Strings Attached

Chapter 39

By the time they leave the Winchesters' house, Castiel is pretty sure he's hallucinating. He could have sworn he caught Dean looking at him a bunch of times that day, but he has to be seeing things. Dean wasn't looking at him.

When they get home, the first thing Gabriel says is, "Christmas is in six weeks?"

"Five!" Lucifer calls from the other room.

"Aw, crap. I gotta go shopping."

"Amazon," Castiel suggests. That's what he's doing. He definitely can't go shopping like this; between the wheelchair and casts, it would be a nightmare. Besides, you can buy anything online. Why bother leaving the house?

"Hey, Gabriel?" Castiel says as a question forms in his mind. "Do friends get each other Christians gifts?"

Gabriel shrugs. "Depends on the friend. Like, I'm getting Sam a present, which I haven't figured out yet, but not, like, Charlie or them."

"So, only if you're together, then?" Castiel asks, being quiet so no one overhears their relationship status.

"No, it's more like if you're closer to them. At least, that's what I think. Because Kali and I always do Christmas gifts too. But if you're not sure, you could always just get them some chocolate. Chocolate always works."

"Good to know," Castiel replies. Maybe he'll just do that. That's easy. Quietly, he asks, "Have you told Lucifer about you and Sam?"

Gabriel shakes his head. "Not yet. Should I do that now?"

"Wait." Castiel pulls out his phone and opens the camera, putting it on video. "This might be good."

Gabriel grins. "Nice." He waves Castiel after him, who holds the camera discreetly in his broken hand and wheels himself with the other until they're in front of Lucifer.

"What's up?" Lucifer asks.

"Oh, nothing much," Gabriel replies. "Just wanted to let you know that I'm dating Sam."

At hearing these words, Lucifer turns into the biggest fangirl in the world. He squeals — literally squeals — louder than Charlie ever has.

"Oh my god it's a Christmas miracle!" Lucifer cries, his excessive happiness ever present. "I have been waiting for this moment for way too long!"
Gabriel and Castiel laugh.

"What if I told you we've been dating for a month?"

"What? And you didn't tell me? After all we've been through together, you never told me? Great. Just great. I see how it is."

"Sorry," Gabriel replies, but he clearly isn't. "But if it makes ya feel better, Castiel and Dean are friends again!"

"No," Castiel says immediately.

"What?" Gabriel says in confusion.

"Great. Thanks for getting my hopes up," Lucifer says sarcastically.

"Why aren't you friends?" Gabriel asks. "You seemed pretty friendly today."

"We're not friends," Castiel repeats. "And we never will be. Sorry, but looks like Sabriel just lost some cash."

"Why not?" Gabriel asks, more whining than a question.

"Because," Castiel replies.

"But he apologized for everything."

"Let's do an experiment," Castiel suggests. He takes a piece of paper from somewhere. "See this piece of paper?" He rips it in half. "See, now I've hurt the paper. Okay, paper, I'm sorry. Oh, look. The paper is still in two. Look how well that worked."

Both the older boys laugh at that demonstration. Castiel doesn't feel compelled to tell them that he stole it from a poster in his math classroom a few years ago.

"That was awesome," Lucifer tells him approvingly.

"Except that you're not paper, so that doesn't count," Gabriel adds. "Like, you two are soulmates, so go friend and stuff."

"Friend isn't a verb," Castiel tells him.

"It is now. Seriously, you two need to go be friends and stuff. Like, pronto. Capisce?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Pretty please with a cherry on top?"

"No."

"Pretty please with a cherry skittle on top?" Gabriel pulls out a bag of skittles and puts a red one in his hand.

"Where do you keep getting these skittles?" Castiel asks.

"That's not important," Gabriel replies. "Please?"

"No."

Gabriel groans. "Castiel!"

"He's your soulmate!" Lucifer adds. "Go!"

"Why do you keep calling us soulmates?" Castiel asks. "We aren't soulmates."

"You are!" Lucifer insists. "You guys are perfect together! Go! Go be together!"

"Dean's not even gay, so if that's what you're going for, don't bother," Castiel says.

"But if he was, would you go out with him?"

"No."

Lucifer groans in frustration. "What will it take to get this through your head? You two are perfect for each other!"

"I'm gonna leave if you two keep doing this," Castiel announces.

"Go to Dean's house?" Gabriel suggests. "Good idea. Hey, I'll ever get Lucifer to drive you."

"Yeah, let's go!"

"If I went anywhere, it would be Garth's house," Castiel replies. "It's way closer."

"Yeah, but Dean!" Lucifer says.

"If I went to the Winchester house, I hope you realize I would spend more time with Sam than Dean," Castiel tells them. "So this really isn't helping anything."

"Fine, be that way," Lucifer pouts. "We'll get you together somehow. You'll see."

"I'd like to see you try," Castiel replies, confident that he won't.

"Game on."