Author's Note:
Some of you were asking about Gabe and Anna being around more, and I think they'll be here with us until the end of the story :3
Their premiering episode on Hipster Queens was that night though Cas had seen bits of himself every now and then online already. It wasn't much and he had to look really hard to find it, but it was there. Cas sat and watched someone's clip of him flying overhead, someone caught him taking off from town, and even part of the hospital incident. There wasn't a lot of traction but his story was slowly getting out, maybe it'd pick up speed later on.
"You're obsessing over that," Dean leaned over his shoulder suddenly and kissed him, taking him out of his thoughts completely. "Come on, we're playing Cards Against Humanity and you have to join us."
Cas giggled as Dean trailed kisses down his neck, nibbling on his collarbone until he melted. "Okay, okay! I'm coming, geez." He couldn't possibly be upset, things were going so well and he could only get better from where he'd been. "Are we gonna watch the show?"
"Of course, the TV will be on behind us and we'll unmute it when the show's on," Dean reassured him while also plucking him out of his chair. "Now let's go, you've spent enough time staring at the computer."
"I barely had any time online in the last four years, gimme a break." Cas laughed but didn't fight back, he just wrapped his legs around Dean's waist and let his boyfriend carry him down to the others. It wasn't a smooth trip, Cas kept their balance with his wings to keep them from falling. Dean wasn't too used to carrying people with extra limbs, it seemed.
"Should we really be playing this?" Sam asked with a glance toward Desirae.
"She's part Cas, don't worry about it." Jet shrugged it off and shared a grin with Rae.
"I'm already the lame one," Sam laughed, glancing over at Dean while he tried to carefully sit, they knocked a few things off the table but it went well enough.
"Not that new, is it?" Dean asked, pretending like none of that was his fault. Cas settled properly and looked at the cards the others had already set up, then the ones he'd knocked over.
"Sorry, I'll get those." He said quickly before leaning down to sweep his wing across the floor, the motion gathered all the cards he'd scattered for easier pick up. "You guys think the show will get big?" He asked as he sat upright again.
"Hard to say," Jet spoke up first, glancing between Dean and Sam before continuing. "Fame starts with luck in a lot of cases, depending on the type. Right place, right time, right show of skill."
"I'm sure it'll be real big," Desirae nearly cut Jet off, jumping in to be supportive instead of skeptically realistic. "First it's gotta air though, so just relax, Cas! Let's play."
Cas smiled warmly at her, "Thanks Rae, you're right."
"Good, then let's start this thing. Who's the Czar?" Dean looked around the group and Sam raised his hand.
"Before we start, does anyone have a favourite card?" Charlie asked as she looked at her hand, "When Cas and I played in the past we always had cards that would always get our vote almost indefinitely." She glanced up with a knowing smile aimed Cas' way, he didn't doubt she still knew what his was.
"Oh yeah," Dean laughed and shared a look with Sam and Jet, "I always love the one about shrimp."
"All-you-can-eat shrimp for $4.99," Jet recited with a nostalgic grin, "Yeah, pretty much every time."
"I adore the one about the micro-pig wearing booties," Cas squealed a little, his eyes squeezed shut as he did it. He couldn't help it, just the image of a tiny piglet wearing booties was too much to handle.
"Bees?" Sam joined in the fun, "Mostly because of how unsure the card itself is."
"Nah," Jet waved it off, "Every time an actor or famous person is used in a humourous way I usually fold."
"Jet's more situational than focusing on one card," Dean nudged his buddy playfully.
"Mike always laughs at the inappropriately used cards," Cas pointed out when he noticed his brother's silence.
"Nazis," Charlie chimed in with a laugh and Michael tried to brush them both off with a shrug.
"Dead babies," Cas pushed it and Charlie couldn't resist continuing.
"The gays."
"Auschwitz-"
"Okay, okay!" Michael waved his hands at them as if it'd get them to stop.
"Weirdly specific cards always make me laugh," Charlie was nice enough to switch the focus.
"Simple ones don't get you, huh?" Jet looked at her and she shook her head.
"Not as much."
"Not even balls?"
"I'm not into those, so not usually." She raised an eyebrow, unable to fight the smirk on her lips. "Good try though."
"Let's start," Sam cut in and picked up a question card to get the ball rolling. "What is Batman's guilty pleasure?"
With Sam's gaze angled away the team each picked their cards and placed them face down randomly scattered in front of him. Cas couldn't quite remember the last time he'd played, he knew that Charlie had the original pack and they'd used it a lot but specific times were a little fuzzy. He didn't really care what they played, he was happy to be spending time with his family in any way.
The game went fast, they played 'first to ten awesome points wins' and Cas was surprised to see Charlie with the winning number. Surprised and not surprised at all, he knew she was funny but he thought he stood more of a chance with a bigger group. Apparently his sense of humour wasn't the same as everyone else's, aside from Desirae every now and then but he wasn't sure he could count that.
"Fuck I was so close!" Jet cursed as he waved his nine cards at her, "Best two out of three!"
"Wait," Sam turned the TV off mute, "I think it's starting soon."
Cas could've sworn that Sam had a sixth sense because the commercial break ended right at that moment and the intro to Hipster Queens started. He leapt out of his spot by the table and hurried over to the couch to watch, eyes wide and nerves entirely bundled too tight. Desirae was just as quick as him, nestled into a spot and watching for the magic to happen. Neither cared where the others sat as the whole group joined them in the living room; it was too intense to see them on television in the first place.
His heart was in his throat as he watched the episode play out, he worried about how they'd edit his story but it was barely touched. They left most of it in other than any repetition; it was put together very well. Cas hadn't heard the story from his own mouth before; it was simultaneously interesting and terrifying to him. He could analyze his own face, see the little changes in his mood and hear his own inflections. Cas couldn't take his eyes away until the episode cut to commercials again.
Cas exhaled lightly and looked at the others, finding a slightly nervous air about them. "What?" he asked tentatively and Jet was the first one to crack a smile.
"You stared at your own face so hard we thought you might've been freaking out a little bit."
Cas paused and felt a laugh bubbling up in his chest, "Yeah, I guess I could see why you'd be anxious about that."
"So what did you think of it?" Dean asked as he leaned in close, stealing a kiss before Cas could answer him.
"It was really good," Cas lit up at the chance to tell them. "So far I think they left everything in, I mean I know I stuttered a few times in there but I didn't see that so it's really nice to see them show me in a more competent light and-"
"Breathe," Michael instructed and Cas listened immediately, realizing he was starting to talk too fast with no breaks.
"Right," he smiled apologetically and looked back at Dean, "Anyway, what I mean is that I really like it."
"I got that," Dean hadn't stopped smirking at him and Cas started to feel a little squirmy under that gaze.
"I mean," he started but stopped himself, Dean looked so happy for him. "I mean I'm glad they portrayed it seriously, but I don't like…" Cas fidgeted and turned away to face the TV instead. No one interrupted him; they stayed quiet and watched him for however long it took. He wanted to wait until the commercials were over again to give himself more time, but that felt like cheating. "I don't like how I explain it." He simplified it instead and turned back to Dean, just a little glance to see what he might be thinking.
Dean's eyes were on him, as sincere and intense as ever. "Do you think you need to tell it again?" Dean asked more innocently and Cas shook his head. "Is it more of a feeling then the actual words?"
"Yeah," Cas nodded and stared blankly at the screen, his eyes seeing the broadcast when it wasn't there, seeing Anna and Gabriel sitting across from him with shocked expressions. "Everything I said was so intense and harsh, I barely covered the good things that happened after."
Dean smiled and inched closer until Cas nearly had to climb onto him to stay in the same spot. Arms wrapped around his middle and kisses were pressed against the nape of his neck. It was calming though Cas still wanted to hear what Dean had to say about it. "We'll get there," Dean told him softly, "Right now it's about you and Desirae, the rest of us should be the after thought."
"But you're not an after thought to me," Cas argued, firmly turning so he could look Dean in the eye. "I don't want you to be left out of anything."
"I'm not," Dean didn't seem affected by it at all, hell he looked a little proud. "I'm right here with you, even if I'm not in the spotlight I'm always right here."
"Oh my god," Jet droned and received a smack from Sam.
"Don't even pretend you're not as cheesy as Dean is."
"I'm not pretending anything."
"It's back!" Desirae called and they all turned back to the screen.
Their story was an hour long special and the second the credits hit Cas' phone rang. He'd completely forgotten that he had one again, but he picked up all the same. "Hello?"
"Hey pretty boy, did you see the show?"
"Oh, hi Gabriel. Yeah we just finished watching it."
"We've already gotten some calls about you, bro! People are asking for your contact information and stuff like that, I told 'em I'd talk to you."
Cas smiled and leaned against Dean, getting cozy with his boyfriend's arms around him and kisses still left on his skin. "It sounds like you're interested in more than just giving my information."
"Well what can I say? You're something special and Anna and I don't really want to lose that."
"You understand I'm special because of science experiments, right?"
"Yeah, but you're a survivor with stories to tell. You're interesting and I'm not the only one who wants to latch onto that."
Cas could hear Anna in the receiver too, he couldn't quite make out what she was saying but it sounded a lot like 'give me the phone.' "Is Anna there?" he asked and heard the exaggerated sigh start before Gabriel could even get into full swing.
"Yeah, hold on." Some muffled sounds passed and Anna took over.
"Hi Cas, sorry about him."
"It's okay, he's transparent at least."
"A blessing and a curse. But he doesn't speak for both of us, I don't know what you want to do with this but since you came to us I think you want people to know about this, right?"
"I do."
"Well I want to help you in whatever way I can,"
Cas liked the Milton siblings, he wasn't sure what he was in for and they seemed like they knew a little bit about the entertainment business. Having connections was a big deal with getting work, but that wasn't why he wanted to stay around them. They were funny and understanding, he liked their dynamic. "Let's be friends," he stated with a smile.