#userkait

Dean’s stomach twitched with the repetition.

“Beautiful,” Cas placed a kiss on Dean’s neck, “beautiful,” his lips reach Dean’s jaw, “beautiful.” one final kiss on his cheek. Then he untangled himself and grab his toothbrush from the counter.

Dean spit, “Why do you always say shit like that, man?”

“Because it’s true,” it came out garbled, hindered by toothpaste, “and I think you like it, actually.”

“Yeah, maybe so,” Dean admits.

Cas raises his eyebrows, before rinsing his mouth.

“You,” Dean starts to get a little red, “there was a long time I hated that-- beautiful, pretty—but now, I don’t know.”

Cas looks at him softly, his fingers toying with the short hair at the nape of his neck.

Dean hesitated for a moment, “Actually, there was a bit, when I was on my own, I took a little pride in it too.”

Cas looked at him inquisitively, head cocked.

“Yeah, get dressed up and shit, go out.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, women’d act different around me, and men, well…” he trailed off.

“Because you dressed nice?” Cas seemed confused.

“Umm, well I’d you know put on a little makeup too.” He glanced at Cas, “Just a little” he added hurriedly.

“And you enjoyed that?” It was a sincere question, but a judgment, but perhaps laced with a touch of surprise.

“Yeah. Switch up my style a bit and I guess I felt pretty like that.” Dean looked down, “You know some women didn’t go for it but some did, and those more my style anyway, ended up with a coupla guys like that too.” At that, he looked up and wiggled his eyebrows at Cas.

“I’d like to see you like that” Cas said gently, “dress up, makeup, I mean.”

Dean muttered, “Yeah, well, it’s more of a young man’s game.”

“I think you’d look very attractive like that still.” Cas moved forward to kiss Dean before he had a response.

A few days later, Dean was ambling through the brightly lit aisles of the grocery store. He stopped to grab a fresh tube of toothpaste. As he turned around he saw a small selection. He puzzled over it for a moment, and then reach for a black eyeliner pencil, and a small iridescent tube of lipgloss.

With that continued his shopping, picking up food for dinner. It would just be him and Cas tonight, Sam and Eileen had a weekly date night.

Arriving back at the bunker, he met Cas in the garden.

“Hey, I’m back. Dinner’ll be at 7. You be done out here by then?” Dean nodded in the direction of Cas’ summer harvest.

“I can be.” Cas stood up. “Thank you, my love.” He called as Dean turn back to the house. Dean only barely rolled his eyes at the endearment.

Dean busied himself preparing the food, music blasting. The food was ready quickly, just before 6:30, and Dean wrapped it deftly in tinfoil. Before he headed off for a brief shower. He starred at his reflection for a while, messing with his dripping hair. Lately, he’d stopped wearing product in it, since without Cas was more likely to run his hands through it if it was silky and smooth. But tonight wasn’t about that. He reached for the container and ran his fingers through his hair, it had grown out a little and was about the same length as in the old days, so it was spiked just the way he used to.

He took a breath and then took the eyeliner in his hand, at one point, he’d gotten good at this. With more focus and precision than it took him to clean his weapons, he lined his eye, smudging until it was just right. Next, he grabbed the gloss and ran it over his lips.

He looked at himself again, long and hard, he looked older for sure, but it was still there. That energy he’d at on his own for the first time. Enjoying his freedom. No, it wasn’t still there, he’d losted it over the years, but after getting Cas back he managed to regain it a little.

He tried not to think about what John would say anymore. The only people who matter to him now were far more concerned with Dean being alive and happy than what he wore and whom he slept with. Well, he laughed, Cas actually was very concerned with whom he slept with, but that was different.

He started to get dressed. He still had an old pair of fishnet tights, that just fit him. He decided on a pair of battered jeans and a black t-shirt over that to keep it simple, and old pair of black boots that weren’t his usual work boots.

“Dean? Where are you? I finished outside.” Heard Cas call down the hall.

“I’ll be out in a minute,” his heart started beating faster. “Food’s covered, you can set the table.”

“Perfect,” Cas yelled back.

Dean stepped towards that door, nervous. If 20-year-old Dean could wander around bars in the 90s like this, 42-year-old Dean could eat dinner with his partner like this. The door creaked open, and he was barely thinking as he walk to the kitchen.

“I took the liberty of dish the food too,” Cas said as he placed the second plate on the table, “I hope the master chef doesn’t mind… Oh…” He had looked up.

He blinked for a moment, “Oh I do like this.”

Dean chuckled, “Yeah,” he posed a little.

Cas walked over, “I like this even more than I thought.”

The dark liner accentuated Dean’s heavy lashes and vibrant eyes, the gloss directed eyes to his lips which shimmer in the kitchen light.

Cas’ eyes got that bright look, and Dean could tell he was about to start seeping compliments and affection, so before he could Dean kissed him. When he pulled back, Cas pushed forward angling for another kiss. Dean hesitated.

“What?” Cas asked softly.

“Got lipgloss on you” he grumbled.

Cas blinked, “Isn’t that the point?”

“What,” Dean looked confused.

“That’s part of the appeal right, leaving lipstick stains?” Cas’ defense was about to fully launch.

“Oh, uh, I guess. Not quite the same effect with this.” Dean shrugged.

Cas moved forward again, “Well, maybe next time you’ll wear lipstick for me then”

“Uh-huh,” Dean was passed responding, aiming for another kiss. He kissed Cas’ jaw and was started down his neck before Cas spoke.

“We should probably save this for later. We don’t want to waste your lovely meal.”

Dean groaned, breaking away.

“You do look beautiful though” Cas cupped Dean’s cheek.

“Thank you.” He whispered.

They stood for a moment before moving to the table.

“Whole outfit isn’t the same without the piercings though.” Dean sighed as they sat.

“Sorry, the what?” Cas’ eyes widened a bit.

“The piercings, but I guess that can also be for next time.” Dean grinned at him.

Epilogue to an epilogue

“Hey, kid.” Dean land on the couch next to Claire.

“Hey”

“Well, how’s it going?” He angled for conversation.

“Fine, Cas told me about your midlife crisis thing,” she smirked.

“When your a hunter your luck to get to have one—“ He trailed off, “Hey, what thing?”

Claire motion towards the earrings Dean had collected in the past few months.

“That and the makeup.” She stated

“Oh,” Dean looked at the ground.

“Anyway, I got you this.” She threw a small bag in his lap.

As he opened it she grumbled, “Figured you might want some other shit, you know.” She pointed at the gold eye pencil, “that’s one of Alex’s favorites, didn’t steal it from her, I promise. And that one’s just black but it’s a bigger pencil so it’s easier to smudge around. Cas said you like that look.” She motioned towards the last item, a small round of dark red eyeshadow, “I use red sometimes, mix it with the black liner to get that emo look or whatever.”

Dean starred at small containers in his lap.

“Anyway, if you don’t want it, tell me so I can get my money back,” Claire spoke quickly.

There was a moment of silence between them.

“No, I’ll use it,” Dean said softly.

“Cool.”

“Thanks.”

“No problem.”

Dean turned to look at her, “Hug?”

“Getting soft in your old age,” she laughed, and then, “sure.”

Claire had forgotten how good of a hugger Dean was. He wrapped her tight but not crushing. They broke apart as Cas came over and laid a hand on Dean’s shoulder.

“Dude, I can’t believe you told her.” Dean scolded Cas.

“About the makeup?” Cas inquired.

Claire rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, about the makeup.”

Claire pushed off from the couch, “Right, unless you need me to show you how to use that, I’m heading to the kitchen. Can’t handle the married couple act.”

Dean reached for her sleeve, “No, wait thank you. Really. And if you want to show me how you do that thing with the eyeshadow, I-“ Claire plopped down.

“Fine, fine, you’re welcome.”

Cas moved to a chair sat opposite them and watched.

“Here close your eyes.” Claire waved her hand.

Cas watched their bickering fondly as Claire shoved Dean’s head in different directions.

“Woah, careful there,” Dean exclaimed.

Claire didn’t respond, just roughly blended the dark liner into the line of red.

“There you go, goth grandpa.” She grinned at him, showing him with her phone’s camera. “All you have to do is just rub the two together.”

Cas beamed at the two of them, deeply absorbed in their own world.

“Cool, great bonding moment, there’s chips and dip in the kitchen, yeah?” Claire stood.

“Of course. No family dinner should be without.” Dean replied.

And with that Claire was gone. Cas floated over and alighted on the arm of the couch nearest Dean.

“Nuh-un, bad for the furniture.” Dean scolded him.

“Scoot over then,” Cas slide down to Dean’s lap.

“You can sit on the other side of me, you know” Dean huffed.

“Yes, but do you want me to?” leaned his head against Dean’s.

“Not really.” Dean’s laugh vibrated through Cas’s body.

Cas turned to face him, studying his face.

“You approve of the kid’s handiwork?” Dean joked.

Cas’ eye burned deep into his skin.

“Yes, very much so.” Cas pressed a kiss against Dean’s lips, “Very pretty.”

“Not very “goth grandpa”?” Dean reached a hand to Cas’ hair.