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

[phosphor]

Rin's never been to a wedding before. And, truthfully, he's just happy to be at one. The fact that it's a wedding for Dean and Castiel is better. He likes them, a lot -- Dean and Cas. Maybe even something deeper than that that's hard for Rin to really understand; the same kind of whole and complicated love he feels for his friends back at home, people like Shiemi and Suguro. Dean is a lot of what Rin's father was, and everything Rin wants to be, and Castiel earns Rin's respect, in a way that still makes Rin a little nervous.

The ceremony is nice, and small, and weirdly comforting, and now Rin has a chance to dig into the food, and get himself hamburger, and pie, and a bunch of things that were normally too expensive for him to have had every day as a younger kid.

He stops with a loaded plate of food in front of a bucket on a table, full of ice and a bunch of beer, in different colored bottles. The labels are colorful and the names are curious. Rin stares at them for a little too long, considering whether he could get away with it. The last time he'd drank, when he'd ended up accidentally downing some of Shura's wine coolers, he'd ended up moody. But this was different than back then.

[contrition]

Yukio follows Dean's gaze, taking another swallow of his beer in spite of the look on Castiel's face. The closest comparison he has is perhaps the look that Rin gets on his face whenever he's feeling especially disappointed, often wide-eyed and pleading. But Yukio's had sixteen years to learn how to combat such a look.

"What's the term for that in English? Whipped?" Yukio remarks, letting the cool surface of the can rest gently between his fingers. It's strange, the roguish feeling all of this gives him. Not at all like the stern, rigid treatment he received with Fujimoto.

"But I guess having an angel give you a cheat day is also its own display of love," he says, tilting his head. "Have any plans for a honeymoon?"

[vivememorleti]

Kisuke is glad he was invited, and glad he came. Although he makes a pointed effort to avoid Kuchiki Rukia, for her sake, more than his own. He knows better than to think he's made it off a shinigami's shit-list quite so quickly, especially if that shinigami happens to be a Kucchiki in spirit and name.

He's never been to a wedding quite like this one. A western one. He'd attended hundreds in Soul Society, many of them for people of great social standing. Now that he's here, he finds he likes it. The lack of formality, the casual friendliness. The terrible food.

It's not too pretty or too precious or too planned, but it has all of the love and human vulnerability and joie de vivre that it needs.

He brought a special gift for the two grooms. He'll hand it over later, in quiet. For the time being, he lets himself socialize. And drink too much.

He watches everyone during a short break, butt seated on the surface of a table set temporarily out for the party, as he noshes on what may very well be the last slice of watermelon he has until the next summer.

[godless_son]

"There is always more making out and more sex, for that matter, to have," Castiel proclaims, pressing against Dean's back to watch him work. His hands rest of Dean's hips, fingers fiddling with the soft material. "I plan on demonstrating this tonight as I am very much of the mind to both top and bottom."

[godless_son]

"No, it certainly was not," he confirms. "The concept of love was still outside my grasp only a handful of years ago and Dean was in a living Hell. But I am very happy with him and I think he is with me, as well."

[godless_son]

Castiel nods, pleased that the boy came and that he does not seem so deeply uncomfortable with him that he cannot enjoy himself.

"Thank you. Yours and Rin's friendship means a great deal to Dean and by extension myself. Dean does well when he feels he has someone to look after, whether or not you need it."

[godless_son]

"Hello Robin," says Castiel as he creeps up next to him to decide that he is not talking to anyone in particular. "You look as if you are enjoying yourself and I'm glad. I was worried about the...rustic nature of the location. I cleaned the floors twice last night with you in mind."

[godless_son]

"Thank you for coming," Castiel murmurs into Neil's ear. It's not as if he thought Neil would not come, just that it feels it needs to be said. It means a lot to him that they have their ten or so guests, ten or so people who care that they are happy and will help them to remain so.

"Are you having fun?"

[godless_son]

"We have carbonated beverages for the guests under twenty one," Castiel announces, face schooled into a neutral expression as he hopes Rin does not notice Dean plying his brother with alcohol.

"Thank you for coming, Rin. It means a great deal."

[godless_son]

Castiel is not quite certain what he thinks of Urahara. He respects his power and he respects what he'd done for Dean (although he does not feel proper precaution was taken when training him). But for all of that, he knows what Rukia has told him about his calculating nature and what Castiel sees as a lack of respect for the sanctity of the individual's safety. Be that as it may, he is a guest and he is Dean's friend, and he is glad that he came.

"Hello," he murmurs, nodding respectfully as he walks up. "Thank you for coming. It is not a traditional ceremony and it is not everyone's taste."

[godless_son]

He likes her, he decides as he hands over a piece. She reminds him of Dean, oddly enough.

"Thank you for being here, I know it means a great deal to Dean to have his..." he trails off, unsure how to characterize the group of children and teens that Dean is slowly collecting. "Young friends here. He speaks fondly of you."

[goodfella]

"No, it's fine," Robin says to Castiel, in the sort of voice which suggests that it is only fine because Robin is exhibiting deep, patient charity about something that is not to his preferences. It's a voice that many of Robin's friends know quite well. He waves a hand dismissively in the air.

"I used to be a pretty rustic fellow myself. In another century. Are you happy?"

He asks the question with uncharacteristic earnestness.

[phosphor]

Rin gives a small wince at being caught out -- knowing very well he's under the drinking age -- and his tail gives a defensive swish, but he turns to face Castiel with a broad smile on his face; innocent and trying a little too hard, especially against the backdrop of pointed teeth.

"Thank you for inviting me," he says to Castiel, folding his free hand behind his back, instead of reaching for one of the tempting bottles. "I've never been to a wedding before. People my dad knew didn't get married very often, because of the whole ... stuff. Um. Congratulations."

[godless_son]

"I am happier than I ever thought it possible to be," he confirms, sitting next to Robin, although much more primly.

"This is exactly what I'd hoped for," he says, gesturing over to Dean with his beer. "He looks relaxed and he's allowing himself to enjoy this, which is a very big deal. Our friends are here and I love this new home. What about your wedding?"

[vivememorleti]

Castiel is a little nervous about him -- Kisuke can tell; and, truthfully, it's no wonder, although they come from strangely similar backgrounds. A universe and a culture apart. He presses his lips together, before offering Castiel the sunniest smile he's capable of. Something that manages to be without the bitter tiredness his expression tends to carry.

It's a happy day. It's a celebration of love, mortal or otherwise.

"It's not what I'm used to," he tells Castiel, before making it a joke. "The guests are better-behaved and less dead. Congratulations on your life together. I hope it's as long as it needs to be."

[goodfella]

Robin stared across the distance at Dean over the dark frame of his sunglasses. He did look relaxed, and happy, and other things that Robin could hardly have imagined of him when he'd met Dean Winchester. That Dean had been hollowed, husked, too tired to be even properly hateful. As mistrusting of a puck as someone with experience ought to be.

Today, Dean was happy and Robin was his guest.

"Ishiah and I? We'll get there. We're old and we're not going anywhere. The moment is more important than anything else -- the right moment. You know what I mean?"

[godless_son]

"I do now, yes," he says softly, watching Neil's girls run around with Annie, watching Dean laugh at something Mike has said.

"Dean has three new grey hairs at his temple. I noticed them last week. Every year I count more. He's going somewhere, currently without me so waiting did not seem to make sense for us."

[goodfella]

"Calm down," Robin says, reaching out a warm, broad palm to press it against the center of Castiel's chest. He smiles.

"What if there's a way to make him stay? Would you take it, or?" Robin wonders, not to be cruel or pushy, but because Heaven had never been a place that Robin could get to to begin with. It wasn't the only afterlife, where Robin had come from, at least.

[godless_son]

"I'm very glad you came, Dean especially is glad," Castiel assures, taking a bite of his own slice of pie.

"And thank you, by the way. From what I understand, we did not have a traditional wedding ceremony. Neither of us are particularly interested in ceremony. It took us a long time to get here."

[godless_son]

"I think it would be Dean's to take or not to take," he murmurs, tilting his head as he tries to decide if Robin is speaking in generalities. "I think he could still go to Heaven, although he disagrees. I do not think I could. But I would be more than willing to give up immortality. It's an old and unresolved conversation between us."

[goodfella]

Robin raises both dark brown brows before taking a long draw on the drink in his hand.

"I'm not suggesting you get it resolved immediately," he says. "But have you considered, you know, a different afterlife? Something like that? Have you considered that the both of you could possibly go the same place, if you had to go anywhere at all? It must be hurtful, or frightening. Thinking about all that time stretched out in front of you, not meeting one another again. I know how it is. To lose someone like that."

[godless_son]

"There are only two places to spend eternity that are available to us, one of them is unacceptable and Heaven is not actually all that peaceful regardless of the fact that it would not let me back in," he sighs. Robin has seen the tape, he knows why.

"It is terrifying, I think about it all the time and please, do tell Ishiah this although I know that he knows. I have no interest at all living on after Dean and I am more sorry than I can say that you can empathize."

[goodfella]

"I'm sorry to hear that," "Robin says, voice a little melancholy and a little breezy, but mostly caring. "And I'm mostly sorry that there isn't any way that either of you can get out of that sort of fate. It's terrible to look in on. From where someone like me is standing. It's terrible to look in on, the whole business with Heaven, and Hell. If I could send both of you to where I belong when I go, I would. There isn't any Hell for paien kind. Some of us have one Heaven, or two, or a thousand. But none of us have a Hell."

He leans across the distance and, unusually, plants a chaste kiss against the side of Castiel's rough cheek.

[godless_son]

Castiel sucks in a breath, sheer force of will keeping him from startling as he raises wide, suspiciously watery eyes at Robin.

"Thank you for saying that," he breathes, feeling ridiculously fond of Robin, even more so than usual. "And thank you for understanding. There are few I can talk to about this."

[phosphor]

Rin's pale face colors a little, at the idea that Dean is especially glad that Rin shoeed up to bring him a shitty gift and eat all his food.

"I don't really know what's traditional or not either way. But I'm glad you had it here, like this." Rin leans closer, lowering his voice, a little conspiring. "I can't always go in churches or church property and things. Because of, you know. So you and Dean have known each other for a long time? How'd you meet him?"

He asks the the naive boldness of any other teenager.