March

If Castiel thought it would be awkward going back to how it was before, he was wrong. It was simple, almost too easy. It was like slipping into a warm bath at the end of a long day. He had gotten out of Dean's bed the next morning, made breakfast for them both. Sam had already gone to work for the day. And then he had left for Bobby's book shop. Life had gone on.

They had movie nights, they spent hours sitting in the coffee shop, and Dean would make Castiel switch over to decaf, after a certain amount of cups Castiel would begin discussing the physics of Harry Potter. Gabriel had warned Dean about it, but it had still taken Dean by surprise when Castiel had slammed his cup down and began talking about broomsticks and flight.

Dean finally met Anna as well. She had driven to visit for Gabriel's annual 'Its St. Patrick's Day Let's All Get Drunk' party. She had turned towards Castiel after meeting Dean and said, "You never told me he was cute." Dean had blushed and stuttered. Castiel had grinned, "I also never told him about the time you got sick at the mall." Anna's eyes widened. She didn't try and embarrass Castiel and Dean after that.

There was very little drinking, Gabriel had to work the next day so he was abstaining, Castiel and Anna didn't drink, Sam and Dean had stopped after two beers each. Gabriel sulked from where he sat on the floor in Castiel's apartment. Anna had vetoed having the get together at Gabriel's, she had told them all that, "There is no way I am stepping in that land fill willingly." Castiel had agreed with her, and Gabriel had pretended to be hurt.

Gabriel started a game of charades, Anna on his team with Sam and Castiel on the other. Dean sat on the couch and listened as Gabriel tried to cheat. Anna called him on it every time.

"We're on the same team! Do you even know what that means?!" He screeched at his older sister.

"Just because we're teammates doesn't mean we have to cheat!" Anna crossed her arms and used her Older Sister voice.

"You cheat at poker! Why is this any different?"

"If you don't cheat at poker than you're a chump, charades is a game of gentlemen." Sam and Castiel shared a look.

"Does this happen often?"

"We only play at family holidays; it keeps us from disowning each other." Castiel sighed and sat down next to Dean. Dean threw an arm over his shoulders.

"Dude, your sister is awesome." He smiled, as Anna shot Gabriel down again.

"I hope you're not planning on replacing me with her." Castiel leaned into Dean.

"Well, I was thinking of getting a new make and model." Dean joked.

"She doesn't know how to make pie," Castiel said. "She makes brownies." He dragged the last word out in disgust.

"On second thought," Dean said as he dipped his lips to Castiel's. "Why not stay with the tried and true version."

"I like that idea


Dean woke to fingers making slow strokes down his back. He lay still, not wanting them to stop just yet. He made the mistake of humming though, Castiel's fingers stilled.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," Castiel's breath moved over Dean's ear as he said the words.

"It's fine, I enjoy waking up like that." Dean kept his voice quiet; he didn't want to wake Anna. She was scary when she just woke up. Castiel may be a caffeine zombie but she was something else altogether. Dean had heard her bumbling around and swearing when he had woken in his own apartment the other day.

Dean turned over, scooting closer to Castiel. He flung his legs between Castiel's tangling them under the covers. Castiel pressed a kiss onto his hairline.

"As much as I'd like to have sexy times with you Cas, I'm going to put a hold on it until your sister leaves." Dean stopped Cas' mouth from wandering with his words.

Castiel shuddered. "I was just about to make the same suggestion."

"You were not. You would never say sexy times." Dean felt Castiel's quiet chuckle more than heard it.

"Go back to sleep, Dean."


Dean had long since learned that you don't ask Castiel the big questions when he first woke up, he couldn't form complete sentences let alone understand complex concepts, like not stabbing his elbows into Dean's side. Dean had also learned that you could say anything to Castiel at this time and nine times out of ten, he would never remember what was said.

Dean tried not to take advantage of this too much. Okay, that was a slight exaggeration. He took advantage of it all the time. He told Castiel crazy stories about how he and Gabriel had had rampant sex in the kitchen, or how Sam and he had a spitting contest into Castiel's coffee maker.

When Castiel was awake to the world, Dean would drop hints about what he had said in the morning. Waiting to see if Castiel would remember it, sometimes he did, and sometimes it would fly right over his head. It was a dangerous game to play, seeing as when Castiel did remember he had a tendency to throw pillows at Dean's head.

Today though, was not a day for pranks. Anna was still in bed, which was lucky. Dean didn't want any witnesses to what he was about to say.

Castiel was slumped against the counter; he had forgotten to get the coffee ready last night so he had to wait for it to percolate. Dean leaned on the counter next to him. He nudged Castiel, Castiel grunted at him.

"Cas, I want you to listen carefully." Grunt. "I am a big purple dinosaur called Barney." Grunt. Good, Castiel was still dead to the world. Dean's hand slipped over Castiel's running up his arm until he gripped Castiel by the back of his neck.

Dean pulled Castiel closer, laying a kiss on the back of his neck he said the words that had been so hard to say.

"Love you, Cas." Grunt. It sounded more annoyed than the last few. Dean smiled and let him go, he had beat Castiel to it. Dean refused to think that what he had said to Dean in February counted.

Anna came stumbling in then, muttering curses at the sun, at Dean, and to life in general. Dean wondered if Gabriel was like this in the morning. He stopped that line of thinking quickly. Gabriel in the morning was a scary thought.

Two pots of coffee later and Castiel was awake, Anna less so, it would take her another hour to be happy about being awake. Gabriel came over before his afternoon shift to see her off.

"It was nice up until charades," he told her.

"Isn't it always? We really should stop playing."

"What? And let the government win? Are you even related to me?" Anna laughed and hugged Gabriel close to her. She through Sam and Dean's goodbyes, they were polite and just this side of formal.

She hugged Castiel then. "Bye Cassie, love you." Castiel stiffened in her arms. She pulled back and looked up at him.

"It's nothing, I love you too. See you around." He kissed her cheek, and she got in her car then and drove off.

Castiel turned on Dean, Sam and Gabriel took one look at them and made plans for their escape.

"Well, as much fun as it would be to stay. I gotta work, later bro!" Gabriel waved and walked quickly away.

"Uhm, I better go too, see if there's a shift or…." Sam trailed off, running after Gabriel.

"Cas, is something wrong?" Dean asked. Castiel grabbed Dean back inside the building, he was silent for the four minutes it took them to take the stairs and get in his apartment.

"Starting to get a little scared here, Cas. Did you finally snap and decide to kill me?" Dean joked.

"You imbecile," Castiel growled.

"What?" Dean asked.

"Did you honestly think you could get away with it?"

Dean started smiling. "Get away with what?"

"Telling me that you loved me while I was still mostly asleep, and thinking that I wouldn't remember!"

"Well, in my defense you didn't remember until a few-'' Dean was cut off as Castiel crushed his mouth against his.

Dean smiled into the kiss.

"I love you too." Castiel said as he pulled back. Dean's grin widened.

"Now, that wasn't so hard to say," said Dean. Castiel swatted the back of his head.

"Hey! Ow!"

"Idiot."

"Love you, Cas."

"Love you too," Castiel grumbled.