Work Text:
Dean sat behind the wheel of his baby and swallowed thickly. He tried to his best to calm his nerves. He counted to twenty forwards and backwards, even in Latin and Spanish. He tried those deep breathing exercises that Sam claimed were the best way to de-stress but it just didn’t seem to help him. He was walking into the lion’s den and about to drop the biggest bomb of his life.
A warm soft hand slid against his own. Long fingers twisting with Dean’s giving him a gentle squeeze. The touch was enough to ebb away the panic rising within his chest. The touch, so familiar, comforting. His own thumb moves a muscle memory alone as it rubs at against the knuckles of his best friend.
He looks down at the hand holding his. Perfectly trimmed nails against golden skin. Hands that have never felt the burn of an overheated engine. The cut of jagged metal from a cracked head gasket. But just as important as they have touched things Dean could never dream of. In these hands, they’ve held the heart of a dying man. They held tiny body of an innocent baby, struggling for life. They fixed countless bones and saved many lives. But most importantly, they sooth Dean when he’s stressed or worried. They know when to touch him as if he’s about to break, so gentle yet so full of love. They know when to be rough, manhandling him, demanding him. And, as Dean looks down at the silver band with the tiny diamond encrusted within, they hold a lifetime of promises.
“We don’t have to do this tonight, Dean. I can put the ring in the glove box and we can go in as friends.” Dean looks up to see the concerned glaze of blue eyes. His best friend of nearly ten years, his lover for the last two. Always so accepting of Dean. Letting him take the lead and never rushing him.
Dean shakes his head. “No, Cas. I’m ready to tell them,” his voice is stronger than even he thought he could manage. But it was worth it to see the smile on Castiel’s face
Castiel reaches with his free hand, his fingers lightly brushing through Dean’s hair, as if to help adjust it in place. “Besides, Sam knows and he supports us.”
Dean gives Castiel a crooked smile. “That’s cause Sammy learned from his awesome big brother.”
Castiel chuckles and rolls his eyes. “My ever so humble fiance, what would I do without you,” he teased before placing a soft and chaste kiss to Dean’s lips.
“Let’s do this.”
Bonus:
Everyone that was considered a Winchester was at the table. Laughter and talking could be heard as blood and extended family enjoyed their holiday meal. Castiel felt Dean squeeze his knee before pushing his chair back to stand. Castiel watched as Dean got the attention of his mother first, who had reached out her hand to silence her husband’s conversation with his best friend Bobby. John looked at his wife, wondering what was wrong and followed her line of sight where Dean now stood.
Dean cleared his throat, grabbing the attention of the table. From across the table, Sam’s eyes met Castiel’s where he nodded his head in silent understanding, before pressing a kiss to his own wife’s forehead. Eileen smiled wide at the gesture, or perhaps at this situation as she knew their secret as well.
“So I know that I missed Thanksgiving and I’m sorry for that. I promised Cas we’d see his folks for once, since we always steal him every year.”
“Of course we do!” Jo Harvelle shouted from the other end of the table making a few members laugh.
“He’s a Winchester!” Ash added, making the men exclaim in agreement. Castiel laughed and shook his head at their antics.
Dean nodded. “You’re right. He is. And I wanted to say that I’m thankful that he has been my friend all these years. That’s he’s been there when I freaked out about Sammy leaving for college,” Dean glanced at his brother who rolled his eyes but the smile never leaving his face. “Cas was with me when we found out about mom’s cancer.”
On instinct, Castiel reached up and squeezed Dean’s hand, knowing how rough those three years were for Dean. Have to watch his dad come apart at the scenes and try to be the strong one. Dean squeezed his hand back.
“Generally,” Dean started again. “He’s helped me get my head out of my ass more times that I care to admit.” This earned more laughs. “And I’m really thankful you guys consider him a Winchester cause I plan on making him one.”
There were a few gasps from the women. Charlie and Jo both had shit eating grins as Kevin and Ash reached for their wallets. Ellen beamed wide as Bobby had a baffled look on his face. But the reaction Castiel was most concerned with was that of Mary and John Winchester. Because not only had Dean just told them that he was planning on marrying Castiel. But that he was in a relationship with a man.
Castiel waited with baited breath as Dean said the next statement.
“I’m not gay. But I’m not totally straight either.” He glanced as his parents before looking down to Castiel and gave him a shy smile. Castiel couldn’t help returning the smile, that was just something he did when Dean was involved. “I’ve been in love with Castiel for nearly our whole friendship and I can’t imagine my life without him in it and I don’t want to.”
The sound of a chair scraping back made Castiel start as he looked over to see John walking towards his son. Castiel thought of letting go of Dean’s hand, but Dean held tighter.
Before Castiel could register what was going on, John Winchester - former Marine and poster child for America’s most macho man - enveloped his oldest son into a hug. Castiel didn’t hear what was said between father and son but was relieved when he heard them both laugh and Dean let go to return the embrace.
Dean was afraid that his family wouldn’t accept his bisexuality. That they wouldn’t accept his relationship with Castiel. But Castiel knew better. After all, they were the ones that taught him that family doesn’t end with blood.