with the last of the codeine saying, and I quote 'I swear to god Dean; if he doesn't stop I'm going to die.' D'you want Sam to die, Cas?"

Cas doesn't especially seem to care as he begins frosting a previous batch of cakes.

Damn it.

Dean does not want to try heart-to-hearting it with his unstable and recently humanized friend. He also does not want to get particularly close to him when he's holding a piping bag like a weapon he could do some actual damage with but he's tired and he's had enough and he's gonna stop Castiel's moping if it kills him. Which it kinda might.

"Hey,' Dean's tone is gentle as he places two fingers on Castiel's wrist, stilling him "I know you're freaked out, ok? And I know I can't even begin to understand what you've been through, but you don't need to prove you're useful; you are.'

Cas is quiet and while he is staring intently at his little batch of cakes, Dean's known him long enough to realise he's listening and continues cautiously;

"When I... When I told you that I need you? That wasn't to the angel Castiel; I wasn't saying that I need you around because of your crazy mojo...' ok, now he's absently stroking his fingers up and down Cas's wrist and wow, maybe that's a little too intimate but his skin is surprisingly soft and warm and nothing like the cold hard marble of Cas when he was full-on angel.

It's not really a bad trade off

"You're not a hammer' it comes out of Dean's mouth in a sudden fierce whisper and Cas is going rigid at that familiar line of words "it doesn't matter to me if you can smite some demon dick with one hand or if you're gonna have to do it the old-fashioned way; you're my best friend and I will never, ever think you're useless."

Cas's arm is fucking trembling in his hold and it's all Dean can do to turn inwards and let Cas fall against his body as he's wracked by silent sobs.

Castiel's head is tucked beneath Dean's chin and he catches the sweet scent of baking and something that smells unmistakably like home...