Bloodred Popoko
Reaper
His hands gripped the edges of the porcelain sink. He took a deep breath to steady himself then slowly raised his head to look at his reflection. There they were, eyes like two black pools, the thing he had feared the most. He clenched his jaw, fingers flexing, leaving dents in the sink, and he let out a roar of denial, shoving away from the monster in the mirror.
"Go Sammy, just go," Dean growled. "Go and don’t come back."
“But Dean-,” Sam started.
“No! It’s done Sam. There is no fixing this,” he mumbled as he dropped to the ground at the edge of the trap. He listened to the crunch of Sam’s boots on the gravel, the car door open and close, and the engine start. Closing his eyes, suddenly moist knowing this was really it, the last time he would see Sam again. He let out the breath he’d been holding as the car pulled away, heading down the driveway. Waiting until he couldn’t hear it anymore, getting ready to stand and go back into the small house surrounded by the field and the massive devil’s trap, he stopped at the sound of footsteps coming toward him.
“Damn it Sam,” he growled.
“Dean,” the voice wasn’t Sam’s, and Dean swallowed his next words back in complete disbelief. His eyes still fixed on the ground, he saw when Cas reached the edge of the circle, scuffed shoes right against the line, familiar trench coat swirling over it as it settled.
“Cas, what the hell are you doing here?”
“I’ve been trying to find a cure, something that wouldn’t kill Sam. I’m sorry Dean, I failed.”
He knew that already, had given up the last vestiges of hope when he listened to Sam drive away. Dean went to stand and tell Cas exactly that when everything changed. Cas stepped over the line and into the trap with him.
“Cas what are you doing? Get out before I forget who I am again.” He watched as Cas slowly sank down to his knees, dead grass crackling beneath him.
“Dean, look at me.”
“No.”
“Dean, look at me.”
“No damn it, just go Cas.” Instead, Cas just sighed and cupped Dean’s face in his hands, slowly tilting it up. Dean clenched his eyes shut, still ashamed of what his friend would see.
“Dean please, open your eyes,” Cas asked in his deep whisper.
“Fine,” Dean replied through his clenched jaw. He took a deep breath and defiantly opened his eyes, and what he saw looking back at him made his jaw drop.
“Cas, you’re human. What happened?”
“My grace burned out Dean, and I stopped looking for more.”
“But why?”
“For you.”
“Cas, I don’t understand.”
“I thought you might not,” Cas sighed. Then he leaned forward and pressed his lips softly against Dean’s, hoping he would finally get the message. When Dean’s hands came up to touch the sides of his face, Cas smiled a little against his mouth, happy he didn’t have to explain. When they pulled apart, Cas stood, offering Dean his hand.
“What happens now?” Dean asked him.
Cas’ mouth turned up in a half smile and he answered. “How do you feel about bees?”
