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Cas is waking up in the lake house right now. Dean is still snoring beside him, face pressed against the line of his throat. It’s still early enough that he knows he’ll be a little bitchy if he wakes him up, so he gently slips out of the embrace (Dean grumbles lightly when his head finds the pillow) and leaves the bed, careful that the wooden floor doesn’t creak under his footsteps.
He goes on about his business quickly- bathroom first, then coffee, then stepping outside on the porch to take in the view. It’s barely 6 in the morning and the sun is already peaking over the horizon line in front of him, bathing the lake and the house in a soft orange glow. Cas sips his coffee, standing on the steps of the porch, the cool air hitting the bare skin of his chest and making him feel… Well, alive.
He doesn’t know how much time passes. His mind tends to wander to secret places, helped out by the silence- almost holy- that makes this place what they’ve always wanted. But when strong arms slide around his waist and a very warm and sleepy Dean plasters himself against his back, grumbling about “Angels of the Lord being too damn early”, Cas doesn’t even flinch. He loosens up against Dean’s chest instead, turning his head just enough to nose in his hair and place a kiss on the crown of his head as Dean hides his face against the line of his throat. They’re silent for a while, only enjoying the warmth of each other and the quiet buzz of the place waking up around them.
And then, Dean places a kiss against the bolt of Cas’ jaw- reverent, full of so much more than words can ever convey- and whispers into his ear, voice soft and sleepy, but so remotely Dean.
“Love you. Happy birthday, Cas.”
Cas smiles at the horizon line, letting everything wash over him. He thinks back to a barn in Illinois, to a stab in the heart, and he can’t help but compare it to the situation today- strong arms around him, keeping him close.
A house on the lake, creaky and tiny but theirs. A family that’ll be around in a few hours to celebrate with too much cake and too much beer.
A man against him, wanting him, cherishing him, learning how to be with him every step of the way.
And this morning, not for the first time since Cas fell for good and into Dean’s arms, he thinks that if Heaven is a place on Earth, then this is it.
In the early morning as the Sun rises, with Dean by his side. Cas is complete.