Wedding

[godless_son]

Two weeks ago Castiel had been sure, at least for a little while, that this was not going to happen. The difference between knowing about your fiance's massacre and seeing it in full screen is very different, but Dean is forgiving and he is a good partner and as Castiel tries and fails yet again to make his hair lie flat, he decides not to include that particular tidbit in his vows.

Everything is reportedly set up, thanks to Mike and Neil, and he can hear the murmurs of the guests walking through the house to the backyard where the tables, chairs, and food await. The documents are signed, he and Dean having chosen to do that in private yesterday after Castiel's last class but the vows are different, he feels. Neither of them are terribly verbally demonstrative but he hopes very much that his are deemed appropriate. He carefully slips on his jacket, knowing that Robin will have words for him if it's not kept neat for at least the vows and fusses with the blue tie and pocket square that he'd been warned by Robin was not to be utilized for any rag-like purposes. Letting out a steady breath he stares at his reflection, at the very human looking man about to engage in a human ceremony with the Righteous Man he pulled from Hell. He frowns, head tilting as he looks for himself in all of that, for the thousands of years old warrior of the Lord with the wrath of Heaven behind him and decides he rather prefers the version that is still having trouble keeping his hair neat and whose biggest worry of the day is avoiding embarrassing himself during the vows. It is very strange and Heaven will never forgive him for it and he could not be happier.

He gives the stubborn curl spring up in front of his ear a furious swipe with his thumb and checks once more that Dean's ring is in his pocket before stepping out across the hallway to knock on their door. "Dean," he murmurs, "Are you ready?"

Dean feels half strangled by the tie. Long gone are the days disguises and aliases were needed - the last tie he bothered to throw around his neck is probably years past, but this is his wedding, and he means to look nice.

“Yeah,” he calls, adjusting the green silk at his throat a last, futile time. “Just.” He releases it with a sigh. He knows himself well enough to know he’s only nervous, and he passes a hand through his combed hair and takes a few deep breaths before he turns to the door, pausing with his hand on the knob.

“Am I supposed to see you? Is that a thing?”

Comments

[jianhuo]

Saffron starts when Castiel is suddenly next to her and handing her a beer, but recovers quickly enough, taking it from him with a smile. "Oh, you're very welcome, I was happy to help," she replies. "I love to cook, and even more so for a group. And congratulations, to both of you. I don't think I've ever seen Dean look happier."

[godless_son]

Castiel stalks over as quietly as always, staring for a moment before offering up a hamburger.

"Thank you for coming," he murmurs, unsure whether Yukio wants to be left to himself or simply would like to avoid Castiel, given what he has so recently come to know about him. "I appreciate it, as does Dean."

[unburden]

Receiving an invitation to Dean and Castiel's wedding was a pleasant surprise to Rukia. It's been years since she's attended a wedding ceremony, and all of the affairs she's born witness to have been formal. Mostly occasions that she's been invited to because of her noble background — having a Kuchiki in attendance, even someone adopted as Rukia was, would always be considered a great honor within Soul Society.

But as soon as she arrives at this wedding, Rukia can recognize that it's different. A friendly, intimate affair, and she finds her heart warming at the knowledge that she's been invited to share in such joy. She takes the time to carefully pick out a dress, ivory colored with intricate floral embroidery and a touch of gold, sweet without going overboard in formality.

The gifts that she brings are greater in number, a couple of traditional good luck charms for the men and a large supply of toys and treats for each one of the pets in the household. She hopes that they're unique enough to bring some happiness to the already overjoyed couple.

Setting them politely with the other gifts, Rukia lingers shyly by the side of the party. She doesn't know many of the other guests, but she's made it her personal responsibility to make sure that everyone can safely enjoy the day.

[jianhuo]

She smiles at the kiss to her cheek, taking the offered beer and returning the gesture, curling a hand around Dean's lapel in a light grip before he can fully straighten so she can reach. "Of course," Saffron replies fondly. "I always enjoy cooking for a special occasion, and this one's more special than most."

She leans in, a little conspiratorially, dropping her voice to a near whisper. "I made a pie special for you and hid it in your fridge," she says. "That's for later. Up to you if you want to share it with your new husband."

[jianhuo]

"I think there are a few folks I don't know yet," Saffron replies with a grin as she slips her hand into Church's, threading their fingers together. "You don't have to come with me to everything, if you don't want, honey. I'm a pretty social person." She'd miss him if he wasn't with her, of course, would maybe even leave whatever she was at early, but she isn't about to try and pressure him into attending every single social gathering she goes to if he's not up for it.

[godless_son]

"You brought presents for the animals!" Castiel breathes as he strides over with a delighted grin, cat treats clutches in both hands. "Thank you. That was very thoughtful. Would you like to give them to the cats with me?"

[and_survive]

She'd never been to a wedding. Couldn't think, offhand, of anyone she'd known who was actually married. She knew people who were separated, by divorce or by death or both, but none she could think of that were actively married. Maybe some of the soldiers had been, but she hadn't known them well enough to know. Probably people still got married after cordyceps, some few daring it.

But this was still the first one she'd been to, and it was strange. Not bad strange, and not the ceremony, just the fact of it. She'd worn a dress for the first time in she didn't know how long, because it seemed appropriate. She had, however, stuck with a solid pair of boots, in case she needed to run anywhere. You never knew.

She didn't really know what you did at weddings. Ate, she guessed, and she wasn't going to turn down food, ever. Talked, possibly? She'd thought of inviting Riley, but it had seemed too loaded, not with everything messed up the way it was, the way she'd messed it up. So instead she swayed about, eying the happy occasion. It was nice, though.

[godless_son]

"I'm glad that you think so," he sighs, shooting Dean a soppy look across the yard. "He makes me very happy and I hope that I am able to do the same. This i s all very strange, of course, but I think it is for him as well."

[godless_son]

"Hello," Castiel says, announcing himself as he walks up with a piece of pie. Castiel knows who the girl is, of course, but he's never had cause to meet her. He appreciated the effort as attending the gay wedding of an adult man and an angel must be odd.

"You are Ellie, Dean's friend. Would you like a piece of pie?"

[jianhuo]

"I may be wrong, but I'd guess this isn't something either of you ever expected for yourselves," Saffron says gently, following Castiel's gaze to Dean before looking back at him with a soft smile. "If you're happy together, that's the important thing."

[and_survive]

"And you're Castiel, Dean's husband," she said, echoing his phrasing, the slight formality of it, although she dropped an automatic contraction in there. Slightly congratulatory, slightly teasing, slightly baffled, although less by the fact that they were both guys and more by the nature of the institution. "Congrats, man. Hell yes I'd like a piece of pie."

Then she blanched slightly, considering that maybe the h-word was inappropriate, considering. Maybe rude. But only a little, because Ellie was kind of rude as a baseline.

[always_enduphere]

Dean doesn't look around before returning it, feeling strangely free now that he's been hitched. He's with his husband in their backyard - no good thing is off the table, here. "More?" he asks, cracking an eye for the burgers. "Is that possible?"

[always_enduphere]

"I did leave the 'what's mine is yours' thing out of the vows," says Dean with a smile, even if it's true in all things already. "But I could share. Maybe." Dean's voice drops to match hers. "What kind is it?"

[always_enduphere]

Dean always approaches Yukio with care, but something in the kid's shoulders puts extra caution in Dean today, not that one would know it from his easy gait. Leaving the grill to Castiel's dubious care for a bit, he wanders to the cooler, and when he appears at Yukio's side it's with a Coke in one hand, and a beer in the other.

"My daddy gave me my first beer when I was a lot younger than you are now," he says. "Pick your poison."

[always_enduphere]

"Keeping the wolves at bay?" asks Dean as he joins her near the outskirts of the little gathering. He's had eyes largely for Cas today, and God knows hyper vigilance is Dean's default setting, but today he's trusting his gut that all is well and right. "I got this place warded eight ways from Sunday, so relax."

Then, because he's not sure he's ever seen Rukia truly relax, he adds, grinning, "Or at least have a burger. We got veggie if that's not your thing."

[always_enduphere]

"Hey, kid," says Dean, plopping down next to her at one of the small, hastily assembled tables. He smells like burgers and smoke, grease in the creases of his face when he smiles, and it's possible that he's never felt happier.

"Help settle our first argument as a married couple." Dean holds up two bags of potato chips. "Barbecue or sour cream?"

[contrition]

Blinking when Castiel is at his side, Yukio berates himself lightly for not having kept his guard up a little more. But only a little. A wedding involving Dean and Castiel should be, by all rights and purposes, one of the safest locations in the city. Logically, he has the space to breathe, more so than he would have anywhere else in Darrow.

But it's still an opportunity for improvement.

Without pause, Yukio bows deeply in front of Castiel. Sometimes, he forgets just how much experience Castiel has, and there's something humbling about being handed a burger.

"No, thank you for inviting me. It was a beautiful ceremony, and I'm happy to have been invited. Congratulations on your marriage," he says with a small smile, before reaching his hands out for the plate.

[goodfella]

It isn't like the weddings Robin prefers to attend. It's very small, and very quaint, and despite the somewhat non-homogenous crowd, very human, in a way. In a way that it is not very grand.

He's found himself a seat in the lawn on top of a cheap plastic chair with legs that he worries might crack at any minute from the way he's tipped back in it, feet resting on the edge of a nearby picnic table.

He has a plastic -- plastic -- glass full of a reasonable wine that he made damn sure to bring a supply of himself for everyone, and the weather is decent, for fall, although perhaps not in that perfect autumnal way that is more common in memory than reality.

It's nice, though. People are enjoying themselves, and that suffuses Robin with warmth, somehow, far above that of the constant stream of liquor that's been running past his lips since the morning. He drops his over-priced sunglasses back down over too-sharp green eyes.

"It's too bad," he murmurs to himself, raising his red Solo cup up to the thin, late afternoon October sun. "That you couldn't be here for this, Caliban. It's your kind of wedding, I have no doubt. What a time to be alive."

[contrition]

Yukio isn't sure what it says about him that he can recognize the sound of Dean's steps as he approaches. That he pays too much attention, perhaps. That he's overly hung up on Dean as the first person who's seen through Yukio as clearly as seeing through glass, the first person who's had the intuition to understand and the wherewithal to care. He takes a breath, making sure that when he turns around, it's with a smile on his face.

Because more than anything else, it would be inexcusable for him not to contribute to Dean's joy today.

"Thank you very much for inviting me, and congratulations on your marriage. The ceremony was beautiful," he says first, a little too loud and a little too rushed as he bows deeply, then stares dumbfoundedly at the drinks being offered. Having worked alongside people years older than himself, this isn't the first time that Yukio's been offered alcohol. But he's always avoided it in the past, knowing that it was a vice of addiction, and not trusting himself to remain disciplined under all duress.

Swallowing thickly, he reaches out for the beer, quirking a brow. "Aren't you a little young to be my dad?" he quips, trying for some humor.

[likeaplanet]

It's low-key and intimate, just a bunch of friends eating and drinking together in the stretch of grass behind their little house, just the way it should be. I've got my shirtsleeves rolled up, but there's a chill in the air and I'm thinking about going to look for my jacket, wherever the hell I put it last.

Somewhere nearby, the girls are laughing and Mike's never too far away. Sometimes it hits me, this family we've created, not just the four of us but... all these people's lives who are tangled up with ours. And after so many years, watching Dean find people only to lose them again, wanting him to find happiness for once in his fuckin' life, and now... Now it's almost too good to be true. Trusting that it'll last, that it'll stay good, is one of the reasons I know they were both so hesitant. It's always a risk, I know it as well as anyone.

I've got a beer, my second or third, and I'm standing off to the side, just sort of watching, for now. This feels like it was all a long time coming. Finally is the word that comes to mind.

[always_enduphere]

Dean appreciates the smile, more for the effort than its sincerity, and takes a seat with a deep sigh. "What are you, seventeen? Oh god," Dean groans, "I'm easily old enough to be your dad." He smiles, though, tapping his own beer to Yukio's before he opens it with a flip of the tab.

"Thanks for coming," he says by way of a toast, and drinks. "Yes," he adds as it fizzes at the back of his throat, "It's supposed to taste like that."

[contrition]

"Sixteen, actually," Yukio concedes with a tilt of his head, surprised that Dean's managed to guess his age so well. Most people back home assumed him older. Then again, maybe he used Rin's age to guess, Yukio supposes. "In any event, you've aged surprisingly well. Father Fujimoto's skin was a little... leathery."

He sits down next to Dean, giving the beer a dubious look before tilting it back against his lips. It doesn't burn, like the drink Dean offered him last, the drink that had been more to ease pain than enjoyment.

"It's bland. I feel like I'm drinking... air," Yukio assesses, pausing after the swallow and turning the cold can in his palm, condensation sliding down his fingers. He takes another swig. "It's not bad."

[always_enduphere]

"Thanks," Dean deadpans, "I moisturize."

At Yukio's pronouncement for the beer, Dean grins and claps Yukio on the shoulder, leaving it there through another swallow. "Good man. And yeah, this is pretty tame compared to a lot out there. Good for a sunny day, though, and a party. Just be sure to eat. Carbonation means it sneaks up on you. Speaking of.."

Dean looks to the grill. "You want a real burger or - " It actually pains him to say it, "Veggie?

[contrition]

"Let's hope I don't embarrass myself if I get tipsy. Should I be limiting myself to one can?" Yukio asks, staring into his can. It tastes so subtle that he can't really imagine this driving him towards drunkenness like hard liquor might, but he's read plenty of comics that have told him the opposite. There's also a traitorous part of him that wonders if he shouldn't be taking advantage of the venue today, letting himself drink himself into oblivion where it's safe and he won't be overly judged.

Maybe.

Mid-swig, Yukio glances over toward the grill at the patties sizzling away. "I exercise enough that a regular burger won't hurt," he says. He hasn't recovered fully from Fisher's attack yet, and the tips of his ears flush red as he tries to bury the thought before Dean notices, but one burger shouldn't hurt anything. "Does Castiel ever force you to eat... veggie?"

[always_enduphere]

"Force? No," replies Dean, "But when you love someone, you leave yourself open to all kinds of new attacks - stern, disapproving stares, pursed lips, or Castiel's favorite, and arguably his most effective..."

He glances over at Cas, who, likely for the beer Dean's just given Yukio, is demonstrating the look right now. "Precious Moment's Face. See how he looks like I just drowned every puppy that's ever existed? It's surprisingly hard to combat."

Dean sighs, but doesn't manage to look anything but fond as he leans back. "So I've eaten way less red meat than I'd prefer in recent months. Which is why I plan to eat at least three burgers."