[ the usual strength of his voice is lacking, subdued to a whisper. ]

You didn't drive me to anything. Getting infected did.

[ getting infected, becoming one of them, making cas clean up after his mess. it hadn't been fair, and if dean hadn't been there in the first place, then maybe castiel wouldn't have had to go through all of that-- hell, if dean hadn't been in a lot of messes, cas wouldn't have died back home.

he can cut the cycle here though, once and for all.

dean feels the dampness grow, which prompts him to turn. he doesn't stray from cas though, lingers right there where there's little space between them. hands find cas', wrap around them, sealing fingers into warmth.

green looks for blue. ]

Despite that, you don't know how glad I was. If it had been you...

[ if it had been cas with blood stained lips and a look of mute shock on his face, life reduced to minutes as the raging monsters caught up with them... well, dean knows he wouldn't have been strong enough to survive seeing cas packing his bags in their place, alive and well again. it's all the proof he needs to know that him walking out the door won't break castiel for good, even if tears are seeping into his clothing. ]

This is the best thing I can give you.

[ freedom. ]