Dean's speaking through a split lip, and he just knows his eye is starting to swell. "I'm telling you guys, he's gonna be pissed-"

Before he can keep telling his captors why this is such a bad idea, the door explodes inward, sending shards of wood flying everywhere. Dean rolls his eyes as the men who were beating him twirl to face the intruder. "I told you guys."

Castiel stands in the doorway, wreathed in the light from the hall like some sort of avenging angel. He's wearing the slacks they picked out together last week, a white dress shirt, and a dark waistcoat that emphasizes his slender waist. His hair is just as unkempt and wild as it was the night Dean met him, and his blue eyes are blazing with anger.

"Dean Winchester, I am going to murder you."

Dean grins. When his loving husband leaves the "Novak" off of "Dean Novak-Winchester," he really is in trouble. "Come on, baby, don't be like that-"

"Don't you 'baby' me, Dean, I'm serious, this is the last time-"

It's a old routine, one they've done a million times, and it's more comforting than if Cas came in and started fawning over Dean, declaring his undying love. That… That might actually freak Dean the fuck out, since Cas tends to be pretty stoic.

As they bicker, Cas comes forward, permitting Lucifer and Gabriel to enter the room behind him. They dispatch the two men who were holding Dean with a minimum of fuss, and Cas unties him.

Once his brothers are out of the room, carrying the unconscious (or dead, Dean wasn't paying attention) men out over their shoulders, Cas cups Dean's face in his hands as they stand. "Oh, Dean," Cas says softly. "What am I going to do with you?"

Dean grins rakishly. "I have a few ideas."

Cas rolls his eyes, but the twitch of his lips lets Dean know he's been forgiven.

So, Cas took to the family business like a duck to water.

He earned John Winchester's approval by being smart and ruthless, and by absolutely refusing to do any sort of "initiation" whatsoever.

"Mr. Winchester," Cas said coolly, "if you think I'm not dedicated enough to your son to not betray you, you're not nearly as smart as you think you are."

Dean almost fainted in fear, Cas stayed calm, Gabe snorted, and John Winchester laughed so hard tears ran down his face before he clapped Cas on the shoulder. "Welcome to the family, son. Keep my boy in line for me."

So now, Cas stands in line to inherit the entire damn thing when John goes. Not because John likes him more than he likes Dean (although Dean has his suspicions), but because Cas wants it more. Cas is good at this, the wheeling and dealing, the wining and dining, the socializing with people who think they're better than him. Cas is also good at the part where he's ruthless. He doesn't enjoy killing people, but Dean has seen him do it without batting an eye.

In Cas' defense, it's always people who deserve it. Like the Walkers, who Cas took down neatly and quietly, simply for having the audacity to lay a hand on Dean. Or Alistair's gang when they tried to pick up where Azazel left off. Cas showed no mercy mowing them down and making sure they were put away forever. It was scary.

And hot. Like, really hot.

Cas wants the family business because he knows he can make it flourish, that he can make sure that the people who depend on the Winchester gang are well taken care of. And Dean would follow Cas anywhere, so if Cas wants the business, Cas gets the business.

Later, sweaty and sated, Dean lies back while Cas gives in to the urge to fuss over him like a housewife whose husband has come home from war (Cas hates it when Dean says that).

"Shut up," Cas snaps, even as he dabs disinfectant on the split on Dean's lip. "Smug doesn't look good on you."

Dean grins up at him. "Baby, everything looks good on me."

Cas sighs. "That's true."

Dean reaches up to cup his husband's face, his heart swelling with emotion. "I love you, baby," he says, his voice a little hoarse.

Cas smiles, adoration shining from his blue eyes. "I love you, too, handsome."

The scrawny, angry kid that Dean met at a playground ten years ago is mostly gone, replaced with a cool, collected, devastatingly handsome man who Dean loves to the point of distraction. The crazy, irrational connection they felt a decade ago is still there, still driving them both crazy, still bringing them back to one another.

Neither of them would have it any other way.

Feedback gets my motor running.