“I never meant for you to fall with me,” Cas uttered, the words drowned out into the night as the fireflies darted around them.
Dean whipped around, startled from the book he was reading with the warm glow of the fairy lights as he stared at Cas. “What are you talking about?”
Looking down in shame, Cas fiddled with the stem of the sunflower that Dean had shyly given him a few hours ago as the sun dipped below the horizon. “When I fell from Grace, I didn’t mean to drag you with me.”
“Drag?” Dean dropped his book down onto the grass as he shifted to rest his knee against Cas’ thigh. “Cas, you didn’t drag me into anything.”
“I did,” Cas muttered, half-reaching out to touch Dean’s knee, but hesitating at the last second and pulling away. “You were the best of humanity, and I corrupted you because I wasn’t the Angel I was supposed to be.”
Opening his mouth, Dean tried to find the words, but instead he shook his head. Closing the distance, Dean slipped his hand into Cas’. “Honey, I was corrupted long before you put your hand on me,” Dean teased, then, softer this time, he said, “You saved me, Cas. In more ways than one. The only falling I did when it comes to you is falling in love with you.”
Cas tilted his head, looking at Dean from underneath his lashes. The look was pure innocence, and Dean leaned forward to press a feather light kiss to the corner of Cas’ mouth.
“If anything, it’s me who should be apologizing to you. I never meant for you to fall from Heaven,” Dean admitted, squeezing Cas’ hand. “I never meant to drag you down and make you lose your place with the Angels; to fall to Earth.”
“Dean,” Cas murmured, placing his other hand on Dean’s shoulder, right over the imprint he’d left many years ago. “Falling from Heaven was my choice, and I’d do it again and again, without any hesitation. My home is here with you.” Cas paused, leaning forwards to brush his lips against Dean’s temple. “I didn’t fall. I just found my way to you.”
Dean felt his heart ache in his chest, and he reached up to brush the back of his knuckles along Cas’ cheekbone and down his nose. “Let’s go to bed, sweetheart.”
Together, they made their way to their room. Curling up under the sheets, Dean held Cas close, and Cas settled with his head on Dean’s chest, listening to his beating heart as they fell asleep wrapped up as one.
I’ll never tire of reading them having this sort of conversation.
The fallen angel and the broken man who fault themselves for tearing the other down when all they do is mend each other.
The angel who lost his faith and the man who rediscovered his.
The angel who had to fall to learn how it truly feels to fly, and the man who’s afraid of flying and fell harder than he ever thought possible only to find that some scorched wings would catch him.
