Title: The Little Wooden Kitchen In The Suburbs (5/?)
Author: craystiel
Rating: PG (For now)
Pairing: Dean/Castiel. Bonus domestic!Team Free Will
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, all rights belong to Supernatural.
Spoilers: Based off the Season 8 storyline I suppose.
Warnings: Its so fluffy I'm gonna die + oops not so fluffy.
Notes: Hey guys! :) Sorry its been forever. I get my computer back soon, so I'll be able to update more often again. Thanks for sticking with me, you guys are the best. Beta'd by the lovely and talented TruffleHead as always :) and enjoy I guess!

Summary: It's been a few months since they shut the gates of hell forever. They've given up hunting for a simpler life. But Dean, he's having a little trouble adjusting.

And so their mundane, ordinary life, went back to normal within a few weeks. Sam and Cas went back to school and Dean even earned a promotion at work, managing the shop a few days a week - although every time he bossed someone around, he felt a little like Bobby was looking down on him before he shook it off and went back to work. They were happy again and the small demon scare seemed to slip from their minds like a foggy, ridiculous nightmare.

It didn't slip from Dean's mind so easily, however, and he was the only one that kept up safety guards and had the occasional overprotective reaction to a seemingly meaningless situation- but nobody talked about his constant state of terror, and he was happy to keep it that way.

Dean pulled out of the garage's gravel driveway, relishing in the leather under his butt and the old tapes blasting from the Impala's stereo. Sam had been borrowing her for the past few days while he'd been staying at his girlfriend's place, and, if he was being honest, he'd missed his baby more than he'd missed Sam. He hadn't seen Cas in over a week, either; he'd decided to go on some "stress relieving college professor retreat". It sounded completely douchey, but Dean had kissed him on the cheek and waved him off anyway, shouting a quick 'I'll miss you' as Cas piled onto a bus with 20 or so balding middle aged men. So for the past few days it'd literally just been Dean and Jimmy in the house. Dean had felt strange, uncomfortable, and scared for the first day, but after that wore off, he basically became a housewife of any reality show ever. He began to actually enjoy his own company and got more done than he ever thought he would. He remained slightly on edge, sleeping with holy water and the demon knife, but he wasn't going to let Sam and Cas come back to a dead Dean Winchester in his bed.

But the solitary confinement week was over, and both Sam and Cas were back. He'd seen Sammy this morning, when he was greeted with bacon, eggs and a too detailed story about his stay at Lydia's. Dean nodded along, ignoring the things he didn't want to know and feeding half his bacon to Jimmy before heading off to work. His morning at work felt longer than usual, and by the time lunch rolled around, he jumped at the bit to leave early and see Cas. Today was Wednesday, otherwise known as Cas' half day. The day they usually spent together, driving around in the Impala and teaching Cas to drive.

He pulled into the university's car park, feeling a little too eager. He straightened his shirt and tried to hide the coy smile that appeared when he saw his favorite blue eyes and the trench coat they dragged along.

"Hello, Dean." Cas was smiling too. Dean didn't know what they were, or what the protocol was when you hadn't seen someone in a week, so he cleared his throat, swallowed his pride, and wrapped his arms around Cas, placing his mouth close to Cas' ear.

"Hey, Cas." he smiled, "I missed you."

Cas' arms folded around Deans body then, and he felt Cas let go of a long breath before he heard a quiet, "I missed you too."

Cas talked about his retreat while Dean drove them out of the city. Cas' smile never left his face and the more he chattered on, the closer he got to Dean. There was a Blue Oyster Cult tape quietly setting the mood and the sound of the engine felt like home. He built up all the courage he had and took Cas' hand in his own. There was a cool breeze on his face and for the first time in his life, things felt peaceful, real and secure. Dean internally laughed at himself, at how corny and romantic he was making this moment. But this was his idea of romance- he'd spent half his life wishing and waiting this. For someone to come along that could handle the life he led, someone that would want to ride around in his dumb car and listen to music from a thousand years ago while holding his hand and talking about anything and everything just so he could hear the sound of their voice. He had that with Cas, and if worse came to worse and they have to go back to their old life, Cas could come with them; nothing would have to change. His life could go on and things might even be better. He had more to lose, sure, but he also had more and to him that sounded better than winning the lottery or a good nights sleep. It was the best prize he's ever or will ever receive.

"Where are we going, Dean?" Cas' voice snapped him out of his reverie. Dean looked around and realized he had absolutely no idea where they were or how they had ended up there.

"Its ah- a surprise?" Deans lips quirked up as he turned to face Cas.

"We're lost, aren't we?" Cas was trying to remain serious, but his eyes were giving him away, because like his lips, they hadn't stopped smiling since Dean showed up at the college.

"Okay, I have no idea where we are." Dean admitted, "But, hey, let's just..." Suddenly Dean pulled the car over, hopped out, and leaned his head in the open window. "You're driving us home!" He grinned, before practically skipping to Cas' side of the car.

"Dean, I'm not good at driving." Cas whined as Dean opened his door. Dean didn't reply, instead opting to drag Cas out of the car by his coat. He pulled on the beige fabric until Cas was wrapped in his arms. There was a brief moment of hesitation that passed between the two of them. This was their turning point, or it sure felt that way. They'd shared two quick make out sessions in Dean's room late at night, but they weren't anything yet. They were still just Dean and Castiel. They were still just the pair with the profound bond and the occasional long loving look. They weren't anything more than just roommates, or friends with slight benefits. But Dean wanted to be more.

He wanted them to be that couple that spent a gross amount of time together, that supported each other and were happy. The couple that adopted a few kids and had a small family, the couple that grew old together, and watched their kids succeed and have a family of their own. He wanted to die old and happy in Cas' arms. And for the very first time in his life, that ending felt like more than just a dream.

Dean placed his hand on Cas' cheek and looked into the blue eyes below him.

"I'm glad you're back." Dean smiled, before placing his lips on top of Cas'.

This wasn't like the quick make-out sessions on Dean's bed. It was more. It was softer and calmer, like the clouds drifting from the night sky. Cas' lips moved against his so perfectly, like a puzzle piece he never realized had been missing. Dean never thought he was meant for much, he never believed in fate or divine pairings. But this kiss told him he was wrong. Cas was his other half. God sent Cas to collect Dean from hell to save him in every way imaginable. And maybe he'd always hated God, for what he'd been put through, for all that he'd lost, but God had been setting him up for greatness all along. He'd been setting Dean up for Cas. The ultimate match made it heaven. And Dean had never been more thankful.

"Now," Dean said, finally releasing Cas, "Try not to kill us on the way home".

Cas pulled a bitch face - proving that he spends too much time with Sam - before reaching into Dean's pants pocket and swiping out the keys.

xxx

The sky began to darken as Cas pulled the Impala into the little garage of their little house. They had driven around for hours, completely lost, but not particularly worried about finding their way home. They spent the time getting to know each other. Of course they'd known each other for years, as Dean and Cas. Hunter and angel. Friend and friend. But their relationship was changing, and so they were basically getting to know a whole other person. Cas slipped Dean's keys into his hand and gave it a quick squeeze and Dean smiled, placing a chaste kiss to Cas' forehead. They were Dean and Cas, mechanic and professor. Dean and Cas, roommate and friend. Dean and Cas, best friend and soulmate.

When they walked into the kitchen, Sam was there already, cooking dinner. "For a second there I was gonna be the over protective little brother and call Garth." Sam turned around, wooden spoon in his hand and flour all over his face.

"Good look, Sammy." Dean rubbed his own face where Sam's flour beard was sitting and headed to the fridge.

"Where were you?" Sam asked, wiping the flour from his face with his shirt.

"I was taking Cas for a driving lesson and we got a little off course." Dean smiled.

"We got really lost," Cas added, "and Dean made me drive us home".

Dean and Cas talked about their night while Sam served up dinner. They sat at the little table together, chattering and eating and smiling- a reunion, of sorts, after the week they'd spent apart. Sam eventually changed the subject to his week with Lydia and Dean smiled through every gross story a second time. Dean looked around the table at the two goofs he adored. Sam going into finite detail about his sex life and Cas looking horrified. It may not have been the family he had expected, but it was his family, and he was happy. And, after all, wasn't that all that mattered? Dean placed a kiss atop Cas' head before heading out into the backyard to feed Jimmy. He sighed into the night air. Dean Winchester was happy. What a strange and unnatural sight, he thought.

xxx

It was cold wherever he was. He could feel goosebumps rising all over his body in order to create warmth. It wasn't working. He shivered.

"Hello?" He yelled into the darkness, only to hear his own hoarse voice echoed back to him.

Dean Winchester, happy? Never.