Hit Pause Kitty Claws
soft hygge Destiel fic where Team Free Will are cats, cuddling to stay warm
In a distant corner of the apartment, past half-open doors and gap-mufflers and thick-pile rugs, a boxy black TV mumbled to itself, fritzing and straining to keep its signal through the storm.
“—power outages widespread throughout the region,” the TV said, its faint voice crackling between every word. “Temperatures reaching a record low in the northern half of the state – reminder that the government has issued a state of emergency, so if you’re inside, stay inside—”
Wind woooooed through a gap in the window seal, its howl turning to a melodic whistle. The snow didn’t make a sound as it hit the glass, unseen past the drapes. Even in the middle of the day, it was dark. The world was dark. The apartment was dark.
Castiel’s bedroom was dark.
Billie liked to think it was her bedroom – she put all her things in there, and everything glowed strongly with her chamomile scent – but the rug on the floor was Castiel’s, the mattress and all its winter blankets were Castiel’s, and the bedroom was, as a whole, Castiel’s.
Beyond the bedroom was the lounge – also pleasantly gloomy, also quiet but for the whistle of wind and the hum of the fridge. The lounge was more of a public space, a neutral zone. Castiel expected to see Dean or Sam scamper through there often, and the kitchen was at the side, so they’d eat together most mornings and evenings. But the rest of the time, Castiel kept to his bedroom, sleeping, licking his cream-coloured back and brown tail – and Dean? Well, Dean disappeared outside.
He’d be gone for days, then come in all dirty and happy and hungry. He’d sleep on the couch for a few days, accepting Billie’s petting and letting his long, darker-tipped coat be combed through to tease out the knots – and then by the morning he’d be gone. He always knew to come home, but he grew restless when inside. His mind was too full of thoughts, his body too full of energy, and all he wanted to do was play and hunt and discover new things.
Castiel liked inside.
Inside was warm.
Outside was the opposite of warm, because there were no heaters. So outside, Castiel did not go. At least not in winter.
Castiel pricked up his ears: Billie returned home with a swoosh of heavy air, her heels tapping onto the wooden floors. Excited, Castiel uncurled himself, stretching his paws allll the way out in front of him, yawning wide, teeth showing. Then he vibrated, and stretched his back legs, and jumped down to the floor.
♥ keep reading ♥ (4.7k)
art post
support me monthly!!
