hardhearted | ic inbox ; exitvoid

[ For that single moment, it's as if they're really connected. Like the last several years hadn't been a strain on either of them, like they hadn't skipped the important details and were friends again. The touch speaks volumes in itself, Castiel unconsciously finding himself pressing into it and wanting more. He's always wanted Dean's approval, for the other man to see him. Useful, necessary. It's a threatening contrast to the minutes past, neck burning with the pressure of fingers intent on harming.

He sucks in a breath and hovers there, uncertain what to do with himself until Dean's pushing to get him off.

It's his cue to move, shifting so they're no longer touching, and the moment is gone. Something else that will remain unspoken between them, he's sure, and as he listens to Dean move, dust himself off, he focuses on the task that lies before them. It's different than trapping the devil and killing him now, more complex than he could ever imagine it being and needing-- Well, Castiel doesn't know, and his hand comes up to gingerly feel the bruises beginning to form, the lingering gentleness of something else. ]

Are you in?

[ His voice is rough, almost a whisper. He doesn't look at him, still on his knees after moving. ]

[ the moment means more to dean than he can say, but for now it's time to move on. he doesn't look at cas for a long moment either, instead casting a look around-- they're alone, surprisingly enough, and it's only then that he turns to look at his friend again. cas' neck is bruising clearly, the sight twisting something inside of him. ]

Yes.

[ he lingers then, could leave but...

he offers his hand to cas instead. come on, get up. it's hesitant, like he doesn't have the right to offer help but he does anyway, owes it to the other man. cas had helped him here whether he realizes it or not. ]

Come on. [ beat. ] You should get that looked at.

[ He's almost so distracted that he doesn't notice Dean hasn't left. It's to be expected in most situations anyway, being left to his own devices. But there's still that unbreakable presence there with him, and he lifts his eyes, the slowest sort of movement as he takes in that offered hand. He could refuse it, push him away. It's such a contradictory thought to the one he'd literally had a second ago.

Castiel hesitates, and then, reaches up to take it. ]

Who's going to look at it - you?

[ It hurts to speak, but he gives him the benefit of the doubt. Besides, it's how they'd taken care of things before, when they'd first faced the apocalypse--taking care of each other. Binding wounds, making sure the other was ready to move just in case. He doesn't know what's happening between them.

But he's certainly not going to make it easy for Dean. There's a pointed look, silence prominent. Daring. ]

[ hauling cas up to his feet, dean gives him a bit of a look at the attitude. though he deserves it, his eyes fall to the bruising on cas' neck before glancing at the other man's face again.

he sighs, then raises a brow. ]

Do you want me to?

[ he will, he knows how to fix it so the broken skin won't hurt as much. but it's up to cas, he won't force the other man if he wants to go take care of it himself. even if dean did cause it, something that's blooming guilt low in his gut... ]

[ He returns the look with one of his own, not having much energy to argue this time. Castiel shouldn't bother with this anymore. He should decline the offer, turn away and walk up the steps. It'd be easier to walk out the building, but that means maneuvering around Dean. Risking the chance he might brush shoulders with him as he's leaving.

There's a long pause as he considers his options.

A breath, and his lips begin to hurt from where he presses them so tightly together.

Without a word, fingers slightly curled into fists, Castiel steps closer to Dean and inclines his head so the other man can inspect the damage. He can feel it, knows it hurts and is going to for quite some time. It's always a tender point for him when it comes to healing. Sometimes, he thinks it's ridiculously slow. But there he waits, throat exposed to the very person who had put those forming bruises there. ]

[ dean waits for cas to simply storm off. but when that doesn't happen, and the other man instead steps closer, he releases a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. at the exposed neck, dean studies it closely; he's seen enough of similar things, has inflicted this on others before, too. usually to the point of death. but here, his grip is bruising into skin, tender and sore looking...

there isn't a whole lot to be done about it, since he can offer no magical healing.

fingers graze slightly over one especially dark patch, and then he's withdrawing his hand and stepping back. ]

Unless you know someone with healing abilities, only ice will help with numbing and the swelling.

[ i'm sorry. ]

[ Castiel isn't going to walk away from him again. Not like that.

So, he bears the look and the soft touch with only the slightest grit of teeth, swallowing around the flare of pain and instead focusing on the fact Dean isn't being helpful at all. He'd known he wouldn't have been, not with the way things are here, and it's aggravating to find himself slipping into that trusting role once more. Believe Dean and world will right itself? Hardly. ]

All of which we lack. [ Because he is not asking his other self for help again. ] It doesn't matter.

[ And only then does he lift his eyes up to meet green, silently asking if they're done here. ]

[ dean watches the other man carefully for a beat, and then sighs. he can't do anything here and he knows castiel isn't about to ask help from certain people. all of which is fine with him, so he nods some moments later. ]

Right.

[ in that case, they're done and cas is free to go since dean isn't about offer a verbal apology. ]

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