After the chili had cooked for a good long while, Dean poured two bowls for them and they sat at the kitchen table and ate. Thankfully, Sam had taken out his earbuds by that time and they were able to have actual conversation.
"So, what did you get done today?" Dean asked as he poured a generous amount of Texas Pete into his bowl. Sam looked like he'd been busy the whole while the chili was cooking, staring intently at his laptop. It seemed he'd finally gotten done just a few minutes before Dean declared the chili was ready.
Sam eyed the bottle wearily, "Uh, well I finished my argumentative paper for English. Turned it in online." He told him then spooned some chili into his mouth.
Dean nodded, "What was your argument?" he asked, though he hadn't stopped shaking hot sauce into his bowl of chili.
Sam grimaced, shaking his head then explaining for his brother, "Well, I argued the existence of the paranormal. Like ghosts." He told him.
Dean chuckled, "Did you write about the time we got scared shitless when we swore we saw Grandpa Samuel that time right after his funeral?" he laughed again, then finally stopped shaking the hot sauce and put it down. He stirred his mixture as he continued, "Aw, man, we woke everybody up in the house, and Mom was so sympathetic." He remembered.
"Yea, and Dad was just pissed." Sam added on.
"He told us to stop making up stories and that it was funny to make a joke about Grandpa being dead." He shook his head, "Grandpa was totally a ghost." The both of them laughed, and the only reason they were able to was because the both of them were so young when it happened, and they hadn't been very close to their Grandpa.
Sam stood up and went to the counter where Dean had pulled out sour cream and cheese and began putting a little bit of both in his bowl with his chili, "Yea, no. I did include more practical cases though." He glanced around the counter, "You didn't cut any onions?"
Dean glanced back at his brother, an annoyed quirk to his brow, "You've got two functional hands." He retorted.
Sam rolled his eyes, deciding it wasn't worth the trouble. "Fine. Be that way." He mumbled. He sat back at the table and stirred his chili together.
Dean was eating diligently, and Sam prophesized a second bowl in Dean's future, "How can you eat chili with all that hot sauce?" he asked, though it was a halfhearted question as he chuckled through it.
Dean grinned, "Hey, if you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen." He chuckled.
"Your jokes are deplorable." Sam said, shaking his head.
"You're deplorable." Dean retorted weakly.
Sam chuckled, and continued to eat his chili, "Great comeback."
The brothers sat and ate, and Dean eventually did get up and pour a second bowl for himself. As he came back and sat down at the table, he sighed, "I have to work tomorrow. You gonna be okay here by yourself?"
Sam scoffed, "Um, yea? Do you think I'm gonna set the house on fire or something? I'm not eight." he chuckled.
Dean's brows furrowed, "No, but I'm kind of afraid you'll run around the house naked without me knowing, and I don't want to have to wonder if you sat on the couch with your bare ass." He told Sam.
"Oh yea, totally, I'm gonna sit on everything you love." Sam mocked a threatening tone as he pointed his spoon at Dean.
"Shut up." Dean chuckled, and almost knocked Sam's spoon out of his hand. "I'll be getting off at around three tomorrow, so if you want, you can swing by at twelve so we can get some lunch together." He told him.
"Yea, sure. Sounds fun." Sam commented, grinning slightly. While Dean was at work, that would give Sam his opportunity to go job hunting. If he was extra nice he might even be able to get his old job back as the resident handy man down at the Alice Springs motel. Then again, plenty of places would offer him more money once they saw on his résumé how he's already accomplished an associate's degree. He would come up with a solid plan tomorrow. The handy man gig would be his backup plan.
Once they had both gotten their fill, Sam helped Dean put away the leftovers. There was plenty left over to eat for several more days to come, and though Sam usually didn't like having the same thing too often, he knew there wasn't going to be any complaining from Dean.
He knew that that was what many years of military style diet did to you.
Once Castiel had cleaned up in the bathroom, he made his way to the kitchen, and he hoped no one had seen him leave his father's room. He didn't feel like coming up with some sort of lie to cover himself.
He could smell the pork Lucifer had been cooking for most the day, and it made his mouth water. He realized homemade meals were in every way superior to what he usually ate. He guessed that's why he looked so paper thin. He wouldn't necessarily call it a writer's diet, but rather a slacker's diet.
He came into the dinning room and was surprised to see that Gabriel and Kali were the only ones gathered at the table. Gabriel was muttering something, looking highly annoyed, and it seemed Kali was trying to soothe him, "It's gonna be fine, Gabriel." She tried to reason with him, but Gabriel brushed it off, "They're gonna start coming in like ants. Soon, we'll be infested with over perfumed family members." He groaned.
"What's going on?" Castiel asked after some time went by without them noticing him standing in the archway.
Gabriel stood up then, stepping out of his seat at the table and went for the small table in the corner where a bottle of Brandy sat amongst drinking glasses, "We just got a call from Anna." He told Castiel without looking at him.
He waited for Gabriel to continue, but eventually had to prompt him to do so, "And?"
"She called to give us the heads up that her and Samandriel are going to be making their way over from Connecticut. Aunt Naomi is going to be arriving a few days after." He informed him.
Castiel's brows wrinkled, not understanding why Gabriel stressed over their Aunt and cousins coming over. "Then let me rephrase the question." He mumbled, coming over to Gabriel where he was pouring a glass for himself. "Tell me why you're drinking."
Gabriel sighed, his head falling back with his eyes closed, "Aunt Naomi is bringing along a camera crew, to see her brother in his last few days." He then slowly turned to watch Castiel's expression turn shocked then angered.
"Where is Lucifer and Michael?" he asked, his tone harsh, now wanting to see if they were doing anything about this.
"Michael is already on the phone with her, in the kitchen." He pointed a thumb in the direction he needed to go, and Castiel was quick to leave to find them.
As he came through the hall and into the kitchen, he could already hear Michael's furious voice booming.
"I don't care what you want, Naomi, we do not give our permission to have your cameras on our property, in our house, or anywhere near our father!" Michael screamed it over the phone, slamming his fist on the counter. Lucifer stared intently at his brother, sitting on a stool at the island. It looked like he was just waiting for his turn to speak with her.
Their Aunt Naomi owned a News Network based in Connecticut where she broadcasted hard hitting news and updates on foreign affairs. That was how she amassed her fortune, and she never asked for a dime from her brother. She'd never been jealous the family business had been passed on to him, and even though he'd offered her a major role in the company, she had declined.
"Who do you think told me…?" Michael scoffed, "They've already booked a flight for tomorrow." Michael's voice began to quiet down, though he was no less angered. It was very odd to see Michael this way, and the only time he could remember him being like this was when he was a teenager, and in his early twenties. He was very turbulent in his younger years, and since earning a respectable post in the family company, he's become more docile.
He was sure if he'd been on the receiving end of Michael's wrath he'd be terrified.
Michael growled "If you even try bringing a hidden camera in here, I will sue your ass." His voice was quiet, but like a threatening snake, waiting to strike, frightening and intimidating.
Lucifer made an incredulous noise, looking from Michael to Castiel, "I can't believe her." He whispered to him. "Anything to get more views." He seethed, shaking his head.
Castiel swallowed, hoping that somehow that would dissipate his unease. He'd always known his aunt as a fantastic person… But the last time he'd ever spoken to her was three years ago. He wondered how much of her had changed in that short time, or if at all. Maybe he'd been naïve about her true nature…
"Lucifer…" he called to his brother, and once he looked over, Castiel nodded his head towards the doorway, then began to walk in that direction. Lucifer got the message and stood from the stool and followed after him. Once the both of them were out of ear shot of Michael, that when Castiel unloaded.
"Lucifer…" he glanced once to his brother who was threatening her again, "What's gotten into Aunt Naomi…?" he asked, tentatively.
Lucifer's brows rose, shocked, "Castiel, what do you mean? She's always been this way." He glanced Castiel up and down, "Don't you remember when she tried to get me to sponsor her network?"
Castiel thought back, trying to remember all those years ago when Lucifer had first opened his restaurant and business was slow. "Yes, she said she'd give your restaurant a good review on the dining segment of the news." He also remembered that the plan had a falling out, and it had never happened. He was never sure why that was, exactly.
Lucifer sighed, "Yes, but only if I sponsored her network." His brows furrowed at Castiel, "Didn't you hear about the giant argument we had?"
Castiel's eyes went to the floor. No, he didn't remember an argument. In fact, he was so busy trying to write articles, he hardly left his room during that time period. He had always just assumed Lucifer declined the offer because he felt he could work up the traffic in his restaurant on his own.
Lucifer sighed, "There's also a lot of things you don't know about her. You were too young to understand, and you've always loved her so dearly." He smiled sadly to Castiel, "We didn't want to break that illusion for you." He sighed again, one hand going to brace itself against the doorframe as he leaned into it, "I guess it's too late for that."
"But… Anna and Samandriel…" he brought up his two cousins because he could never remember an instance where they said a bad thing about their mother.
Lucifer chuckled, "Oh don't worry, they hate her guts. They're just good at holding their tongues and playing their part."
Castiel began to shake his head, "How long…"
Lucifer gave his brother a confused look, "How long what?"
"How long has she been so vindictive?" he asked, suddenly realize a few things. Like how every time she came to visit his father would always seem to be cranky until she arrived and he'd put on his plastic smile. Or like when one Christmas she gifted everyone with tickets to a show that was performed in Connecticut and she used that as an excuse to make them all visit her there.
Little things, small tiny things that were annoying or inconveniencing.
Lucifer sighed, running a hand through his sandy blonde hair, "To tell you the truth, I've never known her to not be this way."
Castiel nodded, "Thank you for enlightening me on our aunt." He told him, then he left Lucifer there and went straight to his room. Lucifer didn't call after him, and even if he did, Castiel wouldn't have answered.