Chapter Text
Castiel Novak sits at his desk, his Bluetooth headset blinking as he types away at his computer. “Mmhm,” he says softly, his hands pausing as he moves the mouse to click something. “Yes ma’am, your contract covers those possibilities… yes, even if that should occur, you would still receive compensation…” He sighs softly, rolling his eyes in the privacy of his sixteenth floor office. “Yes ma’am. No, ma’am, you’ll need to file a separate claim for that. Yes, the forms are on the website or available through the app. Yes ma’am. You’re very welcome. You have a good day. Goodbye.” He presses the button on his office phone, ending the call, and then removes the earpiece, throwing it on the desk with a heavy sigh.
Leaning back in his desk chair, he brings his arms over his head to stretch, the white material of his suit shirt straining. He stands, walking out from behind his desk and going over to the wall of windows that looks out on Green Lake and the park near his company’s offices. For a moment, he allows his mind to wander back to when his father used to take him to that park, flying kites and having picnics, usually accompanied by at least one of his brothers and sisters…
A soft knock at his office door brings him back to the here and now, and he straightens his plain black suit jacket as he says, “Come in.”
The door opens to show a man with long, golden hair and warm brown eyes, dressed in a sharp blue suit. “Cas! How’s it going, dude?”
“Gabriel,” the taller man says, smiling slightly at the nickname. “I’m fine, just finished up a call. How are you?”
“Great, great.” Gabriel Chambers, co-founder of 4C Insurance and Castiel’s boss, sits himself on the edge of the desk. “So, I have a proposition.”
For the second time in five minutes, Castiel rolls his eyes, turning back to the window. Periodically, Gabriel would come to him with these “propositions”, which were really just schemes to get Castiel a partner. “Thank you for the offer,” the dark-haired man says, pushing his hands into his pockets. “But I’ve told you, I have no interest in the people you set me up with.”
“Oh come on, Cas! I think I’ve found the one this time, I really do.”
Turning back to face his boss, he raises an eyebrow. “Gabriel, I appreciate your efforts, I really do, almost as much as I appreciate your friendship. But I’m asking you, as a friend, to please stop trying to set me up. Ever since… I just…” He shakes his head, only his bright blue eyes betraying the sadness he feels. “I’m not interested. Thank you, but no.”
Gabriel frowns, but shrugs and stands again, coming over to place a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “All right, then. My apologies.” He smiles widely. “How about a drink, then? You, me, Lucifer, maybe you can even call up Anna and Michael, or Gadreel or Hannah.”
Castiel shakes his head again, a sad half-smile on his face. “No, I don’t think so. I have some paperwork I’ll be working late to finish up. But thank you, sincerely.”
The shorter man’s shoulders slump. “You know we’re all worried about you, right Cas? Especially after Bal--”
“I’d rather not talk about it.” Castiel’s face is expressionless now, a carefully created mask. He gently but firmly shakes off Gabriel’s hand and returns to his desk, sitting down again and pulling up a claim waiting for processing.
Gabriel sighs softly, watching his employee and best friend with sad eyes. “Don’t work too late,” is the last thing he says as walks out of the office, shutting the door behind him.
Castiel stares at the computer screen blankly for a few minutes before pulling open the top left drawer and digging underneath old memos and notes to find a small wooden box. Carefully, slowly, he opens it and tips the contents into his hand. Two wedding bands, one small and silver, one wide and gold, clink against the ring on his fourth finger as they fall into his palm.
~~~
Evening is falling as Sam Winchester settles down against a tree in Green Lake Park, setting a guitar case beside him. As the setting sun gilds both the leaves and his long brown hair with gold, he tunes his guitar by ear and then settles it, strumming a few chords to double check his tuning. Then he begins to play. The song is simple, and he quickly loses himself in it, humming the words. He doesn’t notice the footsteps that approach him cautiously.
“What are you playing?” The voice is deep, and slightly gruff, and Sam looks up, startled. Piercing blue eyes meet his hazel ones, and he quickly regains his composure.
“More Heart, Less Attack,” he answers, a smile crossing his face. “It’s by a band called Needtobreathe.”
The blue-eyed man’s head tilts, and he looks impressed. “You play it very well.”
“Thank you. Would you like to hear the lyrics?” Sam knows he isn’t as good at singing as he is at playing, but something about this stranger with the dark hair makes him want to show off.
“I…” the man hesitates, looking back towards the sidewalk he’d apparently come from. He absently clasps his hands, his fingers working at something. Sam glances at them, noticing a wedding band on each of the man’s ring fingers: one silver, one gold. “I would love to, but I should get home,” he finally answers, casting a sad glance back to Sam.
“Some other time, then.” Sam smiles, motioning around to the park. “I’m here most days, and I’ll hang around this tree for a while if you’re interested.” The other man looks slightly skeptical, so he holds out his hand. “I’m Sam, by the way.”
Slowly, the dark-haired man shakes his hand. “Castiel.”
“Pleasure to meet you, Castiel.”
“And you, Sam.” He begins to walk off, the tan trench coat he wears flapping in the gentle breeze.
“See you around?”
Castiel looks over his shoulder as he shrugs. “Maybe.” Then he’s gone, disappearing into the twilight as he walks down the sidewalk.
Sam’s head is tilted curiously as he stares at the spot where Castiel was, his hands strumming absently. Then he sighs lightly and shrugs, looking up at the stars that are beginning to appear. He puts the guitar back in its case, then braces himself against the tree and stands, bending to grab the case before slinging it over his back with a grunt. Walking away from the tree and the lake, he hums the song he’d been playing, some of the words slipping through every now and then.
He’s startled from thoughts of the dark-haired man in the trench coat when an old 1967 Chevrolet Impala pulls up beside him with a honk. “Sam!” The window is rolled down and a green-eyed man leans out of it. “Dude, you went to the park without your cane?”
Sam rolls his eyes as he turns to the car. “Dean, c’mon. I’ve got my braces on. I’m not a kid, I don’t need big brother to watch out for me.” He raises an eyebrow. “And anyway, why are you even here? You work on the other side of town.”
“I was headin’ to your place. Remember? Tonight’s poker night.”
A soft groan leaves Sam as he slumps slightly. “Is it that day of the month already? Damn.”
“Yeah, it is,” Dean says, raising his eyebrows. “And it’s your turn to buy the beer. So get in and let’s get goin’, Sammy.” With a sigh, the tall man gently places his guitar in the back seat of the Impala before sliding into the front seat. The engine of the Impala roars as Dean pulls away from the park, and Sam lets his thoughts wander back to the man who’d complimented his playing.
Likewise, as Castiel prepares for bed, his thoughts keep wandering to the lanky, v-neck wearing man from the park. As he lays in bed, he finds himself searching Youtube for the song he’d been playing, listening to it a few times to get a feel for the lyrics. He falls asleep with the image of Sam silhouetted against the setting sun in his mind.