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“No. Cas, I’m serious. I’m not gonna leave this room today - and neither will you.”Dean had already spent 15 agonizingly long minutes trying to assert to Castiel that he wasn’t getting out of bed anytime soon. But apparently, the former Angel of the Lord never got the memo that there’s absolutely no point in arguing with a Winchester.Castiel turns around while pulling his t-shirt down over his head, leaving his bedhead even more disheveled than before.“But Dean,“ he starts once again, causing the man on the bed to do an overly exaggerated eye-roll. He decides to ignore this obvious gesture of aversion and continues. “I don’t understand why we can’t even go to the kitchen for breakfast. It’s already noon and I’m starving. Why do you insist so much on stayi-““Because!” Dean interrupts and lets himself fall back into his pillow. Heaving an exasperated sigh, he sits up again and darts a reproachful glance at Cas.He stretches forward over the foot of the bed and pulls from beneath it a red metal box. It has a cheesy, golden, swirly pattern painted all over. As soon as Dean opens the lid, Castiel can smell the sweet scent of cinnamon and vanilla. He watches as Dean takes a thoughtful look at the contents of the box and, after some deliberation, settles his gaze on what seems to be a cinnamon star.“Because,” Dean repeats, “I got some really awesome cookies from Charlie and it’d be a shame if I were to eat them all by myshelf,” he slurs the last syllable as he bites off one tip of the star-shaped pastry.After swallowing his bite, he goes on nonchalantly: “Besides, I really wanna watch the first Star Wars trilogy with you today because that culture crap Metatron uploaded to your brain lacks some really important stuff. And what kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn’t make you watch all the ultimate classics, huh?” He smirks and stuffs the last remains of his cinnamon star into his mouth.Dean opens the laptop he borrowed from Sam and places it on the table next to the bed. After only a few seconds of typing and clicking, a tinny version of the unmistakable opening theme starts bursting out of the speakers. Seemingly satisfied with the whole setup, and with the next cinnamon star in his hand, he sits down on the bed with his back against the headboard and grins at Cas.The former angel raises a questioning eyebrow in return. His facial expression seems to say ‘I still don’t understand why you’re behaving like a 5-year-old, Dean’ and ‘I feel inordinately affronted by your lack of respect towards my knowledge of important stuff’. Nevertheless, he remains quiet.The older Winchester brother pauses the online stream of ‘Star Wars: A New Hope’ and sighs again. This time it sounds a little more strangled than before and is followed by an abashed look to the floor.“Dean, you’re not making any--“ Cas stops right away, as he notices Dean’s apparent effort in finding the right words. But before he gets the chance to continue expressing his lack of comprehension, Dean starts talking again, almost tripping over his own tongue.“Because it’s Christmas time and that means spending time with someone you love,” he finally spits out. The second the last word leaves his mouth, Dean realizes what a huge mistake he just made. But it’s already too late, so he tries to quickly cover it up by adding, “…and I just don’t wanna leave the friggin’ bed, you got that? So get the hell back here, lay down, and enjoy the movie, okay?”Cas’s jaw slightly drops and his eyes widen in surprise when the hunter, completely unintentionally, drops the L-bomb on him. Did he hear right?“Dean, did you just say that you loved me?” Taking in the appalled, embarrassed look on Dean’s face and the rosy blush crawling up his cheeks, Castiel can’t help himself and starts giggling. As to be expected, this doesn’t improve Dean’s situation and, if that’s humanly possible, he blushes even more.“I didn’t… I… No. ugh….,” Dean stutters, bringing up his hands and running them over his burning red face.“Oh, come on, Cas,” he tries again, completely flustered, burying his head under his pillow and leaving Castiel chuckling like a toddler on Christmas morning.This was so not how Dean had wanted this to happen. He had actually planned out the whole day in advance:Start off by watching ‘A New Hope’ while eating Christmas cookies from Charlie, follow with ‘The Empire Strikes Back’, drink some delicious bourbon eggnog, and finally end with ‘Return of the Jedi’ while eating more cinnamon flavored pastries.Staying in bed and cuddling all day. That’s all he had asked for. Just wrapping Cas up in his arms, covered under layers of blankets, watching some decent pieces of cinematic history and trying to build up the courage to confess his (apparently undying) love for Castiel.
Huh. Well, so much for that.
That definitely did not work out as planned. Why does Cas always have to be so goddamn stubborn! He should’ve listened to Dean and come back to bed. But no, he just had to keep asking questions.Castiel settles down on the bed in front of Dean, takes his hand into his own and intertwines their fingers. His giggling slowly fades into a whole-hearted smile as he locks eyes with his hunter.He leans forward and plants a brief, but tender kiss on Dean’s lips. All the frustrated tension the hunter had built up during the conversation eases at once.Even though Castiel is not an angel anymore, he still has this incredible ability to make Dean feel safe and calm. Protected. And Dean knows for sure, that no matter what happens, Cas is it for him. Everything Dean has ever wanted. Ever needed. Ever loved.The former angel pulls back and places a soothing palm on the other man’s cheek. He wipes off a cookie crumb from the corner of his mouth with his thumb. “I love you, too, Dean.” Cas says, looking up at him with a cocky smirk.That sneaky little bastard! Was that a wink? When did he learn to be that alluring? Where did he learn to be that alluring?Before Dean even gets the chance to think about that in greater detail, his oh so cunning boyfriend pushes the play button on the laptop and throws himself back on the bed, dragging Dean with him and wrapping him up in his arms.“Now, can we please watch the movie? You seemed very insistent on filling the gap in my ‘cinematic education’.“ Almost able to hear the air quotes there, Dean chuckles and leans back into the embrace. He can feel Cas grinning against the back of his neck as he turns towards the laptop screen again. “Just shut up and watch the movie, little assbutt.”