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

[godless_son]

Castiel frowns and leans close to the door, wondering why on earth he made Dean do this particular tradition. "I think so, I look differently than I did an hour ago and I do not want to be walked out like a bride. I think we should walk outside together and then do the vows. Is that okay?"

[always_enduphere]

"Yeah," says Dean, "Okay." Still, it's a moment more before he opens the door to stare at Cas with wide, earnest eyes. "You got a pocket square," he says, smiling faintly. His own breast pocket holds the ring, and he'd have only fucked it up if he'd tried one of those anyway, but it looks nice on Cas.

"And your hair's all - " Dean waves a hand. "Smooth."

[godless_son]

Castiel is married; he is now officially a Winchester. He knows he ought to make a concerted effort to mingle with their guests who came out to see them and support them but it is difficult to do much other than stare over at Dean as he 'mans the grill'.

He fiddles absently with his ring before taking a swig of his beer and lets out a careful breath. Everything went well, there were no disasters, he is married.

[always_enduphere]

"The way you're looking at me," calls Dean through the smoke, his eyes on the two fat patties he's about to flip, "Is making me wonder if I've got on a Kiss the Cook apron I don't know about. Bring your husband a beer, huh?"

[jianhuo]

Saffron is pretty sure she's never been to a wedding quite like this one, small and haphazard in a charming sort of way. It fits the two men well, though, and she watches with a fond smile and Church seated beside her as one of the most important men in her life pledges himself to someone who's undoubtedly good for him, in many ways.

The gathering afterward is casual, with the small amount of guests, and Saffron of course has brought plenty of food to go around, both sides that pair well with the meat and a variety of desserts. She makes sure what she'd provided is set out and ready for folks to help themselves, then goes to find her boyfriend and a beer and enjoy the celebration.

[godless_son]

"Thank you for coming," Castiel announces, suddenly appearing next to Helen and thrusting a beer awkwardly into her personal space. "Also thank you for providing a large percentage of the food. I am not a good cook."

[always_enduphere]

"Thanks for not letting us starve," says Dean as he arrives at her side, neck bent to kiss her cheek before he hands her a fresh beer. "Cas didn't trust me with more than burgers, and I didn't trust him not to try forcing quinoa down everybody's throats."

[memoryisthekey]

I think I've been to more parties and weddings the last couple of months than I have my whole life. Is there anyone in this damn place you don't know?" Humor, the last refuge of a guy who's been silently freaking out the last hour or so. Maybe because I remember doing something like this, back then, back in his life and it still fucking hurts way more than I want it to. I mean, I know I said I'd forget her, but I didn't forget-forget her and that... I don't know how to deal with those feelings.

Especially not when I'm with her. With some one who makes me as happy as I was then, when we were... a family.

[priorcommitment]

Ishiah has been busy in the weeks leading up to Castiel and Dean's wedding. Knowing that Robin will most likely prefer to bring the extravagant gift, Ishiah decides to try and offer up a present that can only be possible through his unique abilities. Peri are known for having particularly melodic voices, resonating at a frequency that makes wolves' eyes cross. Too in tune, too smooth in wavelength.

A type of voice that has always made it easy to get along with birds. And so he brings them to the wedding, birds of all colors and sizes, politely landing on the branches of nearby trees and chirping in song.

There are some birds with stubborn dispositions, who will inevitably wind up returning to their forests out of habit. But a few of the flightier, playful birds will linger in the months to come.

With a glass of beer in one hand, Ishiah stands and observes the horizon, pleased with the landscape painted for this particular wedding. It feels fitting.

[godless_son]

Castiel's favorite assignments had always been his posts on Earth. Of the millions of souls he watched, on of his favorites had been St. Francis of Assisi. He loved watching the peaceful and reverent relationship he had with the animals, having always been more fond of them than he perhaps ought to have been. He'd always been thought of as a little soft for a soldier of the Lord but he loves his Father's creations.

If he convince Dean of it, they'd have the beginnings of a farm by now.

As such, it's with a delighted smile that he watches the birds, neck craned back to listen to them sing.

[contrition]

When Yukio first received the invitation to Dean and Castiel's wedding, he contemplated declining politely. Even though he grew up within the walls of a church, a wedding is something he's never had the opportunity to witness. He's not sure what one does at a wedding, other than the idealized versions he's sometimes read about in books, or watched on television. It seems so far beyond Yukio's world that he's afraid of imposing, of tracking his own shadows into a day that's meant to be nothing but bright and hopeful.

But, whether it's out of deference or the tightness in his chest at the thought of missing such an important occasion, Yukio shows up, dressed in a fine suit and with a fine leather case underneath his arm. It's filled with medicines, mostly a mix of herbal remedies and magic, each carefully concocted by Yukio himself. It may not compare to the healing abilities of an angel, but Yukio knows that Darrow is fickle with people's powers, and that simple medicine may be good to have around on a rainy day.

The discomfort lingers in Yukio's chest as he stares around at the other guests, all of them full of smiles, overjoyed for the happy couple. And Yukio knows that a part of him is also grateful that the two men standing up there are able to find this type of closeness in spite of the odds. What he doesn't have as much ability to explain are the couple of tears that slip free when the men share their vows. Yukio lowers his gaze, making his way to the side of the lawn when he gets the chance, trying to relax. His chest aches, and he doesn't want to admit to himself the source of the emotion.

He misses his father. And even now, he can imagine the very thing he'd say to Father Fujimoto, were he alive and around.

I hope that aniki can find this kind of happiness someday.

[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."

[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."

[phosphor]

"Yukio," Rin says, loud and trundling as he makes his way over. He comes up on Yukio's back, not seeing his face until he's too close; when he catches the barest wetness at Yukio's eyes, he hesitates, but for only a few seconds.

It shouldn't be shocking to see that Yukio was crying, and it isn't. But it's uncomfortable. Because somewhere along the line, Rin had become the crybaby. And somewhere along the line, Yukio had dried up.

His smile gets stronger again quickly, and his voice does its best to sound as excited and certain as it had when he'd raced over from everyone else to find his brother.

"It was nice. There were rings and everything. I figured I might never see a wedding."

[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.

[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?"

[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."

[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]

"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?"

[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?"

[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."

[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."

[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.

[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?"

[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.

[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."

[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]

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."

[forthedog]

Weddings keep happening. At one point - lives ago, now - they would have been unthinkable, mythological things that happened to other people, none of whom Mike knew personally. Now he's never surprised by them anymore. They feel natural.

People fall in love. They want to be together. It's not even that big a deal. Even if it completely is. He's here with his family, but by now he feels like his family extends beyond Neil, beyond the girls.

This isn't just any wedding. It feels like something that's been waiting a long time to happen.

As usual, he's on the periphery of things, but not because he feels the need to hide from anything. He's watching - Castiel and Dean, and everyone gathered here for them and for this - and he's glad for it.

[godless_son]

Castiel finally manages to tear himself away from staring at Dean long enough to walk over, taking a deep breath of the cool evening air.

"Hello Mike," he says, offering a beer. "It wasn't too odd of a ceremony, was it?"