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June 12th, 2021
Everything seemed to have died down. There was no world altering threat that they needed to tend to, and everyone was left wondering how to spend the rest of their lives. Well…Most were wondering. Sam, however, knew exactly what he was going to do with it–which was: hunt down as many monsters as he could in the next year, then retire with Eileen in a townhouse in some city you’ve never heard of.
Dean, however, had no idea what he wanted to do. He had no one to settle down with, and no way to spend the rest of his life that appealed to him. He knew he wanted to stop hunting eventually, but what to do with all that extra time was unbeknownst to him.
He was thinking a lot with the extra time, not just about his prospective life of retirement, but also about some feelings that he would never share with anyone. Feelings of love and attraction that had always been buried under more important matters.
“Hello, Dean.” The deep voice came from behind him, snapping Dean out of his trance and forcing him to stop the flow of thoughts.
“Cas, what’s up?” Jack brought Cas back from The Empty a few months ago, and after rebuilding heaven he spent almost all of his time alongside them in the bunker. He even has his own room now.
“Sam found a case for us in San Francisco. He’s already hunting a Wendigo in Denver, so he’ll join us as soon as he’s done; he says it’ll only be in a few days.” His voice lacked all emotion, and was said straightforward and matter-of-factly. Yet he was clearly pre-occupied by his thoughts, just like how Dean was.
“Okay,” Dean said, putting his beer down on the desk in his room, “Let’s go to San Francisco.”
~~~~~~~~~
The drive there was quiet, except from a few comments about the case and what kind of monster they thought it was, and if they had the right weapons.
“So all the victims were found dead with their hearts ripped out, in the same area of woods. Seems pretty cut and dry to me.” Dean said, eyes glued to the road and unmoving.
“All that I’m saying is that we can’t be too careful, sure maybe it is a werewolf–but there’s no harm in interviewing witnesses and trying to find out who this werewolf is.
“Yeah, sure, whatever.”
They returned back into their silence, and watched as the rolling land flew past their mirrors.
~~~~~~
It was definitely a werewolf, they concluded after looking at the bodies. But for this to work they needed to know who it was, and to this question neither of them had the slightest hint, which lead to a day of researching in a rundown motel room.
“So, none of them were seen with anybody–and no one has raised the slightest bit of suspicion. Great, that’s just great.”
“Let’s interview them again, someone must have something they’re not telling us.”
“Yeah, maybe. It’s the best shot we have.”
So there they were sitting with one of the victim’s, Lily’s, mother. Talking over each detail of the case and making sure they weren’t missing anything. Then they reasked the question of people who may want to hurt her. Dean couldn’t imagine anyone wanting to kill an innocent seventeen year old girl.
“No! Of course not, everyone loved Lily. Her classmates, her friends, even her girlfriend.”
“Girlfriend? You never mentioned a girlfriend before.” Dean and Castiel looked over to each other, knowing that this could be the missing piece.
“Oh, I’m sorry, Lily made sure to make me never mention her to anyone–especially not people that may try and hurt her.”
“I’m sorry, but we need a name. This could help bring justice to your daughter.”
“Ashley, her name was Ashley. She works at the bar downtown.”
They got into the car and began to drive to said bar. Dean was slamming down on the accelerator, for no other reason than to get this case over with.
“Dean, if Lily had a girlfriend then that means all the victims were gay.”
“I know.” Dean said through gritted teeth.
“Well now we know what’s in common between them. The werewolf may not even know them, but tries to kill all the people like that he can see. That means we could have no idea who it is.”
Dean had nothing to say to that except for, I know. There was no way to find out who it was. The silence was deafening. Both men were thinking faster than they had in the last month, looking for a way to stop the killings.
The talk with Ashley got them nowhere, only that they were planning to go to the pride parade tomorrow evening together, and that she had been looking forward to it since forever. That conversation only gave them a time limit on the case, which they definitely didn’t need.
This lead them back to the motel at 8 o’clock at night, on a full moon. They needed to find a solution, now. It also wasn’t helping how distracted Dean got by looking at Castiel with nothing but his shirt and loosened tie on. But now was really not the time for that.
“I know a way to lure it out.”
“Seriously? Let’s do it.” Dean already started to get his stuff and go out the door, leaving Castiel scrambling to follow him.
Only once they got in the car did Dean ask how.
“It goes after gay people, so let’s pretend to be a couple.” Cas said it so simply like it had no meaning.
“What? No. We’ll have to come up with something else.” Dean wasn’t completely opposed to the idea, of course, but the idea of doing that as an act didn’t seem right to him. Like that wasn’t how it was supposed to happen.
“Look, Dean, I know you are… Uncomfortable with homosexuality, but surely you can see past that to save some people. Even you must understand that they don’t deserve to die.”
“Uncomfortable with homosexuality… Cas, you think I’m homophobic?” His voice was that of pure shock, dumbfounded by Cas thinking that of him.
“Well, aren’t you?” Cas responded quietly, looking out the window. Dean would be damned if he didn’t see the sadness in him.
“No! Of course not, Cas I would never…Why would you think that?”
“Dean everytime we have met someone who liked someone of the same gender you haven’t seemed the most…Welcoming.” Dean swallowed at that, knowing that it was a little true. But not for that reason.
“I’m not, in the least bit opposed to that, it’s just because we don’t meet many people like that. I’m fine with it, Cas, really. More than you think.” He pulled into the parking lot infront of the woods and leaned over to tighten Cas’ tie before leaving the car.
“And if you were like that, you could tell me. I would be completely fine with it. Please tell me you know that?”
“We’re here. Let’s go.”
“Right of course.” They left the car and Dean went to hold his best friend’s hand before entering.
“Relax, it’s just for the trick.” Dean said as they started walking.
They walked like that for a while, hand in hand, before Dean turned to push Cas up against a tree. He leaned in immediately for a kiss, and held it for a long time. Cas’ hands started fisting and holding on to the back of Dean’s shirt until they went up for air.
“Oh, Dean.” Cas whispered before going right back to it. His hands finding his way up his shirt.
Sure enough the werewolf made it’s appearance and threw Dean onto his side, resulting in a quick fire of a silver bullet from Cas.
“Thanks. Should we head back?” They headed back to the motel after a long day and didn’t speak of last night’s conversation until the next morning.
~~~~~
“Dean, I wish to speak of last night.” Cas broke the silence in the diner they found whilst Dean dug into his breakfast bacon.
“Okay…What part?”
“I don’t understand.”
“Last night was very eventful. What part of it do you ‘wish to speak of’.” Cas looked nervous. Dean couldn’t remember the last time he saw Cas nervous.
“Oh, um, all of it? But mainly our conversation.” Dean’s immediate reaction was to shut the conversation down, to deflect as he usually does. Yet he couldn’t bring himself to. Besides, Cas looked like he needed this.
“Do you remember when-when you told me that I could tell you if I was…” Dean could tell when his best friend was struggling, so he decided to help him out.
“Yeah, yeah, I remember. Do you want to tell me anything about that?” Dean asked softly, trying his best to be as welcoming as he could. More than Cas thought he was.
“I think I am. A homosexual, that is.”
“Thank you for telling me that. Obviously I still love and care about you. This doesn’t change anything between us.”
“About that, I was sort of hoping it would. Change things, I mean.”
Now Dean was the one with strong confusion.
“How so?”
“Well, I was wondering if there was anything you would like to tell me. Something that I promise to never share with anyone without your knowledge.”
I guess now is probably the best time to do it, Dean thinks to himself.
“Okay, so,” he places his food back down on his plate and prepares himself for what’s to come. “I’m bisexual.”
Cas smile was bigger than anyone had ever seen it. Unable or unwilling to mask even the slightest bit of his happiness. “Thank you, Dean. I appreciate you sharing this with me.”
“Well, to each their own and all that.” The angel got up from his place opposite Dean to walk around the diner booth and hug him. Dean reciprocated and soon enough Castiel returned to his place opposite him.
“Since we are both…Queer”, can you still say that? Castiel didn’t know, “I was wondering if you wanted to go to the parade with me. It’s in a couple of hours and it’ll be right down this street.”
“I don’t know, it’s a big step from just coming out to waving the flag.”
“Please, Dean. For me?” Well that was a surefire way to get Dean to do anything.
“Do I have to dress up? I won’t do it if I have to dress up.”
Cas couldn’t conceal his excitement, and it made Dean happy seeing the man he loved that happy.
“You’re the best, thank you.” Cas said and tentatively watched Dean finish his bacon before dragging him back to the motel to not dress him up, but in his words ‘make him look a little less like a lumberjack’. Not that Dean minded. In fact, he loved the care Cas put into this. You could tell that he’d been wanting to do it for a while. Not that Dean minded.
~~~~~~
When they arrived they were amazed by the amount of colour there was and the passion these people had for who they were.
Soon enough the two of them were marching amongst flags, and feeling a little left out they stopped to buy one.
They looked at the options that the man by the stall had, and Dean barely registered Cas’ hand draped around his waste.
“I’ll take this thanks.” Cas picked out the blue gay flag, a small one for no more than a dollar that had a little stick you could hold it by. He looked at it, pleased with himself, and then returned his gaze to the Winchester looking at the flags next to him.
“You can have whichever one you want Dean, it’s on me.” Dean leaned over and whispered something to him, something that no one else could hear.
“I don’t know which is mine.” Dean was ashamed, that anybody could see. Castiel nodded in realisation and then pointed out the right colors to Dean.
“It’s these, the pink, purple, and blue ones.” Cas whispered back to him, and Dean returned to staring at them.
“How-how much is this?” Dean gestured to the large bisexual flag, big enough to drape over you’re shoulders.
“For you? Five dollars. Is this your first parade?”
“Yeah. First day out of the closet, actually.” Dean looked back to Cas, as a sort of thank you.
“Wow. Congratulations. Here.” He handed the flag over and Dean did place it over his soldiers.
“Dean, I want you to know that it makes me so happy to see you like this.” Cas said, and Dean had to look out the floor to try and hide his beaming smile. “Come on, I think there’s more parading to do.”
They walked side by side with their flags in hand, enjoying every second of the sounds and colours. With every step their excitement increased, so incredibly happy to finally be out and proud.
After about 20 minutes Cas pulled Dean off to the side and told him to wait there whilst he got them some hot dogs. Dean gleefully agreed and watched as the people marched past him.
Taking in all the sights, he soon saw a small makeup stand not a couple of meters away from him. Normally he would’ve ignored such a thing, but today he was full of spontaneous surprises, and was sick and tired of hiding.
So, after the last man got up and left the seat he asked if he could sit down and maybe get his done. The lady working there was nothing short of friendly, and showed Dean a booklet of designs she could do for him.
What would Dad say? He briefly thought, but not in a self-reprimanding way, but in the giddy kind of way teenagers get when rebelling against their parents.
“This one, please.” He started fidgeting with excitement as the lady got her things ready, just like a little kid.
She got him to close his eyes and applied the eyeshadow, then moved onto the lipstick. Once that was over she asked him if he wanted any eyeliner, to which he promptly declined. Just because he was getting his makeup done doesn’t mean he had to completely lose sight of himself.
“Well, then you’re all done. Thanks, doll.” The lady said with a southern accent, and placed her supplies back to where they seem to belong.
“Wait. How much do I owe you?” Dean asked, slightly disoriented by the lady not immediately demanding cash.
“It’s free of charge. Go and have fun.” Dean was starstruck, insisted on paying her, but then after her- sixth? -refusal he turned to go back to the place where Cas told him to wait. Soon enough he appeared with the hot dogs, and Dean threw the flag over one shoulder so that he could eat it.
Soon enough he noticed Cas staring at him, in complete shock at what he was seeing.
“What? What are you looking at?” Dean asked, to which Cas snapped out of his mystical trance that Dean put him in.
“You got your makeup done.” Cas stated, a silent appreciation in his eyes.
“Do you…Do you like it?”
“Dean, you look amazing. So, so, beautiful.”
“Really? I didn’t think it was that good?” God, is this what being completely in love with someone feels like? Because Dean doesn’t think the red blooded hunter part of him can withstand the mushy feelings that were currently reigning supreme inside of him.
“It is incredible, Dean. I especially like the hearts.” Dean smiled at the start, but was then the realisation of what he had said settled in.
“Hearts? What hearts? I didn’t ask for hearts!” Cas started laughing, laughing at his realisation.
“Don’t worry, Dean. They are very pretty hearts.” Okay, that made him feel a little better, but still!
“Do you want to see them?” Cas asked, already pulling out his phone.
“Yes, please.”
Cas opened the front camera, and handed it over to Dean. He had the rainbow lipstick and pink, purple, and blue eye shadow that he had asked for; but also had two rainbow and one bisexual heart sitting proudly on his cheek.
“You’re right, they are pretty.” Dean said, reaching up to touch them.
“I know.” Cas replied. “Now, let’s get back to the march.”
They rejoined the large mass of people that never seemed to end, and walked–hands interlinked–for what felt like an hour. They also used up all of their phone storage with the thousands of selfies they took together. Selfies that he would kill anybody for if they tried to look at them.
A massive rainbow flag was being waved in front of them when Castiel decided to tell Dean how he wanted their relationship to change.
“Dean, you make me so profoundly happy. I love and treasure every day that we spend together, and I hope that you love them too. That being said, I was wondering if we could become a couple.”
The angel internally prayed for a yes, a yes of any kind; but instead he got, “Let’s get married.”
“What?” Cas asked, clearly left at a loss from that turn of events.
“We’ve been wanting each other for so long, we know that we work. Let’s get married.”
“If that’s what you really want.” Dean nodded in approval, and leaned in to kiss his best friend, again. When Dean finally pulled back, he noticed the lipstick he left on Cas’ lips. Instead of wiping it up or apologising he started giggling, giggling. Like a thirteen year old girl at a sleepover, the Dean Winchester, giggling. He really didn’t feel like himself today. But he liked the feeling, loved the feeling.
Dean cheered and waved his flag, and carried on marching; leaving Cas following him in amazement. He had never, in the twelve years he had known this man, seen him this happy. It was the best feeling you could possibly imagine.
They walked until the march was over, sat through some terrible traffic–all of which Dean giggled and laughed through– then retired back to the motel curled up beside each other.
Whilst they lay together Sam was left sitting in the bunker thinking about how hard this case must be for it to take two of the best hunters this long. I pity how hard they’re working. He thinks as he returns to his bed that Eileen and them both shared.
Dean wasn’t ready to go to bed yet, so he insisted on watching some Dr. Sexy as he fell asleep. Insistent that Cas simply must see this as soon as possible.
Cas didn’t understand Dr. Sexy MD, but he did like watching a show that his boyfriend–-husband, sorry—loves so much, while he has him resting his head on his chest and gasping at all the plot twists in the show. Dean fell asleep like this, with his head on his husband’s chest, as his guardian angel watched over him to the ambient sounds of Dr. Sexy.