Cas sighed as he continued knocking on Dean's door.
"What, Sam?" Dean growled, the door finally swinging open, hitting Cas in the face and sending him down to the ground. "Oh. Not Sam."
"No. It's me." Cas stated, standing back up and wincing as he rubbed the tip of his nose.
"Sorry." Dean hissed.
"It's alright, Dean." Cas replied in a rather friendly tone.
"Was there uh…something you needed?" Dean asked.
"Today is your birthday." Cas said.
"No it's not." Dean argued.
"Today is the 24th of January, is it not?" Cas raised his eyebrows at Dean.
"Well yeah." Dean shrugged.
"Then today is your birthday." Cas stated, promptly placing two fingers on Dean's forehead and transporting them to outisde a bar.
"Jesus, Cas. A little warning would have been nice." Dean grumbled.
"Well then you would've known." Cas said.
"Known what? Where are we anyways?" Dean asked.
"Heaven, Dean. Look." Cas answered.
Dean rolled his eyes and let his eyes focus on the building in front of him. "That's - that's the roadhouse!"
"Indeed it is." Cas nodded.
Dean hurried down the walk way, Cas following close behind. He opened the door and stepped in, immediately hit by the smell of beer and fresh air.
"There he is!" A woman exclaimed and Dean was pulled into a large hug.
"Ellen?" He breathed.
"Well who else would it be?" She smiled.
Ellen blurred out of Dean's line of focus as he shifted his gaze towards the large group of people all sitting at tables looking at him. "Wow."
Everyone smiled and around half the people waved at him. He immediately picked out faces he recognized. Ash, Jo, Garth, Charlie, Rufus, Jodi, Bobby, Adam, Balthazar, Jess, Benny, Lisa, Ben, and so many others.
"Well what are you waiting for?" Ellen laughed, pushing Dean forward, causing him to stumble. He looked back at Cas who just nodded.
He immediately turned toward the noise of someone calling across the room. "I'm pulling! I'm pulling!"
"No you're not!" Another voice called back. "Oh let me."
"Nevermind! Got it!" One side of a large banner across the ceiling unrolled, displaying some bright red text.
After a few moment the other side unrolled and Kevin and his mother each stepped out from each side of the crowd and blew a party horn. Dean's face lit up at the sight of Kevin alive and smiling. Dean immediately rushed into the crowd and was tackled with hugs and warm greetings and choruses of Happy Birthday.
"Do you think I did alright?" Cas asked, turning to the messy haired, plaid-claid man next to him.
"Over the top." Sam smiled.
"So you think he likes it?"
"He loves it." Sam nodded. "Couldn't have gotten a better gift for him myself."
"I'm flattered, Sam. Thank you. That means a lot." Cas said humbly.
"It's the truth." Sam stated, turning back to the crowd and leaning against the counter. "Hey Ellen, why don't you get us each a cold one?"
"Sure thing, kid." She chimed, grabbing two glasses and feeling them up with frothy beer. She slid the two tall glasses over the counter and Sam caught them, handing one to Cas. Cas silently took the glass and wrapped his hand around it. A soft smile graced his face as he watched Dean laughing and smiling with all these people he loved.
Dean whipped around when someone came out of the back room and sighed. "Oh darn. I missed the big reveal, didn't I?"
"Mom?" He breathed.
"Hi, Dean." She beamed.
He ran over to her and wrapped his arms tightly around her, a small poof of white flour wafting into the air with the impact. "Hi, Mom."
Mary hugged him back and he buried his face in her shoulder.
The evening continued in laughs and alcohol, everyone happy to be reunited once more. Dean had spent the entire time mingling with everyone, but felt bad when he saw Cas standing in the corner alone sipping from a now foam-free glass of beer.
"Hey." He said quietly.
"Hello, Dean." Cas greeted him, normal as ever.
"This is…pretty great." Dean muttered.
"Sam agrees with that sentiment." Cas replied.
"As does everyone. Really." Dean stated. "Thanks."
"I just want you to have a nice birthday - even if I still don't understand the concept of celebrating them." Cas answered.
"Well. No one could have given me better." Dean smirked. His gaze lingered on Cas in silent for a moment before quickly moving forward and pressing their lips together. Just as swiftly, he pulled away and he and Cas just stared at each other. Dean's cheeks turned a dark crimson and Cas smiled just slightly, reaching out and taking Dean's hand in his, their fingers sliding together. He awkwardly moved closer and placed a light kiss onto Dean's warm cheek. Dean smiled back at him and then spoke again.
"It must have been a lot of work to get everyone together up here, no?" He mused.
"It was nothing." Cas smiled.
"Really?" Dean asked.
"Well no. It actually was quite taxing and keeping all these souls up here is draining what I have left of my grace." Cas answered.
"You mean like permanently?" Dean breathed.
Cas nodded. "This wouldn't be the case had it been my grace inside."
"Shit." Dean hissed, pulling back from him, their hands pulling away from each other. "This is…you can't be doing this! You need to take everyone back! You're gonna kill yourself!"
"I assure you, I'll be fine. I'll just need rest." Cas stated.
"Uh-uh. I saw you last time. You needed more than just rest." Dean frowned. "Take everyone back right now. I'm not gonna have you killing yourself over people I'm gonna see when I die in a few years anyways."
"Dean, I highly doubt you're going to die in a f-"
"Cas!" Dean snapped. "Take them back. And go easy on yourself, god dammit."
Cas looked at Dean sympathetically.
"Cas, please." Dean pleaded.
"Alright. Give me a moment." Cas left and went up to each of the other angels in the room, making his rounds and then returning to Dean. "Say your goodbyes and we can depart. My brothers and sisters will take care of the others."
Cas waited patiently as Dean delivered one last circuit of hugs and love and then stood back in front of him.
"Ready?" Cas asked.
"Yeah." Dean nodded.
"You sure?"
"You know what. Hold on." Dean muttered, hurrying back over to the bar and talking to Ellen. She went into the back room and returned with 3 large white styrofoam boxes. She kissed him on the cheek and they exchanged a few words before he returned.
"Now I'm ready." Dean stated.
Cas brought two fingers to Dean's head and in a much quieter flap of wings than usual they were at the bunker. No time had passed since they left. The bunker looked just as they'd left it. Dean's gaze met Cas's again and he looked like he'd just been working out, sweat beading at his brow.
"You know what? I'm gonna go put these pies in the fridge. Why don't you strip down a few layers and you can sleep in my bed." Dean said.
"Why would I be sleeping?" Cas asked.
"Because you look exhausted. Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly love what you did, but that was a stupid move. You need to get rest regardless." Dean argued. "Get in bed. Now."
Cas nodded, looking at the ground. "Alright."
Cas promptly undressed down to his boxers - which after leaving the white pair at the laundromat over a year ago, he now had a green and blue paid pair - and laid down on top of Dean's bed.
"You know you're allowed to get under the blankets, right?" Dean raised his eyebrows at him.
"Oh." Cas muttered, crawling underneath them as Dean pulled his shirt over his head and then stripped out of his jeans.
Dean chuckled as he got in bed and turned the light off. "Night, Cas."
"Goodnight, Dean." He hummed.
After a few minutes, Dean felt Cas push back into him and Dean sighed, wrapping his arms around the angel and holding him close. "You tell Sam about this and I will hurt you, got it?"
"Understood." Cas said groggily, half-asleep already.
