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Daphne Allen smiled as she entered Portable Magic , the local bookstore that was run by Sam and Castiel Winchester. She couldn’t help it, there was such a pleasant, cosy atmosphere, with its rows of shelves and the permanent smell of pages and coffee. And, Daphne had to admit, there was something deeply pleasing about both Sam and Castiel.
Sam was tall, with brown hair that fell down to just above his shoulders and kind, understanding eyes. He generally wore flannel shirts and jeans, and, the few times that Daphne had seen him outside of the store, had some kind of jacket over his usual outfit. Daphne would freely admit that she had a crush on the co-owner of the store, Castiel, whose dark, messy hair and bright blue eyes always put her in mind of an angel. That, coupled with his tendency to dress in adorably nerdy sweaters and ties, made Daphne wish that he was single.
She knew that Sam was Castiel’s brother-in-law (Sam had mentioned it once with a pointed look that Daphne would rather not interpret), and Castiel wore a light gold wedding ring on his hand, but she had never seen Castiel’s wife in the store and Castiel never talked about her, so she figured that a little bit of flirting with the man wouldn’t do anyone any harm. She was pretty sure Castiel didn’t even notice.
Portable Magic would be perfect if it wasn’t for…
“Ow!” Daphne jumped back as she felt tiny teeth biting into her leg and looked down at the only part of the bookstore that she didn’t like.
The large tabby cat hissed at her, baring its teeth.
“Dean!” Castiel appeared and scooped the cat up into his arms.
The cat kept glaring at Daphne, its green eyes narrowed in an unmistakable expression of dislike. Castiel hugged the cat close to his chest and gave Daphne an apologetic look.
“I am so sorry, Daphne.”
“It’s fine, Cass,” Daphne said, smiling at the man.
The cat hissed at her again. Castiel kept a tight hold on the creature as he carried the tabby behind the counter before depositing him next to a pile of books.
She assumed the cat was Castiel’s since it was always trailing around after the man, rubbing up against his legs and purring. Neither of the owners really talked about it much, other than the occasional apology for its habit of attacking Daphne.
“I really don’t understand why he doesn’t like you, he’s normally so friendly.” The cat shot Castiel what could only be described as a reproachful look as he apologised to Daphne.
“It really is fine, I’m sure he’s just being protective,” Daphne said, trying to reassure Castiel.
“Overprotective,” Castiel said with a pointed look at the cat.
“Hey, Daphne,” Sam said as he entered the store through a door that, presumably, led to where they kept the books that weren’t on sale. “What can we do for you?”
“Um, I had an order coming in?”
“Of course,” Castiel said with a smile before he ducked behind the counter and pulled out a brown paper bag with Daphne’s name written across it in neat cursive.
“Thank you,” Daphne said as she took the package.
She lingered for a few seconds but a particularly hateful look from the cat made her think better of it. She passed a woman with fiery red hair as she left the shop. When Daphne turned back for one last look, the woman was hugging Sam, and the cat was curling around her legs, purring.
-
“Charlie!” Sam said, delighted at the woman’s presence. “I thought you were going to be gone until next week.”
“We decided to cut our trip short. Dorothy’s unpacking back at home, but I wanted to pop in and see you guys,” Charlie said with a massive grin as she looked around Portable Magic . “The store looks good.”
“Yeah, we’ve been pretty busy, and we, of course, have our regulars,” Sam said with a pointed look at the door.
Charlie looked back, remembering the woman that had passed her as she entered.
“How many of them are women who come here for the eye candy?” Charlie asked.
Dean hissed and shot Castiel a pointed glare.
“Dean thinks that some of them are flirting with me,” Castiel said with an eye roll.
“Some of them are, Cass,” Sam said.
“I don’t understand why you’re so worried, Dean,” Castiel said as he lifted the cat up into his arms. “You do realise that I am gay?”
Dean mewed grumpily, very clearly saying that that’s not the point .
“I think Dean’s upset because some of them clearly don’t realise that,” Sam said.
“Aw, don’t you think it’s kind of sweet how protective he is?” Charlie said with a chuckle as she playfully poked at Dean, who turned his glare on her.
“Not when it might be scaring away customers,” Castiel grumbled.
Dean huffed irritably, but his discontented sounds turned into purrs as Castiel began stroking the fur along his back.
“You guys are both gross,” Sam informed them with an eye roll before turning to Charlie. “So, are you and Dorothy going to the Roadhouse tonight?”
“Wouldn’t miss it,” Charlie said with a grin.
-
Dean spent most of the rest of the day lounging around on the counter beside Castiel or walking around the store, greeting customers. While he disliked some of them who seemed to take the wedding ring that Castiel wore as a challenge instead of a deterrent, he mostly liked the customers. Many of them were witches, like Castiel and Sam, looking for books of spells or on other more supernatural topics.
The magic community in their hometown of Lawrence, Kansas, was small and tight-knit. Ellen and Jo Harvelle, two witches that ran a bar called Harvelle’s Roadhouse with Jo’s familiar, Ash, had been a part of the Winchester’s family since they had taken Sam and Dean in when their father had died in a car crash.
Ellen had also been the person who had introduced Dean and Sam to Castiel. After meeting him, it had taken Dean almost a year to finally work up the courage to ask him out. Only six months later, Dean had proposed to Castiel and suggested that they complete their familiar bond.
After Sam and Castiel had shut the store for the day, Castiel and Dean walked back to their apartment to get ready to go to the Roadhouse. Dean stayed as a cat, walking briskly beside the witch, his tail held straight up in the air.
Only once they had made it back to their apartment did Dean transform, going from tabby cat form to human, wearing a pair of jeans, a black shirt, and a red flannel.
“Okay, Cass, my problem with all of those women-”
“Are you seriously still on that?” Castiel said, sighing as he pulled off his trenchcoat and threw it over the back of their couch.
“I just wish you would do more to stop them from flirting with you, especially when I am right there!” Dean collapsed onto the couch, running his hands through his hair with a sigh. “Is it really so much to ask, Cass?”
“Dean,” Castiel said as he walked forward so that he was standing between Dean’s legs. “I don’t even notice it half the time.”
“And what do you do about it when you do notice it?” Dean asked grumpily.
“I ignore it.”
“See, and that’s-”
“ Dean ,” Castiel said again as he straddled Dean’s lap. “You can’t honestly believe that I could ever love anyone the way I love you, especially not any of those women. Even if I wasn’t, as Charlie puts it ‘hella gay’.”
Dean laughed despite himself when Castiel used his fingers to make air quotes.
“Stop being adorable and reasonable,” Dean said, pouting. “It’s annoying.”
“I apologise,” Castiel said as he began kissing Dean’s neck.
“Cass, I’m trying to be mad at you right now,” Dean complained even as he tilted his head back to give Castiel more access.
“Would you like me to stop?” Castiel whispered into Dean’s ear.
Dean shivered, and a quiet whimper escaped from him. Castiel hummed, satisfied, before continuing to kiss up Dean’s throat and along his jaw.
“You’re so beautiful,” Castiel said, pulling back to look down at Dean reverently.
“You’re not too bad yourself,” Dean said, smiling up at Castiel.
“I love you more than anything else. You mean so much to me, and I value your love too much to notice anyone else.” Castiel pressed their foreheads together and rested one of his hands on Dean’s cheek. “Okay?”
“Yeah, okay, Cass,” Dean said. He reached up and ran his hand over Castiel’s face, smiling when the witch leaned into the touch.
“Good,” Castiel breathed, turning his head slightly to kiss Dean’s palm.
They shared one more deep kiss before Castiel pulled back and stood up.
“We should probably leave sometime in the next ten minutes. I’m going to take a shower.” Castiel paused and shot Dean a coy smile. “Would you like to join me?”
“Oh, hell yes,” Dean said as he practically leapt off the couch and followed Castiel out of the room.
-
Dean’s arm was around Castiel, keeping him close against his side when they entered the Roadhouse. Jo waved from behind the bar, and Ash, who was sitting at the counter, turned briefly before focusing on his laptop again. Sam, Charlie and Dorothy weren’t there yet, but some other witches and familiars greeted Sam and Dean as they approached Jo.
“Hey, Jo,” Dean said as he and Castiel sat down at the bar. “Whiskey?”
“Coming right up,” Jo said with a grin.
“Just a water for me, Jo,” Castiel called.
“You’re so boring,” Dean said with a fond laugh.
“And you are so sleeping on the couch tonight,” Castiel replied with a playful frown.
“Okay, okay, I take it back, you are so not boring,” Dean said, pressing a kiss to Castiel’s pouting lips. “You’re the most interesting person I know. I love it when you talk about bees for hours.”
Castiel sighed as Jo placed their drinks in front of them.
“Don’t worry, Dean,” the woman said, grinning as she leaned forward. “When Cass kicks you out, I’m sure Mom will let you sleep on the pool table.”
“Cass wouldn’t kick me out, he loves me too much,” Dean said.
“Unfortunately, that’s probably true,” Castiel said to Jo, who laughed.
“I do enjoy listening to you talking about bees,” Dean said once Jo had left to serve some witches across the bar. “I love that you’re so passionate about stuff.”
Castiel turned, raising an eyebrow at Dean.
“Really?”
“Of course.” Dean leaned in and kissed Castiel. “I love everything about you.”
“Can you stop making out?” Charlie said as she sat down beside them, Dorothy beside her. “It’s gross.”
“We’re not making out,” Dean protested.
“Just keep the PDA to a minimum,” Dorothy said, shaking her head as she waved at Jo. “The usual for us, Jo.”
“Got it. Welcome home, by the way,” Jo said.
“Thanks,” Charlie replied.
Sam arrived a few minutes later, and the group spent the night drinking (Sam stuck to water, but Dean managed to persuade Castiel to do some shots with him) and catching up.
Castiel and Dean walked home together, hand in hand. It was past midnight by the time Dean and Castiel got home and collapsed into bed.
Dean turned into a cat and curled up on Castiel, purring deeply. Castiel ran his hands through Dean’s thick fur as he closed his eyes.
“I love you, Dean,” Castiel said.
Dean purred back, pressing his face into Castiel’s neck.
-
The next week, when Daphne went into Portable Magic to browse for books (and flirt with Castiel), the cat wasn’t there.
“Good morning, Daphne,” Castiel said, smiling warmly from behind the counter.
“Hello, Cass,” Daphne said. “Where’s the cat?”
“He wanders sometimes,” Castiel said vaguely.
“Right,” Daphne said.
She began looking at the books on display, wondering if Castiel was watching her. She looked up when she heard the door of the shop open.
The man who entered was very attractive, with short blonde hair and vivid green eyes. He shot Daphne a smirk which looked almost smug before he walked over to the counter and put a paper bag down in front of Castiel.
“I got your lunch from home, babe.”
“Thank you, Dean,” Castiel said, leaning across the counter to kiss the man.
Daphne only became aware that she was staring, her mouth hanging open, when the man, Dean, turned around.
“I’m Dean, Cass’ husband,” he said. “And you are?”
“Um, Daphne,” the woman said.
“Well, nice to meet you, Daphne,” Dean said before turning back to Castiel. “So, how’s your day been, sweetheart?”
Daphne quickly grabbed a book at random and brought it up to the counter. Castiel was still focused on Dean as he scanned the book and took the money for it. He gave Daphne a distracted smile and wished her a good day. The woman hurried out of the store, holding the book, a blush spreading across her face.
Castiel turned to Dean once Daphne was gone. The man grinned back at him.
“Are you satisfied?”
“Very,” Dean said as he circled around the counter. “I don’t suppose I could still sit in your lap?”
“You’re absurd,” Castiel said.
“But you love me,” Dean reminded his husband as he wrapped his arms around him, pulling him against his chest.
“I do,” Castiel replied.