Chapter Text
“Here’s what I don’t get.”
Sam lay on his pillow and heaved a sigh. “I imagine there’s a lot,” he said into the phone wearily.
“You told me not to wear jeans. He wore jeans.”
He smirked up at the ceiling. “Dean, he’s the artist. It’s a look when he does it.”
“It’s a better look when I do it.”
A laugh tumbled out finally. “Agree to disagree.”
“And another thing. What’s with the pirate stuff?”
His eyes narrowed. He thought back to all of the artwork at the exhibit. “Pirate? What pirate stuff?”
Castiel emerged from the bathroom already dried off from his shower, completely naked. “Sam-oh. Sorry.”
He grinned at his lover. “Nothing to apologize for.” He turned onto his side to watch his angel prepare for his day. It was a lovely show.
“Is that the pirate?”
“What?”
“How’s he doing? About his brothers?”
Sam smiled sadly as he watched Castiel cursing to himself and picking through his jewelry and clothing. “Still nervous,” he sighed. “What about you?”
“My brother isn’t an asshole.”
He snickered. “I meant how are you? You make it home?”
“Almost. I’m stopped for coffee. Why? Need me to come back?”
Castiel was busy trying to make his hair lie flat, something Sam had never seen him bother to attempt before. It was weirdly fascinating.
“Of course not,” he murmured. “Don’t be stupid. Do wish you had been able to stay longer. I feel like we got robbed of time.”
“I’m going to go. I’ll see you in a few weeks, okay? Study. Or whatever.”
At last, he sat up in the bed. “Yeah. Be careful. Text me that you got home okay.”
“Yes, Grandma.”
“Jerk.”
“Bitch.”
They hung up the phone that way, and they each knew what the other really meant.
“Dean?” Castiel asked into the mirror.
Sam stood out of the bed in just his tattered boxers, and stepped behind him to put hands on his angel’s back. He scratched gently, and watched strong shoulders round with pleasure to give him more access. “Who else do I talk to like that? He asked about you.”
“Whether or not I’m still a conceited ass trying to control his brother?”
He leaned down and kissed the back of Castiel’s neck. “No. How you’re doing about your brothers.”
“I’ll survive. I always do.”
“You’re meeting them for breakfast?”
Castiel sneered into the mirror. “Brunch, bordering on lunch. Because you can’t expect Luke to see the light of day before ten at least, but you can’t expect to have Michael’s attention beyond noon, when the market’s been open too long. At least it’s a Sunday. He might even stay long enough for the coffee to cool. But not long enough for Luke to switch to liquor. Of course, if Naomi is there, Mike might start with an Albariño himself.”
“What’s that?”
“Vino verde, from Portugal. It’s a breakfast wine.” He said the last two words with exaggerated distaste.
“I didn’t know there was such a thing.”
“We have Alvarinho vineyards in northern Portugal. I’ll take you one day when you feel like getting mildly drunk before noon.”
“Why are you doing this to yourself?”
Castiel groaned as he pulled himself into his clothing. “Don’t pretend like there’s method to my madness. I live in a constant state of naive wishful thinking filed down into sharp, fanged jadedness by astute cynicism, and rounded out with copious amounts of denial and alcohol. If I sucked at art, I’d be entirely useless to society. I’m doing this because I’m doing this. Lawyers need reasons for things. I’m my own bad reason.”
When he looked up, Sam was smirking at him.
“Oh, shut up.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You were thinking very loudly.”
He wrapped his arms around his lover, who just slumped into the embrace without hesitation. “Cas? I love you. I’m proud of you.”
“Sam,” a muffled voice said into his chest, “as a reward for not dying yesterday, can I go down on you again today?”
It made his whole body warm just to think of it. He shivered with delight, but then shook his head. “Not now. You have brunch.”
“But I don’t want brunch. I want you.”
He laughed and stepped back to peer into those bright blue eyes. “Angel? Aren’t you hung over? You were more wine than man last night.”
“I’ll feel it later. But by then, I won’t be able to tell if it’s the wine head or the sound of Gabriel’s voice making me want to stab myself in the face.”
“Gabe will be there too, huh?”
“I’m sure he’ll bring Kali for protection.”
Sam frowned as something occurred to him. He had never been in a position of meeting the family of a lover before. Now he wondered what was expected of him. “If Kali’s going to be there, and maybe Naomi...shouldn’t I also come?”
Castiel snorted. “I would never ask you to do that, not after what they pulled last night.”
“Cas? I’m not afraid of your family. I want to be there for you when you need me. If I came, would you be more or less uncomfortable? I don’t want you feeling like you need to protect me or anything. I can handle myself.”
“So can I.”
But the blue eyes had lowered, and Sam touched his chin to gently lift it. His lover’s gaze settled back on him with a look of pure devotion. He smiled. “I know you can. But let me be there at your side while you do.”
Relief eased Castiel’s grimace. “Thank you. I wouldn’t have asked.”
“You should have. I’m glad I thought to offer. Do we have time for me to shower?”
“You’d rather shower than-“
“No oral till after brunch, Cas. I want something to look forward to.”
The genuine sigh of disappointment made Sam chuckle.
“Have I mentioned how much I love that you love going down on me?”
“Have I mentioned how much I love that you love me?”
Sam kissed him softly. “I do love you, Angel. Keep getting ready. I’ll catch up.”
“I’ll miss you.”
“I’ll only be six feet away, Cas. Don’t be dramatic.”
At last, a characteristic, mischievous smile came over him. “Have you met me? I’m the embodiment of subtlety. Remember?”
Sam was still rolling his eyes as he slipped into the shower.