The tree had been vandalized.
It was standing tall at the edge of the campsite despite it's poor state. The bark had been stripped away in a patch, leaving the white wood underneath vulnerable to Castiel's scrutinizing stare. An overly simplistic - meaning anatomically incorrect - heart graced its surface, etched with "C & M" running diagonally within its boundary.
"What're you doing, Cas? Standing in time-out?"
As Castiel's fingers traced the sloppy lines, the leaves under Dean's shoes crunched behind him. He didn't need to look to know that Dean was peering over his shoulder.
"Aww, how sweet." Dean snorted, "Some kids - probably hate each others' guts by now - decided to cut a tree. Look, Sammy!" He turned back to Sam and jabbed his thumb at the heart.
As if the repeated sound of crunching leaves didn't already signify his approach, Sam wedged himself between Dean and Cas. He bent over a bit with his hands on his knees to be at a better level to see it.
The three of them were huddled around the tree, shoulder-to-shoulder, shoe-to-shoe. Dean instinctively took a small step to the side, but for a moment, he was the only one to move - as if Sam and Cas were so focused. As if a love heart was important. It was all very unceremonious. The pamphlet in Sam's hand crinkled as he flexed his fingers.
"What about it?" Sam asked, not tearing his gaze from the tree.
"I think it should be an 'S', don't you?"
"Dean…" A frown on his face and a warning in his tone of voice, Sam rose to his full height. Dean's satisfied smile was sickening. He was imagining the gears turning in Sam's head, imagining him mentally spelling out "C & S." Sam could tell.
The corner of Cas' mouth flicked upward in a half-smile, the only reaction he showed.
"S & M." Dean supplied. It earned him a whack on the head with a wrinkled pamphlet.
