Halloween starts early this year, on October 29th, 2022 at 8 PM. It's a Saturday and Dean's eyes are gleaming as he grips Cas' hand and pulls him down the hall. Cas steps into the bedroom they share and blinks, taking it all in. "What's this?" he finally asks as Dean drops down on the bed and only jostles the bags of chips a little, though the pizza and plates do teeter warningly when the mattress pushes against the bedside table.
"Figured it was time I introduce you to some Halloween classics!" Dean says, grinning with his tongue between his teeth. He looks younger like this, more lighthearted than Cas has seen him since before Chuck- Michael- Amara- Metatron- Cain- ...
He takes a breath, shaking those thoughts from his head and sits next to Dean. "I'm surprised you wouldn't want to do this in the Deancave," he says, adjusting some of the snacks so he can sit more comfortably on the bed.
"Oh, you know." Dean falters for a moment, then shrugs, looking pointedly at the TV. "This felt more intimate. He ignores the weight of Cas' stare at this. "Besides, Sam's off helping Eileen wrapping up that salt'n'burn, so it's not like he'll be interrupting every five minutes."
He looks anxious, Cas thinks, deciding to let it go, to let Dean enjoy his evening however he chooses to. "I like it in here," he says, shifting to lean against the headboard and wait for Dean to press play on the movie.
His small smile is worth it. "So do I," he murmurs, before grabbing for the remote.
They make it through one movie, well into the second one, when Dean pauses the film and moves to get another slice of pizza. "So," he says, between chewing. "What do you think so far?"
Cas muses over how best to answer before glancing away from the screen. "I think the effects make no sense," he says. "And the acting is awful. I'm unsure what we're supposed to learn from watching these films."
Dean stares at him, wide eyed and somewhere between horrified and impressed. "God, Cas," he mumbles, chewing the crust noisily. "It's just mindless entertainment, there usually isn't some big morality lesson wrapped up in the middle of it. The acting and everything is supposed to be awful." He waves his hand at the screen, shaking his head in shocked amusement.
"Oh," Cas says. "I see. My apologies."
Dean huffs out a laugh. "no, it's fine," he mumbles. He turns the movie back on and reaches out for Cas' hand, playing with his fingers lazily while the climax of the movie builds along with the death count, Dean waiting for the tide to turn and the villain to get his. As always.
He's in the process of starting a third movie when something flashes across his face and he looks up at Cas, excitement in every slight shift of his face. "I know! We should have a couples' costume tomorrow."
Cas frowns. "I think it's too late for us to go resembling something from one of these movies," he says, examining one of the more elaborate monsters depicted on the preview screen.
"No, no," Dean says, eyes glinting as he thinks hard. "I'll think of something in time for the party tomorrow, don't you worry."
Somehow that only makes Cas worry more, even as Dean starts the third movie and curls up closer to him, humming under his breath to the opening theme that quick segues into another poorly acted gore fest that ultimately ends with a record amount of people surviving and overpowering the evil creature set out to murder all of them.
Around the climax of the final battle, Cas looks down to ask Dean something and finds him fast asleep against his shoulder, breathing steadily. He smiles a little and brushes his fingers gently through Dean's hair, careful not to jostle him too much as he reaches over for the remote and turns the TV off, leaving the room only faintly lit by the lamp on the other side of Dean that he doesn't feel like risking the peace of the moment to reach for and turn off.
He listens to Dean's breathing, and enjoys the warmth of his body pressed against his side, until sleep claims him as well.
-x
Dean is the first up, which has become more of a common occurrence with hunting mostly behind them, and he wakes Cas up with a cup of coffee and a kiss before he rushes off to finish decorating the bunker for the guests that are coming later. Jodey, Donna, Claire and whoever else can take off from one of the busiest hunting times of the year.
Taking advantage of one of the rare moments he knows he'll get today, Cas takes his coffee outside and breathes in the crisp autumn air, still standing there when Dean finds him close to lunch time, standing shoulder to shoulder with him, their fingers slowly lacing together as they watch the world awaken around them.
"C'mon, sunshine," Dean finally says, tugging lightly on Cas' hand. "I have costume ideas to run by you."
Cas sighs but obliges, also not fully understanding this particular tradition as Dean leads him through the halls to ransack various closets in the bunker to put together the perfect couples costumes in the few hours they have until people begin to arrive.
-x
Sam and Claire are both about the same level of lackluster when it comes to the holiday, Sam only wearing a cape because Eileen had forced it on him, and Claire wearing a more aggressive amount of leather than usual. Dean shakes his head when he sees them, wondering where he's gone wrong, while Sam gapes at him with a look on his face like he's not sure if he should cover his own eyes or Claire's.
"Do I even want to know what you are?" he wonders.
"I'm a wrestler," Dean declares, pointing at himself with a smirk. "Not bad, right?"
Claire rolls her eyes as Sam takes in the cowboy hat, black leather vest, jeans cut off above the knees and covered in chaps, and the black boots that finish off the ensemble."You look like some horrible mash up of Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels."
Dean scoffs. "You just have no taste in fashion or wrestlers, Sammy," he says, fighting not to pout.
Claire checks back in and turns to look at Cas, in simple black pants and a white and black striped shirt. "So what are you supposed to be, then?" she wonders around the straw of her drink, even though it's blatantly obvious.
"An umpire," Cas says, and Dean buries his face into his hands, groaning softly. "Dean?"
"Wrong sport, Cas," he finally responds, muffled. "You're a referee."
"Oh," Cas says, feeling more and more guilty that Dean's hard work is getting teased like this. "Right. I'm sorry." He casts a glance around before gripping Dean's hand. "Let's get something to drink," he suggests, seeing that there's a peaceful spot by the snacks table.
"Alright," Dean says, looking a little surprised as he's led over and Cas begins to fiddle with the cooler containing various drinks. "You alright?"
"Hm? Yes, I'm fine," Cas says, handing him a plastic cup. "I just assumed you could use a minute, considering." He pauses, looking Dean's outfit over, before catching his eye. "I like your costume, Dean."
Dean chuckles a little. "Meh, it is kind of a thrown together mess, I guess," he sighs, sloshing his soda around before casting a quick glance over Cas. "Yours looks good. Very commanding and all that." He smirks as he brushes at the shoulders of Cas' shirt, winking at him.
"Next year-" Cas begins, his brows furrowing as he watches Dean's face shutter a little.
"Nah, don't worry about it, man, I won't put you through this again. I know Halloween isn't really your scene, it's fine-"
"Next year," Cas says, cutting him off. "We should start planning out our costumes earlier. Maybe even make Sam and Claire see what they're missing out on?"
Dean gapes at him before his face clears and a grin crosses his lips. "Yeah," he murmurs. "That- uh, that'd be great." He wraps an arm around Cas' shoulders and draws him closer, picking up his soda with his free hand. "C'mon, handsome. Let's show this dull as hell group how to celebrate Halloween properly."
Cas is still learning how to do any sort of celebrating himself, but he nods anyway, following Dean back to the small group clustered around Eileen, who is teaching them Halloween-themed signs. "Of course, Dean," he says, smile growing as Eileen looks up and grins at them.
"Now, see," she says, smacking Sam lightly on the arm. "These are costumes! This one wouldn't let me-..."
As Dean and Eileen work off of each other to tease Sam, Cas settles in to enjoy the rest of the holiday with his family. Halloween may not be his scene right now, but he thinks with time, he'll come to enjoy it like he has many other human activities over the years.
