Chapter Text
November 2007
“Mr. Cas! Mr. Cas!” The children all chant excitedly as Castiel entered the third-grade class, arms full of nondescript white boxes. Behind him, Sam Winchester pushes a cart full of bags and tiny milk cartons.
“Alright gang, settle down!” Dean called over the excited voices of his eight-year-old charges. “Seats, please!”
As the children hurry to their assigned seats, he began to set up the craft tables as Castiel placed the boxes onto Dean's desk.
Castiel went to help Dean cover the table with a protective cloth and smiled shyly when their hands touch. Once the table is ready, Dean and Cas work together as Sam tells a story to the children, keeping them occupied for the moment.
“Thanks for doing this, Cas,” Dean said softly as they each place a box on the table and begin to empty its contents.
Castiel shrugged. “It's not a problem, Dean. In fact, this is a tradition I rather like.”
“You'd make a great dad someday,” The words left Dean's mouth unexpectedly. He could feel his own face burn up at his lack of mental filter.
Castiel freezes his motion of lifting the lid of the box and looks over at Dean before laughing. “We've had this discussion, Dean. For that to happen I would need to mate with someone and I'm not interested in anyone in that way.” It's a bold face lie, but one he will maintain until the day he dies.
Dean tries to swallow down the disappointment at Castiel's words and begins to unbox the fluffy cupcakes. The smell reminiscent of apple pie, but he knows that's not possible as they're made from a dense cake. Castiel had clearly outdone himself this year as each box could comfortably hold twenty-four of the confectionery treats and Castiel had brought three boxes.
“The third box if for you,” Castiel answers simply when Dean points this out.
Dean moves away from the table, rescuing his brother from the onslaught of questions and allowing the younger man to help Castiel finish setting up.
“Alright gang,” Dean started getting everyone's attention. “Today is our harvest party and with you guys leaving for the Thanksgiving holiday, I wanted to do something special for our art time.”
The kids chatter excitedly about the announcement and dart their attention from Dean to where Castiel and Sam now stand.
“Today for art, with the help of Heavenly Confections, we are going to decorate our own Harvest cupcakes.”
The kids cheer and Dean can't help but laugh at their enthusiasm. He can see the sad face of Hannah Wilson and he knows why. He glanced over at Castiel who nodded in onderstanding and madekes his way to Hannah.
Dean deters the stares of her classmates by having them stand around the table to get their cupcake and choose their frosting, all the while watching Castiel.
Little Hannah sits frowning at her desk as her big blue eyes fill with tears. Dean had warned Castiel that there was a child in his class this year who had a gluten allergy and her parents, Anna and Michael Wilson, had offered to keep her out today so that she wouldn't feel left out.
“Hi, Hannah,” Castiel said gently, squatting down to her level.
“Hi, Mister Cas,” she responded sullenly, not looking at him.
“So Mister Dean told me that you need to have a special cupcake or you'll get sick. Is that right?”
Dean could hear Castiel and tried not to snort at Castiel's blunt nature with the child.
Hannah nodded in response to Castiel's question. “But no one ever remembers, so I can never have one,” she explained.
Castiel reached over and gently wipes away the tear that falls from her eye. “What if I let you in on a secret?”
Hannah looked at him expectantly, her eyes wider and still wet.
“Mister Dean has a food allergy too. One that many people wouldn't even think he had.”
“He does?” she tried to whisper back to Castiel who nodded.
“You know how when you eat gluten you get sick?” She nodded in response. “Mister Dean gets sick when he drinks milk.”
Hannah scrunched up her nose. “But I've seen him drink coffee. Momma always puts milk in Daddy's coffee.”
Castiel nodded in agreement. “That's very possible but when you are lactose intolerant, meaning you get sick from dairy like Mister Dean, you use nondairy creamer."
Hannah looked over at Dean, watching him as he laughs with his brother and helps a student get their desired frosting on their own cupcake. “Oh,” she breathes out as if she just realized something. “That's why he never drinks milk with us!”
Castiel smiled. “Exactly. And those apple spice cupcakes,” he points to the table and waits for the expected reaction from the little girl who looked at him in wonder. “They are all gluten free which means you can have more than one.”
Dean looked over to see the wide smile on little Hannah's face before she launched herself onto Castiel. His heart swells when the man holds her to him and stands up, carrying the child to the table that her classmates are standing at.
Hannah gave Castiel a kiss on the cheek as he sets her down and let's go. “Thank you, Mister Cas.”
Castiel smiled warmly at her and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “My pleasure.”
Dean toke that moment to take a peek into the box that Castiel said was for him to find two pies and note. He smiles fondly at the pies, knowing that Castiel made those with him in mind if the Chevy cross cutout was any indication. He takes the note and reads the words written in Castiel elegant script.
His eyes dart over to Cas whose laughing as a student gets frosting on Castiel's beautiful face. Dean looked back at the note. Simple words, thanking him in the spirit of Thanksgiving for being his friend, the best friend he has and asking him if he'd be willing to see if there was more to them.
November 2017
“Mister Cas!” the students greet, all excited to see him, knowing that in the box holds the long anticipated annual decorate your own cupcakes. Dean was so happy that he let Castiel and his cousin Gabe talk him into doing this every year. This year would be the first year that they not only did it for Autumn, but they would do it for Winter (Christmas), Spring (Easter) and Summer.
Castiel and Dean start the routine of setting up the tables while Sam reads to the kids to keep them busy. Now when they smooth out the protective cover and their hands brush, Dean's hand lingers over that of his husband's. Shy smiles are still given to each other, even after nine years of marriage.
Castiel goes to step away but stops when skinny little arms wrap around his waist. He looks down to see golden blonde curls. He smooths a hand over them, making the owner looks up at him with blue eyes like his own.
“Hey sweetheart,” he greeted softly.
“Hi, Daddy,” she said in a voice just as quiet as his.
“Did Mr. Kevin let you come visit?” Castiel asked, looking over at Dean who nodded.
“Yeah. I have to bring him a cupcake though,” she confirmed.
Castiel laughed and picked her up, placing the seven-year-old on his hip. “I think we can manage that.”
Dean came close, waving the others over to grab their own cupcake to start decorating and Castiel can feel the warmth of Dean's hand on his lower back. He watches as Dean placed a kiss on their daughter's head before returning his attention to his class.
Castiel placed a kiss onto his daughter's forehead and smiles. They went through hell to have Claire. Many times Dean thought he had failed his Alpha because of the miscarriages. And when Claire came early, it took every ounce of strength Castiel didn't know he had to take care of his Omega and his pup. But here they were, seven years later, laughing and decorating cupcakes as per their tradition.
And all because the elementary teacher walked into the bakery complaining that he needed a new way to engage his kids...