#spnmine

It’s 5:30am so Sam, sleep-soft and muzzy, doesn’t expect anyone to be standing as quiet and solid as a statue in the kitchen. In total darkness.

Surprisingly, someone is. Less surprisingly, that person is Cas.

Sam almost jumps out of his skin when he rounds the corner. Then he huffs and flicks on the light. “Cas! Man, you can’t…” He sighs, feeling slightly more amused as the shock quickly wears off. “You made me jump.”

“My apologies.” Cas says easily, sounding genuine but also unbothered.

Sam eyes him suspiciously as he wanders over to the kitchen counter and pulls out the blender to get his smoothie ready for after his jog.

“I have already made your post-run smoothie. It’s in the fridge.”

“You - ” Sam frowns, turning back to the angel who still stands firm in his spot. “Uh, thanks. Why? Not that I don’t appreciate it, but you don’t usually - ”

“Many happy returns on your birthday, Sam!” Cas bursts suddenly, like he couldn’t hold it in anymore.

“Oh.” Sam smiles, feeling strangely touched. He’d expect Cas to get this worked up about Dean’s birthday but not his. “Thanks, Cas.”

“You remember I made Dean breakfast on his birthday?”

“Uh, yeah.” He tries not to wince, recalling the blare of fire alarms and thick smoke billowing along the hallways. “That was…”

“A minor disaster.” Cas agrees. “So I thought a smoothie would be more appropriate.”

“And safer.”

“Exactly.”

“Well, I appreciate it.” Sam reaches out and claps him on the shoulder, feeling a bubble of affection for the angel. He mentally vows to drink the whole thing even if it tastes like mouldy kale. “Seriously, it’s really nice of you. I’m gonna get ready for my run - ”

“I have a present, too!” Cas cuts across him.

“You do?” Sam frowns, intrigued and slightly suspicious. He glances around to check that this isn’t some sort of trick, that Dean isn’t tucked away around the corner giggling.

But no, it’s just the two of them. And Sam suspects that, while Dean would undoubtedly love to prank him in some tediously childish way, he won’t be committed enough to get up at 5:30am to do it.

Cas picks up a neatly wrapped present from the table and hands it to him.

“Happy birthday, Sam. I hope you like it.”

He takes one last look at Cas, who seems more excited than he is, before he grins and gently peels open the colourful wrapping paper.

His eyes widen when he sees the familiar Nike logo staring up at him from a pile of carefully folded clothes. He looks back up at Cas. “Dude - ”

“I know you said you needed new running clothes.” Cas says, puffing up with pride at his choice. “I did some research regarding popular activewear brands and Nike were considered some of the most desirable.”

“This is awesome!” Sam hurriedly places the present back on the table, picking up the folded top. It’s an attractive sage green with a slight hint of blue and the logo and brand name are in white. The whole design is modern and clean; practical while still being aesthetically pleasing. He unfolds the top and his smile slips slightly. He starts to feel the first tug of dread behind his navel.

The top is a vest which, while not being his usual choice, is not inherently a problem. However, the length is…short. Very short.

“Cas,” Sam begins tentatively, because the angel is still beaming at him. “Is this a crop top?”

“It was described as having a ‘slightly cropped hem’. I also read that cropped tops are very fashionable. And I imagine they are excellent at keeping the body cooler as you run due to increased airflow around your abdomen.”

Sam swallows, turning the top around in his hands. It feels tiny. It might be slightly cropped on the feminine figures it was designed for but on him it would probably end up just below his pecs.

“The shorts are also very ‘on trend’.” Cas says, apparently unable to wait for Sam to get to them. He holds them up for him. “They are - ”

“Cycling shorts.” Sam says because of course they are.

“Yes.” Cas smiles, showing a hint of pearly teeth. “I did question if they would still be appropriate for running but Dean said they would be fine.”

Sam prickles with annoyance. “ Dean said?”

“Yes.” Cas says again. “He assured me this set would be useful for you.”

Sam huffs out an irritated laugh. “Yeah, I bet he did.” He perches on the end of the table and crosses his arms, the top tucking against his elbow. “Look, Cas…I think Dean encouraged you to get this just to make me look stupid.”

“Oh.” For the first time, Cas’ smile slips. He lowers the cycling shorts and looks at them with a crinkle in his brow. “I see.”

The silence echoes around the kitchen and Sam feels strangely guilty. And he hates Dean for that. Cas was so damn excited to give him this, so happy to give Sam something he thought he would love and use everyday. Instead, Dean had to turn it into a cheap joke about wearing ‘girly’ stuff. Sam grits his teeth so hard his jaw aches.

“I did wonder…” Cas is quiet, still staring forlornly at the shorts. “It suggested that this product was for women but I wasn’t sure it mattered.”

“I guess it doesn’t matter to some people, but…” Sam cuts himself off, frowning. He reaches out and brushes a finger along the hem of the crop top, mind whirring.

“It matters to you.” Cas sighs, gently folding the cycling shorts. “I understand. Please accept my apologies. I find human ideas of gender difficult to understand. To some they are very binary, but to others, they are very fluid concepts.”

Sam slowly picks up the top. “Yeah.” The word sticks in his throat. “You know what? Maybe - maybe I don’t care.”

Cas smiles again but it looks forced. “You are being kind, Sam. There is no need to placate me. I can return these items easily. Perhaps you could pick out something you would like instead?”

He reaches for the top but Sam curls his fingers around it, feeling strangely protective of it. “No, really. I think…I think I wanna try it on.” He swallows. “If you don’t mind?”

“Of course not. They are yours, Sam. If you truly want them.” Cas’ face softens.

He smiles. “I think I might.”

_

And he does.

He stares in the mirror for a while in the privacy of his own room.

He thinks that he actually looks kinda…good. The cycling shorts are incredibly comfortable; the soft, firm stretch of the fabric feels like his thighs are getting more support than they usually do. The waistband is thick and stays exactly where he puts it, no matter how he moves. The crop top stretches in a rather flattering way across his shoulders and exposes a generous amount of his lean and toned stomach.

It doesn’t make him feel masculine but it doesn’t make him feel particularly feminine either. He just feels good. Like himself.

There’s a knock at the door.

“Sam?” Cas sounds nervous, like a mother waiting outside for her daughter to step out in her wedding dress. “Do you like it?”

He wanders over to the door and pulls it open. He beams and immediately, Cas beams right back.

“Cas, I…I actually love it! It’s soft, and stretchy and it feels great. And, honestly, I think it looks pretty cool!”

“Sam, you look wonderful.” Cas says, unashamedly honest as always. “The design of the top is a particular success, I think. It simultaneously manages to show off your strong shoulders and your toned abdominal muscles, both enviable traits.”

Sam almost blushes. Is this what Dean feels like all the time? No wonder he sulks everytime Cas leaves. “Thanks, Cas. I really appreciate you getting this for me.” Sam draws him into a hug and Cas wraps his arms around him easily, giving his back a few little pats before they part.

“It’s no problem. I am only sorry that I didn’t realise Dean wasn’t being sincere when he offered to help.”

“Well,” Sam looks back into the mirror and sees himself smiling. “That definitely backfired on him.”

_

Sam returns from his run with sweat dripping from his brow but he’s still got a smile on his face. He’s eager to report back to Cas, to give him the excellent news that his new running outfit works brilliantly as well as looking fantastic.

As he wanders down the hallway, he can hear Dean’s voice, still a little sleep-addled.

“- just a joke, Cas. Sammy can take it.”

Sam slows down, lingering just outside the kitchen. He stops his running playlist on his phone and tucks his earbuds into his pocket, listening.

“Well, I didn’t find it very funny, Dean.” Cas sounds pissed . His tone is clipped and cold, like he’s crossing his arms and looking the other way. Sam almost snorts at the idea.

“Oh, come on.” Dean says, and Sam hears the scrape of a chair and sound of Dean’s slippers shuffling on the hard floor. “I didn’t mean anything by it. Just a - ”

“Joke, yes, you said.” Cas huffs. “Thankfully, Sam liked the outfit anyway.”

“He…wait, what?”

“Yeah, I like it anyway.” Sam wanders in, smirking when Dean jumps. “So your little plan failed.”

Dean’s guffaws when he sees him. “I dunno, Sammy. You still look pretty funny to me.”

“Dean.” Cas snaps. “Sam likes his outfit. And so do I.”

“Yeah, Dean.” Sam grins, wandering over the fridge to get the smoothie Cas made for him. He takes a sip. Yep, disgusting . Apparently Cas can pick out excellent clothes but he should never be allowed anywhere near food prep. “ We like it. Cas said it shows off my shoulders and abs.”

Sam watches with delight as Dean’s brain visibly shuts down and reboots. “He what?”

“I said ,” Cas begins, wearily, missing that Dean meant that he couldn’t believe what he was hearing, not that he hadn’t heard it in the first place. “The top shows off Sam’s abs and shoulders. Both are excellent and surely that is the purpose of many clothes? To show off one’s best features.”

“R-right.” Dean is now looking between them with a pale face.

Sam grins and takes another sip of revolting smoothie.

“When’s your birthday, Cas?” Sam asks casually, ignoring Dean opening and closing his mouth blankly.

“I don’t have an official birth date. I was created before time itself, of course.”

That never fails to blow Sam’s mind. His friend, eons old, is standing in their kitchen talking about his new running outfit. “Well, why don’t you choose a date?”

“Oh.” Cas considers. “Perhaps September 18th? It marks the date I came to Earth and walked among humans again. And met Dean, of course.”

Just to add to Sam’s delight, Dean’s floundering continues only now there’s a hint of redness to the back of his neck too.

“September 18th it is.” Sam takes another drink and tries not to wince. “Maybe I can get you an outfit like this too? I know you were talking about getting into fitness while your grace is waning a little.”

Dean actually splutters. He tries to discreetly look over Sam’s outfit and then looks at Cas’ body, obviously imagining the top and shorts on the angel instead. Sam barely hides his glee as he continues.

“I think you’d look great in cycling shorts, Cas. Your thighs are thicker than mine, so they’d really grip tight.”

The back of Dean’s neck practically glows.

Cas, totally oblivious, mulls this over. “That would be interesting. The shorts do appeal to me but the top, less so. I suspect Dean would look wonderful in the cropped top.”

“Uh, hahaha no. No, no, no way.” Dean is laughing but he looks almost terrified rather than amused. “No way. I don’t have Sam’s stupid abs or your…thick…muscly…thighs. I’m just…I’m not wearing a crop top, ok?!”

“Ok Dean.” Cas smiles placatingly. “If you don't want to, that's fine too, of course.”

“Right.” Dean huffs.

“Totally.” Sam nods.

“You look wonderful in whatever you wear.” Cas adds, unnecessarily. “Even those flannels.”

Dean looks like he’s on the verge of fainting like a lady in one of those period dramas. Sam almost laughs smoothie out of his nose.

“I…Cas, you can’t just say…” Dean looks pleading at Sam. “You gotta tell him, man. You can’t - ”

Sam just holds his hands up. “Sorry, no can do. The way I see it, Cas is just expressing his opinion. And honestly, I respect it. He bought me this outfit that I would never have chosen and I love it. So maybe he’s the only one outta all of us with good opinions about clothes.”

He downs the rest of his smoothie and swills out the cup, nodding at Cas. “Thanks, for the smoothie.”

Cas gives him an awkward thumbs up. “Anytime.”

Sam pulls his phone out as he leaves the kitchen, chuckling at the sound of Dean trying to explain to Cas why he’s been bright red for the past ten minutes.

Sam pulls up the camera on his phone and snaps a few pictures of himself. The lighting isn’t great and the angle’s a little awkward but a few of them come out pretty decently. He sends them to Eileen with the message:

Cas got me this exercise set for my birthday and I actually kind of love it. Am I crazy??

His phone pings before he even gets back to his room.

Yeah, crazy HOT!!! Tell Dean I’ll be back in time for the birthday meal he’s secretly cooking you. 

And you’d BETTER be wearing that little crop top when I get there

He grins and opens his bedroom door. He takes one last look at the outfit before peeling it off and grabbing his towel to get in the shower.

He makes for the door and then pauses. He grabs his phone and starts typing. Nike crop top and cycling shorts set.

No harm in seeing if they make it in any more colours. And maybe he’ll get one for Cas too.

_