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Things were different after Jack took over. There were less natural disasters. Less apocalypses. That was good. But some things remained the same. Sam and Dean’s luck stayed bad. Jack said it was something about restoring the natural order of the world. All Dean knew was that he got sick more. He hadn't blown his nose this much in his life. Cas was in bed for a week straight with chills and a fever from a flu that barely touched anyone else. Oh, that was one thing that actually was different. When Jack pulled Cas out of the Empty, he pulled him out without his Grace. Cas was human. Permanently, this time, at least according to Jack. No more miracles to restore his powers. No take-backsies.
It was impossible for Dean to tell exactly how Cass felt about all of it it. It had to be strange. Terrifying, even. But Cas fell into a routine in the Bunker as if nothing had happened, so Sam and Dean tried to have the same attitude. Well, Dean did. Sam, being his usual sensitive self, asked on repeat how Cas was coping and if he could do anything until Cas flatly responded that being human was a small price to pay in exchange for being able to grow old with the love of his life. Cas had stared pointedly at Dean. Sam had stopped asking questions. Dean had moved Cas into his room that same day.
Cas had already experienced having to eat and sleep, but Dean knew that it had always been a sign of something wrong, like Cas’s Grace fading or having to protect someone without any powers to do it with. Cas had never just been able to experience the different parts of being human. Dean wanted to give that to him.
One new experience for Cas was learning the concept of weather. Namely, that it changed regularly.
“Dean, turn on the heat.”
Dean slapped Cas’ hand just before it reached the controls and ignored the wounded expression on the former Angel’s face.
“Oh, no. I told you it was cold out today. And Sam’s a freaking walking weather forecast. It’s October, Cas!”
“Seasons are meaningless to celestial beings. Forgive me for not remembering that this body gets cold.” Cas turned his face to the window. Dean sighed.
“Look, you can wait in the car while I run into the store, and then you can get your coat on back at the Bunker.”
“I don’t own a coat.” Cas’ voice was muffled against the window pane.
“Oh.”
Right. Cas had shown up at the Bunker with nothing. Absolutely nothing. Apparently Jack had forgotten that clothing existed for a second. Whatever, Dean had just been happy to have Cas back. They'd made do with what they had the Bunker and then bought him new stuff on trips into town, but this was the first time the weather had turned cold. Apparently they had overlooked the fact that Cas would need a coat and Cas, apparently not understanding how seasons worked, hadn't said anything.
Dean was a terrible boyfriend. But hey, he was Cas' boyfriend so he wasn't going to wallow in self pity or self hatred. Life was too short.
Dean eased the Impala up alongside the curb and shifted it into Park. He pulled off his green jacket.
“Here.”
Cas blinked at him with those wide eyes.
“Dean..”
“No, don’t make a big deal out of it, if you catch cold then it’ll be my ass out on the couch with all your coughing. Just put it in.”
Dean did not and would at no point ever admit that Cas looked good in his clothes, even though the green really did bring out Cas’ eyes. None of that stopped him from blatantly staring as Cas snuggled into the jacket.
“But you are gonna need your own stuff. Come on.”
He drug Cas into a clothing store that was way too overpriced, but Cas’ expression as he ran his hands over a fuzzy orange sweater immediately had Dean ignoring the price tags.
“Right, okay, yeah, so we’re getting you all of these.”