Title: Their Foolish Heart Was Darkened
Author: silverspar
Rating: PGish
Pairing: Castiel/Dean, God/Lucifer
Warnings: one s4 character name only spoiler
Summary: You can't escape God's love.

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Dean's slackened lips were prayers held captive in soft flesh, needy to be answered; desperate to be kissed. It was the same old mistake: too much beauty in one place. Too much beauty, too much beauty ... that had been the problem in the beginning and ever since. But perhaps it would also be the end of it.

Castiel rubbed his hands over his face, his mind at last dancing around the edges of doubt. It was too much to ask of one human, one man who had suffered more than most. It was too much to ask of one feeble angel. Send Michael on this mission. Or Uriel. Someone stronger. Someone ruthless.

When Dean's eyes opened they were unrecognizable. They were lit by the morning star.

"Is this a trap then?" murmured Lucifer, violating Dean's mouth with his hissing.

"You can't leave," said Castiel, surprised at the steadiness of his own voice. "You will die with him."

Lucifer blinked slowly, as if contemplating the idea of death for the first time. A tear made a slow path down Dean's cheek. Castiel couldn't keep himself from rubbing it away, knowing that its origin was the host, not the demon. His fingers lingered on the warmth of Dean's skin.

"I cannot imagine a world without me," said Lucifer. "Is it even possible?"

Castiel couldn't answer. Castiel couldn't know. This act was pure faith, even for an angel with God's Will running through him like blood through veins. He shrugged. "All things are possible with-"

Lucifer raised a hand in protest. "Spare me the sermon. I don't care about your faith, or your holy slavery. What is the point in existing if you can't make your own destiny?"

Castiel sighed and shook his head. "All things are possible with love. That is all you were ever rebelling against."

Castiel's vessel ached with empathy and he could not control the tears that fell -- for him, for Dean, for the world. And even for the fallen one.

"And that is why you create nothing but suffering."

As the devil died, Castiel saw his future fading into the past. He would twist time and be somewhere that Dean still was. Surely, with eternity, Dean would come to understand, and would forgive. He would return Castiel's feelings.

"I love you," He whispered into Dean's bloody neck.

Elsewhere, or maybe right there, Lucifer was born. God clutched him close and made many promises. Wisdom beyond measure. Exquisite beauty. Eternal life. And Lucifer believed it all right up until God said I love you.

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