Dean was restless, crawling out of his skin with how quiet it was with no jobs and Cas gone to attend to whatever obscure business he had going in Heaven. Having chased Sam into his own room at the bunker, Dean lingered in the library for a bit, and finally acquiesced to a solitary life in his own room. He got comfortable on his bed and opened the book he was in the middle of, and promptly frowned at a piece of paper that fell out of it.
His bookmark had apparently been replaced with a Biggerson's receipt with weird words written on the back.
Aai niisan monons oe mad nobloh, it said, and nothing else. Dean set it aside and started reading where he left off, but after reading the same line four times and not understanding a word, he gave up. The note niggled at his mind. There were a word or two that sounded familiar. Maybe used in a spell. But what was it doing between his book?
He mulled the thought over and laid the book on the bed, grabbing the receipt. If it was Sam fucking with him, then it was his job to find out what it meant and one-up him.
Dean lift his lap top on the bed, waking it up, and started fishing for translations, coming up blank until he got a hit that suggested the word was Enochian. That narrowed it down. But why would Sam use Enochian? He went to the Enochian dictionary Charlie had once downloaded from the ancient bunker computer and went to work.
The next word came up as 'my heart', and Dean's own thudded hard in his chest. And come think of it, it wasn't even Sam's handwriting... A couple more searches and he had a complete translation.
"You hold my heart on your palm," Dean whispered, reading it out loud slowly, mind whirring. Despite himself, he hugged the piece of paper to his chest as if the writer of the note could feel it.
"You do, Dean. And you have, for longer than you even know."
Cas stood at the entrance of the room, seemingly staring straight into Dean's soul. "You know that I love you."
"Cas," Dean breathed in relief, taking the two steps separating them and embraced him tightly, stepping back when Cas didn't hug him back.
"What's wrong, Cas? You're kinda scaring me here, what with..." Dean looked away, embarrassed by his hesitation.
"Nothing's wrong, Dean. At least I hope there isn't. But you haven't found all my notes." Cas tried a smile, but it fell just as quickly. It seemed as if Cas was... Nervous.
"There's more?" Dean grinned, his worry set aside on behalf of growing amusement and the warmth spreading in his heart.
"Yes." Cas nodded gravely. "There's one in the side pocket of your duffel, and another in your favourite coffee cup." Cas fiddled with the edge of his pocket, looking away, biting his lip. Dean couldn't help finding it absolutely adorable.
Dean flailed the receipt in the air. "Is there..." He licked his too-dry lips. "Is there a reason for all this, or did you just want to cheer me up?"
"I..." Castiel lifted his gaze, staring Dean in the eye. "I have watched humans for eons. I know they find comfort in binds."
"Wh- What do you mean?" Dean swallowed hard, dumbfounded.
"I wish to bind you to me, Dean." Never breaking the eye contact, Cas went down slowly on one knee, his hand closing around Dean's. "I wish to marry you."
Dean struggled not to fall down on his knees, the words running through him like a spell, trying to gather what was going on. The wold was all topsy-turvy for a moment, and, boy, Dean loved this ride. He felt giddy, like the responding emotion was too much for his cranium to hold.
"Yes." Dean managed and swallowed, his mind pinging something important at him. And there it was;"Noib, Cas, infinitely yes. A million yesses." Dean exhaled, stunned, his body moving on automatic, pulling Cas on his feet by the hand and hauling him into an embrace, drawing in the scent that was his Cas.
It might have been hours for all Dean knew, but he wasn't quite ready to let Cas even a step away. Not just yet. But Cas slid his cheek along Dean's, finding his lips in a tender kiss, and Dean didn't need much coaxing to get with the program. Dean poured all his approval of the turn of events into the kiss, and once they finally came up for air, the both looked dazed.
It was Cas who recovered first.
Cas's eyes shone, his grip on Dean's hand firm and steady. "I understand we are to forgo the usual ceremonies. Neither of us are registered as living persons, and I'd rather not use aliases when committing myself to you."
"You have something planned already, don't you, you sly fox," Dean grinned.
Suddenly, Cas looked wary. "I do. Actually, it's a blood spell, and I was hoping maybe Sam would be willing to be the Witness to perform it. It's designed to join two life forces so that they will always be able to find each other."
Considering that not knowing where Cas was half the time was the pet peeve of Dean's, and now he was offered this? A surefire way of finding him? Awesome.
Dean freed himself from Cas's grip gently, framing the angels face with his hands, stealing another kiss while at it. "When are we going to do this?"
"There's no specific time the ritual must be performed. We just have to ask Sam when, and if, he's willing to do this. The ingredients are easily procured."
Still feeling like the top of his skull was just going to float away, Dean chuckled happily;"Let's go find Sam."
"I'm going to ask this one more time; Are you both sure about this?" Sam, for all he was behind Dean and Castiel's union one hundred percent, he wasn't entirely sold on the methods. "You understand that there's no going behind each other's backs after this, no disappearing, no going off the grid for any reason?
"We've been over this a dozen times. We want this." Dean took Cas's hand as they stood in front of a makeshift altar in the bunker library. There was celebratory pie waiting in the kitchen too.
"If anything, this will deepen our already substantial bond, and it will act as a safeguard should we ever need it. It's both spiritual and convenient," Cas squeezed Dean's hand in a silent message to hold his tongue. This was not the time to quarrel.
Dean nodded solemnly. "No more going behind each other's backs, Sam. We're past that, and this is our way of saying we're in this together, come what may."
Sam smiled warmly, as if his last apprehensions had been assuaged, and grabbed a vial with green powder from the altar. After opening a few other containers, Sam began to measure from each, reading the Enochian spell Cas had provided as he went.
Once the ingredients were in the silver bowl, Sam produced an ornate bronze dagger from its satin pouch and proffered it to Dean. "Use this to slice open your left palm."
Dean took it without hesitation, not even wincing when the blade cut the flesh.
"Now give it to Castiel, so he can do the same."
Cas kept his eyes on Dean's while the grace in his blood flashed white between them.
"Take your intended's hand, and spill your joined blood into the bowl.
The crimson blood dripped on the ingredients, making it smolder instantly, and Sam hastened to read the last lines of the ritual. Once the last word was spoken, the bowl filled with flames, burning deep pink while the same colour coursed in both Cas and Dean's veins, making both their eyes widen when they could feel it in their hearts.
The blood had stopped dripping, and once they let go of their grip, it was like there'd never been a cut to begin with.
Dean's heart thumped hard and he couldn't stop smiling. Something had changed. He'd been able to feel Cas's proximity before, in that way that he was always aware of his surroundings, but now it was somehow deeper. And so very welcome.
And by the looks of it Cas felt the effects too, if the smile alighting his face was any indication.
"Are..." Sam frowned at the pair, mildly suspicious, but he'd never admit it on the pain of death. "Are you guys alright?"
"Yes. And so much more," Dean grinned at Sam, but was not able to keep his gaze from Cas's face for long. Sam sighed discreetly in relief and finally let himself smile at the happiness of the pair. For all they knew, this really was the only way for these two to marry in a way that was more than just some words and a forged signature. To see his big brother and his best friend so exhilarated was a heady brew for Sam too. He was proud to be a part of it.
"Well. Then, by the power vested by... you two, I pronounce you... Bonded."
Dean grabbed Cas by the neck and latched their mouths together, their kiss lasting long enough for Sam to make his excuses and leaving to brew the coffee. There was the union of two inseparable men to celebrate, and Sam was determined to get everybody to eat something before they broke out the whiskey. Dean would definitely go for the pie. And he knew Cas had bought a ring for Dean.
It was inside the pie.
This was going to be fun.