Epilogue

Dean practically jerked to a stop when he read the chalkboard. It was definitely Gabriel's handwriting, and Dean's eyebrows quirked when he read what the blonde had written across the black background;

Today your barista is:

1. Hella fucking gay.

2. Swooning dramatically over his fiancé.

For your drink today I recommend; you go elsewhere, 'cause seriously, the barista is stupidly happy and it makes some people wanna hug him, others wanna punch him in the dick.

And there was a picture. Of a stick figure. In a trench coat.

Dean snorted and shook his head. Gabriel had been happy for them- was still happy for them- but he split his time between being happy, shouting cake ideas at Dean and Castiel (either in person, over the phone, or in email), and bemoaning how stupidly adorable and in love his brother and Dean were.

Dean finally tore his eyes away from the chalkboard and made his way into Archangel's Delights. The bell jingled overhead and a few eyes turned his way; the place was pretty full, but then again it was lunch, and the new cook, Danielle, could make a mean steak sandwich.

As he made his way over to the counter, getting into line behind two guys and a girl in a private school uniform, Dean's head twisted this way and that as he tried to catch sight of his favourite barista. Two new people were working behind the counter... Michelle and Brooke? No, Micayla and Bridget... no...

Fuck, Dean thought as the line moved, I really have to pay attention when I come here... to things other than Cas' ass.

Dean grinned at that thought and again looked through the crowd as he tried to catch sight of his partner. Castiel was definitely working today; he'd called to tell Dean to meet him at Gabriel's shop for lunch. So where the hell was he?

'Hello.'

Dean jumped, and then swore when he turned to find Castiel standing behind him. The blue-eyed man smiled as Dean's eyes went up and down his body; tight denim jeans, tight black t-shirt, and an apron...

'Fuck,' Dean groaned and tipped his head back.

'Dean,' the older man chastised, glancing around to see if anyone had heard him. 'Please stop swearing.'

'Then stop jumping me dressed like that,' Dean retorted.

Castiel frowned and glanced down at his clothes. 'But you say that when we go out on dates... and in the morning when I'm only wearing boxers... and that time I first wore the pyjama bottoms with the bees on them.'

Dean sighed and grabbed Castiel by the apron, dragging the other man in for a quick, but heated, kiss. 'Yeah,' he mumbled against Castiel's lips, 'but you look hot in everything.'

'Then how can I stop jumping you when everything I wear apparently turns you on?' Castiel questioned.

Dean blinked at him before shaking his head. 'Whatever, I'm too hungry for this.'

Castiel smirked. 'That's what you say when you're losing an argument.'

'It is not,' Dean said, and poked his tongue out when Castiel's smirk widened.

'Can I help you?'

Dean turned and Castiel moved closer. The girl behind the counter- her name tag said Bridget, ha, Dean knew it!- smiled brightly at them. She'd been working at Archangel's Delights for about two months, so she knew who Dean was. She'd actually flirted rather heavily with Dean the first time the mechanic had wandered in, but that had stopped when Castiel had scowled at her and soundly kissed Dean hello.

'Uh, I'll take a large coffee- black,' Dean ordered and then looked at Castiel.

'Earl Grey tea; one sugar, no cream, please,' Castiel said. He grabbed a menu and promptly turned, walking away to find a table. Dean just chuckled; these days, he always paid for lunch, while Castiel paid for dinner. They usually split breakfast if they ate out.

'He's in a bit of a mood,' Bridget warned Dean as she took his money.

Dean frowned. 'What happened?'

'Some guy heard him talking about his fiancé,' Bridget informed Dean, 'and he had some rather bigoted things to say when he realised that Cas is gay.'

Dean scowled and took his change, shoving it into his pocket.

'Gabriel came out from the back and kicked the guy out,' Bridget continued, 'and Danielle did, too. Half the shop actually booed him and then cheered when Gabe tossed him outside, it was awesome.' She smiled up at Dean. 'That calmed Cas down a bit, but he was still hurt. So... just a head's up.'

'Thanks, Bridget,' Dean smiled.

'Hey, you got my name right,' Bridget grinned.

'Well, it's pinned to your apron,' Dean said and gestured to her chest.

Bridget's smile widened. 'That didn't stop you from calling me "Brooke" the first dozen times.'

Dean blinked at her before muttering, 'Son of a bitch,' and stalking off to find his fiancé. Bridget's giggles followed him.

'Hey, you okay?' Dean asked as soon as he found Castiel. He sat opposite the older man, who was staring at the menu, though clearly not reading it; the dude worked here, he knew the menu by heart.

'I'm fine,' Castiel mumbled.

Dean sighed. He'd learned rather early on in their relationship that unless he actually asked Castiel what was wrong, the other man would bottle it up; it was like he didn't know how to talk about his problems unless somebody expressed their concern.

'Cas,' he said and reached out, grabbing his hand. He linked their fingers together and squeezed gently. 'Bridget told me what happened today; the douche who hates gays?'

Castiel finally put the menu down. 'I'm used to men like him looking down on me for being attracted to the same sex. I hate it, but I'm used to it.'

'So what made this time different?' Dean asked.

'He... said things about you,' Castiel frowned, 'and I don't like when people badmouth you, Dean. Only I'm allowed to do that.'

Dean chuckled and brought Castiel's hand up to his mouth, pressing a gentle kiss to his knuckles. 'I know it sucks, Cas,' he said, 'and it never stops sucking. But just forget about it, okay? That guy was a dick and we'll never see him again. So fuck him.'

Castiel smiled before leaning across the table to kiss Dean gently.

'Break it up, break it up!'

They pulled apart and turned to see Gabriel standing beside their table, a look of annoyance on his face, but his eyes were lit up with happiness.

'Go away, Gabriel,' Castiel said.

'Yeah, we're having a private moment,' Dean added.

'Oh, I see how it is,' Gabriel said, pressing a hand to his chest as he acted deeply wounded, 'you have each other and that's all that matters.'

'Exactly,' Castiel nodded.

'I have freshly made pie,' Gabriel said.

Dean immediately dropped his fiancé's hand. 'Pie!' he shouted and Gabriel snickered. 'I'll take a slice,' Dean said. 'Er... pretty please, Gabe?' he added when the blonde raised both eyebrows.

'Hmm, I dunno,' the older man hummed. 'I mean, Cassie's been super rude to me today, and you basically just told me to get lost.'

'No I didn't,' Dean said. Gabriel just smirked. 'Caass,' Dean then whined, turning to pout at his partner, 'Gabriel's being mean and won't give me any pie.'

'Gabriel, stop being mean and give Dean pie,' Castiel ordered. Gabriel scowled at him. 'Dean needs pie,' Castiel added. 'Please.'

Gabriel looked between them before sighing. 'Fine. But if- and only if- I can sit you both down tonight and talk about cake.' Dean and Castiel both groaned. 'With no groaning or bitching or anything, understand?' Gabriel said, glaring at them both.

'Fine,' Castiel sighed.

'As long as I get pie after lunch,' Dean said. 'And you stop talking about yours and Sam's sex life.'

Gabriel pouted but said, 'Deal,' and then clapped his hands together. 'Monica, serve the happy couple! And try to ignore how gooey and adorable they are together, it'll give you cavities.'

'Fuck you!' Dean snapped while Castiel just smiled in amusement, watching his brother disappear back into the kitchen.

Monica- the other barista working the counter- came over and took their order, while Bridget dropped off their drinks and grinned widely at them.

'So adorable,' she sighed before disappearing.

'Why does everybody keep saying that?' Castiel asked, stirring his tea.

''Cause we're adorable,' Dean grinned. Castiel snorted. 'So, I saw the chalkboard.'

Castiel raised his eyebrows as he sipped his tea. When he lowered the mug, he asked, 'What does it say now?'

'That you're hella fucking gay and swooning dramatically over your fiancé,' Dean snickered. Castiel rolled his eyes. 'So come on, where's the swooning?'

'I should kill Gabriel,' Castiel muttered.

'He's not that bad,' Dean said.

'You try working with him all day,' Castiel scowled. 'I don't swoon and I definitely don't swoon dramatically.'

'Maybe not usually,' Dean agreed, 'but I'm swoon-worthy; admit it.'

'Never.'

Dean grinned and put his elbows on the table, his chin in one hand, and just stared.

After about a minute of that, Castiel said, 'Can I help you, Dean?'

'I'm totally swoon-worthy,' Dean replied.

'If you say so,' Castiel shrugged.

'Come on, don't be like that,' Dean said. 'Just ignore Gabriel.'

Castiel sighed and said, 'I'm trying. He'd be easy to ignore if he stopped throwing candy hearts at me, shouting that I'm drowning in man-love, and then making me clean up the candy hearts.' Dean couldn't help but snort, and tried to turn it into a cough when his fiancé scowled at him. 'But I'm not as angry as I could be,' Castiel continued. 'After all, Gabriel's the reason we're in a relationship.'

Dean frowned. 'How do you figure?'

'He wrote that I was gay and single on the chalkboard,' Castiel said slowly, like he was explaining it to a small child. 'That's why you asked me out.'

'Hey, I woulda asked you out eventually,' Dean defended himself.

'And I might have been in another relationship by then, or have gotten over you,' Castiel replied.

'No way,' Dean shook his head. 'You were hung up on me; admit it.'

'Never.'

'Admit it.'

'No.'

'You loved me, even back then,' Dean said.

'I didn't know you, how could I have loved you?' Castiel frowned.

''Cause I'm super sexy and awesome,' Dean responded, pouting when Castiel snorted.

'If you say so, Dean.'

'See!' Dean pointed at him. 'You just admitted it.'

'No, I didn't,' Castiel said.

'Why do you hate me?' Dean demanded, his pout deepening.

Castiel bit his bottom lip before leaning forward to kiss that pout away. He slowly broke the kiss and opened his eyes to see Dean staring at him, a goofy smile on his face.

'What?' Castiel asked.

'Love you,' Dean said and kissed him again.

Castiel grinned against Dean's mouth.

{Fin}

Author's Note: And that is the end of this story! Thanks for all the reviews, subscriptions and favourites, I appreciate them all. And to think that this story was supposed to be a one-shot. Do you see what you people do to me? You go and inspire my muse all the damn time. But I'm glad you lot did, 'cause this story was super fun to write :)

Cheers,

{IBegToDreamAndDiffer}