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February 13
"Too early," Dean mumbles against Cas's shoulder.
"I need to get on the road if I'm going to be back in time to watch the movie with you tomorrow night," Cas says, rubbing a hand up and down Dean's back.
Dean throws a leg over Cas. "Five more minutes."
"Dean…" Cas murmurs as he tries to slide out his hold. "Claire needs me."
"Ugh, fine!" Dean rolls onto his stomach, sliding into the warm space that Cas leaves behind. "Don't forget the pizza!"
Cas drags the comforter up and tucks it around Dean's shoulders. "How could I? You gave me a very specific list of toppings."
Dean raises his head to glare at Cas. "You put fucking pineapple on it last time! You're on probation, buddy!"
"Buddy!" Cas scoffs, but he leans down and presses a kiss to Dean's cheek. "I'll be back tomorrow afternoon. With pizza."
"Mmph," Dean grumbles into Cas's pillow.
February 14
"Dean?" Cas's footsteps ring loudly as he makes his way down the stairs into the bunker. "Hello…? Dean…?"
"Back here, sweetheart! In the Dean Cave!"
Cas follows Dean's voice, balancing a pizza on one hand, the handle of a plastic shopping bag gripped in the other. It's Valentine's Day—the fifth Valentine's Day they've spent as a couple—but as usual, Dean insisted he didn't want to make a fuss. It's just a made-up cash grab from Big Candy, Dean had said in the days before their first Valentine's Day.
Big Candy Conspiracy or not, Cas got him a heart-shaped box of chocolates that first year, and every Valentine's Day since. Never anything too fancy. This year's came from the checkout counter at the Gas-N-Sip in Cimarron. Dean will protest, but his cheeks will pink up with pleasure, and later, his mouth will taste like chocolate.
As he rounds the corner into the Dean Cave, Cas says,
"I'm sorry I'm late. Claire insisted on stopping at the Bigfoot museum. I told her…" His voice trails off as he looks around the room. The lights are dim which isn't unusual, but the dozen flickering candles are. The recliners have been pushed back against the wall, and the kitchen table is in their place, dressed with a white linen tablecloth, and set for two with the Men of Letters' finest china.
Dean's back is to him, and he's holding his lighter to one of two slender candles set in the middle of the table. "I hope you're hungry, dinner's just about ready."
"Dean, what is all this?"
Dean lights the second candle and turns around. He's wearing a black apron over a crisp white shirt and a deep green silk tie. He's smiling and his cheeks are flushed. "The table? It was Sam's idea. Looks nice, huh?"
"Yes, it looks very nice. But dinner…?"
"Yeah, I just have to put the pasta on. I pressed your black slacks." Dean leans a hip against the table and winks. "The ones I like."
Cas looks down at his dark jeans and blue Henley, an outfit that's almost too formal for cuddling on the couch and watching a movie. But Dean's clearly dressed for something nicer, and Cas is starting to think he should have checked his phone today.
"I thought we were having pizza and watching your Bloody Valentine."
"It's My—" But then Dean seems to notice the pizza box and frowns. "You brought pizza? I told you I was making dinner."
Cas looks down at the box and then back at Dean. "You said to get pizza."
"I said—You forgot, didn't you?" Dean looks at the ceiling and mutters, "He forgot. Of course he forgot."
"What did I forget?" He has the pizza. He even picked up a six pack of beer.
"If I told you…" Dean sighs, hands on his hips, clearly exasperated. "Look, I got marinara sauce on the stove, so if you wanna talk, you're gonna have to come to the kitchen." He turns on his heel and marches out of the room. "Bring the pizza. No sense wasting it," he calls over his shoulder.
"It's your favorite," Cas calls after him, but Dean just grunts and keeps walking. Under his breath, Cas mutters, "The one you asked me to bring."
The kitchen is fragrant with the scent of garlic. Warm and humid with the heat of the oven and the steam from two large pots bubbling on the stove. Dean lifts the lid of the pot on the right, and eyes the contents critically. With a sniff, he says, "You're just lucky this didn't burn, buddy."
Dean normally says "buddy" in almost the same tone he says "sweetheart". This isn't that.
Cas stands in the empty place where the table usually sits, still holding the pizza and his shopping bag.
Dean doesn't turn around. His shoulders are tense as he stirs the marinara sauce with more than necessary vigor. "I can't believe you forgot our anniversary," he mumbles into the pot.
"Our anniversary?"
"Yes!" Dean says, spinning on his heel to meet Cas's eyes. A splash of red sauce flies from the spoon, splattering across the upper cabinets. "Our anniversary, Cas! You know, February 14th! The anniversary of our marriage!"
At Cas's blank look, Dean lets out an angry growl and throws the spoon down onto the stove. Without another word, he marches out of the kitchen, and a moment later, their bedroom door slams.
The kitchen is silent except for the hiss of boiling water, and the hum of the air compressor. Cas isn't sure if it's wise to follow Dean; sometimes he needs time to cool down. With a sudden hiss of steam, boiling water starts to overflow the pot. Cas turns off the burner and shifts the pot to the cool burner at the back, and then he turns the temperature under the marinara sauce down to low.
"Someone's in trouble," Eileen sing songs as she comes through the kitchen door.
"I don't understand," Cas says and signs. "We were just going to eat pizza."
"You forgot your anniversary, dude," Sam says with a light punch to his shoulder. "You're going to be sleeping on the couch. Dean's pissed."
"I don't need to—" He shakes his head, this isn't about sleeping. "Sam, today is not our anniversary."
They gape at him for a moment, and then they shake their heads sadly.
Eileen says, "It's worse than we thought."
Sam says, "Better start making up the spare bedroom." Then he frowns and checks the marinara pot. "At least he turned it down," he mutters.
Eileen opens the cupboard and gets out a bowl and holds it still while Sam scoops and scrapes the sauce into it. Eileen carefully gathers the fresh pasta, drying on a cotton towel, and seals it into a large plastic bag, and puts everything in the refrigerator.
As Sam rinses out the pot, he says, "Dean called me. From your bedroom. Across the hall." The pot clatters into the sink, and Sam turns around and leans against the counter to frown at Cas. "He asked me to put the food away. He said"—Sam curls his fingers into little quotes— "'Just because my husband is a dumb-ass, doesn't mean I'm gonna let good food go to waste'."
"He's been cooking for hours," Eileen adds, shooting a disappointed look at the pizza box still sitting on the counter.
"But we're not… married…?" Cas's voice rises at the end, making it sound like a question. Which is ridiculous, because of course they're not! They've been… something… It's hard to put a name to what they are to each other. They've been together for years. This is the fifth Valentine's Day they're spending as a couple.
Dean loves him. Cas loves Dean. But they aren't married.
Sam and Eileen gasp in tandem and then they pivot, mirroring each other as they make the sign for shocked. Then they sign furiously at each other, eyebrows climbing up into their hairlines. With the way they're facing each other, Cas can only pick up parts of the conversation, but he catches a few words: shapeshifter, rude, and most worryingly curse.
When they round on him again, they look angry. Sam's been angry at Cas before, but never Eileen.
"Sam! He's not wearing his ring!" Eileen looks shocked. Outraged!
"I don't… have… a ring?" Cas says haltingly, holding out both hands to show bare fingers.
They gasp.
Sam pinches his mouth into a flat line. "I don't know what you're playing at Cas. I could almost believe Lucifer is possessing you again."
Eileen snatches the pizza box off the counter. "I'm going to give this to Dean!" She turns on her heel, and marches out the door and down the hall to Dean's—and Cas's—bedroom.
"If he can even eat after this," Sam adds, giving Cas a dark look. He turns and stomps down the hall after Eileen.
With his angelic hearing, Cas can just make out the sound of Eileen knocking and offering Dean the pizza through their closed bedroom door.
Cas takes out his phone to call Claire. This is exactly the kind of elaborate prank she might cook up with Dean. He could believe it was a performance if it was only Eileen, but not Sam. He's just not that good of an actor.
Worryingly, he has 23 unread texts, and he scrolls through them with growing confusion.
[ Friday 10:13 AM] CLAIRE: Why didnt you remind me about vday?!?!?! 🤬
[ Friday 10:13 AM] CLAIRE: I had to get Kaia gas station chocolate like some kind of loser 😡😡😡
[ Friday 10:14 AM] CLAIRE: BTW Kaia says to tell you happy anniversary 😉
[ Friday 11:09 AM] SAM: Happy anniversary! 🎉🥂🍾
[ Friday 11:11 AM] SAM: And can we please not have a repeat of last year? We have to sit on that couch too 😷
[ Friday 11:33 AM] EILEEN: Happy anniversary bestie! 🥳🫶
[ Friday 11:34 AM] EILEEN: Don't worry about Sam 🙄🙄🙄
[ Friday 11:35 AM] EILEEN: You can have all the sexcapades in the dean cave you want while I distract him!😉😜😘
[ Friday 12:46 PM] SPAM RISK: URGENT Your grandson was arrested in Mexico last night. Need bail money immediately Western Union Wire $9500 http://goo.gl/ndf4g5
[ Friday 1:19 PM] JODY: Happy anniversary and thanks for helping Claire with the case
[ Friday 2:30 PM] GARTH: Happy anniversary Big Castiel!!! 🏳️🌈
[ Friday 2:32 PM] GARTH: Little Castiel says to ask if you are still coming for his soccer tournament next month ⚽️🥅
[ Friday 3:42 PM] DONNA: Happy anniversary Cas!!! 💕💕💕💕💕💕
[ Friday 4:19 PM] CROWLEY: happy anniversary feathers
[ Friday 4:19 PM] CROWLEY: Squirrel used to really liked it when I…
[ Friday 4:20 PM] CROWLEY: NVM I don't kiss and tell
[ Friday 4:20 PM] CROWLEY: Oh wait yes i do 😈
[ Friday 4:21 PM] CROWLEY: I told Dean about that one thing you like
[ Friday 4:22 PM] CROWLEY: You're welcome
[ Friday 4:28 PM] UNKNOWN: This is your CEO. I need your help. Please buy 50 Amazon gift cards for the holiday party. $100 each.
[ Friday 6:02 PM] DEAN: Hey sweetheart dinner's at 7
[ Friday 6:02 PM] DEAN: Wear that blue tie I like
[ Friday 6:05 PM] DEAN: Sam's already bitching about the couch 🙄
There's an Instagram notification from impala67, and he taps it. The link takes him to a picture of him and Dean, cheeks pressed together, grinning at the camera.
#WorthIt
He's never seen this picture before. He scrolls back through Dean's photos, and most of the pictures are familiar—until he reaches February 2021.
There's Claire in a puffy meringue dress, flowers in her hair.
There's Claire again, her skirt hiked up to show jeans and combat boots. She's sawing the bottom of her skirt off with a hunting knife, clearly biting back a smile as she flips off the camera.
Sam in a suit coat, standing between Dean and Cas, arms around their shoulders, eyes shining with happiness.
Cas and Dean under a flowered arbor, looking into each other's eyes. Jack in a white suit, holding up a single hand. Beatific.
A wedding cake with two grooms. Black paper wings taped to the one on the left.
A closeup of two hands clasped—Dean's hand, Cas's hand—showing off a pair of silver rings.
A photo of Baby. A Just Married sign taped to her bumper, strings of cans trailing behind her like a train.
This is… Are they… He needs to talk to Jack.
Cas paces the kitchen, waiting for Jack to answer his prayers, rapidly scrolling through the Instagram accounts of anyone he can think of who might have come to their "wedding". There are dozens of photos, and he doesn't remember any of them.
By the time a soft rustle of feathers heralds Jack's arrival, Cas is frantic. "Hello Castiel! I'm sorry I'm late. The cupids—"
He clutches Jack's shoulders. "Dean thinks we're married. Everyone thinks we're married! Are we married?"
"Yes," Jack says definitively. And then he pauses, considering. "No. Definitely not. You are definitely not married. Except that you kind of are."
"Jack…"
"It's complicated, Castiel. Maybe you should get Dean so he can hear this too."
Dean won't answer the door for Cas, so Jack has to pop inside. Cas can hear Dean's startled yelp from the kitchen, and he can't help but feel a tiny bit of satisfaction. A tiny bit.
A few moments later Jack opens the bedroom door from the inside, and walks to the kitchen in the normal human way. "Dean had his headphones on. He's coming."
As if that's the only reason he didn't answer Cas's knock.
Five minutes later, Dean stomps into the kitchen and points a finger at Cas. "I'm still not talking to you, pal!"
Dean's still in his fitted black slacks, but the top two buttons of his white dress shirt are open, and his tie is still threaded through his collar. He's beautiful. Cas thinks about the box of chocolate, still in his shopping bag, and sighs.
"Jack, don't let Cas tell you to make excuses for him. He's the one who—"
"Dean, Cas didn't forget your anniversary."
"Uh, yeah! He did," Dean says, glaring at Cas.
"He really didn't, Dean. It's a Tulpa."
"A Tulpa," Dean says flatly. "That's the best—"
"It's from the TV series they made out of Chuck's books. A lot of people really loved it, even though sometimes it wasn't very good—"
"Bugs!" Dean snorts.
"—but they really loved 'Dean' and 'Cass'. Then they made that awful finale." Jack wrinkles his nose.
Cas nods. The finale was awful. And it hit like a last gotcha from Chuck, gleefully snatching away TV Team Free Will's happiness, and leaving the characters in an ambiguously unsettling limbo.
Dean likes to pretend he never watched the show, but he fumed about the finale for weeks. How the ending left "Cass" in The Empty. How "Dean" survived everything just to be killed by a pointy piece of metal on a milk-run vampire case. How "Sam" could have just used his cellphone to call 911.
"Everyone hated that ending," Jack continues. "Well… everyone except…"
"Except…?" Dean prompts.
"You know what! Never mind. You don't want to know. Almost everyone hated the finale. They all knew that 'Dean' and 'Cass' were meant to be together and they all hated their ending."
"Cool story, Jack, but what's it got to do with this guy forgetting his own anniversary?" Dean asks, jerking a thumb in Cas's direction.
"It's a Tulpa," Jack repeats. "You're not really married, Dean."
"Yes I am!"
"You're not. The fans rejected the finale, and they decided that you and Cas got married on Valentine's Day and lived happily ever after. Tulpa."
"Well that's—that's—that's just dumb! You're saying we're married because of 'fan fiction'? Is this a 'Destiel' thing? Oh my god, are people writing porn about us again?"
"I don't think they ever stopped," Cas murmurs, and Dean glares at him.
"So you're saying today—just all of a sudden today! Today, the universe decided we're married."
"Yes!" Jack beams at him. "Isn't it wonderful?"
"No!" Dean shouts.
Cas can't help himself. He flinches.
"Oh! Oh, no, sweetheart, no! I didn't mean it like that!" Dean takes Cas's hands in his. "I just meant… It feels kind of like… I don't know. Kind of like when Chuck was pulling our strings. Like we didn't have a choice."
Jack's expression crumples. "I can change it back, Dean! Let me change it back!"
"Wait, Jack. Just hang on. I just need a little time to… Let me just think about this for a minute."
Dean doesn't let go of Cas's hands, but he studies his feet for long moments. Without looking up he says, "Do you even want to be married to me, Cas? The Tulpa didn't work on you. Maybe you don't—"
"Of course I want to be married to you!" Cas squeezes his hands reassuringly. "This is beautiful! So many people believed in our love for each other that they shifted the universe just to see us get our happy ending. That's nothing like Chuck."
"'Beautiful'. That's—Shut up. You're beautiful," Dean mumbles, red-faced and looking at Cas from under his lashes. "Do you want to marry me, Cas? You? Not the universe. Just you."
"Dean, I want you. I want to be with you always. Married. Not married. It doesn't change how I feel. But if you're asking what I want? I want to be married to you."
Cas holds his breath while Dean studies him. Making sure. Finally a smile slides over his face. "You always know exactly what to say, sweetheart," he murmurs, squeezing Cas's hands. "Okay. Let's do it! Love wins. Jack, we're gonna stay married!"
And Cas leans in to kiss Dean's smiling mouth.