Castiel watches John for a while, gaze as unreadable as usual, as if he's trying to determine John's intentions but can't quite. Luckily he tends to be pragmatic and writes the questioning of his dedication off as John's own need for reassurance. They need that sometimes, humans. Castiel finds that quaint. He reaches out a hand, curling his fingers as he wants to touch John's shoulder and give it a friendly pat or a squeeze, but halfway through the motion he hesitates and lowers his arms.

Awkward and stiff, that's what Castiel is at the best of times. He doesn't do reassurance, because he's brutally realistic about their chances, and a bad liar. Hugs with Dean come more easily these days, because it's Dean and he initiated those weird physical comforts. Touching John's shoulder... Castiel isn't sure if that would fall under 'appropriate' on the human scale, and John is one of the few mortals whose opinion Castiel would like not to involve discussions about personal space, because he likes John, but doesn't take joy in poking him like a particularly fascinating specimen.

Instead, he tilts his head. "What would I need of you?"