Chapter Text
Cas and Dean woke up to Benny’s loud snores—if they could be called that. He sounded like a bull moose during mating season.
“Aw fuck” Dean swore.
Cas sighed “I guess it’s allergy season.”
“All right, you get one of those breathe right strips and then help me roll him over.”
“We don’t have any, Dean.”
“What? You sure?”
“You used the last of them last month when you had the flu. We haven’t gotten any more yet.”
“Well, do we have any Vicks?”
“I think so. I’ll so check” Cas got out of bed and checked the medicine cabinet in the bathroom. Ah, there was just enough . He rubbed it under Benny’s nose and then helped Dean roll him to his side.
After a particularly loud snort the snoring eased into a soft wheezing.
Cas crawled back into bed “He really should be tested for sleep apnea.”
“Oh come on, Cas, this only happens during allergy season and really only when the pollen gets high. Anyway, since you’re awake, let’s step into the study.”
“I literally just got back in bed.”
Dean whispered in his ear “It’s about Benny’s birthday.”
Benny’s birthday was in a couple of weeks and so far they hadn’t planned anything.
Cas glanced at the clock, an hour before Benny had to be awake for work. “Fine but you’re making breakfast.”
…
“So I was thinking” Dean said once they were in the study “for his birthday we should go down to Louisiana.”
“Why? And why are we talking about this now? Before coffee? Can’t it wait till he’s at work?”
Dean plopped himself in Cas’s lap “Don’t be such a grump.”
“You’ve known me how long?”
Dean kissed him “We haven’t been to Louisiana in a while and that Jazz Fest in New Orleans is the week of his birthday.”
“Do you mean for this to be a surprise? He would have to ask for time off.”
“I already worked it out with Ellen.”
“Of course you have. I expect you also have an idea of how to get him to go along.”
“Yep. I’ll need your help.”
“We are not knocking him out again, Dean. He’s too heavy.”
“No, I know, once was enough.”
“You don’t even like Jazz.”
“But Benny does and so do you” Dean sighed “Okay, I’ll go start the coffee. We’ll talk after you’re more awake.”
Cas put his head down on the desk “Appreciate it.”
…
Cas was on his second cup of coffee when Benny came out to the kitchen dressed in his work clothes—a cheap suit from Sears.
“Why in the hell did I wake up with that minty slime under my nose?”
“You were snoring, teddy bear” Dean flipped a pancake.
“Aw damn, no wonder my eyes are stinging like a mosquito during June.” Benny kissed Dean and then Cas before pouring his own coffee “How long you two been up?”
“Since you woke us up” Cas replied “for a minute I was sure there was a moose in the room with us.”
“Little more than an hour” Dean put a plate of pancakes in front of each of them “And there aren’t any moose in Kansas, Cas.”
“Tell that to my brother.”
“You mean the one who’s fucking my brother?”
“Oh I’m pretty sure Sam’s the one on top.”
“He better be.”
“This coming from a certified bottom?”
“Anyway” Benny cleared his throat “I was thinkin’ of picking up supper on the way home tonight. Any preferences?”
“Sonics” they both said.
“Okay, the usual?”
“Yes.”
“I swear you two need more variety. I’ll call if I have to work late. I’m sorry I woke you two up.”
“It’s not your fault Benny” Dean said.
“No, it’s the cottonwood’s fault” Cas said.
“Yeah well, too bad it’s not in our yard otherwise I’d chop it down myself.”
“Don’t worry about it fellas” Benny told them “We could always…”
Cas kicked him under the table before he could finish. He knew damn well Dean hated talking about moving. Benny wanted to, somewhere with better weather, fishing, not to mention more liberal. Cas was inclined to agree especially since Dean was attacked for his lifestyle. Kansas as a whole was getting better by strides and of course there were individuals like Gordon Walker everywhere but still…
Benny got it rough from the guys at the precinct, he only still had a job because his captain was a friend of the Winchesters and her own daughter was bisexual. And Cas would certainly like to live somewhere where polyamorous relationships were more accepted or at the very least brushed off with a shrug and a ‘whatever floats your boat’.
But Dean refused to move. He also refused to give them a valid reason.
“We could always what, Benny?” Dean asked.
“Get an air purifier” Benny said with a cough and a return kick. “I know you don’t like the way they smell, but I think after a time you’d get used to it. Might help with your allergies too.”
“I don’t have any allergies.”
“You’re allergic to cats” Cas said and getting a pet cat was one thing he and Benny agreed on.
And it wasn’t that Dean didn’t like cats, he certainly liked them better than dogs. He just had some weird aversion to pets. He didn’t even want a goldfish. So Cas and Benny were stuck getting their cat fix in at the animal shelter.
Dean sighed “Guys, I’m not in the mood for your power point on why we should get a cat.”
“We weren’t going to show it to you” Cas told him “though I have added to it if you’re interested.”
“No.”
“Well,” Benny finished his breakfast “I better get.” He kissed them both “see you boys later.”
As soon as he left Dean said “Okay now, about his birthday.”
…
Once Benny was at his desk he texted Cas. Meet me for lunch. Don’t tell Dean.
A few minutes later he got a response. Where? Why?
Biggersons on 4th. I’ll explain later.
…
Benny had already ordered by the time Cas got there.
“You’re lucky there’s a Dr. Sexy marathon on” he said as he slid into the booth “I wouldn’t have been able to shake him otherwise.”
“I know. I checked the TV guide before I texted you.”
“What’s up?”
“We have to talk to him.”
“About what?”
“The assault. Why he don’t wanna move, why he don’t wanna pet. Mainly the assault ‘cos he hasn’t talked about it since it happened and I’m worried.”
“So am I.”
“I know how we agreed to give him time but it’s been three months now and he hasn’t even tried finding another job.”
“I know. He doesn’t need to though.”
“I know he don’t need to but you know he likes working. He only got that mechanic’s job ‘cos he didn’t wanna feel dependent on us.”
“I know, I know” Cas pinched the bridge of his nose “You’re not the only one who’s worried, Benny.”
“What about the moving and pet thing? You’ve known him longer than me, you have any ideas? There’s nothing holding him here.”
“Sam.”
“Sam’s only here ‘cos Dean asked him to, you know that.”
“Dean’s been very quiet about his childhood, you know this. I didn’t even meet him till after his father died.” Cas took a breath “All I know is that Dean and Sam moved around a lot after their mother died. We’ll have to talk to Sam.”
“How are we gonna do that without Dean finding out?”
“Gabriel.”
“Gabriel?”
“Gabriel’s been experimenting with new pies. Dean can be his guinea pig.”
…
While Dean was taste-testing Gabriel’s pies, Cas and Benny saw Sam at his office.
Sam leaned back in his chair, sleeves rolled up and tie loosened “If you guys think me moving is the only way to get Dean to move, I’ll be more than happy to move out of the tornado belt.”
“Okay, but why does he refuse to even talk about it?’ Benny asked “He hasn’t given us a real reason.”
Sam sighed “You know Dean has a problem talking about his feelings. Other people’s feelings, no problem but his? It’s always been like that. I gotta say though, he’s opened up a lot since the three of you became a thing. Why aren’t you talking to him about this?”
“You know why, Sam” Cas said.
“I don’t know what to tell you. I’d suggest a counselor but I don’t know of any that specialize in what you three have.”
“Balthazar might” Cas said “He’s poly.”
“He’s also single” Benny said.
“But he knows people.”
“He lives in San Francisco.”
“So? It can’t hurt to ask.”
“It can if Dean finds out.”
Sam rolled his eyes “God, you guys are whipped.”
“We’re not ashamed of it” Cas and Benny said as one.
…
Meanwhile…
Gabriel set another piece of pie in front of Dean “This one is raspberry mocha cream.”
“Yum” Dean dug in.
“So what I don’t get” Gabriel sat across from him “is what’s so great about you that you’ve got two guys worshipping the ground you walk on?”
Dean shrugged “You got me. God knows I don’t deserve either one of ‘em.”
“I didn’t say that. You really couldn’t choose between them?”
“No. I can’t explain it. Fuck, they hated each other at first though. So I told ‘em ‘both of you or neither of you’.”
“So, I’m kinda confused. Were you already with Cas when you met Benny or…?”
Dean shook his head “No, not really. I was still kinda in the closet. This is good, man” he indicated the pie, which also indicated he was done with this conversation.
“Okie dokie, would you say this pie is ready for the public?”
…
“Dean’s never gonna go for a counselor, even if we do find one” Benny said, as he and Cas did some grocery shopping—since that’s what they’d told Dean they were doing.
Cas sighed as he tossed a jar of marshmallow fluff in the cart “I know but let’s at least see if Balthazar can come up with anything first. We might get lucky.”
“Not if Dean finds out.” Benny picked up a bag of cornmeal “Think he’ll want dinner or be too stuffed full of pie?”
“I expect he’ll be hungry at some point. Let’s stop at Pussy Willow’s, we’re almost out of lube.”
“Okay. I think I need a size up in c-“
Cas clapped a hand over his mouth and indicated the elderly woman who’d just walked into the aisle.
Benny shoved his hand away “I don’t know who’s worse sometimes, you or Dean.”
…
Balthazar called Cas the next day. He took the call in the study even though Dean was in the driveway waxing the Impala.
“You’re in luck, Cassie” said Balthazar with what sounded like the ocean in the background. “I happen to know three lovely ladies who are in a relationship much like yourselves.”
“Really?”
“Yes, Charlie, Gilda, and Dorothy.”
“Are any of them counselors?”
“Well, not yet but Charlie’s taking classes. Best I can do Cas.”
“No, it’s all right. And they live in San Francisco?”
“Yes, but they’ll be relatively near you end of the month. They’re going to that jazz fest in New Orleans.”
“They are? That’s perfect, Bal. We’re doing down there for Benny’s birthday.”