WOTR | Book 2 Part II
War Of The Regions:
Book 2 Part II
Masterpost
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The following morning, they all sleep in until lunchtime. It’s the first time they’ve had a chance to properly rest, and Dean feels more refreshed than he has in a very long time. He wakes Sam up and makes him drink some water and eat, and Sam then sleeps again. He’s not sure what to think of it or even how to help. He’s not a doctor. He doesn’t understand how bodies work, and it makes him feel on edge.
Andy leaves after lunch to collect some wood for a fire, and Cas re-fills the water at the stream. Dean stays with Sam and tries to get him to eat more. By late-afternoon, Dean decides he can’t leave Sam like this any longer, and he heads out into the village to search for some medicine or a nicer bed for Sam to sleep in.
He knocks on doors, gets turned away, gets sympathetic glances but no offers. By sunset he’s feeling more desperate. He’s trying the inhabitants of a small cottage, when he hears footsteps behind him.
“And who might you be?” a voice says, and Dean turns to see a woman, smiling warmly at him as she walks along the chalky path that passes alongside the cottages.
“Dean,” he says, walking down the small path towards her. “I’m looking for some medicine.”
The woman looks him over and shakes her head. “You look exhausted. Lord knows I can’t let you stay out here the night. Are you sick?”
“It’s for my brother, Sam. I came here yesterday with him and a friend. Sam’s pretty ill.”
“Do you know how to chop wood, Dean?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She looks over him again and sighs. “I’ll tell you what, boy. You help me tomorrow mornin’ chop some wood and I’ll let you stay the night. Get you fed and help your brother.”
Dean looks at her astonished and nods his head. “Yeah, yes. Thanks. That would be great.”
“Come on then, let’s go get your brother and friend and we’ll go to my home.”
Dean leads her to Andy’s, and she waits outside while he enters. He sees Andy sitting on the floor chatting with Cas.
“Any luck?” Cas asks, as he walks in the room.
“Yeah, actually,” Dean replies, picking up his bag and leaning it beside the door. “We’ve got some good luck.”
Sam is sleeping in the same place he’s been all day, and Dean walks over to him to gently shake his shoulders.
We’re leaving, he signs, and Sam blinks up at him, confused. To someplace better. For you.
Sam stands up and picks up the blankets that were beneath him without questioning what Dean is telling him.
“Listen, man, thanks for last night,” Dean says, turning to Andy. “There’s someone who’s going to help Sam though, so we’re moving on.” He pauses, gives a small smile, and says, “If you know, that’s okay.”
Andy smiles at him and shrugs his shoulders, and Cas stands up behind him to pack the bags. “Just come by whenever you want.”
“Thanks, Andy,” he says, and squeezes his shoulder gently before picking up his bag and slipping it over his shoulder. Sam and Cas say their goodbyes and they walk out into the village to where the woman is waiting.
When she sees them she looks them over and smiles. “Come on then, boys, let’s go.”
She turns around and walks through the village. They pass small stalls that are being closed for the night, and a few children who are sitting in a circle on the grass with daisy chains. “I got your name,” she says, looking over her shoulder. She looks at Sam and smiles. “What’s your name, child?”
“Sam. That’s Sam,” Dean says, offering him a smile. Sam smiles weakly back. “And that’s Cas,” Dean says, nodding towards him.
“Nice to meet you, ma’am,” Cas says, nodding at her.
She chuckles and turns around. “Name’s Missouri. You boys come inside now and make yourselves at home.”
“Thank you,” Cas says, as they enter. Sam looks like he’s about to drop and Dean puts a hand on his back.
“Missouri? Is it alright for Sam to sleep somewhere?”
“Of course! You come right over here,” Missouri says, and Sam spares a glance at Dean as if seeking reassurance.
Go sleep, he says, and Sam smiles before following her. Missouri looks over with interest and puts an arm around his shoulder. “We’ll get you a bed and I’ll make up some herbal medicine, you’ll be as good as new.”
They leave through door at the end of the living room and Dean and Cas are left standing alone. The room has one threadbare sofa and a wobbly wooden table with one chair. Cas looks around and puts his bag down on the floor, and Dean does the same, pushing it out of the way. Missouri comes back in and shuts the door behind her.
“Sweet boy,” she says, walking over to the table. “But he told me he can’t hear. Is that right?”
“Yeah,” Dean says, letting his bags fall down to the ground next to Cas’.
“What a shame,” Missouri says, lighting a candle. “I’ll see what I have to make something to help with the fever.”
“Thank you,” Dean says, running a hand over the back of his neck. “Really.”
“We’ve got to look out for each other now, don’t we?” She smiles at them and lights another candle, and Cas nods at her as if agreeing.
Dean steps forward and takes a deep breath. “Missouri? Do you know if anyone named John has arrived here? John Winchester?”
She turns around and smiles sadly at him. “No, I can’t say I do.”
“What about a Bobby Singer or Ellen or Jo Harvelle?”
“Or a Gabriel Novak?” Cas asks.
“Child, I might not look it, but I keep my eye out on things around here. I know who comes and who goes. I’m sorry but I can’t say I know any of those names.”
“Okay. Okay, thanks.” Dean shifts awkwardly and looks towards Cas, who is smiling regretfully at him.
Cas puts his hands in his pockets and says, “Thanks anyway. Can we help you with dinner?”
“The fire is outside. We’ll get that going and cook up some rabbit, how does that sound?”
Dean smiles at her, genuine this time. “Rabbit? Hell yeah.”
She chuckles and they follow her out the back. Cas piles up the firewood and Dean helps Missouri light it, until it’s crackling and smoke is rising into the air. Missouri brings out a tin of chopped rabbit and they stick pieces on thin metal spears to cook in the fire.
“Let’s get started cookin’ boys.”
That evening they all sit around the fire and eat meat for the first time in too long. Sam looks better once he’s rested and fed, and falls asleep again once the sun has set, and Dean is left next to Cas, feeling inexplicably nervous. He glances towards the window where he sees Missouri moving inside, her shadow flickering in the candlelight.
He’s not sure what to say now that they’re alone and they’re here. Finally in a safe place to rest. It feels so long ago that they kissed in the middle of the woods, and Dean’s not sure how to rekindle that, but he wants to. The desire to press himself against Cas is both terrifying and electrifying at the same time.
Cas is staring at him and Dean shifts on the ground under his intense gaze, but he doesn’t look away. “You okay, Cas?” he asks quietly.
“I’m fine, Dean,” he answers, moving closer. “You did it. You got us here.”
Dean raises an eyebrow. “Are you kidding? We got us here. I wouldn’t have been able to if... you know.” He knocks their shoulders together lightly and Cas smiles at him. “If it wasn’t for you, I mean.”
Cas continues to stare at him and Dean moves their hands closer until his is resting on top of Cas’ on the cool ground. Cas moves his fingers and they lace them together, and Dean gives them a small squeeze. This isn’t something Dean has done a lot of; small touches, the grazing of skin and quick kisses. It’s all been bashful and rugged and sloppy and hard. With Cas it’s all grace and something building and gradually growing between them. It’s powerful and it’s safe.
The atmosphere between them feels lighter than the night before at Andy’s, and Dean can feel himself relaxing. He looks towards Cas and smiles, and Cas returns it, dopey and sweet.
It’s not something he consciously decides, but when he closes the distance and their lips are touching there’s not a lot else other than their kissing that Dean is aware of. He brings a hand up to rest against the back of Cas’ neck and pulls him gently closer, and Cas slowly parts his lips. Dean takes the invitation to dart his tongue inside. Their kissing is relaxed and warm and slick.
Cas smells of nature and warmth and fresh earth, and it’s intoxicating and safe and a little overwhelming. Cas’ hand comes up to rest on Dean’s cheek. His touch is soft and it makes Dean shiver and lean closer towards him.
Cas pulls back an inch to look into Dean’s eyes and Dean squeezes their hands that are still linked together. For the first time in a long time, he isn’t fearful of what’s going to happen in the morning. He doesn’t have to worry about anything, not for the moment. He’s with Cas, and Cas feels like home.
Dean leans forward again and traces his tongue over Cas’ bottom lip, and Cas’ mouth opens willingly. They lick out each other’s mouths and Dean kisses along his jawline and down to his collarbone, until they’re practically lying on top of each other on the grass. Cas brings his arms around Dean, pulling him closer, and Dean can’t move anywhere other than forward again to kiss Cas’ lips.
This feels so much more different than anything Dean has done before. He’s kissed girls, but it’s never felt like the main event. It’s never felt like something he could enjoy doing for hours, and it never felt enough. But this feels like something so huge it’s almost overwhelming.
He can feel himself already getting hard, and there’s a crushing, hot need to rid himself of his clothes, to strip Cas of his, and to press them against each other, skin against skin. He moves his hips in a slow rhythm that Cas meets him with an upward thrust each time he presses down, and it makes something like anticipation rise all the way through him. He wants more of this, he wants all of it. He wants to make Cas writhe in pleasure, and kiss him as he comes down.
They continue to move against each other, still fully clothed, but Dean doesn’t want to waste any time pulling away, and it’s not long before the pleasure is getting so intense his hips lose all rhythm, and he’s coming against himself, Cas not long after, and they lay there panting together in the long grass.
Dean rolls off of Cas and lands beside him, and Cas turns, giving him a small smile in the darkness.
“Shit,” Dean says, and then can’t help but laugh. “We were probably too loud.”
“I’m sure Sam didn’t mind,” Cas says, shifting farther towards him.
Dean snorts and rolls his eyes. “No, probably not. Missouri, though?”
“I’m sure she won’t bring this up in conversation,” Cas says, incredibly serious, and Dean leans forward to kiss his nose. The move shocks him, and he pulls back, feeling embarrassed at such a tender gesture.
“No, I guess not,” he mumbles. They continue lying there until Dean can’t take the feeling of cooling come on his stomach, and they get up and quietly walk inside. Dean walks into the bathroom and uses cool water to wash himself down, before passing Cas on the way to his bedroom and feeling himself smile and redden just from seeing him again.
Sam is snoring when he gets into bed, and Dean falls asleep feeling happy and sated for the first time in weeks.
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