A/N: This was a prompt I saw on tumblr and just had to tackle it because, duh cute! Destiel of course!
Warnings: Too many flowers and horrible Greek history. Like seriously I know nothing about it so Greek enthusiasts don't kill me. Typed during a lecture ~
Some fluff to soften my usual angsty stories!
Dean gazed at the newspaper rack over the shoulder of a man in a Gas-in-Sip, reaching over ungracefully to grasp it, causing the man to grumble at being jostled. The headline read: Florist Owner Pushing Daisies. Dean admittedly chuckled at the terrible headline before reading on.
A young florist was found dead in her home on Friday after her family had not heard from her within a week's time. The coroner found the 31-year-old's corpse bled dry and withered. Police are still not releasing a statement while the investigation is pending. This marks the fifth victim of the same demise within the last month. Suspicious activity is not suspected.
Dean snorted to himself, did these people honestly think this wasn't suspicious? The poor lady was bled totally dry. He heads back to the hotel to inform Sam of their impending job; surely there was an investigation on their end to hold.
Walking into the hotel room he throws the paper at Sam, who is too busy typing away at his laptop, pushing a hand through his long hair before spouting about a string of suspicious deaths.
"Wait, wait, don't tell me. Lehi, Utah. Bled dry?"
Sam raises his brow, finally looking down at the paper as Dean points to it, "Looks like our kind of thing huh?" He asks between large chomps of beef jerky. Sam scans the report and then throws it aside, "It's worth looking into, each vic beforehand has been found with a lily in their mouth, and I'm betting this lady will have one too." Dean sighs, reaching for his duffle bag, "One freaking day off, that's all I ask." He allows himself this bit of complaining before heading out toward the Impala, making their way to Utah.
-x-
"So what do you think? Mournful spirit? Demon? Witch?" Dean inquires to his brother, carelessly looking away from the large stretch of highway in front him. Sam chuckles and jokes, tapping into his computer, "Yeah a demon that has a vendetta against florists," he rolls his eyes at the idea. Dean grips the wheel harder, scoffing, "Hey man, I'm not going to begin to try and figur-" a fluttering of wings and whoosh of wind causes Dean to jerk the wheel into oncoming traffic, yelping out and re-correct quickly, barely missing a barreling semi.
"Hello Dean." The deep, gravelly voice sending relief through the elder hunter's body, thankful it isn't any of the other angels. "Jesus Cas, how about a warning next time?" Dean immediately chides, shaking his head to release the jitters that thrum throughout his body. "My apologies Dean...I merely came to see if you needed any assistance" Castiel leans forward, peering over to the papers scattered all over Sam's lap. The youngest Winchester fills him in, asking if it's anything Castiel has ever seen.
"Well it's no demon," Castiel affirms, "Perhaps a Goddess. Such as Persephone" He nods to the two as if they'd cleared everything with just that. Dean waits for further information but receives none, looking back at Castiel through the mirror, "Care to elaborate?"
Castiel sighs, taking a deep breath before continuing, "Persephone is the Greek Goddess of springtime, flowers and fertility. Lore says that one day her uncle Hades spied her from a field, entranced by her purity and beauty he fell in love at first sight. She was picking flowers when Hades burst through the cleft of the earth and kidnapped her. For a while Persephone hated Hades for taking her away from her mother, even as he gave her everything she could ever wish; until Persephone began to revel in her mother's absence and slowly fell in love with Hades. As the Queen of the Underworld and daughter to Demeter she can manipulate things like the shadows and earth. She can use Chlorokinesis, and as the goddess of springtime, can manipulate all flowers. Perhaps she is attacking people becau-" Dean cuts Castiel off with a loud groan, stopping the Impala at an obscure hotel, "A freaking goddess, of flowers? That's ganking florists? Oh this is rich!" Dean sounds anything but amused.
Castiel looks slightly perturbed at being cut off but follows the Winchesters into their room. "You and Cas should go interview the other workers at the florist shop, I'll go check at the coroner's office for any signs that could help us" Sam suggests, pulling out his suit and turning toward the duo beside him, Dean inhales deeply and throws a fake FBI badge at Castiel, pulling a smile, "Guess it's a plan."
-x-
"Okay Cas, just let me talk, you just…er… just keep look around, see if there's anything suspicious, got it?" Dean apprises, reaching out and straightening Castiel's tie, looking into the angel's blue eyes a little longer than necessary, clearing his throat and taking a step back, catching the quick glint of Castiel's eyes darting away from his lips.
The air around them is full of a strange tension that Dean quickly thrusts aside as they head into the sweet smelling florist shop. On either side of the men are buckets upon buckets of different plants and flowers, bags of fertilizers and different pots. Dean watches with a slight smile as Castiel peers around wondrously, his eyes squinting like he's confused.
"Oh, hello boys!" An older lady greets them as they flash their badges, Dean internally grateful that Castiel has figured out how to present the thing correctly. Shoving his badge back in his pocket Dean clears his throat, "We're here to investigate the death of your young coworker. We were wondering if you had any information you could give us." The elderly lady expounds to the men everything but anything that will help them, leaving Dean more than a little irritated. "Alright well if anything else important" God, he tries not to sound condescending as he hands her his card, "Please let us know."
Dean is about the exit the building when he hears Castiel's deep voice beside him, "You know, I have never understood why humans give each other seemingly meaningless plants." Dean raises an eyebrow, searching his brain for some kind of answer for the poor, confused angel. After a moment of silence Dean sighs and looks over at him, "It's one of those human things, Cas. Flowers...they're not just plants. They have meaning behind them, you know? It means you thought of someone in that moment, thought of them enough to get them something you thought was pretty." Dean doesn't see the way Castiel is examining him, seemingly absorbing the information and making sense of it, though Dean doesn't wait for any further inquiry before he turns and exits the shop. Castiel stays back a moment though, regarding all of the colorful flowers with a newfound interest. None of these could ever be prettier than Dean's eyes though, He agrees and hurries to catch up with the Winchester.
-x-
"So get this" Of course Sam has caught onto something Dean hasn't, explaining to Castiel and Dean the pattern, how he had figured it out, and where they would be able to find Persephone next. "Okay, that's all fine and dandy but how the hell do we gank the bitch?" Dean asks, hardly listening; his feet hurt, his head hurts and suddenly Castiel's very close, very overpowering presence is engulfing him. Dean is about to protest but stops when his eyes land on the chapped, but very inviting looking lips that are moving. "Dean. Dean. Are you okay?" Castiel sounds concerned so Dean tears his eye away and looks up, shaking his head as if rattling the fog from his brain.
"I was saying" Sam's bitch face is full force as Dean diverts his attention from Castiel and to his brother, "She can only be killed by a willow tree branch soaked in a mixture of lambs blood and crushed hyacinth." Dean groans into his hands, "Why couldn't it just be a badass gun or something?"
Sam laughs and Castiel looks confused as Dean stands up and pats his pockets, "So where is she going to be?" Sam lobs papers toward him, "Well since we know her motives the next victim that matches the mode of operation is in the next town over." Dean pats Castiel's shoulder and grabs his gun for precaution, "Well let's go get us some goddess ganking juice and get this over with."
Three hours later found the boys scoping out the inside of a greenhouse, flashlights burning the darkness up and guiding their way. "Maybe we got the pattern wro-" Nope. The scream cuts through the silence, making the hunters jump and scramble to help their distressed victim. Dean runs in, looking at the blue aura that surrounds a dark haired woman who is moving toward a frightened looking worker, "Hey!" His plan is to distract her, shooting until she directs her attention towards him and not the poor worker who quickly scrambles away. The Goddess moves quicker than expected, knocking Dean straight into a row of plants, sneering when he smacks his head into something hard.
She is about to move onto Dean when Castiel flashes behind her, plunging the willow branch into her back, twisting it for good measure and watching as she bursts into blue flames. "Dean are you okay?" Castiel recuperates from the kill and runs toward him before Sam can, holding onto the hunter's body and pulling him up with a worried expression. Dean finds himself thinking about how far Castiel has come on the emotional spectrum, placing his own hand on Castiel's chest. He feels proud. But that is quickly whisked away when Castiel repeats the question, "Yeah, yeah I'm fine" he waves him off, loathe to pull away, but doing so when Sam gives them an odd look.
"Well, we better be heading out before they realize we're the ones who tore up their greenhouse" Sam urges, looking at all the damage, before looking pleadingly at Dean and Castiel. "Yeah let's split, Cas are you-" before he can get the question out Castiel has whisked himself away with a flap of wings, "Going back" he finishes unnecessarily.
-x-
Dean finds his bones heavy and eyelids drooping with exhaustion by the time they make it back to the hotel, wondering where Castiel had flapped off to after killing the Goddess. Wherever he went, it must have been important, something with the god squad probably, he rolls his eyes. The brothers swiftly pack their things and speed their way back to the bunker, set on getting at least a night of sleep before catching another case.
When they finally make it back, Dean doesn't even grab his duffle bag, just saunters straight to his room, just a few more steps and this horrid day will be over, he ruminates, rubbing the gash on his forehead. He slams his door, letting his bones loosen as he kicks his shoes aside and pulls his shirt off, about to limply crash onto the bed before he catches an eyeful of red. Roses. An entire bouquet of roses are laying delicately on his pillow, a small white note sitting in stark contrast next to them.
Dean furrows his brows before taking up the small note and reading the print on it, finding an impossible smile cross his face. His cheeks and ears creep with red blush as he feels a blossoming warmth spread throughout his chest, basking in the distinct smell of raindrops and cinnamon, which usually graces Castiel, lingering in the room; wishes to drown in the wonderful fragrance. Delicately places the flowers on his bedside table, intent on picking up a vase to put them in tomorrow.
He falls boneless on the bed, the little note gripped tight in his hand, turning to stare at the beautiful flowers next to him on the table.
Castiel's written begin to repeat in his head like a mantra, slowly lulling him into a peaceful sleep.
I thought you might like something pretty - C