#tenyearsofcastiel

[tsusagi]

#TenYearsofCastiel

(18 september 2008 - 18 september 2018)

[helianthus21]

10 Years Of Castiel

Day 3: Cas & the angels or Cas & the Winchesters

because why can’t he have both? inspired by B99′s episode “The Party”

Samandriel shifts his weight nervously from one foot to the other.

“Stand still,” berates Rachel, sending him a glare that is just this side of disdainful.

“I'm nervous,” he defends himself. “We're finally meeting the man Castiel chose over Heaven.”

He says the name Castiel like a revelation. Like he's not sure he's worthy of tasting the word on his tongue.

Anna steps forward and puts a hand on Samandriel's shoulder. “He did not choose one thing over the other,” she assures gently. “He simply moved into a new home.” Her hand tightens on his shoulder, not less gentle, but with underlying sternness to it. “In any case, have I not told you to dress appropriately for this, Samandriel?”

Samandriel looks down at the work uniform of the Wiener Hut his vessel was wearing when he said Yes, and his eyes widen in panic. He hadn't thought of changing his vessel's costume. Now what would they think of him? When Anna mentioned appropriate outer appearances, he'd thought 'take a human vessel', for burning the humans' eyes out was considered a social faux-pas when attending human festivities. Really, it would be just rude.

“Humans have a high regard for their 'dress code', I believe it is called,” provides Hannah helpfully.

Even without seeing it, the whole flock that stands in a circle around the entrance of the Bunker can feel Balthazar's eye-roll as a wave rolling through their graces. “Someone who thinks wearing those ridiculous plaid scraps of clothing is à la mode has no business judging other people's fashion senses, trust me, darling.”

Anna rounds on him. “And you,” she says, pointing an almost accusing finger at him. “Behave. No snide remarks towards Dean. In fact,” she considers, face turning oddly green around the edges as she visualises the multitude of Balthazar's possible social transgressions. “Don't talk to Dean at all. Find an unobtrusive corner and when approached talk about... wine. Yes, that might be for the best.”

“I'll just talk about fighting techniques and military strategy,” Inias practically bounces with excitement at the prospect of acquainting himself with these humans. “They are all hunters, right? They'll love the subject of war.”

Anna looks around the group one last time and asks if everyone's ready before she presses the door bell. After just a few seconds, the door opens and Castiel greets them with a mild smile and excitedly buzzing grace. “You're here!” he says, and then, more subdued, “Thank you for coming. I hope you found the way without complications.”

“Hello, Castiel!” greets Samandriel. He'd only ever caught glimpses of The Rebellious One, and it is an honor to be graced with his presence. “Your trench coat is magnificent,” he says, and judging by the warning squint Anna sends his way and Balthazars gleeful amusement he must have promptly made a fool of himself.

But Castiel doesn't seem to notice. “Thank you. I wear it every day.”

Behind his back, Samandriel hears Balthazar murmur something that sounds like “This promises to be very entertaining.”

At this very moment, another figure joins them at Castiel's side, rubbing a hand up and down his back in a manner that seems like it’s a familiar gesture between them. Castiel leans into the touch and smiles up at Dean Winchester.

“Hey, so, glad to have you here and all that,” Dean greets them half-heartedly, but Samandriel beams right over his lack of courtesy and sticks out his laden arms towards him.

“We bear gifts for our hosts!”

Reluctantly, like he suspects the carton to hold a bomb instead of a dessert native to human cuisine, he accepts the present. “It's pie!” Samandriel encourages, until Dean finally opens the lid.

He observes the contents, and then a judgmental look that could rival Archangel Raphael's (may he rest for their peace) hits Samandriel from under long lashes. “That's not pie,” Dean corrects drily. “That's cake.”

Samandriel shifts again, nervous about having misstepped. “I-,” he stammers. “Aren't those... the same?”

A heavy silence follows, so charged that it reminds him of the calm of the gathering of Grace before a smiting. Then: “They're not the same!”

“Dean.” Castiel intervenes by laying a hand on top of Dean's shoulder, and the effect is instant. Dean puts on a more relaxed posture and plasters on a smile.

“Thanks for the... cake. Can I offer you some of it? Maybe,” he shrugs a shoulder. “All of it?”

Before Samandriel can respond, Anna pushes her way past him into the Bunker, halting just in front of the hosts. “That would be most gracious of you, thanks.” With another warning glare towards the group of angels, she leads the way to the center of Castiel's birthday party.

Inside, there are people Samandriel has heard of from the Gospels. Sam Winchester may be the most prominent of them, but there's also Claire Novak of the bloodline of Castiel's vessels, and the prophet Kevin Tran as well as who appears to be his mother looking askance at the angels. The woman beside Sam Winchester is a Man of Letter legacy and huntress with the name Eileen Leahy, as she tells them. Two other women surprise Samandriel by throwing their arms around him in greeting, appearing to prefer a much less formal greeting ritual than the rest of the hunters. The one with the red hair, Samandriel learns, rules over a land called Moondoor, and the other one introduces herself as Donna, a sheriff of some American state that is not Kansas, where they’re currently located.

Human hunters are not the only guests on this party, however. There's a gruff looking vampire who grunts out he's “Benny” and then disappears to whisper something into Dean's ears, a young psychic by the name of Patience and an anxious looking dreamwalker who never leaves Claire Novak's side for too long.

In the dark haired young girl who laughs about something the other sheriff, Jody Mills, is saying, Samandriel can sense faint traces of vampirism. He's curious about the story she could tell, but hesitates to approach.

“Samandriel!” Castiel's voice catches him unaware and he whirls around. His little heart beats against the fragile ribcage of his borrowed body. Castiel is carrying a plate with a slice of the cake he brought and offers it to Samandriel. “Sorry, I should have told you. Dean prefers pie. But I personally find your cake most excellent. Can I ask, where did you buy it?”

“I made it myself!” Samandriel says, his wings spreading proudly over his head in the etheric plane.

Castiel seems impressed indeed, just as Samandriel had hoped. “Good work,” he praises and Samandriel feels as if the skin on his vessel's face heats up.

When Dean again steps up next to Castiel, he supposes his chance has come. He'll befriend the new family of The Rebellious One. “What did you think about the movie Tombstone?” he asks, apropos of nothing. Anna had briefed them about social etiquette, but her lecture about How To Start A Conversation had seemed so unnecessary complicated to him back then.

Dean raises an eyebrow his way. “You've watched Tombstone?”

In reality, Samandriel has only read the synopsis on the back of this flat visual device humans use to play back their animated pictures, but he nods eagerly.

“Well, it's one of my favourite movies. What was you favourite scene?”

And that question makes Samandriel's mind go blank. “Uhhhm,” he stumbles through an answer that won't come, can't come because he can't have a favourite scene of something he has never watched. “When they... engraved... the tombstone?” He tries, thinking he can't be too far off when the title already features a tombstone.

One side of Dean's mouth twitch, and he opens it to keep their conversation going, but before he can do so, Castiel takes his hand and moves to pull him away from the little circle they’ve formed. “Can I speak to you for a minute, Dean? Sorry to leave you, Samandriel, if you would join Charlie over there, I believe she wanted to show you how the Google worked.”

And with that, they're gone. Samandriel turns his attention to the young woman who grins and waves him over with a gesture of her hand.

***

“Why are you mad at me? It's your angel friends who're screwing up your birthday party! You should be yelling at them!”

Dean storms through the door to their bedroom, directly followed by Cas who closes the door to give them even more privacy.

“They're not the problem, Dean. You've been dismissive, contrary, and downright rude to them when all they've been doing is try to fit in. You completely thwarted Inias' and Samandriel's attempts at conversation!”

Dean rolls his eyes. “If you can call that a conversation...”

“When Inias started his retelling of angelic warfare you claimed such conversation topics were banned in the Bunker. That was an outright lie, there's almost nothing you like talking about more than beating up enemies!”

“Not with them, I don't.”

With a sigh, Dean lets himself flop onto their bed. The springs squeak but there's another noise accompanying it that has nothing to do with old furniture. He exchanges a look with Cas, and notices he's already drawn his angel blade. With Cas as rear cover, he jumps off the mattress and peeks under the bed.

Three pairs of blue eyes are blinking back at them.

“Surprise?” Balthazar tries.

*

“In my defense, I was just trying to keep them in check,” says Anna, as Cas drags them all back to the war room. He can't believe he'd been so wrong about his brothers and sisters. Well, again.

“I was trying to investigate your recreational interests to find a common ground for social bonding,” defends Inias, facial expression distorted into a sad frown.

“You mean you were spying on us,” barks Dean. He turns around to confront Balthazar. “And what's your excuse?”

Balthazar shrugs, not looking guilty at all. “Just wanted to raid your secret alcohol stash.”

While Dean's still trying to put his indignation into words that aren't stammers, Anna turns to Cas. “I'm sorry, Cas. I tried to hold them back.”

Castiel touches her forearm gently. “Don't blame yourself, Anna. I should've known this was a bad idea.” He turns towards the rest of their guests. Despite the fact that this 'birthday party' had not been a wish of his – Sam and Dean had insisted, not taking no, or 'I'm an angel, I don't have a birthday' for an answer – he feels dejected about the less than favorable turn of events.

“Maybe,” he starts, shoulders slumping with defeat. “Maybe it's best if you go. All of you.” He gestures to the angels, making sure they know he's addressing them and only them.

Anna nods at him sadly but understandingly. She moves to usher the ragtag group of angels towards the door.

But: “Wait!”

The sudden protest surprises both Cas and the angels. And most of all, probably, the speaker himself: Dean's scratching at his neck in a manner Cas knows indicates his nervousness.

“I mean – Cas, you don't have to,” he sighs, looking a bit out of place in this strange circumstance where he finds himself defending the angels of all people. “They meant well, don't punish them on my account.”

“Dean, it's not-”

“I was giving 'em a hard time, Cas, you were right,” he looks sheepishly at Cas. “I'm just wary whenever angels are in the picture, I can't help it. You've been hurt so many times, and I can't stand watching you go through this every time. But these guys,” he gestures to Anna and Samandriel, and even Balthazar, “they're good people, Cas, and you wanted them here and I shouldn't have been such a... jerk,” he laughs dryly. “It's your party and you should enjoy it with everyone you love, and if that includes those no-good, pain-in-the-ass angels, then who am I to stand in the way. You deserve it, man.”

Castiel takes a look around, notes the look of hope on Samandriel and Inias' faces, watches Rachel's hard frown melting away in the face of Donna's winning enthusiasm, the quiet curiosity with which Hannah pokes at a bagel on her plate, and finally, catches Balthazar's encouraging grin.

They are good people, he thinks. Dean's right, he shouldn't throw that away because of a minor faux-pas. He turns to Dean again, leans forward to kiss his cheek. “Thank you, Dean.” For indulging him. For trying to protect him even when the situation doesn't necessarily warrant it.

And also, “No one's ever expended such an effort for me.” He gestures around at the party, at all the people who've shown up to celebrate his existence. His grace beats a happy rhythm against his ribcage.

Dean smiles back at him.

“Well, it's about time,” comments Balthazar, the softness in his eyes betraying his posed nonchalance as he nips at his newly snatched wine glass.

Castiel bumps his shoulder against him in a brotherly affection that is new to him. He decides he likes it. “Thank you, too,” he says. He takes in the mix of bright souls and pulsing graces, and thinks that what they've created today, the merging of his two worlds, might indeed work, could even be something good, if they'll let it.

It’s worth a try, in any case.

[helianthus21]

Ten years of Castiel: Day 5 - Favourite Quotes

“I am not a hammer as you say” | “Freedom is a length of rope. God wants you to hang yourself with it.” | “We’ve been through much together you and I” | “You should show me some respect” | “Hello, Dean.” | “Of course” | “For the first time in a long time, I am.” | “We’re making it up as we go” | “Maybe just a speck” | “My true form is approximately the size of your Chrysler Building” | “I am utterly indifferent to sexual orientation” | “Will you, boy. How?” | “I don’t understand that reference” | “Good things do happen” | “Condolences”

[webcricket]

Castiel Headcanon

For day 3 of the Ten Years of Castiel (@tenyearsofcastiel) event prompt "Cas & the angels/heaven or Cas & the Winchesters," I present to you a family-themed Castiel Headcanon.

When you ask Castiel to tell you about his family, a soft fond smile upturns his mouth. He doesn't speak at all of Heaven or the other angels - in his mind they are merely his kind, not his kin. Rather, he refers to two men - Sam and Dean Winchester; calling them brothers, he relates to you not the numerous times he rescued their reckless asses, used himself as both shield and sword in their defense, or literally lifted them from the fiery grips of perdition on occasion, but instead explains with earnestness shining in his enameled blue gaze how often they saved him.

[casismybestfriend]

Happy birthday Cas!

[justanearth-boundmisfit]

A little story...

I have always loved angel lore, even before falling in love with our amazing angel, I read and watched everything that have anything to do with them.  

One day I was browsing through deviantart looking for angels’ illustrations, when I came across with one about a character I have never seen before. It was beautiful. The author was Brillcrist and the character was the angel Castiel from the tv show Supernatural. I knew about the show, it was on its fifth season, but it never truly caught my attention through the ads on the CW, so I never stopped and watched it. Until that illustration. 

I starting watching from season 1, waiting, very impatiently I have to say, for this amazing character to appear. I searched for pictures and a little bit of his story on google, but I didn’t search any videos. I wanted to be spoiler free. I was in love with Cas even before he appeared on my tv. 

When I started season four and the scene in the barn happened I knew I was lost. If I was in love before, when this amazing character appeared I knew I was watching one iconic character in the making. He was perfect. 

Through Cas I also met Misha, and oh boy how blessed I felt the more I get to know about him! My crushes on actors usually are light and pass by really fast, never in my life I could have imagined that I was going to follow an actor the way I do with him. He’s the reason I have twitter, he is the reason I still have FB. He is the reason for this blog. I’m amazed at his portrayal of Cas, but also I love him for what he stands for, for what he does with his platform, for how he is always there for the people that need help the most. Again I was lost. 

Through Cas and Misha, also, I have met amazing people. I know I’m harsh with the fandom sometimes because it drives me crazy, but we also have a great group of fans, that are there to always lend an ear or a hand, to share thoughts, tears and laughs. And I think that a great part of that is because Castiel first, and Misha later brought us together. We are lucky to have them. I am grateful for them, and I am grateful for the awesome people I’ve met. 

It seems almost impossible for me to pick a favourite Cas scene, because I have so many on my mind that it would take days, to make a full on point post. Maybe I can say that I’m partial to the barn scene because it was there where it all began. He is an iconic, game changer, pop culture character that is so layered and so interesting that we are still going to be writing and blogging about him even after spn ends. Misha and his amazing acting gave us this lovable, beautiful (in body and mind), sometimes bamf, sometimes dorky angel that is always going to be in our hearts. 

What a beautiful gift Misha gave us the moment he entered that barn! 

[brittany]

#ᴛᴇɴʏᴇᴀʀsᴏғᴄᴀsᴛɪᴇʟ ✫彡  day one - favorite season ; 𝓼𝓮𝓪𝓼𝓸𝓷 𝓯𝓸𝓾𝓻

I dragged you out of Hell. I can throw you back in.

[kristalbrooks]

I’m an angel of the lord, you ass. — Castiel

I’m not even active on tumblr anymore, and I’m still pissed at Supernatural for everything, but I can’t deny that this show gave me one of the best characters in the history of television and one of my favorites in the whole world: Castiel. 

Today, 18th September, marks 10 years since Misha Collins joined the Supernatural cast and gave life to the dorkiest, most human angel of the garrison. Words cannot explain how much I love Cas, and what his character means to me. 

He’s a soldier, an angel who rebelled against Heaven, choosing his human friends, his human family over it. He defied angels’ very own nature when he started growing feelings for the Winchesters and for humanity. He not only rebelled, but he chose the Winchesters over and over again over anything else. Since Castiel laid a hand on Dean in Hell, he was, indeed, lost. But he found a home on Earth, he found people who loved him and whom he loves with all of his newly grown heart. Castiel’s story is one of free will, self-sacrifice, friendship, and, most of all, love. He’s one of the best characters in the Supernatural universe and, even if he’s not always appreciated in the show or outside of it, he undoubtedly earned his spot besides the Winchesters. 

So I want to thank Misha for playing Castiel on this show; I want to thank him for making him this nerdy dude with wings who gets soft over his two favorites humans - and Jack; and I want to thank him for blowing away every expectations any time he has to play a new character and show us what it actually means ‘acting on camera.’ Without him, Cas wouldn’t be the angel he is today, and without him, there wouldn’t be any anniversary to celebrate. So thank you. Always. 

To these ten years of Castiel. 

And hopefully many more.