"Sam, I need you to help me with something." Castiel asked, walking into the main room of the bunker where the younger Winchester sat.
Sam looked up from the book he was reading, eyes filled with concern for his friend. "What is it, Cas?"
"It's very important, I need you to help me make a Valentine for Dean." The angel replied, ducking his head down nervously, suddenly blushing at doing this romantic, very human tradition for Dean that he had wanted to do. He had wanted to show his love of course for the always seemingly oblivious hunter.
"Oh," He snorted a laugh at this, 'God he's got it so bad for Dean'
"Um, how did you find out about Valentine's Day anyway?"
"I remember a few years ago during the apocalypse, when you said that Dean usually went out to do 'unattached drifter's Christmas' I believe was the phrase-I realize that I feel bad I did not do anything like this for him at the time, so I researched this 'holiday' and maybe to achieve and hope to show my love for him through this particular Valentine card traditions you humans do for your loved ones." the angel finished with a half-smile on his face.
Sam was stunned at the clear determined look in Castiel's eyes and the blunt declaration of love for his brother, he had to admit to himself it's been a long time coming for these two.
'It's about time they confess how they feel after all, I'm tired of all the sexual, continuous eye-fucking and tension between these two I have to deal with when Cas is around, I mean God, it's been what? years? and still they dance around each other for this long, something has to give, damn it.'
"Sure Cas I'll help you." He grinned, 'This should be fun, picking out a card for Dean?' Sam thought with a wistful expression on his face. Even though he had his own problems with Dean for now, that didn't mean he couldn't help Cas out, he was his friend after all, or even more like another brother to be honest. Himself, his brother and the angel had been through a lot of shit together too, after all and this was the least he could do to repay Castiel for all the help he's done for the both of them over the years.
"Hell, maybe you can make him one yourself Cas, that would make it more special." He suggested to the angel, who now looked surprised and had an excited glint in his eye as he pondered this thought.
"Yes, that sounds excellent, Sam would you help me though with the materials I would need to construct this Valentine?" He asked the younger Winchester with a head tilt.
"Of course, we should go to the store though, get the supplies and all." Sam stood up from his chair, grabbing the cup of coffee he was drinking and downed the rest. He went to get his coat, while walking past Castiel, laying a hand on the shorter man's shoulder. "Dean's still sleeping anyway, he isn't that much of a morning person, so that works out for us I guess." Sam clapped him on the shoulder once while smiling slightly at the confused look Cas was giving him.
"Why does Dean need to be sleeping while we are making this card?"
"Well, you want to surprise him right?" Cas nodded
"We have to lay low and try to finish the card before he wakes up," Sam checked his watch, it was about 9:45 AM, they had plenty of time, especially since Dean was drinking heavily the other night, Sam cringed at that.
"Right, of course, and thank you Sam for helping me with this, I really appreciate it." Cas's lips twitched up in another small smile.
Sam smiled back at him, "Anytime Cas, what's family for anyway?"
"I just wanted to find some way to make Dean feel better, he has dealt with so much, and has been through a lot of pain recently, and in any way I possibly could, this seemed the right way to do so." the angel admitted with a hopeful look, thinking maybe somehow that this would help the hunter feel even just a bit better.
Sam couldn't help the grin that spread across his face at that, he was happy for Dean, and Cas at how much they really loved each other, they had a profound bond and nothing could break that, not even what they had all been through together. He only wishes that he could find someone for himself like his older brother had, there hadn't really been anyone since Jess that seemed too perfect to be true.
"Let's get going then." he said with another gentle smile, pushing his thoughts away for the moment.
Two hours later
The door to the bunker crept open slowly and as quietly as possible, while Sam walked in first with bags of construction paper, glue, paint, paint brushes, and scissors. Castiel had ended up carrying the crayons, markers, colored pencils, oil pastels, glitter, and pens.
Castiel had wanted to pick everything in the store, so it would be perfect for Dean like he had hoped it would turn out. Sam helped him shopping, laughing a little at the perplexed look Castiel was giving all the materials in the shopping cart.
"Sam what is this glitter for?" He asked, squinting at the strange substance, while picking up the tube of sparkly pink.
The younger Winchester couldn't help but full-on guffaw at that, but managed to contain it after a few minutes of Cas's puzzled look, "Relax, man, it will be awesome, and Dean will love it, I'm pretty sure it make the card that much more amazing." Castiel seemed to perk up after hearing this new information, suddenly grabbing as many bright neon colors as possible, including green which he stopped to stare at and suddenly broke out into a knowing smile.
"This is exactly like Dean's eyes, so beautiful." The angel held the shimmering emerald glitter up closely examining the tube in awe, before grabbing all the other colors there were in the store.
Sam watched on, amused, while shaking his head and sighed, 'Boy I can't wait to see the look on his face when he sees what Cas made him' he laughed quietly, sitting in the Impala waiting for Castiel to return to pay for the rest of the items they had bought.
"Okay Cas, so here's where we start on the card, first you gotta fold it in half, like this." Sam proceeded to show the angel on how exactly to fold the paper himself, after a few mishaps on the way, they managed a nicely folded green color that Castiel had insisted himself to use for the card.
"Next, well, I think you should write both of your names, but instead of writing it all out, maybe just initials."
"But Sam, I do not have a last name.." The angel stared sadly, and hopelessly at the taller man, now thinking this had all been a wasted idea from the start.
"Cas, you could use our last name, if you want? I'm sure Dean would like that, he thinks your pretty much apart of the family too, so yeah." Sam assured the angel, patting him on the shoulder.
Castiel glimpsed up at the younger Winchester in surprise and happiness, "Thank you, Sam."
"No problem, man, now we gotta choose what colors you would want to write his and your initials in."
"Maybe green for his of course and mine...blue." Castiel said sheepishly.
"Sounds awesome," he smirked, "Here's the markers" Sam set them down next to the angel, while starting to tear the rest of the materials they needed from their packages from the bags. The taller man stood up now glancing back at the table and at Castiel, seeing the hard-working and focused intensity the angel was sporting; now decorating the Valentine with preciseness and apparently decidedly himself, was writing their initials in a neat cursive font, that Sam had to admit appreciatively, it looked something that was written in an old styled, really fancy font, which looked like the beginnings of a love letter to be honest.
'Oh god, this is cute' Sam stifled another laugh coming on at the thought.
"The D.W & C.W. looks perfect man, Dean's gonna love it." Sam said enthusiastically, while scattering all the rest of the supplies, now opened in front of the angel.
Castiel smiled in eagerness at the many more supplies he had to work with, and the younger Winchester left the room to go to the kitchen and make some more coffee.
It was about 11:50 AM now, as Sam took a look at the clock in the kitchen sipping at his coffee, he pretty much left creating the card to Castiel's imagination, letting him have fun with it and all. Sam taught him how to correctly hold the crayons, paintbrushes, and markers, he also gave him tips about maybe mentioning something about their profound bond, and the faded hand-mark that was nearly visible after all these years but still it could help for whatever is inside of the card for something special that the angel thought most could be helpful or more beautiful in Castiel's words-hoping that would spark something in the angel's mind to get his creative juices flowing into the Valentine.
He dumped the rest of his coffee out in the sink, while walking out into the main room of the bunker to see how Castiel's progress on the card was, his eyes swept to the angel, and the Valentine, as his widened into shock.
On the table was the card, now completely finished with so many intricate details of tiny hearts around the edges, colored in with paint with every color of the rainbow. Right at the top of the card was of course the neatly, fancy cursive initials of 'D.W. & C.W' traced in different shades of emeralds and sapphires, an exquisite work of painting, and from what Sam could tell he thought he was looking at a professional artist's work.
The shocking, most unbelievable part was that the rest of the front of the card under their initials had a drawing of the Impala, looking so well done it looked honest to god like an actual realistic picture of Dean's baby. On both sides of the Impala had dark, black mixed with midnight blue hues of oil pastel and paint finely created into what looked like wings..Castiel's wings..and to think this was just the front of the card, he hadn't even seen what the angel had made for his brother on the inside. The part that had him absolutely floored though was all the different sorts of pies on the table, there had to be about ten or more, even Sam had to admit smelled heavenly as his mouth watered at the smell of the delicious freshly baked assortment of gooey pies.
"Wow, Cas.." Was all he could seem to manage, as Castiel glanced up at the shock and awe filled eyes of the younger Winchester, while beaming a huge smile, filled with pride at his work.
"I thought that pie would be more appetizing than candy would have been," The angel admitted, knowing his hunter's love for pie was greater than anything else they could have bought him to eat today at the store.
"Also, I am finished Dean's Valentine, would you like to see the inside as well Sam?" He asked picking the card up and gently handing it to the taller Winchester.
"Sure man, um this is awesome and Dean will be blown away by all of this-" He gasped suddenly, almost dropping the Valentine, and was startled at what appeared to be inside of the card. Sam started to grin though as he realized exactly what this was inside. "Cas, stay right there I'll go wake his ass up and so he can see what you did for him."
Sam gave the card back to the angel, as he quickly bounded up the steps to bang on Dean's door.
"Dean! hey!, wake up!" He yelled through the door, suddenly regretting his loud banging on the door as the door opened and Dean poked his head out, grumbling slightly as his eyes adjusted to the bright light of his room.
"What do you want?" Dean looked up at Sam with a look of annoyance, and grumpiness.
"I just wanted to tell you to come downstairs and, well Cas wanted to talk to you about something.." He scratched his head awkwardly, ignoring that his brother was angry with him, now wasn't the time for more arguments, and he was trying not to give away Castiel's surprise.
Dean sighed tiredly, leaning heavily against the door frame, rubbing his eyes quietly.
"Alright, I'll be down in a minute, I have to get dressed." He said tiredly, while closing the door before Sam had the chance to say another word.
He came to slowly descend the rest of the stairs and quietly sat down in the chair beside the angel, who was now looking at him, silently asking what was going on.
"Nothing's wrong, Cas, Dean said he'll be down in a minute" he reassured him with a slight smile, which the angel returned gratefully.
"I hope he likes this Sam.." Cas said nervously, chewing on his lower lip and looking scared at the thought that Dean may not love this Valentine he had worked so hard on for him.
"Love what now?-" Came a grumbled but more awake Dean, Castiel looked like a kid on Christmas about to open his presents at the sound of the hunter's footsteps as he descended the steps.