"Sam, where are you going?" Dean asked. They had arrived at their room, but Sam had kept walking.

Sam turned and said, "As much as I want you two to kiss and makeup, I also don't want to be present for it. You can 'cuddle' in peace."

Dean mouth hung open, at a loss for words for once in his life, and Sam smirked and walked away, stopping only to shout over his shoulder, "The walls are thin, Dean! Be considerate!"

Dean flushed and barked out a strangled, "Bitch!"

Dean only heard the lingering sounds of Sam's reply as Sam disappeared into the maze of the hotel floor. "Jerk!"

Dean sighed and unlocked the hotel room door. The door swung open with a protesting squeak, and then Dean entered the room. It wasn't a luxurious establishment, but as far as the rooms Sam and Dean usually stayed in, it wasn't the worst. Two beds with red comforters, mostly free of incriminating stains with little mints on the pillows. Dean checked, and they were the shitty kind that burned your mouth like gasoline, but it was the thought that counts, right?

Dean paced for a moment, wishing he could dull his nerves with a swig of alcohol, but he was afraid Castiel might know and run away again. This was something he was going to have to do sober.

He blew out a sigh toward the ceiling, scrubbing a hand over his face, and let out a groan. "Jesus, Cas…" He closed his eyes tightly, balling his hands into fists. "Castiel, angel of the fucking lord, get your feathery ass down here, I gotta talk to you." Dean opened one eye and peered around to see if Castiel had come, but he wasn't there. Dean groaned. "Sonofabitch, Cas. Please. I need to talk to you."

"Dean." Came a gruff voice.

Dean looked up to see Castiel standing in front of him in all his gruff trench-coated glory.

"Oh, thank god," Dean said, running up to Castiel and wrapping his arms around him. Castiel stiffened at the touch, but he reciprocated by awkwardly patting Dean on the back. "I was worried. Where the hell were you?" Dean asked, pulling back just enough to see Castiel's face.

"I was never far away." Castiel informed Dean, eyes averted.

"Oh yeah, then where the fuck were you? I prayed every day, Cas. Every day." Dean shouted.

"Dean-" Castiel protested, but Dean cut him off.

"No, I don't think you get it, Cas. Every day. I was so afraid, Cas, that you'd cut me off or… or that I'd fucked up so bad that you'd never want to see me again." Dean quieted for a moment and slipped out of Castiel's arms. "I thought you'd never let me explain."

"It's fine, Dean, you don't have to explain to me. You were intoxicated, that's all." Castiel said, his voice tipping down like something was weighing on him.

"No, no, Cas, that's not- yes, yes I was intoxicated, but that… that isn't why I kissed you." Dean said, shaking his hands in exasperation.

"Um…" Castiel swallowed. "What… what are you saying, Dean."

"That I… Jesus." Dean stopped, suddenly feeling like his tongue was too dry for him to continue. He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration, wondering why this was so damn hard for him to get out. "That I like you, Cas."

"Well, I'd hope so. We've been friends for years, Dean." Castiel said, his eyebrows furrowing.

"No, Cas, you don't get it. I don't like you just like a friend." Dean said.

"Then, like a brother?" Castiel said. "I remember you've said that before…"

"No, Cas, no, not like a brother." Dean said. He was wringing his hands like a woman and he was pissed at himself and at Castiel and at words and how damn hard this was for him. "Like more than that. Jesus fuck, Cas, am I going to need to spell it out for you? I… I like-like you."

"You like-like me?" Cas said. "I don't... I don't understand."

"Cas, I'm… I'm in love with you." Dean whispered, his head buried in his hands. "God, Cas, I'm so in love with you, and it scares the shit out of me."

Castiel just stood there, eyes wide, stiller than Dean had ever seen him before.

"Cas." Dean said, voice shaky and soft. "Please. Say something. Anything."

But Castiel didn't say anything. Instead, he rushed forward and cupped Dean's jaw, his eyes squeezed shut and his forehead pressed against Dean's.

"Cas…" Dean said, his voice trembling. He reached out and ran his hands down Castiel's arms. "I love you."

And then Castiel was kissing him. It was perhaps the most wonderful thing Dean had ever experienced. The sensation of Castiel's lips against his, adamant and inexperienced but eager still, made Dean's heart beat harder than it ever had before. This time, Castiel initiated and drew his tongue across Dean's lips, asking for permission, and Dean parted them quickly. As soon as Castiel's tongue was in Dean's mouth, he let out a little sigh of relief. Dean realized that Castiel must have been wondering if Dean really was drunkenly babbling about his feelings towards him, and having confirmation that this was real must have been a huge relief.

Dean kissed him harder, wanting Castiel to know just how much he meant his words, just how much he loved him, but Castiel pulled back, panting slightly.

"Dean, I…" Castiel drew in a shaky breath. "I love you too. I love you, I love you, I love you." He whispered like a prayer.

"How long?" Dean asked.

Castiel started to cry then, happy tears spilling down his cheeks. "Always."

Dean smiled softly and kissed away each salty tear, then grabbed Castiel's hands, pulling him towards the bed. They both kicked off their shoes on the way, and then Dean pulled Castiel under the covers, wrapping his arms around him and holding him close. Castiel gripped Dean's shirt tightly, knotting his fingers in the soft fabric, and Dean pressed a kiss on the top of Castiel's head. They stayed like that until Castiel had stopped crying.

"You know, I don't sleep. And I was the one to lock Sam in the car, not the witch. And I only left the third time because heaven needed me. And I came the fourth time because I didn't want you with anyone else-" Castiel babbled, trying to explain his actions. Castiel was cut off because Dean started laughing uncontrollably. Castiel furrowed his eyebrows, confused as to why Dean was laughing. "I was expecting you to be angry."

"Cas, I'm not angry… that's ridiculous though. You're saying you popped in all those times because you wanted to be with me?" Dean said between laughs.

"Yes… I like cuddling with you." Castiel said.

"Good." Dean grinned and kissed Castiel. He pulled back only to say, "I like cuddling with you too, Cas."

Castiel was making Dean break all his rules, and he loved it.

"I love you, Dean."

Maybe Dean should replace rules three and four.

"I love you, too Cas."

A new rule: Castiel trumps all.