Castiel winged out of the motel room feeling closer and closer to anger the more that he tried to explain himself to Dean. Dean could not grasp the fact that Castiel was doing all he could to help; he was doing when he felt right in order to avert the apocalypse.

A secret guilty pleasure of Castiel's was hot chocolate made in a chain store with whip cream and marshmallows. He had not taken on many human traits aside from his vessel's craving for red meat, but hot chocolate was the one thing Castiel was prepared to admit that he enjoyed.

He entered his preferred store and went to stand in the queue when a man in a suit caught his eye. Castiel's eyes narrowed minutely as he left the queue and went to sit opposite the man.

"Crowley"

"Ah, Castiel, the angel helping the Winchesters, how can I help you?" Crowley took a sip of the hot drink in front of him and grinned at Castiel.

"I do not need your help." Castiel didn't know why he was still sat opposite the demon but something in the way the demon kept looking at him made him stay in place.

"Of course you don't. I can help you though" Crowley took another sip of his drink nonchalantly and sat back in his seat.

Castiel surveyed the man in front of him, and barely flinched when a hot chocolate appeared in front of him. He waited.

"I do not need your help". Castiel stood and left, his trench coat billowing behind him, the hot chocolate still steaming on the table. Crowley grinned and finished his own hot chocolate before following the angel out of the door.

A month later, Castiel entered the same store and was unsurprised to see Crowley sitting at the same table he had previously with two mugs of hot chocolate in front of him. He took the seat opposite Crowley.

"My offer still stands. I can help you. I don't want the apocalypse the same as you. The way I see it, it all ends for me if I let it happen. You need to keep the moose from saying yes, but I have a way to ice the devil."

Crowley took a sip of his drink and he looked at the angel with a steady look.

Castiel looked at his own beverage and placed his hands around the mug, tempted by the smell of chocolate, but not wanting to give an impression of trust to the demon.

"You're a demon, one of Lucifer's children, why would you help the Winchesters?" Castiel met Crowley's eyes

"Let's just say I'm not one for underestimating Sam and Dean Winchester. I know they're capable of anything". Crowley didn't move his eyes from Castiel as he took another drink and nudged Castiel's mug closer to him.

Castiel looked at the mug, took a sip and stood.

"I will think about your offer", he said and left, the hot chocolate again still steaming on the table. Crowley smiled to himself, neglecting to tell the angel about the whip cream on his top lip. He finished his drink safe in the knowledge the angel would be back.

It was only two weeks before Castiel entered the coffee stop again. This time he didn't even hesitate before sitting opposite Crowley in the table he affectionately referred to as "theirs" in his own head.

"I have been thinking about your offer".

Castiel let the statement hang in the air as he took a drink from his mug, licking his lips free of whipped cream. Crowley didn't seem surprised at Castiel's statement, but smiled lightly as Castiel finally settled into the chair.

"I assume considering you're here, you've accepted my offer of help with icing the devil". Crowley smirked and took a long sip of his hot chocolate allowing the smoothness to coat his throat. He could enjoy the warm feeling the chocolate left in his stomach if he wanted.

"My wish is that you can give us a method of killing the devil, yes. Although in my experience it is impossible." Castiel answered his voice his usual growl.

"Well you would think that, but you see, you hear things in the pit; things that if used to your advantage can be useful." Crowley smirked at Castiel's blank look, took another drink and began to explain what he knew.

By the time Castiel left the coffee shop that evening, he had accepted Crowley's offer for help. He just needed a way to break it to the Winchesters. He had finished his hot chocolate and instead of leaving before Crowley, they both left at the same time. Castiel had smiled softly when he and Crowley parted ways, knowing it wouldn't be long before they met again.

As it turns out Crowley's plan worked exactly as planned and Lucifer had ended up back in the cage and Michael back in heaven. Castiel entered the coffee shop and sat at the table at the back of the room where he and Crowley had met previously. For once, he was the first one at their meeting. He ordered the customary drinks and sat down facing the door.

Crowley arrived not long after and sat in his seat, smiling gratefully at the other man before taking a drink.

"Why do you still come here, Crowley? After all, it's not like you have need of us anymore" started Castiel. He himself had returned to the coffee shop to escape the pressures of heaven. The Winchesters were off still hunting together, only calling him when needed. Castiel had returned to heaven, but still craved the sweet taste of hot chocolate.

"Same reason as you, best hot chocolate this side of heaven and hell."

Castiel accepted this with a drink of his own hot chocolate. He looked around the coffee shop at people going about their own business; people that he and Crowley had worked together to save without them even knowing they were in danger.

He looked back to Crowley and found himself smiling at the confused look on the demon's face. "These people. They are safe because of you".

Crowley gave a noise of protest and Castiel smiled again. He took a marshmallow from his own drink and offered it to Crowley. Crowley looked at the marshmallow and then back to Castiel. He took it.