Author: mattzerella_sticks (me)
Artist: hit_the_books ( @hitthebooksposts )
Castiel set up his own life far away from his hometown of Lebanon, in Pontiac with a daughter and a wife... and then he added a son and another wife when his first wife decided to leave him. Now, though, with two divorces under his belt and growing children, his life in Pontiac is too hectic to handle alone. Which means he’s returning to the one place he promised never to let his roots sink into again.
However Lebanon isn’t the same town as he remembers. The 90′s and its turbulent change washing over even this small, Connecticut hamlet. People have come and gone. Like Cain, the gruff, old owner of an out-of-the-way diner called Colette’s. In his place is a man who has transformed the failing restaurant into the new town center.
Dean Winchester was not what he expected, but exactly what he needed. As the year goes on, Dean and Castiel grow closer. Although nothing in Castiel’s life ever did run smooth. As amazing as Dean is, the man is an enigma. One Castiel can’t resist in figuring out.
The sign stands strikingly as it always has; the post tall and painted the color of the sky, like the red letters on the white sign were floating above the building. Beside it rests the diner the name belongs to.
Through the wide glass windows Castiel sees a strange sight from what he recalls. Cain’s ownership saw a maximum of ten people inside the diner during its busiest hours. Now it looks like every booth is packed, and wait staff flit between guests with notepads and menus in hand. Walking inside, the vinyl waiting area has its own little group as patrons chat while hoping for others to finish up soon so they can eat.
Castiel’s jaw hangs noticeably and very unattractively as he takes all this in. “Wow,” he mutters, “your brother must be something else… to turn Colette’s into… this.”
Sam rolls his eyes. “He’s okay, could use an updated discography but everyone has their flaws.” He needles him in the side, “What do your kids look like?”
The elbow to his side reminds him why they were there in the first place, and his mind shifts from appreciation to scrutiny. Instead of answering him, Castiel squints across the room at every face - hoping to find one that’s familiar to him.
A man in soft flannel and a trucker’s cap pushes up from the counter, and that’s when Castiel finds Jack.
His boy sits, with a milkshake and a workbook opened in front of him, writing furiously if his look of concentration is anything to go by. Castiel’s body shudders with intense relief, his soul rolling over ten times inside his body knowing that Jack was safe and well.
Castiel strides across the room, cutting between tables and knocking waiters off their usual path as he walks the fastest route possible to his boy.
“Jack!” Castiel calls, choked up and voice rougher than usual, “Jack, thank God you’re okay!”
Jack perks up, twisting in his stool towards him. “Dad!” he greets him, waving frantically, “Dad! Did you know this place was here? They serve milkshakes and pie and burgers and -”
Castiel hugs Jack close to his chest, dropping a kiss to the crown of his head. “I’m so sorry I forgot to pick you up. I promise it won’t happen again.”
He giggles in Castiel’s grip, squirming around. “It’s okay, Claire said you might do that. S’why she came to get me!”
Remembering his other child, Castiel begins the search anew. “Where is she?” he asks, “Did Claire drop you off? Or is she in the bathroom, or -”
A hand taps at his shoulder and he whirls around to face the owner. A man with brilliant green eyes and a soft grin that makes the freckles on his cheeks bounce as he speaks says, “Claire’s over in one of the booths with Alex.” Then he points somewhere nearby where his daughter covers her mouth as an unexpected spray of milkshake squirts out her nose, the brunette across from her nearly falling from her seat.
Loose ends tied up, Castiel’s heart descends from his throat to its cozy place in its chest. He sags against the counter, sliding into the unoccupied stool. “You’re both here… good. Then I guess I didn’t mess things up too badly.” Castiel drags a hand down his face, glancing towards the man behind the counter and meeting his curious gaze. “You probably think I’m a bad father, don’t you?”
“With the way you nearly bowled over my staff to get here?” the man chuckles, “Nah, you’re a good one.”
Castiel apologizes, a faint blush tinging his cheeks. “Usually I’m more put together than this…” He trails off, hoping the other man would fill in the blank.
Jack does for him. “This is Dean!” he helpfully supplies, “He’s been helping me with my math homework.”
Castiel’s eyes widen in surprise, casting them onto the other man who has stolen Castiel’s pink cheeks for his own purpose. “Really?”
“He’s super smart with numbers - almost as good as you are!”
“Numbers are numbers,” Dean says, “At least there aren’t any letters yet.”
“Still you didn’t have to help,” he tells him, holding a hand out, “Castiel.”
“Dean,” he repeats, shaking his hand. “Although,” Dean continues, squeezing his fingers, “you already knew that, because of Jack and…”
“Dean!” Sam barks from nearby, “let the man have his hand back.”
