Archive of Our Own

   The Novak household was full of life and family and Castiel couldn’t be happier. It was one of the few times a year that everyone would show up all at once. Taking his prerequisites at the community college meant he got to stay at home while he figured out what he wanted to do in life, but his older brothers had both spread their metaphorical wings and left the nest as soon as they were out of high school. While Gabriel had stayed in town, his bakery often kept him quite busy and Michael was working at a law firm in Chicago. Thanksgiving meant he was able to see them again and actually spend time as a family. Home felt more like home when his siblings were there. 

   Michael was the oldest and he, of course, brought his wife, Tessa. They had two kids: three-year-old Emma and newborn baby Laina. After Michael, Chuck and Becky had decided to have one more child and that’s how they got Gabriel. The free-spirited man was currently between relationships, so he had busied himself with becoming the “favorite uncle.” 

   That left Castiel, the child who wasn’t supposed to have happened, who came three years after Gabriel. One thing he would always be grateful for was never being treated like a mistake or an outcast. He was just as loved as his brothers and they tended to look out for him due to him being the baby. 

   Sometimes that was nice, like when he was eight and some bullies had put his bike in a tree and were about to beat him up. Michael and Gabriel had come running out of the house and gave the bullies a taste of their own medicine. They’d never messed with Castiel again. However, there were other times that he could have done without their watchful eyes, such as the first time he kissed a boy who had walked him home from school. They had made such a fuss, whooping and hollering through the window that the mortified boy had turned beet red and never even spoke to him again. Castiel had learned to take the good with the bad though. 

   He wished he could say the bad times were long forgotten, but it seems like someone always brought up that kiss during their big family meals. They just enjoyed teasing Castiel too much to ever let it slide. Getting to feel like a family all together always made it worth it though.

   While Becky and Michael worked in the kitchen, the rest of the family were piled in the living room to watch the parade. Gabriel was off to the side of the TV, playing with Emma while Tessa fed Laina. Chuck was trying to stay awake in his recliner and Castiel was laid out on the floor, watching the colorful floats. That’s when the doorbell rang. 

   Since he was the only one not really doing anything, Castiel hopped up to answer it. He opened the door to see what had to be the most attractive man in the world holding a bottle of wine and smiling with more charm than any one man should have. Castiel felt struck dumb and instead of saying hello, he proceeded to just stare at the guy. 

   Realizing he wasn’t getting a greeting, the man decided to go for it himself. “Hi! I’m Dean, Dean Winchester, Lisa’s boyfriend. She invited me.” When Castiel continued to stare, the man’s smile faltered and he shifted nervously. “I mean, if that’s okay. I understand if there’s not room or whatever.”

   Seeing the guy start to step back, Castiel finally found his tongue. He stepped out onto the porch with the man. “We have plenty of room, but who did you say invited you?”

   The man, Dean, was starting to look quite unsure and a bit confused. He rubbed his empty hand against the leg of his jeans to clear it of the sweat. “Um, Lisa...Braeden. I think this is the address she gave.” He fished in his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper and read what it said. “113 South Street, Gre… Shit. This is Glenville, isn’t it?”

   Realizing the mistake, Castiel nodded. “Yeah. Were you supposed to be in Greenville? That’s like a four-hour drive from here.”

   “Yep. I feel like an idiot. Guess I’ll be heading back home. Sorry for interrupting.” He turned and started walking towards a large black car parked along the side of the road. 

   If anyone asked, Castiel would swear he was just trying to be a good person, but the fact was, he didn’t want Dean to leave. He was so handsome that all he really wanted was the chance to stare at him a little longer. He quickly went running after him. “Dean!” He caught up to him at the car. “Look. We’re going to have a ton of food and we have lots of room. You came all this way. Might as well have a good Thanksgiving meal.”

   Dean began to shake his head. “No, thank you. I can’t impose.”

   “It’s no imposition. You have to be getting hungry. Everyone is hungry on Thanksgiving. We have turkey, stuffing, yams, dumplings, green beans, rolls, and more that I can’t even think of. There’s like a half dozen pies and...”

   “Pies?” That seemed to grab the man’s interest.

   Castiel smiled. “Yes, pies. We’re not going to be able to eat it all. Please join us?”

   After a very short moment of consideration, Dean nodded. “Yeah, that’d be awesome. Thanks, man.” 

   Trying to act like he wasn’t bursting with excitement, he held out his hand. “I’m Castiel Novak. You can call me Cas.” After a firm handshake from Dean, he waved him towards the house. “Come on. I’ll introduce you to everyone.”

   On the porch, Dean stopped. “Actually, can I have just a moment to call my girlfriend? I had told her I was close. She’s gonna wonder where I am.”

    Oh. Right. Girlfriend. “Sure. I’ll just step in and let everyone know what’s up.” He left Dean to make the call and quickly went through the house, telling everyone about the new addition to their group. 

   Naturally, Gabriel was the first one to catch on. “Wow! Haven’t seen you this flustered since you saw the Queer Eye guys when we were in Atlanta. He must be hot!”

   “Shut up, Gabe!” Castiel snapped. “I just said he has a girlfriend. We’re just doing something nice so he doesn’t have to be alone for Thanksgiving.”

   “Doesn’t mean he’s not hot,” Gabriel muttered.

   Dean had been a little intimidated when he pulled up in front of the beautiful, two-story brick house. It looked just like all the houses you see in holiday movies where big families gather around a piano to sing. He hoped there wouldn’t be any singing.

   Realizing he was at the wrong address, off by about four hours, he felt like a complete screw-up. He’d brought the wine, wore the black button-up that Lisa had bought him, and been ready to charm. He had oddly enough been looking forward to seeing how real families celebrated Thanksgiving. He had the vaguest memory of the last Thanksgiving his family had with their mother. After she passed away and their dad went off the deep end, most holidays were ignored. When their father died, neither he nor his brother really felt a need to change things.

   It did seem like he might still get the chance to see what all the fuss was about though. It felt weird to join a strange family for Thanksgiving, but the kid was right. Dean had definitely brought an appetite. Also, he was never one to pass up pie. It didn’t hurt that the guy asking was adorable as fuck. Yes, he was going with adorable. He had a girlfriend, so he tried not to think about the guy as sexy despite the just rolled out of bed hair and sapphire blue eyes. 

   He pulled out his phone and pressed to call Lisa’s number. She picked up quickly. “Hey, babe! Thought you would be here by now. Where are you?”

   “Well, it’s kind of a funny story.” He hoped she would find it funny. “I accidentally put the wrong town in my GPS. I’m in Glenville.”

   “What? Dean, that’s completely the opposite direction. How did you even manage that? What time do you think you’ll get here?”

   He huffed a dry laugh. “Lisa, I’ve been on the road for a couple hours and I skipped breakfast. I’m starving. I don’t think I’m gonna make it. The people at the wrong house I stopped at were really understanding and have invited me to eat with them. So, that’s what I’m going to do.” The silence stretched to the point that he was afraid she’d hung up or they’d been disconnected. “Hello?”

   “Let me get this straight. Instead of having Thanksgiving with your girlfriend, you’re going to eat with a bunch of strangers? That’s bullshit, Dean.”

   “It’s not like I chose this! It was an accident! I’m really sorry and I will make it up to you when I see you back at school.”

   “No. No, you won’t. If you actually cared about me, you wouldn’t have ended up running in the opposite direction. Forget it. We’re done.” This time there was no mistaking that she had indeed hung up on him. 

   Dean stared blankly at his phone as the front door of the house opened again. 

   “Everything okay?” the cute guy, Cas, asked with concern. 

   Without even looking up, Dean said, “I, uh, I think my girlfriend just broke up with me.”

   “What? Why? It was an honest mistake.”

   Shrugging, he slid the phone into his back pocket. “It was still a mistake and she said if I really cared, I wouldn’t have messed up the address. I guess she’s right. I didn’t double-check the address when I put it in.” If he was honest, there had been other issues, but he was hoping being together during the holidays would cause them to get closer. He hadn’t realized he was one fuck-up away from being single, but here he was.

   “She’s not right. People are allowed to make mistakes. Humans are not infallible.” Cas shook his head. “I’m sorry that happened, but she must not be a very nice person. Come on in and meet my people. I promise that none of them will judge you for something so trivial.”

   Dean was led into the house and immediately the aromas wafting from the kitchen had his mouth watering. “Oh my god! It smells amazing in here.” After allowing Castiel to take his jacket and hang it up on the coat rack, he took a look around. To the left was a nicely set dining table, all decked out in festive holiday colors. Straight ahead was a staircase and to the right was what looked to be the living room. The parade was playing on a large screen TV being watched by a couple men, one playing with a kid, and a brown-haired woman who he assumed was breastfeeding considering how she was covered up. 

   The man in the recliner stood, coming over and extending his hand. “Hi there! Dean was it?”

   “Yes, sir,” he responded politely, shaking hands with the guy. “I, um, I don’t know if you like wine, but I have a bottle.” He held the bottle out. 

   “That’s so kind. We can definitely enjoy a bottle today.” Chuck accepted the bottle and then handed it to Cas. “Can you put this in the kitchen?” After the dark-haired guy walked off, Chuck returned his attention to Dean. “Well, Dean, we’re sorry about you missing out on your plans, but we’re happy to have you join us. I’m Chuck. You met Castiel already.” Pointing to the man with the kid, he said “The giant child is my son, Gabriel, and the little one is Emma. Emma belongs to Tessa,” he pointed to the woman in another recliner nearest the entrance of the living area, “and my other son, Michael. She has their newborn Laina with her.”

   Tessa wiggled her fingers as best she could as a wave and Dean nodded back. It was easy to see that she and the little girl with Gabriel were related. Her daughter was like a mini-version of her. When Chuck turned towards the dining room, Dean followed. They headed through it to the kitchen. There he was introduced to Chuck’s wife, Becky, and their other son, Michael. 

   “Quite a big family you got here,” he said, a little overwhelmed. He hoped he could remember everyone’s names. “Are you sure it’s okay for me to join?” he asked Becky. “It’s really okay if not.”

   Becky gave a dismissive wave. “Please. We make enough to feed a small army. You are absolutely welcome here.”

   Dean gestured vaguely around at the many dishes lining the kitchen counters. “Is there anything I can help with? I’m pretty good in the kitchen if you need an extra pair of hands.” He knew it was unlikely they would say yes, but he felt obligated to offer since they were being so kind to him. Cooking was also one of the few things in life he felt he did well.

   “Not at all. We have it under control, but you are so sweet to offer. Castiel said you’ve had a long drive. You just go sit down in the living room and enjoy the parade. As soon as it’s over, everything will be ready.” Becky patted him on the shoulder.

   Nodding in thanks, Dean followed Castiel back to the living room and each took an opposite end of a long, dark blue couch. He was feeling a little out of place, but not for long. The little girl left her uncle to walk up to him with a book in one hand and a small blanket in the other. “Is this for me?” he asked with a smile as she held the book out.

   “Emma has never met a stranger, only new servants,” Cas joked. “She wants you to read it to her. You don’t have to though.”

   The little girl was already climbing into his lap, so he figured he might as well. It would be something to do. “It’s alright. I happen to like ‘The Pokey Puppy.’”

   Even with celebrities singing atop fancy floats on the television, Castiel found it hard to look away from Dean reading to Emma. He looked perfectly at home with the little brown-haired girl in his lap as they followed the adventures of the pokey puppy. 

   Once the book was finished, Emma seemed content to stay where she was and watch the singing Christmas tree that had come up in the parade. 

   When Dean turned and locked eyes with Castiel, Cas felt his cheeks redden at being caught staring, but he couldn’t look away. He was glad he didn’t because Dean simply smiled and gave him a little wink before looking back to the television. 

    Wait. Was it a wink? Maybe he was just blinking and I just imagined a wink because that’s what I wanted to see. He tried replaying it in his mind. No matter how he looked at it, it seemed like Dean had indeed winked at him. He couldn’t recall ever being winked at before and didn’t know if that was just a friendly gesture or something more. Would someone really be flirtatious right after being broken up with? He’d known people who cheated, so he supposed that it shouldn’t be surprising.

   It wasn’t that much longer before it was time to eat. Michael came in and took Emma to bring her to the table. Castiel was quick to make sure that Dean was able to take a seat next to him and received a thankful smile for his efforts. 

   After a quick prayer by Chuck, food started making the rounds. Talk mainly focused on how good everything smelled, what were the must-have-foods on the table, and people asking for various dishes to be passed their way. After that, things settled down into normal holiday chit-chat.

   Considering most of the family probably kept in touch, Dean wasn’t surprised when questions were turned to him. “So, Dean, does your family usually get together for Thanksgiving?” Becky asked politely. 

   Dean considered lying. It’s not like anyone would know. I’ll probably never see these people again anyway. For some reason, it just felt wrong to be less than honest with people who were showing him such kindness. “No. I mean, my little brother and I hang out, but it’s just us. Our folks passed away when we were younger.” It was at least easier to say that than to admit that their dad had basically checked out as a father until his death a couple years ago. 

   “Oh, I’m so sorry,” Becky cooed. 

   Not wanting to bring the holiday cheer down, Dean quickly waved it off. “It’s okay. Sam, that’s my brother, and I still always had fun over the Thanksgiving break. As kids, it was the best. Nowadays, we’re both pretty busy with classes at the state university, so we cherish the time off. This year he went to his girlfriend’s folks’ place, like I was supposed to do.”

   “Oh? And where did he end up instead?” Gabriel quipped. 

   “Gabriel!” Becky snapped. 

   Dean just laughed. “Nah. It’s okay. Sam’s a lot better with addresses and directions than I am, but he also had the added bonus of having his girlfriend with him. They made it in last night.”

   “Why didn’t your girlfriend go with you?” Castiel asked curiously. It seemed like he could have avoided ending up at the wrong house that way. 

   “Her last class was on Tuesday, but I still had one to attend on Wednesday. She was eager to get home and I really didn’t think I could screw up a two-hour trip quite this badly. I can’t complain though. The food here is amazing. You guys did great.” He scooped another spoonful of mashed potatoes.

   “Thank you! I’m glad you like it.” Becky was preening under the compliment. “I’m sure your girlfriend will understand. Accidents happen.”

   Dean shook his head. “I called her. She wasn’t happy with me. We’re not together anymore.”

   “What?” The people at the table all expressed their shock, aside from Castiel who already knew. 

   “It’s fine. We didn’t really have a lot in common anyway, so it probably would have happened eventually. One more thing to be thankful for though I guess,” he said with a smile. 

   “Absolutely!” Chuck used his napkin to dab the turkey grease from his mouth. “Ya know, I’m sorry that things happened that way, but sometimes things have a way of working out for the best. I know you said it’s just you and your brother, so if you ever need a place to come home to, you’re always welcome here.”

   “Yes. We have plenty of room.” Becky assured.

   Gabriel was next to speak up. “I live just uptown. I’ve got room at my place, too.” 

   Dean was trying his best not to be overwhelmed by the kindness and trusting nature of this family. He knew he should be saying how grateful he was, but all that came out was, “You don’t even know us.”

   “You don’t have to know someone to be kind to them,” Tessa said. 

   Chuck set his fork down and steepled his fingers. “Exactly! We may not know you well, but I’m a pretty good judge of character. You brought wine which means you’re well-mannered. You called me ‘sir’ which means you’re respectful. It sounds like you and your brother are close which means that family is important to you. These are all good qualities, Dean, and it’s okay to let nice things happen to you. We like helping out and would be happy to get to know, and your brother, better, if that’s what you would like, too.”

   The rest of the family murmured in agreement.

   Not used to being overcome with emotion, Dean fought back the feelings to keep himself from crying. He nodded seriously. “Yeah. I don’t even know what to say. Thank you. I would love it and I would love to bring Sam up here.” He looked back down to his plate and once again searched for a way to bring things back from the serious turn they’d taken. “Sam’s a freaking moose though, so you may need to make some more yams.”

   They all chuckled and Becky said, “I don’t think that will be a problem.”

   Conversation continued freely for a while and then Michael asked, “Hey, Mom, is the lighting still at eight?”

   Becky nodded. “Of course. Do you think Emma will stay awake this year to watch it?”

   “I think so,” he said. “I’m excited to see how big her eyes get when that giant tree lights up.”

   “They have a tree lighting ceremony in town?” Dean asked.

   Castiel jumped at the opportunity. “Yes, it’s huge. It’s set up in the park and there are all kinds of shops and lights. You should come with us.” He ignored the ill-hidden snort from Gabriel.

   It seemed like it could be fun, but he was a few hours from the college. He didn’t want to be driving through the early Black Friday traffic on the way back. “I would, but that would have me getting home awfully late. I don’t really want to be on the road with all the turkey-stuffed people trying to get to Walmart first,” he laughed. 

   “You could spend the night. Gabriel’s old room is going to be empty, so we have a spare bed.” Castiel was going to be as helpful as possible. He also purposely did not look at Gabriel, not needing to see to be aware of his brother’s knowing smirk. 

   Looking at the hopeful face next to him, Dean knew he wasn’t going to be able to say no. To be honest, he wouldn’t mind getting to know Castiel a bit better. Not having a girlfriend anymore, he was more than willing to admit that the guy was sexy as hell. It seemed like Cas may have an interest in him, too, but it was hard to know if he was into guys. It was something he’d like to find out. However, he did glance up at Chuck to make sure. “Yeah? Are you sure that’s alright?”

   Cas turned his puppy dog eyes to his father, but he hadn’t needed to. 

   “Well, we have the room, so I don’t see why not. That okay with you, dear?” 

   “Of course. There are fresh sheets on and everything.”

   Dean felt like asking if they were actually real. He remembered thinking their home looked like a house in a holiday movie. Their family certainly acted like they were a perfect, holiday movie family, but Dean wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth. “Cool! I’ve never been to a tree-lighting ceremony before.”

   They told him little tidbits about the park and the lighting and how it was something the town had been doing for years. It was apparently where Gabriel had his first kiss. 

   If Dean had been wondering about Castiel’s sexuality, the kissing stories led to one of him being kissed on the front porch by a boy who walked him home from school. It had apparently mortified him and he was turning red at the table just from having to relive it. Dean had to chuckle though as it sounded like something he would have done to Sam. His smile had certainly gotten bigger knowing now that he was probably reading Castiel right and they had a mutual attraction. 

   After such a big lunch, Chuck and Becky decided to get a nap in before going out that night. Michael and Tessa decided to lay Emma down and try to catch a wink, too, if Laina would stay asleep long enough to let them. Gabriel settled down in the living room to watch “Planes, Trains, & Automobiles.”

   Dean was going to join Gabriel in the living room, but Cas got his attention instead. 

   “Come on. I’ll show you up to the room you’ll be staying in.” Cas motioned for Dean to follow him up the stairs.

   “Leave the door open,” Gabriel jeered from the living room. 

   “Gabriel, shut up!” he yelled back, feeling his face turning red already. He glanced back to Dean who was following him up the stairs. “Sorry about that. My brothers, Gabriel especially, never miss a chance to tease me.”

   Dean chuckled. “It’s okay. I know what it’s like.” 

   “Does Sam mess with you a lot?”

   “No, but I do mess with him. You have to understand. The babies of the family get everything. All we older brothers get is the ability to tease the younger kids endlessly.”

   Cas pushed open the door to the room that had been Gabriel’s. With Gabe having his own place now, the room was more or less just a basic guest room. “Well, great. If you come back with Sam, he and I can commiserate together.”

   “If? You don’t think I will?”

   Cas plopped down on the side of the bed and laid back across it. “I didn’t want to be presumptuous. I know you just ended up here completely accidentally. It may not be something you want to experience again. I love my family, but I know we can be a lot.”

   Following suit, Dean also sat at the edge of the bed and laid back, hands behind his head. Looking up he saw the glow in the dark stars stuck to the ceiling. “It’s like your dad said. Sometimes things happen for a reason. Ya know, this may sound stupid, but I was looking forward to Thanksgiving with a real family. I see movies and shows where families all get together, but that seemed really foreign to me. Sam and I never had that. It was just us.”

   “That doesn’t sound stupid at all. I love getting together with everyone. It makes sense to want a taste of that. I hope we helped.”

   Dean shifted to his side and propped his head upon his hand. “It’s been amazing. I mean, y’all don’t even seem real. So trusting. I could be a bad guy. I could rob you all tonight. Knowing what I know now though, you probably wouldn’t even care. You’d be one of those families that assumed I needed the things more than you did.”

   Castiel chuckled at that. “Honestly, yeah. We probably would.” He turned his head and met Dean’s beautiful green and gold eyes. Castiel quickly became aware of the fact that he was on a bed with an incredibly attractive man. He swallowed and then felt his mouth go dry as he saw Dean’s eyes track the movement in his throat. 

   “Cas,” Dean’s voice had an edge of grit, “how old are you?”

   That had not at all been what Castiel was expecting. “Nineteen. Why? How old are you?”

   “Twenty-three. I know during lunch there was some mention of you taking classes at the college, but I didn’t know if you were perhaps some kid genius that graduated high school at fifteen or something.”

   Laughing out loud, Cas asked, “Do I really look that young?”

   “Sometimes it’s hard to tell. Back in the day, I would go to pick Sam up from school and there were plenty of kids there that looked older than they were.”

   “Yeah, I’m sure the girls were hanging all over you, too.” Castiel had returned to looking up at the ceiling.

   “Sometimes. Sometimes it was the guys.” Dean decided to go all in. “I’ve always been pretty open about my sexuality, so they knew it was at least worth a try. 

   That brought Castiel’s gaze right back, eyes wide. “You like guys?”

   “Yeah.” Dean grinned and looked down at the blanket they were laying on. “Guys and girls. I’m also kind of a sucker for big blue eyes and dark hair.” His eyes flicked back up to gaze upon those exact features. 

   “I have blue eyes and dark hair.”

   Dean smiled, trying to contain his laugh. “Yeah. Did you not really see where I was going with that? I’m telling you that you’re hot.”

   “Really? You think I’m hot?” Castiel was trying to rein in his smile so he didn’t look like a kid with his first crush. 

   “Yeah. I do. Why are you so surprised?”

   “Have you seen you?” Cas asked skeptically. “You are so far out of my league.”

   Dean snorted. “Bullshit. There are no leagues. There are just people who are attracted to other people.”

   Cas took a moment to let that sink in. “I suppose so.”

   All Dean could think about was how cute Castiel was in the moment. He laid back down because he knew if he kept looking at that adorable face, he was going to kiss him. It didn’t seem right to randomly show up at the house of these kind people and then pounce on their son. However, when Cas propped himself up to look down at him, Dean knew one thing for sure. If he pounces me, all bets are off. 

   “Are you tired?”

   “Not really.”

   “Then let’s get to know each other. Come on.” Castiel stood up and grabbed Dean’s hand, pulling him up from the bed. He led Dean down the hall to his room. He had a few posters and figurines from shows he liked. There was also a full bookcase and a desk with a laptop sitting open. His full-size bed was in the middle of the back wall. It didn’t surprise Dean to see the bed neatly made. On the wall across from it, next to the door was a dresser with a TV set up on top of it.

   Castiel led him around the room, showing off some of his favorite things, and asking Dean about things he liked. It turns out that they had seen a lot of the same shows and movies. They spent a few minutes trading favorite movie quotes back and forth. While they agreed on the screen items, they had differing tastes in music. Castiel got the chance to tease Dean a bit when he admitted that Taylor Swift was his guilty pleasure. 

   Eventually, the conversation died down and Castiel suggested finding something to watch on Netflix. 

   Dean agreed and took a seat on the right side of Castiel’s bed, leaning back against the headboard. Cas laid down with his head at the end of the bed, scrolling for something to watch. They agreed on a comedy and started it playing. 

   While the movie was funny, Dean must have been more tired than he realized because at some point he drifted off. When he woke up again, it was too find Castiel sitting next to him, chewing on his lip and looking indecisive. 

   “Hey,” Dean said with a sleepy smile. “Sorry for passing out.”

   “It’s fine. It’s part of Thanksgiving. You should lay down though so your neck doesn’t get hurt.”

   Dean took Castiel’s advice and shifted down the bed, letting his head rest on a pillow. He watched as Cas, seeming content with Dean’s move, rose from the bed and started to head for the door. “You’re not leaving me, are you?”

   Cas turned around, cheeks pink once again. “Oh. I just thought…”

   Dean shifted and patted the space on the bed next to him. “Didn’t you say a nap was part of Thanksgiving? Sleep with me.” His cheeky grin was proof that the innuendo was said on purpose.

   Castiel nodded and then reached for his door, pushing it closed. He paused when it was about an inch away from being shut and debated. He could close his door, but even if nothing happened it might make his parents question Dean’s character. He ended up pushing it a little more to where it was barely open a crack and then joined Dean on the bed, facing him. 

   “See. Isn’t this comfy?”

   It was true that being on the bed with Dean was definitely somewhere Cas wanted to be, but the implication was also making his heart pound. He didn’t know if he was ever going to be able to actually fall asleep. 

   “Hey. What were you thinking when you were watching me sleep? When I woke up, you looked like you were thinking about something.” 

   Castiel could feel his cheeks becoming hot, undoubtedly red to Dean’s gaze. “I was just thinking you were really attractive.” While that thought had certainly crossed his mind while staring at Dean’s sleeping face, he had actually been pondering a question. He couldn’t admit it though. He couldn’t admit that he had been wondering if he should kiss Dean awake. Unfortunately, his lack of experience caused him to hesitate too long and Dean had woken up on his own. 

   Dean smiled. “Thanks. I think you are, too.” He turned to his back and let his eyes shut.

   Feeling like he could breathe easier now that he wasn’t face-to-face with Dean, Castiel willed his heartbeat to stop racing. Though he didn’t think it was going to be possible, he fell asleep.

   A knock on the bedroom door had Castiel’s eyes fluttering open. He heard a giggle and lifted his head to see Tessa standing at the door.

   “Thought there was something going on between you two. I know how bad your brothers can be so I won’t say anything. You should get up though. We’re leaving soon.” She tried to contain her smile as she pulled the door completely shut behind her. 

   Not understanding what she meant, Castiel let his head drop back down and that’s when he realized. He sat up with a start, scrambling back from the spot where he had been laying on Dean, using his shoulder as a pillow and with his arm thrown over him. He looked to Dean and began to apologize profusely. “Oh my god! Dean, I’m so sorry! I don’t know how that happened. I just…”

   “Hey, hey!” Dean shook his head with a grin as he sat up. “It was fine. I was awake before she knocked on the door. I could have moved you if I wanted to.” He shrugged. “I kinda liked having you cuddled up to me.”

   It still amazed Cas that this beautiful man could possibly have any interest in him. He was thankful that Tessa had completely shut the door because, for some reason, he was feeling really bold. He scooted on his knees, getting closer to Dean. With courage he didn’t know he had, he reached a hand to Dean’s cheek, softly directing their lips together. It was all he had planned on doing, but as it turned out, it wasn’t enough. One kiss turned into two turned into...

   Grabbing Castiel by the was waist, Dean urged him into straddling his lap as their kisses deepened, tongues sliding together. It was probably a bad idea considering he could get caught, but that was the farthest thing from Dean’s mind. All he cared about was that this cute boy he’d been thinking about wanted to kiss him. He was going to make damn sure it was a great kiss. He let his hands roam over Castiel’s back before slipping under his shirt, feeling the warm skin under his hands. 

   The move caused Castiel to gasp and pull away from the kiss, looking incredibly hot with spit-slick lips and dark eyes. There seemed to be a bit of anxiety there, as well though. 

   Dean removed his hands from beneath Castiel’s shirt. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have done that,” he said, patting Castiel’s back softly. 

   Castiel shook his head as he slipped from Dean’s lap and got off the bed. “No. It’s just...my parents…” He gestured vaguely to the door. 

   “Yeah, I get it. We should head down.”

   “We should freshen up first. Come on. We have new toothbrushes so you can have one.” He gestured for Dean to follow and opened the door to the hall. It was a short walk to a spacious bathroom. 

   “I actually have a bag in the car with my toothbrush and toothpaste.”

   “You don’t have to go outside for that right now when we have some.” In the bathroom, he opened a drawer that sure enough had about a dozen new-in-package toothbrushes. “Sometimes my mom coupons,” he explained.

   Dean chose a blue one. “Okay. I’ll take this one. Thanks.”

   “You’re welcome.” Castiel smiled. “You can leave it here and then it will be here for you for when you come back.”

   The sweet smile and adorable words had Dean’s heart skipping a beat. 

   The two finished freshening up and met Castiel’s parents and Gabriel downstairs. They were only waiting on Michael and Tessa because Emma was being pouty about getting dressed. They had already planned on taking two cars, but the addition of Dean was going to make it a tight squeeze in the Novak’s sedan. 

   Castiel eagerly suggested that if Dean was willing to drive, he could ride with him. “This way no one would have to squished and I will be there to make sure Dean goes the right way.” He knew his family well enough to know the joke would land. They all laughed and agreed and everyone loaded up to head to the park. 

   There was still an hour to the tree lighting, so Chuck and Becky decided to stake out a spot and babysit Laina while the kids went off. Michael and Tessa took Emma to the gingerbread-style bounce house and Gabriel ran off to see if he could maneuver the girl he’d been crushing on under a piece of mistletoe. 

   This left Dean and Cas to wander around together, a fact that neither were upset about. 

   “This place is gorgeous!” Dean was really in awe of how beautiful everything looked, lights twinkling in the dark, smiling faces all around. 

   “We’re going to look at everything,” Castiel promised. “But first, we have to get hot chocolate. It never tastes as good as it does tonight.” He led Dean over to stand that had a bit of a line. Cas assured him that the wait would be worth it. Soon enough, they were walking away with their cups.

   They spent some time looking at the other stands while they let the drinks cool. There were people selling all different kinds of art pieces and Christmas decorations. They were a few booths for games to play. Beyond that, they could even see the bounce house where Michael and Tessa had taken Emma. 

   When they got to the end of the first row of stands, Cas turned to Dean with an eager look. “Okay. Try it.”

   Even if the hot chocolate was disgusting, Dean would have pretended it was fantastic just to keep seeing Castiel’s adorable face. No pretending was necessary though. The hot chocolate was just hot enough to warm the throat, but not scald the tongue. It was creamier and richer than he was used to, but he’d only ever had the instant stuff with water. This was on another level. The faint taste of cinnamon added a little kick to it. He was truly surprised. 

   “I have never had hot chocolate like this,” he admitted, looking at the cup with an impressed face. 

   Castiel’s smile grew bigger. “I know, right? No other hot chocolate will ever taste as good.” He took a drink from his own cup, savoring the taste. 

   “One more reason for me to be back here next Thanksgiving.” 

   “Think the hot chocolate will be good enough to bring Sam?”

   Dean looked around once more at the holiday decorations and throngs of people. “I don’t know what kind of experience he’s been having with his girlfriend, but I hope I can get him to come here next year. We have been missing out on so many things.”

   “Didn’t you ever want to go to something like this before?” Castiel asked. “I know they have these things in a lot of towns.”

   There wasn’t any good reason beyond the truth. Dean shifted and took another sip of his hot chocolate for reassurance. After clearing his throat, he said, “I didn’t exactly lie, but I guess I wasn’t completely honest either. When your mom asked about my parents, I said they both died when I was young. Actually, my mom died when I was four in a house fire, but my dad didn’t die until I was seventeen.” He was finding it hard to get the next part out. It wasn’t something he or Sam had ever talked much about, not with each other and certainly not with anyone else. “My dad, he, uh… He got real depressed after our mom died. He started drinking a lot, disappearing for days on end. When he was around, we didn’t dare talk about holidays because he would go on a tangent about our last Easter with Mom, our last Christmas with Mom. Whatever the day. Sam and I would have to sit there and listen to it the whole time. Holidays became just another day in our house.” Dean blew out a breath, feeling the weight of what he was saying. 

   “Dean, I’m so sorry.” Castiel was truly upset at the way Dean had been raised. He couldn’t imagine just giving up on the lives of your children, not caring about their experiences. It was something he’d never had to worry about. 

   Shrugging off the bad memories, he said. “It’s okay. Like I said, my dad died when I was seventeen. He was drunk driving...again. Thankfully, he only took himself out in the accident. Since Sam and I had been living that was for thirteen years, we didn’t really know any other way to be.” Dean looked at Cas and smiled. “Until now.”

   Castiel was still solemn as he said, “I will do whatever I can to make up for those lost holidays.” Realizing the magnitude of his words, he quickly looked down to the ground. “I mean, if you want to. If we stay friends or whatever.”

   Tipping up Castiel’s chin, Dean locked eyes with him. “I would really like that, Cas.”

   The two men stood staring at each other, oblivious to the other people around them. At least, they were until Michael appeared, clapping a hand on Castiel’s shoulder. 

   “Don’t block the walkway,” he said with a laugh, before getting pulled along by Emma who was wanting hot chocolate.

   They laughed at the sight before turning to the next lane of booths. Eventually, the pair came up to an area that was lit up like the sun due to how many Christmas trees there were. The trees started outside a barn and weaved their way inside and then back out the other side, continuing onward. 

   “It’s a maze of Christmas trees,” Cas said as he watched Dean taking in the sight. 

   “Really?” Dean looked truly excited. “I love mazes. Let’s go.” He practically dragged Cas to the part marked “Beginning.” As they tried to find their way, they stopped every now and then to admire the decorated trees. Most of the trees were just covered in lights, but a few were completely decked out. Dean had to admit that he had never been in such a beautiful maze before. 

   It ended up being bigger than it looked. By the time that had found the end, they had to hurry back to where Chuck and Becky were. When they got there, they found Michael, Tessa, and Emma were already there. Gabriel was there, as well, with a beautiful girl on his arm. She was introduced as Kali. Dean didn’t think they made that great of a couple, but, like he told Cas earlier; there were no leagues of attractive quality. 

   A man appeared in front of the giant Christmas tree with a microphone and welcomed everyone out. He did a spiel about how this was the thirty-third year and what the tree-lighting meant to the town. He talked about family and friends and the wonderful holiday spirit that was permeating the area. 

   At last, it was time for the countdown. Dean was excited. He didn’t know why since he had seen lit trees before. This one being thirty feet tall was not going to be that different. Something just felt different in the air though. It felt like something was seconds away from changing. Altogether, they started at ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one…

   The tree’s lights shone brightly out across the crowd as everyone hollered with excitement. 

   Dean had to look away due to the brightness. It was then that he noticed, couples all over were kissing like it was New Year’s Eve. He looked to Castiel who was standing at his side, wishing he could do the same. Considering the look he was getting from Cas, the younger man felt the same. 

   Feeling like someone was trying to get his attention, he raised his eyes to see Chuck looking at him. The older man smiled gently and gave a slight nod before turning with his wife to point out a part of the tree. It was as much permission as he needed.

   Grabbing Cas by the front of his coat, he pulled him forward. Their lips came together easily. It was especially tame and short compared to their earlier kisses, but it felt far more important. Dean thought that the blush it left on Castiel’s cheeks was even prettier than the tree. “Happy Thanksgiving, Cas.”

   Feeling giddy, Castiel smiled big. “Happy Thanksgiving, Dean.”

   The group had stayed out to have dinner, getting food from some of the vendors, and then headed home. 

   Back at the house, Dean brought his bag inside and went to the room that Castiel had shown him earlier. He hadn’t known if he’d be spending the night at Lisa’s parents’ place, so he had packed a bag just in case. He was glad he had the forethought to do so now. 

   He threw on an old t-shirt and a clean pair of boxer shorts to sleep in. Afterwards, he used the bathroom that was conveniently by the bedroom, brushed his teeth using the new toothbrush, and returned to the room. He was only a little surprised to see Castiel sitting on the edge of the bed. Leaving the door open just a crack, he came in and sat down next to him. “Hey.”

   “Hey.”

   “You okay?”

   Castiel shrugged, but after a pause, he shook his head. “Not really. We just met today, but it feels longer. And I know you have to leave tomorrow. I guess I’m just worried that after you leave, I won’t be able to keep getting to know you. You’ll be gone and it will be like you were never here.”

   Sitting next to him, he said, “I’m going to give you my phone number and we’re definitely going to keep talking, keep getting to know each other.” Remembering something Castiel had said earlier, he added, “If you start to think that I was never really here, go into the bathroom. My toothbrush is in the holder with yours.”

   Smiling at the thought, he nodded. “Yeah. You’ll be back for it, right?”

   “I will be coming back for you. The toothbrush is just a bonus,” he laughed. Dean laid back on the bed as he had earlier. “Can’t believe it’s only been a day.”

   Castiel leaned down on his elbow next to him. “That’s what I was saying. It feels longer.” They were both quiet for a moment, then Cas said, “You know, I’ve never been kissed at the tree-lighting before.”

   “Really?” Dean had to admit he was surprised. “That’s hard to believe when you look as good as you do.”

   Moving onto his back, Castiel couldn’t stop his grin. “I can’t believe you like the way I look.”

   He turned his head to look at Cas. “It’s true. When I first saw you, the first thought in my head was ‘sexy,’ but I forced myself to try to think of you as adorable since I was dating Lisa. Kind of glad that didn’t work out now.”

   “Not going to lie. I am, too.”

   Turning to his side, Dean placed his hand gently over the soft, blue shirt covering Castiel’s stomach. He watched Castiel’s face for a reaction, not wanting to cross any lines. Seeing only content acceptance, he let his hand slide to Castiel’s far hip, squeezing lightly. “What if the next time I come down here, I don’t stay here?”

   The surprise was evident on the teen’s face and it quickly turned to sadness that he tried miserably to hide. “Yeah, I mean, if that’s what you want.”

    Even his pout is cute. Rolling his eyes at the misunderstanding, Dean scooted himself until he was against Castiel’s side and pressed his nose into his neck. “Do you even have any idea what kind of things I would like to do you right now?” He playfully bit at Castiel’s neck, grinning over the little squeal. Looking down at him again, he said, “I won’t do anything here in your parents’ house, but if you were to come stay with me somewhere else…”

   Understanding dawned on Castiel’s face and he smiled softly. “Oh. I see. What kind of things are you wanting to do to me, Dean?”

   Dean groaned and returned to his back. “There is no way I can tell you without wanting to show you. It’s going to be hard enough falling asleep when I know you’re down the hall. If I started talking about that stuff, I’d be hard all night.”

   That seemed to suffice for the time being, but Cas was done with the talking. He got up and walked over to the door, closing it the rest of the way. “That’s fine, but you already kissed me once in the house, so I hope you don’t mind doing it again.”

   Dean watched Castiel’s moves, heart speeding up as the younger man crawled over him. “I don’t mind…” was all he got out before Castiel’s lips were against his, tongue pressing forward. Dean reached his arms around Cas, pulling him down. He realized that was probably a bad idea almost instantly. Looks like I’m going to be hard all night after all.

   Somehow, the two had eventually managed to pry themselves apart, choosing to simply lay on the bed together. Dean had fully intended to stay awake, memorizing every soft line of Castiel’s face. At some point though, sleep overtook him. 

   The morning was a little hectic as Dean tried to make sure he said bye to everyone. Becky had filled a small cooler with leftovers for him and he was given an entire pumpkin pie, as well. He couldn’t wait to brag to Sam about all the great food he’d brought back.

   After saying his rounds of goodbyes and giving promises to return again, Dean stepped out onto the porch. The air had gotten a little chillier, but he didn’t really mind. Castiel had come outside with him, closing the door behind them. 

   “It was really nice getting to meet you, Dean. I know this wasn’t how you were expecting your Thanksgiving to go, but I hope it was a nice consolation.” 

   “Consolation? No way. Getting to see your family be so close and celebrating, getting to be part of it… This was so much better than I could have hoped. It doesn’t matter what might have happened if I had made it to Lisa’s. This was a much better place to be and the best damn Thanksgiving I have ever had. I have you to thank for that, ya know.”

   Castiel looked as if he couldn’t breathe. “Just being a nice person,” he said softly. 

   They were already pretty close on the small porch, but Dean took a step closer to Castiel. A finger under Castiel’s chin gently lifted his face. “Thank you for being such a nice person,” he responded just as softly before pressing his lips firmly to Castiel’s.

   The explosion of whooping and jeers from where the whole Novak family was pressed to the living room window had Castiel groaning in frustration as he pulled away. “I fucking hate them,” he sighed. 

   Dean simply laughed and said, “I kinda like them.” He wrapped an arm around Castiel and pulled him forward against him, his other hand once again angling his head up. This time when he kissed Castiel, he swept his tongue forward and nearly smiled into the kiss as Cas parted his lips instantly. 

   Castiel tasted like apple pie and home and everything Dean always knew he wanted, but never thought he could have. He had to wonder if maybe he had found home completely by accident. As their tongues twined together, Dean realized the world had gone incredibly quiet. A quick look showed that Castiel’s family must have left the window when they saw the second kiss. He appreciated the privacy though he knew it wasn’t enough to do what he wanted to do with Cas. He didn’t think the family would appreciate him dragging their innocent baby boy into the back of the Impala either. 

   Dean pulled back, parting after one final press of their lips together. He rested his forehead against Castiel’s. “I am definitely coming back,” he said with a small grin. 

   “Before next Thanksgiving?” 

   Laughing, Dean leaned back. “Yes. Definitely before then. I’m thinking I come back for New Year’s Eve...so we can do this again.” Dean gave him another quick kiss.

   “I would like that a lot.”

   Dean gave Cas another tight squeeze. “You have my number now, too. Use it whenever you want, okay?”

   Castiel nodded. “Okay. Same, by the way.”

   The way both lingered. It was obvious neither wanted to walk away from their newfound happiness. 

   At last, Dean sighed and kissed Castiel one final time. “So glad I came to the wrong house,” he smiled. Forcing himself to turn away, he headed for his car. 

   “Dean.”

   He stopped and looked back when he heard his name.

   There was one thing Castiel knew without a doubt and he needed Dean to know it, too. “You came to the right house.”

   He nodded. Considering everything the last twenty-four hours had brought him, he had to agree. “You’re absolutely right. I’ll see you soon, Castiel.”