Author's Note: Sorry this has taken FOREVER. Thank you to the couple of people who actually wrote me asking me to update, you guys are amazing. If nothing else, at least the corona finally took enough off of my plate to allow me to get some stuff done. The truth is that writing these types of scenes is super laborious for me. I'm pretty prolific and love writing everything else, but half of the time I'll literally highlight a section and write "insert sex scene here" and then do it at the end right before I publish. On that note, I'm preparing something for the DCBB this year, so if anyone is really good at or really likes writing sex scenes please send me a PM. I literally have an 80-page document right now with five highlighted sections that say "insert sex scene here". I'll give you credit, and cookies, and whatever else. Thanks again to the two people who pushed me into Destiel. Leave comments and reviews, they are my lifeblood. I don't own Supernatural, but if I did I'd be shut down anyway because the corona is stupid.

Castiel watched Dean's face redden as he took in the angel's state of disarray. He didn't meet Castiel's eyes, nor did he approach the angel. "Hey, Cas," he said softly.

"It's over, Dean," said Castiel without preamble. "Take the cuffs off, please."

Green eyes met blue, then, and Dean looked for something that Castiel couldn't identify. Finally, he nodded and walked over to the angel, once again looking away.

Dean had barely sprung the locks on the handcuffs when Castiel used his grace to clean his vessel. Rumpled, sticky, sweaty clothing once again became clean, the scuffs on his shoes disappeared, and his untidy hair once again fell into place. Dean looked up in surprise, and it was only then that Castiel realized he had never done this in front of his friend before.

"I'm sorry, Dean," Castiel said, and he met Dean's eyes only briefly. "I'm sorry for everything."

"Dude, I was the one that drank the stuff," Dean offered with a small smile. He looked newly showered, and Castiel could smell the shampoo he had used. This made him even more frustrated, and, somehow, even more guilty.

"Yes, but my reaction was out of control," Castiel said, glancing at Dean briefly.

There was the smallest flash of disappointment, but then Dean's face turned stony so quickly that Castiel was almost sure he had imagined it. "It's cool, man," he said.

But the green eyes were still fixed on him. They were almost…

Almost… hopeful…

Then Dean took a small step forward, his face still flaming red.

Castiel matched it, rubbing his wrists where the cuffs had been as though this purposeful stride toward his best friend was inconsequential.

Dean took another step forward, his mouth turning up just slightly.

Castiel matched it, shuffling his feet and looking away as though he wasn't really paying attention to where he was going.

Dean took one last, final step, then placed his hands soothingly over Castiel's wrists.

Castiel raised his eyes to meet Dean's, and he knew, suddenly, that they were thinking the same thing: It was time.

When their lips met, it felt like coming home. Dean's lips were chapped but soft, and Castiel melted into them. He had wanted this, of course, but never believed that it would've been possible without the Angel Amore.

Castiel slipped a hand behind Dean's neck into his hair, and felt Dean's hand on the small of his back. Dean moved slowly, backing Castiel into the wall behind him, attacking his mouth with precision, and it was ecstasy.

Castiel hit the wall behind him with a jerk that was hard enough to shake both of them out of what felt like a trance. "You're sure you're okay now?" Dean asked tentatively. Castiel understood that he was being given an "out."

"The Angel Amore is gone from my vessel," Castiel said, looking at Dean tentatively. His breathing was heavy and his eyes were wide and hungry, and he looked debauched. Castiel couldn't have walked away if he tried. Now that he and Dean were on the same page, he felt only determination. "But I still wish to continue."

"Thank God," said Dean, and he dove back toward Castiel, rubbing against him in the process.

"Dean, is here really the best – auuugggghhh!" Castiel couldn't believe the sounds coming out of his own mouth, but Dean felt so good against him.

"Fair point," Dean said, nipping at Castiel's neck and thrusting against him. He grabbed Castiel's hand and pulled, nearly catching the angel off-balance in the process.

The moment they got into Dean's bedroom and closed the door, Dean once again began backing Castiel toward the bed. Dean began shoving at Castiel's trenchcoat. "You didn't have to put this back on, you know," Dean said between kisses.

Castiel thought about protesting, but the thought was banished when Dean's mouth found his again. Dean began tugging on Castiel's suit, and at that point it became obvious what Dean was trying to do. The angel snapped his fingers and both of their clothes disappeared, rearranging themselves into piles in the corner.

Dean's face gave a surprised pout, and he began, "Well that's -…"

Castiel surged forward, groaning when his erection made contact with Dean's flesh.

"That's better," Dean said huskily, thrusting forward himself. Their erections slid against each other, the space between them diminishing, and everything was suddenly hot. Castiel needed more. He reached out and fell backward on the bed, pulling Dean with him.

Dean groaned at the contact, bracing his knees around Castiel's middle. He grabbed both of their erections and tugged, letting out another groan of satisfaction.

Castiel hadn't been expecting it, and he surged forward with the spike of pleasure. "Dean!"

"Cas," Dean replied, voice low. His breath mingled with Castiel's, and they moved together in the space of Dean's hand. "We should've done this ages ago…"

Castiel didn't answer, lost to the pleasure coiling inside him. But it was too… there wasn't enough…

And he could sense that Dean felt the same…

"Cas, do you want to-…" Dean began tentatively.

"Yes!" Castiel said, hoping this was going where he wanted it to go.

In response, Dean shot forward in an attempt to reach something next to the bed.

"Dean?" Castiel said, suddenly worried. Perhaps they weren't thinking the same thing, after all.

"We need lube," Dean said, and then he groaned. In his stretch for the table beside his bed, his erection had dangled right in Castiel's face. Castiel had used the opportunity to lick a wide stripe, from base to head.

"Dammit, Cas!" Dean exclaimed, rolling to the side in surprise, the bottle of lubrication dangling from his hand.

Castiel looked at Dean, spread out on his bed with his erection, looking thoroughly debauched. He took the opportunity and climbed on top of him. "I don't need that stuff," he said. "I'm an angel."

"Cas, are you-…" Castiel took Dean in his mouth, and Dean let out a strangled groan. He had never performed fellatio before, but he knew what had felt good with his hand when he had been human. He buried Dean's erection as far into his throat as he could, easily relaxing the muscles in his vessel's throat.

Dean let out his loudest groan yet. "Jesus Christ, Cas!"

Castiel moved off of Dean for long enough to say, "Just my name would be fine, thanks," before returning.

"Sor-sorry, Cas-…" Dean grunted. "You're-… where did you?..."

Castiel continued his ministrations, loving the sounds that Dean made. Finally Dean tapped him on the shoulder. "Cas, I… you've got to stop…"

Castiel pulled off with a loud "pop", concerned.

Dean climbed upward and pushed Castiel's shoulders, and Castiel allowed himself to be rolled underneath Dean. Castiel looked up at Dean curiously.

"If we do this… you're sure we don't need…" Dean began.

"Dean," Castiel said crossly, and in response he grabbed Dean's erection and gave a small tug in the right direction.

"Eager, aren't we," said Dean, but he followed Castiel's lead, still looking skeptical.

He needn't have worried. Castiel could make the necessary preparations as easily as he had magicked their clothes away. When Dean began to shove in unhindered, the look he gave Castiel turned to disbelief, as though he hadn't really believed it possible.

Disbelief changed to incredulity, and Dean slid home, causing both of them to groan with the spike in pleasure.

"You good?" Dean asked.

"Dean," Cas began again, and Dean began thrusting in earnest.

It felt… it felt…

Then Dean changed the angle, and pleasure exploded behind Castiel's eyes. "Dean!"

"Better?" Dean asked, and his thrusts began to become more desperate, more eratic.

Castiel could feel the pleasure coiling tightly…

"Cas, I…" Dean started, and Castiel exploded, his vision whiting out at the edges and his spine snapping to attention.

Dean followed him over the edge with a groan.

~ Angel with a Shotgun ~ Angel with a Shotgun ~

It took a full two minutes before either of them bothered to speak. Finally Dean moved to grab something to wipe off with before Castiel, guessing his intention, held out a towel that had been magically summoned from the bathroom.

"Grace?" Dean asked again, taking the towel. Castiel smiled.

He took a moment to admire Dean's body, sprawled on top of the covers. He looked debauched and thoroughly kissed, his hair sticking up at the back. He looked relaxed, moreso than Castiel had ever seen him before. He had raised this man from Hell, made a mark upon his soul, rebuilt him… and now they had made love.

Dean wasn't ready for that sort of sentiment, Castiel knew. Instead, he fit his hand to Dean's arm, where the handprint had been before.

Dean smiled, understanding the gesture. "Why did you remove it?" he asked cautiously, moving onto his side to face Castiel.

"The… bond is still there," admitted Castiel.

Dean's eyebrows shot up in shock, and he pulled back from Castiel's hand.

"It's not a bad thing," Castiel said in reassurance. "When I brought you back from Hell, I had to use a little of my grace to rebuild you. And when I sent my grace into your body… your soul grabbed back. It left a mark in the form of a handprint… that's all."

"Oh," said Dean, moving back toward Castiel. "Is that why we've always had this… thing?"

"Perhaps," said Castiel, considering. "But you aren't the first human to be raised from Hell, although it is rare. And none of the others have had a… thing."

"Oh," said Dean. He seemed to process for a second. Then he asked again, "Why did you remove it when you healed me? The handprint disappeared, after Stull Cemetary."

"I hid it from your eyes," Castiel admitted. "I didn't think you wanted it."

"I… well if angels can see it anyway, I might as well be able to see it too," Dean said, sounding bitter.

Castiel recognized this for what it was, and he once again placed his hand on Dean's arm. When he removed it, the handprint was once again visible on Dean's skin.

Dean smiled, pulling Castiel closer to him, and gave a sigh of content.

~ Angel with a Shotgun ~ Angel with a Shotgun ~

Three hours later, Dean was snoozing contentedly, still naked. Castiel had once again donned his trenchcoat, but had remained sitting on Dean's bed, his legs stretched out in front of him. Dean had invited him into his bed, and he didn't want to leave, despite his lack of need for sleep.

Suddenly, there was a thump, and several things happened at once. Crowley appeared in the doorway. Castiel stood up immediately and drew his angel blade. Dean woke up with a start and reacted quickly, grabbing his gun from under his pillow with one hand and moving to get up out of bed. Not a second too late, he seemed to realize he was naked and drug half of the bedsheet along with him as he stood, covering his private area with the sheet and one hand.

"Hey, I gave you three whole hours!" Crowley said defensively.

"I'll help you redo the warding later," Castiel said to Dean, "to keep out unwanted characters."

"I thought Sam did it after he was in here the last time," Dean confessed, gritting his teeth. "I was distracted with-…"

"Did you have fun?" Crowley asked, his eyebrows raising.

"It would've been more fun without this interruption," Castiel said.

"What do you want?" Dean asked wearily.

"I just dropped by to tell you that the Staff and the Rod are both duds," Crowley commented. "After I realized the Staff was out of juice, I dropped by and tested the Rod as well." His eyes glittered with malice. "Also a dud."

The demon sighed. "Still, it's not entirely a waste. Looks like you two have been testing some rods as well. Thank Hades, honestly the sexual tension was making both of you less effective -…"

"Goodbye, Crowley," Castiel growled, advancing on him with the angel blade.

"And to think, I did you a favor," said Crowley, but he disappeared.

~ Angel with a Shotgun ~ Angel with a Shotgun ~

Sam didn't come back until the next day, and he didn't say a word to Castiel or Dean about the reason he left.

The next time they went hunting together, he asked for a separate room.