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Falling Stars

Title: Falling Stars

Pairing: Destiel

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: Smut ABOUNDS.

Summary: Five years into their relationship and Dean catches a job in Cas’s now-hometown of Tallahassee, Florida. Cas puts his boyfriend up in his place, rather than a motel, because that seems like the logical thing to do. The two of them live a life of slightly weird domesticity while Dean is there and make a decision that could have life-altering consequences. But before they can go through with it… Castiel is Called home.

Notes: If you’re just coming into this, I highly recommend you read the other fics in the series, just click on the “Horror High et al” Master Post link and everything is listed in order. Literally everything has varying degrees of smut in it, so be prepared. :D

Top!Dean and Bottom!Cas, as the rest of this series has been, and as it will continue to be. With… with the exception of that ONE SCENE in Everything I Do. And… and one scene in Storm Season. Yeah. :D;;

My original intent was to write this exclusively for the sake of smut and fluff, but somewhere along the line it developed an actual plot. Go figure. Anyway, Falling Stars leads directly(ish) into Storm Season, which is the ACTUAL sequel to Horror High.

I’ll start posting chapters of Storm Season in December (on Thursday the 5th) after the NaNo is over because I’m going to be trying to write an original novel for the NaNo this year—no fanfiction for the month of November! (Except maybe some editing! :P) Wish me luck!!

So, to the VERY few of you who have come this far with me… see you then and thank you! <3

HORROR HIGH et al TUMBLR MASTER POST HERE.

FALLING STARS By Senashenta

[Almost there. Just gassing up. Can’t wait to see you.]

Cas’s apartment was small and large at the same time. Small because it was a bachelor apartment, but large in that it was, well… large, for what it was. Big enough for him to set up separate bedroom and living room areas, with a nook to the one side that fit his desk and a set of bookshelves nicely. His dresser and the rest of his bookshelves were along the wall opposite his bed. The closet was big. The kitchen was tiny but functional. The bathroom was full-sized, even for a bachelor apartment. The rent was a steal, considering.

Still, when he had found the place the summer after his first year at Florida State, he’d had to find a job to pay for it regardless, and that was how he had ended up working at a gas station downtown, Gas-n-Sip, part-time. He wore the uniform vest and everything. His father was also helping to fund him, but Cas liked the idea of making his own way, even if it wasn’t entirely.

Before his apartment, for the first year he’d been attending Florida State, Cas had been living in the dorms and rooming with a young man named Alfie. Alfie was friendly, kind and studious, and they got along very well, but Cas hadn’t liked the dorm environment. How loud and raucous it could get—or the pressure from all sides to drink and party when that really wasn’t who he was or what he was into.

Hence his apartment search after first year.

And he had been living there, along with Itsy and Marshmallow, for almost four years now—and this would be the first time Dean would see the apartment, not counting the tours Cas had given him occasionally while they were video chatting.

The two of them had continued their relationship for all of this time, relying on technology and real-life meetups across the country to get them by, and against all odds it was still working. Cas and Dean were possibly closer than ever, though it had been nearly three months since they had last gotten together—which brought things back around to Dean seeing his apartment for the first time.

The older man was actually going to be in Tallahassee for a job, without his dad, so naturally Cas had offered to put Dean up at his place. There was no way Dean was going to be staying at some fleabag motel downtown when Cas could have him in his bed, instead. Absolutely no way. (Dean hadn’t argued the issue.)

Now, Dean was due to arrive any minute, according to his last text, and Cas was wandering around the apartment, fussing over everything, trying to make sure it was all perfect and in order—except for his bed which was, of course, chronically unmade.

Dean would be getting in just after dinner time, and (assuming he hadn’t grabbed food on the road), Cas was planning to drag him to the Canopy Road Café, a diner nearby where he worked that he had eaten at a few times. He’d thought occasionally that Dean would like it. Then again, Dean might be tired of diner food. They could always order in. Either way was fine with Cas.

When he heard the car pull up outside, Cas moved over to the window, surprised to see the black Impala in one of the parking spots in the side of the building. How Dean had gotten his dad to let him take the car was beyond him. But there he was, climbing out of the driver’s side and hauling a heavy-looking duffle bag along with him. Cas was smiling already.

He managed to wait until he heard Dean’s footsteps coming up the stairs from the landing before hurrying over and yanking the door open. Dean was standing there with one hand raised, about to knock, and blinked slightly before breaking into a huge grin. “You should see how much you’re smiling right now.”

“Probably about as much as you are.” Cas replied, and stepped aside to let Dean in, closing and locking the door behind him. Then he turned around and leaned back against the door, watching Dean look around the apartment for a minute, taking everything in.

When green eyes landed on the unmade bed, Dean laughed. “Some things never change, huh?”

Cas shrugged. He had never seen the point in making his bed every morning just to mess it up again that night. He and his father had argued over that idea until they were both blue in the face, until Chuck had finally just thrown his hands in the air and allowed it—as long as Cas kept the rest of his belongings in order.

“This is nice, Cas.” Dean said finally, after inspecting the apartment for a couple of minutes. He hefted his duffle bag up and set it on top of the blanket box at the foot of the bed, next to the cat bed that sat on one end, then eased over and leaned in for a kiss. “Hi.”

“Hi.” Cas returned the kiss easily, smiling into it and sliding his arms around Dean’s waist. “I missed you.”

“Mm, me too. But about yo—” And then he started to sneeze. Cas had almost forgotten about Dean’s cat allergy. But Marshmallow was right there snoozing on the couch and his hair was all over the apartment, so this had been inevitable.

Luckily, Cas was prepared. He let go of Dean, leaving him having a sneezing fit in the main room, and ducked into the bathroom, where he pulled a bottle of antihistamines out of the medicine cabinet. Then he returned to Dean’s side and, opening the bottle, tipped a couple into his hand and held them out for the older man to take. “Here. These will help.”

Dean practically snatched the pills, swallowing them dry in-between sneezes, and then they attempted to continue their conversation around the sneezing with minimal success. Eventually Cas just dragged Dean over to the couch, shooed Marshmallow off of it, and sat them both down. They could just sit together until the meds kicked in, that was fine too.

Twenty minutes later, Dean’s sneezing finally subsided, and he sniffled slightly before rubbing at his nose and offering, “I forgot you had a cat for a minute.”

“Yeah, um, so did I. But I bought the pills a couple days ago just in case this happened.” Cas gave him a sheepish smile, “sorry.”

“Don’t gotta apologize. You had the meds, problem solved.” Dean chuckled and wrapped an arm around him, humming pleasantly when Cas leaned into his side and brought one hand up to toy with the front of his shirt. “I should probably get out of my jacket. It’s warm in here.”

“Because it’s the top floor, and there are lots of windows.” Cas agreed, “I keep thinking I should get a plant, it would probably do well here. But I guess a lot of houseplants are poisonous to cats, and I don’t know which ones, so so far, I haven’t chanced it.” He didn’t want Marshmallow getting curious and ending up sick, after all.

“That’s fair.” Dean eased away just enough to get out of his jacket and toss it over the arm of the couch, then pulled Cas back into his side again. “I know it’s only been three months since Topeka, but I missed the hell out of you. It’s been tough lately. Dad’s really been all nose to the grindstone.”

“I’m sorry.” Cas nosed into Dean’s neck, pressing a kiss against his pulse gently. “If it helps, I missed you, too.” Then he lifted his head and asked curiously, “your Dad let you take the Impala?”

“You saw that, huh?”

“I looked out the window when I heard you pulling in.”

“Dad gave me the Impala,” Dean grinned at him, “just… out of the blue, a couple months back. Decided to get a truck. Baby’s all mine now.”

“But you said he loved that car!”

“He still does, he’s just…” A shrug and Dean leaned in, angling for a kiss, “moving on, I guess. I’m not complaining.”

“Mm.” Cas hummed a happy noise at the kiss, leaning into Dean further before drawing back and tugging at his shirt gently. “Have you eaten? Are you hungry? I know you were on the road all day…”

The other man chuckled and pressed a kiss against his forehead. “I should probably eat something, yeah.”

“Great,” Cas’s eyes closed over at the kiss to his forehead, and he smiled up at Dean, happiness just brimming over in him. That was what Dean made him feel: utter joy. “I know a really good diner downtown, if you’re up for a walk, or we could order takeout if you’d rather stay in.” He still didn’t cook, and his kitchen showed it, if you cared to look. “Maybe Chinese?”

Dean perked at that. “I haven’t had Chinese in forever. Might be a nice change from the food I usually get on the road.”

Cas’s smile turned fond. “Chinese it is, then. Let me get the menu.”

The next little while was spent going over the menu for Cas’s local Chinese takeout place, playfully bickering over what to get before coming up with a list of dishes that was probably way too long for just two people. They ordered it all anyway. The nice lady on the other end of the phone said it would be about forty minutes, and that was dinner sorted.

While they waited, Dean took a wander around the apartment, actually looking at everything properly. There were some things he recognized from back in Cas’s bedroom in Jacksonville when they were still in high school, but Cas had amassed quite a bit more over his years in Tallahassee—more books, certainly, as well as…

“You actually own DVDs?” Dean sounded astonished. He crouched down to look at the shelves next to the television, where maybe two dozen movies were currently housed, reading over the titles with an amused little smile on his face. He seemed to approve.

“Well, I check out all the ones you recommend to me.” Cas explained, “and some of them have been really good, so I picked them up. I don’t watch them very often, though, you know I’m more of a book person.”

“I know.” Dean straightened again and continued his inspection of the apartment with Cas trailing along behind him. When he got to the dresser, which had Itsy’s terrarium sitting on top of it, he paused again. “How long do these things live, anyway?” He asked, peering into the tank curiously. “You’ve had it a long time, right?”

“Male desert blonde tarantulas live six to eight years, but females can live over twenty-five.” Cas shrugged, “I’ve had Itsy for… seven years now, I think? But I don’t know if he’s male like I’ve been calling him or actually a female. I guess if he dies in the next year or two, I can assume he was male?”

“Otherwise, you’re in for the long haul.” Dean grinned and straightened up, “forget me, this thing’s the real love of your life.”

Cas swatted at his arm, but he was still smiling. “Not funny, Dean.”

“I thought it was funny.” Dean protested.

But Cas still shook his head and reached to grab hold of Dean’s arm, pulling him closer and leaning in for a kiss. Dean hummed into it and Cas sighed. “You are, though.” He said after a moment, “the love of my life. Even if we were to break up, or something was to—happen—to you, with the Hunting. I wouldn’t ever… in my whole life…” Trailing off for a moment, he swallowed and leaned his forehead against Dean’s, eyes closed. “No one could compare to you.”

Dean was quiet for a moment, closing his own eyes and tugging Cas closer so he could wrap his arms around the younger man. “Hey,” He said softly, “nothing’s going to happen to me, you know? But even if something did… Cas, I know how you feel, you know I do. You’re it for me. Have been for years. But if something ever happened to me, you can’t just… cut yourself off like that.” He smiled gently, opening his eyes again, “find someone else who completes you. Be happy.”

“Dean…” Cas really didn’t like talking about this, because he knew, realistically, that at best he and Dean had a few more years together before it was all over. That was the life Dean lived. Either the other man would get himself killed somehow—or he would eventually tire of Cas and the long-distance thing and move on entirely. He didn’t say any of this. Instead, he went for another kiss. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Came Dean’s immediate reply, soft and warm.

And that was enough for now. Besides, the delivery guy was knocking at the door.

-- --

That night they made love in Cas’s mess of a bed, and it was so, so satisfying in every conceivable way. When they were done, and just cuddled up together in the disheveled blankets, Dean looked up at the ceiling and commented that Cas should have brought his stars from his bedroom back home. He missed the stars.

“I did bring them,” Cas replied, fingers touching along Dean’s bare chest lightly, just mapping and petting, “they’re in a box in the closet. I just never got around to putting them up. Too busy with school and work and you.”

“I’m third on the list?”

“Dean.”

Dean laughed and shifted around until he was on his side, and they were facing each other. He gave Cas a smile. “Let’s put them up. At least some, over the bed. That way you can fall asleep under the stars every night. I like the sound of that.”

Cas gave a little, quirk of a smile. “Yeah, okay.”

They pulled on their boxers, and Cas went to dig the stars out of the closet. Then they spent the next hour sticking a starfield up over the bed. Even if they’d wanted to, they didn’t have enough stars to do the whole apartment, but over the bed was enough. When they were done, the remaining stars were tucked back away and they turned off all the lights, returning to bed to look up at their work.

“You’re right, I should have done that a long time ago.” Cas admitted finally.

“I’m usually right, you should know that by now.” Dean replied cheekily.

Cas smacked at him, just a playful swat. He was quiet for a couple of minutes, then, just enjoying the moment and being close to Dean again before his curiosity finally got the better of him and he asked, “so… what kind of a job are you in Tallahassee for, anyway?”

Dean sighed softly. One of his hands rubbed up and down Cas’s arm. “Wraith.”

“Wraith?”

“Yeah, they, ah…” Dean trailed off for a moment, thinking, before continuing with, “they can look human, but their reflections always show what they actually are. They kill people and eat, like… their brain juices? Through this spike in their arms.”

“How do you kill them?”

“Silver. When in doubt, go with silver.”

“Hm.” Cas hummed, just a soft sound in his throat. “You can Hunt one on your own?” He was worried about Dean going solo on this one, after so long. Not that Dean wasn’t a competent Hunter, just… well. Cas would always worry over him, he thought.

“One wraith? Sure. I’ve just gotta track it down, first.” Dean’s hand paused on Cas’s arm, and he glanced at the other man, “speaking of which, you mind if I take over one of your walls? It’s kind of a thing Dad taught me to do, make a sort of… I dunno, vision board with all the stuff about the Hunt I’m working on. Helps me organize my thoughts, you know?”

“Mm-mm.” Cas made a quiet negative noise. “I don’t mind. My walls are all empty anyway.”

“Yeah, I noticed. You need some artwork or something.”

Cas just shrugged. It wasn’t high on his to-do list, obviously, or he would have gotten to it by now. “I have tape.” He offered.

Dean grinned and ducked in for a kiss. “You’re the absolute best.”

-- --

The next morning, Cas woke up to the sun streaming through the windows and a completely empty bed. Or, well, Marshmallow was sleeping on the pillow next to him, but Dean wasn’t there and that was unacceptable. It wasn’t hard to find his boyfriend, in such a small apartment, he just had to sit up, lean over and look to the left and—yep. There he was, standing around in only his boxers, taping pieces of paper to the wall.

Cas stifled a yawn and climbed out of bed to wander over, stopping to stand next to Dean and look at the little collage he was creating. “You got up early.”

“I have a job to do.” Dean reminded him seriously—but then leaned over to drop a kiss by Cas’s jaw with a smile. “Good morning.”

“Good morning.” Cas echoed, still looking over the pieces of paper that were taped up to the wall. “It’s very organized.” He observed.

“I’ve done a few of these in my time,” Dean chuckled, “I call it the Wall Of Weird.”

“Wall Of Weird, huh…”

“You’re real relaxed for a guy who’s in the victim pool.” Dean frowned sideways at Cas, who was still inspecting the Wall Of Weird curiously. When Cas blinked and looked at him, he continued, “all the vics so far are college kids, all straight-A students, top of their class? Sound like anyone you know?”

Cas balked. He hadn’t known that. “Well… sure, but…”

“No ‘buts’, Cas. You need to watch your back. If anything happens to you…”

Cas’s expression flitted to something almost sad, and he reached over to catch one of Dean’s hands in his own. “I’ll be careful, Dean, I promise. But I’m not even in class this week, so that should help keep me safe, right?”

“Maybe, if this thing is stalking the Florida State campus. Better safe than sorry, though.” Dean squeezed Cas’s hand back, then let go and crossed the apartment to dig through his duffle bag, “look, I have something I want to give you.” Finally, he pulled a letter opener out of his bag and headed back over to hand it to Cas; “it’s silver. Just… carry it with you, okay? For me.”

Cas gave him a little, reassuring smile. “I promise.” He repeated softly. “Now if you’re done defacing my walls for now, why don’t you come back to bed?”

Dean chuckled and leaned in for a kiss. “Forever trying to get me in bed with you.”

Cas ducked the kiss with a smile, set the letter opener next to his laptop on his desk and reached to take hold of Dean’s hands, beginning to back toward the bed and pulling Dean along with him. He smiled, amused. “As if you’re any better, when we meet up. Constantly dragging me into bed… or the shower… or onto the couch… or the kitchen table…”

“Hey, the kitchen table is hot sometimes.” Dean defended with a grin.

“Depends on the table.” Cas allowed, pausing when his knees bumped into the mattress and pulling Dean closer against himself, wrapping his arms around him. When Dean angled for a kiss, this time Cas met it, kissing back warmly even as he turned them around—and then gave Dean a shove, pushing him back onto the bed. Dean went down with a squawk and landed with an ‘oof’ but grinned up at him the entire time. Cas let him shimmy his way up the bed a little before joining him, climbing onto the bed himself and over to throw a leg across Dean’s hips, settling straddling the other man. “That one table half collapsed on us, remember?”

“That was one time,” Dean protested, even as Cas leaned down to kiss along his shoulder, inward to the crook of his neck before lifting up and smiling down at him, angling his head for a proper kiss. Dean returned it enthusiastically, hands sliding up Cas’s sides under the t-shirt he’d slept in the night before. Cas broke off and sat back to strip out of it a moment later, tossing it to the ground carelessly. Dean’s hands wandered farther up, around to grope at Cas’s chest, then easing down to his abdomen. “You’re freaking gorgeous.”

“So you keep saying.” Even if he didn’t necessarily agree with Dean’s assessment, Cas respected his opinion at the very least. He didn’t argue so much, anymore, when Dean complimented him, called him things like gorgeous or amazing.

“It’s true.” Dean pulled him back down for another kiss, one hand sliding around to hold at Cas’s back and the other reaching to grab the lube from the nightstand where it had been discarded the night before. “Take your shorts off.”

“Only if you take yours off, too.” Cas laughed, but he was already lifting up and off to the side to strip out of his boxers. By the time he was done Dean was naked again as well and he settled next to the older man, licking his lips and looking at him heatedly. “You’re up.”

Dean chuckled. “You bet I am.” Because dick jokes were kind of his thing sometimes. He quickly uncapped the lube and slicked up his fingers, then settled himself half-over Cas and reached to start stretching him out, fingers working deftly, obviously practiced as he worked the other man over, purposefully rubbing against his prostate as much as possible the entire time.

Cas just submitted himself to Dean’s touch, arching and moaning, one arm up and flung over his eyes, chest heaving as he gasped out little, stilted cries, his entire body trembling—and then it was over. Dean was pulling his hand away, leaving Cas to pant breathlessly for a moment because Goddamn Dean was good at that.

When Dean made to settle over him, though, Cas muttered a quiet negative noise and pushed him down onto his back instead, then climbed on top of him again, reaching with one hand to hold Dean’s straining dick steady while he lifted up on his knees—and sank down over him, taking the older man’s cock deep into his own body with a long, low moan. “Oh, God, Dean… yes…!”

Dean’s hands grabbed at his thighs, fingers digging in slightly, and he tossed his head back against the pillows, giving a low moan of his own.

This was one of their favorite ways to have sex, and for very similar reasons: in this position Dean could watch every second of Cas coming undone on top of him, and Cas could see every single micro-expression on Dean’s face as he got deeply, thoroughly fucked. Or… technically, he supposed, Dean was still doing the fucking, even though Cas was on top.

“Damnit, Cas… move.”

Cas just nodded mutely, braced his hands against Dean’s abdomen, and started rocking his hips, just little, easy movements at first, but very quickly working up to riding Dean hard, rolling his hips and dropping down on his boyfriend’s cock firmly while Dean thrusted up into him at the same time—slamming them together each and every time.

Soon they were both panting breathlessly, Dean’s nails digging into Cas’s thighs and Cas’s hands gripping tight against Dean’s abdomen while they moved together, the bed rocking under them while Cas fucked himself hard on Dean’s cock, shoulders hunched and head falling forward, little whines and curses from his mouth with every movement. “God… yes… fuck, Dean… ah, harder…!”

Dean grunted an affirmative and redoubled his efforts. They fucked hard and rough, bordering on painful at times and all the better because of it. Like they hadn’t had sex in years when they had, in fact, just done so the night before. But neither of them could ever get enough of the other, always craving more.

This time it was Dean who came first and with an almost startled shout, bucking his hips up into Cas’s harshly a couple of times before collapsing back—but Cas wasn’t quite there yet. He whined and paused, panting for air as he rolled off Dean and landed on his back beside him. “Dean.” He protested breathlessly. “Unfair.”

“I know.” Dean agreed, “I’m on it.” Still breathing hard himself, he shuffled around and ducked down to suck Cas’s throbbing erection into his mouth, diving deep and sucking heatedly, enthusiastically, at the same time shoving two fingers into the other man and pushing them deeply, right up against Cas’s prostate, rubbing firmly.

Cas wailed breathlessly, and it only took a moment of Dean’s onslaught before he was coming as well, hard, back arching and hips jerking against Dean’s mouth. When he slumped back, Dean pulled off him with a slurp, swallowing down the slippery feeling of come even as he pressed his fingers against Cas’s prostate once more, curiously.

Cas was so overstimulated it practically hurt, and he whined, reaching one hand down to shove at Dean weakly. “I’m done…”

That made Dean smile, and he pulled his hand away before climbing up to collapse next to Cas, one arm slung over the younger man’s chest while they both continued panting for air.

“You’re amazing,” Dean managed after a moment, sounding sleepy.

Cas was already falling asleep as well. “Mm,” He agreed, “ditto.”

-- --

Some time later, after they’d had an impromptu nap, Cas was laying on his stomach with his arms crossed under his chin. Dean was next to him, on his back with one arm tucked behind his head. Once things had settled down, Marshmallow had hopped up to sit at the foot of the bed, staring in the unsettling, incessantly grumpy way that Cas was more than used to by now, but Dean still found uncomfortable.

“Hey, Dean?” Cas shifted, rolling over and easing up against Dean’s side, allowing the older man to wrap his arm around him. They both settled comfortably, and Cas was quiet for a long while before he spoke again, hesitantly; “don’t… freak out.” He said finally, “but I’ve been thinking and… maybe we could get married. Or something. Don’t you think?”

It was something that had been weighing on him for some time, now, the thought of marrying Dean, but having the older man actually there, in his apartment, it seemed to be driving the idea home.

“Cas—” Dean began, already sounding exasperated just with that one word.

“No, hear me out!” Cas hurried to explain, looking up at Dean and digging his fingers into Dean’s chest lightly, almost for emphasis. “Nothing would have to change, you could still travel and Hunt, you’d just… come back here in-between. We could have an apartment and a home together, we could have… domesticity. You know? But mostly…” Trailing off slightly, he swallowed and finished, “mostly we’d be married. And that’s something…” He trailed off. Dean was frowning. That wasn’t a good sign. Cas leaned his head back down on Dean’s shoulder and smoothed his hand against his chest with a sigh. “I’m sorry. It’s a stupid idea. Just forget it.”

There was a long, long silence between them, then, and Cas finally made to pull away, afraid he had really screwed up this time—but Dean held him close, tightening his arm around him, not allowing him to simply flee. “Cas, I…” Dean swallowed audibly and then cleared his throat before; “being… tied to me like that. It would make you a target, and I can’t do that to you. I can’t.”

“I’m already tied to you like that,” Cas replied softly, “I have been for years. If something really wants at me, I’m not going to be hard to find. And it wouldn’t be your fault. You can’t put that on yourself. My safety.”

“I can and I absolutely will.” Dean told him firmly. One hand rubbed up and down Cas’s arm, the touch almost restless in nature. Anxious. “Cas, if I could, don’t you think…” His hand paused and he squeezed Cas’s arm. “I never thought I was the marrying type, but I would marry you in a second if I thought it was safe for you.”

“What if I asked?” Cas pushed up a little to look at Dean properly again, expression serious and sincere, “what if I asked you to marry me? I—would that make a difference? You once said you’d quit Hunting for me if I asked you to and I refused to do that, but… do this. For me. Because it’s important to me.” His brows drew together, and he continued, “we can ward this place against everything, plant hex bags in the walls… make it as safe as it can possibly be. And I’ll be okay. I’ll be okay, and we’ll be married.”

“Cas…” Dean looked up at him quietly for a moment, and Cas could feel the possibly misplaced determination beginning to fade in him—when the other man finally reached with his free hand and tugged Cas down for a kiss, then murmured against his lips, “yeah okay. Okay, Cas. Let’s… let’s do it.” Pulling him even closer, Dean pressed their foreheads together and added, “but don’t you ever die on me, Cas. Don’t you dare die on me.”

A little flash of a smile and Cas came back with, “I could say the same thing to you, you know.”

Dean actually chuckled at that. “Good point.” He tilted his head to kiss Cas again, slow and deep, before murmuring, “if I tell Dad I’m engaged he’ll never let me live it down, you know. He’ll freak out. He’ll scream and yell. Lecture me for hours.” He grinned, “the things I go through for you.”

A sudden, inexplicable rush of relief—followed by another flood of absolute joy. Cas returned Dean’s grin with one of his own and ducked in to kiss him once more, unable to help smiling against his lips. “I love you so much, Dean. And trust me, I appreciate every single thing you go through for me. But this especially, this is…”

“I know. I love you, too.” Came Dean’s reply. Despite his initial reluctance—which he still felt, if he was honest with himself—this really felt important to him, too. “But we really need to lock this place down. I don’t want anything to happen to you, if we do this.”

“We will,” Cas agreed, but he was already climbing up, slinging one leg over Dean to straddle him and leaning down for another kiss, “just not right this second, okay?”

As if sensing what was to come, Marshmallow vacated the bed, tottering off to hop up on the couch in the living area and curl up there. Cas was privately glad his cat had so much common sense—probably more than even he had at times. Especially right now, because…

As much as he tried to reassure Dean that he would be fine, he would be safe, Cas knew that if they went through with this it would be like painting a target on his back. As soon as Dean was wearing a ring—which, admittedly, he might refuse to wear, and with good reason—every evil thing out there would know he had someone to come home to after a Hunt. Somewhere to come home to—an actual base of operations that could be tracked down and plundered. And Cas just happened to be there. He would be even more of a liability than he already was.

It really was a stupid idea, all things considered…

And Cas still wanted to do it more than anything he had wanted to do in his entire life, except maybe in those first few days when he and Dean were still only friends, but he had just wanted to kiss the other man within an inch of his life.

“You know we just had sex like an hour ago, right?” Dean sounded amused.

Cas just leaned down for another kiss. “I don’t care. Make love to me.”

Dean smiled into the kiss. “Yeah, I can do that.”

-- --

They spent all of that day completely wrapped up in each other, barely ever even leaving the bed, cuddled up together and talking in-between bouts of rather vigorous lovemaking. Marshmallow avoided the area completely for most of that time. Every time he ventured over, they ended up falling back into having sex and scaring him away again. Neither of them felt guilty about that in the least.

The next morning, Dean was up early and off to hunt down the wraith in town, and Cas had a bowl of cereal for breakfast while he apologized to his cat for the day before. There may have been bribery treats involved.

Then, around lunch time, he decided to give Charlie a call.

Charlie had done her travel year after high school, keeping in touch with everyone via social media and texting, sending the occasional postcard (Cas still had all the ones she had sent to him tucked away in one of his desk drawers) and then come back ready to buckle down. Now she was in her final year at MIT and going strong. Since she’d come back, she and Cas had started video chatting on a regular basis, and it was… nice. To have someone to really talk to again.

Not that Cas couldn’t (and didn’t) talk to Dean, but there were some things he didn’t feel comfortable discussing with the older man—usually things about Dean himself that Cas had to get off his chest—and Charlie was still his best friend. They could talk about anything, any time.

Now he clicked on her name in his contacts and waited for her to pick up, idly picking at the edge of the sofa cushion, anticipation making him restless. After a couple of rings Charlie’s face popped up on the screen of his computer and he smiled widely—so widely that she balked immediately and gave him an odd look.

“Why are you smiling like that?”

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to.”

“Well… stop it, you’re freaking me out.”

Cas tried to get a hold of his grin and failed spectacularly. “Dean is spending the week here with me.” He told her finally.

“Oooooh.” Charlie made an understanding noise, “I get it now. But like… still. Stop. That’s way too big of a smile for you, Cas.”

“I can’t help it.” Cas protested, then; “he’s in town for a job. It’s the first time he’s ever been here, and I mean, he’s working, too, but I still get him when he’s on down-time. I didn’t even have to spend two days on the bus this time, it’s… fantastic, Charlie.”

“What kind of a job is he working?” Charlie asked curiously—

And Cas just responded simply, “wraith Hunt.”

He had yet to tell Dean, but about two years ago he had broken down and told Charlie everything—the truth about Dean and his family, what they did and what they stood for, about Hunters and what was actually out in the world. About what had happened at Caspar High their senior year. At the time he had just needed someone to talk to about everything, and he trusted Charlie not to tell anyone else. He didn’t regret the choice to tell her, either. She had taken it rather well and it was nice to have someone to confide in, when Dean was on dangerous Hunts and he was worried sick.

“Wraith?” Charlie tilted her head to the side curiously.

“They, ah… they use these spikes to suck the neural fluids out of people.” Cas told her, just the bare-bones basic version of what they actually did. “I guess different wraiths seek out different types of victims, depending on their tastes in… brains. This one is going after straight-A college kids. Really intelligent people.” A pause, then, and he added, “Dean says I have to be careful because I’m in the potential victim pool.”

She nodded along, then reached to the side, coming up with a can of Redbull and taking a sip, “sounds like. But with Dean around… I mean, he’ll make sure you’re safe, right? He’d never let anything happen to you.”

Cas smiled again, this time soft and fond. “No, he wouldn’t.” Then he hesitated before clearing his throat and offering, “but that’s not what I called you for, Charlie. I wanted to tell you… I mean. It’s no big deal, it’s not going to be a big deal, we’re specifically not making it a big deal, but—”

Charlie grinned slightly. “Just spit it out already, Cas.”

“We’re…” Cas trailed off before licking his lips and trying again; “we’re getting married. Dean and I.” And when he saw the light flare in her eyes, he waved one hand to cut her off before she could even start, “we’re just going to go to the courthouse, that’s all! No—no wedding or anything, just the two of us and the judge. But, ah… we need a witness. And I wanted to ask… if you thought you could get here…?”

“No way, I totally get to be your best man!” Charlie’s voice rose a pitch in excitement, and she leaned closer to the camera, “I will run there if I have to. Tell me what day and I’m there.” Then a little, borderline-squeal and she added, “I am so happy for you, Cas!”

Another little, soft smile, and Cas nodded. “Yeah, me too.”

“But how will it work with the…” Trailing off, Charlie waved one hand in a generally encompassing manner, “Hunting. And everything.” She paused then, her smile fading into a frown, and asked, “won’t it be dangerous for you?”

“That’s what Dean said,” Cas sighed, glancing to the side when Marshmallow hopped up beside him and reaching to pet the cat almost automatically, “he’ll still Hunt. He’ll just… come back here, in-between, instead of us meeting up in random motels all over the country. And we can lock this place down, protection wards and sigils and hex bags and everything…”

Charlie was quiet for a moment, obviously mulling everything over, but then she smiled again. “I’ll take your word for it.” Her tone was genuine and sincere when she spoke again, repeating firmly, “I’m happy for you, Cas, really.”

And that was somehow… relieving. Charlie’s opinion mattered to him a lot, and if she had been against this whole thing Cas wasn’t sure how he would have taken it. Now he just smiled back at her. “Thanks, Charlie.”

A long, drawn-out sigh and she propped her chin in her hand before saying, “I can’t believe Dean Winchester is actually getting married. He had Eternal Bachelor written all over him right from day one, and you snagged him anyway. It’s crazy. Do you think he’ll actually wear the ring?”

Cas laughed at that. “Probably not. It’s safer if he doesn’t. But that doesn’t matter to me.”

“Is he still wearing the cuff you had me make for him?”

“Yes. It’s getting worn, though. Not sure how much longer it’ll last.”

“I’m surprised it’s lasted this long, given his job and everything.”

“You have a point.” Cas chuckled. When Marshmallow climbed into his lap and flapped his tail in Cas’s face, he gently pushed the cat away, “Marshmallow, you know better. I’m trying to talk to Charlie.”

“Hi, Marshmallow~” Charlie sounded amused. She sipped at her drink again before asking, “are you happy, Cas? You seem happy.”

“Everything will be complicated, but it already is. And this way he’ll have a home to come back to, after everything he sees on his Hunts. I can give him that. And to know that he’ll be mine, really, officially mine…” Cas glanced down, then back up with a little smile, “I am happy, Charlie. I really am.”

Charlie returned his smile with one of her own. “So, all you’ve got to do is tell me when I have to be in Tallahassee for your freaking wedding, then.”

-- --

When Dean walked in at eleven thirty that night he was covered in slime and gore and general grossness and carrying a foot-long spike in one hand, his duffle bag in the other. He dropped his duffle by the door, kicked it closed behind him and announced with a grin, “honey, I’m home!”

Cas had been sitting in the living room, elbow deep in one of his Theology textbooks, and some of the homework he had collected to make up for not being in class for an entire week and looked up long enough to roll his eyes. “Are you just going to be like this from now on, forever?”

Dean just continued to grin. He was enjoying this whole marriage idea even more than Cas was, Cas thought. The older man locked the door securely behind himself and wandered farther into the apartment, setting the spike on the kitchen counter to begin stripping out of his frankly disgusting clothes. “Just let me have this for a while, Cas, it’s still new and shiny.”

“We aren’t even married yet.” Cas pointed out, setting his books aside and pointing toward the laundry basket. “In there, please, I don’t want to have to wash monster gunk off the floors. I’ll do laundry tomorrow.”

Dean hummed an agreeing noise and continued stripping down, dumping all his filthy clothes in the laundry hamper as told. Then he headed over to lean down and drop a kiss against Cas’s lips. “I’m having a shower. Wanna join me?”

“I would but I still have two chapters to get through tonight.” As if Dean wouldn’t distract the hell out of him the entire time. Cas had no illusions about that. He would be lucky to get even another chapter finished, never mind two. When Dean pouted at him, Cas pushed at his chest lightly. “No shower sex this time.”

“Boo.” Dean protested with a little disappointed noise, as if they hadn’t already fucked twice earlier in the day and absolutely would again before going to bed that night. Cas tried and failed to keep the little amused smile off his face as the older man made his way through to the bathroom, calling back to him, “it still counts if I jerk off and think about you!”

“Whatever you say, Dean!”

While Dean was in the shower, simultaneously getting clean and dirty, Cas took the opportunity to make a call and order pizza—because as much as he was joking about sex, Cas knew that Dean was probably starving. It would likely arrive shortly after the other man got out of the bathroom, which meant that as much as he wasn’t done studying… Cas was done studying. They needed the coffee table for dinner.

That decided, he quickly packed up his books and papers and returned them to his desk, then fed Marshmallow some treats when the cat started fussing at him, and returned to his seat on the couch, this time with a book to read until Dean rejoined him.

It took a while. Dean probably did jerk off in the shower. Cas tried very hard not to be too amused by that thought. Even at twenty-three years old, now, they both still had the libidos of teenagers… but then again, they were apart a lot of the time, too. If they were living together full-time it might be a little better. Less of a novelty. Not that Cas was complaining.

When Dean finally did emerge from the bathroom in a cloud of steam, he was looking clean and refreshed and pleased with himself. He headed over to his bag and started digging out a fresh set of clothing, pulling on a pair of boxers and a clean pair of jeans before crossing the room to sit down next to Cas—at which point he leaned in and nuzzled at the younger man’s jaw affectionately. “You missed out.”

Cas chuckled softly, turning his attention from his book and tipping his head to give Dean a kiss. “I’m sure we’ll make up for it later.” Closing his book, he set it on the coffee table, then turned to face Dean properly. “I ordered pizza. I figured you’d be hungry.”

“Yes, thank you.”

“It’ll be here soon. How did your Hunt go?”

“Well, you know, the good guys won, so… go team!” Then a pause before Dean added, “and by team I mean me. I’m the team.”

“Yes, I gathered that.” Cas laughed and leaned into his side a little, smiling to himself. “It’s nice that your Dad lets you do solo Hunts again, finally.”

“After he yanked my privileges after the first one?” Dean asked, tone fond. “Worth it, though.”

“I do worry about you Hunting alone, at least with your Dad you had backup.” The younger man admitted, glancing up at Dean again, “if something happens, if you get trapped or hurt or—or something worse… then what?”

Dean sighed softly and wrapped an arm around Cas, giving him a gentle squeeze. He tipped his head to drop a kiss against his forehead. “We’ve had this conversation before, Cas, and no matter what I say the job won’t get any less dangerous. It’ll always be risky, but you have to accept that it’s worth the risk to Hunt, to save people, to make the world a safer place for everyone.” Frowning slightly, he bumped his forehead by Cas’s temple and asked quietly, “are you absolutely sure you want to marry into this insanity?”

It was a fair question, Cas supposed, coming from Dean’s point of view. Cas just leaned into him a bit more and answered simply, chidingly, “Dean.”

“What? I have to ask. It’s not too late to back out yet.”

“But I don’t want to back out. I’ve never wanted to be in something so much in my entire life.”

“I…” Dean hesitated, as if he wanted to argue some more, but then changed his mind and wrapped his other arm around Cas, too, pulling him into a hug. Cas went willingly, bringing his own arms up around Dean as well. “Yeah. I feel the same way. I’m just… worried. For you. That’s all.”

“I know.” Cas nuzzled into the crook of Dean’s neck, pressing a kiss there warmly, “but I really will be alright. You know how to ward this place, all the symbols and sigils and stuff. And you can get the hex bags, right? I can even carry one around with me, if you want. It’ll be like I’m invisible. I’ll keep going to school and working at the Gas-n-Sip and you’ll keep Hunting and… come home. To me. In between.” Then a smile against Dean’s skin and he added, “Charlie was very enthused to be my best man, by the way. Her words, not mine.”

That made Dean laugh. He leaned back into the couch and pulled Cas along with him, ending up with the other man tucked into his side comfortably. “Dad and Sammy really should be there…” He sighed and shook his head, “but Dad wouldn’t come even if I asked him to, he’d boycott it on principle alone. And Sam’s just gone off to Stanford, I can’t exactly pull him away all across the country. He’d hate me.” A pause, then, and he muttered, “if he doesn’t already.”

His relationship with Sam had been sliding in the last couple of years, and Dean was more than aware of that fact. The fiasco between Sam and their dad over Sam leaving for Stanford was just the latest in a great long line of crap that had been going on in his family. It wasn’t a stretch to think that Sam wasn’t his biggest fan at the moment, for more than one reason.

“I think you’re underestimating your Dad and Sam… especially Sam. I think you’d be surprised, if you just talked to him.” Cas advised softly. “You should call them. You have to call your Dad to report in about the wraith thing anyway, right?”

Dean let his head fall back and heaved a sigh. “Cas, I really don’t feel like being yelled at for three hours straight tonight…”

Cas lifted his head to offer Dean a gentle smile. “Call tomorrow, then. After we’ve had a good night’s sleep. I can go to the library to study, and you can have the place to yourself to make your calls.” Leaning up, he pressed a kiss by Dean’s jaw. “I don’t know about your Dad, but Sam will be happy for you. You’ll see.”

“If you say so…” Dean didn’t sound sure, himself, but before he could make any more arguments there was a knock on the door.

Cas pushed away from his boyfriend and sat up straight, glancing over. “Pizza’s here. Put a shirt on we don’t want to give the pizza guy a free show.”

“You don’t really want me to put a shirt on.” Dean accused with a grin.

A little chuckle and Cas stood, fishing out his wallet and heading for the door. “Shirt, Dean.”

“Aw.”

Dean did, indeed, pull on a t-shirt after that, while Cas paid for the pizza and brought it inside, closing the locking the door behind himself and then taking it over to the coffee table, setting it down there. Then he went to the kitchen and reached into the fridge, pulling out a beer for Dean before heading back to take a seat on the couch again.

When Dean joined him a moment later, Cas handed him the beer with a smile and reached to open the pizza box.

“You really didn’t have to do this for me,” Dean commented, indicating the beer. “I know you don’t exactly keep it in the house.”

“But I’m old enough to buy it.” Cas shrugged as he helped himself to a slice of pizza. “The store I work at sells it, and I know you like it, so…” He shrugged, taking a bite of pizza and watching Dean open his beer. “I guess I figured you could probably use a beer after a Hunt, right? That’s an alcohol kind of occasion?”

“After a good Hunt, after a bad Hunt, after any Hunt, basically.” The older man agreed with a chuckle and downed a gulp from the bottle in his hand, giving a contented sigh afterward. “Not my usual brand of Cheapest On The Shelf. It’s good.” A grin. “Thank you.”

“No problem.” Cas mumbled around a mouthful of pizza.

He watched intently as Dean took another drink and then set the beer down to pick up a slice of pizza. He took an initial normal-sized bite—but then began eating like he was starving, wolfing down the rest of the slice in record speed before quickly taking a second, as if suddenly realizing how hungry he actually was.

Cas had kind of expected this. Granted, he had only ever been around Dean post-Hunt once before, and he had been rather unconscious at the time, but it made sense. The expenditure of physical and mental energy and all that. But also—

“Why didn’t you eat breakfast before you left today?” He asked Dean, tipping his head curiously.

Dean was reaching for his third slice of pizza. “I was… nervous, I guess. About the Hunt. My first solo in five years. Had my stomach all twisted up.” Another huge bite of pizza and he added around it, “don’t tell anyone I told you that.”

“You’re supposed to be the big tough Hunter.” Cas gave a quirk of a smile, going for a second slice of pizza, himself. He laughed softly when Dean gave him a look. “I won’t say anything, I promise.”

They finished the rest of their dinner in relative silence, just a few words exchanged here-and-there while they ate. Cas gave a little piece of bacon to Marshmallow when he wandered over—and when Dean started sneezing, Cas hurried to grab the antihistamines.

Dean took a couple of them with a swallow of beer, then muttered about cats around his pizza for the next few minutes until the pills kicked in. Cas found it amusing and adorable at the same time, especially when Marshmallow meandered across to rub on Dean’s legs—and Dean actually dropped a hand to scratch his head.

When Dean caught him looking, he demanded, “what?”

To which Cas replied, “you like my cat.”

“I do not.” Dean grumped, picking up his beer to take another drink. When that finished off the bottle, he set it down again. Then he leaned back into the couch once more, lifting his arm for Cas when the younger man shuffled over to lean into his side. “Thanks for the food, Cas. And the beer. I really needed that.”

Cas made a pleased noise and turned his head to nose against Dean’s jaw. “You’re welcome.”

Dean hummed and shifted, slowly maneuvering Cas around, pulling him up into his lap—and he leaned in for a kiss. “You know what else I really need?” He asked against Cas’s lips.

A laugh from Cas as he settled on Dean’s lap and tilted his head to return the kiss; “I can probably take a guess.”

“You get three, but you’ll only need one.” Dean’s hands were rubbing down Cas’s thighs, then back up again.

Cas shifted. “We need to get some sleep tonight, you know.”

“Mmhm,” Dean angled his head to kiss him again; “less talking, more kissing.”

Cas’s response was a very articulate “mmh.”

-- --

The next day, the Hunt finished, Cas and Dean let themselves sleep in until almost noon. When they did climb out of bed, it was after a long while of cuddling and making out, morning breath be damned, just enjoying each other—being close to each other. After that they had cold pizza for breakfast before climbing in the shower together—where they, perhaps miraculously, didn’t even have sex. Then Cas packed up his books to go to the library while Dean began to take apart the Wall Of Weird, already anxious over his impending phone calls.

Dean said a long, drawn-out goodbye at the door, just hedging for time and Cas knew it. So eventually he put a stop to it with a little, affectionate kiss and a pat against Dean’s chest. “It’ll be okay, Dean. You’ll do fine. Call me when you’re done, and I can come home.” He turned to leave—then paused and added, “tell Sam I said hi!” before scooting out the door.

It took another good forty-five minutes and more picking at the Wall Of Weird before Dean finally got up the nerve to call his dad, and it did not go well. To no one’s surprise, John Winchester reacted… badly. To his eldest son’s news. He shouted at the top of his lungs for nearly an hour and a half while Dean ripped at the Wall Of Weird the entire time out of frustration before finally just flat-out hanging up on Dean. Dean stared at the phone in his hand for a long moment before dropping it on the couch and bringing his hands up to rub the heels of his palms into his eyes.

He still had to call Sam.

More procrastination. He finished taking down the Wall Of Weird and tossed everything into the trash, vowing to buy Cas at least one poster for his walls in the near future. Finally, he decided to bite the bullet and dug his laptop out of his duffle bag. It was old and somewhat creaky, but it still worked and that was the important thing.

When he clicked on Sam for video chat, he honestly didn’t think his brother would even answer but after several excruciatingly long rings, the window opened up and Sam’s face appeared on the screen in front of him.

For just a moment, Dean blinked blankly at Sam.

“Dude, what do you want?” Sam demanded.

“I—” Dean hesitated before muttering, “first of all? Rude. And I’m only calling because it’s important, Sammy.”

Sam sighed deeply, obviously annoyed. “Something happen to Dad?”

“What? No. No, no. Dad’s fine, just a dick like usual.” Dean waved a hand dismissively, “it’s about me, I… ah.” Pausing, he glanced down, green eyes flitting back and forth. Considering how this had gone with their dad, he really wasn’t looking forward to actually telling Sam his news. He was just going to get yelled at again, right? “I don’t know how to say this…”

On the other end of the call, Sam rolled his eyes, “come on, Dean.”

Dean made a frustrated noise and glared at his brother, then palmed over his face before blurting; “okay, look, I’m getting married, alright!”

There was a long, long silence on the other end of the line and Dean glanced to the side. After a while Sam asked almost dumbly, “come again?”

Another frustrated sound in the back of his throat and Dean chanced a glance toward the screen again. Sam didn’t look angry, just… surprised. Dean swallowed and forced himself to continue; “Cas and I. We’re. I mean. I’m in Tallahassee right now and we got to talking and just… we decided we’re going to do it.” Then a short pause before he added, awkwardly, “it’s… no big deal. We’re not having a freaking wedding or anything, we’re just going to go to the courthouse, but… yeah.”

When he stopped talking and looked away again there was another long silence before, finally, “…shit, man. It’s about time. Congratulations.”

Dean stopped. Looked back at the computer, at Sam, who was—smiling? He was smiling. Dean let out a breath he hadn’t even known he was holding and offered a tentative smile in return. “Heh. Thanks. Thanks, Sammy.”

“You called just to tell me that?”

“Well yeah, but... also. We haven’t got a date yet, but Cas has Charlie signed up to be his best man and I—shit, this is so hard. Why is this so hard? What is wrong with our freaking family, man? I—”

“Hey, you’re spinning out again. Say what you’re trying to say.”

“I just… I want you there. If you can make it. I know you’re all the way in California, but it’s—it’s important to me. That you be there. As my best man. So. Do you think?”

“Dean, you’re my brother, you’re getting married to the love of your life and you want me to be there as your best man—of course I can make it. For you and for Cas.” Sam had an amused smile on his face now, though it faded a moment later when he asked, “I take it Dad didn’t take the news so well?”

“Yeah, no, I don’t think he’s talking to me anymore. He completely blew a fuse. Yelled at me for an hour and a half and then hung up on me.”

“Not a surprise. I’m sorry, though.”

“Only in our family, right? Cas called this one, though.”

“How do you mean?”

“I was sure you wouldn’t even pick up when I called. He said to try anyway, that you would surprise me. He says hi, by the way.”

“Cas has always had good instincts for things like that.” And then; “hey, Dean?”

“Yeah?”

“Dad may not be on board, but I think Mom would have been happy for you. I think she would’ve really liked Cas.”

“…yeah. Yeah, I think you’re right, Sam. Thanks.”

They actually ended up talking for nearly an hour, about all kinds of things. Dean getting married, of course—Sam had laughed when he found out that it was Cas who actually did the asking—but also just life stuff. How Sam was doing in California, how he was settling in, was he excited for his first year at Stanford in the fall? Had he made any friends? They avoided Hunting talk because Sam wouldn’t want to go there, but Dean described Cas’s—soon to be his—little apartment and what he’d seen of Tallahassee so far. It was actually nice, to just talk like brothers—like friends—again.

Eventually Sam did have to go, though, and they left things on good terms, with Dean promising to text him the details for the date and time he needed to be at the courthouse in Tallahassee as soon as he knew them. Sam congratulated him again before they hung up, and once he had shut the computer Dean leaned back into the couch with a sigh, a little, pleased smile on his face. Cas had been right.

After a couple of minutes to process everything, Dean retrieved his cell phone from where he had dropped it after the disastrous call with his dad and called Cas to let him know it was safe to come home from the library. Cas could hear him smiling over the phone and immediately knew at least something had gone well. He promised to pack up and be home as soon as possible.

Forty-five minutes later, when Cas walked in the door, it was to have Dean immediately grab his backpack and drop it out of the way, then wrap his arms around him and heft him completely off his feet in a tight hug. Cas laughed and allowed it, bringing his arms up around Dean’s neck as he was set back down and pulled in close. “I take it things went alright?”

“With my Dad? Hell no, he was pissed. He may never talk to me again. But with Sammy… yeah.” Dean smiled and angled for a kiss, which Cas happily gave him, “you were right,” He murmured against Cas’s lips, “I was underestimating him. Sam was happy for me. Actually happy for me.”

“I told you.” Cas sighed, tilting his head for another kiss, one hand sliding up to thread into Dean’s hair gently, “Sam’s still a good kid. He loves you.”

“Mmhm,” Came Dean’s muffled reply, and he began backing them toward the bed. Marshmallow was sleeping in the middle of it and vacated quickly when he saw them incoming. Cas barely even noticed, too wrapped up in kissing his boyfriend to care.

When Dean’s knees hit the bed he tumbled backward onto the mattress, dragging Cas with him. Cas went down with a laugh, landing on top of him and pulling a little ‘oof’ from Dean before they were kissing again—warm and gentle and loving—and there was no question how this was going to go, this time, at least in Cas’s mind.

After a few long minutes of just making out, Dean gave Cas a gentle shove and Cas climbed off him with a laugh, standing to let him work his way up onto the bed properly. He also took the time to take his jeans off, which Dean watched with sharp eyes before following suit, shimmying out of his own without getting off the bed. Cas grabbed them and dumped them on the floor, then climbed onto the bed again, over to lean over Dean with a smile.

“You still amaze me.” Dean reached up to cup his jaw, then slid his hand back to thread his fingers into Cas’s hair and tugged him down into another kiss; “I think you always will.”

Cas settled over him, kissing back easily, but murmured back, “you know I feel the same way about you, right?”

Dean would never cease to be absolutely incredible to him: strong and brave and fierce and loyal and loving all wrapped up in one big ball. Not to mention sexy. Dean was the most attractive person Cas had ever met—always had been, and he doubted that would change any time soon. But Dean felt exactly the same way about him, maybe with different adjectives, but it was all the same in the end. Dean thought he was nothing short of amazing, and for Cas, who had always seen himself as ordinary, that was an astonishing thing.

So, he did his best to live up to Dean’s hype, to be there for him when the older man needed him, to be the best boyfriend—and lover—that he could possibly be. Which was pretty much why he broke off the kissing to tug at Dean’s t-shirt, pushing at it pointedly even as he sat back to strip out of his own. Dean followed suit, and then Cas was kissing along his chest, nipping gently at one nipple to make him hum lowly—he smiled a little to himself at the sound.

Right above said nipple, though, were the two short scars that had been left by the jorogumo so long ago, now smooth and faded but still obvious—at least to Cas—and Cas paused then, leaning his forehead down against them for just a couple of breaths.

“What are you doing?” Dean asked curiously.

“Praying.” At only twenty-three, Dean’s entire body was already littered with scars, a roadmap of pain, and sometimes it struck Cas just how dangerous his job really was. “Praying that you’re safe on your next job. Praying for no more scars.”

“Cas…” Dean tugged at him, drawing him up and into another warm kiss, “I’m okay. You know I’m okay.”

“I know,” Cas agreed against his lips, “but let me pray anyway.”

Dean just smiled gently and kissed him again, hands sliding down his sides—until Cas broke off to begin trailing kisses downward again, along is chest to his ribs, down to his abdomen where he nipped lightly just by Dean’s navel and hummed out a pleased noise when his boyfriend twitched. That was followed up by reaching to tug his boxers down and out of the way—and then ducking his head to lick over the tip of Dean’s already-hard cock.

For his part, Dean just hissed and licked his lips, watching under hooded eyes while Cas sucked the head of his cock into his mouth and began easing downward, sucking gently. But really…

As good as Cas’s mouth felt, this wasn’t what Dean had been going for, here. So, after a couple minutes of enjoying an unhurried blowjob, he reached down to thread his fingers into Cas’s hair and pulled him upward again. Cas blinked slightly but allowed it, climbing back up over him and leaning to kiss him again, tasting of salty precome. “No?”

Dean just chuckled and drifted a hand down his back to squeeze his ass gently. “Not really what I had in mind.”

Cas laughed into the next kiss, but then shifted to the side, climbing off of Dean to get out of his boxers, while Dean took the reprieve to kick his own boxers off the rest of the way, too, before rolling over on top of Cas and leaning in to kiss him again, reveling in the feeling of his body pressed up against the younger man’s. Cas always felt perfect against him, and he knew Cas felt the same way. Like they were made for each other, he had said before.

In his younger days, Dean had never imagined he would end up in a long-term relationship with another man. He had never imagined himself in a long-term relationship with anyone, to be fair, but then Cas had come along and blown all of his naïve preconceptions out of the water.

He had always been bisexual, interested in both women and men, but Dean had never told anyone that, it had been a carefully guarded secret—until Cas. He had taken one look at Cas, way back when they were eighteen years old, and basically fallen in love at first sight, something he had never thought was possible—up until it had happened.

His love for Cas was what got him through his darkest days and his loneliest nights on the road. Their texting and phone calls and video chats were what he lived for—not Hunting, as his dad had tried to teach him. The sex, when they were together, was incredible, the emotional intimacy divine. Marrying Cas was just another step in the natural progression of their relationship and, as Sam had said, a long time coming.

Now Dean just leaned down to kiss Cas again, deeply and slowly, heat and passion and every emotion he was pretty sure he was shit at expressing in words. Cas kissed back the same way, pouring his feelings into it even as he dragged his hands down Dean’s back—then stretched with one arm, reaching to fumble for the bedside table drawer.

When he couldn’t quite reach it, he muttered against Dean’s lips, “Dean, the lubricant.”

“You can just say ‘lube’, you know.” Dean chuckled and kissed him again before easing back and reaching over to nick the lube from the table drawer. There were condoms in the drawer, too, just in case, but they didn’t use them anymore—hadn’t in a long time. They were exclusive and they trusted each other, and that was enough.

When Dean settled back over him again, Cas drew him down into another kiss, then just pushed him gently downward. Dean went more than willingly, kissing along Cas’s collar bone and then down his chest, over his ribs to his abdomen. Once there he sat back on his heels and patted at one of Cas’s hips. “Legs up, Cas.”

“Mm.” Cas made a soft agreeing noise and got himself into position, then let his head fall back, hands twisting in the blankets already while Dean slicked his fingers up and reached to start prepping him. “Dean…”

“I know.” First one finger, then two, leading in to three, they had done this dance more times than they could count, and it never got old, especially when Dean was so good at finding Cas’s prostate, rubbing against it, manipulating it, leaving the younger man gasping for air and pulling at the blankets, moaning breathlessly. Loudly.

Finally, when Dean judged him to be relaxed enough—loose enough—he pulled his hand back and climbed up over Cas, easing between his legs, settling over him and smoothing a hand down one of Cas’s hips before pushing his throbbing cock into his boyfriend’s body.

Cas moaned, long and low, deep in is chest, and kissed back when Dean ducked in, already lifting his legs to wrap around Dean’s hips, holding tight there, urging him to start moving. “Dean…!”

“I’ve got you…” Dean murmured softly, even as he braced his knees and began to roll his hips against Cas’s, burying his face in the crook of Cas’s neck as he fucked into him, slow and deep.

Cas just continued moaning breathlessly, bringing his arms up to wrap around Dean’s waist, hands holding tight at the small of his back, feeling every movement that the older man made under his fingers. He started rocking his own hips to meet Dean’s thrusts, hot and kinetic and perfect, God it felt perfect.

Dean had himself propped up on his forearms, but began kissing along Cas’s shoulder heatedly, nuzzling at his neck and biting here-and-there, just little, gentle nips. Cas’s cock, meanwhile, was trapped between them, rubbing against Dean’s abdomen with every rock of the older man’s hips. It was almost enough to make him come right then—but he held off through sheer willpower alone, not wanting to end things too soon.

“Oh, God, you feel so… so good…!”

When they were together like this—really making love, not just fucking, not just sex—they both got completely lost in each other, in each other’s bodies, in the push-and-pull of their lovemaking, the friction and the passion and how absolutely perfect it felt to be together like they currently were.

Now they sank into another series of long, deep kisses, continuing to move together slowly, unhurried, deep and full-bodied, until they were both so breathless and overstimulated that they simply couldn’t hold on anymore.

Cas came first, mostly because Dean shifted his weight to one arm and slid the opposite hand in between them to jerk Cas off along with their movements. He didn’t last long after that, clutching at Dean’s back and coming with a panted cry, stars behind his closed eyelids.

Dean followed shortly after, just another minute or two, during which Cas continued to sluggishly rock his hips even though he had already come. Then Dean’s thrusts fell out of rhythm, went jerky—and he buried himself deep inside the younger man, coming with a low groan, muffled into Cas’s shoulder.

Then, his arms shaking slightly, Dean lowered himself down over Cas, huffing a pleased noise against Cas’s shoulder before nuzzling into his neck, pressing a kiss there, just warm and affectionate and the slightest bit breathless. Cas wrapped his arms around Dean, hugging him gently and smiling up at the ceiling, head still back as he caught his breath.

“I saw stars again…” Cas said after a few minutes, once their breathing had evened out. He patted at Dean’s side until the other man grumbled and pulled out of him, then rolled off him, landed on his back and let Cas cuddle into his side. “Mm. Haven’t seen stars like that in… a while.”

“I felt that good, did I?” Dean chuckled, one hand rubbing up and down Cas’s side gently, affectionately.

“It always feels good, having you inside me.” Cas hummed, eyes closed and head resting on Dean’s shoulder. He had one hand up and toying with Dean’s pendant absently. “But I love it when we… do this. Make love. It’s different. I’ve told you that before, right?”

“Mm, you have. I feel the same way.” Then a grin and he added, “though it’s hot as hell when you ride me, Cas. Just saying.”

“We’ll do that again next time, then.” Cas’s lips quirked with amusement. He was quiet for a long moment before speaking up again: “you took down the Wall Of Weird. I guess you didn’t need it anymore, with the job being over.”

“Yeah, and it was good to rip at something while Dad screamed at me earlier.” Dean sighed, and then attempted to change the subject: “I’m buying you some posters, by the way. Your walls are way too bare. It’s weird.”

“I’m a weird guy, remember?”

“True, but still.”

“I don’t mind some posters, but should we leave that section of wall blank, though?” Cas asked, smiling to himself as he spoke, “in case you need it for planning a job when you’re here, once you move in?”

Dean made a little surprised noise because he honestly hadn’t thought of that, but it was a good point. But that aside… the thought of actually moving his meager belongings into the apartment, of having a real home to come back to after jobs? Dean found himself smiling, just a small expression of happiness. “Maybe get a bulletin board for that spot, though, I don’t want to ruin the walls.”

“That’s a good idea.” Cas agreed. He pushed up, then, to look down at Dean, his own smile fading a little; “I’m sorry about your Dad. I know you said that’s how he would react, but…” Ducking in, he kissed Dean gently. “I’m still sorry.” Then another smile, though; “I am glad Sam reacted well, though. I told you he would. What did he say?”

Dean smiled up at him, reaching up to run his fingers through Cas’s mussed-up hair gently. “He said he’ll be here; I just have to give him the date and time. So. You’ve got a best man. I’ve got a best man.” His smile edged into a grin, “I guess we need to book the appointment at the courthouse.”

“Yeah,” Cas’s own smile widened hugely, “I guess we do.”

-- --

The earliest appointment they could get at the courthouse was for a month from then, and while that wasn’t ideal… it was what it was. They couldn’t speed up the system any easier than they could stop relying on oxygen. So, they booked it, and then went about notifying Charlie and Sam so they could arrange their travel plans accordingly.

Dean also, reluctantly, called his dad to inform him of the date, only to receive another shouted lecture about responsibility for his trouble. And then his dad proceeded to shove another job at him on the heels of the tongue lashing—and why wasn’t he surprised? Dean cast a glance over toward Cas, who was sitting on the couch talking to Charlie on his laptop. He probably did have the time. Finally, he just agreed to take the job to shut his dad up and quickly took down the case details.

When his dad hung up on him this time Dean mouthed ‘screw you’ toward the phone before dropping it onto the kitchen counter. Then he headed over to flop face-first on the bed and wait for Cas to finish his conversation with Charlie. When Marshmallow hopped up next to him a minute later, Dean just blindly gave the cat a scratch and muttered “hi Marshy” into the pillows. (Okay, so maybe he did like Cas’s cat. A little.)

A half an hour later, give or take, Cas finally said goodbye to Charlie and closed down his laptop, then looked over toward the bed—and smiled when he saw Dean face-down on the mattress, clearly dozing in the sunlight coming in through the window, with Marshmallow curled up against his side. It was downright adorable.

Heading over, Cas gently scooped Marshmallow up and took him over to the chair in the corner. “Sorry, but that’s my spot.” He told the cat as he gave him a gentle pat. Marshmallow just blinked up at him, grumpy face as always, before curling up and laying down on the chair. He was usually pretty easy to get along with.

That taken care of, Cas made his way back over to the bed and carefully sat down on the edge next to Dean, reaching with one hand to thread his fingers through Dean’s hair, stroking gently, affectionately, a little smile on his face the entire time. “Dean… hey…”

After a moment or two Dean began to stir, sighing out a deep breath and leaning into Cas’s touch. He still had his eyes closed, though. “…mm?”

Cas just continued stroking through Dean’s hair, watching him fondly. “You do like my cat after all.”

“Mebbe a little.” Dean admitted in a sleepy mumble, and finally cracked his eyes open to smile up at Cas. He slowly moved, rolling onto his back and tugging Cas’s hand in to kiss against his palm gently. “Don’t tell anyone.”

“It’ll be our secret.” Cas agreed, sounding amused, then, “not to ruin the moment, but what did your Dad say? More of the same?”

“Yeah…” A little, frustrated noise. Cas cupped his hand against Dean’s jaw warmly, thumb rubbing along his cheek, gentle affection. Dean closed his eyes and leaned into the touch. “He just gave me a self-righteous speech about how irresponsible I’m being. Yelled it. And then…”

Dean trailed off with a sigh and Cas prompted softly, “and then?”

“He gave me another job.” The older man’s green eyes opened again, and he gave Cas an apologetic look; “I’m sorry. I couldn’t really say no. It’s just this ghoul thing in Colorado and then I’ll be right back here, I promise. Two weeks, tops.”

“Counting travel time?” Cas joked—and when Dean gave him a look he sighed and shifted around, climbing onto the bed properly and cuddling up against Dean, wrapping an arm across his chest to hold him close. “I understand, Dean. Hunting is your job. I’m used to having you come and go from my life, so this really isn’t much different. So go, take care of the ghoul… thing. And then come back here. Okay?”

Dean just settled with him, one hand coming up to rub against Cas’s arm. “Feels different this time.”

“Because this is your home now.” Cas reasoned, tipping his head to kiss by Dean’s jaw, “a real home. Not a cheap motel. Somewhere you can come back to time and again, and really… hang your hat. Figuratively speaking. I know you generally don’t wear hats.”

“Not usually, no.” Dean chuckled, squeezing his arm around Cas in a little hug. “The last time I had a real… home. Was when I was four. Right before my Mom died. It’s been almost twenty years, Cas. So… this is…”

“A lot?” Cas asked softly.

“A lot.” Dean agreed. “But it’s good. So yeah, I’ll go take care of the Colorado thing. And then I’ll come back home. To you.”

A gentle smile from Cas and he pressed a little closer, leaning up to kiss Dean warmly. “I like the sound of that.”

The older man returned the kiss with a soft happy hum, deep in his throat. “Yeah, me too.”

-- --

Dean left the next morning after he and Cas had breakfast and showered together—and this time they absolutely made love in the shower, both of them saying goodbye, somewhat, even if it was only going to be for a little while this time.

Then Dean packed up his things—but not all of them, this time, there were certain items that he didn’t need on this Hunt that he left behind. Cas promised to find somewhere to put everything; he’d empty out a couple drawers in the dresser, make room in the closet, clear out some shelves so Dean could feel free to move in properly when he came back. They could even put up posters or artwork that Dean liked, since Cas didn’t particularly care either way (as long as it wasn’t Playboy centerfolds. He drew the line at Playboy centerfolds.) It would be nice. Perfect.

They took possibly too much time saying goodbye at the door before Dean left, but that was nothing new. They stood around, just holding each other and exchanging little, lingering kisses until Cas finally gave Dean a gentle push against his chest. Dean pouted at him, but disappeared into the Tallahassee sun anyway, his duffle bag significantly lighter than usual and his key to the apartment securely in his pocket.

Cas resisted the urge to go to the window and watch Dean drive away for approximately five seconds before crossing the room and doing just that. He didn’t think Dean could see him, but he waved anyway, watching the car pull out and drive off.

Then, with Dean well and truly gone and safety foremost on his mind now, Cas went back to the door and locked both the deadbolt and the chain lock. They would have to see to warding the apartment and getting hex bags into place when Dean got back from his Hunt. Maybe the wards could go under the posters—not that they were likely to have many houseguests to see them, even if they weren’t. Possibly occasionally Charlie or Sam.

Cas spent the rest of the day going through his things, clearing space for Dean for when he came back and packing up some of his more disused clothes and books into a bag to take to the thrift store. Then he put away the few items that Dean had already left behind. That was followed up by digging out his textbooks, notebooks and laptop and settling in for a rather long study session to make up for what he had (admittedly) been lax on while Dean had been there. Supper that night was a TV dinner done in the oven. Marshmallow’s automatic feeder went off at precisely seven o’clock, the same as usual, and the cat practically dove at it, also the same as usual.

The next three days were spent much the same, studying with breaks for food or to call or video chat with Dean—or Charlie. His tinnitus started bothering him over those days, getting louder and more irritating until Cas finally broke down and took some of Dean’s antihistamines—the doctors had said, years ago, that they might help. They didn’t. The antihistamines just made him sleepy and not care as much because of it.

The following Monday he returned to class and work after his “family vacation.” Went back to chatting with Alfie in Graduate Theology and helping out customers at the Gas-n-Sip downtown, ugly blue vest and everything. He went back to his mundane life, missing Dean the entire time but also knowing that they would be together again soon this time, not months down the line like it had been before.

He didn’t tell anyone he was getting married, had already booked a court date for it, because they were trying to keep it as downlow as possible, just to be safe. Only Charlie and Dean’s family knew, and Cas knew they wouldn’t tell anyone. But keeping it a secret didn’t make it any less meaningful. Cas wore a little, content smile on his face everywhere he went for the next few days.

On Thursday he didn’t have to work, but his did have Advanced Folklore class in the afternoon. The tinnitus was driving him crazy again—so loud, chattering in his head incessantly—but he just pushed through it as he got ready for the day and headed out the door, wearing his trench coat as usual. As soon as he hit the front stoop, though, he stopped in his tracks, his entire body freezing up. The noise in his head redoubled—and became clear for the first time, and suddenly he knew exactly what they were—

Angels. Calling him home.

But—

“You hear us now, Castiel.” A familiar voice said, and when he looked around Alfie was standing beside him, giving him a reassuring smile. “Your vessel is finally ready. You’re ready. To return home, to Serve again.”

“Samandriel?”

“You remember me.”

“I remember everything.” Castiel’s eyes darted back and forth, his thoughts racing. Eventually, he asked simply, “you’ve been watching over me all this time?”

“For five years at the university, in this Vessel, yes.” Samandriel agreed, “since it was felt you were almost ready. I was sent to bring you home again, Castiel.”

Another pause, and then, softly, “what about Dean?”

Samandriel’s expression turned sympathetic, maybe a touch sad. “He will survive without you. You can keep an eye on him from Heaven.”

“But—"

“Are you questioning Heaven’s orders, Castiel?”

Castiel hesitated. He didn’t want to leave Dean, of course he didn’t, but Angel Radio was blaring in his head and now he remembered who he was—what he was. He was an angel of the Lord, and he had a mission to return to. One he had been absent from for nearly two decades. Finally, he cast one last look back at the apartment door, and then he shook his head. “No, I’m not questioning anything.”

“Alright then.”

Samandriel patted his shoulder—and they were both gone in a rustle of feathers.

Inside the apartment, Marshmallow’s automatic feeder went off, dispensing a meal’s worth of food. There was enough in it to last for a while. And one of the glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling slipped loose, fell and landed softly in the mess of bedcovers Cas had left behind. It wouldn’t be discovered there for nearly a week.

THE END

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