So this is my entry for the amazing @jhoomwrites reverse emoji challenge and I’ve decided to go with the following set: 💐😠🐝✨ (flowers/bouquet, angry face, bees, stars/sparkles).
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Castiel isn’t quite sure what possessed Gabriel to have an outdoor wedding in the height of summer, but he suspects it had a lot to do with Balthazar.
“Jeez Cas is your cousin trying to kill us?” Dean mutters, adjusting the collar of his shirt. “It’s too fucking hot for this!”
Castiel privately agrees. The August day is bright and cloudless, only the occasional hints of a breeze brushing over their skin, which does little to relieve the soaring temperatures.
“I’m sure it will be ok, Gabe mentioned something about fans,” Castiel says. “Besides we’ll only be outside for an hour at most.” His hands reach up to smooth Dean’s tie, correcting the loosened knot.
“I still don’t see why I have to wear a tie,” Dean grumbles, “I feel like I’m choking already!” Cas just laughs, pressing a soft kiss to his boyfriend’s cheek. He continues to ignore Dean’s good-natured grumbling as they make their way downstairs and into the hotel’s expansive gardens.
There are flowers everywhere; bright blooms and creamy roses contrasting with varying shades of green. The aisle is decorated with scrolling patterns of rose petals in hues of pink and ivory, the chairs on either side hung with balls of tiny white blossoms with trailing tails of organza. There are giant bouquets topping pillars and, at the end, there’s a giant arch of white and green blooms.
It’s simultaneously very tasteful and horribly over the top.
“I’m guessing Balth likes flowers?” Dean whispers in his ear, as they weave their way between the guests. “Really doesn’t look like Gabe’s wedding to be honest.”
“What were you expecting?” Cas adds, checking the layout of a nearby table covered in programmes and the promised fans.
“I dunno, like totally mad shit? Sweets everywhere? Chocolate fountain? Glitter? Models in candy bikinis?” Dean looks around, eyebrow raised, as if he’s trying to process the scene in front of him, comparing it to the ideas he’s formed in his head. Cas laughs because he’d been thinking the same; this is nothing like the wedding he’d expected his cousin to have.
They take their seats, Castiel quietly musing that he’s so glad he’s not Gabriel’s best man today. He’s pretty sure Gabe picked Michael just because he wanted to torment Castiel’s older brother as much as possible.
It’s not long before Gabriel makes an appearance, looking more nervous than either Cas or Dean have ever seen him. Even his attire is more muted than usual, although the sparkling pink tie he’s chosen to accompany his simple, grey suit is enough embellishment for anyone. Especially when Dean points out the sparkles are actually glittering!
Castiel soon finds himself lost in the whole thing. Watching Balthazar walk down the aisle, Gabe’s face lighting up as soon as he spots his fiancé, the quiet joke their share at the start as they clutch at each other’s hands, the warm voice of the officiant as they speak about love – all of it fills his heart with joy.
“Cas… Cas…”
“What’s wrong?” he hisses to Dean, trying to keep his eye on the ceremony as his cousin Anna steps up to do a reading.
“Can you hear that?” there’s a slight edge to Dean’s voice, his hands twitching as he grips Cas’s thigh. Castiel tilts his head, trying to focus on whatever Dean might be worried about but all he can hear is Anna’s soft tone and the gentle humming of bees.
“I don’t hear anything, just Anna and bees.” He smiles at the thought of the little bees, excited by all of the flowers.
“Exactly… bees!” Dean adds.
Castiel can feel his brow pinching, unsure at Dean’s worry until the implication smacks him around the back of the head. “You remembered your medication though?” Dean blushes under Cas’s stern look.
“I forgot it was gonna be outside,” Dean says, twisting the programme in his hands, “I’ll be alright.” Cas nods and tries to focus again as Gabe pulls his vows from his suit pocket. There are tears already welling up in the trickster’s eyes and Cas can’t help but be swept up with him. Until there’s a yelp from the seat next to him, he turns to see Dean smacking the skin on the back of his neck.
“Son of a bitch!”
“Are you ok?” Cas says, hurriedly scanning Dean’s neck for marks.
“Yeah, I thought I felt something crawling on me. Must’ve been nothing though.” Dean’s face is set, a bead of sweat trickling down his skin. Cas really looks at him this time, as Dean’s eyes become slightly unfocused, a red flush spreading rapidly across his face.
“Dean?” Cas asks, putting his hand out as if to steady his boyfriend, who’s wobbling slightly in his seat. “Dean? Are you ok?”
“Yeah Cas, I’m fine, I just feel a bit funny is all… so damn hot-” but his last words are lost as Dean crashes out of his seat, and onto floor.
x
All in all, it’s not quite the way Castiel expected Gabriel and Balthazar’s wedding to go.
For one thing, he hadn’t pictured himself spending four hours in an ambulance and then the emergency room, while his boyfriend was being treated for a severe allergic reaction to a bee sting.
Still, at least the hospital had air conditioning.
