Chapter Sixty-Three
Happy Birthday, Bobby
TW/CW:
Valerius Estate: August 23, 2010 – Day
Azrial blinked awake, her nose twitching at the coarse hair near her face. She tried to shift, but a firm arm over her hip prevented movement. She glanced toward the window and noticed the sun was rising. She must have slept through yesterday after lying down after breakfast.
"You awake?"
She shifted her head to look up at Bobby. "Just woke up."
He hummed, rolling over so he could look into her eyes. Crowley let out a displeased grunt from behind her and rolled away from them both. Bobby chuckled, brushing his nose against hers.
"He was moody yesterday," Bobby said softly. "Said you pushed too hard."
"I agree, but don't tell him that," she whispered. "That took a lot out of me."
"Good to get back to things today?"
"I need some food, but yeah, I think so." Something caught her eyes, and she glanced over Bobby's back. "When did that happen?" she asked.
Bobby snorted, unbothered by the man pressed against his back. Marcus was facing away from them, sword arm hanging off the bed. Azrial made a mental note to finally take Gabriel's offer to expand the bed to fit four.
"He was worried too. Pushed through the day like normal, though, unlike his highness. Still, he kept pacing last night, and I got sick of it."
"Someone likes being in control," she teased.
"Says the one who put me in control," he said. "Still, I didn't think this through, so now we're both trapped."
"Hold on, I can get us free," she said with a wicked grin.
Bobby chuckled as she rolled over to face Crowley's back. She dragged her cold feet up his leg before gently pressing one between his legs. He let out a loud yelp, rolling away from her.
Right off the bed.
Bobby was laughing, but Azrial hightailed it out of bed before Crowley could get his bearings. She vaguely heard Marcus asking what happened over Crowley's cursing. She made sure to be well on her way to the baths before Crowley was awake enough to take his revenge.
Line Break
Dean raised an eyebrow at Crowley's angry muttering but focused on his coffee. The demon didn't seem truly upset, just disgruntled about something. Castiel was at his side, sipping some tea and tearing apart an orange. No one else had come in yet, but that didn't mean much. Everyone grabbed breakfast when they could, not at a set time. Azrial came into the room, a bounce in her step and looking refreshed. She wrapped her arms around Crowley, leaning over him to steal his coffee.
"Thanks," she said cheerfully.
"You are a menace this morning," Crowley muttered.
"I'm just in a good mood," she argued, taking the seat across from Crowley. "The villa is protected now, and I can focus fully on figuring out Lucifer's plans. Oh, and Bobby's gift."
Dean perked up at that. "What's the gift for?"
Azrial raised an eyebrow. "With everything going on, we missed his birthday."
"Damnit," he hissed. "I knew I was forgetting something!"
"When was his birthday?" Castiel asked.
"August 12," Crowley said as he made a new cup of coffee. "He turned 60."
"Fucking hell." Dean took a deep breath, tapping his fingers against the table. "You think I can corner Aeliana and ask if we have the resources for a sit-down dinner? I also gotta talk to Sam."
"If you tell her it's for such an important birthday, she'll insist," Azrial said. "Also, no training again today. I touched base with Gabe, and he's still exhausted. Your brother is only half awake, but I think he may just need coffee at this point. So, plot to your heart's content. "
"What are you plotting?"
Dean schooled his features as Bobby entered with Marcus. "Eh, nothing important."
"Uh-huh, do I look like I was born yesterday?" Bobby asked. "Just don't do anything stupid."
He bit the inside of his cheek to avoid a smartass remark about Bobby's age, not wanting to tip the man off. Bobby and Marcus joined the table, and Azrial pulled them into a conversation about what could and couldn't be handled today with Gabriel down for the count. Dean shot a look at Crowley, hoping the demon would understand they needed to talk. Crowley nodded his way before turning his attention back toward the others.
"Come on, Cas. I'd still like to spar this morning. Maybe we can harass Cassius."
"It warms my heart that someone is bugging him," Marcus said. "Gods know he did it enough to me."
Dean grinned, giving a mocking bow to the man before he and Castiel left the room. He needed to get a plan together—and quick!
Line Break
Sam groaned, unwillingly to get out of bed despite the loud knocking. He heard Rowena curse, her voice heavy with sleep as she pulled herself out from between him and Gabriel. The banging blissfully stopped, and he buried his face into the sheets, intent on going back to sleep.
Only to be dragged out of bed by his ankle.
He yelped, falling on the floor and blinking up at his brother and Castiel in confusion. Dean seemed extremely amused, while Castiel looked mildly apologetic at the interruption.
"Take him and leave," Rowena said firmly. "Gabriel still needs rest."
Sam didn't get to object before Dean was dragging him out of the room. Thank fuck he slept in boxers. He still shot a betrayed look at Rowena, but the witch looked unbothered as the door shut behind him.
Line Break
Bobby knew something was going on behind his back. Especially with Marcus keeping him company instead of Crowley or Azrial. The only reason he wasn't complaining was because he was able to keep busy.
"Do I even want to know?" he asked as they walked through camp.
Marcus chuckled. "I am just as clueless, my friend."
"Was worth a shot," he said. "What else do we need to do?"
"Truthfully, everything is well in hand. I was simply told to keep you away from the villa and gardens until evening."
"What the hell could they be up to?" Bobby asked. "Well, I need to be doing something, or I'll lose it. Anyone need help making weapons?"
He was left to follow Marcus, trying to figure out what had his family plotting. He really couldn't think of anything, especially with the damn world trying to end.
Line Break
Crowley watched the finishing touches come together in the dining room as Azrial slipped back through the doors.
"Was Thanatos able to help?" he asked.
"All set," she said with a grin. "Really, they need better security up there. He said we should probably only hold on for a day, though, so he's going to do it after dinner."
"Hopefully, that's enough," Crowley said.
"It's better than what I was hoping for," she admitted. "Hopefully it's enough for him."
Dean came crashing into the room, causing Aeliana to give him a reproachful look.
Dean shot Aeliana an apologetic look. "He's on his way—everyone get into place!"
Azrial cursed, quickly using her power to snuff out all but a few lights on the chandelier. There was a rush as everyone moved to their seats. Crowley patted his jacket, making sure his own gift was there. Azrial had helped with it, but she was claiming full responsibility for the gift later, so this one was his. He knew the others had all scrambled for something as well, limited by being unable to leave the property. The chatter slowly died down, and Crowley could feel Azrial's excitement despite her being across the table. The door opened, and he smirked at the surprised look that flashed across Bobby's face. Crowley snapped his fingers, returning the light that Azrial had snuffed out.
"Happy Birthday!" everyone shouted just as the final light came on.
Bobby looked stunned as he glanced around at everyone. Marcus chuckled, patting his shoulder with a half-smile.
"It is a milestone year, my friend."
"You bastard," Bobby said as he waved Marcus' hand off. "You knew the whole time."
"An educated guess, nothing more."
Sam and Dean rushed over, dragging the man to sit between them instead of in his normal spot. Azrial shot him a pleased smile, and he couldn't quite smother his own. They'd done a fantastic job, given the limited time and resources. Hopefully, Bobby agreed with them.
Line Break
The dinner was amazing. Sam and Dean had clearly cornered the chef because a few of Bobby's favorite foods had wound up on the table, including a prime rib dish he swore he'd only had in the middle of nowhere while on a hunt. His birthday tended to go by unnoticed every year, unless the boys were around or Rufus was close enough to stop by. Now, there was a massive table of people celebrating. It was one of those moments he felt were too good to be true.
"Okay, gift time!" Azrial said cheerfully.
"Y'all really didn't have to," he objected.
"Hush," Aeliana said firmly. "Sixty summers is an important birthday and must be celebrated."
"Oh, us first!" Dean said with a grin, pulling a package with three cards from next to him. "This is from Sammy and I."
He snorted as the gifts were passed his way. He opened one of the cards, but after reading the first line, he shut it. "I'll read these later," he promised.
Dean winked, a knowing look in his eyes. He damn well wasn't crying in front of a crowd because those two pulled on his heartstrings. He ripped off the wrapping paper and lifted the box. Inside, nestled neatly between wrapping paper, was a stack of forms.
"Did you idjits give me paperwork?" he asked, amusement dripping off his voice.
"Kinda," Sam admitted. "But read it before you assume we're crazy."
He rolled his eyes and was about to continue ribbing them when the bold lettering at the top caught his eye.
Adoption Papers
His hands shook around the box, and he blinked a few times to stop the tears. Rufus looked over the box and chuckled.
"Aw, ain't it a bit late for you two?" Rufus asked.
"Nah, we have like one brain cell between the two of us," Dean said, "and it mostly lives with Sammy. We'll always need adult supervision."
Bobby's thumb dragged through the papers, and he noted each of their names on a Post-It, indicating who the forms were for. He took a deep breath, trying to steady his emotions.
"You two are a nightmare," he breathed through a laugh. "Was your goal to make me cry?"
"Maybe," Sam said with a slight smile.
"Brats. Both of you." He gently shut the box and pulled Sam and Dean to him. No one here would rat him out, after all.
"Well damn, how are we meant to top that?" Gabriel asked. "It's all downhill from here, just a fair warning."
Bobby laughed, setting the box on the table. "If you say so. This is already better than any birthday I've had."
"Well, let me get my boring-ass gift out of the way," Rufus said with a huff, handing him a package.
"You giving me a gift? World really must be ending."
Rufus flipped him off, causing laughter around the table as he ripped open the package. Inside was a freshly made leather holster that would be able to hold an angel blade against his upper arm.
"Stay alive," Rufus said. "Or else."
Bobby's lips twitched. "I'll get right on that."
After that, things went quickly. He had a small pile of gifts around him, something he was sure had never happened before. The only three people who hadn't given a gift were Azrial, Crowley, and Marcus. He wondered why at first, but Azrial had winked and mouthed 'later,' so he figured they wanted to do it in private. He laughed when, of all things, an ice cream cake was set in front of him.
"Okay, did you idjits give away all my secrets?" he asked Sam and Dean.
"Nah, just the foodie ones," Sam said. "Come on, light the candles and make a damn wish."
The two numbered candles lit up with a spark of flames, and he shot Crowley a knowing look. The demon just shrugged, a slight smile pulling his lips. Bobby glanced at the candles before shutting his eyes.
Just let us all survive this. That would be enough.
The candles went out with a soft exhale as everyone wished him a happy birthday.
Line Break
The sun had set when Azrial and Crowley finally pulled him away from the party. Marcus had taken him aside before they left and handed him a braided bronze bracelet with a raven detail on the inner wrist. Now, he was overly full, and they were walking toward the enclosed garden where he'd spoken with Crowley weeks ago.
"I'm too damn full to get frisky with you both in the gardens," he pointed out. "I'm one step away from a food coma."
Azrial laughed, stepping in front of him with a grin. "Sorry to disappoint, but we didn't plan for sex tonight. I'm hoping our gifts will make up for that."
"Oh? Must be one hell of a gift to beat sex with you two."
Crowley snorted, pulling him to a halt. "You flatter us. This is for you, pet."
Bobby raised an eyebrow at the offered velvet box. "Crowley, we've had this conversation. Azrial will kill us if we run off together."
"Open the damn box, Robert," Crowley said with a half-smile.
Bobby playfully rolled his eyes but did flick the box open. Nestled in red velvet was a silver ring with an inlaid ruby and moonstone on the band. What surprised him, though, was the way the stones swirled and pulsed when he touched the ring. He pulled it out of the box and noticed an etching inside the band.
Family Don't End in Blood
The same words he'd told Dean and that neither Crowley nor Azrial had any way of knowing without talking to his boys.
"Goddamn it. Did you all conspire to make me cry?" he muttered.
Crowley chuckled, taking the band and hesitantly slipping it on his left ring finger. "The gems are imbued with both my and Azrial's power. It will act as protection in the same way as the Valerius ring, but if you were ever in need..." Crowley squeezed the ruby, allowing the gem to pop away from the fitting. "Break the gem, and you'll gain a bit of our power. Enough to get away." He pressed the ruby back into place before looking up at him. "Happy Birthday, luv."
Bobby pulled Crowley close, kissing him softly. "Thank you, your majesty."
Crowley hummed, stepping away and gesturing to Azrial. "Last one for the night then."
"Wait, this wasn't from both of you?" Bobby asked.
"Well, it was," Azrial admitted. "Then I realized I could do one better and let Crowley take all the credit."
"Azrial, you really don't need to do anything-"
She placed a finger on his lips. "Your gift is this way," she said softly.
He let her pull him into the garden. Right before they entered, Azrial moved behind him, her soft hands reaching up to cover his eyes.
"I made a promise to you before we came here," she said as she gently nudged him forward. "The more I thought about it, the more I realized that waiting was foolish."
"What are you talking about?" he asked as she stopped him from walking further.
"Put your hands out," she said instead of answering.
He did as she requested, curiosity getting the better of him. A few moments passed, and then delicate fingers dragged against his palms. That didn't make any sense since Azrial's hands were still over his eyes, and she had slight callouses on her fingers from training. The fingers were also too small to be Crowley or even Marcus.
"Happy Birthday, my hunter," Azrial whispered against his neck. "It's only until tomorrow night since we can't risk discovery, but I hope it was everything you wished for. The guest house closest to the villa is available for you."
Questions burned on his tongue when Azrial's hands fell from his eyes. He blinked, adjusting to the low light provided by the full moon and small ground lights in the garden. The questions died in his throat at the woman smiling gently up at him, her delicate fingers moving to squeeze his hands. His lips moved uselessly as he stared into warm grey-blue eyes.
"You," he breathed, trying to find something to say.
"You," Karen said with a teasing smile, her blonde hair catching in the summer breeze. "I've missed you, Bobby."
He swept his wife into his arms, hugging her as if his life depended on it. Her arms wrapped tightly around him, solid in the same way he was. It was real. She was real. There was even the subtle rose scent of the perfume she always loved and the smell of baked goods and fresh food stuck to her skin. Her body was warm and soft, something he'd long forgotten, given how she'd been ripped away from him. He was crying, and he damn well knew it, especially with the soothing circles Karen was rubbing against his back.
"I can't believe you're here," he whispered into her hair. "This is, I have to thank-" he turned his head to say something to Crowley and Azrial, but they were both gone.
"They left quietly," Karen said. "You'll have to tell me everything that's happened. This garden is absolutely beautiful, and that bench looks rather cozy."
Bobby chuckled, the sound gruffer than normal, given the tears stubbornly dripping down his face. "There's a few more I can show you," he offered gently. "If you're up for it, I mean."
Karen leaned up, brushing her lips gently across his. He inhaled sharply, the feeling sending a wave of nostalgia crashing over his body. It had been so long. So damn long. At this point, he'd lived the majority of his life without her. There was so much he wanted to tell Karen, but another part of him just wanted to spend the next twenty-four hours with her safely secured in his arms. She seemed to realize his dilemma and gently pulled him toward the bench. They sat down, but Karen didn't let go of his hands, running gentle circles over his palms as she ran her eyes over his face. Memorizing it, he realized.
"If you don't want to talk, that's okay," she said soothingly. "We can sit here and enjoy each other's company. Whatever you want, Bobby."
"I don't even know where to start," he admitted.
"I'm happy to hear about anything you want to share."
He pulled her closer, trying to figure out where to start. Then he remembered one of the gifts he'd gotten early in the night.
"Well, recently, I've been helping these snot-nose brats that fell into my life about two decades ago..."