Standing Together

Chapter 114

A/N I figured out why Lucifer decided to get with Kelly ^^^

Castiel is alone in the living room, watching the rest of his family chatting in the kitchen at he quietly plays guitar and tries not to draw attention to himself. Apparently, it doesn't work, because Dean joins him after a while

Castiel moves over, giving Dean room to sit on the couch. Instead, he sits down on the floor, crossing his legs like a child and looking up at his fiancé.

"You can sit next to me, you know," Castiel tells him. "I don't bite, I promise."

"But I can't watch if I'm sitting next to you," Dean says. "It loses the concert effect."

Castiel puts the guitar down, leaning it against the side of the couch. "I really don't want to give anyone the 'concert effect.'" Not after last time.

Dean sighs dramatically. "Well, whatever you say."

Castiel pats the couch. "C'mon, sit with me."

Dean does as he's told, draping an arm over him. Castiel rests his head on his fiancé's shoulder out of habit, curling his legs up on the couch.

"What was Cain talking about?" Castiel asks, partially just to make conversation but mostly because he's too curious to wait.

"It's a long story," Dean says, much to Castiel's dismay. "I'll tell you later."

"Fine," Castiel pouts, but, unfortunately, his subtle complaint doesn't change his mind.

"Well, this has been a productive Thanksgiving," Dean says. "Lots o' turkey, lots o' bread rolls. Living the best life, don't ya think?"

Castiel chuckles softly. "I physically can't fit anything else in my stomach, but otherwise, sure. It's great."

"That's the one problem with Thanksgiving," Dean agrees. "I just want to eat all the food. Is that too much to ask?"

"Apparently it is," Castiel says with a shrug. "I know, life is hard."

"Tell me about it."

~~

"Well, it's getting late," Castiel says. "I think I'm gonna head home." He looks over at his fiancé and adds, "You're welcome to stay here. I can walk."

"Nah, I'll go with you," Dean says. "It's not like I'll never see these weirdos again."

"Unfortunately," Lucifer says teasingly.

Without looking at him, Dean says to his fiancé, "I'm going to need you to disown Lucifer before we get married so I'm not stuck with that as my brother-in-law."

Castiel chuckles. "You guys are literal children."

"We been knew," Lucifer says. "Speaking of children..." Lucifer pats Alex on the head. "Wanna go say goodbye to Uncle Dean and Uncle Castiel?"

Alex hides behind him, wrapping her arms around his leg.

"Come on, kiddo, let's go say bye." Lucifer takes her hand and leads her over to them.

Castiel crouches down, nearing her height. "Bye, sweetie." He holds his arms out for a hug, and she just looks at him for a few silent moments.

"Go give Uncle Castiel a hug," Lucifer says.

Alex just looks at him, then, after a pause, returns to her dad's legs to hide behind.

"Well, that went well," Dean says sarcastically.

Castiel stands back up and slaps his shoulder lightly.

"Excuse you," Gabriel says mockingly. "Don't model these unhealthy relationships in front of my niece."

"Mm, yeah, sure thing," Dean deadpans.

"That fact that you can't see it means you have a really bad case of Stockholm Syndrome," Gabriel says. "Don't force your problems on my small child."

"I'll force whatever problems I want on your small child," Dean says.

Gabriel sticks his tongue out at him, and Dean just does it right back.

"Pretty sure you're less mature than Alex, and she's, like, 18 months old," Castiel remarks.

The only response he gets is both boys sticking their tongues out him, because, of course, they're less mature than a literal toddler.

~~

Castiel doesn't bother putting on pajamas that night. He swaps his jeans for a pair of sweatpants, but the tee shirt he's been wearing all day is good enough to sleep in.

But, while he doesn't really get changed, he does enjoy sitting on the bed and watching Dean do it.

Dean barely seems to notice. He strips off his flannel, tossing it on the floor, because of course he isn't going to clean up after himself. He does the same with his shirt, then reaches for a different one to put on for the night, but he pauses. 

Dean puts the shirt back down on top of the dresser and instead looks in the mirror above it. He puts a hand over his stomach, then pinches what little fat he has between his fingers.

"Dean?" Castiel says uncertainly.

Dean glances at him over his shoulder. "Hmm?"

"You good?"

"Yeah, fine." Dean returns hours gaze to the mirror. "Just noticing that my abs are back in hiding."

"Well, duh," Castiel says. "You just ate half a turkey by yourself. Of course you're going to be a little bloated."

"No, I don't think that's it," Dean says. "Well, at least not entirely."

Castiel rolls his eyes. "Dean, c'mere."

When Dean doesn't, Castiel takes his arm and pulls him down ontop of him.

"I feel like I'm in the start to a gay porno," Dean says with a teasing smile.

"Mm, you wish."

Castiel gently pushes Dean off of him, rolling him onto his back and straddling his hips.

"Now I really feel like I'm in a gay porno," Dean says.

Castiel brushes his hand along Dean's stomach, and his muscles instantly tense, just as he expected. It's the benefit of most of the world being somewhat ticklish.

Castiel traces a finger down the boy's stomach. "Look at those abs." He presses a kiss to each abdominal muscle individually. "Perfection."

Dean chuckles. "You're adorable." He runs a hand through Castiel's hair with a small, content smile. "Wrong, but adorable."

Castiel curls up on the bed, using Dean's chest as a pillow. "You say that, but you're still in better shape than most of the country."

"Pretty sure most of the country is literally obese," Dean says. "That's not saying much."

"Well, you're still in better shape than the top fifty percent of the country," Castiel says, though he knows as he's saying it that it doesn't really make sense.

"Not quite my point," Dean says. "I think I might start working out again."

"But working out sucks," Castiel whines. He's not even the one doing it, and it still hurts to think of.

"That's completely true, not even gonna lie," Dean says. "But I like the feeling of being in shape more than I hate working out. Plus, I don't have to work as hard because I don't have a football team to worry about disappointing."

"Well, maybe I'll join you," Castiel says. "It's not like I have a whole lot else to do."

"Perks of retiring in your twenties," Dean says, sounding bitter about it. It seems he's still upset he was forced out of football.

"I mean, it's not like there's nothing to do," Castiel says.

"Really," Dean deadpans.

"We still have an entire wedding to plan," Castiel reminds him.

"Oh, right, we should do that," Dean says.

But they don't, because they're both lazy fucks.