At first the words seemed like a joke, and a sick one at that. They appeared on Castiel's forearm at the hour of his twelfth birthday, same as everyone before him and everyone to come. "Quick, what's your favourite animal?" written in curly italics like it was completely normal. He had been waiting for them to appear the whole day. When the clock finally struck one, he'd stared at his arm for a solid three minutes waiting for the words to just come already. And then the words had arrived and their complete ridiculousness with them. Unable to comprehend what was happening, the only idea he could think of doing was showing his brother, Gabriel. It was not a good idea.
"What the fuck, little brother?" He exclaimed almost gleefully. "Your soulmate's a complete weirdo!"
"Hey." Castiel drew back his arm defensively.
Gabriel simply smiled and strolled out of Castiel's room, calling "Good luck with the nutcase!" over his shoulder.
When Castiel went to school the next day, his best friend Charlie immediately grabbed his arm and held it so closely to her face that he was been surprised she could read anything.
"What the fuck?" She asked abruptly after standing in the hallway by Castiel's locker, staring at the words for over a minute.
"Why does everyone keep saying that?" Castiel muttered, turning and beginning to walk to class.
Charlie had simply ignored him and declared "we need to figure out what your favourite animal is!", catching up and walking beside him.
"I already have a favourite animal." Castiel told her, annoyed.
"Really? What?" She asked.
"My favourite animal is a bee." Cas announced proudly. He'd always been fascinated by them, since he was small really. The amazing way they collected nectar and turned it to honey, how they collected pollen to spread on other flowers, how their tiny wings still managed to lift them into the air no matter how large their bodies were. He smiled softly to himself, turning his head, only to see Charlie's face full of disgust.
"That's not cool, Castiel! It needs to be something normal but interesting enough that no one else has it." Charlie told him sternly.
"But I like bees!" Castiel said indignantly.
"But your soulmate might not!" Charlie countered.
"Well… then he wouldn't be my soulmate." Castiel informed her hesitantly, praying to God it was true.
"Fine, your favourite animal can be a stupid bee. Just don't come crying to me if your soulmate doesn't like it!" Charlie responded petulantly, turning off when she reached her class.
"I won't." Castiel promised solemnly, continuing to his own classroom. He just couldn't wait to meet his soulmate. And he had the distinct feeling it was going to be very soon.
"I am 26 years old and I still haven't found my soulmate." Dean wail was muffled from how he had his head buried in his folded arms.
"Happy birthday, Dean." Sam responded brightly, in turn, ignoring Dean's misery.
"I am never gonna find them." Dean moaned, staring at his breakfast as Sam set the plate down in front of him.
"Aww, don't be like that. I'm sure they'll turn up eventually." Said Jess as she sat down opposite him, inclining her head for a kiss on the cheek as Sam laid her breakfast in front of her as well.
"That's easy for you to say." Dean grumped, stubbornly refusing to take a bite of his food even as the crisp smell of well cooked bacon beckoned him. "You met my brother the week after you turned twelve. I've been waiting for fourteen years and they're still a no show." Dean said miserably.
Jess looked at Sam who nodded decisively before they both turned towards Dean, seemingly having decided something.
"Tell you what," Jess began, "Let's throw you a birthday party. Who knows what could soulmate could be just one party away
"Aargh." Dean groaned loudly in response. "I've either been throwing parties or going to them since I was sixteen, looking for Mr or Mrs 'My favourite animal is a bee'. I don't want another stupid night ending in failure."
"Don't worry." Sam assured, smiling knowingly. "It won't be."
"Vvvvbt, vvvvbt. Vvvvbt, vvvvbt." Charlie looked at her cell curiously, eyeing the name on her screen. She swiped to answer the call, holding the phone against her ear as she looked around for a quiet place to take the call. This new gay club Dorothy had shown her was fun but it wasn't exactly abundant in quiet places to talk. "I gotta take this!" She shouted over the loud music to her aforementioned girlfriend Dorothy and her longtime friend Castiel who was staring rather forlornly out into the crowd. She quickly hurried to the bathrooms, bright neon sign hanging above them guiding her their way. She quickly locked herself in a stall before addressing her phone. "Sorry about that, the music's really loud in here."
"All good." The speaker slightly distorted the answering chuckle.
"It's great to hear from you, Sam."
Castiel loved Charlie, he really did. But sometimes she was a complete pain in the ass. Like now, for example. She'd dragged him off to some gay club that, in his opinion, was much to colourful, much too bright, and way, way too loud. And, on top of all that, she wants to drag him out tomorrow night. Again.
"I don't want to go to some stupid party." Castiel complained loudly.
"Pleeeeaassee." Charlie begged, clutching her hands and fluttering her eyelashes.
"Look, I'm really glad you two have finally found each other." Castiel began, looking between Dorothy and Charlie with a warm smile. "But I've had enough of looking for my soulmate. You keep dragging me out to clubs and stupid parties but the truth is, Charlie," Castiel looked down in defeat, sighing quietly. "I'm never gonna find the weirdo who want's to know my favourite animal."
"Sam's gonna be there." Charlie announced lightly. Castiel looked up at that. He had only met Sam a few weeks ago but he had seemed very nice and he liked astronomy and biology and other sciences too, even though he was majoring in law. He had told him about his soulmate and wife Jess who seemed like a really nice girl. "He asked for me to bring you especially." Charlie stressed.
"Alright." Castiel relented, finally. It couldn't be that bad, and at least this time he would know more than just Dorothy and Charlie. "But if I get bored, you're taking me home." He told her sternly.
"Don't worry." Sam assured, smiling knowingly. "You won't."
"Dean? Why aren't you by the door?" Jess asked Dean who was moping on his old leather couch, staring at his beer like it had done something to personally offend him. "It's your birthday, Dean, this is no time to be gloomy. You should be celebrating at least." It was strange for Dean to be at a party and not hanging by the door, desperately asking every person who came in what they're favourite animal was. You couldn't really blame the guy for trying to find "My favourite animal is a bee." It wasn't his fault that most of the responses were along the lines of "Fuck you."
"I'm not feeling it tonight." Dean answered Jess with a shrug, still staring at his beer. He really did embody the whole 'cloud raining above their head' thing.
"Tell you what," Jess said with a soft, caring smile, "How 'bout you go do your thing and I'll reward you with the best cake you've ever tried."
"Really?" Dean asked curiously. "What kinda cake is it?"
"Pie cake." Jess answered with a beaming, proud smile.
"I love you!" Dean almost squealed in delight, face lit up with a sappy smile as he pulled Jess into a hug.
"Go get'em tiger." Jess teased with a laugh, slapping his rear as he walked off.
Castiel was seriously regretting agreeing to go to this party Charlie had cajoled him into. He was tired from the frankly obnoxious club that Charlie had dragged him to last night, plus the mountain load of paperwork that his boss had friggin plonked on his desk that morning. All he really wanted was a long, hot bath, a plate of last week's spaghetti bolognaise and a good night's sleep, but here he was, jumping out of a ten minute shower to get ready for another night out.
Castiel carefully selected his dark wash jeans and light blue shirt, pulling them on quickly before shrugging himself into his familiar, tan trench coat. The intercom by his front door buzzed gratingly and he rushed to answer it.
"Hey! Just me." Came Charlie's cheerful greeting. Castiel quickly buzzed her up, tapping his foot anxiously as he waited for her to arrive at the door. Soon came a knock, knock at the door and Castiel quickly opened it to see Charlie and Dorothy, twin sunny smiles already firmly in place. "Ready?" Dorothy asked excitedly.
"I think so." Castiel replied hesitantly, smoothing down the lapels of his coat.
The drive to the party was surprisingly short but Castiel was a little suspicious of Charlie's fast driving in her shiny Corvette.
"Did we have to drive so quickly?" Castiel questioned Charlie grumpily as he stumbled out of the back seat, feeling slightly woozy.
"Well, we were already late." Charlie replied with a shrug. Castiel sighed exasperatedly in response. He did hate being late for things.
"C'mon, it can't be that bad." Dorothy said determinedly, fluffing his hair with her nimble fingers before seizing Charlie's hand and walking through the door of the apartment building in front of them. Castiel followed them before stopping in front of the elevator.
"Out of order" It announced in big red letters. Cas sighed, turning to the stairs with Charlie and Dorothy. He really was very tired.
"Jess, when's the cake gonna be finished?" Dean nagged when she came to check on him again. He was tired of hanging by the door like a loser. He just wanted his pie cake and a good, long sleep.
"You can eat it soon, just wait a little longer." Jess replied with a smile.
Dean sighed. As far as he was concerned, it felt like he'd been waiting all his life.
Castiel was huffing softly by the time the three of them had reached the fourth floor of the building, where the party was supposedly being held.
"You need to get out of the office more." Charlie teased with a grin.
"Shut up." Castiel grumbled, but there was no heat behind it. Together they walked down the hall, following the sound of a deep bass reverberating through the walls to the second to last door. Castiel tried the knob and, finding it unlocked, pushed the door open, knowing better than to knock. Loud rock music was blasting from some speakers further inside and there were beer bottles, cans and cups strewn everywhere.
"Ok, time for your cake!" Someone shouted from inside. A man who had been leaning against the wall opposite the door perked his head up, face lighting up in excitement.
"Quick," He urged, turning to Castiel with serious eyes. "What's your favourite animal?"
Castiel stared at him in confusion, but merely answered "My favourite animal is a bee."
"Great." The guy replied and turned to go through a doorway but instead paused. He turned back to Castiel, his face a mixture of emotion that Castiel couldn't discern. "What did you say?"
"My favourite animal is a bee." Castiel repeated. Why was this guy so interested in his favourite animal? Castiel's eyes widened in realisation as he lifted his arm to stare at the words that hadn't changed for over ten years. "Quick, what's your favourite animal?" written clearly, staring up at him. He looked up to see the man staring equally as hard at his own arm.
"No." They breathed together.
There was a beat of silence where they just stared at each other, taking the other in. Castiel examined the man before him. He had dark blonde hair, green eyes wilder than the jungle and tanned, muscled arms, accented by his plaid flannel shirt. Castiel was sure those muscles could cause him to faint if he ever saw them flexed. And, by the way the man stood there looking him up and down, he liked Castiel just as much.
Finally, he stuck out his hand, a gorgeous smile in place. "Dean Winchester." he introduced.
"Castiel Novak." He replied, taking the hand in a firm grip and returning the smile ten times fold.
"So… " The man, Dean, began.
"Castiel!" Came a voice from behind Dean. They both turned to see a very tall man with long shaggy hair walking towards them.
"Sam." Castiel replied, only taking his eyes off Dean for a few seconds before returning them immediately to his lithe form.
"I see you've met my brother." Sam laughed.
"Your brother?" Castiel sputtered, looking between Sam and Dean in astonishment.
Sam smiled wickedly. "I see you two have already met then." Castiel's brow furrowed in confusion. He turned around to Charlie and Dorothy in askance, only to find them wearing twin grins that barely contained their mirth.
"Hang on…" Castiel started at the same time as Dean said "Did you…" They looked wildly between the three. "You knew?" They howled in unison.
"Yup." The three said simply, nodding together. "When I found out about your tattoo, I knew you were meant to be together." Sam continued with a wink.
Dean rolled his eyes. "Trust us to be the only soulmates to actually be set up. And by my brother of all people."
"Actually, King James was… " Sam began, getting a serious, intellectual look in his eye.
"Blah, blah, blah, Sam." Dean groaned, rolling his eyes once more. He sort of reminded Castiel of an angst ridden teenager, sick of their parent's lecturing. "Can't you just leave me and Cas alone?"
"Cas?" Castiel asked shyly.
"Yeah… Cas." Dean said with a shrug, blushing bright red. "I hope you don't mind."
"No -no I… I don't mind." Castiel stammered, shuffling his feet.
"Awww, look at you two." Sam said with mocking sweetness.
"Piss off!" Dean snapped before meticulously taking Cas's hand and leading him into the apartment, whispering stories and quiet nothings as they walked.
They spent the whole night together, and when Castiel finally left, he couldn't help feeling that, after all this, it was worth the wait.