26.- Getting married
"It doesn't have to be fancy... We could do a simple ceremony, then go for dinner and you two could take a week or two to go to the beach somewhere." Sam says once again.
Dean rolls his eyes and Cas smiles, condescending. They look at each other and the angel sighs, bringing back to his mind the explanation he has to do once again. "Sam, even when is nice you supporting us, there's no point on me and Dean getting married. After all, there are no goods to share, I don't even have a real bank account, so what? I get to drive the Impala twice a week?" He says, earning an alarming look from Dean. "Besides, as far as the american goverment is concerned, I don't exist. So, technically speaking, there's no point for it."
"Besides, we're fine like this." Dean adds, placing an arm around Cas's shoulders.
Sam sighs and glances once again the matching bracelets on the men's wrists. He stands up and goes to the library whispering a soft "whatever."
"I honestly don't understand why humans are so obsessed with this sort of things." Castiel says, once they are alone.
"Me neither, hon'. I guess it has to do with all the traditional stuff and rituals... But honestly, I don't think it would change a damn thing." Dean replies and glances at Cas.
"So, you have thought about it..." Castiel suggests softly. "Do you think it's a conversation we should have?"
Dean thinks for a second. Yes, he had thought about the all marriage thing once or twice (or more, but that's a discussion for another day), but it's not something that keeps him awake at night. "Honestly, I don't think so... I mean, you said it yourself... the all legal stuff would be a nightmare and, I don't know, since church is not an option, I guess there's no room for the talk."
Castiel looks at him and after a moment studying the face of the hunter, he kisses his cheek. "If you say so..." He says.
They stay there for a few minutes more, just enjoying the silence, the distracted kisses and each other's company, until Dean stands to go for a beer and Cas decides he needs to do some research.
Castiel reads article after article, from old legends and tales to modern essays about society, traditions, religion and the conception of marriage and couples though history. He stays awake that night.
No longer than a week after that incident, the couple is alone in the bunker. Sam was out, in a movie night with Jody or something.
"So, movie or do we finish Brooklyn nine-nine?" Dean asks, offering a beer to Cas.
"I was thinking we could finish that movie we left the other night when you... well, you know." Castiel says, his cheeks lightly blushed. "It was really interesting."
"Oh, the one with the dude from Hannibal as a cowboy? Yeah, right. That's it then." Dean says.
They sit quietly side by side, hand in hand, watching the movie. "You know?" Castiel says, after a while, "I was doing some research on the marriage stuff."
Dean glances at him, without daring to look at him directly. "Yeah? Any fun fact you wanna share?"
"I don't know if it's funny, but I found out that centuries ago, maybe on the early stages of the civilizations, a marriage just consisted of each person telling the other 'I marry you'"
Dean laughs. Yeah, it's not funny at all. It's so simple and ordinary. It's something that they could do there, right now, alone in the peace of the place they've made a home. Something that doesn't not need anything else but them. And he sees Castiel, looking at him and goddamn it, he wants to spend his all life just like this. With a beer, a good movie and Cas by his side. Of course is a shame Sam is not there, but, he guess, he needs to find his own path too. After all, Sam is his blood, they always will be connected.
Dean kisses Cas lips and then his cheek. He rests his head on the angel's shoulder and his smile vanishes. He closes his eyes and sighs. "I marry you, Castiel." He whispers, not sure if Cas heard him.
Castiel stays still. A small smile cracks his lips and something that looks very much like tears make him blinks several times. He looks at Dean, who is patiently waiting for his response. Their foreheads join and Castiel says "I marry you, Dean Winchester."
A silly smile grows widely on their lips and they kiss again and again, because is silly and because is so insanely real. It takes all Dean's will to finish it in the bedroom and not right there, where they just got married.
Sam just gives a knowing smile when, after a case, the couple decides to visit a jewelry shop and they both walk outside with a silver band on their fingers.