It was not often that Castiel received praise. Or love in any of its many forms, to be completely honest. It was not something said in Heaven, nor was it anything like what the angels had. No one had ever actually told Castiel they loved him.

But then he met you, and that changed. Sam and Dean picked you up at a hunt while he was away running Heaven, and you just stuck around.

You were comfortable with Castiel. Too comfortable, sometimes, especially when you attempted to beat Sam and Dean at a drinking contest and lost..another human custom Castiel did not understand.

But gradually.. small gestures became bigger. One night, as you were about to leave the motel room the four of you were sharing, you said you loved him in passing, and he froze. "What did you just say?" He whipped his head around.