Blue Eyed Stranger [COMPLETE]

Chapter 27: Lilac

"I didn't expect to be doing this with my afternoon." Sammy grunts, shuffling into the lobby of Dean, Cas and Gabe's work.

Castiel sighs, hands wobbling with the large thin rectangle balanced between them. "I'm trying to do a good gesture here, it was your idea."

"Cas, it was not my idea to print off a weirdly large photo of your cat, and give it to Dean as a house-warming present, for his own house, that we've lived in for 6 years." Sam contradicts, huffing as they sidestep through reception and past the other members of staff who are going out to lunch.

"Mittens, would like a portrait in his new home. Dean gave me a FOB, he's practically begging me to get us a house thing too, like the cat tree." Castiel justifies his actions, thinking it all makes sense.

"I thought the relationship was a secret?" Sam says, pointing them in the direction of the lifts. "This doesn't scream discreet to me."

"It's wrapped up." Cas says it like it's obvious. "It's just an apology-delivery, no-one else has to know there's a picture of Mittens in there. This is me being diplomatic."

"I can't wait to see you being obvious." Sam laughs, shaking his head. "How did you and Dean get together when you are polar opposites?"

Castiel laughs at his comment. "I'll have you know that my forward gayness approach got us moving along. Dean describes it as... flamboyancy, I'm just a little more out there."

"I can see that." Sam grins back, wondering how such a different pair gel so well.

They manoeuvre themselves into the elevator, awkwardly standing diagonally to make sure they both fit as well as the obscurely large print. They press the button to their floor and they start to move.

"Are you ready for this?" Sam asks him, seeing the slight anxiety in Cas' reflection on the doors.

He nods in return. "I'm ready, I just want to make things better, and make sure Dean doesn't feel pressured into making us public."

"Instead, we are storming into work and giving him a large photo of your cat." Sam can't hide his chuckles. "No pressure, just... yeah."

"Mittens." Castiel corrects him. "Exactly."

- - -

"One for you, and one for you and ah, one for you." Dean hovers around with a basket at lunch that's full of pride badges.

He's on the receiving end of some weird looks, people wondering what's put him in such an uplifting mood.

"Why're we doing this again, Dean?" Ben asks, fiddling with the pin on his blazer.

Dean looks to him and puts the basket on his desk. "Uh, pride month."

"Pride month was in June..." Charlie squints at him. "And we changed our logo on LinkedIn and other social media to rainbow colours to show our support for that. Although I really think we need to do more than that..."

Pouting, Dean flusters. "Uh... yeah, but there's nothing wrong with badges. Y'know, wear them with, pride." He nudges her playfully, trying this outgoing personality thing. It doesn't suit him. "Not like I was pressured into buying 1,000 of these bad boys because Gabriel told me to, that's for sure." He gulps.

"And what are you to be proud of, Dean?" She asks him, looking to the rainbow pinned to his own collar.

"Not like you're LGBTQ+, is it?" Ben asks him sarcastically.

Dean winces, understanding now why Cas wanted to kick him. "Castiel." He swallows, trying his best to masquerade his internal fear, although he can feel his cheeks burning.