It had been an average kind of day.
Marley and Lilith kept sending him the stinkeye, but Cas didn't care.
Gabriel had dropped in, grinning happily and asking him about his night, claiming his had been amazing.
Cas didn't go into details, but he did tell Gabriel his night had been very satisfactory.
Gabriel had pursed his lips at that and his happy, cocky attitude dropped a few notches.
"Seriously. You need to get laid, baby bro. Get Dean-o to nut up." he'd grumbled as he left.
Since it was none of Gabriel's business, and Dean had nutted up just fine, Cas didn't comment.

Crowley dropped in, sitting on the edge of Cas' desk once again.
"So, Feathers. You and the green eyed studmuffin, eh?" Crowley started.
Rolling his eyes, Cas cursed Crowley internally.
He quickly rose and pushed the door shut.
"Why would you say that, Fergus?" Cas stonewalled him.
Raising his eyebrow at the use of his first name, Crowley settled in his place better.
Damnit. Not what Cas had hoped for. Better keep a distance.
"Oh, believe me. I have a... sixth sense about these things." Crowley replied smoothly.
"Plus, I have been dying to get closer to mr. Kendoll, but no dice. You turn up, and suddenly he leaves the trollop."

Deadpanning, Cas shot the guy a glare that could peel paint, but Crowley just chuckled.
"That's not true, Crowley, and you know it! I have worked here years before Dean even thought of leaving Lisa." Cas explained, but it fell on deaf ears.
"Not truely correct there, chum. I have caught Dean eyeing your pretty ass as long as you both were in the near vincinity of one another. Highly frustrating I might add."
It seemed Crowley loved jerking Cas' chain to see how he would dance.
"Such a pity. Never stood a chance once you caught his eye. So. What's the scoop on Squirrel then? Is he gay, and only just out? Or... gay and tried to please an angry parental figure?"
Cas was suppressing the insistant urge to take his pointy letteropener, and stab the smarmy guy.
"No. He is bi. Has known since before Lisa. Damnit!" Cas cursed, unhappy that Crowley got to him.

To say Crowley's smile turned smug would be an understatement.
"A switch-hitter, huh? Must say, I'm impressed. How'd you get him to change lanes?" he chortled.
Closing his eyes and counting to ten, Cas ignored Crowley's innuendo.
"Oh, come on, Feathers! Don't be that way. You can tell me." the smarmy Brit coaxed.
Glaring, Cas decided to try once more.
"I did nothing. He found out about Lisa and Brady. So he left her. It was weeks after, that Gabriel thought he might be a decent housemate for me. I never even thought about it."
Crowley's eyes widened, then narrowed dangerously.
"Brady? Are you dicking with me, Castiël? Because that would be a stupid thing to do..." he growled low.

Cas shook his head.
"Sorry. I'm not. Dean found out somewhere in May, decided to set things in order before leaving, and thus insured himself that he didn't loose much in the break up."
Crowley kept his gaze narrowed and he hummed softly.
"You know, Castiël, I think I need to drop in on a certain employee. If he indeed messed around with ms. Braeden, he might very well need to find himself a new job too. I do not like someone of her ilk having connections to our firm, however tentative they may be."
And just with that, Crowley's star rose the few notches it had dropped due to this visit.
"Yes, I think I will do that. Give him a choice. Her or his job... Let's see who we're dealing with... Well, good talk, Feathers. Tata!" Crowley suddenly said briskly and with a determined air he left Cas' office.
To his dismay, Cas noticed Lilith scooting down the hallway, looking a little too casual for his tastes.

The whole trip home, that bugged him.
He was so preoccupied that he didn't notice the little dark grey Nissan on the drive, or the black Dodge Charger next to it.
He put his shoes and trenchcoat in he closet when a familiar smell tickled his nose. It was the smell of his youth, and something he'd been craving most of this exceptionally cold winter. But, Dean couldn't know that, could he?
"Dean? Do I smell... kale?" he queried in wonder, making his way to the kitchen.

"Verrassing, lieverd!"
He looked around, happily surprised to see his oma, his brother and Sam crowding his kitchen with Dean.
Upon his question why they were there, his oma just claimed to have the urge to feed her boys a hearty meal.
Knowing her his whole life, Cas knew there was more to it.
He kissed her on her grey head and smiled at the scent of her shampoo. She never changed that. Not in over two decades.
"Of course. And you wanted to meet Dean. See who Gabriel has conned into living with his oddball brother, right?" he stated teasingly, but his oma wouldn't hear of it.
She put her hands on her hips firmly and glared at Cas.
"Castiël, you stop that right now! You're just perfect the way you are." she snapped.
Dean nodded and added his two cents.
"Yeah, Cas. What she said." he intoned with a hint of steel.
The evening already shaped up to be a good one.

Notes:

Translation Dutch - English
Verrassing, lieverd! - Surprise, dear!