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“What do you want Dean?” Death said as he appeared in the bar in which Dean had summoned him. “Oh, wait, don’t tell me. You want the Mark of Cain gone, don’t you?” Dean pushed the best plate of nachos he had ever tasted towards him before he responded.
“Yes, that’s exactly what I want,” Dean said as Death took some of the nachos and ate approvingly. “I’m tired of this god damn curse. I killed an innocent kid recently, I almost killed the only other person I care about other than Sam, I’m done. I figure you can help me get it off.”
“It’s true. I can remove the Mark, but it comes at a price,” he responded.
“Doesn’t everything?” Dean said sarcastically. Death gave him a look before continuing.
“The price is, you must become me. You must take on my power and do my job, only then will the Mark be removed,” Death said. Dean smiled at the table.
“Well, that’s just dandy isn’t it?” he said sassily.
“Unless you’ve got a better idea, and based on the fact that you called me, I’d venture to say you don’t,” Death replied with equal sass.
“Alright, fine, what are the rules for being you?” Dean asked after looking disparagingly at the abomination on his arm.
“It’s quite simple really,” Death replied causing Dean to arch an eyebrow. “There is a list in my head of those who need to be reaped and the order in which they need to be reaped, however that list is what is given to the reapers. There are a few exceptions however,” he paused, “for example, you, your brother, Castiel, and Crowley to name a few. The people on that list, are reaped by me personally. The people on that list hold a special place in this little universe and they need to be sent off by the best.” He let this sink in for Dean. It only took a second for the hunter to catch up.
“So, who will be first on my list?” Dean asked.
“We will get to that in a moment, you just have to promise me that you will do it.”
“I promise.”
“Good, now let’s get that mark off of your arm, then to your list,” Death said. He put his hand above Dean’s extended arm just above the mark. Still not touching Dean, he waved his hand in a clockwise circle, then making a grabbing motion he turned his hand up. Dean looked down at his arm, and for the first time in over a year, there wasn’t a burning red reminder. He opened his mouth to say something, but Death cut him off.
“Now, the first person on your list is one from mine, Crowley. I’m sick of that arrogant prick and he needs to be dealt with. You have some debts to settle with him so why not have you do it?”
Dean smiled a little because he completely agreed.
“Bring it on,” he said. Death zapped him to a warehouse. He saw Cas’s pimpmoblie outside as he walked in. He could hear Rowena and Crowley from the entryway, he rolled his eyes and walked towards the voices. As he walked down the hallway, he heard Cas’s gravelly tones join the patter of noise. When Dean got down the stairs, Cas was the first to see him. He looked like he was refereeing a wrestling match. Dean motioned from him to be silent about his arrivail, Cas closed his mouth and continued to try and mediate the argument. Dean silently walked towards Crowley, almost circling him. Just as he got to him, the demon having been distracted by his mother the whole time, Rowena cast a spell at Crowley. Dean touched Crowley as it hit him and he burst into pieces of human confetti.
The witch looked very pleased with herself and left. Cas knew in the back of his mind that she took the Codex, but he was too focused on Dean. Rowena hadn’t seen him, so Cas was very confused, he looked at Dean’s arm and saw that the Mark was gone.
“Dean, what did you do?” Cas asked with worry, anger, and relief.
“Nothing really,” Dean replied as nonchalantly as he could.
“Dean,” Cas said with more gusto.
“He just waved his hand over it and it was gone.”
“Who was it Dean?” Cas said with his anger rising. Dean looked from his arm to the angel standing in front of him.
“I talked with Death,” he said.
“Like the Horseman Death?” Cas said.
“No the one with unicorns and puppies coming out his ears, of course Death the Horseman,” Dean said with unnecessary sass. Cas reached out to touch him, but Dean backed away. “Please, don’t.” Cas brought his hand back.“If we touch, you die. I almost killed you once, I’m not about to try again,” Dean told Cas with sadness and anger.
“Why did you do it?” Cas asked.
“I didn’t want to be under it’s control anymore. I almost killed you. I almost killed you and I wouldn’t have batted an eye about doing it if I didn’t care about you so damn much,” Dean looked down ashamed of what he had done. “I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I had killed you.”
“But you didn’t,” Cas said realizing what Dean just said. He took a small step towards Dean.
“Isn’t this touching,” Death said from the table in the middle of the room. Dean and Cas, very close together at this point, turned and looked at the voice. “Well aren’t you going to hug and make up?”
“I would but I can’t,” Dean said.
“You can’t?” Death said.
“No! I can’t touch anybody unless they need to die,” Dean said angrily.
“I never said how long you had to be me, Dean,” Death said. Dean looked between him and Cas confused, Cas even more confused than Dean. “I just wanted you to be the one to reap Crowley. Now that he’s out of the way, you should return to normal.” Dean instinctively looked down at his arm, nothing there but tan skin. He smiled and looked at Cas.
“Now, are you two going to hug and make up?” Death asked.
“Oh, much more than that,” Dean responded with a smile, never taking his eyes off of Cas.
He pulled Cas close and kissed him hard. Dean felt like he was drowning and Cas was air. Cas kissed him back with just as much passion. They both had been waiting for this moment for six years, they were gonna make it the best kiss either of them had ever received. Cas copied Dean when Dean ran his hands through Cas’s hair.
Death chuckled a little as he stood up. He started walking to the door and as he reached to stairs, he turned back to see his work, he was proud. He had a hint of a smile as he turned to ascend the stairs. A little voice, not his own, said
“Thank you, they really needed to be together.” Death recognized the voice as that of Chuck Shurley, or as Death knew him, God, and kept walking.