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Castiel goes out to the backyard to let Dean know he’s finished preparing lunch. His cream-colored cable knit sweater (a bit too big for him, just as he likes it) keeps him warm against the late-autumn chill as he walks across the grass. Dean, in a red plaid shirt (thicker than usual) and gray knit beanie, is raking leaves in the corner of the yard. His back is turned to the house so he doesn’t notice Cas.
Cas pauses. He stops there, halfway between his home and the person he shares it with, to watch Dean for a moment. Remembering the last time he did this. A lot has changed since then. A whole lot. Dean continues, absorbed in one of the mundane, everyday chores he has been cherishing now that he has the opportunity to do so (well, maybe he doesn’t like doing the dishes, but he’d never admit that because he knows Cas hates doing them more).
Overcome with a sudden fondness for the man with the rake, Cas rushes forward noisily. Dean finally hears him and turns.
“Heya Cas, is lunch rea- ” he gets out before Cas grabs his face and kisses him.
Dean drops the rake to hold onto his husband. It lands with a soft crunch on the leaf pile he’d been working on. The kiss is fast, warm, and just a little forceful, like Cas is trying to put years of yearning into it. It almost knocks Dean off his feet. When they finally break apart, Cas doesn’t let go of Dean’s face. Dean whistles.
“Woo, baby. Warn a guy, huh? I almost went ass over teakettle there.”
Cas just stares back, taking in Dean’s face. His cheeks are reddened from the kiss, as well as his nose from the cold. Cas surmises his ears would be too if they weren’t covered by the beanie. Dean’s eyes sparkle, just like they always do on beautifully clear days like today. His lips are just a bit wet, so they sparkle too. He looks so very alive. And happy. Cas has to kiss him again.
When they break this time, Dean lifts his hands to cover Cas’ where they still rest on his cheeks. “Did you come out here to tell me something, or just kiss me silly? Not complainin’ if it’s the latter.”
Cas almost goes in to kiss him again before remembering. “Yes. Lunch is ready.”
“Awesome.” Dean takes Cas’ hands off his face and kisses the back of one before letting go. “Shall we?” he asks, gesturing back to the house.
“Wait,” Cas says, and kisses him once more.
✧🍂✧🍂✧🍂✧
“What was that?” Dean asks when they finish lunch.
“Hm?”
“That. Out there. Why were you so...y’know,” Dean says, putting his own hands on his face.
“Oh. I, uh. Was thinking about the last time I watched you raking leaves.”
Dean looks down at his empty plate. “Ah.”
They’d talked about the spying before. It was neither of their favorite subjects. They’d been through a lot, and not all of it was sunshine and rainbows. But they’d made it here, sitting across from each other, married (for nine months!), in a house they shared, together.
“I was thinking about what I wanted to do then,” Cas admits. “What I couldn’t possibly do then. And how I get to do that now.”
Dean looks up. “Ah?”
“Yeah. I can kiss you now. It’s sublime.”
Dean smiles. “Like the band?” Dean expects an eyeroll for that one, but Cas gets up and comes over to Dean’s side of the table. Dean turns his chair towards him, and Cas puts his arms on the armrests. He leans down to rest his forehead on Dean’s.
“I love you,” Cas says.
“Love you, too.” Dean is the one to lean in for the kiss this time. “Wanna come watch me finish the yard? You can interrupt me whenever you like.”
Cas turns to collect their plates. “After I clean up in here.”
Dean reaches to stop him. “I can do those.”
“No, it’s all right. I know you don’t like doing dishes.”
Dean smiles cheekily. “Thought I was hiding that pretty well.”
“Well, I know you pretty well.”
His smile turns fond. “You do.”
Cas takes the plates to the kitchen. “See you outside.”