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Dean finds Emma and Cas curled up in the book store’s children’s section. He hears them before he sees them, following the sound of laughter, Cas’ deep chuckle and Emma’s lighter giggle.
He smiles to himself: it’s gotta be Amelia Bedelia, that’s the only one that gets them both laughing like maniacs. He peers around the brightly colored partition that separates the picture books from the young adult vampire dramas, and, sure enough, there they are, settled into a corner, surrounded by a small mountain of books
Cas sits cross-legged in the center of the pile with Emma nestled on his lap, both of them holding the book, but Dean knows, from experience, that Emma is in charge of turning the pages. At four, Emma is starting to get the humor of word play and she currently thinks that Amelia Bedelia is the height of comedy. Cas agrees if his cheek splitting grin is anything to go by. Dean stands there watching them, enraptured, his heart gooey-er than Sam’s caramel mocha latte. Emma points to the picture and Cas nods sagely at her commentary before they both dissolve into giggles at Amelia Bedelia’s antics.
They smile the same way, Dean notes, all teeth and gums and crinkled up noses. They smile with their whole faces, like they can’t contain their joy. Dean grins, warmth spreading through his chest as he watches them. He can’t bring himself to interrupt. Cas does the voices and inflections, and Emma turns to look up at him with glee at all the best parts. They laugh in perfect synchronicity when Amelia mixes clipped calendar pages into batter to make “date cake” and Dean catches the whole thing on his phone.
When they, in unison, pronounce “they end” and close the book, Dean steps out into their view and they both look up at him with matching smiles, like he’s the greatest thing they’ve ever seen. It floors him, humbles him, like it does every time. Before he can get teary eyed, Emma darts up out of Cas’ lap and into Dean’s waiting arms.
“Watch reading, princess?” he asks.
“Amelia Bedelia!” she exclaims, then gasps, “I wanna read one for you!”
Dean laughs and kisses her nose, “All right, squirt, dealer’s choice, go grab a good one.”
He sets her down and she scampers off as Dean folds down on the floor next to Cas. He kisses that smile, the beautiful one that reaches Cas’ eyes and lights up his face, and when he pulls back Cas is smiling even more broadly.
“I don’t know who likes that book more, her or you…”
Cas cocks an eyebrow, “I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about…Mr. Red Fish, Blue Fish.”
Dean laughs and pokes a finger at Cas’ chest, “Hey, Doctor Seuss is classic.”
“Mhmm,” Cas agrees just as Emma scurries back with a copy of The Very Hungry Caterpillar clutched in two hands. She knees Dean in the gut and elbows Cas in the sternum, but eventually she settles, half on Dean’s lap and half on Cas’. She clears her throat dramatically, Dean and Cas share a look and a grin, but wisely refrain from laughing.
“Ready?” she asks excitedly.
Dean wraps an arm around Cas, takes up his half of the book with the other, and peers over the top of Emma’s head so that he can follow along.
“Take it away, kid.”