Chapter Text
Castiel grinned as he packed everything into the basket. It was his and Dean’s third wedding anniversary, and Cas had decided it would be nice to go on a picnic together. They had both been working a lot recently. They were trying to save up to buy a house, and their schedules often conflicted so that they would see each other only in the short gaps between their jobs.
It would all be worth it one day, Cas knew that, but he still missed his husband like you miss the sun in winter.
He made sure to pack multiple blankets, knowing that they wouldn’t be heading home before dark and planning ahead to avoid either of them getting cold in the cool Autumn evening. He double checked the food, making sure they had pie, as well as the cakes that had been made in Gabe’s bakery kitchen that morning. He also made sure they had some savoury stuff, but forgetting that would be forgivable so was a slightly lower priority.
Once he was certain he had everything he walked out to pack the Impala, checking the time to figure out how long it would be before Dean got home. Cas wasn’t working today, so he’d had all the time to plan, but unfortunately Dean hadn’t been able to get the same luxury and had to work his full work day. Cas knew that Dean was just as frustrated about their lack of time together, and he’d felt awful that they weren’t able to spend the full day together.
Hopefully this would make all of that better.
As though summoned by Cas’ thoughts, Dean appeared at the end of the street, walking home from walk while he whistled a cheery tune. Cas could see that he was tired, and for a moment he wondered if it would be a better idea to just scrap his plans and stay in for a dinner at home, but then he saw how Dean’s eyes lit up the moment he saw Cas, and he knew that an evening away was all either of them needed. For now at least.
“Happy anniversary Angel,” Dean grinned, leaning in to give Cas a quick kiss, aware of how exposed they were at the top of their drive. Cas felt the shit in the air as Dean used some of his magic, and couldn’t have held back his smile if he had tried when Dean held out a bouquet of roses that he had just magicked up.
“Happy anniversary Honey,” Cas replied. He knew that his face was probably doing what his brother called the 'melty-lovey' look, but he couldn't help it. He had fought hard to get to where he was in life, and even if it wasn't exactly the white picket fence with two and half kids and a dog, he loved it.
And he loved Dean.
"What's all this anyway?" Dean asked, gesturing to the unlocked Impala and everything Cas had put in the backseat.
"It's for our anniversary. You go and get cleaned up, put on something comfortable, and then we'll go."
Dean looked suspicious for a moment, but evidently decided that Cas was to be trusted because he didn't ask any questions, just nodded and turned around to go and get ready, sending a soft smile over his shoulder as he went.
Castiel knew his own smile was echoing Dean’s as he walked around their house, shutting all the windows and making sure the back door was locked. He had no plans of them coming back here this evening, and it would be stupid to get robbed just because he was too impatient to make sure everything was shut. He quickly cast a protective spell over their entire house, and then they were good to go as soon as Dean was ready.
He settled down in his favourite armchair, pulling down a book to read. He wasn’t really focused on the words though, his thoughts drifting instead to the past. Their lives had been shockingly normal after Cas had been saved. Well, normal compared to the rest of it. His parents had moved house so that he could stay with them, while still staying near Dean and all his other friends. He had finished school, gone to university, grown up, and throughout everything, Dean had stayed his boyfriend.
Well, up until he became his husband that was.
Cas had learnt to control his magic and by now it was as easy as breathing. Sometimes he even managed to forget the mess of his youth. He could forget that he hadn’t used magic for the first sixteen years of his life.
He could forget he had ever been anything but this.
Castiel Winchester.
“Ready to go Angel?” Dean asked, walking over to Cas wearing a well worn-in pair of jeans and his softest flannel. He looked comfortable which was exactly what Cas had asked him to do, and he happily leaned in to kiss his husband.
"Yeah," Cas grinned, "but I'm driving." Dean opened his mouth to argue, but clearly thought better of it because no words came out before he snapped his mouth shut again. Cas was probably the only person who could say 'I'm driving the Impala' and not get yelled at. But then again, it would be unfair if he wasn't able to seeing as he was married to Dean, and the Impala was the only car they had.
"Where are we going anyway?" Dean asked, climbing into the passenger seat and reaching out to change the cassette tape.
"You'll find out soon enough." He just hoped that Dean would enjoy it.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The sun was on its way down by the time Cas pulled the car to a stop. It wasn't sunset yet, they probably still had another hour or so of daylight left, but the sun was starting to get low enough to shine in everyone's eyes and it was already starting to lose its warmth.
They walked about five minutes away from the car, finding an empty clearing at the top of the hill and picking their spot. Dean used his magic to move the brambles and thistles which covered the ground.
Castiel lay the blanket out on the ground, placed the basket on one corner of it, then pulled Dean down with him. The view was beautiful, but all of Cas' attention was focused on Dean, easily the most breath-taking thing Cas had ever seen.
They ate, and talked, and cuddled, and traded lazy kisses, and by the time the sun was fully set and the stars were clear in the sky they were wrapped in multiple blankets and each other, as they relaxed back and stared into the never-ending abyss of space.
Castiel cast a spell to keep the bugs out of their little bubble, and Dean absentmindedly healed some of the trees, not even paying attention to his magic as he watched the stars.
"The stars are beautiful tonight," Cas whispered, his head tipped to the side as he watched Dean's shadowy profile, enjoying how his words made the laugh lines on Dean's face deepen.
Dean turned his head so that he was staring right back at Cas, his green eyes bright in the low light of the moon. "You're not even looking at any stars." His laugh was melodic, the quiet sound mixing with the trees swaying in the breeze and the distant call of an owl.
"I disagree. I'm looking at you after all, and you are a star," Cas said, watching as Dean's skin darkened with a blush. "You are all my stars."
With the moon shining down on them, and the brightness of the universe above them, the soft grass underneath the blanket below them, and love flowing through the air in a way that Cas never imagined could be real, they were home.
"I love you Dean."
"I love you too Angel."