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Castiel was an ancient entity. He had been alive for a very long time and had seen quite a bit. He's seen warriors of old kingdoms, wise rulers, and some of the most remarkable people to walk the earth. Castiel had fought alongside angels and archangels alike. Monsters, angels and demons feared him all around the world. He was truly a force to be reckoned with.
He was also currently being used as a pillow by Sam Winchester.
The pair had been reading up on the darkness while Dean was nursing a hangover. However, Castiel was sure that Dean had been up for a while and just didn't want to research. Cas had noticed Sam's movements becoming slower as his eyes appeared to become heavier. Castiel could understand why the youngest Winchester was tired, and even if Sam tried to deny it, the purple smudges under his eyes gave him away. He had been up the last few days researching, reading and helping wherever possible. He had been up very late studying and then up very early to go for a run. Sam Winchester going for a run was basically a ritual at this point. Sam claimed it was for the fresh air and exercise, but Cas and Dean both knew that it helped them clear their head and keep control of their life. It wasn't as though he didn't run enough hunting, and he was in perfect physical shape, if not a little underweight.
And despite Sam's active, healthy lifestyle, Cas was sure that he did not have healthy living habits. Neither did Dean when it came down to diet, but Sam was in a different category altogether. They hardly slept, drank way too much caffeine, exercised too much and didn't take care of their own mental well-being, putting everyone else's first. It wasn't a stretch to say that Castiel worried about the man.
Castiel fully intended to finish reading the chapter on primordial beings and then lead Sam back to his room to sleep - he didn't think sleeping sitting up would be very healthy for one's spine - but before he had any time to act on his plan, he heard a soft sigh and felt Sam's head fall onto his shoulder.
Cas's gaze travelled from the text to Sam, who appeared to be blissfully asleep, his tired, weary eyes closed. Alright, change of plans. He was going to take Sam to bed now.
"Sam?" Cas whispered as low as his gravelly voice could go.
"Hmm?" Sam murmured, clearly only barely awake.
"I'm going to take you to bed, okay?"
Sam seemed to dwell on this for a moment before softly sighing, "Okay."
With a quick twitch of his wings, Castiel and Sam disappeared and reappeared in Sam's bedroom. Sam barely stirred. Slowly but surely, Cas eased the young Winchester onto his bed, gradually shifting his head onto the pillow and draping his too-long legs over the mattress. Once he was settled, Cas fully planned to leave him to sleep and return to the library to research, only to find Sam's hand fisted in his trenchcoat like a tired toddler.
"Sam?"
"Shh," Sam mumbled, "'m sleeping."
"Wouldn't it be easier to sleep without your hand in my coat?" Cas questioned.
Sam sighed before shivering slightly. "'m cold."
"Would you like me to find you a blanket?"
"No. Stay?" Sam asked, looking up through long, sleepy lashes.
Cas's expression softened. Castiel could remember Dean mentioning once that when Sam got overtired, he would get clingy. Was this what this was?
"Sam, you should sleep. I fear my presence would be a hindrance to the optimal sleeping conditions." Castiel reasoned.
"Please?" Sam whined.
Cas sighed, looking around. He deserved a break, and Sam's room had a television. He could watch something and just read the subtitles. With a final nod, Cas relented.
Sam smiled softly, moving over to make room for Cas.
Cas softly smiled as he lay down next to Sam. At first, Cas just lay down next to Sam, whose hand was still twisted into Castiel's coat. And then, slowly, Sam turned over, sighing sleepily, as they nuzzled into Cas's side. Gently, Cas carded his fingers through Sam's overly long hair. Sam contently hummed at the motions. Cas wrapped an arm around Sam's shoulders, pulling him in closer, feeling the warmth radiate off of Sam, despite their previous statement of being cold. Cas was beginning to think that that had just been a ploy to get Cas to stay. Maybe Cas would forgo his plans of watching television all together and would instead rest. Angels didn't need to sleep, but Cas did, from time to time, rest.
So letting himself relax into his pillow further, nestling his head against Sam's, he began to drift off. And he would have succeeded if not for the smothered laughs and flash of a camera.
Cas opened his eyes to see Dean chuckling and taking pictures. Oh, Castiel and Sam would never hear the end of this.
"Not a word," Cas quietly threatened, enunciating every word carefully. Castiel knew; however, Dean would show Sam the photo of Castiel and them the moment they woke up, which would not be for at least ten more hours if it were up to Castiel, which brought him to his next point. "And do not wake him up. Sam has not slept more than four hours in the last two nights. Dean Winchester, I swear to you, if you wake your brother up before I deem ready, I will fly you to Alaska and leave you there."
Dean, still stifling his laughter, only nodded, taking one last picture before trotting off down the hall in the direction of the kitchen.
Castiel was about to close his eyes and join Sam in his slumber when he heard a quiet "Thank you."
Cas looked down at Sam, who was softly smiling. Sleepily, Sam sighed, shifting, so his body was tucked into Cas's side. An arm wrapped around Cas's stomach, pulling him impossibly closer.
Cas grinned; he had never experienced this closeness before. Cas remembered very little physical affection after his fledgeling days. He hadn't realised how much he missed it. Cas remembered when he pulled Dean out of hell. He had carefully rebuilt Dean to how he was before hell. And for a time, Castiel had a much more profound bond with Dean. But when he pulled Sam from help, did the same for him, took on their madness, and saved him from killing himself via Gadreel's grace, slowly, he began to look at Sam with the same love and friendship that he looked at Dean with. It had been hard to look past the demon blood pumping through Sam's veins - sometimes it still was - but underneath it all, Sam was kind, not cruel. Good, not evil. Brave, not malicious. Sam was truly one of the best people Cas had ever met.
So, with peace of mind that he was safe with his friend, Cas closed his eyes, feeling Sam's heartbeat steady, his even breaths undeterred by nightmares, his quiet snores muffled by the blankets and Cas's coat. Yes, Castiel was a fierce warrior, but if his friend needed a pillow, he would be more than happy to roll over and offer his lap, shoulder, whatever.
As Cas drifted off, he decided it really didn't matter if Dean taunted Sam and him for the rest of their lives with the photo of him and Sam cuddling; Cas would let Dean take a picture of them a hundred times over if that meant Sam would sleep for a few more hours than normal.
When Sam opened his eyes, he felt... warm? Warm, safe, and content. They felt better than ever before. They were well-rested and happy. He wasn't entirely sure why, though. Before he had a chance to ponder this, though, he heard a voice.
"Shh, Sam, just a few more hours."
Sam looked up. Their gaze found Cas's sleepy eyes looking down at him. "Hey?" Sam murmured. "What...?"
"You fell asleep in the library, so I brought you to your room. I was going to leave you to sleep, but you asked me to stay. Dean told me once that you get clingy when you are overtired."
Sam could feel his cheeks burn. "And?"
"And I was originally going to watch television. I'm on season five of Doctor Who, and Matt Smith is very good, but I decided to sleep instead. Dean took some photos-"
"Naturally."
"But we went to sleep. You slept for seven hours, but you should sleep a little more, okay?"
A part of Sam wanted to get up and go to the library, put on a pot of coffee, and continue researching Amara. But the look on Cas's face, practically begging for him to just take care of himself, won.
God, even just thinking about Cas having to beg for Sam to sleep, and do a little self-care, sounded pathetic. Sam took one last look into Cas's pleading eyes. Gosh, he could rival Sam with those puppy dog eyes.
Sighing, Sam relented. "Fine. A few more hours." Sam was still pretty tired after all. He was sure that if he just closed his eyes, settled back down into the mattress, and let Cas's warm cuddles lull him back, he would fall asleep with no problem.
In fact, he could already feel himself slipping. "Just sleep, Sam. I'll be here when you wake up," Cas promised.
Sam snuggled down, turning so his face was pressed into Cas's side, their left leg twisted around Cas's. Cas smiled down at him, pulling the blankets up over them.
Sam let himself drift off. Cas would follow only minutes later. Neither of them knew, but Dean had already printed a photo of the two of them and had put it in a frame. While he would definitely tease Sam and Cas, he felt his heart warm when he saw them and happily added the picture to his collection of family photos.
Sam wouldn't wake up for another seven hours. They didn't do the research they had planned to, but it was worth it.