Learn as you go
Title: Learn as you go
Author: marlowe78
Rating: R
Genre: gen, hurt/comfort
Characters: Dean, Castiel, gen
Word count: ~1.289
Spoilers: a bit for "My bloody Valentine". Set in s5
Warnings: consensual and non-consensual hugging.
Summary: Written for the SPN comment-cuddle-fic meme, for the prompt: Cas wants to know why humans hug. One of the boys (your choice) explains and demonstrates. Prefer gen, but whatever. by wave_obscura
Disclaimer: I very much lament that none of the Winchesters and their lifestyle are based on my creativity. I borrowed them for my own, cruel and delightful pleasures, for which, I'm sad to say, I don't get paid.
"Excuse me?" Dean twisted around to look at the angel on the chair behind him. Had he heard right?
"Why are humans embracing each other, when they are no Cupid and do not engage in sexual intercourse."
"Cas, what did you smoke, dude?" At his friends puzzled look, he sighed. "Are you seriously thinking people hug because they want to say hello?"
"They don't?"
"Well... yes, sometimes. I mean... in France, they even kiss..." Dean stopped to remember Clarice, or Claire, or whatever she was called. French girls are aweseome "...but that's not the point."
"Not?"
"No. Most people hug because - uh, well, because they like each other."
"Why? It makes them uncomfortable. Why would you want to make someone you like uncomfortable?"
"It doesn't make you uncomfortable. Jesus, why would you think that?"
"Is it not a sign of discomfort to stiffen your muscles and scrunch up your face?" Cas frowned, the way he does. And he did that head-thing, where he looks like a bird eyeing a particularly fascinating caterpillar.
"Uh...I guess?"
"I've seen you react that way to being embraced. Was my perception not correct?"
"Uhm... yeah, no. I mean..." Dean scratched his neck.
"And after any embrace, you do this too."
"Do what when?"
"Scratch your neck. I've heard dogs scratch themselves when they don't know what to do, and people supposedly do this when they feel uncomfortable."
"Dude, where did you get that from. And I'm not a dog." Dean added as an afterthought.
"The man in the television said so."
"Cas, stop watching daytime-TV. It melts your brain." He turned around, going for Bobby's coffee-machine.
"So this ... hugging - why would anyone want to make others feel uncomfortable as a greeting?"
"Cas! What the hell are you… ?" Dean turned and looked at the angel, but there was nothing to indicate that he was doing this to annoy him. There usually wasn't, and he remembered that Castiel never actually got to get laid, not if he didn't try to pick up somebody while no-one was looking.
Somehow, he couldn't see that happening. So how should he know about the fantastic abilities of human touch? He sighed, rubbed his neck before stopping and balling his hands at his sides. He needed to watch his body-language better, apparently he's slipping.
"Look, that whole uncomfortable-crap, that's just me. Ok? Normal people like hugs. Sam likes hugs."
"Really?"
"Yes" he hoped that's it and Castiel wouldn't ask why he was different than others on that subject. Hoped he’d go to Sam and bother him about this crap. He peered at the dark-haired man out of the corned of his eyes. The angel was again doing that head-thing. If he were a puppy, he would look cute.
"Why do people like it?"
Dean muttered under his breath, took a sip of the hot, bitter coffee. The machine needed to be cleaned.
"It just...releases tension, I guess. I'm no expert. It just makes them feel better."
"But not you."
"Yes, no. Sometimes. Yeah... well, it does. Just... it's complicated." Castiel looked at him a second, then understanding spread over his face. Dean was pretty sure the guy was on the wrong track, but whatever. He noticed the angel scrunch his brows again.
"I've never witnessed you loosing tension in an embrace."
"You didn't 'witness' the right hugs, then." And he remembered that day, when Sam was standing in that awful hut in Cold Oak, or when Sam jumped at him after all those Tuesdays in Florida. Or after he came back from... away. Remembered countless girls he’d hugged, soft and curvy and warm and alive, smelling good and safe and like a fucking holiday from work. Cassie was a cuddler, and he’d liked it.
He was very glad that no-one 'witnessed' those, except the participants. Shrugged.
"I'm a little screwed up. But hugs are pretty good, at the right time." Castiel looked so doubtful it was nearly funny. Like he just told him letting someone poke his eye out would be an awesome experience. He didn't think Cas believed him for a second, though.
"Usually, hugging is good when someone hasn't seen the other in a long time, wants to make sure they are well. Whatever. Or to tell the other they forgive them, or reassure. Help them get over pain. It helps, I guess. Look, it's... people need body-contact. It's a fact. Babies get sick if they aren't cuddled, you can ask that man in the TV. It's just that not everyone likes it everywhere and some people are seriously screwed and just can't accept it" he shrugged again "No big deal."
"I see." Dean nodded once, turned around to get rid of the terrible coffee and opened the coffee-maker to see if something had died in the water-tank. He didn't hear Cas standing from the chair, or coming closer. So it wasn’t his fault he squeaked when suddenly two arms grabbed him and squeezed him from behind.
"Fuck, CAS!" He was released at once. When he twisted, furious, the angel looked so forlorn, Dean felt like he just kicked the puppy.
"Did you lie to me, Dean? Were you telling me that to make fun of me?"
"What? NO!" the hunter forced his muscles to relax. Hard work. "Look... You can't just.. you can't just embrace people from behind. Seriously, that shit can get you killed." Castiel seemed to teeter between angry betrayal and curiosity, and Dean had a feeling where this would lead. He released a lot of air from his lungs.
"Is it that important?" No answer. "Fine. Ok. I can... Comere" he waved the man closer. "Come, I won't bite." Reluctantly, Castiel took a step, still a foot or so away.
"Good. See, I was surprised. Normal people don't surprise-hug someone who isn't expecting it. You remember the talk about personal space we had?" He shudderd at the memory of reaching for a towel from inside the shower and suddenly standing in front of a fully-clothed (thank GOD!) Castiel in the shower-stall. That had been... unpleasant.
Cas nodded.
"Good. Ok. I'm not going to tell you all about this and when it's ok to hug and... just, watch more TV for that. But... " he grabbed Castiel at his shoulders and pulled him closer, closing his arms around the man. It was different than hugging Sam (and he couldn't even remember when he had done that the last time), the angel was a lot smaller. He just held on, waited until the muscles relaxed under his embrace, waited until he felt the reluctant arms of his friend return the hug.
"That's right" Dean whispered, just to say something. He felt the angel melt into this, felt him sagging a bit and he did what he'd always done when someone dropped.
He caught.
When he thought Cas got the hang of it, he relaxed his embrace, preparing to let go. Castiel didn't.
"Dude?"
Nothing.
"Cas?"
"Be quiet."
"Cas, come on. You still not get it?" Suddenly, he got pushed back a little. Not far, though, and the hard grip on his shoulders remained.
"Yes, Dean. I fully understand it. Thank you for showing me."
"Good. Uhm, you can let go now?"
"No." and he was pulled in again.
"No, Dean. I want to reciprocate. You are still tense."
"Aw, fuck, come on. I'm good." But he allowed to be pulled a little closer. Maybe that's why he heard the whisper close to his ear and maybe that whisper was why he let his guards down, for a second, let his head drop to the shoulders underneath. Maybe that's the reason for sagging a little, giving up a little of that heaviness in his heart, only for a moment, just for a bit. He'd take it back right after. But for that moment, he thought, he could let it go. Just for a second.
"Yes, Dean. That you are."
~fin~
Author: marlowe78
Rating: R
Genre: gen, hurt/comfort
Characters: Dean, Castiel, gen
Word count: ~1.289
Spoilers: a bit for "My bloody Valentine". Set in s5
Warnings: consensual and non-consensual hugging.
Summary: Written for the SPN comment-cuddle-fic meme, for the prompt: Cas wants to know why humans hug. One of the boys (your choice) explains and demonstrates. Prefer gen, but whatever. by wave_obscura
Disclaimer: I very much lament that none of the Winchesters and their lifestyle are based on my creativity. I borrowed them for my own, cruel and delightful pleasures, for which, I'm sad to say, I don't get paid.
"Excuse me?" Dean twisted around to look at the angel on the chair behind him. Had he heard right?
"Why are humans embracing each other, when they are no Cupid and do not engage in sexual intercourse."
"Cas, what did you smoke, dude?" At his friends puzzled look, he sighed. "Are you seriously thinking people hug because they want to say hello?"
"They don't?"
"Well... yes, sometimes. I mean... in France, they even kiss..." Dean stopped to remember Clarice, or Claire, or whatever she was called. French girls are aweseome "...but that's not the point."
"Not?"
"No. Most people hug because - uh, well, because they like each other."
"Why? It makes them uncomfortable. Why would you want to make someone you like uncomfortable?"
"It doesn't make you uncomfortable. Jesus, why would you think that?"
"Is it not a sign of discomfort to stiffen your muscles and scrunch up your face?" Cas frowned, the way he does. And he did that head-thing, where he looks like a bird eyeing a particularly fascinating caterpillar.
"Uh...I guess?"
"I've seen you react that way to being embraced. Was my perception not correct?"
"Uhm... yeah, no. I mean..." Dean scratched his neck.
"And after any embrace, you do this too."
"Do what when?"
"Scratch your neck. I've heard dogs scratch themselves when they don't know what to do, and people supposedly do this when they feel uncomfortable."
"Dude, where did you get that from. And I'm not a dog." Dean added as an afterthought.
"The man in the television said so."
"Cas, stop watching daytime-TV. It melts your brain." He turned around, going for Bobby's coffee-machine.
"So this ... hugging - why would anyone want to make others feel uncomfortable as a greeting?"
"Cas! What the hell are you… ?" Dean turned and looked at the angel, but there was nothing to indicate that he was doing this to annoy him. There usually wasn't, and he remembered that Castiel never actually got to get laid, not if he didn't try to pick up somebody while no-one was looking.
Somehow, he couldn't see that happening. So how should he know about the fantastic abilities of human touch? He sighed, rubbed his neck before stopping and balling his hands at his sides. He needed to watch his body-language better, apparently he's slipping.
"Look, that whole uncomfortable-crap, that's just me. Ok? Normal people like hugs. Sam likes hugs."
"Really?"
"Yes" he hoped that's it and Castiel wouldn't ask why he was different than others on that subject. Hoped he’d go to Sam and bother him about this crap. He peered at the dark-haired man out of the corned of his eyes. The angel was again doing that head-thing. If he were a puppy, he would look cute.
"Why do people like it?"
Dean muttered under his breath, took a sip of the hot, bitter coffee. The machine needed to be cleaned.
"It just...releases tension, I guess. I'm no expert. It just makes them feel better."
"But not you."
"Yes, no. Sometimes. Yeah... well, it does. Just... it's complicated." Castiel looked at him a second, then understanding spread over his face. Dean was pretty sure the guy was on the wrong track, but whatever. He noticed the angel scrunch his brows again.
"I've never witnessed you loosing tension in an embrace."
"You didn't 'witness' the right hugs, then." And he remembered that day, when Sam was standing in that awful hut in Cold Oak, or when Sam jumped at him after all those Tuesdays in Florida. Or after he came back from... away. Remembered countless girls he’d hugged, soft and curvy and warm and alive, smelling good and safe and like a fucking holiday from work. Cassie was a cuddler, and he’d liked it.
He was very glad that no-one 'witnessed' those, except the participants. Shrugged.
"I'm a little screwed up. But hugs are pretty good, at the right time." Castiel looked so doubtful it was nearly funny. Like he just told him letting someone poke his eye out would be an awesome experience. He didn't think Cas believed him for a second, though.
"Usually, hugging is good when someone hasn't seen the other in a long time, wants to make sure they are well. Whatever. Or to tell the other they forgive them, or reassure. Help them get over pain. It helps, I guess. Look, it's... people need body-contact. It's a fact. Babies get sick if they aren't cuddled, you can ask that man in the TV. It's just that not everyone likes it everywhere and some people are seriously screwed and just can't accept it" he shrugged again "No big deal."
"I see." Dean nodded once, turned around to get rid of the terrible coffee and opened the coffee-maker to see if something had died in the water-tank. He didn't hear Cas standing from the chair, or coming closer. So it wasn’t his fault he squeaked when suddenly two arms grabbed him and squeezed him from behind.
"Fuck, CAS!" He was released at once. When he twisted, furious, the angel looked so forlorn, Dean felt like he just kicked the puppy.
"Did you lie to me, Dean? Were you telling me that to make fun of me?"
"What? NO!" the hunter forced his muscles to relax. Hard work. "Look... You can't just.. you can't just embrace people from behind. Seriously, that shit can get you killed." Castiel seemed to teeter between angry betrayal and curiosity, and Dean had a feeling where this would lead. He released a lot of air from his lungs.
"Is it that important?" No answer. "Fine. Ok. I can... Comere" he waved the man closer. "Come, I won't bite." Reluctantly, Castiel took a step, still a foot or so away.
"Good. See, I was surprised. Normal people don't surprise-hug someone who isn't expecting it. You remember the talk about personal space we had?" He shudderd at the memory of reaching for a towel from inside the shower and suddenly standing in front of a fully-clothed (thank GOD!) Castiel in the shower-stall. That had been... unpleasant.
Cas nodded.
"Good. Ok. I'm not going to tell you all about this and when it's ok to hug and... just, watch more TV for that. But... " he grabbed Castiel at his shoulders and pulled him closer, closing his arms around the man. It was different than hugging Sam (and he couldn't even remember when he had done that the last time), the angel was a lot smaller. He just held on, waited until the muscles relaxed under his embrace, waited until he felt the reluctant arms of his friend return the hug.
"That's right" Dean whispered, just to say something. He felt the angel melt into this, felt him sagging a bit and he did what he'd always done when someone dropped.
He caught.
When he thought Cas got the hang of it, he relaxed his embrace, preparing to let go. Castiel didn't.
"Dude?"
Nothing.
"Cas?"
"Be quiet."
"Cas, come on. You still not get it?" Suddenly, he got pushed back a little. Not far, though, and the hard grip on his shoulders remained.
"Yes, Dean. I fully understand it. Thank you for showing me."
"Good. Uhm, you can let go now?"
"No." and he was pulled in again.
"No, Dean. I want to reciprocate. You are still tense."
"Aw, fuck, come on. I'm good." But he allowed to be pulled a little closer. Maybe that's why he heard the whisper close to his ear and maybe that whisper was why he let his guards down, for a second, let his head drop to the shoulders underneath. Maybe that's the reason for sagging a little, giving up a little of that heaviness in his heart, only for a moment, just for a bit. He'd take it back right after. But for that moment, he thought, he could let it go. Just for a second.
"Yes, Dean. That you are."
~fin~