This popped into my head earlier, and I just couldn't resist. So here, have some fluff. :3

Cas likes people-watching, it's fun to see how different people react in different ways, and it is his personal belief that there is no better place for it than the diner. Of course, it helps that his sister owns said diner, but that is not of import. What is of import, however, is how many odd customers she has as regulars and how fascinating they are to watch.

Of course, Cas ignores Gabriel's continued comments about how he's slowly becoming a stalker, but trying to explain to his big brother that this is a completely legitimate form of psychological observation is like trying to explain to anyone else why the sky is blue instead of purple (something Gabe continues to hold would be awesome, and even Cas has to admit a purple sky would be, if not awesome per say, at least an interesting change). So Cas blocks out Gabriel's continued mutters about restraining orders and personal-bubble boundaries and goes back to his observations.

There are a few interesting characters here already, like the little old lady who continues to sneak pieces of food into her purse to what Cas assumes is only one of a myriad of cats, but before he can settle on any one in particular, his favorite pair walks in through the front door. It is fun to watch other people, he won't deny that, but these two are by far his favorite to watch. He suspects it's because one is his sister and the other is his close friend. He nudges his brother under the table and tips his head to the side to indicate Ariel and Dean, and Gabriel's eyes light up. He'd never admit it, but he's got a bit of the stalker in him too.

"And here we see the young mechanic in his natural state of flirtation with the female waitress. The courting dance is a complex one, as she is a rare breed and will not be swayed easily." Gabe comments in an undertone, earning him a fondly exasperated look from the brunette.

Gabriel, although perhaps not meaning to, does spark something in Castiel's mind, though. He's right, it is a complex dance that Dean does in order to keep Ariel and keep her happy, and until just now Cas had never given it much thought. There are stages to it, different levels, and as he watches Dean take Ariel's hand and give it a little squeeze, he starts to break the states of affection down into a formula.

To begin with, there is the initial contact; skin on skin or skin on clothing, and this comes in exactly two ways: romantic or platonic. There is no in-between. Not with Dean, anyway. Either he touches Ariel to get her attention (a tap to the shoulder, a hand on her upper arm), or he touches her to get her attention in another way entirely (a hand on her waist, his fingers laced with hers). It's easy to distinguish between the two, at least for Cas, and he never has trouble deciphering whether he should stay where he is and keep watching the interaction unfold, or casually excuse himself in order to give them privacy. Dean and Gabriel like to tease him about being unwise in the ways of the world (and alright, he isn't as street-smart as any of them), but he's not completely ignorant. He knows exactly when he should let Dean and Ariel have their quiet moments and when it's alright for him to keep the couple company.

After contact is made with hands, it may be made in other ways as well. The next step is usually a hug, which also only comes in two forms (although Gabriel argues this point when Cas makes it, he knows he's right: hugs from the side fall into the "touch" category and there's no changing his mind about that): from the front, or from the back. Hugs from the front are friendly, like when Dean hugs Cas or Sam, and Ariel always returns them with a smile and a hug back. These hugs border on innocuous, but Dean always holds onto the dirty blond for a touch longer than normal, longer than he hugs any of the boys, and he always gives another little squeeze before he lets go, like he's sending a special message (and for all Cas knows, maybe he is). Hugs from behind, however, are romantic in nature and there is no denying that. The way his hands slide slowly around her waist before resting against her stomach and the position his mouth takes by (or against) her ear, speak of one thing and one thing only. There is no mistaking the hug from behind as anything other than romantic, and only a fool would think it to be innocent. And Cas is, naturally, no fool.

The third kind of affection that he notices (and considers the most obvious to most outside observers) is the kisses. These come in all different kinds, and Cas enjoys categorizing them most, because they are the most frequent forms of affection. The kisses say different things as well, but he leaves that alone because it's not his place to read messages meant only for his sister. There are sweet kisses, kisses to the shoulder and cheek, and for some reason Dean always looks a little putout when this is the kind of kiss he has to give her. Then there are the noble kisses (or protective, if you're not Cas and didn't spend most of your childhood reading about knights and medieval times) that are to her hands or head, and Ariel tends to get quiet and close her eyes when Dean gives her these, and Cas knows there's a promise in each press of his lips to her skin. Of course, then there's the romantic kisses, the kisses put to her neck or lips or wrist (which always earns Dean a catcall from his brother about being a vampire). These kisses are met with shivers and looks that tell volumes (which Cas desperately tries not to pick up on), and kisses in return too, sometimes. And lastly, although Cas tries to pretend he's never seen this last sort of kiss, there are the heated ones, the ones that zoom past "romantic" like it's doing a snail's pace against a car in the Indy 500. This last kind is usually given in private (usually, because sometimes Dean's impatient and doesn't know that other people are, in fact, inhabiting the planet, but Cas doesn't call him out on it, and instead quietly relocates himself somewhere else), and Cas imagines that it's the sort of kiss every girl who's ever even laid eyes on Dean would like to be on the receiving end of. Heated kisses are made with open mouths and are always just a little sloppy, because Dean's patience is wearing thinner than usual and he just can't help it. Cas is, however, fairly certain that Ariel doesn't mind.

There is, naturally, one final state of affection that the two share, but Cas colors up at the thought of it and decides that it's not his place to go there (let alone categorize it), so he stops his observations in order to return to the present and watch Dean give Ariel a hug (from the front), and a kiss to the cheek. That same look, like the kiss really isn't enough, flickers over his face for a moment before Ariel smirks at him and kisses him full on the lips. The shock is clear on Dean's face and Cas quickly returns his attention to his book in order to hide the fact that he's been watching them this whole time.

Gabriel, who notices not only Cas's sudden stop in observations but also the light flush in his cheeks, quirks and eyebrow and then grins. "Maybe I was wrong about you being a stalker, Cassie. Maybe you're a voyeur instead." Cas kicks him hard under the table and the elder boy yelps, jumping in his seat.

The riot is enough to catch the couple's attention, and Ariel rolls her eyes before she moves towards the kitchen and Dean slips over to them. "There enough room over here for one more?"

Cas dutifully moves over, providing space for Dean, and Gabriel goes back to sulkily drinking his second milkshake of the day. "How is Ariel?" Cas asks casually, aware that the back of Dean's neck is red over being caught kissing in the diner and that his own flush is not completely gone.

"C'mon, Cassie, you saw that smacker she laid on him, she's fine!" Gabe teases, winking at Dean and earning an even brighter glow on the mechanic's face.

"Yeah, yeah, she's good." Dean responds after a coughing fit Cas is sure is put on in order to cover his embarrassment. "How are you two vagrants holding up?"

Cas smiles, glancing from his book up to Dean and then back again. "Quite well. We were observing states of affection in the surrounding habitat."

It takes Dean a second (and a positively massive wink from Gabriel) before he realizes that what the brunette just said translates into "we were spying on you two kissing". He's about to shout at them, Cas can tell from experience that one is coming, but just then pie lands in front of him along with a milkshake and the fight seems to drain out of him as Ariel kisses the top of his head and looks at her two younger brothers with a look that tells them to back off.

Dean takes a bite of pie (pecan today, not apple), and Gabe waits till Ariel has left to speak. "So is the cherry pie really just that good, or is there something you're not telling us?"

Dean chokes on his pie and looks ready to strangle Gabe while the blond sits opposite him and smirks.

Cas, who has a smirk of his own tactfully hidden from Dean's line of sight behind his book, has to admit that there are numerous states of affection… and some of them do, in fact, involve beating one of your friends into a bloody pulp from the other side of the diner table.

Ah! Pointless fluff! How I have missed thee~

I am sorry about the shocking lack of updates recently, writer's block is not a pleasant disease to catch!

Supernatural and all related characters belong to: Eric Kripke

Ariel belongs to: Silver Flame Alchemist (aka Me)