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The third Angel of the Lord sank into his comfortable leather recliner in front of his large screen TV, a Carlsberg beer in one hand and a large double burger in the other. In front of him was a case of more beer and a large bucket of popcorn. He smirked as he turned on the TV to watch his greatest success yet, his greatest trick and its results. Gabe almost wished there was someone there to compliment his genius - but most of his brothers and sisters thought him dead, as did his Nordic counterparts - Loki really couldn’t show up after being outed as Gabriel the Angel. They hadn’t really appreciated that.
Even as he chuckled to himself, Gabe’s face fell slightly. He looked at the image on the screen, then to his watch.
“Of course. Neither of them are particularly early risers. And especially not after last night …” his face lit up mischievously again.
Gabriel reached over to the TV remote. He could just fast forward through the morning, get to the cutsy parts. With a flick of his thumb, the image on the TV jumped forwards what amounted to a couple hours, then Gabe nestled further into his recliner, taking a chomp out of his burger.
Dean opened his eyes with a comfortable smile. He breathed in, and snuggled closer to Cas, who he had woken up cuddling. Cas, still asleep, had his body curled tight against Dean’s and was breathing lightly in Dean’s arms. Looking over Cas’s unruly morning hair, Dean could just see the alarm clock on the bedside table.
9:00 am. He’d slept in. Usually by this time he already had coffee made for Cas. But after last night, and on this day in particular, it didn’t really matter. And last night was so good …
Almost as if he’d heard Dean’s thoughts, Cas shifted, twisting in Dean’s arms to face him. Dean put one hand up to Cas’s face, rough with morning shadow, and was rewarded with a bleary eyed smile.
“Morning handsome.” Dean murmured before thoroughly kissing his paramour. That’s Sammy’s influence he thought Where the hell else would I pick up a word like ‘paramour’? But then the kiss took over, and Dean lost himself as Cas moved, asking for his undivided attention as only Cas could.
Heat moved through Dean’s lips, traveling down to his fingertips as he touched, held and caressed Cas’s body to him. Time both sped by and slowed as Cas’s tongue painted it’s way through Dean’s mouth. The pit of Dean’s stomach warmed into an aching fire as he held Cas tighter and tighter …
Gabriel got up. As much as he might enjoy watching fornication for fun, this was something more intimate. Not something you watch just to watch. It was too … right. And even he felt uncomfortable watching some of the displays of affection these two partook in - and who could blame him, it wasn’t like stoic Dean or serene Castiel ever really showed emotions, except with a few specific people. Even then, it was usually a rough hug, not a tender, sensual touch ...
So Gabe loitered in the kitchen, taking his time to create a luscious scarlet velvet cake with small pink rosettes. A flick of his wrist and there was a sweet champagne beside the cake.
Perfect.
A snap of Gabe’s fingers brought him back to his recliner. The two beings on screen were finished with their bout of coitus, and were back to cuddling.
Gabriel smirked. Cute.
“Good morning to you too.” Cas purred. He set his head against Dean’s calming chest, turned slightly so his tawey bed-hair tickled the underside of Dean’s chin. Dean breathed in the strange, spicy sweet scent that he’d come to know as Cas, and only Cas. Incredible how one person could have such a distinct, alluring and intoxicating smell.
“Cas?” Dean ventured, tired and drowsy.
“Yes Dean?” Cas’s low, almost whispered voice was still breathless.
“That was good.”
With a breath Cas turned his face upward to look into Dean’s bright green eyes with his glowing blue ones.
“Yes it was.”
They sat in silence for a few more comfortable, warm moments before Dean spoke again.
“Cas?”
“Yes Dean?”
“Remember our first kiss?”
Cas grinned in a very human way. He didn’t need to answer - Dean could see it written all over his face.
Their first kiss had been memorable in so many ways. Cas, who was always so careful, usually so reserved and calm, had come in the door of their motel room at full tilt, almost getting shot by Dean for his trouble. But then he had grabbed Dean roughly, pulled him close in the biggest bear hug Dean could ever remember getting from the fallen angel. And as Cas had pulled away, somehow still managing to keep his nose only a centimeter from Dean’s, Dean had managed to get up the courage to do what he had wanted to do for so long.
Dean had kissed Cas. And Cas had responded. It didn’t matter that they’d just almost lost each other on a hunt, that they were both covered in blood and that a moment before Dean had just missed blowing Cas’s head off.
All Dean had known in that moment was how much he needed Cas, needed Cas’s love like this. And Cas had been there with the same need, demanding it just as much as giving everything that Dean wanted. That night had only been a kiss, neither able to really go much farther. After all, Cas was sopping wet and Dean was covered in blood. But the kiss had lasted for hours til both men were curled on the bed together, sleeping with their heads pillowed by each other’s arms, and all Dean could think as he drifted off to sleep was that Cas wanted him, Cas needed him, Cas wanted him, Dean, and Cas was his, Cas had claimed him ...
The next morning they had gotten into the car in silence. And held hands all the way back to the bunker.
Dean grinned back a happy, sappy grin at the memory, as he all but saw Cas remembering it too. Dean traced Cas’s jawline with a finger before pulling one of Cas’s hands up to his face so he could kiss Cas’s palm, eyes closed.
“Cas?”
“Yes Dean?”
Dean ran his hand through Cas’s hair while Cas stroked his chest.
“I never did ask you, why were you soaked that night? Did you go for a swim?”
Cas stiffened. Surprised, Dean opened his eyes to be faced with periwinkle confusion. Dean felt his brow furrow with worry and his own brand of confusion.
“What?”
Cas pulled away to stare at Dean more fully. Propped up on his elbows, bare chest no longer covered by the sheet, Cas tilted his head to one side. The gesture would have made Dean laugh if he wasn’t so distracted by the strange reaction Cas was having to a simple question.
“Dean … you pushed me. Into the river. To save me from the Wendigo. That is why I … that is why when I found you … I thought you had pushed me only to be killed yourself …” Cas trailed off as Dean rose from the bed in a flurry of white bedsheet.
‘What the hell are you talking about?” The very idea that he would have pushed Cas into running water when Cas could barely swim -
“What d’you mean Wendigo.”
“Dean, I do not-”
“We were hunting a vamp nest!”
Gabriel chuckled. Seriously, seven years being together, three of them being married, and these two dunderheads hadn’t once questioned the how. Well, not like they had needed much encouragement. The two had just been too stubborn to actually do anything. So Gabe had given them a small push. He checked his watch. Two more hours before the big finale.
“So.” Dean was trying very hard to understand what Cas had just told him, which was incredibly distracting with Castiel standing bare in front of him, trying just as hard to make sense of this … whatever it was.
“So you remember, on October 23rd in Morris, Minnesota, that we were fighting a Wendigo, when I pushed you off a bridge to keep it from getting you. Right?”
Castiel nodded. Then continued Dean’s thought, like he always did: “And you remember that we two were ‘blindsided’ by a nest of vampires who proceeded to chase us on a stolen motorcycle I was driving, that I pushed you off of before returning to distract them.”
The two men stared at each other across the room.
Dean broke the silence.
“What the hell.” His mind was racing, heart pounding. In that instant he felt all the anxieties, all the fears of so many years ago returning.
“So … that kiss in the motel room …” Dean’s voice caught in his throat. Was this all just too good to be true? Could it really all fall apart now, today of all days, when they were supposed to be happy? Hell, they had gotten MARRIED on this date to make the day even more special.
Dean was almost bowled over as Castiel barreled into him. In fact, with a small “oof!” he allowed the two of them to collapse into the love seat - though he was careful to cradle Cas’s head, make sure the idiot didn’t hurt himself. As it was the two found themselves mashed together, all of Dean’s doubts gone in an instant as Cas, his Cas, clutched Dean like he was afraid Dean would disappear.
“It does not matter, Dean, we would still have found our way here, I know it.” The slight tremor in Castiel’s voice told Dean that not only had he been stupid to doubt Cas for a second, but that Cas had felt the same fear of losing Dean.
“Hey.” Dean tipped Castiel’s face up, eyes searching Cas’s slightly panicked blue ones. Even now, they each questioned themselves, their worth to each other.
“Cas.”
Castiel calmed in Dean’s arms.
“Yes Dean?”
“I love you. I always will.” There. After seven years he managed to say all those words at one time. And it didn’t sound corny this time to Dean’s ears. Whatever last vestiges of doubt left him for good, never to come again, as Castiel answered him.
“I love you too Dean. Always.”
Gabriel raised as glass to the two dorks on his television screen. He smiled a real smile, glad to see his little brother finally fold himself into accepting everything he had become. Gabe had been a little worried, after all it was incredibly important for Castiel to be completely at home in himself and confident in his husband. It was also nice to see Dean be a big softie, that was a bonus. Of all his tricks, Gabe was proudest of this one - not over yet, as he glanced at his watch now. Twenty minutes and counting.
Dean poured Castiel another cup of coffee. Although it was already one in the afternoon, both men had opted without speaking to make today a ‘casual day’. And with their newfound intimacy (even after all these years they could still get to know each other a little better), both found the time spent sitting and eating together in their bathrobes (in Cas’s case) or boxers (for Dean) to be just perfect.
It also helped that they kept holding hands. Or kissing. Pretty much all through breakfast.
Ding Dong.
Dean moved to get up, then was stopped as Cas pulled him down again.
“I will get it, Dean. You are in your underwear.” With a naughty grin, and before Dean could think of a comeback, Castiel was down the hall to answer the door.
There was a package on the porch. Not very large, about the size of a book.
‘To Dean and Castiel Winchester.’
Cas shrugged, grabbed the box, and returned to the kitchen, where Dean had finally come up with a viable comeback:
“Dick.”
This earned him another kiss from Cas. Today was going to be so full of kisses - and sex. Presumably. If last night and this morning were anything to go off of.
The package clunked onto the table.
“What’s in the box Cas?”
“I do not know, Dean. Perhaps you should open it. Your name is first on the box.” Cas slid the box three inches into Dean’s hand.
“As you wish.” Dean grinned as Cas blushed. They’d just watched “The Princess Bride” last night on Sam’s recommendation, and though Dean wasn’t really into love movies, Cas totally was. And that had been a good one.
Dean opened the package. Inside was a small, newspaper wrapped bundle and an envelope. The bundle’s label said ‘Dean - Happy Anniversary’, and the envelope ‘Castiel - Happy Anniversary - open after Dean’. Dean, looking mildly confused, handed Cas the envelope while he took the package, tearing it open.
“Sam already gave us a gift, did he not, Dean?”
Dean held up a pair of very strange looking goggles. Strange, and slightly cool - biker type. Putting them on, Dean replied:
“Yeah, Crowley too. Who else would give us something?”
Castiel opened the envelope, then gasped, getting Dean’s undivided attention. A stream of dazzling blue light snaked its way out of the envelope to Castiel’s mouth, overflowing in the speed of its movement as Cas breathed in what could only be his Grace, so long thought to be lost, so perfectly in place as it flowed into the fallen angel’s body.
“Cas?” Dean whispered.
“Close … your … eyes!” Castiel forced the words out between breaths. But then he was too busy feeling the Grace take over his body in a way he had never felt before (and he had lost or regained Grace enough times). This was different, not just filling the cavity meant for it, but moving outward into his whole being, merging with his vessel.
And Dean could see it. He watched the grace spread through Cas’s body, and wondered in a panicked moment if the goggles were x-ray specs or something, but even at Cas’s warning couldn’t close his eyes, couldn’t miss seeing Castiel like this …
Then, as the last iota of Grace seeped into Castiel, Dean gasped in delight. There, covering the human Cas that Dean loved so, was what he knew instinctively as Castiel’s true form. For one long, silent and breathless moment, Dean looked upon Castiel as he was made, an Angel of the Lord. And Castiel could again see Dean’s soul as he used to, and it had grown in brilliance.
The moment passed. Castiel’s form receded into his vessel, and the two men breathed as they gazed at each other in wonder. Dean could still see a glow that didn’t exist around his angel, a glimpse of the true form he had just beheld. Cas was crying, silently - he could still see it, see Dean’s soul, and knew that he was the luckiest angel in the whole of creation to have such a man want him.
Dean took the goggles off slowly, readying himself to no longer be able to see that aura, that reminder of what he could only describe as Castiel’s soul though the angel would probably disagree with the description.
But it didn’t go away. The goggles fell from Dean’s hands as he stared at the man he loved so dearly and saw his soul. “So this is what Cas meant when he said he missed seeing my soul. Is this what he can see in me?”
They stared at each other. There was a lot more staring going on today than Dean had anticipated. But this - he couldn’t stop. Seeing the love of his life’s soul just entranced him, and was yet so familiar, like he had already known it but just now got to see it.
“Cas?”
“Yes Dean?” They were both breathless. And from the way Cas was suddenly looking hungrily at Dean’s boxers, both were now feeling very aroused. But there was still the question of where the hell this package had come from. Who in the hell … or maybe who in the heaven had the power and the god damned audacity to …
Dean saw the letter on the floor. It had fallen out of the envelope along with Castiel’s Grace. He stared at it.
Cas followed Dean’s gaze. He bent to take the letter in his hand.
“What’s it say, Cas?”
Without a word, Castiel walked over to Dean and held out the letter, his other arm snaking around Dean’s waist to draw his husband closer.
“Hey nutjobs,
Happy Anniversary buckos. Took you long enough to figure it out huh? But it was a damn good trick, eh? By the way, I called in a few favors, did my homework. Castiel, buddy, that Grace of yours is pretty unique. No one can ever take it again, and you get to keep all the pretty little humanity you like. Good on you. Oh, and Dean, don’t try to look at Castiel’s whole angelic form without the goggles, or you’ll get your eyes blasted out like everyone else.
Eat some pie for me huh?
Your favorite Trickster,
Gabriel”
“That son of a bitch.”
Gabriel toasted to Dean. “Right back at you.” Then he reached over to the remote and turned off the TV. It had been a good trick.
“That son of a bitch!” Dean was livid. Realizing that Gabriel had literally set the two of them up was incredibly infuriating. “That thrice god damned angel had better hope that I never get my hands on him or so help me -”
Cas’s finger on Dean’s lips stopped the outburst.
“Dean?” Cas whispered into Dean’s ear as the bathrobe Cas had been wearing slid to the floor.
“Yes Cas?”
“I love you, Dean.” And Dean felt the invisible wings surround and embrace him as he leaned forward to kiss Cas for the umpteenth time today.
Best anniversary ever.