#bickering squabbling etc

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I love him

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For @monstermoviedean <3

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5.15 Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid

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Happy Valentine's Day

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Taurus Sam In The Flesh 15 / ? | 3.11 Mystery Spot

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You’re such a control freak 8/? | 1.12 Faith

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dean really takes what cas says to heart in 6.07 about dean's problems not coming first because sam has to call cas for him the next time (6.10) and dean is like. repeatedly defending him after that point.

I don't know if defending him is how I'd describe it (though that is absolutely how I'd describe 6.20 where Dean repeatedly insists that Cas is owed their trust and gratitude), but he definitely gets the warning of "you're pushing it" underlying Cas's sarcasm in 6.07 and responds to the signals Cas is putting out. 6.07 is probably where Dean is most "demanding", but it's really the culmination of Dean being very scared around Sam (to the point of day drinking just to cope with being in the same room as him), and being assaulted by a rapist, then one episode later, finally getting the answers he's been begging for and the help he's been begging for from his family for weeks. After an argument where Dean's distress is very evident, Cas promises to have Dean's back in 6.06, and Cas makes good on his promise in 6.07, coming to Dean's aid. Finally having context for Sam's behavior, coupled with Cas finally taking his concerns seriously and arriving as a powerful and comforting source of backup makes Dean finally feel like he can get a handle on his life again after weeks of feeling scared and alone and used. He's able to confidently respond to and confront soulless Sam's deceitful behavior with Cas's aid, and begin creating boundaries. He jumps to assess the new information he has and adapt to and find a solution to the Sam situation as soon as possible. I think it's totally fine for Dean to ask for Cas's help (Cas asks for his help in demanding tones in 6.03 and Dean agrees—it isn't as if Dean isn't also willing to do things for Cas) but I think you're right that he adapts to Cas's mood when Cas implies through sarcasm that Dean is pushing it and could stand to remember that Cas has his own problems. When the king of hell forces them to start working for him, Dean doesn't ask Cas for help, and Sam doesn't either until 6.10. And when Sam does ask Cas for help, it's clear that Dean wasn't exactly on board. Sam goes out on his own to pray to Cas, and tricks him into showing up by mentioning an angelic weapon, then makes demands and even threats. The threats don't actually work on Cas, but Sam's behavior concerns Cas to the point that he agrees to help. And what does Sam do? Lie to Dean about his and Cas's conversation lmao—because Dean clearly said "I'm not calling him. He's made it clear that he's busy" while Sam confidently stated he could get Cas to show.

DEAN: You actually showed. Wow, Sam, I owe you a chicken dinner. What happened? SAM: No big. This is what friends do for each other. [Cue Cas head tilt + death glare]

Dean further establishes that he doesn't want to burden Cas and that Cas's problems aren't unimportant to him by thanking him very sincerely for his help and offering to help him with anything he needs, and when Cas expresses regret that he can't be with them more often, Dean tells him, "Look, Cas, we know you got a steaming pile on your plate. There’s no need for apologies. We’re your friends." I'm sure some fans feel this candid commentary comes late, but Dean was drowning and was not in a mental state to think about much besides how fucking creepy and weird and scary his brother was being prior to 6.07. He's found some stability and now feels prepared to extend aid (though notably—he already has in 6.03 and was frustrated when Cas wouldn't really communicate his problems).

Dean might have asked Cas to show up in 6.12 to check on Sam's condition while he's in a coma (though we don't know for sure—only that he rips into Dean for putting Sam's soul back in—blinking neon sign in hindsight screaming that Cas feels guilty). Cas shows up again later when Sam prays to him just to (try to) give Sam a hug lol.

Cas isn't seen again until 6.15, when it's again—him (and Balthazar) demanding Sam and Dean's help—not the other way around. He shows up (from the Winchesters perspective) out of the blue in 6.17. In 6.18, Dean prays to Cas for help with time travel in his own special way, and then is immediately yelled at by Rachel even though he hasn't asked Cas for anything in weeks, has provided an open invitation for Cas to ask for his aid, and has had Cas call in favors from him without even asking first (6.17). He's confused by Rachel's accusations, but he doesn't discount the underlying message that Cas is annoyed with him, regardless of whether or not that accusation is actually fair or her understanding of Cas's true feelings is accurate. Dean shows he's again adapting to what he believes is Cas feeling overburdened in 6.19, where it seems that he's told Sam and Bobby not to bother Cas, because after Bobby insists they've exhausted their own resources, he looks at Dean pointedly and says it's time to involve Cas (I talk about this here). Obviously there's also a joke here about Dean and Cas's "profound bond" making him the obvious candidate to pray, but Dean is quite reluctant. He protests being the one to call Cas because he doesn't want to bother him. He insists that Cas is busy, and that Cas does not live in his ass—i.e., Dean saying this establishes that he doesn't believe it's Cas's job to be at his beck and call (after Rachel unfairly implied he thought otherwise). And then Cas shows up before Dean can even pray.