Partnership

harplesscastiel:

It didn’t take long for Cas to realize that although Sam constantly bugged Dean to talk out his feelings, Sam rarely talked about his own.  So Cas took it upon himself to start asking Sam pointed questions to get him to talk.

At first, it was hard.  Sam was a master at the one word answer and the art of misdirection.  But Cas soon learned how to redirect Sam’s misdirection. He learned that Sam didn’t really think much of his own abilities, and tended to downplay his importance in the success of the team.  Cas took great pains to point out when Sam was responsible for a breakthrough that helped solve a case. Dean sometimes looked at Cas a little oddly, but whatever.

Sam was loathe to treat himself.  He’d bend over backwards for Cas, Dean, or Jack, but when something pertained to Sam himself, it was placed on the back burner. Like his renewed interested in completing his unfinished degree.  So Cas researched some schools that provided online classes, and determined what Sam would have to take in order to finally graduate. Sam was overjoyed when Cas presented him with the information.  Whether or not he would actually take the courses, was yet to be seen, but the look in Sam’s eyes when he realized what Cas had done…there was nothing better than that!

Sam meanwhile, made it his business to help Cas understand the human world.  The ins and outs of free will. They had long discussions on ethics and morals, and the entrapments of the modern church.  But not everything was that serious. He also brought him to amusement parks (“Are they really parks of amusing things?” Cas had asked), and made him try cotton candy, and play games of chance (“You do realize that the likelihood of us winning this game is very low, right, Sam?”).  

They volunteered at the animal shelter in Lebanon, and Cas took great joy in petting the animals and helping to care for them.  He was horrified when he learned that some shelters were “kill” shelters, and insisted that he and Sam help rescue animals from kill shelters that were in danger of being put to sleep.  And this is how the bunker became a halfway house for a variety of animals, despite Dean’s regular protests. (Although, when no one was looking he may have been known to throw balls for the puppies and use the laser pointer to play with the kittens. “It ensures they stay away from me” he insisted).

Cas made sure to celebrate both Sam and Dean’s birthdays, and made sure to plan something distracting on November 2nd each year.  Sam, meanwhile, declared August 23rd Cas’ birthday, and made sure Cas got his very first birthday party, with balloons and cake, and they invited Jody, Donna, and the girls to celebrate.  Cas was over the moon. Although, if you asked him, he’d tell you that was a ridiculous phrase, as space has “up” or “down” and therefore it is impossible to be “over” a celestial object).  And Sam would just smile fondly at his very literal angel. Life was good.