Work Text:
Castiel sits in the exact center of the bed, rubbing their backwards blue tie between their fingers and rocking back and forth. They hum to theirself, one of the songs Dean had them listen to, eyes closed. Cas can’t look at the clock, because they will worry. Cas can’t worry, because they will have a breakdown. And Cas can’t have a breakdown, because Dean will be there soon; being 10 minutes late isn’t that big of a deal.
Castiel keeps stimming, more and more frantically as time passes. They keep on alert for a text from Dean, hoping he isn’t texting because he’s driving and is finally listening to Castiel’s insistence that he not text and drive, and not because he’s been in an accident.
Please, Dean, don’t do that. Don’t you know 2,841 people died in 2018 in the US alone in accidents related to texting while driving?
Okay, okay, Triple A, I’ll stop. For you.
Castiel smiles at the thought of Dean calling them that special nickname, a name given to Cas by Dean after they’d known each other a few months, stemming from Castiel being asexual, agender, and autistic- and always having energy.
You’re like a Triple A battery, Cas, Dean had said. Always powered up .
Castiel mutters to theirself, “November 12th, 2017, 3:16am. I was up painting for a final and didn’t realize my headphones weren’t plugged in, and it woke Dean up, but he wasn’t mad. He’s never mad at me.”
Which means, he shouldn’t be late because he’s mad at Castiel now. And he shouldn’t be late because he was in a horrible accident. Which means-
Castiel’s head jerks up and their eyes snap open at the sound of the door unlocking. Castiel reaches the living room as the door bursts open. “Cas, I’m so, so sorry, damnit, traffic was a bitch, I-”
Castiel cuts Dean off with a hug, nuzzling their head under Dean’s chin. “You’re here now, that’s what matters.”
Dean kisses the top of Castiel’s head and pulls back to look them in the eye with a grin. “Happy three years, Triple A.”
Castiel grabs Dean’s arm and studies the watch before saying, “One year, 24 minutes, and…” they squint for a moment before saying “46 seconds. And counting.”
Dean rubs the back of his neck and blushes. “Heh, yeah, sorry about that...I really tried to get here on time, I know how important that is to you-”
This time Castiel cuts Dean off with a kiss. They can feel Dean smiling under their lips.
“Oh, hey, almost forgot!” Dean pulls away and ducks back through the still-open door, holding a wrapped gift in one hand and something large behind his back.
Castiel bounces on their toes in anticipation, taking the package from Dean and ripping off the paper. Their eyes widen at what’s inside. “Dean...is this…”
“Yep,” Dean beams. “Noise canceling headphones. Found ‘em on etsy. Check out the sides!”
Castiel pulls the yellow headphones out of the box and looks at the hand-painted bees all over them. “Thank you!” Castiel puts on the headphones and tells Dean to talk. “I can’t hear you!” Castiel flaps their hands excitedly, their purposefully too-large trench coat arms making a satisfying thump each time their hands move.
Dean smiles at Castiel fondly for a while before gesturing for them to take off the headphones and asking, “You ready for part 2?”
Castiel nods.
Dean pulls a giant Squishmallow bumblebee from behind his back and laughs as Castiel’s eyes go wide.
“You didn’t!”
“I so did ,” Dean says with a laugh as Castiel pulls him into a tight hug, the bee in the middle.
They stay like that for a while until Castiel pulls away. “Your turn! Stay here!”
Dean waits while Cas rushes back into the bedroom they share, a smile on his face. Castiel returns, bouncing in front of him, pushing a much more neatly wrapped box into Dean’s hands than Dean could ever manage. He almost hated to rip it open. Almost.
Tucking the bee under his arm, he tears off the paper. His ears turn red when he takes off the lid and sees what’s inside. “Cas…” Dean reaches gently inside and pulls out a hand-bound book with a precisely hand-painted cover that could only be Castiel’s doing. Dean opens the book and his breath hitches. Each page has a photograph, in chronological order, of the two of them during their relationship along with a caption and date inked in Castiel’s careful cursive. Dean clears his throat and rubs his knuckles under his eyes before looking up at his partner. “Cas, thank you. It’s beautiful.”
“Of course, Dean. I love you!”
“I love you too, Sweetheart,” Dean says before setting down the book, box, and bee and pulling Castiel into a tight hug, just like they like. “You wanna make PB&J’s, cuddle, and watch Star Trek?” Dean mumbles into Castiel’s hair.
Castiel pulls away and kisses Dean in answer.