Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The screech of the metal grinding was deafening, thankfully Dean's train was scheduled to be here in the next few minutes. He hadn't been home for 15 months and 9 days. He yearned for his family, and friends. Being in a warzone doesn't exactly scream bonding time. Dean's camoflauge uniform practically screamed Vet, leading to awkward stares by passerbys. But some civillians stopped to thank Dean for protecting their country.

When Dean's train came to a stop, the doors flew open. He waited his turn to enter the train, setting on his journey to find a compartment with a seat open. In the back he found one with only one elderly woman inside. Happily, he sat across from her.

"Hello, Ma'am." He greeted, her eyes lit up like stars in a dark blue sky.

"Oh my, you look just like my husband did when he came home from Vietnam." She put her hand over her mouth. Tears started welling in her eyes. "I remember the day he came home, formally dressed and his face was wiped of emotion. But once he saw our children and I, his face melted into pure love." She smiled deeply, she reached her hand out to Dean, who took it softly.

"I'm sure your husband was a good man." Dean said gingerly.

"Son, who's waiting for you?" She asked sweetly, still swimming in her memories of her youth.

"My brother, his wife, and my nephew, as well as a family of my own." Dean said, grinning ear to ear. "My daughters name is Anna, and my partners name is Castiel." The woman either didn't care about his sexual orientation, or didn't catch the mild hinting.

"How old is she? Married yet, or waiting?" She questioned, seeming genuinely interested.

"She's turning five in a few weeks, on the eighth of July. Actually, I'm going to ask him today." Dean said, reaching into his pocket to pull out a velvet blue box.

"Oh my. How are you going to do it?" She asked, excitement in her voice.

"Just...Drop onto my knee I guess. Haven't given it too much thought, I just know I don't want to go another day without knowing he's mine." The emotion overwhelmed Dean, getting caught up in it.

"You can be more creative than that, try again." The woman laughed. Dean sat there for a few moments, thinking intensely. The woman was right. Castiel deserved much more than a wordless proposal.

"What's your name?" She asked, making eye contact with Dean.

"Seargent Dean Winchester, Ma'am." He straightened up, losing his relaxed posture.

"Relax, sweetie. So how did you meet Castiel?" Dean couldn't help but beem at the question. It was one of his favorite stories to tell.

"Well, I was called by Jess, my brothers wife, because they needed someone to pick Riley from school. He'd gotten in trouble for sharing an inappropriate Christmas story in class. When I got there, his teacher was..Well how do I say this politely, he was beautiful." Dean blushed, smiling widely at the memory. "I convinced him to give me his number before taking Riley home. I called that night, and set up our first date. It's been love ever since." Dean was overcame by the love he felt, until suddenly he knew exactly how to propose to Castiel.

When the train stopped where Dean was to get off, he hugged the woman. He gave her a slip of paper, "Invite me to the wedding, Dean." She smiled brightly. He nodded excitedly, "Of course, I wouldn't dream of forgetting you." He grabbed his duffle bag, and left the compartment. He'd never felt this nervous in his life. The weight of the velvet box felt like a ton of bricks, but he still felt as if he were walking on air.

"Dean!" Yelled a familiar voice, Riley. Two seconds later, Riley was wrapped around his leg. The crowd cleared just enough to see his family. Most importantly, Castiel. He walked at a fast pace, dropping his bag before he had Castiel in a deep hug.

"I missed you so much." He mumbled into Castiel's neck, holding him as close as he possibly could.

"Never leave us like that, again." Cas mumbled.

"Never." They pulled apart so that Dean could hold his baby girl. She cried as he hugged her, holding her small frame to his body. The only word he could make out was Daddy. Dean was okay with that. After a few minutes, Dean put her down.

"Cas, I have something really important to say." Everyone stared at him, with questioning eyes. Dean reached in his pocket to pull out the box, slowly dropping to his knee. He could hear Jess mumble 'Oh my god.'

"Castiel Novak, You showed me what it was to love. You showed me that theres so much more to life. Without you, I would still be working in a salvage yard, unhappy and alone. Now I have everything I could have ever dreamed of. Except for you being my husband. Care to finish our story?"

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Sam stood infront of a large screen, dozens of people watching him. Clearing his throat, and raised his glass of champagne. "Honestly, I never thought I'd be standing here at my older brothers wedding. He'd always say marriage wasn't for him. Then he'd wheel himself under a car mumbling nonsense." The crowd laughed as Dean's face was a light shade of red. The projecter started up, showing a home movie that Sam must have dragged out of the attic.

"Mommy, I'm batman! I'll protect you and Sammy!" young Dean beamed, staring up at the camera. His toothy grin was wide, despite the two missing teeth. He ran around the yard with a blanket tied around his neck. Sam ran behind him shouting he was Robin, wanting to be just like his big brother.

The video stopped, moving into pictures of the couple in the early stages. Awkward dates in the park, spilling their deepest thoughts and opinions. They meshed unlike anyone else. They didn't need fancy rings and a big ceremony to prove they love each other, because they showed their love every day.

Sam grinned at his brother, "Castiel and Dean met because my son doesn't have a filter, I'm not sure if I should be happy or not..." The crowd laughed as Riley grinned widely, proud of his actions.

Dean knocked on the solid wood door of room 4. He could hear shuffling before someone opened the door. Dean couldn't help but stare, his mouth gaping slightly. He was beautiful.

"Are you here to pick up Riley?" He asked, Dean noddedd, holding out his hand.

"Dean Winchester, Uncle." He grinned as Riley ran up to the door, excited to see his uncle, despite seeing him nearly every day. Dean always had an adventure for Riley. Though he prefered the Merlin universe, after watching it with Dean every weekend. Jess would say that their brains were going to melt, but Dean always had a sarcastic response.

"Okay, great. We need to discuss Riley's story telling." The teacher said. His voice deep and enticing. Almost like a sexy growl in your ear. It made it hard for Dean to concentrate as the three of them sat at a round table. Dean's larger fom didn't quite fit in the child size table, the teacher didn't either but at least he was graceful with it.

"What story did he tell?" Dean asked with a raised eyebrow.

"That his father and uncle were drunkenly singing the wrong words to a christmas song." Dean blushed instantly, hiding his face. Christmas songs were always a disaster in the Winchester household.

"Well, Dean Winchester. There truly isnt much to say, aside making sure he doesn'r do this again." His eyes narrowed on Riley before returning to Dean.

"This is gonna sound stupid but..Want to get a drink or something sometime?" Dean felt his nerves rushing like daggers.

"I shouldn't get involved with a students.." He trailed off, "Yes. Okay." Dean beemed, staring at his mystery man. "What's your name?"

"Castiel."

Sam emptied his drink in a nervous gulp, public speaking wasn't his greatest talents, despite being a lawyer. The crowd didn't seem intimidating, mostly buzzed young adults whom are appreciating the free booze.
'
"Dean may be a jerk at times, but he's a hero. He served our country and came back safe and sound. Dean has been my hero since we were kids, and I'm proud to say that. Castiel, you better take care of mmy brother, alright?" Sam said, choking up at the end.

"I promise, Sam."

"Enough chick flick moments! Can I kiss him already?"

Chapter Text

Castiel was tracing over Dean's stomach, over the scar by his belly button were someone knifed him, the tattoo over his heart that he'd gottten to reassure Cas he was coming home. It was the year they'd gotten together dash forever over and over in the shape of a heart. So far, forever has been proven a fact. Dean left his position in the army and became a full time mechanic at their family friends auto shop. Singer's Auto.

"You alright, Cas?" Dean asked, taking Cas' hand that was tracing over Dean. They're fingers entangled like they were meant to be together, Dean's wedding ring was shining bright, and on his pinky was his mothers wedding ring, after she'd died in a fire, thats what she left him. Dean couldn't bring himself to take it off since then. A black dogtag hung around his neck in memory of a friend who had died in his arms. Her name was Meg Masters. She'd died trying to save Dean. So he promised himself she'd never be forgotten, because she saved his life because she knew he had a daughter at home while she had no one. No family or friends, all she had was the army. He could never thank her enough.

"Just thinking, Dean." Castiel said softly, still mapping Dean's body with his eyes. The scars, the tattoos, everything. He had a tulip on his arm with the words "Mary Winchester." along the stem. On the back of his neck was "Cas." Dean claimed your body was a canvas ready for you to decorate.

"Well you look beautiful when you're thinking." Dean said with a small smile. It was early morning, and the room was comfortably warm, despite the piles of snow outside. It was Christmas morning, any moment Anna was going to burst through the door excitedly screaming that Santa had came afterall.

Dean leaned over and kissed Cas on the lips, they were chapped but soft. "I'm going to go start a coffee, three sugars, how you like it." Dean's smile grew even larger and gave Cas a wink.

Dean walked out to the kitchen in their silent house. It was an old victorian that Cas had fallen in love with. At first Dean wasn't quite sure but after a few weeks of living in it, it had grown on him. After he'd replaced majority of the piping that is.

"Daddy!" Anna screamed as she was running down the stairs, she clung to Dean's leg until he picked her up while starting the coffee.

"Anna!" Dean exclaimed, copying her excitement.

"Has Santa come?" She asked with a giant hopeful grin.

"I donno' Anna, go check!" He said while putting her down. He heard a screech a few moments later, "Santa!" During her screaming Cas had stumbled down the stairs with a sleepy look on his face. Dean handed him his coffee while pouring his own.

They made their way into the living room to see Anna staring at all the presents. "Can I open them?" They both nodded as they melted into the couch watching her rip open her presents, awwing at each one saying its just what she wanted.

"Ever think we'd be sitting here watching our daughter open Christmas presents?" Dean whispered in Castiel's ears. Cas shook his head, "Nope."