But here’s the thing -

Cas isn’t a child.

That’s just another label. Like the all the others Dean’s been slapping on the guy since they met. Ones like cryptic dickwad. Hero and Superman. Wholesome and chaste. Untouchable. 

In truth, Dean still doesn’t know what Cas is. But that’s never been the problem. He’s just been hung up on it so long it never occurred to him that, really, the ‘what’ makes no difference to ‘who.’ And it’s who Cas is that matters.

So once you’ve stripped off all the labels - angel, child, brother, god - what’s left?

Someone as messed up, confused and tangible as anyone in this mad, chaotic spinning-top of a world. Someone who always puts the people he cares about first. And what he thinks is best for them just before that.

The same. Right down to the arrogant, stubborn absoluteness of Winchester devotion. —[x]