Title: You Start The Year All Fine
Fandom: Supernatural
Characters: Castiel, Dean Winchester, Sam Winchester
Prompt: Holiday (Any holiday from Oct 31 to Jan 1).
Word Count: 1,111
Rating: T (Some violence, minor coarse language, and minor suggestive adult themes.)
Genre: Friendship, Romance
Summary: Team Free Will rings in the new year. Castiel is confounded by the human custom of kissing at midnight… he means he's confused. (Destiel friendship)
Series: My Calendar Boys
Author's Notes: Written for the SPN Prompts & Writers Monthly Fic Challenges (Nov 1, 2016 – Jan 1, 2017)
Disclaimer: I own nothing …

(Very Slightly Pre) JANUARY

"It seems that no matter how much time I spend living among humans, there are certain customs that continue to confound me." Castiel was sat in front of an ancient looking television on a faded and lumpy couch in a random cheap motel room that he, Sam, and Dean were currently holed up in.

Outside, snow had started falling in fluffy white clumps that afternoon making their trip back to the bunker difficult enough that Dean had elected to stay put for now. Castiel didn't mind. It was rare these days that he spent casual time together with the brothers. And becoming even rarer still that they all worked a case together. But Sam had elected to interrupt their current seemingly fruitless research in favour of what the Winchesters typically referred to as a "milk run". Castiel wasn't even sure why either man had needed the additional help, but he was happy to provide it all the same.

"What d'you mean, Cas?" Dean asked as he dropped into the seat next to the Angel, open beer bottle in hand. They'd managed to brave the chilly element outside long enough to trek across the street to the liquor store and back some hours ago.

"I mean I'm confused," Castiel deadpanned, eyes never leaving the screen.

"N-" Dean face palmed internally and let his head drop slightly, steadfastly ignoring his brother's chuffed laugh from where Sam was currently typing away at his laptop. He took a breath and tried again. "What are you confused about?"

"I've noticed that humans have a compulsion to frequently celebrate specific markers in time."

"Yeah, we like to keep track of time. To know how much has passed and long it's been since something specific happened," Sam tried to explain.

"That's not what confuses me in this instance."

"Okay," Sam replied, turning in his seat so he was facing his friend and his brother. "So, what's confusing you right now?"

"The "ringing in" of a new year is important to you, yes?" Castiel asked, looking to Sam and then Dean. He was getting better at his usage of air quotes.

"Well, yeah," Dean shrugged. "New year, new you," he said with a mock cheer so fake that even Castiel picked up on it and took a swig of his beer.

Sam shook his head and shot a micro bitch face at his brother before turning back to his friend. "These days people tend to make a resolution with the intention of improving themselves over the year."

"Of course, most people fail, but we still do it because, hey, we're humans," Dean quipped with a shrug.

"It dates back to around ancient Babylonia." Sam's eyes got bright as it always did when he was imparting information that he'd found fascinating. "Their new year centered around the planting of crops, which was when they'd crown their new King or reassert their fealty to a reigning King. And they'd make promises to their pagan gods to return borrowed items and pay off debts. It was all part of a twelve day religious festival known as Akitu."(1)

"You're such a nerd," Dean needled earning him what he liked to call Sam's Bitch Face #26 (TM).

"And what about the importance of kissing at midnight?" Castiel turned to Dean.

Dean, who had been taking another pull from his bottle, choked at the straight forward question. Sam turned back to his laptop to hide his smirk.

Dean cleared his throat. "Um, well… I uh…" He laughed a little nervously and considered brushing the topic off as not that important. But one look into Cas' wide and curious blue eyes made him reconsider. Because it's Cas. He cleared his throat again. "I guess it has something to do with what we hope for the new year. A lot of people believe that what you're doing when the ball drops is sorta what's in store for you for the rest of that year. I guess it's sorta good luck or something. Like it brings good fortune?"

Castiel tilted his head. "Have you ever participated in the traditional custom of kissing at midnight for luck and good fortune?"

Dean shot a glance at Sam, who was steadfastly typing away at his keyboard but who Dean could clearly see was vibrating with silent laughter. He glared before turning his attention back to Cas. "In my experience, locals aren't really keen on participating with someone they're not going to see again. I mean, half the point of participating is sort of to participate with the one you'll mainly be participating with for the rest of the year." Even without breaking eye contact with Cas he could feel his brother's eyes rolling. "I- I mean, we sorta like to participate with people we at least care about, y'know?"

Castiel's eyes squinted in thought.

Dean cleared his throat. Again. "But Chuck knows we could always use some good fortune." He turned away and chugged the rest of his beer, the ten second countdown for their time zone sounding in the background.

"… seven… six… five…"

"Okay."

"… three… two…"

Dean frowned in confusion. "Okay? Wha-"

"Happy New Year!"

Dean tensed as warm lips pressed against his, eyes wide. Then something in his brain, something small and hidden and cherished, caught up and he relaxed. His eyes drifted shut and he pressed forward, responding to the vestal kiss. His hand raised and slid behind Cas' head, tangling in his hair. Cas' hand raised to cradle his jaw in response, thumb brushing his cheek. His tongue licked across the angel's bottom lip before he sucked it in between his before releasing it. Pressing lips firmly against the other's.

They continued until Dean was out of breath. Pressing foreheads together. Breath mixing. It seemed even Cas's breathing was affected by their New Year's participation. They opened their eyes to gaze at one another. Dean couldn't help but find the comical way being so close made Cas look like a cyclops endearing. He huffed and grinned, lightly rubbing the ends of their noses together.

"Happy New Year, Cas."

"Happy New Year, Dean."

Dean looked over to reiterate the sentiment to his brother and saw Sam sitting at the table with his chin resting on his hands and sighing like a tween girl swooning over a chick flick. His eyes narrowed. "You looked it up, didn't you?"

Sam looked away, a slight blush on his cheeks. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Nerd," Dean baited as he stood to retrieve another bottle of beer.

Outside the snow continued to fall, unaffected by the shifting of the human construct of time.

- 30 -

The End

Footnotes:

(1) From an article on the website titled "The History of New Years Resolutions".

A/N: You can see implied Wincest if you squint.

Completed: January 2, 2017