Fic: Prisoner of Love (16/?)
MASTERPOST / AO3
Chapter Summary: Castiel doesn't have a choice. His chance to prove himself comes, tonight.
A/N: Thank you for your reviews and replies. It was an 'enlightening' read. To answer a guest's question, yes, HEA is on the way.
~:~:~
"Dean, calm down."
The younger Winchester rubbed his face hard while his other hand held on to the steering wheel, his frustration full to the brim. They were driving back from Castiel's cabin home to the airport. Jo had the phone in the air between them. Dean's voice shot loud and clear through the speaker.
Sam was getting tired of this. It must be the tenth time that day that he said those words to his brother. Dean wouldn't stop being restless, even after Sam assured him that they would come up with something within Dean's two weeks' notice, before Dean could be transferred to another facility.
"Don't you fucking dare tell me to calm down, Sam!" Dean practically yelled into the phone. Sam could hear his brother shake with frantic fury. "Thanks to your half-ass job, Crowley is pissed. He is moving Cas to another cell!"
"Then do something about it!" Jo shot back, having had enough. She had been with her boyfriend the whole time he had worked his ass off trying his damn best to save his brother. Dean had no right to come down on him.
"Shut up, Jo. I'm not talking to you," Dean snapped. Since the incident that had put Dean in incarceration, he had been holding his grudge against Ellen, blaming her for an assignment gone wrong and a glitch she had no control over. Most of the time, it passed on to her daughter, as well.
"What I'm trying to say is," Jo said, collecting herself, sensing Sam tensed up beside her at their little quarrel. "You know, well in advance, which cell Castiel would be sent to. You could handle his new cellmate; send him to the infirmary or solitary. Your choice. Just don't kill him and you'll be fine."
There was silence from the other end of the line. This was so unlike Dean, Sam thought to himself as he kept his eyes on the road. The hot-headed Dean that Sam knew would come up with this solution, plus hundred others, very easily.
"Crowley will just move him to another cell. I can't keep doing this forever," Dean mumbled, resignation apparent in his voice.
"It won't be forever, Dean," Jo offered. "The next person unfortunate enough to be assigned as Castiel's new cellmate will come begging you to swap cells with him."
That sounded like a good plan, even for Sam. He knew his brother survived the pen this far partly because of his close combat skills. He had never been more grateful to endless hours of excruciating fighting lessons Bobby had put them through when they were young.
"I can't do this," Dean said with finality which had Sam and Jo taken aback. "Get the transfer order back, Sam. I'm moving out today. I'm taking Cas with me."
"We can't, Dean!" Sam wailed into the phone wearily. "I told you Castiel is beyond our reach."
"Then DO SOMETHING!"
Both people in the car let out a long, silent sigh; simultaneously turning their heads away from the phone as if Dean could see their tedium. Sam fought the urge to say 'calm down' one more time, knowing full well it didn't affect his brother in the slightest bit.
"Did you do what I told you to?" Sam changed the subject. "Did you ask him?"
"Yes, I did and he won't leave," Dean replied flatly as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Fuck it, Sam. I don't care where I am. Crowley has to go."
"Not on the phone, Dean!"
"If Cas stays, he leaves," Dean continued, heedless of his brother's warning. "You run the case. Bring that son of a bitch down - or I will."
"Dean!"
But Dean was already gone. The silence over the phone was replaced with a rhythmic beep-beep-beep of a line hung up.
Sam pulled the car off the road, stomping on the brake pedal. It came to a jerky stop. "Fuck," he cursed in irritation, hitting the steering wheel for good measure. When would his brother at least be half as compliant as Sam had hoped him to be? That Castiel guy was also no different.
All of a sudden, Sam made a sharp U-turn. He had a better idea.
~:~:~
Dean had made up his mind. Two could play the game. If that toady warden wanted to get back at him, then Dean could do the same, if not worse. Fuck what he had promised Cas.
As he neared the common area, he could hear loud cheering from within. Dean dismissed it as another game of poker. That was, until he heard Castiel's name.
"Come on, cabrones!" Dean saw red hearing the familiar Mexican accent. "Give me all you got and his lovely culo is yours! The highest bidder gets the first night. Well, the first night after me, of course. Seriously, Parker? Two stamps? By the time your turn comes, he'll be so lose; you can shove your arm up his ass."
"What the fuck are you doing?" Dean roared. The snickering died down as soon as he burst through the door, the air thick and sickening. He made a quick scan of the room while marching to where twelve inmates gathered around Cas' cellmate-to-be. There were four guards in the corners and seven other inmates scattered around the hall. After the incident with Lucifer, Dean couldn't know for certain who would back him up. He was, undoubtedly, outnumbered.
"I'm whoring out my new cellmate, Dean," Cortez taunted. "If you want to join the queue-"
The heel of Dean's hand hit the Mexican inmate's face before he even knew it. Cortez's head tilted backwards, crimson liquid dripping from his lips. The sight stirred a vicious urge inside Dean: one that was both deadly to himself and fatal to others. At that moment, all Dean could see was images of a bloody Castiel, and violence was the only way to get rid of them.
"Dean, stop it!"
A familiar voice halted Dean from further assaults, before all hell could break loose. "Cas?" Dean cried with a frown, still unbelieving his own eyes. "What are you doing here?"
"I was discharged," Castiel replied calmly, as if there wasn't going to be a fight at all. He elaborated with a sigh when Dean still held a bemused look on his face. "Dr. Sebastian had to let me go. There was an order."
"Hell yeah," somebody scoffed from behind them. "The first queue is tonight."
Suddenly Dean remembered where he was and why he was there. Enraged, he charged towards the insolent inmate, only to be blocked by none other than the object of their victimization.
"Let me go, Cas! I'm going to kill them. All of them!" Dean bellowed over Cas' shoulders. He tried to shove pass his cellmate, but the man had more brawn than Dean gave him credit for.
"Dean, you promised me."
"Get out of my way! You saw what they're going to do to you!"
"You promised me!"
They stared at each other, heaving from the push and shove and shouting. Dean was still furious, but Cas had the determination of a bulldog. His usual bright eyes hardened and Dean found himself wavering under his domineering demeanor.
"Told you Dean is a bottom," somebody snickered.
Dean's body moved of its own accord, and Cas let him go this time. The mouthy prisoner got a knock-out punch in the jaw before Cas stepped between them again, a hard glare back on his face. Dean grabbed Cas by the shirt and Cas let himself be dragged out of the room.
Castiel was thrown into their cell. He swayed a little, then Dean's arms were around him and his face was hidden at the crook of Cas' neck. Dean was practically shaking and his hold around Cas became tighter by the second.
"Dean," Cas wrapped his arms around Dean, rubbing soothing strokes along his back. He knew this stance all too well. Dean was scared, and all Cas wanted to do was comfort him. "Dean, I'm alright."
Dean shook his head wildly against Cas' shoulder, refusing to accept the words of consolation. No, they were not alright. They were losing this fight and there was nothing Dean could do about it. Cas was going to get hurt, again, and again, and again, all because of him.
"I'm sorry I can't keep you safe," Dean mumbled through his snotty nose. "I tried. God knows I tried, so hard."
Cas pulled Dean up to meet his eyes. Dean's face was wet with tears, his nose swollen and reddish. He looked away self-consciously. Cas found the sight endearing, if anything.
He would have been scared, too, a hundred times more than Dean was right now, but Gabriel had found him before he could be discharged from the infirmary. His teacher said that, sooner or later, Castiel would have to make it known to everyone that he was not an easy target, for his own safety and for Dean's sake. Cas didn't have a choice, though; the chance to prove himself came, tonight.
"It's not your job to save me, Dean. I can take care of myself. Isn't that what you've been trying to teach me?" he crooned.
Dean shook his head, still refusing to be salved or meet Cas' gaze. "I'm nothing if I can't save you."
"Dean" Cas narrowed his eyes. A realization dawned on him. "You think I am with you because I want your protection?"
Dean ducked his head lower and pursed his lips. That was all the answer Cas needed. A loving smile curled up on his face. After all this time, Dean still did not realize that Cas never wanted Dean's physical protection. Dean himself was the only force Cas needed, to fight off his night terrors, and now, his daytime enemies.
Cas cupped Dean's face and looked him in the eyes. "You are my strength, Dean," he said firmly. "Now let me be yours."
Before Dean knew it, Cas let go of him and strode out of their cell. Dean froze in shock before he gathered himself and ran out in time to see Cas wander around among other inmates, who scattered about the hallway.
"Cas!" he called. Castiel turned around at his voice, a playful grin on his face as he strolled backwards, further away from him. Something in Cas' eyes told Dean to stand there, and watch. Dean's feet stopped short. He noticed Cas had his pants a little lower than usual, exposing a little too much of his skin, having Dean fear for the worst.
Sure enough, somebody grabbed a handful of his ass.
Cas seized the perpetrator's wrist just as swiftly. He turned, twisted and locked the arm, his elbow anchoring on the side of the guy's neck. Cas kneed him once, twice. The man doubled over with a grunt. He then yanked him face down to the floor, throwing his weight on him. The guy's arm was bent and twisted backwards when Cas' other hand took a hold of his palm and snapped it. The sound of a broken joint was deafened by a howl of pain.
Dean rushed to the scene. "Cas!"
"Next time you even think of touching me," Castiel growled over the scream, loud enough for everyone to hear. "Prepare to get a few bones broken."
Dean hauled Cas to his feet and quickly pulled him back into their cell. Everyone was shell-shocked; the only sound that could be heard was the yowling from the guy dumb enough to lay his hand on the blue-eyed inmate.
Dean was about to give Cas an earful when he noticed the other man was shaking. It was only then that he realized how scared Cas must be, doing something he was unacquainted with. Cas did not do it just because he could, but he did it to prove his point.
Dean pulled him into his arms, hoping the tight embrace would help Cas regain his nerve.
"You did great, Cas," he gave him reassuring words. "I'm very proud of you."
Cas was still pretty shaken up by the whole incident. It didn't matter how good a fighter he was. He would never get used to inflicting physical injuries on other people, even if it was a necessity.
"I hurt him," he wheezed, leaning more into Dean's warm and secure embrace.
"He'll live," Dean gave a nonchalant reply, squeezing him one more time before placing Cas on a rung of the ladder that led to the upper bed. Cas sat a little above Dean's eye-level.
Dean leaned in to graze the back of his fingers along Cas' stubble, a proud smug on his face. "Besides, I don't think anyone will dare come near you again now. You were pretty badass."
"I was?" Cas blushed with a timid smile.
"Yeah, badass," Dean grinned, pecking him on the lips, "and hot."
They kissed each other's smiles, once, twice, before Cas threw his arms around Dean, pulling him close, deepening the kiss. It still surprised him how trembling his body had been. Giving out a punishment that didn't fit the crime wasn't something he would do, had he been in a different setting. But it had to be done, and he did it, and Dean was proud of him.
Dean ravaged Cas with hungry lips and a needy tongue, something he couldn't help himself if he wanted to. The sight of a BAMF Cas knocked his socks off, so much so that it turned him on. It was both graceful and arousing, how Cas could take another guy out in one swift motion. Maybe Dean liked his man a little rough, a little clingy, a bit of a tease, and a dork, coming close to a heavenly being.
By the time they were panting for air, Dean already sported a hard-on. He hoped Cas did not notice it, but it was almost impossible to hide under the thin fabric of his pants. Dean tried to think of something repulsive, and Crowley's vomit-inducing face popped up in his mind.
"God," Dean groaned, suddenly remembering there were more important things that needed to be taken care of. "I have to go check who are the guards on duty tonight, see if I can bribe any of them to let you stay with me."
"Dean, don't." Cas stopped him before Dean could turned away. "Gabriel and I have a plan."
~:~:~
It was another night Chuck knew he wouldn't get his sleep. Despite the fact that Castiel scared everyone off by showing how easily he could break a bone, and as a result everyone who had queued up sharing the cell with him had bailed, Castiel was still not in Dean's cell. Worse still, Cortez, Castiel's new cellmate, was even more pissed because it meant his source of enormous income was completely demolished.
Chuck lied awake in the dark, awaiting the inevitable scream and yelling and growling of menace that still hadn't come. All he heard so far, besides the usual snores, were grunts and thuds that he couldn't make out what they were from. He was beginning to think that he might be wrong, for once, that Castiel and Cortez were now best buds who slept peacefully in their respective beds. It was then that he heard a voice, barely audible. Castiel was calling Dean's name.
"Cas?" Dean's voice was a little louder than Castiel's when he replied. If anyone missed Cas' voice earlier, they wouldn't miss Dean's. "Baby, are you alright?"
"Yes, yes, I'm fine."
Cas' voice level now matched Dean's. Chuck quietly sighed in relief. They weren't shouting, so his friend might actually be fine.
"But Cortez might not."
A gasp escaped the psychic's lips. This was not good.
"What? Cas?" Dean's voice was dripping with worry. "What did he do to you?"
"I, uh… I… He…" Castiel stuttered. Then he took a deep breath, and blurted, "He jumped me. I just defended myself, Dean. I locked his throat, and, next thing I know, he is not breathing."
Dean sighed long and hard. "God, Cas, how long hasn't he been breathing?"
"I… I don't know. Five minutes? Maybe ten?" The light footsteps suggested Castiel was pacing in anxiety. "I think he's dead."
Chuck's hands flew to cover his mouth. His heart raced, horror-struck. Finally the thing he dreaded most was here: a death in the house.
"Fuck," Dean cussed. "Fuck!"
Fuck indeed.
"I'm sorry, Dean," Cas cried, panic-ridden in his voice. "I didn't know humans could be so fragile. I barely exerted myself and he was already dead. He didn't even struggle!"
The scrawny inmate shuddered. Castiel talked as if a human being was nothing but an insect that he could hold captive and snatch their lives away with two fingers. Perhaps Chuck had underestimated the complication of his so-called vision. Castiel wouldn't be able to tear this place down if he wasn't capable of taking a life or two, after all.
"Put him on his bed," Dean said after a while. "In the morning, just tell the guards that he slept and never wakes up."
There was only silence after Dean's instruction ended. Chuck strained his ears to hear the tiniest of sound he might be missing, but there was nothing. He guessed everyone was doing the same thing he did: listening in to Dean and Castiel's conversation.
"Cas?"
"Yes, Dean."
"Do as I said. I got this, okay? Don't worry."
"Dean!" Cas protested. "I just killed a man. I can't get away with murder."
Oh, yes, Dean could. Dean killed Alastair and still walked, a known fact that half the prison population had already forgotten and the other half was grateful for.
"I can, Cas," Dean said solemnly. "So could you."
~:~:~
Dean sprinted to Cas' cell as soon as the morning alarm blared and cell gates were open. At the sound of his voice, Cas whipped his head around and ran into his arms. He was trembling. "You alright?" Dean asked while checking for any possible injuries.
Cas simply nodded and snuggled close against Dean, as if to absorb his strength. Some of the inmates threw questioning glances at the two grown men holding on to each other in public, but Dean just glowered at them.
"I'm fine," Cas said at last, giving Dean much-needed relief.
In front of Castiel's new cell, inmates started to crowd. Most of them came to see if his cellmate was really dead. What they discovered, however, was a Ricky Cortez, who was tied by hands and feet to the metal gate, sprawled out, naked.
The Mexican inmate had attacked him as soon as the lights went out and guards retired from their posts in the premises. Castiel had knocked him out smoothly, knowing what was to be expected. He gave him sedatives that Gabriel had stolen from Dr. Sebastian's office, which had put him out through the night. The conversation was Dean's idea, to signal to everyone not to mess with them.
Getting Cortez on the gate was a bitch, tough, as he weighed a ton. Cas had gagged him to prevent him from drawing unnecessarily attention. He had to display his handiwork first; else their effort would be pointless. It seemed to get the desired effect. Right now some dauntless inmates were toying with Cortez's soft dick that hung defenseless in his groin.
"Get the fuck off me!" Cortez screamed his threat after someone removed the gag, but it dripped with so much fear that it only incited more touches from more inmates, who seemed to be overjoyed at the opportunity. The last thing Dean saw was someone poking an unidentified object up his ass. Cortez squealed in agony. Dean turned his attention back to the man in front of him.
"You didn't sleep, did you?" Dean asked, cradling the sides of Cas' face. Cas had bags under his eyes and looked like he would pass out any minute.
Castiel shook his head. Even though he had executed their plan perfectly, it didn't stop him from being on edge. The fear that gripped his heart had kept him wide awake. All he could think of was he wanted to get the hell out of there, and be with Dean.
"Let's get you some shuteye, then," Dean said, pulling Cas away from the scene as prison guards came running in, blowing whistles in an attempt to restore order of the place.
~:~:~
Dean pushed open the door to Dr. Sebastian's office, dragging a tired-looking Cas with him. "Can he crash here for a few hours, please? He didn't sleep at all last night."
"Get him on the bed," Balthazar quickly commanded. He knew Castiel was sent to a new cell last night. Although he disagreed with the order, there was nothing he could do about it. So this morning, he kind of prepared for the worst. "What happened to him?" he asked while giving Castiel a once-over.
"Nothing," Dean quickly replied. "He knocked the guy out, but he was too scared to rest." Cas looked up at him from the bed with a thankful expression, reaching out his hand to Dean's and clasped it. "This is the safest place I know, Doc," Dean continued. "Let him stay, please?"
There was no serious injury on Castiel, only that he looked extremely exhausted, adrenaline draining from him once he was within the safe confines that was Dean Winchester.
"Alright," the doctor resolved. Castiel was his patient, nonetheless. "But you can't stay, Dean."
Dean nodded. It was better for Cas, anyway. If Dean stayed, more trouble might entail.
But Cas held on to Dean's hand tighter. "Can he stay," he rasped, "until I fall asleep, please?"
Balthazar looked between the two. Castiel had his best puppy dog eyes on, Dean trying to match him. "Fine," he said with a sigh, wondering who could say no to them.
Once they were alone, Dean sat on the chair by the bed. Cas curled into a fetal position, keeping Dean's hand between the side of his face and the pillow. A warm smile pulled up his cheek, curbing it against Dean's palm.
"How did I do?" he asked with a giddy enthusiasm of a tired out child, waiting for a commendation from his parents after a long day.
"You were awesome," Dean affirmed in kind, his free hand stroking the soft, unruly brown hair he had come to love.
"So I'm not your weakness anymore," Cas mumbled feebly as his breath evened out and he fell into a restful sleep, Dean's gentle caresses his sweet lullaby.
Dean let a couple of tears run down his face. The weakness was him, who couldn't save the only one he needed to save. Him, who couldn't, for the life of him, keep his feelings under lock and key. Instead, he exposed them, laid them out in the open, making himself and the person he cared vulnerable. Dean was so weak that Cas had to step out of his comfort zone and fight for the one thing Dean should be able to defend by himself. Cas stood up for them, and, in turn, gave him strength.
"Thank you, love," Dean breathed as his lips pressed tenderly against Cas' temple; droplets of tears disappeared into Cas' ruffled hair.
~:~:~
Castiel had only a few hours of sleep, before lunchtime rolled around and Dr. Sebastian gently told him he had to be discharged. He didn't want to officially register Castiel and risk riling the-powers-that-be in the process. As a result, the doctor could not place an order for his patient's meal. However, Castiel was welcome to come back after lunch if that was what he preferred.
A prison guard led Castiel out of the infirmary. He kept his gaze down the whole way, watching but not seeing as one foot stepped in front of the other along the cream-colored tiled floor. He didn't notice when the turns were wrong until eventually he was met with the one person he dreaded.
"Hello, Castiel" A creepily familiar voice snapped Castiel back to where he was.
"Lucifer-" Castiel gasped. His throat went parched as his heartbeat sped up in his chest. He tried to mask the fright that was draining blood from his face and shutting down his brain, all to no avail. His legs refused to function, but when Lucifer crept into his personal space, he drew back until he hit the wall.
"I miss you so bad," Lucifer purred, dragging his forefinger along the side of Castiel's face. Cas knew he should fight back, take him down once and for all. But, face-to-face with the Devil himself, all his courage flew out the window faster than the speed of light. His presence alone made his knees shaky, threatening to give out on him.
Lucifer inched closer to his petrified countenance, inhaling long and deep, Castiel's fear flowery to his senses. "I would take my sweet time with you, angel," he crooned. "Only there is a more pressing matter."
Castiel's breath hitched at the glimpse of hope that he would not be attacked this time. Lucifer smirked knowingly. He demanded, "I hate the hotbox. I want out. Tell Dean not to lay a finger on me, and I'll get you two lovebirds back in the same cage."
"I can't do that," Castiel replied without missing a beat. He had told Dean he would have nothing to do with Lucifer from now on. He intended to keep his promise.
His response got Lucifer to bark an evil laugh. "And here I thought you wanted to spend the rest of your days together! Fuck if I care then. At least I'm sure my sanity will survive the period of two weeks. All I have to do is planning how I'll be enjoying my days and nights with you after that, darling."
Cas' eyebrows knitted into a frown. He had no idea what Lucifer was babbling about. Castiel knew better than to show his confusion, but he was never a good liar to begin with.
"You don't know, do you?" A smirk came back on Lucifer's face. Something that Lucifer knew, and he didn't, was never good. "And I'm telling you this out of the goodness of my own heart. Dean will be transferred to the State Penitentiary in less than two weeks. You can spend the next twelve nights bouncing from cell to cell, or with Dean. The choice is yours."
~:~:~
Chapter Summary: Castiel doesn't have a choice. His chance to prove himself comes, tonight.
A/N: Thank you for your reviews and replies. It was an 'enlightening' read. To answer a guest's question, yes, HEA is on the way.
~:~:~
"Dean, calm down."
The younger Winchester rubbed his face hard while his other hand held on to the steering wheel, his frustration full to the brim. They were driving back from Castiel's cabin home to the airport. Jo had the phone in the air between them. Dean's voice shot loud and clear through the speaker.
Sam was getting tired of this. It must be the tenth time that day that he said those words to his brother. Dean wouldn't stop being restless, even after Sam assured him that they would come up with something within Dean's two weeks' notice, before Dean could be transferred to another facility.
"Don't you fucking dare tell me to calm down, Sam!" Dean practically yelled into the phone. Sam could hear his brother shake with frantic fury. "Thanks to your half-ass job, Crowley is pissed. He is moving Cas to another cell!"
"Then do something about it!" Jo shot back, having had enough. She had been with her boyfriend the whole time he had worked his ass off trying his damn best to save his brother. Dean had no right to come down on him.
"Shut up, Jo. I'm not talking to you," Dean snapped. Since the incident that had put Dean in incarceration, he had been holding his grudge against Ellen, blaming her for an assignment gone wrong and a glitch she had no control over. Most of the time, it passed on to her daughter, as well.
"What I'm trying to say is," Jo said, collecting herself, sensing Sam tensed up beside her at their little quarrel. "You know, well in advance, which cell Castiel would be sent to. You could handle his new cellmate; send him to the infirmary or solitary. Your choice. Just don't kill him and you'll be fine."
There was silence from the other end of the line. This was so unlike Dean, Sam thought to himself as he kept his eyes on the road. The hot-headed Dean that Sam knew would come up with this solution, plus hundred others, very easily.
"Crowley will just move him to another cell. I can't keep doing this forever," Dean mumbled, resignation apparent in his voice.
"It won't be forever, Dean," Jo offered. "The next person unfortunate enough to be assigned as Castiel's new cellmate will come begging you to swap cells with him."
That sounded like a good plan, even for Sam. He knew his brother survived the pen this far partly because of his close combat skills. He had never been more grateful to endless hours of excruciating fighting lessons Bobby had put them through when they were young.
"I can't do this," Dean said with finality which had Sam and Jo taken aback. "Get the transfer order back, Sam. I'm moving out today. I'm taking Cas with me."
"We can't, Dean!" Sam wailed into the phone wearily. "I told you Castiel is beyond our reach."
"Then DO SOMETHING!"
Both people in the car let out a long, silent sigh; simultaneously turning their heads away from the phone as if Dean could see their tedium. Sam fought the urge to say 'calm down' one more time, knowing full well it didn't affect his brother in the slightest bit.
"Did you do what I told you to?" Sam changed the subject. "Did you ask him?"
"Yes, I did and he won't leave," Dean replied flatly as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Fuck it, Sam. I don't care where I am. Crowley has to go."
"Not on the phone, Dean!"
"If Cas stays, he leaves," Dean continued, heedless of his brother's warning. "You run the case. Bring that son of a bitch down - or I will."
"Dean!"
But Dean was already gone. The silence over the phone was replaced with a rhythmic beep-beep-beep of a line hung up.
Sam pulled the car off the road, stomping on the brake pedal. It came to a jerky stop. "Fuck," he cursed in irritation, hitting the steering wheel for good measure. When would his brother at least be half as compliant as Sam had hoped him to be? That Castiel guy was also no different.
All of a sudden, Sam made a sharp U-turn. He had a better idea.
~:~:~
Dean had made up his mind. Two could play the game. If that toady warden wanted to get back at him, then Dean could do the same, if not worse. Fuck what he had promised Cas.
As he neared the common area, he could hear loud cheering from within. Dean dismissed it as another game of poker. That was, until he heard Castiel's name.
"Come on, cabrones!" Dean saw red hearing the familiar Mexican accent. "Give me all you got and his lovely culo is yours! The highest bidder gets the first night. Well, the first night after me, of course. Seriously, Parker? Two stamps? By the time your turn comes, he'll be so lose; you can shove your arm up his ass."
"What the fuck are you doing?" Dean roared. The snickering died down as soon as he burst through the door, the air thick and sickening. He made a quick scan of the room while marching to where twelve inmates gathered around Cas' cellmate-to-be. There were four guards in the corners and seven other inmates scattered around the hall. After the incident with Lucifer, Dean couldn't know for certain who would back him up. He was, undoubtedly, outnumbered.
"I'm whoring out my new cellmate, Dean," Cortez taunted. "If you want to join the queue-"
The heel of Dean's hand hit the Mexican inmate's face before he even knew it. Cortez's head tilted backwards, crimson liquid dripping from his lips. The sight stirred a vicious urge inside Dean: one that was both deadly to himself and fatal to others. At that moment, all Dean could see was images of a bloody Castiel, and violence was the only way to get rid of them.
"Dean, stop it!"
A familiar voice halted Dean from further assaults, before all hell could break loose. "Cas?" Dean cried with a frown, still unbelieving his own eyes. "What are you doing here?"
"I was discharged," Castiel replied calmly, as if there wasn't going to be a fight at all. He elaborated with a sigh when Dean still held a bemused look on his face. "Dr. Sebastian had to let me go. There was an order."
"Hell yeah," somebody scoffed from behind them. "The first queue is tonight."
Suddenly Dean remembered where he was and why he was there. Enraged, he charged towards the insolent inmate, only to be blocked by none other than the object of their victimization.
"Let me go, Cas! I'm going to kill them. All of them!" Dean bellowed over Cas' shoulders. He tried to shove pass his cellmate, but the man had more brawn than Dean gave him credit for.
"Dean, you promised me."
"Get out of my way! You saw what they're going to do to you!"
"You promised me!"
They stared at each other, heaving from the push and shove and shouting. Dean was still furious, but Cas had the determination of a bulldog. His usual bright eyes hardened and Dean found himself wavering under his domineering demeanor.
"Told you Dean is a bottom," somebody snickered.
Dean's body moved of its own accord, and Cas let him go this time. The mouthy prisoner got a knock-out punch in the jaw before Cas stepped between them again, a hard glare back on his face. Dean grabbed Cas by the shirt and Cas let himself be dragged out of the room.
Castiel was thrown into their cell. He swayed a little, then Dean's arms were around him and his face was hidden at the crook of Cas' neck. Dean was practically shaking and his hold around Cas became tighter by the second.
"Dean," Cas wrapped his arms around Dean, rubbing soothing strokes along his back. He knew this stance all too well. Dean was scared, and all Cas wanted to do was comfort him. "Dean, I'm alright."
Dean shook his head wildly against Cas' shoulder, refusing to accept the words of consolation. No, they were not alright. They were losing this fight and there was nothing Dean could do about it. Cas was going to get hurt, again, and again, and again, all because of him.
"I'm sorry I can't keep you safe," Dean mumbled through his snotty nose. "I tried. God knows I tried, so hard."
Cas pulled Dean up to meet his eyes. Dean's face was wet with tears, his nose swollen and reddish. He looked away self-consciously. Cas found the sight endearing, if anything.
He would have been scared, too, a hundred times more than Dean was right now, but Gabriel had found him before he could be discharged from the infirmary. His teacher said that, sooner or later, Castiel would have to make it known to everyone that he was not an easy target, for his own safety and for Dean's sake. Cas didn't have a choice, though; the chance to prove himself came, tonight.
"It's not your job to save me, Dean. I can take care of myself. Isn't that what you've been trying to teach me?" he crooned.
Dean shook his head, still refusing to be salved or meet Cas' gaze. "I'm nothing if I can't save you."
"Dean" Cas narrowed his eyes. A realization dawned on him. "You think I am with you because I want your protection?"
Dean ducked his head lower and pursed his lips. That was all the answer Cas needed. A loving smile curled up on his face. After all this time, Dean still did not realize that Cas never wanted Dean's physical protection. Dean himself was the only force Cas needed, to fight off his night terrors, and now, his daytime enemies.
Cas cupped Dean's face and looked him in the eyes. "You are my strength, Dean," he said firmly. "Now let me be yours."
Before Dean knew it, Cas let go of him and strode out of their cell. Dean froze in shock before he gathered himself and ran out in time to see Cas wander around among other inmates, who scattered about the hallway.
"Cas!" he called. Castiel turned around at his voice, a playful grin on his face as he strolled backwards, further away from him. Something in Cas' eyes told Dean to stand there, and watch. Dean's feet stopped short. He noticed Cas had his pants a little lower than usual, exposing a little too much of his skin, having Dean fear for the worst.
Sure enough, somebody grabbed a handful of his ass.
Cas seized the perpetrator's wrist just as swiftly. He turned, twisted and locked the arm, his elbow anchoring on the side of the guy's neck. Cas kneed him once, twice. The man doubled over with a grunt. He then yanked him face down to the floor, throwing his weight on him. The guy's arm was bent and twisted backwards when Cas' other hand took a hold of his palm and snapped it. The sound of a broken joint was deafened by a howl of pain.
Dean rushed to the scene. "Cas!"
"Next time you even think of touching me," Castiel growled over the scream, loud enough for everyone to hear. "Prepare to get a few bones broken."
Dean hauled Cas to his feet and quickly pulled him back into their cell. Everyone was shell-shocked; the only sound that could be heard was the yowling from the guy dumb enough to lay his hand on the blue-eyed inmate.
Dean was about to give Cas an earful when he noticed the other man was shaking. It was only then that he realized how scared Cas must be, doing something he was unacquainted with. Cas did not do it just because he could, but he did it to prove his point.
Dean pulled him into his arms, hoping the tight embrace would help Cas regain his nerve.
"You did great, Cas," he gave him reassuring words. "I'm very proud of you."
Cas was still pretty shaken up by the whole incident. It didn't matter how good a fighter he was. He would never get used to inflicting physical injuries on other people, even if it was a necessity.
"I hurt him," he wheezed, leaning more into Dean's warm and secure embrace.
"He'll live," Dean gave a nonchalant reply, squeezing him one more time before placing Cas on a rung of the ladder that led to the upper bed. Cas sat a little above Dean's eye-level.
Dean leaned in to graze the back of his fingers along Cas' stubble, a proud smug on his face. "Besides, I don't think anyone will dare come near you again now. You were pretty badass."
"I was?" Cas blushed with a timid smile.
"Yeah, badass," Dean grinned, pecking him on the lips, "and hot."
They kissed each other's smiles, once, twice, before Cas threw his arms around Dean, pulling him close, deepening the kiss. It still surprised him how trembling his body had been. Giving out a punishment that didn't fit the crime wasn't something he would do, had he been in a different setting. But it had to be done, and he did it, and Dean was proud of him.
Dean ravaged Cas with hungry lips and a needy tongue, something he couldn't help himself if he wanted to. The sight of a BAMF Cas knocked his socks off, so much so that it turned him on. It was both graceful and arousing, how Cas could take another guy out in one swift motion. Maybe Dean liked his man a little rough, a little clingy, a bit of a tease, and a dork, coming close to a heavenly being.
By the time they were panting for air, Dean already sported a hard-on. He hoped Cas did not notice it, but it was almost impossible to hide under the thin fabric of his pants. Dean tried to think of something repulsive, and Crowley's vomit-inducing face popped up in his mind.
"God," Dean groaned, suddenly remembering there were more important things that needed to be taken care of. "I have to go check who are the guards on duty tonight, see if I can bribe any of them to let you stay with me."
"Dean, don't." Cas stopped him before Dean could turned away. "Gabriel and I have a plan."
~:~:~
It was another night Chuck knew he wouldn't get his sleep. Despite the fact that Castiel scared everyone off by showing how easily he could break a bone, and as a result everyone who had queued up sharing the cell with him had bailed, Castiel was still not in Dean's cell. Worse still, Cortez, Castiel's new cellmate, was even more pissed because it meant his source of enormous income was completely demolished.
Chuck lied awake in the dark, awaiting the inevitable scream and yelling and growling of menace that still hadn't come. All he heard so far, besides the usual snores, were grunts and thuds that he couldn't make out what they were from. He was beginning to think that he might be wrong, for once, that Castiel and Cortez were now best buds who slept peacefully in their respective beds. It was then that he heard a voice, barely audible. Castiel was calling Dean's name.
"Cas?" Dean's voice was a little louder than Castiel's when he replied. If anyone missed Cas' voice earlier, they wouldn't miss Dean's. "Baby, are you alright?"
"Yes, yes, I'm fine."
Cas' voice level now matched Dean's. Chuck quietly sighed in relief. They weren't shouting, so his friend might actually be fine.
"But Cortez might not."
A gasp escaped the psychic's lips. This was not good.
"What? Cas?" Dean's voice was dripping with worry. "What did he do to you?"
"I, uh… I… He…" Castiel stuttered. Then he took a deep breath, and blurted, "He jumped me. I just defended myself, Dean. I locked his throat, and, next thing I know, he is not breathing."
Dean sighed long and hard. "God, Cas, how long hasn't he been breathing?"
"I… I don't know. Five minutes? Maybe ten?" The light footsteps suggested Castiel was pacing in anxiety. "I think he's dead."
Chuck's hands flew to cover his mouth. His heart raced, horror-struck. Finally the thing he dreaded most was here: a death in the house.
"Fuck," Dean cussed. "Fuck!"
Fuck indeed.
"I'm sorry, Dean," Cas cried, panic-ridden in his voice. "I didn't know humans could be so fragile. I barely exerted myself and he was already dead. He didn't even struggle!"
The scrawny inmate shuddered. Castiel talked as if a human being was nothing but an insect that he could hold captive and snatch their lives away with two fingers. Perhaps Chuck had underestimated the complication of his so-called vision. Castiel wouldn't be able to tear this place down if he wasn't capable of taking a life or two, after all.
"Put him on his bed," Dean said after a while. "In the morning, just tell the guards that he slept and never wakes up."
There was only silence after Dean's instruction ended. Chuck strained his ears to hear the tiniest of sound he might be missing, but there was nothing. He guessed everyone was doing the same thing he did: listening in to Dean and Castiel's conversation.
"Cas?"
"Yes, Dean."
"Do as I said. I got this, okay? Don't worry."
"Dean!" Cas protested. "I just killed a man. I can't get away with murder."
Oh, yes, Dean could. Dean killed Alastair and still walked, a known fact that half the prison population had already forgotten and the other half was grateful for.
"I can, Cas," Dean said solemnly. "So could you."
~:~:~
Dean sprinted to Cas' cell as soon as the morning alarm blared and cell gates were open. At the sound of his voice, Cas whipped his head around and ran into his arms. He was trembling. "You alright?" Dean asked while checking for any possible injuries.
Cas simply nodded and snuggled close against Dean, as if to absorb his strength. Some of the inmates threw questioning glances at the two grown men holding on to each other in public, but Dean just glowered at them.
"I'm fine," Cas said at last, giving Dean much-needed relief.
In front of Castiel's new cell, inmates started to crowd. Most of them came to see if his cellmate was really dead. What they discovered, however, was a Ricky Cortez, who was tied by hands and feet to the metal gate, sprawled out, naked.
The Mexican inmate had attacked him as soon as the lights went out and guards retired from their posts in the premises. Castiel had knocked him out smoothly, knowing what was to be expected. He gave him sedatives that Gabriel had stolen from Dr. Sebastian's office, which had put him out through the night. The conversation was Dean's idea, to signal to everyone not to mess with them.
Getting Cortez on the gate was a bitch, tough, as he weighed a ton. Cas had gagged him to prevent him from drawing unnecessarily attention. He had to display his handiwork first; else their effort would be pointless. It seemed to get the desired effect. Right now some dauntless inmates were toying with Cortez's soft dick that hung defenseless in his groin.
"Get the fuck off me!" Cortez screamed his threat after someone removed the gag, but it dripped with so much fear that it only incited more touches from more inmates, who seemed to be overjoyed at the opportunity. The last thing Dean saw was someone poking an unidentified object up his ass. Cortez squealed in agony. Dean turned his attention back to the man in front of him.
"You didn't sleep, did you?" Dean asked, cradling the sides of Cas' face. Cas had bags under his eyes and looked like he would pass out any minute.
Castiel shook his head. Even though he had executed their plan perfectly, it didn't stop him from being on edge. The fear that gripped his heart had kept him wide awake. All he could think of was he wanted to get the hell out of there, and be with Dean.
"Let's get you some shuteye, then," Dean said, pulling Cas away from the scene as prison guards came running in, blowing whistles in an attempt to restore order of the place.
~:~:~
Dean pushed open the door to Dr. Sebastian's office, dragging a tired-looking Cas with him. "Can he crash here for a few hours, please? He didn't sleep at all last night."
"Get him on the bed," Balthazar quickly commanded. He knew Castiel was sent to a new cell last night. Although he disagreed with the order, there was nothing he could do about it. So this morning, he kind of prepared for the worst. "What happened to him?" he asked while giving Castiel a once-over.
"Nothing," Dean quickly replied. "He knocked the guy out, but he was too scared to rest." Cas looked up at him from the bed with a thankful expression, reaching out his hand to Dean's and clasped it. "This is the safest place I know, Doc," Dean continued. "Let him stay, please?"
There was no serious injury on Castiel, only that he looked extremely exhausted, adrenaline draining from him once he was within the safe confines that was Dean Winchester.
"Alright," the doctor resolved. Castiel was his patient, nonetheless. "But you can't stay, Dean."
Dean nodded. It was better for Cas, anyway. If Dean stayed, more trouble might entail.
But Cas held on to Dean's hand tighter. "Can he stay," he rasped, "until I fall asleep, please?"
Balthazar looked between the two. Castiel had his best puppy dog eyes on, Dean trying to match him. "Fine," he said with a sigh, wondering who could say no to them.
Once they were alone, Dean sat on the chair by the bed. Cas curled into a fetal position, keeping Dean's hand between the side of his face and the pillow. A warm smile pulled up his cheek, curbing it against Dean's palm.
"How did I do?" he asked with a giddy enthusiasm of a tired out child, waiting for a commendation from his parents after a long day.
"You were awesome," Dean affirmed in kind, his free hand stroking the soft, unruly brown hair he had come to love.
"So I'm not your weakness anymore," Cas mumbled feebly as his breath evened out and he fell into a restful sleep, Dean's gentle caresses his sweet lullaby.
Dean let a couple of tears run down his face. The weakness was him, who couldn't save the only one he needed to save. Him, who couldn't, for the life of him, keep his feelings under lock and key. Instead, he exposed them, laid them out in the open, making himself and the person he cared vulnerable. Dean was so weak that Cas had to step out of his comfort zone and fight for the one thing Dean should be able to defend by himself. Cas stood up for them, and, in turn, gave him strength.
"Thank you, love," Dean breathed as his lips pressed tenderly against Cas' temple; droplets of tears disappeared into Cas' ruffled hair.
~:~:~
Castiel had only a few hours of sleep, before lunchtime rolled around and Dr. Sebastian gently told him he had to be discharged. He didn't want to officially register Castiel and risk riling the-powers-that-be in the process. As a result, the doctor could not place an order for his patient's meal. However, Castiel was welcome to come back after lunch if that was what he preferred.
A prison guard led Castiel out of the infirmary. He kept his gaze down the whole way, watching but not seeing as one foot stepped in front of the other along the cream-colored tiled floor. He didn't notice when the turns were wrong until eventually he was met with the one person he dreaded.
"Hello, Castiel" A creepily familiar voice snapped Castiel back to where he was.
"Lucifer-" Castiel gasped. His throat went parched as his heartbeat sped up in his chest. He tried to mask the fright that was draining blood from his face and shutting down his brain, all to no avail. His legs refused to function, but when Lucifer crept into his personal space, he drew back until he hit the wall.
"I miss you so bad," Lucifer purred, dragging his forefinger along the side of Castiel's face. Cas knew he should fight back, take him down once and for all. But, face-to-face with the Devil himself, all his courage flew out the window faster than the speed of light. His presence alone made his knees shaky, threatening to give out on him.
Lucifer inched closer to his petrified countenance, inhaling long and deep, Castiel's fear flowery to his senses. "I would take my sweet time with you, angel," he crooned. "Only there is a more pressing matter."
Castiel's breath hitched at the glimpse of hope that he would not be attacked this time. Lucifer smirked knowingly. He demanded, "I hate the hotbox. I want out. Tell Dean not to lay a finger on me, and I'll get you two lovebirds back in the same cage."
"I can't do that," Castiel replied without missing a beat. He had told Dean he would have nothing to do with Lucifer from now on. He intended to keep his promise.
His response got Lucifer to bark an evil laugh. "And here I thought you wanted to spend the rest of your days together! Fuck if I care then. At least I'm sure my sanity will survive the period of two weeks. All I have to do is planning how I'll be enjoying my days and nights with you after that, darling."
Cas' eyebrows knitted into a frown. He had no idea what Lucifer was babbling about. Castiel knew better than to show his confusion, but he was never a good liar to begin with.
"You don't know, do you?" A smirk came back on Lucifer's face. Something that Lucifer knew, and he didn't, was never good. "And I'm telling you this out of the goodness of my own heart. Dean will be transferred to the State Penitentiary in less than two weeks. You can spend the next twelve nights bouncing from cell to cell, or with Dean. The choice is yours."
~:~:~