SUPERNATURAL
APPLE CRUMBLE
Author's Note:
Pairing: Castiel/Dean Winchester
Note: The second story in the "Supernatural: Apples" series. The full list can be found on my profile.
Warnings: Alternate universe
Disclaimer: Supernatural belongs to Eric Kripke and various other people/studios. I own nothing but the plot and make no money from this story.
Castiel knew that apples weren't supposed to crumble. Dean kept looking at him like he was insane, which Castiel was used to. Most people looked at him like that. Except Gabriel, sometimes; Gabriel was Castiel's favourite brother (not that he said that out-loud anymore, because Michael said it was rude. Lucifer always laughed, though, but Castiel didn't understand why). Mrs Winchester never looked at him like he was weird, just like he was... lost, or something. Castiel never got lost; he always made sure he knew where he was going, and he told Mrs Winchester that, and she just laughed and looked at him in that way again.
Dean always smiled at Castiel. He laughed with Castiel, not at him, not like the other kids and sometimes the teachers and Castiel's brothers. He was Dean's friend, and he let Castiel play on the swing in the Winchesters' backyard. He let Castiel look at all the brand new toys he got for his birthdays and Christmases, and he always let Castiel play with them, too. And he even let Castiel hold his baby brother, Sam, and Castiel knew that Sam was the most important thing in the whole universe to Dean.
But right now, Dean was looking at Castiel like he was insane, and Castiel didn't understand.
'It's... it's apple crumble, Cas,' he said, very seriously.
Castiel blinked. 'Apples don't crumble,' he repeated. He knew they didn't. He was sure they didn't. When apples were ripe, they were hard. And when they went rotten, they were squishy. Castiel knew, because he and Gabriel had squished a bunch that had been left in the fruit bowl too long. Michael hadn't been happy, because Castiel and Gabriel had squished them in the living room, and they hadn't got dessert after dinner for an entire week and the rug had smelled like apples for weeks and weeks afterwards.
Dean huffed and thumped his arms against the kitchen table. There was some type of pie sitting in the middle of the table in a large porcelain tray, and Castiel's eyes drifted to it. It really did look like pie; a meat pie, though, or maybe a Sheppard's pie; not the pie Dean was fond of. It was all... crumbly on top, and gooey in the middle, with chunks of diced apples. Castiel supposed the crumbly bit was why it was named apple crumble. That made more sense, because apples did not crumble.
'Apples don't crumble,' he repeated, firmly, and Dean groaned and thumped his head against the table. 'Dean,' Castiel scowled, 'don't do that, you'll hurt yourself.'
'Cas,' he whined- Dean liked whining when Castiel was being stupid (Dean's words, not Castiel's). 'I'm not gonna hurt myself, I didn't hit my head hard.'
'Still,' Castiel frowned, and Dean sighed.
'Okay, m'sorry,' he mumbled, and Castiel nodded his head in satisfaction. Last year, Dean had broken his arm on Gabriel's old skateboard, and Castiel hadn't liked it. He didn't like when Dean was hurt. 'Okay,' Dean repeated and sat straight. 'Look at me, Cas.' Castiel did. 'Apples don't crumble,' he said and Castiel nodded. 'It's called an apple crumble because of... um...'
'The crumbly bits on top?' Castiel offered.
'Right,' Dean nodded seriously, ''cause of that. It's just what the dessert's called, okay? No apples were... um, crumbled, in the making of this dessert.'
Castiel giggled, and Dean grinned. Dean was funny and he liked making Castiel laugh; he'd said so himself.
'So,' Dean continued. 'Would you like some apple crumble?'
Castiel wouldn't, really. He didn't have the heart to tell Dean, but he didn't really like pie; apple, pumpkin, blueberry, whatever pie Dean had, Castiel didn't like. It was too sweet and he didn't like cooked fruit or vegetables or anything. He liked that stuff fresh and crunchy. Like apples; they were crunchy, not crumbly.
But he'd never been able to deny Dean. Dean was his friend, and friends did things for each other to make each other happy. That's what Gabriel said, and he had lots of friends, so Castiel believed him.
'Will you just try it?' Dean begged. He gave Castiel his best pout and puppy-dog eyes, and Castiel found himself already giving in. 'Pretty please?' the younger boy insisted. 'With sprinkles on top?'
Castiel frowned. 'Why would you put sprinkles on-'
'Never mind!' Dean interrupted. He was practically bouncing in his seat. 'Try it? Please, please, please, please, please-'
Castiel knew that Dean would keep going until he said yes, so, obviously, he said, 'Yes, okay. I'll try it.'
'Yes!' Dean practically cheered and pumped his fist in the air. He hopped off his seat and raced across the kitchen for a knife. He'd just grabbed one from the top drawer when Mrs Winchester entered the room.
'Dean!' she scolded, and Castiel watched as his best friend dropped the knife and bowed his head, his cheeks turning red. 'What have I told you?' Dean's mom asked sternly.
'Don't pick up knives,' Dean mumbled.
'Exactly!' Mrs Winchester sighed. 'What do you need it for?
'Me and Cas are gonna have apple crumble,' Dean said, and Mrs Winchester looked at Castiel, who smiled hesitantly. He didn't want to get in trouble. He should have stopped Dean, he knew his friend wasn't allowed to pick up knives. Castiel wasn't either because once he'd picked one up at home and dropped it and it had almost gone through Balthazar's shoe. Balthazar had been angry for ages afterwards.
'You don't need a knife for apple crumble, silly,' Mrs Winchester reminded Dean, and Dean scowled when he remembered. 'You sit down and I'll get two bowls and some spoons.'
Dean obediently sat, and he told Castiel all about the wonders of apple crumble as Mrs Winchester dished them both up bowls of the dessert. Castiel noted that his was a lot smaller than Dean's, and he smiled thankfully at Dean's mom. She knew Castiel didn't like sweet things that much, and she smiled back at him.
'Be prepared for awesomeness, Cas,' Dean said. He didn't pick up his spoon yet, just watching Castiel, and Castiel realised Dean wanted to see him take a bite.
He sighed internally and picked up his spoon, dipping it into his bowl. He had to use his fingers to get some pastry, crumbly bit, and a piece of apple on his spoon. He glanced at Dean before opening his mouth wide and slurping the dessert from his spoon.
He chewed slowly, carefully, tilting his head at the new taste. Dean was still watching. Like Castiel had thought, he didn't really like it. It was too sugary, and Castiel didn't like it when apples were cooked.
But this was Dean, so Castiel tried.
'I like it,' he lied and Dean gave him one of those wide, brilliant smiles that made Castiel smile too.
'See? I told you so,' Dean said, seeming proud of himself. Castiel just smiled as Dean attacked his own bowl, humming and licking his spoon and fingers as he got crumbly bits everywhere.
Mrs Winchester watched fondly, and Castiel slowly ate his way through his own bowl. If Mrs Winchester sneaked it away when it was still half full, well; Dean didn't need to know that.
{THE END}
Author's Note: I HAD TO! THEY'RE JUST SO CUTE AND SQUISHY WHEN THEY'RE LITTLE AND I LOVE THEM! DON'T JUDGE ME!
And, yes, there will be more. Most likely. Probably. Definitely. CURSE JOHNNY TO THE FIERY DEPTHS OF LUCIFER'S CAGE!
Cheers,
{IBegToDreamAndDiffer}