[ castiel's hackles rise again at the offhand comment, because really, dean might be surprised at just how tough he is beneath the polite awkwardness. with absentee parents and a throng of terrorizing, nasty elder brothers he'd had to learn to defend himself early; woe betide the bullies that stuffed him in lockers and cornered him in alleyways too, during his highschool years - these knuckles have split more lips and cracked more jaws than dean would probably ever believe.
but he doesn't say that, because he doesn't need to, and he's too distracted by the sudden, uninvited touch of dean's hands, warm and rough and dirty. the slide of a thumb against his palm feels more intimate than it should, and dean's touch is like an electric pulse. castiel tenses, flushing warm. ]
I.. don't work with Petri dishes very often.
[ he says, flatly, almost breathlessly, his eyes averted. not that he hasn't taken his fair share of biology courses, but those were mostly when he was an undergrad, years ago. castiel clears his throat, and his fingers twitch but he makes no attempt to pull away. it's been a long time since anyone bothered to touch him even casually like this, and while he's sure that dean doesn't mean anything by it, it's a foreign feeling, lighting a warmth in him that's been long dormant, sparking old memory. ]
no subject
but he doesn't say that, because he doesn't need to, and he's too distracted by the sudden, uninvited touch of dean's hands, warm and rough and dirty. the slide of a thumb against his palm feels more intimate than it should, and dean's touch is like an electric pulse. castiel tenses, flushing warm. ]
I.. don't work with Petri dishes very often.
[ he says, flatly, almost breathlessly, his eyes averted. not that he hasn't taken his fair share of biology courses, but those were mostly when he was an undergrad, years ago. castiel clears his throat, and his fingers twitch but he makes no attempt to pull away. it's been a long time since anyone bothered to touch him even casually like this, and while he's sure that dean doesn't mean anything by it, it's a foreign feeling, lighting a warmth in him that's been long dormant, sparking old memory. ]
I'm an Astronomer.