He was warm; not the oppressive warmth of the jungle, but the comfortable warmth of being curled up in bed beside Mikael. Dean could feel the muscles of his body working, stretching a little as he took a deep breath. He gave a soft groan of pleasure as the familiar smell of his mate filled his senses, bringing him closer to the surface of consciousness. There was a hard body against his, contrasting marvelously with the softness that lay beneath him.

His mind was alert enough now that he realized he was curled up on some sort of plush bed or cot. The warmth up against him was Mikael’s, his arms comfortably holding Dean’s body. It was so soothing to lay there against him, taking in the heat and smell of him. Everything about it spoke of the comforts of home and he wished he was there right now, even if his mind tried to insist that that’s exactly where he was.

“I know you’re awake,” Mikael’s soft voice said above him.

“Shh, was having nice thoughts,” Dean protested, wriggling against Mikael, trying to get even closer to him.

“What sort of thoughts were those?”

Dean cracked an eye, looking up at Mikael and smiling. “I was thinking how laying with you feels like home. Been so miserable about being stuck in this jungle, far from home. Kind of just realized that I’ve actually had home with me the whole time.”

Mikael’s expression softened, eyes warm as he bent to kiss Dean. “I love you so much, you know that?”

Dean sighed against the kiss, feeling a warmth that had nothing to do with their body heat blossoming inside of him. “I do. Almost as much as I love you.”

Mikael’s hand slapped Dean’s ass with a sharp sound. “Then why do you keep putting yourself in situations that end up with you being hurt or out cold?”

“Ow! Mikael!” Dean protested, now fully awake and pushing himself upright.

“Well?” Mikael demanded.

“I tell you that you feel like home, we exchange mushy sentiments, and then you slap my ass?”

Mikael narrowed his eyes. “You left with that woman for a couple of hours and come back unconscious. You’ve been out cold for a couple of days now. These strange people I don’t know, keep telling me you’re fine.”

Dean blinked up at Mikael. “Wait. I’ve been asleep for a couple of days?”

“Almost three actually. That Watcher woman said you were fighting off some force you hadn’t known how to deal with properly because you weren’t trained. She told me it was amazing that you were fighting so well with little help from anyone else. Tried to say that it was because you were a Child of the Sun, but I told her it was because you were a hard headed son of a bitch who didn’t know how to stay down.”

Dean couldn’t help but laugh at the righteous anger in Mikael’s voice and face. He knew Mikael wasn’t really angry with him, only letting off steam from the past few days worth of worry. He leaned forward, kissing Mikael soundly and smiling when he felt the tension in Mikael’s body leech away at the touch.

“You gotta stop doing that stuff Dean,” Mikael whispered, reaching up to stroke Dean’s jaw with his thumb.

“I swear to you, it isn’t intentional.”

“My mate, the trouble magnet,” Mikael said fondly, kissing Dean a little more hungrily than before.

“I know that was meant to be a term of endearment, but it doesn’t sound very endearing at the moment,” Dean protested.

Mikael’s mouth found his jaw, nipping slightly at the warm skin. “Maybe I can make you feel better?”

Dean glanced around the small, simply furnished room they were in. The windows along the walls were dark and there was only one door. They were definitely alone, but he wondered just how far away everyone else was. That, and he knew how well sound could carry along stone.

“Is this a good idea, considering where we are?” Dean asked, wriggling as he felt Mikael’s hands grip him.

“None of the others are around and I don’t care if the Watcher’s people hear anything,” Mikael told him as he kissed Dean’s neck.

Any protests he might have had died as Mikael’s hands slipped lower. Dean hadn’t realized he was naked until he felt Mikael’s hands slip beneath the cover, cupping his groin. Dean groaned against Mikael’s hair, pushing his hips into the grip. It was probably a bad idea to do this right now, but he was beginning to care less and less about that at the moment.

“We don’t have our stuff,” Dean said faintly.

“So?”

“So we don’t have any lube.”

Mikael shrugged, nipping gently at Dean’s collarbone. “That’s what hands and mouths are for, babe.”

Any remaining resistance Dean might have had shredded at that single remark. Everyone already knew they were mated and they had been left unsupervised. After everything that had happened in the room with the crystal, Dean craved the desire and warmth of Mikael’s touch.

His fingers dove into the strands of Mikael’s hair and he rolled his hips against him. He could feel Mikael’s hardness against his thigh, slipping further down his leg as Mikael worked his way lower. Mikael worked a steady line of kisses down Dean’s body, shoving the thin blanket away. When he reached Dean’s groin, he gripped hold of his cock, pecking soft kisses in a circle around it.

Even in tender moments like this, neither of them were very good at patience and Mikael wasted no time in placing his mouth around the head of Dean’s cock. Dean groaned as he felt the familiar warmth slip around the sensitive head. His fingers gripped a little tighter in Mikael’s hair as he felt himself pushed deeper into his mate’s throat.

Bright hazel eyes flashed as Mikael gazed up at him. Dean groaned louder, knowing that Mikael was doing it intentionally. Dean had a weakness for being able to watch someone when they sucked him, especially if they made eye contact. It was even more arousing when it was Mikael and Dean shuddered watching Mikael’s eyes slide shut in pleasure as he took Dean deep again.

“Hell babe,” Dean muttered, pushing his hips up.

Mikael pulled off his cock long enough to slide up and kiss Dean hungrily. Both of them moaned into the kiss as Mikael’s hand wrapped around Dean. Dean had seen Mikael do this before and he knew why he was sliding his fingers along Dean’s slick length. Anticipation tingled inside him, he shivered under their shared kiss.

When it broke, Dean locked onto Mikael’s lust heavy eyes as Mikael positioned himself at Dean’s crotch. One hand wrapped around the base of his cock while his mouth took in the head, sucking deep. Dean lifted his hips, feeling one of Mikael’s now prepared fingers pushing against the ring of muscles of his ass. There was a moment of pressure and then Mikael’s finger slid in.

Dean didn’t know which way he wanted to push his hips. Both the finger within him and the mouth around him were tantalizing and his hips wriggled in indecision. Mikael hummed, a deep throaty noise that drove Dean crazy. It vibrated deep, drawing another wave of pleasure out of him as Mikael’s finger curled, brushing along the sensitive nerves inside him. He gasped out Mikael’s name, finding his grip on the bed as he pushed up into his mate’s mouth.

This was nothing like the hard and fast rutting when they had been in the cave, sheltering during the storm. Mikael was taking his time, drawing out the pleasure for as long as he possibly could. It was a testament to his understanding of Dean’s body language that he was drawing it out so well. Dean hadn’t had a release in days and his ability to hold off with Mikael was normally weak anyway. Mikael moved slowly, letting Dean’s cock slide past his lips and into his throat with a measured, torturous pace.

Dean knew that Mikael could draw this out as long as he wanted. There had been times before where Mikael would intentionally take Dean right to the edge, only to pull away and leave him squirming. Part of him desperately hoped this wasn’t going to be one of those times, that their circumstances meant Mikael would end it soon. His lover normally only played a waiting game after Dean had at least one or two orgasms already that day. Dean didn’t think he could survive it when he hadn’t cum in days.

Finally, Mikael pulled free from him with a small noise. “Babe, I’m sorry, but I need to get off. You’re too goddamn hot like this.”

Relief flooded Dean as he realized he wouldn’t have to wait. Leaning forward he pulled at Mikael’s armpits, trying to bring him up to him. They were both in need of release and Dean wasn’t going to do this one at a time.

“Come here,” Dean grunted, still trying to get Mikael to move.

Mikael raised a brow, but allowed Dean to pull him up after pulling his finger free from Dean’s ass. Their lips met the moment that Mikael was close enough. Dean pushed his hand down to wrap around Mikael’s length. No matter how many times Dean saw or felt Mikael’s cock, it always sent a surge of arousal through him. His thumb brushed along the head, already slick with pre-cum and Mikael shuddered above him.

Mikael positioned himself so that he lay more comfortably next to Dean, their bodies turned toward one another. Mikael returned Dean’s grip, wrapping his fingers around his cock and stroking. The both of them groaned and pushed against the other’s grip. Need and desire surged through them as they tried to bring the other to release.

Dean had thought that he would be the first to cum, but he felt Mikael’s body going taut against him. Mikael’s kiss became less rhythmic and predictable, his rising need for release making it stutter. His cock pulsed in Dean’s hand and Mikael groaned audibly into his mouth. Cum poured from him, splashing against Dean’s stomach and cock.

He would have sworn loudly if his tongue hadn’t been fully occupied. Mikael’s cum slickened his cock even more and he reached down to hold onto Mikael’s wrist to keep his strokes going. It didn’t take long before he was pushing against Mikael, feeling his own orgasm ignite within him. Their mouths broke apart as Dean groaned his mate’s name, his mind a blissful blank of pure pleasure.

They laid like that for what felt like forever, their foreheads pressed against one another, heaving for breath. It never seemed to matter if they fucked or found some other way to get off. It was always wonderful. The heat and their momentary exhaustion kept them from cradling one another as was their habit, yet Dean didn’t have reason to complain. Just having Mikael close, with that utterly content expression on his face was enough.

“Are you okay?” Mikael finally asked once he had regained his breath.

“I’m always okay after that,” Dean chuckled.

“I don’t mean that.”

Dean paused mid stretch, frowning as he tried to wrap his head around whatever train of thought Mikael was on. He remembered why he had been in this bed in the first place and sighed. He supposed that just as he had craved the intimacy between them to help shed the effects of his experience in the depths of the building, Mikael had needed his own reassurance. Their communication with one another had made progress in leaps and bounds, but they still did their best when they were physical with one another.

The soft tiredness on Mikael’s face had been replaced by a tightness that Dean hated seeing there. Despite all of his inner strength and confidence, Mikael sometimes still desperately needed reassurance that everything was okay. Dean loved that about him, that despite all the toughness, there was still a vulnerable part of him always in need of attention. No one else but Dean ever got to see that side of him and Dean treasured those moments.

Dean reached out to cup Mikael’s face. “I promise you, I’m okay now.”

Mikael watched Dean’s face carefully. “Are you just saying that?”

Dean shook his head. “I’m not going to hide something like that from you, not something so serious.”

“You kept the truth about Damian to yourself and it ate away at you.”

Dean smiled. “True, and that was exceptionally stupid on my part. Sometimes I let my independence get the better of me, and my stubbornness. But I would never keep something like this from you. This is something that has to do with what amounts to my soul. If I thought I had been permanently affected by the crystal, even absorbed a little piece of that corruption, I would say something.”

Mikael continued to scrutinize him. “Would…would you even know?”

Dean thought about that, realizing it was a question he should have already been asking himself. Would someone even know they were corrupted in the first place? He’d heard it said that crazy people didn’t know they were crazy, so it was quite possible that the very same rule could apply to this situation.

After a moment, he shook his head. “I think I would. Talon and all the other shamans knew they were corrupted.”

“True, but they also knew they were being exposed to it through that crystal Damian had. Although, Nox didn’t know he was corrupted.”

Dean snorted derisively at the thought of the fallen shaman. “Yeah, and Nox was also insane. Delusions of power and grandeur. I also knew that I was being exposed to the crystal, and I don’t feel any different. I mean, I’m tired right now, but it took a lot to fight off the effects of the crystal, so that probably accounts for it.”

Mikael still looked worried and Dean sighed. How could he explain that other than a little bit of exhaustion, he felt like his normal self? He knew full well what effect the crystal had on him, yet he felt none of that now. Other than concern that Mikael would obsess over this more than he should, there were none of the dark and oppressive thoughts he’d had while in the crystal’s presence.

“Look, it’s apparently a spiritual corruption, right?” Dean asked, still stroking his fingers down Mikael’s cheek.

“That’s what everyone keeps saying.”

“And the Watcher has been in here several times to check on me, right?”

Mikael nodded. “She’s been in here less today, but she was in here a lot before that.”

“Then don’t you think she would have noticed if something was wrong with me? I’m guessing that in order for her to rule these people, she would have to be a pretty strong shaman, right? And we already know she’s got a lot of knowledge when it comes to this sort of thing, so I’m confident she would know corruption in someone when she saw it.”

“Except for Nox.”

Dean shook his head. “We don’t even know if he was corrupted then. He could have just been the greedy asshole he’d probably always been and gotten corrupted afterward.”

Mikael shook his head. “I don’t know, Dean.”

“Babe, you’re worrying yourself over this so hard. You have to trust me,” Dean soothed, pushing himself closer to Mikael.

“I do trust you!” Mikael protested.

“Then why all this nitpicking over details?”

“Maybe because you’re my mate? And you’re always finding yourself in these situations that could get you killed or worse? And because I can’t seem to do anything to help you when you’re in those situations?”

Understanding hit Dean and he smiled softly. “That’s what it is.”

“What?”

“You’re feeling helpless because you think you’re not helping.”

“I’m not!”

Dean pressed himself the rest of the way into Mikael, still smiling. “You’re wrong. You help me a hell of a lot more than you’re giving yourself credit for right now. Sometimes you’re the only thing that gets me through all the hell that has come into my life. Being here with you right now is what tells me there’s nothing wrong with me. That the crystal didn’t touch me. It might have been strong, but it didn’t twist anything inside of me. Loving you and being loved by you is all I feel right now. No darkness, no twisted or hateful desires, just love. That’s how it is, how it’s been since we got together, how we are. So long as I have you, that’s all I’m going to need to keep trying, to keep fighting.”

Mikael softened at his words, allowing Dean to hold him. “That won’t save your life from someone’s jaws or a bullet.”

“And I have you and all the others there to help me until I learn to protect myself better. I have you and a new family now, Mikael. I’m so loved and safe that it feels unreal to me at times.”

Mikael bit his lower lip. “They all love you.”

“And I love them. Even the grumpy one.”

Mikael laughed at that, the sound soothing to Dean’s ears. “Dante can be a little grouchy, but he’s got your back too.”

“Exactly, that’s my point. I’m surrounded by people who care about me and who I care about. There’s so much of it going on in my life that I don’t think too much can really touch me now.”

Mikael settled down, feeling more relaxed. “You promise to keep training with Katarina when we get back? I think it would be a good idea with everything that seems to be happening or will happen.”

Dean thought about all the future bruises he was going to have and nodded as he laid his head down. “I promise. I was thinking the same thing earlier, and I’m sure she would have a great deal of fun smacking me around some more.”

“I don’t like watching that, but at least it’s better in the long run, right?” Mikael asked sleepily.

“I just think of it as Katarina’s version of loving me.”

They shared a tired chuckled as they ignored the heat of the room and wrapped themselves up in one another. Dean’s last thought before he drifted off to sleep was that he didn’t know if Mikael’s worries were unfounded or not, but that it didn’t matter. If he was corrupted, even a little, then maybe it would be destroyed by all the love in his heart. If it wasn’t, then he could at least enjoy what he had for a little while before he had to take care of it the only way they knew how. It didn’t seem that dark of a thought to him as consciousness slipped away.There were worse deaths than to die loved and cared for.