history written on the body - SN ficlet - PG, gen

[tigriswolf]

Title: history written on the body
Fandom: "Supernatural"
Disclaimer: not my characters; just for fun.
Warnings: takes place between 4.2 and 4.3; slight AU, I guess?
Pairings: none stated
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 620
Point of view: third

 

“You lament your lack of scars,” Castiel observes.

Dean yelps and whirls around, his towel dropping. He snags it midair and returns it to his waist.

“Dude!” he says. “When the door is locked, it means stay the fuck out.”

Castiel ignores the words, focusing instead on the body he poured Father’s healing grace into, re-knitting rotted muscle and flesh. Dean’s body is as perfect as the First Man’s had been, back at the beginning. Every physical weakness is gone.

But Dean is not happy with his body and Castiel wants to know why.

“Hello?” Dean says, snapping his fingers loudly in Castiel’s face. “Anybody home?”

“Why are you displeased?” Castiel asks, watching as Dean backs away, going to his bed and pulling a shirt over his head.

“Yeah, see, starting conversations in the middle means I got no clue what you’re talkin’ about,” Dean says.

Castiel replies, “Your scars. The aches and pains your body had before Hell. Why do you miss them?”

Dean pauses in the act of throwing clothes out his duffle bag. “You really don’t get it?” He turns his head to stare at Castiel. “In your true form—do you get hurt?”

Castiel nods. “We can be wounded. God heals us instantaneously.”

“But angels still die,” Dean says.

“If the wound is bad enough, yes,” Castiel admits.

Dean sighs and flips the duffle over. He roots through the pile for a moment before grabbing a pair of boxer shorts. He glances at Castiel then says, “Oh, fuck it,” and drops his towel to pull them on

Castiel asks, “Why are you displeased? I do not understand. You are as close to physical perfection as there can be among humans.”

Dean shoves all the clothes back into the bag. “Those scars,” he answers, “the aches and pains—they showed where I’d been.” He tosses the towel into the bathroom and runs a hand through his hair. “That I’d survived.”

He paces from the bathroom door to the main door and back. “Thirty years,” he mutters, raising his voice to continue, “I knew where I’d gotten every scar. Why my left knee hurt, why my right elbow sometimes twinged. And now all I got is an angel tattoo.” He stops and looks over, raising his hand to his shoulder. “This body is all new,” he says, meeting Castiel’s eyes. “It’s got my face and my memories and all the training I learned over a lifetime—but there’s no evidence I’ve lived.”

He shrugs. “It’s stupid.”

“No,” Castiel responds instantly. “I—I did not know such things are important.” He ponders for a moment, watching Dean examine his hands. “I cannot return them to you.”

“It’s fine, dude,” Dean says. “Forget it.”

Castiel walks over and inclines his head. “Forgive me, Dean,” he asks.

Dean laughs, raising Castiel’s head with a gentle, no-longer calloused hand. “You saved me from Hell,” he says. “And I’m a little pissy 'cause I have the best body in the world?” He shakes his head. “There’s nothing to forgive you for, Cas.”

Feeling Sam’s approach, Castiel knows he must go. “Thank you for your explanation,” he tells Dean and departs.

Humans are the most intricate of all Father’s creations. By far, they are the most confusing. Castiel has watched them continuously for two thousand human years and barely scratched the surface. He knows he could shadow Dean, in particular, for the rest of the man’s life and learn something new every moment.

This fascination is beneath you, Uriel says from across the world. Remember that they are a fallen species.

Castiel ignores him. He replays Dean’s actions and words in his mind, wondering what it would be like to have scars that showed he’d lived.

Comments

[azraelz-angel.livejournal.com]

This was absolutely fabulous. Wow. Such an amazing piece to go along with Dean's lack of scars. I was very troubled that Dean's scars were removed, but I understand why they were when Castiel rebuilt him.

Great job with getting Castiel's voice and fascination right.

Thank you for such a wonderfully enjoyable read.

[tigriswolf]

Thank you for reading!