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"Is it centered?" Eileen asked cheerfully as Cas entered the hallway, standing slightly precariously on a chair in the doorway to the library.
"Two and two thirds centimeters to the left," Cas said with a smile as he signed along with the words, tilting his head curiously.
"Good enough," she laughed.
"What are you doing?" The angel asked.
"Mistletoe! For kisses!"
"Kisses?" He asked. "I knew it was useful for spells. It can conjure kisses?" He offered Eileen his arm to help her down from the chair. She didn't need it but it seemed polite.
"Not conjure. A tradition. You stand under it with someone. Then they have to kiss you," she said, grabbing his arm and climbing down.
"Oh." Cas looked a little nervous and backed away from the doorway, eyeing the offending plant warily.
She smiled. "We can make an exception. You didn't know."
He nodded and signed "thank you", eyeing the mistletoe nervously.
"I'm trying to catch Sam," she explained.
"Ah, yes. For what it's worth, I don't think he will be inclined to avoid your trap."
She just smiled at him sheepishly, taking the chair back to the table and Cas continued on to the kitchen.
---------------------------------------------------
"Get away from that, Dean. It's not ready," Cas said with a serious look over his shoulder.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh! Damn, it's good ," Dean said, snacking on a piece of turkey he'd snatched. Cas turned away from the gravy he was stirring to swat Dean away.
"It needs to rest before carving. Stop touching it," he said crossly, shooing Dean away. "You're a menace."
Still chewing, as he was being chased out of the kitchen he said "Y'know, I'm damn glad you picked up cooking, Betty Crocker, you're really good at this. Nice to have a real Christmas dinner." He smacked his lips and licked his fingers as he swallowed the turkey, staggering as Cas shooed him impatiently.
"I don't know who that is, but you need to go do something else. Go away," he said, shoving Dean through the door a little too hard to be entirely playful, then stalking back to the stove.
He peered into the pan and sighed. "It burned…" the angel muttered to himself. He peeked around to see if anyone was looking. There was no one else around. He waved his hand over the pan and the gravy was no longer burned, but smooth and perfect. "Some miracles are smaller than others, I suppose," he whispered to himself with a small shrug.
----------------------------------------------------
"Uh, heya Jack. Dunno if you're available, but I wanted to remind you, if you feel like corporealizing - I guess? - but we're having a little Christmas thing tonight. Sam, and Cas, and me and Eileen are here. Donna, Jodie, Claire and Alex are gonna be here later too. You never got to meet Claire but… she's kinda like Cas's other kid? So your big sister I guess. Well, you know everything now, so you probably know that too... Weird. Uh, Bobby, Charlie - oh, and her girlfriend Stevie - are gonna show for dinner too. Anyway, it would feel a lot more like Christmas if you could pop in for a bit. We didn't get you any gifts because… well, you're God now. What do you buy God?" He puzzled for a moment. Dean shook his head, continuing "I, uh… I hope you can make it. Uhhh… I miss you, kiddo. Amen?" Dean said, sitting on his bed. The prayer was awkward, he knew. It felt weird to pray to his four year old kid who was also God, even if he'd done it a few times now. it was easier for him to talk to Jack when he was here in front of him. He was never good at this cosmic being shit. Of course, he knew Jack was this ethereal omnipresent being now, but it was easy to understand in his mind and still fail to apply the concept day to day.
He looked at the ceiling for a while, then rubbed his hands on his thighs before standing up. "Well, uh… see ya Jack," he whispered, walking out of the room.
----------------------------------------------------
"Hey, Sammy! You in there?" Dean said, rapping at his brother's bedroom door.
"I'm wrapping gifts, go away!"
"Man, everybody seems to be saying that today. Hide whatever you got me. I need to give you something."
Sam grumbled something and he heard some rustling paper and movement. He opened the door.
"What?"
"Jesus, Sam, you could pretend to be happy to see me for two seconds, be polite. Let me in asshole, and shut the door."
He didn't actually wait to be let in, instead sort of shoving past Sam and impatiently gesturing at the door until he closed it.
Dean looked at his little brother and took a deep breath, smiling proudly.
"Alright. I'm gonna give you something. I've had it for a long time. It's special. You'll recognize it. I gave it back to mom when she was back, and… well, now I have it again." Dean's jaw set and he blinked a few times before continuing with a wistful smile.
"But, uh… I have this feeling you're gonna need it more than I do. Now, I'm not saying anything, okay? You do what you wanna do. Not saying you have to ask her. Or anyone. Maybe that's not your bag. But either way, you never got anything of mom's. And I can't use it. So uh… merry Christmas," he said, placing something small in Sam's hand.
Sam looked at it. A soft smile broke out on his face. He looked at Dean, beaming. "Mom's wedding ring."
"Yeah. And no pressure, y'know. But I wanted you to have it, whatever you decide to do with it. I shoulda given it to you ages ago."
Sam opened his mouth to say something, but words failed him. "Thank you," he said simply, and came in for a hug. After a few moments of patting Sam's back soothingly, Dean began to wriggle. "Let go of me you big dumbass," he muttered. Sam hugged him tighter.
"This means a lot to me. Thank you."
"I know, I know, you're welcome. Now let me go," Dean fussed.
Sam squeezed a little tighter and Dean grimaced with a wheeze as his ribs strained.
"This is so special. I can't thank you enough. It's so thoughtful."
"You're just fucking with me at this point. Let me go or I'll pinch your armpit as hard as I can!"
Sam released Dean with a goofy, teary smile.
"It really does mean a lot to me. Really, no kidding around now. Thank you."
Dean waved him off with a sheepish grin. "Alright, take care of that and, uh… merry Christmas," Dean said, awkwardly leaving the room with a proud grin at his little brother, who was marveling, weepy eyed at the tiny circle of metal in his oversized palm.
----------------------------------------------------
Cas set the last of the holiday supper on the table. He looked at the room full of people sitting before him, who were all smiling expectantly, for a few moments. He blinked slowly, not enjoying the focus.
"Merry Christmas. Um, you may eat now," he said, deadpan, gesturing stiffly to the outrageously large holiday spread - Turkey, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, gravy, cranberry sauce, roasted vegetables, honey glazed brussel sprouts, dinner rolls, a beautifully arranged charcuterie board, and more - filling the table from end to end. It was ridiculously elegant and well put together. Cas had been watching cooking shows and memorizing cook books for over a month in preparation.
Dean was the first to eagerly leap into action, overfilling his plate with childlike glee. Once he started, the table of hunters erupted in enthusiastic chatter and the din of noise created by the passing of plates and the clattering of utensils began, and Castiel took his seat.
"Mmm!" Dean said moaning enthusiastically as he took a large bite of mashed potatoes and gravy. "What kinda gravy is this? It's awesome," he said, mouth full.
"Thank you. It's made from the entrails of the turkey," Cas said, looking mostly stoic but Dean caught a bashful glint in his eyes.
Dean shrugged and Bobby kept right on eating, but everyone else hesitated.
"Ah, yeah, Castiel - you might wanna call that turkey gravy , hon. Little more appetizing, yeah?" Donna said cheerfully, taking a bite. "It's good!"
"Oh. Then it's turkey gravy," he said, nodding in contemplation.
The group chatted and laughed, catching up and ribbing one another playfully. Cas caught Dean looking around now and then. "What?" The angel asked in a hushed tone.
"Mm, nothing. It'd just be a little more perfect with Jack here is all." Dean smiled wistfully. "We never got to celebrate with him."
Cas nodded and softly squeezed Dean's shoulder with his hand and then wrapped a wing around the hunter's shoulders in a comforting gesture. Dean snuggled into it. It was nice to have these secret moments no one else could see.
The meal was going quick, which slightly appalled Castiel in one sense, just because he'd done it the human way and poured hours of labor into the meal, but also made him feel happy. It felt nice to make something people loved and could enjoy with him, even if for him it was just molecules. It meant more knowing that the people he loved enjoyed something he'd labored over for them.
In a rare moment of quiet, something caught Sam's eye toward the war room and he did a double take. Dean cocked an eyebrow at his brother.
"What're ya lookin' at?" Dean muttered, following Sam's gaze.
"Uh, hello," Jack said, waving his hand with an awkward but endearing grin. Cas, Sam and Dean leapt to their feet, rushing over to him in a cacophony of noise, exclamations of joy, surprise, gratitude, the clambering of feet and the endearing reactions from the on looking hunters around the table.
Cas made his way over fastest - Dean and Sam suspected he cheated with his wings - and wrapped Jack into a tight hug, smiling warmly, looking into his face joyfully as if to see if he was truly well, truly happy
Dean secretly thought these moments were the most wonderful moments to see Cas - when he was joyful and nurturing without having to overcome the awkwardness of angel-human dynamics, because though this entity before them may be God, to Cas he would always be a child. His child. And Dean adored these open-hearted interactions, free from confusion or misunderstandings or cultural differences. Just loving and open.
Jack chuckled and hugged Cas back just as tightly. Sam went next, lifting Jack off his feet in a ridiculous bear hug, grinning from ear to ear, gushing about how good it was to see him. Jack smiled at him and told him he was glad to see him too.
Dean stood back, reserved and stoic, one hand in his pocket as he waited for the other two to wrap up their enthusiastic salutations. His eyes crinkled, betraying the oncoming smile a moment before it broke out over his face.
"I'm glad you could make it, kid," Dean said, voice betraying the tears that he was barely holding back. He finally snapped Jack into a hug, patting his hair twice before releasing him. "Really glad," he emphasized.
"Of course! I couldn't miss our first Christmas as a family. Introduce me to everyone," Jack beamed, striding over to the gathering in the library.
Cas tilted his head in confusion. "You already know them, you're omnipresent," he mumbled.
"He's just being polite, Cas," Sam whispered.
"Oh," Cas nodded, pretending to understand. Everyone here knew he was God, or would soon enough. He didn't particularly see the point in wasting time and energy with introductions. They knew he was God and because he was God, he knew them.
Dean cleared his throat and began the introductions. "Alright, everyone, this is Jack. Also called God by some folks. He's kinda our kid anyway though, even if he is alpha and omega or whatever the hell." He beamed affectionately at Jack for a moment before turning back to the table, "So, Jack, we've got Jody and Donna, we've told you all about them. Sheriffs, hunters, badasses. And here we have, Claire and Alex - Alex isn't a hunter, but she's a nurse and she makes the neatest stitches ever. I told you about Claire, she's kind of iffy," he said playfully, which Claire protested, "and over here we got Charlie - you know her, right? Charlie's great, kinda a troublemaker, but great- and her girlfriend Stevie - she's a good hunter, helped us with a big one when Chuck was being a dick, you know Bobby of course, and Eileen, she's here keeping Sammy in line. She's a great hunter too, and she put up all the good decorations."
"I only put up mistletoe," she said.
"Yeah, that's what I said. The good decorations." Dean added a goofy eyebrow wiggle. "Saw you and Sammy under it quite a few times," he teased. Eileen giggled and Sam just blushed.
Jack smiled at them all, waving. "Hello. It's nice to meet you all. Merry Christmas. Or happy Chanukah! Or happy Kwanza. Or happy solstice! Or - or well, happy holidays. There are so many good ones."
"Do you eat these days, Jack? I made dinner. Well, you know that. All I mean to say is if you'd like to, please enjoy some," Cas said gesturing broadly at the spread.
"I eat sometimes. You know I don't need to, but it just reminds me of good times and good people. You don't eat, do you, though?"
Cas shook his head. "I can't perceive it, taste. It's beyond me."
"Hm. Would you like to? Taste?" Jack asked, smiling, with a familiar head tilt.
Cas looked puzzled. "Taste? Well… I suppose I do miss it sometimes. And I worry that my cooking doesn't taste good."
"Okay!" And with that, Jack tapped Castiel's forehead. "Eat something, Cas," Jack beamed.
Dean handed him a fork full turkey dripping with gravy from his plate. "Eat this, you did so good on it, babe." He froze, blushing at the term of endearment even though everyone knew they were together already.
Cas gave it a hesitant nibble. He swallowed it with a disgusted expression. "That gravy is disgusting. Why did you lie?"
"You don't like it? It's really good! I didn't lie."
"No. No," was all Cas would say, shoving the fork back to Dean.
Jody piped up, "Try your green bean casserole! It's really good."
After the experience Dean had just provided, he gave her a dubious glance, but grabbed an empty plate and tried some.
He looked at it seriously for a moment, then nodded. "This is good."
Jack made a plate and he and the party took turns suggesting what to try next eagerly. It turned out that Cas thought most of it was fine aside from the gravy, but he liked the Brussels sprouts and mashed potatoes best.
"Dude, for real? You're some kind of sicko herbivore like Sam. I can't believe you hated that gravy," Dean muttered, shaking his head in disapproval.
"It tastes very much like it was made from entrails. I don't like entrails, it seems."
The hunters and Jack all finished their plates and talked through the evening. Later, Cas cleared the table - he used his grace, because he'd done most of the hard work the human way and he was tired of.
Some of the party broke out decks of cards, playing casual games of rummy or poker. Claire beat Dean twice, which he was both vocal and bitter about. It didn't help that Bobby beat him immediately after. "You're getting rusty, idjit," he'd said. That didn't soothe Dean's bruised ego at all.
Cas turned to Jack. "Thank you, Jack. This is very exciting. I did make something special, it's in the kitchen. There's desserts I made pie, of course," - Dean pumped his fist at that - "and I made baklava. I used some of the honey I harvested this year. I'd like to try that very much." Cas said. The party also got enthusiastic for dessert, so Cas waved his hand and there were the pies and baklava on the table.
"Oooh, carmel apple! Dibs!" Dean called out instantly, wasting no time in cutting a huge slice. Cas hesitantly grabbed a square of the baklava. "Try it with me?" He asked Jack.
"Yes," Jack said enthusiastically, grabbing a piece.
They cautiously bit into it at the same time. They looked at each other, looking excited.
"I like baklava!" Jack exclaimed, mouth full.
"Mm! This makes me... very happy," Cas said in a tone of total ebullience, ending the remark with a chuckle, shoving the remainder of the piece in his mouth in a way that he would usually find completely undignified. The angel delighted in the sweet honey and flaky baked layers of the phyllo pastry. The crunch of the candied nuts gave it an interesting texture and bursting flavor of the cinnamon and cardamom felt like sensory explosions on his tongue.
"This is the best thing humans ever discovered," he said, "it tastes like art is said to feel."
"Well let me try some!" Dean demanded. He popped a piece into his mouth. "It's pretty good," he said, chewing. "But this pie is like heaven. Try it!" Dean scooped a bite of the caramel apple pie onto his fork and held it out for Cas, the caramel dripping a bit back onto the plate. It did look delicious.
Cas leaned over and ate it, eyes lingering a little too long on Dean and pulling the fork out a little too slow. Charlie whispered something to Stevie who giggled. But Cas didn't notice, he was now absorbed completely in the atrocity he was consuming. He swallowed it and instantly made a dissatisfied sound. "It's too...mushy," he said, gesturing Dean's hand away.
"Dude! How can you say that?!" Dean cried as though Cas had personally insulted him.
Cas made a flippant gesture with his hand and shoved more baklava in his mouth. The angel groaned a little at the taste of the baklava, again enjoying all the different tastes and textures. Dean cleared his throat and moved in his seat a little. Cas looked back toward him with renewed interest and Dean arched an eyebrow.
"You two ain't foolin' anyone," Bobby said with a chuckle.
Dean's spine went poker straight and face flushed a brilliant red at that, facing his plate and breaking eye contact with Cas. Cas just gave a soft smile and turned back to his baklava.
----------------------------------------------------
The night wore on and drinks were added to the festivities. Dean had a ridiculous amount of eggnog and spiced rum. At some point, someone had put a Santa hat on the hunter. Later, Sam convinced a very drunk Dean to get out his guitar.
"I'll play a Christmas song," he slurred, "but only one! And I don't know the words."
He tried to play Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy. He realized he didn't know how to play that sober, and he was not going to figure it out with an audience.
"What's an easy song?" He asked.
"Greensleeves?" Sam suggested.
"Issat a Christmas song?" Dean asked. "I don't know," he answered himself. "Lemme see." He pulled up the music on his phone. "Yeah, I can do that!" He said loudly, followed by a hiccup.
He began to play. By any measure of his actual abilities, he did horribly. It was out of rhythm, he was hitting bad notes, and kept getting distracted. But everyone was laughing and cheering for him anyway.
Cas said nothing, but sat by Jack, smiling.
"I'm really glad you and Dean figured it out - that you got together," he said softly with a smile.
"So am I," Cas agreed.
"He's been praying to me. It's nice to talk to him again."
"He was just intimidated at first. He didn't think you wanted to hear from him. He also assumed you were too busy. And you know he has horrible self worth issues - he didn't feel worthy of speaking to you."
"I know. I'm glad you talked to him about that. And that you're helping him."
"I am as well. You know, he missed you terribly. He has trouble understanding that it's unnecessary to miss someone who is always with you."
"That's tough for humans, isn't it?" Jack said with a thoughtful smile. "These moments where they can see me and hear me - they matter to Sam and Dean." He chuckled lightly as Dean began another song, drunkenly butchering Feliz Navidad.
Jack sighed, looking at Cas sadly. "I wish more people knew I was always with them. Human hearts are so… so lonely , and they don't need to be."
"Yes, they can be… childlike. You know, humans teach children object permanence as infants. You would think they'd do a better job," Cas said, frustrated. "What is the point if they can't apply the logic outside of food and toys?"
Jack chuckled. "There are a lot of things they don't understand. But there are a lot of things they do understand. Like this - look how happy they are to be together. Angels aren't like that. It's beautiful."
Cas nodded, smiling at Dean fondly. "Yes, it is."
‐---------------------------------------------------
The night had died down by a little past midnight. Those who were sober enough had begun to make noise if leaving, but no one had yet. Bobby and Donna had been given rooms for the night, but hadn't made their way to them. There was a soft comfortable chatter in the bunker.
Dean cheerfully staggered towards the bathroom. When he had taken care of business and staggered back, Cas was leaned against the doorway, looking ravishing in his white oxford and his sleeves still pushed up to his elbows, no jacket or trench or tie.
"Mm, hey Cas."
"Hello, Dean."
"Whatcha doin' standin' there?" He said with a warm, dopey grin.
Cas said nothing, but looked up at the miseltoe.
"Ohh, you wanna lock lips with me? Alright you big softy. I'll kiss your face." Dean chuckled, grasping Cas's face and planting a big sloppy kiss on his cheek. The room broke out in giggles behind them.
"Now, you can do better than that!" Charlie jeered.
"Yeah, kiss him like you mean it, Dean!" Sam shouted.
Normally, Dean was a little shy about Cas. He wasn't ashamed - he proudly talked about how they were together to anyone - but he was more interested in privacy with Cas than he had been with anyone else. Not as much the physical aspect of their relationship, but the intimacy. He may make dirty jokes in front of others or give his partner a delicious once over, but typically speaking he didn't engage in a lot of public displays of affection outside of chaste kisses or little moments of hand holding. Sam, living in the bunker, was the only exception, but it was usually still a situation he walked into, bot something they engaged in knowing he was there. It was different with Cas. Everything was so raw and intimate, everything felt more vulnerable.
But tonight, Dean was drunk and jubilant, so he scooped Cas into his arms theatrically and dipped him back like in the old movies which took Cas by surprise. Cas flailed indignantly before Dean distracted him by giving the angel a deep, dramatic kiss. The party broke out in cheers and when Dean released him, he was blushing furiously, but smiling with that same dopey grin at Cas. Cas smiled back, chuckling softly. He loved this ridiculous man.
----------------------------------------------------
Jack pulled Cas, Sam, and Dean aside.
"I have to go now," he said. Dean looked very sad, Sam nodded solemnly, and Cas just hugged him with a smile. Sam and Dean reluctantly said their goodbyes, hugging Jack, and Dean, drunk, tired, and emotional, cried a little although he would deny it to the ends of the earth.
"You know, I've told you before - you don't have to say goodbye or be sad. I'm not really leaving. I'm here," he said, tapping about his heart. "Always, in everything and everyone, even when you can't see me."
Dean sort of sniffled. "That doesn't make sense."
Cas and Jack sighed. "It does. You'll get it one day," Jack said. He gave them each one last hug, wishing them a Merry Christmas, before disappearing into celestial light.
----------------------------------------------------
Once everyone had turned in or headed home, Cas and Dean made their way to bed, largely because Dean was plastered and Cas wanted to sober him up.
Only Sam and Eileen remained. Sam awkwardly cleaned up a bit while looking back at her with a dopey grin. They chatted as she helped him half heartedly clean up, moving dishes and glasses into the kitchen and covering food. But Sam was really getting up the nerve to ask her a question.
Finally, he stopped pretending he wanted to clean and faced her. "Eileen?"
She nodded curiously at him.
"Would you stay with me tonight?"
She giggled. "Yes!"
Sam smiled. "I'd like that." They began walking towards Sam's room.
She held up a finger, pausing under the mistletoe. "First - kiss me like Dean kissed Castiel. It was romantic."
"Like that? Well, I bet I can do better since I'm not a short, sloppy drunk jerk," he said with a grin.
"Let's find out," she challenged playfully.
Sam scooped her into his arms and dipped her as she asked him to. She giggled softly and he grinned for a moment before planting a soft kiss on her lips. Sam kissed her again, sweetly, then more passionately, lingering and slow. When he brought her up, she looked dazed and delighted. "Yep. Better. You were right."
Sam laughed and took her hand.
"Merry Christmas," he said, signing along with the words.
She smiled brightly and signed it back to him, giggling and grabbing his hand as they made their way to his room.