Castiel sat at the library table across from Sam. He was helping the hunter organize the library books for scanning. Sam was creating a reference guide for the computer to make research easier.
Dean passed them, cheerful. Sam grinned and shook his head. Castiel tried to concentrate on the books but he could feel Sam watching him.
"It's Valentine's Day. You and Meg going to celebrate?" Sam asked.
Castiel looked back down at his book. "No."
"Really? I thought you two were, you know...together."
Castiel frowned. "I am fond of her. I think she is fond of me. Nothing is...official." He broke off and rubbed the back of his neck. "As for this holiday, I don't think I'm—we're—ready for it."
"Ready?"
Castiel looked at Sam, embarrassed. "We are not ready to have sexual intercourse."
He had enjoyed the Pizza Man kisses, and he remembered what Meg had said about "ordering pizza and moving furniture." She had not mentioned it since her rescue, and he was grateful. A part of him wanted to be with her physically. Yet, his angelic nature was hard to get past. He had not been created to experience things like that.
Sam's eyes widened. "Wow. It's good that you...realize that..." The hunter cleared his throat. "Uh, you know, you don't have to."
"Is that not what the holiday is about?" he asked, confused. He had seen the advertisements for romantic vacations and uncomfortable looking nightgowns.
"No!" Sam exclaimed.
Dean passed them again, whistling as he climbed the staircase, and left the bunker.
"Okay, for some it is. But, Cas, no. You don't have to...do that. It's just a time to celebrate being with someone you care about."
"I see..."
Sam stood and reached over the table, closing the book that was in front of Cas. "Go have fun."
After doing some research on traditional Valentine's Day dates, and then on dating in general, Cas knocked on Meg's door. The demon answered and gave him a small smile.
"Yeah?"
"Meg. I hope… What I mean is...are you…" He trailed off, unsure of how to continue.
She raised an eyebrow. "Okay, you're acting weird even for you. What's going on?"
"Would you like to do something? I mean, go somewhere…with me?"
"A hunt?"
"No. A date?"
"You're asking me out?" she asked, her eyes widening.
"Yes?"
"Okay, when?"
"Now?"
After a pause, she said "Give me five minutes."
He returned to the library. Sam gave him a questioning look. Castiel nodded shyly, and Sam grinned.
Meg joined them a few minutes later. She had changed her clothes to a clinging purple top made of a shiny material, and jeans. Her hair had been piled on her head in a messy bun. Small tendrils were loose and framed her face.
She looked beautiful.
"What?" she asked, her voice defensive.
"You look very nice. I like your hair that way," he said quietly.
"Shut up," she said, moving past him towards the stairs.
Castiel looked at Sam, but the hunter just raised his eyebrows and chuckled.
Cas joined Meg outside the bunker. She crossed her arms and glared at him, and he vowed to say nothing more about her appearance.
"What would you like to do?" he asked.
"You're asking me? I thought you'd decided."
"I have some ideas, but I know that you like to be in control."
She smirked. "That I do. It's good you realize that now. This time though, you can choose."
He thought over the research he had done. The traditional first date was dinner. Neither he nor Meg needed to eat. The second tradition was a movie. However, they often watched movies together in the bunker. He wanted to do something different.
"Do you like the ocean?" he asked.
"The beach? Yeah! Sun and sand." She grabbed his arm. "Let's go."
Pleased he had made the correct choice, he teleported them away.
It probably wasn't what she had in mind, he realized, when they appeared on a wooden path between two buildings. They stepped out onto the main walkway, and Cas took in the sights. Stretching for a few miles in both directions was a long row of shops, restaurants, bars, a museum, clubs, an aquarium, and other entertainments. In the distance he could see a Ferris Wheel. On the other side of the boardwalk the ocean stretched out as far as he could see.
Meg went over to the nearest staircase and down into the sand. She stared out at the water for a few minutes, a content look on her face.
"I've always liked the ocean," she said a bit defensively when he joined her.
"I remember finding you on a beach in Italy before…" he trailed off, not wanting to remind her of her capture during the final Leviathan battle. It had been his fault she had been there. In his insanity he had dragged her back. "Would you like to go to the aquarium?"
Meg shrugged.
Castiel wasn't fond of the aquarium. He felt that the fish and animals should be in the wild, where his Father had intended for them to be. They seemed sad in their tanks. At the same time, he was glad that they went because of Meg's reaction. At first she had remained her aloof, distant self. Slowly, she thawed until she was no longer hiding her delight. Finally, he was able to see a genuine smile from her when she spotted the lion fish.
"Just look at it," Meg said, getting close to the glass. "You'd never know how deadly it was just by looking at it."
"I think the spines are a good warning," he replied, frowning at the fish.
She watched it for a few more minutes, and Cas took her distraction to sneak away. When he returned she was waiting outside the entrance looking annoyed.
"I know you're new to this whole dating thing, but abandoning your date is generally frowned upon," she told him.
"I'm sorry. I had to take care of something."
"Hmm. Well, whatever it was had better have been worth it, because now you have to make it up to me."
"How do you wish for me to do so?" he asked.
She moved in close and looked up at him, a small smirk on her face. He felt heat flood his vessel when she placed one hand on his waist. She leaned up, and he thought she was going to kiss him.
Instead, she said "chocolate," and hurried off in the direction of a small shop a few doors down.
It was a shop that made and sold fresh fudge and other candy. He found Meg eyeing the peanut butter fudge.
"We do not need to eat," he said quietly to her.
"Just because we don't need to doesn't mean we can't," she said, and proceeded to order half a pound of peanut butter fudge and some chocolate covered cherries. Castiel paid and they exited the shop.
"Try one," she said, holding up a chocolate covered cherry.
"I don't eat," he said stubbornly.
Meg stopped walking and moved to block his path. She unwrapped the candy and held it up to his lips. "Try. It."
He rolled his eyes and opened his mouth. She popped the candy in. He chewed, tasting each molecule of the treat. Surprisingly, it did not taste as bad as the other foods he had tried. He nodded and she smiled triumphantly before walking away.
A few feet away he heard laughter, and he saw an elderly man shaking his head. Obviously, the man had seen the whole thing.
"You've got your hands full with that one," the man said.
"I..." Cas started, unsure of how to respond or if he should be offended on Meg's behalf.
"The fiery, stubborn ones are the best. My Caroline was full of fire until the day she died. I never regretted a minute with her," the old man looked sad, and Cas felt bad. He wanted to let the man know that Caroline was happy and well cared for in Heaven, but he knew it would not help. Humans were sensitive about that kind of thing. "Trust me, she's worth everything." With that advice, the man nodded and slowly walked away. Cas watched him go, confused yet somehow comforted by the man's words.
He looked around and realized that he couldn't see Meg anywhere. Walking in the direction he saw her go, he sensed it.
Demons. More than just Meg.
He hurried towards the feeling into the ally behind a closed store. Meg was in the middle of fighting two demons. He moved to help her, but saw the she was handling it.
More, she looked to be having fun.
Seeing him, she kicked one demon into a dumpster and slammed the other into a wall with her power. Pulling out an angel blade, she plunged it into the demon's chest. When it was dead, she quickly got rid of the other demon.
She faced him, her hair coming out of the bun and tumbling down one side of her head, her clothing rumpled, her face full of happiness.
"Best date ever," she said, approaching him and handing him the angel blade. Annoyed, he quickly checked and saw that yes, she had once again swiped it. She really needed to stop doing that.
"I see..." he said, taking the blade and feeling disappointed. She seemed more excited about the fight than any part of their date. He had failed.
They returned to the bunker and Meg headed towards her room. Castiel followed, unsure of how to end the date. She stopped outside her door.
"That was fun," she said.
"I know you do enjoy battle," he said with a nod. "Good night, Meg."
"Hold on," she said, grabbing his sleeve to stop him from leaving. "Are you upset? You are!" She laughed. "Oh, that's adorable!"
He frowned, knowing she was making fun of him, but not knowing why exactly.
Chuckling, she leaned up and kissed him. He closed his eyes and reached up to cup her face. She tasted of chocolate and cherries and a hint of sulfur. She ended the kiss, and with a smirk, entered her room and closed the door.
He stayed outside her door for a few moments, even more confused than ever. Slowly, he continued down the hall to his room.
"How'd it go?" Sam asked when Castiel passed the open door to Sam's room.
"Women are very confusing. Demons even more so," Castiel confessed.
"Welcome to the world of dating," Sam said with a laugh.
Castiel entered his room and frowned when he realized something was in his pocket. He pulled out a few chocolate covered candies and a note.
Don't think I don't know what day it is. Meg
Smiling to himself, he set the items on his nightstand, and started to plan their second date.
In her room, Meg was surprised to find a package on her bed. Unwrapping it, she unrolled a poster of a lion fish in a reef.
Happy Valentine's Day. From, Castiel