Principles
Of all the people in their small town, Dean Winchester was probably the one knew Castiel Novak the best.
Not all that surprising really, given that he was the sheriff and Castiel Novak happened to be the biggest trouble maker they had ever had.
Never without what he considered a good reason though, and that was what made him so utterly frustrating.
Dean sighed when his phone rang. Truth be told, he had been expecting the call.
“Hello? Sheriff Winchester speaking.”
“Boy, you have to come here. That idjit has chained himself to the tree.”
Bobby didn’t have to explain. One of their oldest trees at the edge of town had finally become a security risk – it could come crashing down at any moment, and take the house of a family of five with it, so Dean had agreed with mayor Crowley that it should be torn down.
And now Bobby was standing in front of Castiel Novak enchained to the tree with his bulldozer.
He sighed and went on his merry way.
“Castiel” Dean explained patiently for the millionth time. “The tree can’t stay.”
“But it’s been around for hundreds of years! Much longer than many families have even lived here –“
“Look, this may not be your best argument. The Talbots have lived here for at least four generations, and I don’t know about you, but I think they do deserve to do so for some time to come –“
“But the tree!”
“But the humans?” Dean ventured.
Castiel blinked.
Hah. At least he’d won that round.
“Look, Cas – may I call you Cas? – I know some things are important to you, but can we at least agree that right now that tree needs to go so he doesn’t crush anyone?”
Castiel bit his lip. “But the tree –“
“Do you want me to repeat what I said as well?”
Cas’ shoulders slumped. “i just wanted to do the right thing.”
And that was the problem.
Castiel Novak was the town’s trouble maker not because he was bored, or because every small town needed one; no, he was the town trouble maker because he stood up for what he believed in, and sometimes this meant leaving his common sense behind.
“Look” Dean tried again. “We’ve already decided we’ll plant ten new trees to make up for this one.”
In fact, Crowley had been adamant that this happen, if only so he could prove to his critics that he did indeed care for the environment. Notwithstanding the fact that he was a big softie at heart who actually kept meticulous care of the garden of his mansion all by himself, but that was a secret that Dean had sworn to keep.
Cas sighed. “This is the part where you cut my loose and arrest me, isn’t it?”
“It would make things easier. Bobby’s not getting any younger.”
“I’ll show you, boy!”
Dean sniggered and even Cas smiled.
“Alright” Dean turned to the town’s locksmith, Rufus. “Go ahead.”
“And where is our opinionated friend now? In our lovely holding cell, I presume” Crowley drawled after Dean had reported the events of the day to him.
“Gave him a grim talking to and sent him home. The guy’s too sad about the tree to do anything else for a while anyway.”
Crowley raised an eyebrow. “I am glad to hear you do your duty and never get distracted by such simple things as a crush, for example...”
“I don’t have a crush on Cas” Dean said firmly, but he was sure he was blushing.
Guy had his heart in the right place, and Dean had a soft spot for that, alright?
“Of course not. And the sun sets in the East. But still – I can’t deny you’d be a cute pair, once he finally raises his head during his endeavours to save the world and sees what’s right in front of him.”
Now he was definitely blushing. “You’re just jealous.”
“Incredibly so, darling. Incredibly so.”
Crowley toasted him.
Dean went to check up on Cas that night because he had taken the tree being taken down rather badly, and – well –
Okay, so yes, he did have a crush on him. Had since he’d first laid eyes on him, that day about a week after Cas moved into town and decided to take on the supermarket for selling “unfair trade products” as he still continued to call them.
He had been quite a sight, standing in front of the store with his sign, and he’d been there for at least an hour before anyone had the idea to call Dean since most people in their little town had never seen a protester up close. As a matter of fact, those who had gathered around Cas to stare at him had been a bigger problem than he himself.
And there had been something to stare at, Dean reflected. Those eyes, that dark hair...
He snapped out of it and parked the car. Cas lived in a little cabin at the outskirts of town, which Dean had never understood – since he cared so much for people, why didn’t he want to live closer to them?
Because that was another reason he’d never had the heart to arrest Cas – in-between the chaining to trees and needless protesting he did he genuinely helped whenever he could, may it be by reading to children in the hospital or collecting money for poor families.
Dean knocked. Cas opened almost immediately and frowned. “Are you here in official capacity?”
“No. Just checking up on you, promise. Didn’t have the time to go home and change, that’s all.”
Cas smiled. “You were in such a hurry to see me you couldn’t go home?”
Dean cleared his throat. “Well, you – seemed pretty bummed, that’s all.”
“I was. But at least I tried.” Cas stepped out of the way. “Please, come in.”
Dean had never entered his cabin before – normally they saw each other while Cas was doing what he felt he had to all over town. “Thanks.”
It was well and comfortably furnished; but Dean’s eyes were immediately drawn to the pictures on the living room table.
“My family” CaS said quietly and boy, did Dean know that sound of voice. He winced.
“Sorry, man. Didn’t want to bring on any unpleasant memories...”
“You didn’t. It was them.”
Cas went to the couch and slumped down on it, so utterly defeated that Dean’s heart hurt at the sight. “I haven’t told anyone about them since I left.”
“You don’t have to, know. I get that you’re feeling vulnerable, and pretty down, and I wouldn’t want you to tell me something you might regret later.”
“You’re kind” Cas said, completely serious. He raised his head and looked at him. “You’re so kind.”
He sounded... almost awed and Dean forced himself not to look away from his intensive gaze. “Yeah, well... doing my civic duty, is all.”
Cas cracked a small smile. “And that’s why the people in this town love you so much.”
He scratched his neck and shuffled his feet. “I wouldn’t say that.”
“Please. Even Crowley likes you.”
“Don’t tell him that to his face, guy’s pretty proud of his image as a complete and utter asshole.”
“But wouldn’t that keep people from re-electing him, if it were true?”
Dean stared at him. Cas blushed and looked away. “I’m sorry. I know I am naive – or that you think most of the things I care about are stupid.”
“Not all of them. I’m all for fair trade, man.”
“That’s something, I suppose” Cas mumbled, smiling slightly. But when he looked at Dean again, his eyes were sad. “Have you ever... did you ever believe the world was such a beautiful place and then you realized it wasn’t?”
Dean thought of Sammy, heavy in his arms, the flames licking at them as he ran out of the house, and swallowed. Eventually he nodded.
“That’s what I thought the world was like, you know. Before I left my family and found out... it wasn’t.” He hesitated for a moment before continuing, “I wouldn’t exactly call us a cult. But... my parents were very religious and I was raised with a very clear understanding of what was supposed to be right and wrong. So many rules... And if you can’t have something, you automatically begin to assume it must be worth having. And so, when I realised I was gay and my parents attempted to change my sexuality through prayer, I simply... left. And I believed I would step into this great big world and it would be...” he didn’t finish.
“Good” Dean finally said. “You thought it would be good.”
Cas nodded. “And now I’m trying to fight the injustices I perceive.” He smiled wryly. “Guess it’s not working seeing as the sheriff almost arrested me again today.”
“Hey” Dean said, sitting down next to him, “Trust me, I know all about things... not being as good as they should be. Why do you think I became an officer of the law to begin with?”
“I never doubted that you were a good man” Cas said quietly with such an intensity that Dean once more didn’t know how to look.
“I mean...” he began carefully. “I’m not saying don’t try to change the world, but maybe you could... try and use another approach?”
“You almost sound like you have an idea already” Cas said.
“That may be because I have.”
A year later
It had become an almost daily occasion that Dean knocked on Cas’ door, but it no longer had to do with him fulfilling his duties.
Cas opened, smiling brightly.
“How’s the world’s best bee keeper?”
“I don’t have produced that much honey yet” he told him.
“Soon enough, I’d say.”
With Crowley’s connections and a few promptings from Dean, it hadn’t taken long to find an occupation for Cas that ticked all the boxes – and why he had never thought of suggesting he keep bees before, he couldn’t imagine.
“I tried a different recipe for honey pie – would you like to try it?”
Dean grinned. “You know me, never saying no to pie.”
Cas led him to the kitchen where a beautiful pie sat on the table, ready to be devoured.
“Damn Cas, sometimes I think I love you.”
The next moment, he could have slapped himself for his slip.
His own damn fault that his crush had only been growing in the last few months.
Still, he couldn’t help the moan that escaped him when he tried the pie. “Good God, this is amazing.”
Cas blushed. “You have a little...” He trailed off as he automatically reached out and whipped Dean’s upper lip with his thumb.
They stared at one another.
Then, slowly, Dean pit down his plate and reached out to cradle his face in his hands.
“Can I kiss you?”
“Always” Cas breathed.
Their lips met.
Three years later
“Good morning, Squirrel. Friendly reminder that I am officiating your wedding today and hgave been up for two hours to make sure everything is working out.”
“Crowley” he groaned, “We already organized everything.”
“Doesn’t mean you don’t need a supervisor.”
He groaned again, even though he was more than glad that Crowley was keeping an eye on things.
“Also, there’s coffee.”
“Thank you.”
He already missed Cas even though they’d only been separated for one night, as the old custom demanded. Crowley had happily given up his spare bedroom.
He was also waking him up slightly early, but he could hardly begrudge him that.
“And? Ready to get married or not?”
“You bet I am.” He got up.
The sun was shining brightly and he grinned.
He was marrying the love of his life. Well, him and his Bee Emporium, as he had chosen to call his little place in town.
Things didn’t get much better than this.
