Written for a prompt challenge on Tumblr. Original prompt below the story. In honour of Pie day.
"Cas no" Dean sighed in exasperation as the angel looked upon him staring at his reddened hands. He stepped up and led Castiel towards the large sink, helping him rinse them clean. "I said we sort out the fruit towards the end.
"Actually Dean, you stated that the fruit is the key ingredient. I believe, and I quote, you said 'it makes it pop." Castiel tilted his head in confusion. "How exactly does a pie pop Dean? It has no qualities that should give it the ability to make it pop….I suppose with explosives it would have poten—"
"Cas! It's an expression" Dean interjected, god how he was regretting agreeing to teach the angel how to cook, much less something as sacred as a pie.
Castiel turned and faced the hunter. "So we aren't going to make the pie explode?" his brows drew together in puzzlement as he spoke.
With a sigh Dean stepped back towards the rolled out pastry, lifting it and starting to lay it into the greased up tin. "No Cas. We're going to eat it." He said, sparing a glance to the still bemused angel. "You've got raspberry juice on your coat."
Cas raised his sleeves and glanced at the stain, flicking his tongue out to taste it. "It's sweet." He murmured, staring at it a moment longer before he finally took the coat off and lay it over the back of one of the chairs. "I'll fix it later" he shrugged, strangely too fascinated with making the pie than thinking the coat clean.
Green eyes span to the brunette, widening at the strange sight of the coatless angel. It wasn't like he hadn't seen Cas in worse states of undress, god knows it had taken quite a few talks about boundaries to get him to remember to clothe himself when Sam was around, but it was still strange to see him shorn of the treasured beige trenchcoat.
"You're looking at me strange" Castiel said after a moment, head tilting to the side. "Have I done something wrong Dean?"
"No Cas, You're fine, everything is fine…" he blinked awkwardly and turned back to the pie, several confusing thoughts passing through his mind as he did, none which he'd care to admit whilst sober. "You can bring the fruit over now."
"Is it hot in here Dean? You are of a redder complexion than you usually display" he asked, placing the bowl of hand crushed raspberries beside the waiting tin. "Shall I open a window?"
"I'm fine Cas. Honestly. I'll be fine". Dean gripped the bowl and poured the contents in, careful to spread it around fully. "Now just to decorate."
"Why does something we are going to eat need decoration?"
"The lines help it cook better. Here you do it" he handed the knife over then headed to check the oven was still lit, eyes widening when he turned back to the pie. "Cas…..did you just carve a devils trap into my pie crust?"
The tip of the knife curved in a delicate curve, adding the last touch of detail to the symbol. "I believe that your vision itself is enough to confirm that fact Dean. Do I put it in the oven now?"
The older Winchester nodded, still staring at the pie crust. He watched idly as Castiel picked up the pie and walked to the oven, stilling beside it. "Is something wrong?"
"Yes. But it doesn't seem hot enough." He stepped up to it and pulled down the door, peering at the slow flickering flames. "I have an idea. Hold this"
Dean caught the pie as it was dropped into his hands. "It'll be hot enou-" he cut himself off as he looked up to see that the angel had vanished from sight. "Damn angel never letting me finish a sentence" he muttered as he placed the pie carefully in the oven. "I know how to-"
"Got it" Castiel appeared in front of him, startling the hunter .
"Dammit Cas! How many times have I told you…is that gasoline?"
"Yes. We need an accelerant to heat up the process." He turned to the oven, only to have the gasoline taken away from him by the agitated hunter. "I was going to start the fire outside Dean"
"You'd have started a god damn bonfire Cas" Dean cursed, placing the gasoline onto the cupboard then dragging the angel into the main section of the motel room. "And that would be all kinds of not good"
The angel didn't reply for several minutes, merely watching the oven as though waiting for Dean to go and get it. "Is it done now?"
"It's been in for all of a minute Cas, it's gonna take at least half an hour." He shoved the angel into a chair and grabbed himself a beer, settling upon the edge of the bed and flicking the tv on.
Dean knew from prior experience that angel's could stay perfectly still when they wanted to, so he was more than a little bit certain that Castiel's fidgeting was simply an exercise to frustrate him further. So much so that by the time the oven timer went off her was craving a demon attack simply to relieve some tension, whilst trying to subdue his minds unhelpful suggestions at other relieving activities. "For God's sake Cas, if you change that channel one more time!" he snapped, hurrying up off the bed and into the kitchen only to bump into said angel. "Son of a bitch! How many times…"
"Thirty seven times in total" Cas interjected, ignoring Dean's offer of an oven mitt, instead simply pulling the now golden crusted pie from the oven and setting it down to cool. "That's what you were going to ask wasn't it? How many times you've told me to stop appearing in front of you without warning?"
"Yeah….and nearly forty times later you still don't get it" he mumbled to himself, busying himself with getting two plates ready.
"No. I understand the concept of the request Dean. As well as the parameters set by it." The angel retorted smoothly.
"Then why do you keep doing it?" Dean asked incredulously, a large knife now help in his right hand as he started to cut into the pastry.
"Because it's funny." A brief smile flickered upon the angel's face, a hint of amusement playing in his eyes, it only growing as the hunter looked up at him.
"Funny? You're gonna give me a heart attack man." He dished up two portions and carried them to the table, slumping down.
"Noted" Castiel stated, no intention to stop. Within seconds he appeared in the chair opposite the hunter. "Thank you for this Dean. I believe it is vital for me to learn human skills if I am to be spending a large part of my time upon earth."
A small hint of a smile betrayed Dean's frustration. "It's fine Cas. Just do me a favour?"
"Anything Dean" Castiel replied, looking upon the Winchester with a look of serious intent.
"Never ask me to help you cook again"