Holy Vision

Chapter 3

Dean sat at the small table near the kitchen, staring out the window. The police and autopsy reports lay spread out in front of him, but he didn't bother to look. He was thinking about Cas' wings and what the hell was going on with this case.

Dean had put the glasses back on, his determined will to keep them off failing. He wanted to respect Cas' privacy and he wanted to stop gawking, but his eyes always drifted back to the angel's hovering wings.

Cas would catch Dean staring every so often with this expression of infatuation and curiosity. He'd catch Dean's eyes and give him a small smile or a pointed look of 'what?'. Dean would just quickly look away with heat barely rising up to his cheeks, leaving Cas in a strange field of confused thought.

Dean was watching Cas and his wings through the reflection of the window. It was a faint reflection and it wasn't all there, but he could still make out those damn wings. They were drooping at the moment. Sagging behind his shoulders and the feathers skewed about on the sheets of Dean's bed. They'd lift and fall ever so slightly with Cas' shoulders each time he breathed. Every once in a while they'd stretch out across the room and then slowly draw in as close as they'd go into Cas' back. Then they'd ruffle out in a shake and sit droopingly on the bed again.

The worst part was when he'd accidentally turn to directly look at the wings. It's not like he meant to or anything, his head just turned on its own and gazed longingly at the sight. When Cas would notice him staring his wings would react. They'd lift higher and each feather would shutter from the bottom up like a body does when a shiver goes up its spine. Then they'd flap lightly forward as if reaching toward Dean. He welcomed the enveloping black hoping the feathers felt as silken as they looked. He'd breathe in quietly as they'd near, his body suddenly growing warmer. But then Cas would catch his eye and Dean would turn the other way in embarrassment, the warmth quickly fleeing his body. He'd see Cas frown dubiously in the window's reflection and his wings droop even more than they had before. He began to wonder-

"-ean. Dean. Hello!" Sam said snapping his fingers in front of Dean's face.

"What?" he said annoyance clear in his frown.

"Are you going to work or stare at the parking lot all day? Your car's not going anywhere."

Dean huffed. "There's nothing in the files Sam. An angel killed some of Cas' old friends and unlucky bystanders. That's all we got so there isn't any work to do."

Sam folded his lab top and slung a bag over his shoulder. "I'm going to the morgue to look for any odd markings on the angel victims especially to see if there's any clues to who we're dealing with. Just in case. There's nothing else really. Sorry Cas," he mumbled before stepping out the door.

"I guess I'll just look through these pointless files again," Dean complained. He briefly glanced at Cas who was staring down at the hands in his lap. His wings looked to almost be hugging himself in comfort. Dean frowned. "Hey Cas. Are you sure you can't think of any one specific that would want to hurt your friends? Or maybe try to get to you through them?"

"Do you mean any angel besides the entirety of Heaven?" he asked sarcastically.

Dean didn't dare to look up and meet the angel's eyes or the grace of his wings. Cas only sassed when he was feeling particularly upset or at fault, and Dean wasn't fond of the angel's outbursts. "Just trying to be helpful."

Cas must have noticed the uneasiness in Dean's voice because he replied softly, "I'm not sure, Dean. A lot of angels are upset with me and it's hard to dictate which ones will do what things." He removed himself from the bed and sat in the seat in front of Dean. Cas watched as he rummaged through the papers before him with a slight crinkle in his brow. He seemed almost on edge and hadn't met Cas' eye in what felt for a while. Cas felt concerned at Dean's barely odd behavior today but knew better than to ask. Dean would never disclose anything that involved feelings. He remembered the confusion about the sudden appearance of the glass and frame look Dean was sporting and decided he could ask about that. "How do your glasses see for you. I don't understand. Do your eyes not work?"

Dean finally looked up at Cas' stupid question. The angel's head titled and his eyes narrowed in question. His wings perked up at the attention and drew slightly nearer as if they too were listening. "Some people's vision worsen over the years and they can't see as well. So they wear glasses to help them. The lenses basically magnify things and make all the world clearer." Technically Dean wasn't wrong but that's not what his glasses were doing for him.

Cas smiled very discreetly and said skeptically, "Sam said you only wear them because you think women will like it."

"I-that is not true!" Dean growled. He watched as Cas' wings shook in amusement and fluttered when Dean smiled softly himself.

"I'll believe you. Only for seeing." His wings seemed to shine in the light coming from the window and loosely flapped under Dean's gaze. He caught Cas' brilliant blue eyes with his own as they both sighed contentedly. The feathers seemed to shake individually and smooth over as they both still stared at each other. His wings rose slowly and gently began to curl around the table before Dean suddenly blurted out,

"Cas can you see your wings?" He almost covered his mouth as soon as the last syllable was spoken. Cas' eyes immediately dropped to the table and his wings had already retreated so tightly behind his back Dean could barely even see them. "I'm sorry I didn't-"

"Yes," he said softly, "only I can see my own. They're the most sacred part of an angel, more important to us than grace. It's our weakest link." His eyes remained on the table and Dean felt his stomach churn. He hadn't meant to upset him, but he knew he should've never asked the question.

"What do they look like?" he asked hesitantly. Of course he already knew, he just wanted to hear it from Cas' perspective.

A small smile crept onto his lips as he looked up at Dean. His eyes were brighter and full of pride. He put a hand behind him, rubbing at the spot between where they both erupted. "They're very large and black. Not just black. A midnight black. And when the sun hits them right they almost shine in places like the stars do in the night. They're soft and strong. They allow fast travel and mild protection." He glanced behind him and at the wings. They ruffled as Dean stared. "They are our pride and our way of showing emotion. Although I always thought that part was silly. How can they show emotion if only I can see them? What does that show anyone?" He stared at Dean with a look of sadness and uncertainty. "Why do you ask?"

Dean smiled and placed a hand on Cas' shoulder, trying his hardest not to brush against his feathers. He watched as the wings twitched violently and opened larger. They softly splayed out and shuttered under Dean's touch. What kind of emotion is that supposed to be? he thought. He looked to Cas again. "I was just wondering. Didn't know if because I couldn't see them maybe no one could. But wherever they may be," he looked past Cas again and admired the hovering silken darkness, "I'm sure they're just beautiful."

Cas blushed lightly and leaned almost automatically forward in his chair.