Hey! I'm not dead! I just thought of this and was like, hey, why not make it part of my little series I have going?
"Can I help you, sir?"
Dean jumps as he looks up at the friendly store clerk. He chuckles nervously and then looks back at the glass display case. Honestly, he has no idea what he's even doing. This is so totally Sam's area. He looks at the woman - her name tag reads Kelly - and nods sheepishly.
"Uh, I think so?"
She laughs and leans forward over the counter.
"Any idea of what you're looking for?" she asks.
He shrugs and he can feel an embarrassed blush trying to make its way onto his face.
"Not really? I mean, nothing fancy or anything, but I want it to really mean something, you know? He's really important to me. My soul mate, if you will," he says, wincing at his own word choice.
She beams at that and then points out a few that she thinks would work. Dean inspects each one and when she says that they can have it engraved if he wants, he smiles. He points out a simple silver band and it's a little pricey, but that's alright. He's got money saved up after hustling enough pool and while it might not have been earned in an honest way, it's better than using a fake card. Besides, he wants to buy it with his own money. He hands her the money and he stuffs the small box into his inside jacket pocket.
The box sits in his nightstand for a long time before he finds an opportune moment to finally pop the question. Sam's been privy to Dean's plan for a while now and he's been working hard to help set everything up to be perfect. Dean's never been one for fancy restaurants, but Cas deserves nothing less than the best and even though the angel doesn't eat anymore, it's the thought that counts, right? Reservation made, Dean asks Cas if he'd like to go out later. He carefully keeps his side of their link under wraps so the angel can't pry into his thoughts - not that he would without permission - and sense what Dean's thinking. Cas agrees easily enough and Dean tells him to dress fancy, which in hindsight might not have been one of Dean's best ideas, because Cas in a tux is doing things to him.
He manages to control himself and sneaks in a kiss here or there and they make it to the restaurant on time. Except, halfway there, Dean starts to panic. What if Cas doesn't say yes? What if he doesn't see the importance in a human bonding ceremony? Dean chews on his bottom lip and contemplates just turning around now. But then he looks over at Cas, sitting next to him in the passenger seat and smiling at him and he decides that, yeah, he's going to go through with this.
When they're seated and someone comes to take their order, Cas orders something fancy sounding and Dean's so out of his element here - seriously, what was he even thinking with this whole fine dining thing? - that he just orders the same thing. They get salads for appetizers and Cas makes faces at the taste of molecules, which Dean can't help chuckling at. After their meals have been brought to the table and they've had their fill, he decides it's time. Heart pounding, Dean gets out of his seat.
Cas looks up at him curiously, expression remaining the same even as Dean drops to one knee. At this point, others are staring and Dean feels a blush burning its way onto his cheeks. He takes Cas' hand in his and stares up at him, swallowing hard and trying to find his nerve.
"So, Cas, we've - we've been together for a while now, and um..." he laughs nervously. "Sorry, I uh, this is kinda nerve wracking. But uh, I...I love you, Cas. You've saved me so many times, I've lost count and I can't imagine my life without you. And uh...well, what I'm trying to - to ask you is, um..."
Cas' curious expression has disappeared, replaced by one of awe and adoration. Dean can practically feel the rest of the patrons' eyes on him as they wait for him to finish. He takes a deep breath and pulls out the small box, flipping it open and displaying the ring nestled inside. A few people gasp and even Cas looks a bit misty eyed.
"Castiel, will - will you marry me?"
Dean can see Cas' wings behind him, quivering like they do when he's nervous or scared and Dean wonders if he's made a huge mistake. But then Cas smiles, a huge grin that lights up the room and his wings curl forward to wrap around Dean. Of course, only Dean can see them and even though he knows everyone else can still see him, he feels less exposed like this.
"Of course, my love," Cas finally says a bit shakily. "Yes."
A huge breath Dean hadn't realized he was holding escapes him and the rest of the people seated around them burst into applause. Cas pulls him up and into a bone crushing hug but Dean can't complain. He takes Cas' face in his hands and kisses him, running his fingers through his angel's hair.
"I love you," he whispers.
"I love you too," Cas says back, wings fluttering in what Dean now knows to be happiness. Dean pulls back enough to take the ring and slide it onto Cas' finger. It gives him an absurd amount of happiness and satisfaction seeing it there. His soul might be marked with Cas' grace and vis-versa, but it still makes him giddy to see something on his angel that tells the world 'he's mine'. He kisses Cas again and lets out a laugh, surprised to find tears in his own eyes.
"Dean, are you okay?" Cas asks, wiping them away. The sweet gesture just makes more fall and he nods.
"I'm fine, Cas. I'm just really, really happy," he says, squeezing his lover tightly.
"That's good then," Cas says. "You deserve to be happy, after all you've been through."
After they've paid and had pretty much the whole restaurant congratulate them, Dean and Cas leave, fingers entwined and Cas' silver ring catching the light as they walk out. Dean can feel the absolute joy and love radiating from Cas' end of their mental link and he's glad that he made his angel happy too. When they get home and Sam sees the ring on Cas' finger, he hugs the both of them and yammers about the wedding and that's when he realizes how much of a big deal this is. He's going to get married. He's going to have to help plan a wedding - something Dean has no clue about how to do that whatsoever - and he's going to dress in another fancy tuxedo and he's going to walk down the aisle and say his vows to Cas that will bind them until death do them part. Except, it's going to be much longer than that and even in death, he'll be bound to Castiel forever. That level of commitment would normally freak him out. But for some reason, Dean is totally okay with being by Cas' side for eternity. Like he'd said at dinner, he couldn't imagine life (or death) without Cas.
So instead of freaking out - which, he probably will later after it's all sunk in some more - he holds Cas' hand and listens to Sam go all wedding planner on him and for the first time in what feels like forever, Dean is finally happy.
I hope you liked reading that cause I certainly liked writing it. Not sure if I'll make one with the actual wedding. Probably.