There are only so many arguments about the sexuality of Dean that I see, and if it's valid or canon or whatever, but I noticed a lot of them completely disregard some fundamental character traits of his. That whole topic has a lot going on to begin with, though from what I can tell as a lifelong fan of the show, it is meant to be up for determination.
Yes, his relationship with Castiel and their love is kind of a dead giveaway that he feels romantic inclination to both men and women, though that isn't really what I mean. A lot of the time, his attraction to men is supposed to be jokes, and a lot of the time, situational irony, since he has many 'I'm not into dudes' instances throughout the show. That's not necessarily the case all the time, though. Granted, those times without irony are typically with Castiel; he is never depicted with a set sexuality. I think a lot of that has to do with a lack of wanting labels, but mostly his, and I hate to say this, internalized homophobia.
I know that isn't canon, rather just hinted at here and there, but given the context clues revolving it, I feel like it's a key factor here. Let's face it, he is an incredibly complex character, who is just as traumatized as he is complex. This can also be tied back to his relationship with John. The man wasn't exactly present, and Dean spent the majority of his life wanting to be the perfect son, and liking men could seem less than perfect to a young man with a father like that. Take that with a grain of salt, however, as there is never any plain evidence shown that John was ever flat-out unaccepting of anything Dean portrayed as a person.
Again with the whole internalized homophobia thing, that is also constantly contradicted by Dean's situational irony for the purpose of humor in the show. Like, sometimes he'll just up and say some pretty wild stuff about other men. Either way, my point is that Dean is not meant to have a label, and it's for those two reasons, as far as I can tell.
I keep seeing posts arguing about whether or not Dean or Castiel is the submissive one in the their relationship and it makes me laugh. Like, did we watch the same show?
Neither of them are perpetually "submissive" when it comes to anyone really, with the exception of family (Jack, Sam, Bobby, ect) upon occasion. And then there's how they are for each other. Seriously, both of those men are insanely stubborn but give up all fight when it comes to one another. Like, it's not just Dean, and it's not just Castiel. They are both "submissive" for each other.
But even then, I dislike the term submissive. It's used as a sort of fetishizing or sexual term to depict their relationship when it isn't inherently either of those things. Like sure, they have their moments of tension and implications, but ultimately that "submission" comes from their trust and bond with each other. If it wasn't for their complete and utter trust in one another then neither of them would "submit" as they do.
I love the idea of Soldier Boy and Malchemical being an alternate version of Dean and Castiel.
There's the given and obvious: the casting of all four characters and how the director (Eric Kripke) is making constant references back to Supernatural in The Boys. But aside from that, it would make sense. Balthazar tells Castiel that in their universe, it is the only one in which Castiel rebels for Dean, or for the sake of context and deeper meaning, love. Malchemical himself is unwilling to put himself or his image/wealth for virtually anything, and Soldier Boy, like Dean before trusting Castiel, is quick to attempt (or, in Soldier Boy's case, succeed) in killing the Cas variant for his own cause.
It's in plain sight, honestly. I know this is kind of a dead topic now, but I really like its potential. It also kind of goes to further prove how strong Castiel's love for Dean is. Don't get me wrong, the whole 'find each other in every universe' trope is sweet, but having a love that surpasses the universal constant is incredible.
Piggy backing off my last post, I think that intimacy and familiarity is the reason for Dean's constant blind faith in Castiel.
Like yeah, I get it, there is some deeper or hidden meaning there like the representation of Dean's overall relationship with the idea of God/Heaven, and at the first sign of proof they exist he trusts it like he's always wanted to secretly. But it's not just that. We see time in and time out Dean disrespect and be untrusting of literally any other angel or Heaven's rules.
But that familiarity and intimacy between him and Castiel hardly, if at all, wavers. Like even in season four, Dean almost instantly believes every word to come from Castiel's mouth. And to me, it's because he already knows Castiel. Being saved and reconstructed wasn't one sided. Like stated in the show Dean "corrupts" Castiel, and that is plain evidence that Dean also touched Castiel on a deep, sort of celestial level.
Everything about their relationship is built off of that. I mean seriously, the man has such undying trust in Castiel he couldn't tell when it was Lucifer inside of Jimmy's body. Their touching each other's souls gave them insight of literally every single part of the other's soul. The love was premeditated.
A/N: Hi guys! I'm so happy to be back. Aside from all the stalking, my life has been a busy mess lately. I got into drama school for one! My cat also just had a litter of kitties, so that's been a handful and a half. Regardless, here's this!
Castiel stared at Dean, long and unwavering. The human man had a certain allure to him. Castiel had seen every part of his soul, had felt it, moreover, when reconstructing him. Nothing more beautiful had crossed the angel's path until then. Still now, he had yet to look upon a more gorgeous thing. Everything about the man was painstakingly human. Castiel both envied and couldn't understand that.
To be multiple things at once so fluidly sounded overwhelming, yet Dean did that much with the same ease wind took blowing. He didn't wish to be Dean, however. But he had wishes regarding the man. Wishes he chose not to pinpoint, for the sake of what was left of his obedience, or maybe just out of self-pity. Even existing on the same plane as Dean felt like trying to sew moth wings with barbwire.
Dean was currently asleep. Castiel liked to observe him the most then, as that was when the human man felt the most at peace. Castiel yearned to bring Dean that same peace at all times, but that just wasn't possible. At least, not now. The angel's fingers twitched. If he really looked, he could gaze directly at Dean's soul as easily as he could see the ground beneath his feet. He wanted to touch it again. It wasn't necessarily pure, but it was by no means corrupt. It felt like the first dawn after an eternal darkness.
Castiel raised his hand and reached out to touch the sleeping man, but paused just inches from contact. He shouldn't. It could wake Dean. And who knows what that sort of contact would do to the angel. He didn't trust himself to pull away once it was done. The feeling could be addictive, dangerously so. Castiel's hand fell back to his side. Dean muttered something in his sleep and rolled onto his stomach from his side. That brought the handprint Castiel left on the man to the angel's field of vision.
Dean was sleeping in a tank, leaving his shoulders completely exposed. The handprint, the burn, completely exposed. Castiel took in a sharp breath. Impulse slapped the angel. In an instant, he placed his hand on the print, allowing himself to truly feel the man's soul again. He took a breath of relief. A warmth spread throughout his solar plexus. That was cut short, though, as Dean shot awake and, in a reflex, punched Castiel. The angel, caught off guard, stepped back while Dean fell off his bed.
Dean hit the motel's floor with a heavy thud and a pained grunt. He whipped his head up, a scowl upon his face. "What the hell Cas!?" barked Dean.
Castiel looked down at the man, mouth slightly agape. He couldn't possibly explain what he was just doing, or why, let alone without Dean finding it creepy or angering.
"Well?!" demanded the man, scrambling to his feet. Once on them, he and Castiel stood something close to a foot apart. Distance proved seldom between them as a constant. At Castiel's further lack of a response, Dean bristled and huffily sat down on the edge of his bed. Castiel's eyes followed the man closely. His breath was taken away. From the sight, the feeling, of Dean. The human man kept spitting out words, but they all fell flat in the angel's ears. He was getting overwhelmed. So, he did what he always does: vanish into thin air.
When Castiel disappeared, Dean scoffed. "Unbelievable. Shows up, pulls that crap, and then just poof." Muttered the man while he lay back down. Only, he couldn't fall back asleep. Just lying there was making him restless, so he got up and dressed. The world outside was dark and quiet. Every other normal person who hadn't been harassed by one of God's soldiers was sleeping peacefully. Thus, Dean left his motel room and went for a walk. It would either make him tired again or clear his mind. Hopefully both.
While walking, Dean thought about the dream he had been having before getting woken by Cas. He couldn't remember what happened in it now, but he remembered how it felt. Cool, and calming. As if he'd been wrapped in a fog made to chill the burning fever in his mind. He'd never felt like that before. Something so close to a kiss, though, from what he could only imagine as nonexistent. Much like his thoughts on angels before being pulled from hell.
Lost in thought, Dean turned a corner and found Castiel standing on the sidewalk in front of him. The brooding angel had on his normal stoic expression. Dean, upon sight, grew irritated. The memory of last night hadn't gone away by any means. He brushed past the celestial being.
"You gonna explain last night or keep pulling the holy mysterious bull crap?" remarked the eldest Winchester boy.
Castiel turned and followed the man. "I was.. Looking into something," replied the angel lamely.
"That something being my shoulder? Yeah right, Cas."
"Did you... feel something last night?"
"Other than you hitting me? No," Dean stopped walking and turned to face the angel, "Cas, I was actually having a great dream. Look, what is this about, I mean, really? Touching me while I'm sleeping? Normally, you're pretty weird as it is, but this seriously takes the cake."
Castiel weighed his options, all the while dragging his gaze across Dean's features. "You wouldn't understand."
"Then enlighten me! I'm sick and tired of your whole holier-than-thou act! You know, I'm not as stupid as you angels love to think I am!"
"I do not find you stupid, Dean."
"Yeah, what do you then, huh?!"
"Beautiful."
He's stunned momentarily before he scowls again. "What? Cas, what are you talking about now?!"
All Castiel could do was smile at the man before him. Not one of condescension or mockery, but of pure adoration. He couldn't help it.
"Something funny?" Snapped Dean, with patience running ice thin.
"No, Dean. I am simply admiring. You are so... complex, and I find beauty in that. It's in your soul."
"My soul?"
"Yes. I've touched it. It has corrupted me, Dean, for the better. I don't know how you don't see that. You're incredibly fascinating. You're turning me into something that is not myself, or perhaps the other way around. Thank you, Dean."
The human man blinked. That was a lot to take in at once. He knew that Castiel had touched his soul; he had to in order to pull him from hell, and his scar was proof of that. But to hear it put in terms like that felt uncomfortably intimate. Coming from the most awkward being he'd ever met, to boot. When Dean went to open his mouth, the angel again vanished. He didn't see Castiel after that for several days. With each that passed by, turmoil built itself up inside his mind.
The turmoil felt the same as hunger. But what he hungered for, he could hardly tell. Part of him wanted to be upset with Castiel, and he was, but there was something else at play. Longing? Confusion. Vunralbility? Guilt. Many things. Most of all, however, desperation. He had grown desperate to feel that kiss he had in his dream, and deep down, he knew it had something to do with Castiel.
When the angel finally showed its face again, Dean's inner turmoil peaked. By now, a fortnight had passed since that night. He'd had more than enough time to think everything over.
"Dean, I-" Castiel began, but was cut off by Dean crashing into him. The human man's arms locked around the angel's shoulders and pulled him in close. Dean shut his eyes as tightly as he could, hoping, trying to recreate that feeling from his dream. When it didn't happen, he shoved his face into Castiel's neck and squeezed him tighter.
Please, Dean's heart screamed.
Castiel was stiff, shocked at first. As Dean tried harder, though, the angel melted. He raised his own arms and slid them around the man's waist. To feel one another, deeply, truly, for their souls to touch once more, could be their own personal heaven.
The fog returned and enveloped Dean and his flaming heart.
The dawn came and warmed Castiel and stole away his darkness.
Nothing more need be said or done. The two stood like that for a long time, hardly able to bear the thought of letting go. Even when they did, they didn't really. Nor would they after that.
I think that part of the constant intimacy between Castiel and Dean sprouts from the body language they have with and/or around one another. I see people talk about the touching and the way they look at each other a lot, but there's more to it. Yeah, it's obvious that they're always glued at the hip and the biggest yearners in fiction, but there's a certain ease I see that's not being talked about a lot.
Dean is always on guard, and Castiel has this sort of rigid posture, but when in the vicinity of each other, they're relaxed. And it was like that from the get-go. I think that, within itself, it comes from the fact that Castiel has literally touched Dean's soul and reconstructed his body. There is not one bit of that man that Castiel hasn't felt, which, in turn, from what I have observed, is kind of the cause of that relaxation. It's familiarity. And I think whether Dean is conscious of it or not, deep down feels the same thing because of the reconstruction.
