The next morning Castiel wakes up to a sore head and an empty bed. He can barely lift his head from the pillow but when he does he spots the glass of water and pills on the night stand along with a note Have a breakfast and lunch job, but will be home for dinner, love you, Dean. PS. Breakfast is in the fridge x
Castiel groans, takes the pills, gets up and has a long shower. He makes his way down stairs and into the kitchen. He opens the fridge and finds a smoothie and parfait sitting there ready to eat. He takes them, makes his way to the couch, turns the tv on to some talk show with a group of women. He then spots on the floor the tickets and smiles to himself, it wasn't a dream, he is going to Hawaii with his husband. He takes out his phone and sends Dean a message and gets the usual Dean response you too. After a few hours sitting on the couch he decides to get up and cook something for dinner for him and Dean. He takes a large pot and places on the stove then he hears a knock on the door, he answers it to find Sam standing there.
"Hey Sam" Castiel stands aside "come on in"
"Hey Castiel" Sam steps in and follows Castiel into the kitchen.
"Can I get you something to drink" Castiel opens the fridge "we have juice, water, milk, ice tea, coffee"
"Juice, please" Sam says taking a seat at the kitchen table.
"Orange or Apple?" Castiel asks.
"Orange please"
Castiel hands Sam the bottle of Nantucket Nectars orange juice and grabs an apple for himself "How was Gabriel's head this morning?"
"It wasn't too bad, but I don't think he had as many of the purple drinks as you" Sam smiles.
"Don't remind me" Castiel shakes his head "I don't know how he managed to talk me in to it"
"No one ever does" Sam takes a sip of his drink "I have something for you" he reaches into his pocket, takes out two tickets and hands them to Castiel.
"Oh the auction tickets, thanks" Castiel takes them from Sam and places them on the kitchen counter.
"And I was asked to check if the offer of a lot still stands"
"Yes it does" Castiel nods.
"Guess that's it" Sam says but doesn't make a move to leave.
"Is there something else Sam?" Castiel asks sensing there is something his brother-in-law wants to say.
Sam nervously runs his hands through his hair "Where's Dean?"
"Working" Castiel says slowly "do you need to talk to him?"
"No, when is he home?"
"About thirty minutes or so" Castiel says.
"Ok" Sam nods and bites his lip "I should go, you were about to start cooking" he looks towards the stove.
"I was only going to make spaghetti with black pepper it takes five minutes, still not much of a cook" Castiel smiles "if you want to talk, there's plenty of time"
Sam takes a gulp of his drink and nods "It's about Gabriel"
"What about him?"
"Do you think he" Sam pauses "this is stupid, I should go"
"Sam" Castiel reaches across the table and lays his hand on Sam's "you're here now, what about Gabriel?"
"When we met, even before we were dating, he kept talking about marrying me and it was the same when we first started going out together and the same when we moved in together" Sam sighs "we've be living together for three months and in the last month he hasn't mentioned it once, not in passing, not as a joking not even to Loki. I don't think he still wants too, do you think he even likes me anymore?"
"Sam" Castiel says shocked "Gabriel is mad about you, he loves and will until he joins the angels in heaven, I'm sure of it"
"So why doesn't he want to marry me anymore? I know when I first moved back, I told him not to plan too much, but that's cause I was only getting myself settled back here in Boston. But now I have a good job, we live together and we should be planning"
"Have you talked to him?" Castiel asks.
"Can't, it's auction time" Sam says "he is under pressure at the moment I don't want to add to it"
"That's it" Castiel says "That's why he hasn't said anything for a month, his head is full of auction stuff"
"You think?" Sam says doubtfully.
"I'm sure" Castiel smiles "trust me Sam"
"I hope you're right" Sam looks at Castiel.
"I am and if I'm not I'll kill him for hurting you"
"He's your brother" Sam says shocked.
"Doesn't matter if he splits up with you, he's an idjit and deserves a smack or two"
"An idjit? You've talked to Bobby recently I'm guessing" Sam laughs "thanks Castiel for listening to me"
"It's what brothers are for" Castiel smiles "and I meant it I will hurt him if he hurts you, you're the best thing in his life and don't forget it Sam. Now that's sorted, do you want to stay for dinner?"
"Sure, do you want any help?"
"You can open a bottle of wine. Dean should be home any minute" Castiel hears the sound of the front door opening "speak of the devil"
"Hey Cas, is that Sammy's car outside" Dean calls out.
"Yeah, we're in the kitchen, I was about to start dinner"
Dean walks in "Hey Sammy" he slaps his brother's shoulder "skipping work?"
"It's Sam, Dean ,Sam" Sam gives the standard response to his brother "my last meeting of the day got cancelled, so I brought over the auction tickets, I forgot to give them to you last night"
"And I asked him to stay for dinner" Castiel adds.
"What are we having?" Dean kisses his husbands cheek and takes three wines glass from the press.
"Spaghetti with"
"Black pepper" Dean finishes for him "one of my favourites"
"You're only saying that cause it's one of the few things I can cook" Castiel smiles at Dean, as he takes the glass of wine Sam hands him.
"True" Dean clings his glass to Castiel "maybe my judgement is biased towards the cook"
"Maybe it is" Castiel grins "sit down with your brother and let me cook"
Ten minutes later the three of them are sitting down to a meal of pasta and a salad.
"This is really good Castiel" Sam says.
"Thanks" Castiel blushes "I had a good teacher"
"Yeah you did" Dean smirks "So Sammy, what's the story with Friday?"
"Friday?"
"You know the auction" Dean continues "do you want to go together like last year or"
"Together" Sam cuts Dean off "and this year we'll probably be at the same table"
"We will?" Castiel looks surprized.
"Yeah, you got demoted, sorry Castiel, you don't work for the family business anymore so you don't get be the head of a table" Sam feels guilty having to tell Castiel this information.
"Woo Hoo" Castiel laughs and pours himself another glass of wine "thank God"
"Huh?" Sam says.
"Are you not upset?" Dean asks.
"To paraphrase my brother, Hells No" Castiel says "I used to hate it, sit there and have to make small talk with people I didn't know, be on my extra, extra best behaviour and pose for photos. This year I can sit with the people I want to sit with, Sam please make sure me and Dean are at yours and Gabriel's table, and I can avoid posing with the family for the photographers and I can sit on my husband's lap for dinner if I want and no one, not Michael or the rest of the family, can stop me"
"But you won't" Dean says nervously.
"Of course I won't, I'm not Gabriel, but I could if I wanted to" Castiel says triumphantly.
Sam visibly blanches at the thought of Gabriel sitting on his lap for dinner "Don't suggest it the lap thing to Gabriel"
"I won't" Castiel says sincerely.
"Dean?"
"I won't either"
"Good" Sam's phone buzzes "that's Gabriel, I have a date with him and Loki on the Esplanade" he stands "thanks for everything, see you Friday"
"Yes you will" Castiel says happily.
Dean walks Sam to the door "See you Friday, Sammy"
"Yeah" Sam walks to his car.
Castiel stacks the last few plates into the dishwasher, tops up his and Dean's glasses, brings them into the sitting room, he sits on the couch and Dean joins him "Dr. Sexy?"
"Of course" Dean says "come here" he holds his arms open for Castiel, who snuggles in to him.
"Love you" Castiel nestles comfortably at his Dean's side.
"You too" Dean kisses his forehead.