Chapter Text
Chapter 13
His muppets started to hum the melody of The Imperial March when they entered the office with a cupcake in their hands, a burning candle on top of it.
"It"s not my birthday," Cas commented dryly as he leaned back against his chair, watching the procession with an amused smile.
“It’s been eight months!” Kevin announced with a grin.
“That is your personal record working for a company,” Charlie added as an explanation. “And we’re celebrating it ‘cause it’s binary.”
Cas chuckled and shook his head. “You want me to make a wish?”
“That’s usually what you’re supposed to do with candles. Their other use isn’t exactly G-rated,” a beautifully familiar voice said from the doorway. Dean was leaning against it, a smirk on his face.
Cas raised his eyebrow. "The moment you realize your boyfriend is way more kinky than you thought."
Charlie and Kevin groaned in unison before they pressed the cupcake unceremoniously into his hand. “Happy eighth anniversary,“ Charlie wished him with a wink.
“Thank you,” Cas smiled up at his muppets before he looked at Dean. He stared at him for a moment, wishing for Dean and him to be exactly this happy for the rest of their lives, as happy as they had been the past few months. “I think I have a good wish,” he murmured before he blew out the candle.
Dean chuckled and nodded for him to come outside.
Cas followed Dean outside with his cupcake, taking a bite from it with an appreciative groan, the flavor of pure chocolate instantly drowned his tongue. Someone knew his love for chocolate. “Woah, this cupcake is awesome. You wanna bite?”
Dean took a quick look around before pushing Cas into a supply closet a few doors down. When he shut the door he cupped Cas’s face and pressed a needy kiss to his lips.
Cas blindly sat the cupcake onto a shelf before he groaned into the kiss in surprise and grabbed Dean"s ass to pull him up and into his arms, turning them around so he could push Dean against the shelf. "Fuck, baby," he breathed against his lips. "Did you miss me up there?"
“Yeah,” he growled against Cas’s lips as he started loosening his tie.
Cas quickly unbuttoned Dean’s shirt before he unbuckled Dean’s jeans. “Please tell me you brought lube.”
Dean pulled out a single serve packet, one of the many they’d picked up at some pride related event in Capitol Hill. He smirked as he dangled it. “And I’m already prepped. Just gotta slick your dick.”
Cas groaned and put Dean down before he grabbed the packet from his hand to trap it between his teeth. He quickly opened Dean’s pants and pulled them down with his underwear, just enough to free his ass and cock. His gaze wandered over the beautiful sight of his boyfriend as he pushed down his own jeans and boxers, opening the package with his teeth before he spread the lube over his cock. Cas slid his slick fingers in between Dean’s legs, fingering Dean’s hole. “Fuck, you weren"t kidding. Turn around, baby.”
Dean turned and braced the rack behind them, widening his stance as best he could considering his pants were at his knees. “Less talky, more fucky.”
Cas chuckled and pressed his dick against Dean"s hole. "Did you really just say that?" He asked breathlessly as he slowly pushed inside Dean"s hot, tight ass.
“Yes,” Dean hissed out as he slammed himself onto Cas’s cock. Huge plus side of dating a pushy, power bottom.
Cas groaned and started to fuck Dean hard and fast. "Fuck, I love when you"re like this."
“What?” Dean asked in a breathy chuckle, “all needy and desperate for your dick?”
"Yes," Cas pushed in deeper, harder. "I love when you fuck yourself on my cock, baby."
Dean started doing just that, undulating his hips in a frantic back and forth motion as his knuckles turned white from his grip on the racks. “No judgement, we haven’t had sex in two days… two.”
Cas moaned and spread Dean"s ass cheeks with his fingers, watching his cock fucking into him. "Yeah, it"s like three days too many."
“Too many,” Dean groaned out, “please fuck me harder.”
Cas picked up the pace, the shelf started to bump against the wall from how hard Cas was fucking Dean against it. He knew he would never get enough of fucking Dean in the office. He bit his lip when his balls started to tighten up. "Baby, I"m so fucking close," he groaned out as he snaked one of his hands to Dean cock, stroking it.
Dean whimpered in response, his hole clenching like a vice from how hard Dean came. He painted the packages of staples, but still kept fucking himself against Cas’s cock despite the momentary shudders.
Cas couldn"t hold back any longer. The tightness just pushed him over and after a few more hard thrusts, he came deep inside of Dean with a gasp that he stifled by biting Dean"s shoulder. "Fuck, baby." He panted as he slowly came down from his high and pulled out so he could draw Dean into a deep kiss. "I love you."
“Me, too, Kitten,” he murmured against his lips.
Cas leaned back to look at him. "Please don"t call me kitten when we pick up my brother later, okay? I will never hear the end of it."
Dean waggled his eyebrows. “What’ll you give me if I don’t?”
“My first born child?” He suggested with a shrug.
“You’ve promised me that on seven different occasions now. Once for the other half of my doughnut. So, no. Try again.”
Cas squinted his eyes thoughtfully. "I will be your sex slave for a week. The offer includes massages and blowjobs."
Dean smirked. “Make it two and you give me a strip tease in a pair of my satin panties, and you’ve got yourself a deal, Sunshine.”
Cas growled slightly, biting his lip. "Alright, alright. You got yourself a deal."
Dean pulled his pants up and winked. “Don’t be nervous.”
"You say that like I have a button that I can just push to shut down my absolute nerve wracking nervousness," Cas replied dryly as he pulled up his jeans and buttoned them. He didn’t sleep at all the night before. He hadn’t seen his brother in almost a year.
“If that was an option, I would’ve demanded access to that button months ago.” Dean cupped his face. After a beat of intense staring, Dean screwed his face up, trying to pull his “ugly” face.
Cas rolled his eyes and chuckled before he kissed Dean"s nose. "Damn, I don"t know why I feel so tense. I shouldn"t really." He used a tissue from his pocket to clean the shelf from Dean"s come and threw it in a waste basket. His work before had pretty much done a perfect job of distracting him. But now all his worries came back like a sudden flood bursting through a dam.
Dean stilled his hands and gave him a reassuring smile. “Eat the rest of your cupcake. Then we’re gonna grab some coffee so you can take a breath.”
“Am I that obvious?” Cas asked dryly before he took his cupcake to break it in half to offer the rest to Dean.
Dean surprisingly took it and stuffed it into his mouth. “Your turn,” he mumbled around the cake.
Cas put the rest of the cupcake in his mouth with a stupid grin. Dean never failed to make him laugh. He had never thought he would meet someone who he would fall in love with. These past few months were the happiest in his life and he felt more stable with his own issues since he had been with Dean. Just knowing that he was there, gave him the security to try out new things, to trust and to enjoy what he had. "Do you think Sammy will like our Fort-ress of Solitude?"
“How could he not?” Dean challenged as he started tucking in his shirt and straightening his tie.
"You"re right." He probably was more nervous to see Gabriel than Sammy.
Dean wrapped his arms around Cas’s neck and braced his forehead against his. “You make me happy, Mr. Novak.”
"As do you, Mr. Winchester," Cas replied with a grin before he grabbed him and pulled him into his arms. "And I"m keeping you."
“Good thing, too. It would’ve been real hard to explain the property of Castiel tattoo on my ass to the next boyfriend,” he teased.
"There will be no next boyfriend," Cas growled possessively before he drew him into a deep kiss. He knew he would never get enough of Dean"s lips. Even after so many months, his whole body still tingled from those kisses. When he leaned back, he put Dean on the ground again. "You said something about coffee? You wanna go over to Heavenly Coffee or is it still weird between you and Inias?"
Dean chuckled and shook his head. “I think the girls threatened him, from the way Hannah was talking. Apparently finding out I was gay did the exact opposite of making them uninterested in me.”
“They threatened him?” Cas asked, feeling slightly worried.
“Before you get defensive, teen, college-aged baristas threatened him, so whatever that means. They probably threatened to unfollow him on social media. We’re okay is what I’m getting at, Cas.”
Cas nodded with a rueful smile. "I"m still a little over-protective of him. Sorry."
Dean shrugged. “Hey, he forgave you and agreed to be friends. And he only put whole milk in my drink five times. I think we’re okay.”
"That"s good to know." He chuckled before he intertwined their hands and they carefully left the room. No one was on the floor so they were in luck. “Gabriel can be a little annoying. I apologize in advance.”
Dean smirked. “I’m easy-going. But if he gets on your ass about anything, I’m not the type who worries about impressing family. You come first for me. So, I’ll be protective of you. Hell, one of Aaron’s aunts still won’t talk to me ‘cause I put that homophobic bitch in her place.”
To say that Cas was worried about exactly that happening was an understatement. "I know you are, baby, and I love that about you. But Gabriel… he might say hurtful stuff to me and… do you think you can let it slide? Make an exception? He does so much for Sammy.”
Dean quirked his brow, the expression he usually gave Bela when she gave him attitude. “How about the three strikes and he’s out rule? He gets three, after that, I might not be able to keep my mouth shut.”
“Sounds fair,” Cas replied with a soft smile. He knew he was already asking a lot from Dean, to hold back like that and all. “I"m just saying. He does everything for Sammy. He drives him everywhere, to all his appointments. He remodelled his house so he can go everywhere... and he paid a lot of money to get me out of trouble in the past. I owe him a lot."
As Dean leaned forward to hit the up button for the elevator, he nodded his understanding. “Just because you owe him, doesn’t mean he gets to belittle or demean the man I love.”
Cas shrugged. "He won"t belittle me, but sometimes he sounds a bit harsh when he thinks I need a good kick in the ass."
When the elevator opened, Dean pulled him in with a smile. “You see, the thing is… you aren’t the scared kid that made a mistake and had trouble processing his guilt anymore. You’re a strong, smart, sometimes funny man and your brother would do well to remember that.”
"Sometimes funny?" Cas complained with a smirk, trying to distract himself from the oncoming emotions Dean had provoked with his words. "I"m hilarious."
“No, honey. I’m hilarious. You’re mostly just adorable.”
Cas snickered. "You"re right. You"re especially hilarious with computers."
Dean rolled his eyes and pursed his lips. “You’re lucky you’re cute.”
Cas wrapped his arms around him. "Stop making that face. I know you love me."
“Alas, you ensnared me with your elf magic.” Dean sighed dramatically.
"Yeah, don"t call me elf either in front of Sammy."
Dean shook his head. “Well, that would just be outright lying.” And damn that smirk of his.
“Three weeks of being your sex slave?” Cas offered with a grin.
“You know I’m tempted to make up even worse nicknames for you now, right? How about… schmoopsykins?”
“Four weeks?” Cas begged with a puppy eye look, one Baby’s would have paled against.
Dean quirked his brow. “But Googly-Bear, how else can I express my love for you outside of terrible pet names?”
“Do you want a list?” Cas replied dryly.
“I will not, ever, completely clean my desktop, so if that’s on your list, then no.”
"Damn it. That was on the top of my list." He wasn"t even kidding. He had a list.
Dean chuckled and rolled his eyes as he opened the main door for Cas. “Why am I not surprised?”
“Because you know me too well.” Cas pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Hopefully that doesn’t mean you will get bored of me.”
“If I get bored, I’ll just download a virus on your laptop. That’ll keep things fiery, right?” Dean winked at him as he high-fived Frank in passing.
Cas waved at Frank before he playfully glared at Dean. "The fiery thing will be your ass burning from when I spank you for a move like that."
Dean tsk’d him as he shook his head. “You really need to work on your punishment threats.”
Cas chuckled and pulled him closer. "Have I already mentioned how much I love you today?" He winked at him and opened the door of the café for Dean.
“Couldn’t hurt if you told me again…”
Cas smiled at him and kissed his nose. "I love you, baby."
They nearly collided with Inias on their way in, who glared at Cas. "Seriously, Cas? I know it"s hard to look away from that guy for a moment, but try to not run over little folks like me."
Dean gave Cas a pointed look as he didn’t respond and headed to the register, leaving Cas a moment to talk to Inias without Dean ear hustling, as Dean liked to call it.
"Sorry for nearly running you over, Nias. But as you stated, it was hardly my fault."
Inias chuckled and shook his head. "Yeah, can"t believe you"re still dating the local dreamboat."
Cas punched Inias"s shoulder, returning his smile. "Well, guess I"m just lucky."
Inias turned around to return to the counter with a wistful nod. "That you are." He greeted Dean with a friendly smile. "What can I get you two?"
Dean smiled and said, “Americana double shot and nonfat milk for me.”
This time he could see that Inias was using the right milk for Dean’s order. Cas was still squinting his eyes at the chalkboard. Inias put the coffee in front of Dean and rolled his eyes at Cas. "Cas... you always order the same thing and you know it."
"Maybe I"ll be adventurous this time."
Inias raised his eyebrow.
"Alright, I"m not. I’ll take the usual," Cas growled and crossed his arms over his chest as he paid for Dean and his coffee.
Inias snickered and pushed his Caffè Misto with extra caramel over the counter. "Predictable as always."
Cas gave Dean a pained look. "See? I"m boring."
Dean chuckled. “I never said you weren’t. I just so happen to like boring.”
"Yeah," Cas replied semi enthusiastically as he guided Dean to a table. "That"s the dream."
As he sat down, Dean let out a soft laugh and shook his head. “The thing is, I love your predictability. I love that when you see a bee, you friggin’ coo at it like it’s a damn puppy. And it’s not, by the way…”
Dean shuddered before he continued, “I love that when you order the same sugary monstrosity everytime you come in here, right before you’re insistent that you might change your mind. I love that you get this dazed look in your eyes whenever I mention Ryan Reynolds. That you know all of the words to Weird Al Yankovic’s weird Star Wars - American Pie remake and that it’s an actual compulsion for you to sing it all the way through if you hear any part of it. I love that you make the same jokes over and over, because you can only remember a handful of them. I love how fiercely protective you are over people you love, to such an extent you dole out legit tough guy lines from 90’s action movies. So, yes. If loving the parts of you that make me smile, make me sigh from happiness, make me into a When Harry Met Sally spouting cliche, all of these parts somehow comprising precisely why I’m in love you… if that’s considered boring, then sign me the fuck up for boring.”
The wooden stick he had used to stir his coffee (just to lick the sugar from it) fell from his hand on the table as he stared at Dean. That had been the nicest thing anyone had ever said to him and the fact that Dean loved and noticed all of his silly idiosyncrasies just made him fall in love with Dean all over again. “Um,” Cas replied dumbfoundedly. Well... smooth.
Dean chuckled. “And I love how speechless you get when I make good points.”
Cas stood up from his chair and rounded the table before he leaned over to draw Dean into a deeply passionate kiss. He leaned his forehead against him when he drew back. “That"s the nicest thing someone has ever said to me. I… I love you. I just fell in love with you again.”
That was met with a soft laugh as Dean nodded. “Good. I love you and would be honored to be another predictable part of your life.”
Dean"s laugh was infectious. Cas smiled at him and nodded. "You already are. Although predictable isn"t the word I would choose. You never fail to amaze and surprise me, Dean."
Dean’s grin was beaming. “Then I guess you’re stuck with me.”
Cas mirrored the beaming smile. He couldn"t help it from the sheer happiness he was feeling. "That"s good news," he replied with a laugh.
Dean chuckled and pulled Cas onto his lap. “So what’s the plan for tonight?”
"We drive to the airport, grab my brothers and get them home and settled in, and then we go out for dinner at that Thai place we love? They don"t have stairs and they make pretty good food," Cas suggested.
“Sounds good to me. I was gonna head out a little early to walk Baby, should we meet at your place or mine?”
"I’ll take my car and I"m going to pick you up later." And the nervousness was back. Well, that was quick.
Dean smiled and chucked his chin. “Hey, anxious. You’re gonna see Sammy in less than six hours. Come on, let me see that adorable, nerdy excitement.”
Cas squinted his eyes at him before he leaned forward and whispered in his ear, "I just fucked you against a shelf in our supply closet and you still think I"m adorable?"
“Absolutely. Just because you’re sexy as hell and damn good in the sack, doesn’t mean you can’t be adorable too.”
“I guess I can live with that,” Cas replied with a shrug and a happy smile.
…. :::: :::: ….
Did he bite his fingernails? Yes. Was he proud of it? Not really. Cas wobbled on his toes, staring at the arrival gate for Sammy and Gabe to finally come through it.
He hadn"t felt this nervous in a long time and he knew why. He had built a new life. He had settled down. He had found someone he loved and would stay with. This was serious and he just hoped both his past and present lives wouldn"t clash.
He needed this to work.
Dean appeared holding a coffee from the airport Starbucks for him. “Not that you need more caffeine, but figured you need something to stop you from gnawing your fingers.”
"Thank you, baby," Cas replied gratefully before he grabbed the coffee and sipped on it. "I hope you will like them."
“Already like Sammy, and even if I don’t like Gabe, I’ll pretend I do, for you.” Dean winked at him.
"I love you. I can"t say it enough." Cas wrapped his arm around Dean"s shoulder and stared at the door again. Everytime it opened and someone else passed through he felt like he was about to have a heart attack.
Dean chuckled. “I love how nervous you are.”
Cas gave him a quick smirk. “How can you possibly find this endearing? I mean, I’m not complaining.”
The door opened again and his heart stopped. It was Sammy and Gabriel, Gabriel pushing Sammy down the hallway while his younger brother waved happily at them.
Cas waved back with a huge smile. His nervousness instantly turning into excitement. "They"re here. Finally."
He squeezed Dean"s hand and pulled him to the barrier that was separating them, instantly drawing Sammy into a tight hug as soon as they were past it. “Hey, you.”
Sammy hugged him before he drew back with a chuckle. “What happened to your hair?”
“No, no, his hair has to wait,” Gabriel announced before he happily hugged him tightly. “Hey, little one.”
Cas chuckled and pulled him tight. Even though he was taller than Gabriel, his older brother never stopped calling him little one. When he drew back, he grabbed Dean’s hand and pulled him closer. “Sammy, Gabe, this is Dean. The love of my life.”
Dean smiled and reached his hand out to Sammy first. “Nice to finally meet face to face, X.”
"Likewise," Sammy replied with a beaming smile as he shook Dean"s hand. "I thought you would be wearing a superhero costume from how Cas keeps talking about you."
“Only on Thursdays,” he quipped as he turned his attention to Gabe. “And you’re the older brother I’m supposed to be good around?”
Gabe raised an eyebrow and looked at Cas before he shook Dean"s hand in a tight grip. "Yes, that"s me. Older brother and stand-in father for those two clowns."
Dean nodded and smiled. “Well, from what I’ve seen so far, you’ve done a great job.”
Gabriel beamed at Dean. "Thank you." He looked at Sammy and Cas with his hands up in the air. "See? I"ve done a great job."
Cas pulled him into his arms again and Sammy laughed when he did. "We know Gabe and we love you for it. Come on, let me help you with your luggage," Cas offered as he grabbed one of the big suitcases.
Without asking, Dean grabbed the other one. “I’m not sure if Cas mentioned that I have a dog, but I can hide her away if either of you aren’t fans of dogs.”
"I love dogs! And yeah, Cas told us about Baby," Sammy replied enthusiastically.
Gabe rolled his eyes. "I"m a cat person. But I have no problem with dogs."
“Something you and Ki… uh, Cas have in common.” Dean cleared his throat and changed the subject quickly, “Are there any sights either of you want to see?”
Gabriel squinted his eyes at Dean, an amused glint in his eyes. Oh, fuck. "What did you want to call Cas?"
Cas gave Dean a wide eyed look and shook his head before he turned to Gabriel. "Nothing. Let"s just go, um, you"re probably tired and hungry. Or both."
“Nothing. I wasn’t sworn to not call him certain pet names in front of you or anything,” Dean defended, winking at Cas as he said it.
Cas rolled his eyes. He was fucked. Not even a second later both of his brothers started to guess.
"Kissybear? Ki-"
"KitKat? Kilimanjaro?" Sammy added with a smile.
"You two are ridiculous. Stop guessing," Cas growled as he started to pull the suitcase behind him to go in the direction they had parked.
“Sammy was closest,” Dean added unhelpfully.
Cas stared at him with an open mouth. "Dean!"
"Is is Kitty?" Sammy asked happily.
Cas wished the floor would open up and swallow him. Awesome, there went all of his preparations to keep the nickname a secret, and all under two minutes.
"I can"t believe it"s Kitty again!" Sammy laughed and Cas rubbed his hands over his face.
Gabriel clapped his shoulder, laughing. "You know what that means. That pet name was made for you."
Dean held his hand up and said, “Whoa, again? I need backstory, now.”
"We have an Aunt. A pretty annoying one who has a fuck ton of cats." Gabriel snickered. "When Castiel was a teeny, tiny toddler she sometimes watched him and when we’d pick him up, every time he’d be surrounded by all her cats. So she started to call him Kitty too. Especially when he started to meow for food."
Cas closed his eyes. He just wanted to die.
The expression on Dean’s face was clearly, very dearly trying to not burst into laughter. He covered his mouth for a moment before he said, “You, uh… you used to meow?”
Cas took in a deep breath and glared at Gabriel. "I hate you."
“What do I gotta do to get you to meow for me, Kitten?” Dean asked as he stepped closer to Cas.
Cas closed his eyes and gave him a pained look. "You too, Brutus?"
“I’d call you Cesar, but maybe Selina Kyle is a better name for you,” he said with a wink before he pressed a kiss to his cheek. He then whispered, “You can punish me later for failing.”
"Oh, I will," he growled back.
Sammy was cheering though. "Can we call you Cat-woman now?"
Cas turned to Sammy with a shocked expression. "Did you just suggest naming me after a DC hero? Shame on you, X. Shame on you. If you wanna make me into a sexy cat woman, you could have chosen Black Cat!"
“Or Cheetara,” Dean added.
"Don"t be ridiculous, Dean. I could never pull off that costume with my body," Cas replied with a laugh.
Dean smirked. “I’d pay damn good money to see you try.”
"Me, too," Sammy added.
"Me, three," Gabriel quipped a second later.
"Well, you can"t buy me." Cas flipped them off with a smirk.
“Maybe not with money, but mark my words, Kitten. Every person has a price.” Dean winked at him as he pulled out Cas’s car keys. Dean had driven his van because he was too nervous.
His brothers snickered behind him as Dean called him kitten again. Cas rolled his eyes and loaded the suitcases in the trunk before he helped Sammy in the backseat and folded his wheelchair. He was happy that his van had such a huge trunk to fit everything.
When he sat down next to Dean in the front, he gave him a pointed look. “What do you think my price is?”
Dean smirked and said, “Something pink and satiny."
Cas scoffed and raised his eyebrow. “You tidying up your desktop.”
“Or that,” he returned as he started buckling his seatbelt.
“But since that is never going to happen…” He grinned at Dean with a shrug. “I’m not bribable.”
Dean shrugged. “You never know.” He put the car in reverse and looked over his shoulder. “We’re getting Thai tonight, but are you guys hungry now? Or just want to relax after the long flight?”
“Relaxing sounds good. I already ate so many snacks on the plane and I really want to see your fortress now,” Sammy replied from the backseat.
Dean nodded and started pulling the van out. “Alright, let’s get you to Cas’s place.”
"And before you ask, Gabe. I really unpacked everything. There are no boxes left," Cas added with a soft smile.
His brother leaned over and touched his shoulder. "I know, kiddo. You"re pretty changed since the last time I saw you. It"s nice to see you smile so much."
Cas rubbed the back of his neck. "Well yeah, I have Dean to thank for that."
“He’ll have me to thank for packing again soon too.” Dean said with a knowing smile. He’d asked Cas to move in with him a week ago and since Cas had a month to month, that meant when he said yes, it also meant he had three weeks left to get his stuff packed. Again.
Cas gave him a bright smile. "Yeah, but then I hope I never have to move again."
“If you think I am not buying a house sometime in the next four years, you are crazy,” Dean argued.
Cas snickered and held up his hands. "Alright, alright. You heard it, Gabe. I at least have two more times of boxing up stuff."
"At least you’ll stay in the same state." Gabe replied with a soft smile.
Dean chuckled and gave Cas a small smirk. “Until we retire to Florida and live out our days in some weird, new age, swinger retirement home. I think that’s the trope now.”
The fact that Dean made plans for their future together. Like buying a house and growing old together, made him feel all warm and fuzzy in his heart. He reached over to touch his knee, squeezing it. Showing him with just an exchanged look how happy he was.
"Hey, no fingering the driver," Gabriel quipped from the back seat.
Cas groaned. This was gonna be a long drive.
…. :::: :::: ….
Cas had prepared his bed for Sammy to sleep in, whereas Gabriel was taking the Fort-couch. Of course Sammy had been envious about that, but they all agreed that Cas"s bed was more comfortable to sleep in.
He helped his brother change into his pajamas before he lowered him onto the bed, pulling the covers over him. "So what do you think of the city so far? Did you have a fun night?"
Sammy nodded and smiled. “It’s so much smaller than New York. More intimate.”
"People here are much friendlier, too," Cas joked as he sat next to Sammy on the edge of the bed. "I"m glad you’re here."
Sammy braced his good hand over Cas’s. “You look real happy, Cas.”
Cas gave him a broad smile. "I am. I know... you told me over and over I should try to find happiness and I never thought I could... and now... now I have Dean. I didn"t plan for this to happen. It just sort of did."
“That’s kinda how it works, I think. And he seems stupid for you.”
"Well, I hope so." Cas chuckled. "Otherwise this would be super embarrassing." He rubbed his thumb over Sammy"s hand. "How are things at home?"
Sammy smiled a little sadly. “Good. I miss you, though.”
Cas swallowed dryly and bit his lower lip for a moment to keep his emotions in check. "Yeah, um, I miss you too. A fucking lot. I wish we could see each other more often."
“They’re, uh… they’re opening a base out here for Dark Horse comics, well, in Vancouver. Gabe refuses to let me move on my own.” Sammy sighed and shook his head. “Doesn’t matter.”
Cas"s eyes widened. "What? You mean you could work here on the west coast?"
“Yeah. And just a couple hours drive from Seattle. They’re even offering to fund my move and help me find an apartment that can accomodate me. And the insurance authorizes an in house nurse, but… You know how Gabe is.”
"I could try to talk to Gabe. Not sure how much he would listen to me, but... fuck, if you feel ready to live your own life, you should do it. And I can be here for whenever you need me and if you think it"s getting too much I can come or you can live here? Maybe, I mean I need to talk to Dean first, but..." He knew he was rambling, but hearing Sammy talk about moving to live on his own... it was huge!
Sammy smiled at Cas, his expression hopeful. “You mean it?”
"Of course! You know I would do anything for you to make you happy and achieve anything you want in your life. You have my full support if you wanna try this."
“I do. I really want to try and be on my own. I know Gabe means well, but… I can do this,” he said, voice determined.
“Hey, you also got a crazy ass awesome job. Of course you can do this.” He carded his hand through Sammy’s hair. “I’ll try my best to convince Gabe and if I can’t… then we’ll kidnap you.”
“We’ll do what now?” Dean asked from the doorway, jacket over his arm like he was about to leave.
Cas waved him over. "Sammy might get a job in Vancouver and he wants to live on his own. But there is still the matter of convincing Gabriel."
“That’s great. And I mean, he’s an adult. If Gabe isn’t cool with it, just do it anyway.” Dean said as he stepped into the room.
"It"s not that easy..." Cas murmured as he exchanged a look with his brother.
Dean shrugged as he leaned against the wall. “I’m sure there’s legalities when it comes to care givers and rights, but my brother’s a lawyer and we can definitely try to get you emancipated. So, reality is: you can do it, with or without Gabe’s permission and if he’s smart, he’s gonna not cut off contact with you because of it.”
“It’s not just that, Dean. I don’t think Gabriel would be against it if Sammy really fights him on it.” Cas gave Sammy a quick nod. “But it’s his first time being on his own. Of course Gabe… and I will be worried. And I want Sammy to have some securities he can fall back on if everything becomes too much.”
Dean smiled. “And he will. You’re here.”
Cas cleared his throat and looked up at Dean, feeling nervous, “I was hoping for a, ‘we"re here’.”
“Well, that’s a given. But I’m pretty sure Sammy’s more interested in the you part of we.”
If there had been any doubt left in Cas"s mind, it would have been eradicated in that moment. Dean was going to stand by his side, no matter what happened. He knew he could rely on him to be there for him.
He gave Dean a soft smile and leaned over to kiss his cheek. "I love you."
"Yuck," Sammy complained with a chuckle, "go somewhere else for smooching."
“You heard him, come on,” Dean said with a nod toward the door.
Cas leaned over to ruffle Sammy"s hair. "Sleep well. We’ll talk with Gabe in the morning. I got your back."
"Thank you... Kitty," Sammy replied with a smug grin.
Cas rolled his eyes and walked up to Dean. "This will have consequences for you, just so you know."
Dean gave him a satisfied smile. “Worth it.”
…. :::: :::: ….
Two months later Sammy had his own apartment in Vancouver, which was pretty much perfect for him. There weren"t any stairs and it was ground level, and Dean, Bobby, and even Gabriel had helped rebuild the rest of his apartment so he could be as independent as possible. Of course Gabriel was worrying like a mother hen, but Sammy seemed to be incredibly happy.
He also seemed to have befriended Meg. He had just video called Cas during his lunch break and she was the only topic. Meg this, Meg that. Cas was sure that friendship was soon to be updated into something more romantic.
He couldn"t be more happy for Sammy.
He was also incredibly happy that the Fort-ress of Solitude had finally found a new place in Dean"s apartment. Living with Dean, just being with him, sometimes still felt too good to be true.
He had been on the road for such a long time, always searching for something he thought he would never find and now he had found it. He suddenly had friends, a job he liked, a partner for better and worse... a home. He had found happiness.
Maybe not in this exact moment where one of the servers crashed and he tried to find the bug that was causing it, but yeah... he was damn happy to spend the rest of his life exactly the way it was.
And of course his damn phone had to start ringing.
He picked it up without looking at the display, too busy with staring at his screen. "Cas Novak. IT. What can I help you with?"
“Kitten, my computer hates me,” Dean grumbled.
Cas pursed his lips, trying to keep himself from laughing. He had slowly started to get used to the nickname. "Well, I wish I could say that is just your imagination, but I fear in this case… What’s happening?"
“My email keeps giving me a weird error message and shuts me out.”
Cas had given up asking Dean about the content of the error messages. He smiled softly. "Save all your work progress. Have you tried turning it off and on again?"
“You know damn well I haven’t. Don’t ask stupid questions and go into your email and fix mine,” he demanded.
Cas chuckled and shook his head, "Why do you want me to check my mail when yours doesn"t work? Did you send me something?" He minimized the console and tabbed over to his mail program.
Dean sighed. “Why must you assume I’m trying to trick you into opening your email?”
“I’m not. I’m just…” There was no email to his direct account, but there was a new one to their IT support mail distributor. A mail that was public to everyone in his department.
To: ITS Service Request <[email protected]>
Fr: Dean Winchester <[email protected]>
Subject: [No Subject]
[image of Will Smith]
[image of a ewe]
[image of Mary Poppins]
[image of Mini Me]
Dean Winchester - M.B.A.
Marketing Director and Hopeful Proposal Asker
Smith & Wesson
1842 5th Ave., Seattle, WA, 98101
P. 222-555-5309
F. 222-555-8675
Cas stared at the pictures and the, "WILL YOU MARRY ME," instantly popped into his head before he even noticed the addition in the footer of the mail.
His heart skipped a beat and his face hurt from how much he was smiling. He tried to take in a calming breath before he grinned. "Uh, Dean?"
“Yeah?” Dean responded, his tone adorably hopeful.
He loved his walking IT disaster and he couldn"t wait to spend the rest of his life fixing his computer.
"You do realize that you sent this email to the whole IT department, right?"
There was a beat of silence before Dean cried out, “Motherfucker! I hate computers!”
The End