"The angel goes on top of the tree."
"Why?"
Dean sighs and tries to think of a reason why the angel goes on top of the tree.
He's not really sure.
Hell, the only Christmas they ever had growing up weren't exactly a fountain of tradition – they made it do with what they were given, and that's that, but now…
Well, now they have the bunk of the Men of Letters, and Cas found a tree, and he confessed he was ever so intrigued with the idea of Christmas, the celebration of it (most of all because it didn't make any sense, seeing as most traditions people seemed to uphold had a pagan origin, and Jesus wasn't even born in December), and Dean couldn't really tell him no – not while he was this… human.
Cas was human.
Voluntarily.
For Dean.
So, if he gave up his whole grace and wings to be with Dean, Dean could very well have the perfect Christmas.
If only Cas could stop asking so many questions.
"I'm… I'm not really sure? I mean, the angel always goes on top of the trees I've seen."
Cas steps away from the tall tree and all of the tinsel and ornaments by his feet and stares at the angel in his hands.
"Gabriel looks nothing like this either."
Dean sighs.
"I know."
"No, I mean, his angelic manifestation – this is nothing like him."
He looks sad for a moment, and Dean is not really sure what to say – Cas lost a lot.
He goes to him and sighs heavily, stands behind him and puts his arms around his waist, rests his chin on Cas's shoulder, staring at the bare tree in fron of them, as tall as the room they're in, the light buzz of the Men of Letters equipment around them the only sound for the moment apart from their breathing.
"I don't regret it" Cas tells him, answering the question Dean can never let himself ask, "I don't regret this at all. I regret the choices we had to make, but I don't regret choosing to stay here with you."
Dean smiles and hides his face on the crook of Cas's neck, taking in the pine scent they both have right now from lumbering the tree around the bunk, choosing the best spot for it.
Charlie might be arriving soon with Dorothy, and they still have a lot to do to get it all ready for the perfect Christmas but for this very moment, Dean lets himself embrace Cas, the only one who's left.
"I'm happy" he whispers so very, very quietly, as if afraid that if the universe hears him saying it, it'll come and take it away.
Cas turns in his arms, looking at him – he's not smiling, not really, but his eyes are shining, and he looks radiant, even without a smile.
"Then I am happy too" he whispers too.
They should finish getting things ready, but right now?
Right now it doesn't matter.
Right now, they are enough.