Christmas in the bunker was like any other day for the Winchesters. Sam sat at the computer typing away while Dean did…..well nothing actually. He went from room to room trying to stay out of Sam's way while avoiding anything productive. Do a little target practice, rearrange the things in his room, and listen to some Lynard Skynard. Ya know the usual 'I'm trying to look like I'm doing something without actually doing anything' routine he's master over the years. But now he's run out of useless tasks and the boredom has set in. The one monster he could never defeat.

"SAM! SAMMY!" His course voice echoed off the walls. "SAAAAMMMMM."

"Not now Dean." The aforementioned brother replied, a bit annoyed.

"But Sammy…." The green eyed hunter thrashed about on the couch a few rooms away, whining more than before. "There is nothing to do. I'm dying here man."

"I'm pretty sure no one has ever died from boredom. A pissed off younger brother though….." Sam sat back and sighed. Over the past few days Dean's restlessness had started to reach an all-time high. That man wasn't made to wait. "There are plenty of things to do around here. You could….unbox some things, go through some journals…"

"I'm trying to cure my boredom not add to it." Dean closed his eyes. "Nerd stuff is not my thing."

"Fine then why don't you…I don't know go jerk off to some cartoon porn."

"You're on the computer." He paused. "And how many times do I have to tell you it's called 'anime'."

"You want the computer? Come get it. I can find something else to do." The younger Winchester didn't receive a reply. "Dean?"

"That involves movement. Bring it to me?"

"Not gonna happen." Sam laughed, returning to his research.

"Jack ass." Dean closed his eyes again, but not before his brother replied the usual 'bitch.' It didn't take long for the hunter to fall asleep. Whenever they had down time it seemed Dean would catch up on the sleep he'd miss while out in the field.

The bunker grew quiet and both Winchester boys relished it; each in their own way. Dean continued his slumber while Sam read in a nearby chair. Nights like these made their life worthwhile; made things seem almost normal….or at least normal adjacent. The peacefulness made Castiel, who stood at their door, question whether he wanted to disturb them. But it was Christmas after all and although the religious aspect of this holiday was lost on him he understood the secularized aspect. Christmas should be spent with family, this he knew, so he knocked on the steel door and waited for Sam's familiar 'Just a sec.'

The door opened with a creaked. Instead of a face Castiel was greeted with the barrel of a gun. "Cass?" Sam asked a moment later. "Come in." The angel followed him into the bunker. "Dean is sleeping. I'll wake him."

"If you'd like. But I'm not here for Dean." Castiel had only been here a few times and the vastness of the place never ceased to awe him. "Well, not only for Dean. I'm here for you as well."

"Cass?" Dean rubbed the sleep from his eyes and sat up. "Hey man." He stretched then a moment later it dawned on him that the angel was in fact here. "If you're here that means you have something for us? Right?!"

"Well yes…"

Before Castiel could continue he was cut off. "It's about fucking time. I could feel the rust creeping in."

"But you aren't made of metal."

"So what's going on?" Sam asked, sitting in his chair once again. "Someone from the god squad in a jam?"

"No. There are no angels at work here." He paused. "Although popular myth states one spoke to the 'wise men' but none of my brother's will take credit for that."

"What?" Dean looked from Castiel to Sam.

"The wise men. At least that's what they are called today. They weren't that 'wise'…more like in the right place at the right time. Lucky men would be more accurate. But it doesn't have the same ring to it."

"I repeat…what?"

"Not that that isn't very interesting..." Sam chuckled. "Cass why are you here?"

"It's Christmas." He smiled.

"That doesn't exactly answer my question."

"You spend Christmas with friends and family. Enjoy their company, share stories and gifts."

"Guess you didn't get the memo. The Winchester's don't do Christmas." Dean replied gruffly.

"I received no such 'memo'. Had I known I wouldn't have come." Castiel replied, eyes downcast. "If I've caused you some sort of inconvenience I apologize."

"Nah, man. It's alright." Sam gave his brother a dirty look. "Just because we aren't the Christmas-y type doesn't mean you can't be."

"It's a human holiday. Angels aren't supposed to be the have such revelries."

"Then why even bring it up?" Dean was making his way to the kitchen. All this holiday talk was annoying him.

"Because I thought that it meant something to you…..and if it did I wanted to…." Realizing what he was about to say Castiel cut himself off. "It's of no importance. I was mistaken. Perhaps I should leave."

"Stay….leave. Doesn't matter. Just don't use a stupid holiday as an excuse." Dean cast a glance over his shoulder. "I'll pour you a drink."

Once Dean was out of sight Sam did his best to reassure the angel. "Don't let him get to you. You know how he can be." He paused taking note of the frown on Castiel's face. "Although he tries to hide it he actually cares. In a strange 'Dean' sort of way."

"I guess that's something." Castiel sighed. "But it's hard to take solace in that."

"He only gets this grumpy when you're around."

"That doesn't make it better."

Dean reemerged, a glass of eggnog in each hand. He handed one to Castiel and held the other. When Sam gave him a disappointed look he replied "You got legs. Get your own." Doing as instructed the younger brother went to fetch one for himself…taking his dear sweet time so as to give the pair some time to talk. "How have you been?" Dean asked once he was sure they were alone.

"Busy."

"Not what I meant Cass."

"I didn't come here to talk business."

"Yea Christmas, I heard ya the first time." Dean sat his glass on the table and took a seat on the couch. "In all the years ya've known us not once did you try to spend a Christmas with us. So why now?"

There was a reason behind Castiel's sudden interest in this holiday. One that he wasn't quite comfortable telling Dean yet. Maybe after a few more glasses of eggnog, which he didn't particularly like by the way. Regardless of this he drank, so as not to hurt Dean's feelings. "As I said. I thought that it was important to you and therefore should be important to me."

"Ya know sometimes you make no sense. 'Important to you blah blah important to me."

"Did I do something to upset you?" Castiel asked taking a seat beside the hunter.

"No." Sarcasm oozed from his response.

"I should leave. This was a bad idea."

"Wait…" Dean grabbed the angel's arm before he could stand. "You're right. It's Christmas and….it should be spent with family. This holiday isn't the same if it isn't filled with awkward conversation and uncomfortable silence."

"And tacky sweaters."

"God I hate those. Like who honestly like those things?"

"I've seen a few that were….interesting."

"In the same way a train wreck or Miley Cyrus is interesting."

"Don't poke fun. That girl has serious issues. Someone should intervene."

Their conversation progressed naturally. Whatever was bugging Dean was forgotten somewhere between the first drink and the 'West Side Story' reference. They laughed more than they thought they would and by the time Sam came back things seemed back to normal.

"I nearly forgot. There was something I have for each of you." Castiel remarked three eggnogs later. "It's not Christmas without gifts. For whatever reason."

"You didn't have to." Sam interjected. "We didn't get you anything."

"You're friendship is enough a gift for me, Sam." The sincerity of his words were reflected on his face. He handed Sam and Dean each a small packaged decorated to the nines. Ribbon, bows, even glitter.

"You didn't steal these did you?" Dean asked, shaking his gift.

"I'm an Angel of the Lord Dean. We don't steal." Castiel looked away sheepishly. "We do however borrow."

Dean opened his first and was delighted to see a slice of pie in a plastic container. "It's from that bakery in Poughkeepsie you like." What Castiel failed to mention was the fact that he had to wash dishes for two nights in order to earn that slice. But Dean didn't need to know the particulars.

Sam was next….and wasn't as excited as Dean was. "It's an amulet."

"I can see that."

"That engraving was done almost five thousand years ago. It's supposed to help ward against evil….or indigestion. The translation wasn't clear."

Sam cast a look to Dean. "Hey don't look at me. I like mine" was Dean's reply.

"Is it unsatisfactory?" The look in Castiel's eye was a mix of disappointment and shame.

"No, no, no." Sam smiled. "It's great. Thanks Cass. Now if evil indigestion tries to get into the bunker I can go 'nope. I got an amulet.'"

"I feel as though you are making fun of me."

"Not at all." He gave the angel a slight hug. "I really do like it."

"Sam's right Cass. The gifts are awesome." Dean's mouth was full of pie as he spoke. "But we didn't get you nothing."

"Dean your existence is the only gift I need." The eggnog had started to take effect and Castiel was mostly unaware of what he was saying. He smiled totally oblivious to the weight of his words.