Astronaut3 : Shake it off (the mark of Cain)

"I have no idea." Castiel kept frowning. "We'll have to go through that book. And... I might need my grace back to connect to the angel radio. Or ask you to do it, to find out if something has happened that we should know of."

Hanakael held back a breathless chuckle, and pulled the covers away, gesturing for Crowley to join him. "You're quite the charmer too."

Dean nodded, sporting a serious face too. "Yeah. We'll do that. And maybe it's about time I give you some of your grace back. That will help you form back more of it, right?" He kissed Castiel's forehead.

Crowley sat down on the bed, laying at Hanakael's side. He shifted close to the angel, wrapping an arm around him. "It comes with the job, darling", he simply said. "And it helps, that I am dealing with someone willing to accept any compliment I throw in", he added, nuzzling into his neck.

Castiel nodded. "I will give it back to you soon enough", he promised Dean. As soon as I have built enough grace."

Hanakael held back a smile, and ran his hand through Crowley's hair. "You're cuddlier than I had imagined," he whispered, tenderness in his voice.

Dean rested a hand on Castiel's cheek. "Hey. First thing, it's your grace, to begin with. You take your time with it, regenerate or whatever, don't fret. I can live without for a while, if it makes you get better." He stole a quick, gentle kiss.

Crowley did his best to not look offended, And partially amused by that comment. "It better not leave this room", he chuckled. "What can I say. I don't have many occasions to get... physical contact." Especially not directly leading to sex. ... it was kind of weird, now that he thought about it. It had always been missing.

Castiel couldn't hold back a soft smile. "It has become your grace, Dean. Which makes it... our grace, in a way. I want you to have it back as soon as possible."

"Understood," Hanakael replied, as he laid a kiss on Crowley's forehead. "Nothing you could ever tell or show me in private is to be brought up in public."

Dean smiled back. "Well, alright then. If it is our grace, I'll consider it a loan. But I'll want it paid back with some interests." He moved in closer, pecking Castiel's lips. "Which means I get your pie rations for a week." He thought about it for a second. "And, more making out. We don't do that enough." Ok, maybe he had drank too much too.

Crowley hummed in approval. "Don't think this is because I am ashamed", he added on an after thought. "I am comfortable sharing some sides of me with you. It doesn't mean I am as comfortable sharing them with others."

Castiel chuckled kindly, and wrapped his arms around Dean for a long, tender, deep kiss. It was his way of agreeing to each of his conditions.

"I understand, Crowley." Hanakael caressed the demon's cheek. "I am no judging you. I will cherish every inch of trust you're giving me."

Dean kissed Castiel back, fingers tangling into his hair. "Damn it, I love you", he breathed out, when he had to break the kiss. "Love you so much."

Crowley closed his eyes. It didn't matter how much he tried to hide it, or not to care - he really enjoyed that. It was as clear as the sun. He loved to be lavished with all that affection. He kept caressing Hanakael, hand lazily tracing patterns on his back.

"I love you too, Dean," Castiel replied happily in between kisses, keeping his beloved close.

Hanakael didn't say a word for a while either, merely touching, or kissing the demon. And he was just glad to be allowed such a tender moment with the one who was his soulmate.


- - -

A few days later, since Dean couldn't properly connect to angel radio but was able to gather enough strength to give his soul back to Castiel, his beloved could finally be sort of an angel again. It only took him two days to recover after that, and begin to produce his own grace, gaining his strength back.
When he connected on the angel radio, Castiel was hoping to find a clue as to why Crowley needed their book, for Sam had specified that it only contained soulmate rituals. He had no idea he would get his answer so fast, nor that it would terrify him.
"... I need to find one of my brothers," he said suddenly, after a few minutes of silence.

Dean blinked, looking at him. He had been studying the book along with Sam for that whole time while sort-of recovering after giving his grace to Castiel. He still felt a bit weak, like someone who had barely recovered from a flu. "... who- why?", he asked then, frowning. He wasn't really rejoycing at the idea of Castiel looking for another angel. And how to blame him, when the last time they met a group of those, they almost got sliced to bits?

"Crowley is looking for the book because a soulmate bond has been found out between an angel and a demon." Castiel frowned, and stood up. "I suspect he either wants to find a ritual to use that to his own benefit by enslaving them... or worse."

Dean's expression changed drastically. He looked at Sam, brows furrowed deeply, worry written all over his face, from his tense jaw to his wide open eyes. "Is that- something that can happen?", he asked, disbelief in his voice. He looked back and forth from his brother to Castiel, as if to get a sign that no, it totally wasn't. When he didn't get it, he could just slouch back on his chair. "Awesome", he grunted. "Great. What can we do?"

"Should we do anything, though?" Sam asked, arching a brow. "I mean, aside from not giving Crowley the book? That angel and that demon probably will have to hide from both Heaven and Hell, they might not be a problem."
"Unless Crowley is directly concerned," Castiel replied, a grim look on his face.

Dean looked at Castiel as if he had just told him that seahorses had risen from the sea and were now enslaving humanity. "... wait a second", he started, raising his hand to stop the angel from talking. "You mean Crowley - the bastard cockroach-like slimy King of Hell Crowley, that Crowley - somehow got a soulmate thread? With an angel? How is that even a thing!?"

"I don't know for sure," Castiel replied, a bit moodily, "but he used to be human too. Maybe it was meant to awaken a long time ago, but didn't. Maybe I'm mistaken. The only thing I am confident about, is who the angel is. And-" He hesitated. "Crowley asked me for- courtship advices regarding said angel not so long ago."
Sam almost choked on his drink, and he probably deserved it, because no drink should look that green.

Dean had to forcefully keep himself from shivering with disgust. He didn't want to imagine what a demon could possibly mean with 'courtship'. Especially what Crowley meant. That man was nasty as fuck. He looked at Castiel, horrified. "Was that- what he asked in exchange for the favour?" He glanced to Sam, disgust evident in his eyes. "I don't know what makes me die inside the most, if the colour of the thing you are drinking or thinking of Crowley trying to woo an angel."

"Fuck you," Sam instantly replied, as he tried to not spill his beverage.
"... Truth be told, I thought he only wished for a challenge. And I didn't think he would even succeed, given that it was Hanakael," Castiel replied, frowning. "I need to find him now and warn him."

Dean got up from his chair. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's call this Hanakael! Maybe Crowley still didn't succeed to get his claws on... him?", he half-asked. He was never really sure of anything when it came to angels and their sex. He kept reflecting, though. How could it be possible for a thread, to be formed so late? After all, Crowley had been Fergus MacLeod - so, human - centuries ago. ... or had he. "... shit. The human blood", he murmured, slowly realizing how the thread could have found the occasion to get formed.

Sam's eyes widened in pure horror. "You think it's because of the ritual I did on him a while back?"
Castiel thought about it. Then closed his eyes for a moment. "I will call Hanakael here, if that's alright with you."

"Well, it makes sense to me", Dean answered to Sam, frowning. "How could a soulmate thread awaken in a demon, all of a sudden?" He turned to Castiel then, nodding his agreement. "Call him. I just hope it's not too late. ... and that he isn't one of those angels that wants to smite us off of the planet", he muttered darkly.

"Hanakael has always been neutral, as far as I know," Castiel replied. He focused for a bit, and contacted Hanakael mentally. The angel soon appeared in the bunker, standing straight, hands knotted in his back. "... Hello Castiel," he said to his brother, before his eyes drifted to the angel's thread, following it. "That makes you Dean Winchester. And Sam Winchester, I presume," he added, as he looked at both brothers in order.

Dean crossed his arms on his chest, feeling a bit defensive. As usual, when confronted with someone new. "You are correct. I am Dean, this is my brother Sam", he replied, nodding towards his brother. "And you are Hanakael, I guess", he added. Well. He did look very stern and imposing. Maybe Crowley hadn't had any luck yet.

Castiel's eyes also drifted towards Hanakael's hand. "So this is true. You're the other angel bearing a thread."
Hanakael frowned, defensive. "Is this why you called me for?"

"Yes, that's why we called you here", Dean answered hastily, already tired of that back and forth. He stepped towards Hanakael. "The demon you are tied to. It's Crowley, isn't it?", he asked, a bit abruptly.

Hanakael took his sword out, eyes flashing blue, when Castiel dived in front of Dean with his own sword. "We just wish to discuss that matter with you, nothing more," he warned the angel, trying not to look too menacing.

Sam exchanged a glance with Dean, pressing his lips together. Damn. They had guessed right.