Standing Together

Chapter 58

Flash forward another month and it's Christmas. Just like before, Castiel and Dean haven't had a whole lot of time together, with Dean constantly at various football stadiums, but they savor every moment they can get together. Thankfully, Christmas is one of those moments.

It's not Sunday, so Dean doesn't have to be at a game and he gets the morning off. It's a once-a-year thing, apparently, just to give the players a little time with their family. It only gives them a few hours, because practice wasn't entirely cancelled, but a few hours is better than none.

Dean's alarm is as loud and obnoxious as ever, and Castiel's first instinct is to cover his ear with his pillow and go back to sleep. Dean takes his pillow away before he gets the chance.

"'Morning, Cas," Dean says, shaking him gently to wake him up. "Or should I say 'Merry Christmas'?"

Castiel sits up immediately. "Today's Christmas!"

Dean chuckles. "Yes, and we're on a bit of a deadline, so c'mon."

He takes Castiel's hand and leads him to the living room, where various wrapped boxes sit "under the Christmas tree." It was a sad realization when he found out Dean doesn't actually own a Christmas tree. According to him, he didn't need one because he lived alone and didn't celebrate Christmas here.

Of course, Castiel couldn't let that slide, so he ordered a small, 18-inch-tall (approximately half a meter) Christmas tree, which he put on a little table in the living room a couple weeks ago. As a joke, they decided to print out little pictures of themselves and tie them to the tree with floss, making the weirdest but cutest ornaments Castiel has ever seen. It was actually a really fun project.

"Who's FaceTiming Lucifer?" Castiel asks. They had already promised him they would do it, because Lucifer wanted to see their reaction to the gifts the rest of the family put together back in Sioux Falls for them, and screen record it to show everyone else later in the day.

"I'll do it," Dean says. He puts his phone down against the wall, pointing it at the two boys before FaceTiming Lucifer, who answers almost immediately.

"Present time?" Lucifer says with a grin. He keeps his voice down, probably so he doesn't wake anyone up. "I think it's present time. Go open presents."

Dean and Castiel sit on the other side of room as the camera. Dean's the one who drags the first box over to them. It's fairly big, which is never a good sign when Lucifer is involved. It's comforting to know that this is a group present, so Lucifer would have had to get everyone's approval before doing something too extra.

"That's mostly for Dean but kind of for both of you," Lucifer tells them.

Dean raises an eyebrow. "And now I'm scared."

"As you should be," Lucifer adds.

"Good luck," Castiel whispers quietly.

Dean tears the wrapping paper off the box carelessly, only to find a normal cardboard moving box. Dean tries to rip the box open, but it's been taped too much.

"I'll be right back with a pair of scissors," Dean announces, then walks away. He returns a minute or so later with a sharp kitchen knife. "It's the best I could do."

"Talk about heavy duty present opening," Castiel says, amused.

"I know, I know, I'm weird," Dean says. "Hey, Lucifer, is this fragile? And is it filled all the way to the top?"

"Not really and no," Lucifer replies.

"Awesome."

"I'm scared," Castiel says. "What are you going to do?"