Because It’s Cas

for @samanddeaninpanties

And maybe Sam sees his chance, and offers a quiet hand to Castiel the way he’s been thinking about ever since the first time they touched.

And Castiel takes it.

The inches between them drop, gentle and rough as the voice etched in the vinyl. By a miracle and a half, Castiel’s still waiting for Sam in the middle of the floor when the songs run out and he flips the record.

By the end of the B-side, Castiel’s head is on Sam’s chest.

Two and a half miracles later, Sam thinks, some old Man of Letters was a Sam Cooke fanboy and there are three records in the box. Or maybe there’s some subliminal message in them, something that soothes an angel’s harrowed soul. Maybe that’s why they’re here; maybe Cooke was a celestial pied piper.

I AM DYING!

Sam supports Sastiel!

I mean…that is either a deliberate misinterpretation of that scene, or people are for some reason not getting it.

Most importantly, it establishes Castiel’s rebellious/too-much-heart nature before his character was even planned to be on the show for more than a few episodes.

You see…Sam greets him in full on puppy-mode:

And Castiel does look a little Uriel-ish:

And then he takes Sam’s hand:

And looks up and calls him the “boy with the demon blood:”

Which, yeah, if it was left at that, total dick.

BUT!

Then Castiel does this:

Castiel acknowledges that he knows everything about Sam.  That he’s “corrupted” and an “abomination,” a nasty mud monkey that Uriel doesn’t even want to be in the same room with.  And what does he do?

He puts his hand on top of Sam’s, an intimate gesture, showing that he is not afraid or unwilling to touch him.  That he thinks Sam is still a good person and that he deserves God’s (and all angels’) love.

I mean, Sam’s own father suggested Dean might have to kill him, and Castiel accepts him and lets him know that not everyone thinks he’s beyond saving.

LIKE.  DO YOU SEE HOW AMAZING CASTIEL IS?  DO YOU SEE HOW LOVING?

He’s better than a cinnamon roll.

"Cas." Normally Sam would greet Castiel with enthusiasm or at least look at him, but the young man stared off into the distance.

The angel tried following Sam's sight of line, but didn't understand, "Why are you standing in the rain?" Castiel asked, tilting their wing above Sam, preventing anymore droplets from covering the hunter.

"Because." Sam said, incredibly conversational, Castiel did wait for an explanation that never came. For a moment Castiel doubted they were talking to the correct Winchester, but no one carried such weight in their shoulders and eyes as Sam.

"Did you need Dean?" Sam asked, and the angel shook their head.

"No, and he's incapacitated anyway," Castiel told Sam, who scoffed, of course Dean was.

He shrugged, "Okay, then what do you need?" Sam asked, preparing for the worst. Angels don't go to Sam with good news or honoring jobs, those are reserved for the righteous man, and Sam's anything but righteous. Especially to Heaven.

"Nothing." The angel told him, "I wanted to see you." Sam's eyebrow went up, and spared a glance at the shorter appearing man.

Castiel's eyes full of curiosity as if Sam was something to dissect. "Why are you brooding?" The angel asked.

Sam's guard would've gone up if it wasn't for the amusement twinkling in the angel's eyes, "I'm not brooding." Sam tried to defend.

"Of course not." Castiel agreed, but Sam didn't feel as if they truly were. "You're going to get sick in the rain."

Sam laughed, "You sure Dean didn't send you? I'll be fine." Sam said, shaking his head, "I'll dry off on the porch or something. Bobby would kill me if I tracked in water and mud."

Castiel frowned, "I don't believe he would. I think he'd be more angry at your health when it could've been avoided. Especially at your expense of hospitality."

Sam gave Castiel a look, but stared back at the rain, "You're worst than Dean actually." Sam commented, "I'll go in."

The angel didn't believe him, Sam made no movement to go.

"It's just... I enjoy the rain." Sam told them.

"Why?" Castiel asked, "Do you enjoy being wet and cold?" Sam laughed again, the angel probably started cataloging that into their memory.

Sam shook his head, "No, no, no, nothing like that. I didn't mean to get soaked. I just hate standing on the porch." Sam corrected, "I like the smell, the breeze, the rhythm of the rain falling against the ground, just the atmosphere the rain brings. I don't know. I used to want to dance in the rain, like the movies."

Castiel listened carefully, and looked at Sam again, the man looked at peace. As much as he could, his shoulders weren't as tense, his face wasn't hardened with thoughts. It was a Sam he hadn't seen before. Not even as Sam rested, his face typically contorted as nightmares arose.

"It's stupid really," Sam told Castiel, "Rain isn't great for hunters, try digging up a grave in the rain and lighting the remains on fire while it's pouring. The spirit doesn't care that you're at a disadvantage..."

"But, I guess moments like this I remember what it's like to breath."

The hunter was lost in thought, Castiel saw that clearly, and touched Sam's shoulder, using their grace to dry Sam's clothing and hair. You would never guess he had been out in the rain at all.

Sam no longer shivered as Castiel used their vessel to radiate heat for Sam, wanting Sam to have his peace for as long as possible.

"Thank you, Cas." Sam said, surprising the angel, who simply nodded.

"The rain." Castiel said, fondly, "You called upon me in the rain. It was the first time I answered a prayer of yours."

Sam's face moved in confusion, he recalled praying to Castiel numerous times, unsure if the angel ever listened. The confirmation was nice but didn't make sense to him.

Castiel put a hand out into the rain, allowing it to drop onto them as it did Sam earlier.

"Did I?" Sam asked, and the angel nodded, putting a hand on Sam's shoulder once again, this time showing Sam a memory of him, "It was for your incantation, you were helping Bela Talbot."

Sam watched as he recited and butchered Castiel's name a bit, but it was clearly him calling to Castiel.

"I forgot about that," Sam told the angel.

Castiel nodded, "I understand, it was insignificant to you at the time," the angel said, "It was the first time I was directly allowed to help the Winchesters. The first time I was able to help you."

That made Sam wonder many things, but he didn't ask, the angel seemed happy in recalling that time. The two stared off into the rain, watching as puddles grew around them, never touching them.

sam : *a mortal hunter*