Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I own nothing. I wish I did, but I don't.
Summary: Dean takes Cas to an Aquarium.
Notes: Unbetaed

"Its raining" Cas whispers. Dean rolls over giving a noncommittal grunt of acknowledgement. In the hazy state between sleep and consciousness he feels Castiel's weight leave the end of the bed and though he can't hear him moving, Dean knows the angel will be walking across the room to stand by one of the hotels window. Dean can't remember the last time he stayed in a fancy hotel room like this. The sheets are cleaner, the food better tasting and even though he hates the intensity of being in a big city like this, with it's dwarfing skyscrapers and never ending streams of headlights, he has to admit he has quiet enjoyed the last few days. Cas too, though being uncomfortable in the large crowds, has seemed to draw energy form the cities constant buzz. Its urgency and intensity draws out a side of Castiel, which Dean has never seen. In his almost sleep Dean smiles remembering his and Cas's recent adventure of the Subway and Castiel's amusement, yet utter fear of an escalator. "By why not just use the stairs?" he had asked, head typically tilted. It had been only after much encouragement from Dean would he actually hop on the damn thing.

But no matter how many new things Cas discovered, tastes, strange places, strange people, his favorite thing above all else was water, especially when it was falling from the sky. Dean had asked Cas about it once on an early overcast morning, trying to understand the fascination, what allure did the rain have? But Cas had just shrugged in response, "it doesn't rain in Heaven". It was this curiosity with rain, which meant Dean knew he would be standing at the window, watching it. Watching as the droplets made an abstract dot-to-dot on the glass as they raced, on their journey downwards. If he wasn't careful, Cas would be outside on the balcony in a minute. Barefoot and in his pajamas, so he could "feel the rain". Sighing with a small smile still gracing his face Dean opens his eyes. Stretching and rubbing his face with his soft hands he swings his legs out of the bed. Dean quietly thanks God that him and Cas have long ago given up on sleeping in separate single beds, a costly extra, which if they maintained would mean they couldn't afford a hotel room like this one. It was a day like today which had seen the end of the boys separates sleeping arrangements. It had been raining and a hole in the cramped motel room's roof had left the single bed a puddle of water and sheets. Since then Dean had simply requested a double bed at every new place they stayed. Ignoring raised eyebrows and the questioning stares, which drifted between him and the oblivious angel, Dean had told himself it was merely a financial decision. Told him self it had nothing to do with how nice Cas smelt or how he radiated heat through the blankets. Cas had never said anything, never even acknowledged the change. Dean still wasn't even sure the angel slept, not like Dean slept. But he just guessed that it must benefit Cas in someway, but whether it was for the physical rejuvenation or for some other reason he didn't know. Maybe it was because of the connection it gave Cas to becoming human, a step towards being a member of the human race after being cut off from the Heavens. Then again maybe he slept for another reason, ultimately it didn't really matter to Dean, who inside, under the jokes and leather jacket, liked having the angel there.

"Hey Cas" Dean starts while pulling on a shirt he had fished off the floor. "I was thinking, seen we've dealt with that Ghoul job so quickly." A pause while he puts on socks, " and still have the room for the week. Did you want to stick around? Check out more of the city. Hit the town. You know bars and booze?" Cas almost has to peel his face off the window before turning to face Dean. The white shirt, which Dean gave him to wear to bed, is slightly to big for but it still stretches over his shoulders, outlining his lean torso and exposing defined collarbones. While Cas would have been happy to sleep in his suit pants, Dean refused to let him but with only having boxes to share, they had been forced to go shopping and purchase a more appropriate sleeping attire for the angel. As a joke Dean had brought Cas flannel pajama pants, light green and covered in fluffy white clouds. Castiel had completely missed the fact they where girls pants and wore them, blissfully and ignorantly, ignoring the giggles and smirks they produced from Dean.

"Stay here? But...why?"

Dean falters, "Oh well umm... Just thought it was a good idea is all" rubbing the nape of his neck, a reaction to Cas's intense gaze. "I... I thought we could go to the aquarium... if you wanted" he can feel the heat rising on his cheeks, but even from across the room he can see Castiel's pupils dilate to massive proportions in awe.

"An aquarium?"

Laughter bubbling inside him Dean fights hard from out right laughing at Castiel's reaction, "Yeh, you know big tanks, fish, a whole lota water!"

After almost six hours at the aquarium Dean recons he could die happy if he never saw another fish again and he truly believes he knows every single "fun fact" there is to know about Angel Fish, courtesy of Cas and his visitors guide book. But while Dean's favorite was by far the sharks, Castiel's was the jellyfish. He had sat watching the alien creatures glide and float aimlessly around the tank for close to two hours. The careless ease in which they moved reminded him of what it was like to fly and as he sat hypnotized by their movements. With lights, in shades of aqua marine blues and greens, dancing across his face, he felt entirely at peace. A feeling that he hadn't had in a very, very long time. When Dean finally found him, sitting on a cushioned seat, hands by his sides, head on an angle with his mouth slightly opened, completely immersed in the underwater world in front of him, he had known better than disturb him. Sitting down quietly next to him, Dean stared at angel. Instead of watching the jellyfish idly drift though the glass, Dean watched the reflection the lights created in Castiel's eyes. Framed by he eyelashes Dean though that he had never seem some thing so captivating. "They are so beautiful," Cas whispered quietly to no one but himself. "Yeh Cas, they sure are" Dean whispered back, never even once looking up.

Together the hunter and angel sat in the darkness of the aquarium, both staring at there own definition of beautiful, till Dean realizing the time moves. Leaning forward, reaching out to fix the collar on Castiel's trench coats saying "Come on Ariel, time to go" Snapping out of his serenity, Cas faces Dean suddenly. Green eyes soaking in the man before him. Eyes raking over features, memorizing and appreciating for the first time the flawless nature of Dean. The moment holds, both men sitting frozen, absorbing each other next to the jellyfish tank. Mesmerized by each other's perfection. When Dean finally has to breath the stillness between them shatters and Dean pulls his hands away from the fabric around Castiel's neck. "Dean, my name is not Ariel... It Castiel." Dean just smiles, he can almost see the "Little Mermaid" reference crashing and burning in front of him. Placing his hand back on Castiel's shoulder. "Yeh I know Cas, I know."