Let Me Keep You

Chapter Three

I hope you enjoy this chapter! I'll be eagerly waiting to hear your thoughts!
As a little treat, I included the art I did that originally inspired this fic:)

Reference to "From Now On" from The Greatest Showman

~oOo~oOo~oOo~

We'll find something else.

"Of course, we will."

Dean could hear the small smile in Cas' voice, soft and soothing and far more confident than Dean felt himself, but he'd damn well take it.

He allowed himself a moment more to soak in the warmth of Cas' torso pressed against him, revelled in the hand that was stroking down his back, and took a last deep breath to gather himself - if he just so happened to simply take the opportunity to get to breathe in Cas while doing so, sue him.

Reluctantly, Dean finally forced himself to lean back, out of Cas' space, instantly missing his warmth as he straightened and casually wiped his sleeve over his face in order to get rid of some dried tear trails. It wasn't like he could still regain his dignity, but it couldn't hurt to try.

"Sorry 'bout that", Dean mumbled sheepishly, eyes lowering to his hands in his lap. "I didn't...I just couldn't- I-I..."

He was broken off by Cas' hand suddenly reaching out to cover his own, drawing Dean's gaze back to meet the angel's.

"Please don't." Cas smiled, gently squeezing Dean's fingers. "You have nothing to apologize for."

Dean had to disagree, but he wouldn't turn down an out when he saw one, either.

"You really ain't gonna go?", he asked instead, just because he needed to hear it again, hear Cas promise that he would stay until it had been permanently branded into Dean's heart so deeply that he couldn't help but believe and trust it.

"No, I won't go", Cas confirmed, making Dean breathe lighter immediately. "I'm not sure what else we'll do", the angel went on, "but...I'll stay."

"You promise?"

He sounded fucking pathetic, desperate and whiny as hell, Dean knew. But Cas smiled softly, so maybe it was fine.

"I promise."

"Okay." Dean swallowed hard, let Cas' words sink in, breathed. "Okay."

It helped that Cas was still touching him, his thumb slowly stroking over the back of Dean's hand. It felt damn nice, he wasn't gonna lie. Dean tracked the movement with his eyes, watched Cas' thumb glide back and forth across his skin, watched the tendons in his hand flexing, travelling up his arm where Cas' sleeve had ridden up slightly and-

Dean's hand shot out, grabbing Cas' wrist and turning his arm to get a better look.

"Cas, what is-" He broke off, staring at the black tendril that he could just so make out crawling out from beneath Cas' sleeve, marking him like black ink spilt on his skin. Was this...?

"The ritual", Dean mumbled, his eyes snapping up to focus back on the angel's face. "What did it do?"

Instead of an answer, Cas gently wound out of Dean's grip, his eyes never leaving Dean's as he slowly shrugged out of his coat and started to unbutton his shirt, revealing...

"Cas..."

"It's nothing." Cas waved him off dismissively, shrugging with shoulders that appeared to be covered in tendrils of black goo and winding cracks. "Just visible marks to represent...any former acts of sacrifice. To determine if someone is willing and worthy", Cas explained, as if it was nothing, as if his whole upper body wasn't fucking littered with-