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Uncommon: that's one word to describe the relationship that Dean Winchester and Castiel Novak had. They’d met on a case. Dean was a hunter that had been called in for a ghost haunting a home next door to Castiel's, and Castiel had been the nosy neighbor that wanted to figure out what two hot guys—one an alpha and the other an omega—were doing around Mrs. Hutchinson's home.
Dean quickly fell—a connection Dean had realized was a true mates type thing, that he had heard about from stories that his mother told—and well, Castiel had fallen as well, and once the case was over, Dean stuck around in town a little bit longer (convincing his brother to go on ahead and that he would meet up with him in a few weeks) and things kind of went from there.
No one expected two omegas to be married, and especially not mated. Marriage between the two wasn't unheard of, but it wasn't common either. A mating was thought of as an unnatural, repulsive, thing that sent half the town into a frenzy.
But they were. And those not happy with two omegas being a couple definitely made it known.
One of those people was Lillian Novak.
Castiel's mother.
Since the day that Dean had shown up on her doorstep with a wide grin and a bouquet of flowers that he had swiped from a neighbor's yard she didn't trust him, didn't even like him.
What kind of omega falls in love with another omega?
He only wants sex . He must not be able to satisfy alphas. What's the reason that he would want to be with you?
He has a no good job, he can't provide for you and Mary. I know a good man that can.
Castiel had heard it all when it came to Dean from his mother and he usually stayed silent about it. It was own his mother. What was he supposed to do?
“I'm thinking about moving back to Lawrence.” Dean says one day. He’s in the kitchen, cooking something that he was given the recipe for. It’s been almost a year since they got together and six months since they moved in together, and although Dean still hunted, he always came back to Castiel.
Castiel is holding their daughter, a little girl of five months that had come into the world and changed their lives forever. Their “little miracle” Dean started calling her the moment he found out Castiel was carrying.
She’s watching her father with wide eyes, and smiles whenever he looked down at her.
“You sure about that?” Castiel stops pacing around the living room and walks halfway towards the kitchen. Mary begins to gurgle and make loud noises, but falls quiet when Dean drops the ladle and picks her up.
“Yeah. I mean, it's my home. Sam's there and it might be better for us to go there.”
Castiel leans against the counter, folding his arms, mouth twisted in a pout that Dean would think was cute if they were having any other conversation. “It's been a year, Dean.”
“Yeah a whole fucking year and people are still talking, still saying how wrong it is for two omegas to be together and they’ve gotten even worse since we had Mary. God, what will they think when she begins to show? What if she's an omega as well? Will they start treating her badly, call her names and spit at her when she’s walking in town? I don't want to have to kick people's asses over this.”
“And Lawrence is better for us? Dean, everyone will think what the people here think.”
“Not necessarily. I mean, they're a bit more open minded over there and I think it would be a good place to raise Mary. Around her family, people that love her.”
“My family is here, too. And… they love her.”
“They love her but they hate me. They want you with an alpha. Can't you see that?”
Castiel shrugs. He had noticed, it's obvious with the way that his mother stares blankly at Dean or her snide comments about the way Dean does anything. His mother always wanted the best for her children and the fact that Castiel settled down with an other omega didn't help matters.
“My mom just doesn't understand that what we have is special.”
“Right. But she doesn’t even try to understand. She just prattles on about how much I ruined your life. That you can still be with an alpha. I don't want my child–"
“ Our child.” Castiel corrects.
“Our child. Raised around that hate.”
“It's not hate, Dean, my mother is simply conventional. She believes that it’s natural for an omega and alpha to be together. Not two omegas.”
“And you agree with her, don't you? That’s why you haven’t fought her on this.”
The silence that Castiel gives is enough for Dean. He can’t bear to look at his mate right now, after his betrayal. His eyes fall to his daughter, who’s staring at where the sauce on the pan is boiling. She doesn't know what's going on right now, and probably doesn't even care.
Castiel reaches out for his daughter and Dean hands her over. “I'm going for a beer. Don't wait up.”
Castiel lets him go. Dean will come back. They don't go to bed angry. That had been a promise between the two of them.
_
Dean stumbles back into the home at three in the morning. Castiel hadn’t been able to sleep, and so he’s in the living room, Mary asleep on his lap and the television on low.
“You didn't, did you?” There's the distinct smell of an alpha on Dean. It sends a surge of anger and jealousy through Castiel, and he wants nothing more than to hop up and rub his nose against Dean's neck and mark him as his.
“Never. Got into a fight with some alpha. She didn't like the fact that an omega could handle themselves. It's alright. You know I would never cheat on you.”
Castiel nods, swallowing hard before answering, “Look, I've been thinking and maybe you're right. The way that my mother acts isn't right. And the way that the people talk about us here isn't right either and I don't want my child raised around all of that. If moving to Kansas is what's right for us, then we should do it.”
“Are you sure about that? I mean I've been thinking too and that is your mother. I don't want to take you away from her.”
“I know her views and for years I ignored them, but Dean, you're my mate. And even if I wanted to stay, would you really allow me to? You have my child, you can easily take her away and—"
“I would never do that to you and you know it.” Anger flashes through Dean's eyes, and Castiel can smell the tangy odor of indignation pouring off of him in waves. Castiel immediately feels bad for having even thought of that.
“I know.” Castiel sighs deeply as Dean takes a seat next to him. Dean places a hand over Mary's back as she stirs a little in her sleep. “And I know that you love me and just want what's best for me. I want the same thing, Dean. I want what's best for our family. And that means doing whatever is right. Even if that means moving halfway across the state.”
Dean places his head on Castiel's shoulder.
“Thank you. Thank you so much.”
::
The move to Kansas had been a rough one. Lillian Novak was not a happy woman when she found out that her only child was moving and taking her granddaughter with her.
“You can't be serious.” Lillian's hands are placed tightly on the door handle of Dean's Impala. Dean is loading up what he could fit into the car, while the movers are moving the other stuff. Castiel sits in the car, turned around to face his daughter in the backseat, giving her a comforting smile as she watches what’s going on around her with wide eyes. “You can't take her away from me. I'm her grandmother.”
“A grandmother who has done nothing but spew negativity about us. About her fathers. And I don't want her raised around that.”
Lillian steps back, her anger scent spreading and Dean sees Castiel’s nostrils flare. He sits flat against the seat, and Dean stops and slips into the seat next to husband.
“Lillian, I think it's time that you leave. We have a few more things to pack and I don't think it would be becoming of an alpha to stand in the deserted driveway of her son.,” Dean says.
“You...” She splutters, mouth half-open like a fish.
Dean's eyes twinkle, and he fights off a satisfied smile. It's the first time he’s managed to render Lillian speechless. Castiel reaches a hand out for Dean to grasp, and Dean takes it, his fingers brushing over Castiel’s knuckles..
“Goodbye mother.” Castiel says. There’s a little sadness in his voice but not enough to make it seem like he feels all that horrible about leaving his mother.
After all, this is what’s best for his family.