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“Hey, Castiel, could you start getting the games out?”
Castiel froze. He looked back at Dean. Dean moved gracefully around the kitchen, seemingly oblivious to Castiel’s growing anxiety.
“What?”
Dean glanced over his shoulder. “Could you get the games out?”
Castiel stared at his boyfriend.
Something was wrong. Dean never called Castiel by his full name. It was always ‘Cas,’ or ‘honey,’ or ‘babe.’ There were many different names, actually, that Dean used, but none of them were ‘Castiel.’
“Castiel, you good?” Dean asked, sending him a concerned look. “You’re just standing and staring.”
Castiel shook himself out of his thoughts. Dean wasn’t saying what was upsetting him, so Castiel would act normal until he figured it out.
“I am fine. I was just thinking.” He said.
“About what?” Dean asked.
“What games I should take out.” Castiel lied.
Dean hummed. “Settlers of Catan for sure, Charlie is bringing her new expansion. Get out Risk, Ticket to Ride, and the dominoes, too.”
“Risk?” Castiel asked, brows raising.
“None of us work tomorrow.” Dean shrugged. “Maybe we’ll play all night.”
Castiel nodded and moved to the game closet so he could get out the games Dean had requested.
“Castiel!” Dean called from the kitchen. “Could you get out a deck of cards, too?”
Castiel paused and glanced at the kitchen again. He mentally started listing the things that he may have done to upset Dean and he couldn’t come up with anything.
Oh, God.
What was the date?!
Castiel pulled out his phone, panicked, but the date was of no significance.
So, Castiel hadn’t forgotten an anniversary or a birthday. What had he done wrong?
Castiel hurried to get the games out. He didn’t want to give Dean another reason to get upset with him. He placed the games on the table, then wandered back into the kitchen.
“Pie is almost ready to be put into the oven.” Dean told him.
Castiel nodded and watched Dean. He had absolutely no idea what he did wrong and it was making him anxious to know that Dean was upset with him for some reason, especially since they would be having guests over soon.
Sam and Eileen arrived just as Dean was putting the pie into the oven, so Castiel went to open the door for them.
“Hey, Cas!” Sam greeted with a grin as he pulled Castiel into a strong hug. Castiel relaxed into the hug. If Sam was treating him like this, Dean must’ve not told him anything was wrong. Dean might be able to act like everything was okay, but Sam wore his heart on his sleeve and he’d be sending Castiel sympathetic looks or puppy-dog eyes. If Dean hadn’t mentioned anything to Sam, it couldn’t be that serious.
Right?
Or maybe Dean was just so upset with Castiel that he couldn’t tell Sam.
Castiel swallowed.
Eileen tilted her head at him, her expression growing concerned. She held back as
“You okay?” She signed.
Castiel nodded. “I am well, thank you.”
Eileen squinted at him. “You look stressed.”
“I am not.” Castiel replied.
“Okay.” Eileen said. Castiel got the feeling that she did not believe him, but he ignored it.
The rest of the gang, Charlie and Jo, arrived not too long after Sam and Eileen. Dean ordered pizza for dinner, so they sat around the living room table and ate dinner while starting up the first game: Ticket to Ride.
Castiel did his best to convey that he knew Dean was upset and that he was apologetic about it by doing his best not to mess Dean up during the game. Usually, Castiel played without mercy. He didn’t want to make Dean further upset, though.
Charlie must have noticed something, because she kept glancing at him throughout the game.
After Ticket to Ride, they took a short intermission for a bathroom break and to eat dessert. While Dean, Sam, and Eileen went to get dessert ready in the kitchen and Jo went to the bathroom, Charlie scooted her chair closer to Castiel’s.
“Hey,” She said, “Are you and Dean doing alright?”
Castiel pursed his lips and glanced down at his hands where they were folded in his lap.
“Yes, I believe so.” He answered quietly. “I suspect that I have done something wrong, though.”
Charlie waited for a moment.
“What do you mean?” She asked.
Castiel sighed and rubbed at his eyes. It sounded absolutely ridiculous when he thought about it, but he knew that Dean must be upset with him.
“Dean is upset with me.” Castiel told her. “I do not know why.”
“What makes you think that Dean is upset with you?” Charlie questioned. “Has he said anything?”
“No.” Castiel shook his head. “Nothing like that. It may sound silly, but I know that Dean is upset with me because he used my full name.”
Castiel glanced up at Charlie and found that she was staring at him with a look of concentration.
“What do you mean by your full name?”
“Dean used ‘Castiel’ instead of ‘Cas.’” Castiel explained, blushing. “He only ever uses my full name when he is upset with me.”
“I see.” Charlie’s voice was hard, cold almost.
Castiel froze, certain he had made her upset, but Charlie turned to the kitchen before he could ask her.
“Dammit, Winchester!” She yelled, glaring.
Castiel heard Dean’s boisterous laugh, then the blonde man was practically prancing back to the living room with Sam and Eileen in tow. Castiel’s brother- and sister-in-law looked confused.
“You fucking suck.” Charlie grumbled. She moved away from Castiel and went to get her wallet.
“Told you.” Dean said in a sing-song voice. He sent Castiel a wide grin.
“What are you two up to?” Jo asked. She was wiping her hands on her jeans, making Castiel remember that he’d forgotten to put up a fresh hand towel in the bathroom. after putting the old one in the washing machine.
“Charlie just lost a bet!” Dean said joyously.
“He’s a jerk.” Charlie said. She took out two twenties and a ten dollar bill from her wallet and passed it over to Dean, who held them up with flourish.
“What was your bet?” Sam asked as he glanced between Dean and Charlie.
Dean laughed and sent Castiel another grin before he explained. “Charlie showed me this Tik Tok video where the wife calls her husband by his full name and it makes him think that he’s done something wrong because the wife always calls him by his first name.”
Castiel blinked as the pieces started to fall into place. Dean caught his eye and winked.
“Charlie told me that she thought it was fake, a set up.” Dean continued with a shake of his head. “I told her that I thought it was real, and so we made a bet. She said that if I called Cas by his first name and he got concerned or worried over it, she would owe me fifty bucks, otherwise I would owe her fifty bucks. I tried it out this afternoon.”
“Is that why you’ve been so upset?” Eileen asked Castiel.
Castiel nodded. At first was incredibly relieved that Dean wasn’t upset with him, but since relief was starting to fade he was beginning to become more amused.
“So you called Cas by his first name and he got upset?” Jo said.
“Yep.” Dean replied. “He’s been fretting this whole afternoon. I felt bad, I almost told him about the bet.”
“That wasn’t kind, Dean, to mess with my feelings.” Castiel reprimanded, trying to sound stern.
Dean waved him off. “Yeah, yeah. Keep saying that until we use Charlie’s fifty bucks in the gift store at the aquarium, or something, on our next date.”
Castiel had to smile, then.
“You suck.” Charlie groaned. “I’m out fifty bucks.”
“I told you that Tik Tok was real.” Dean boasted.
“Dean, you should probably apologize to Cas.” Sam said. Castiel appreciated Sam’s concern, but he was still too elated from relief and amusement to look upset or say anything.
“I’ll apologize later with the fifty bucks.” Dean shrugged. “For now, let’s play some fucking games. Ready to get beat, Bradbury?”
Charlie rose to the challenge. “No fucking way. After that bet, I’m not going easy on you!”
* * * * *
Eileen went home as the winner of game night that night, much to Castiel’s amusement. Still, there were no hard feelings as he and Dean said goodbye and wished their friends safe travels home.
Castiel started picking up with Dean after the last of their friends left. It was well past midnight, but it would be easier to clean up then and there rather than wait until they were exhausted in the morning.
“So you aren’t upset with me?” Castiel asked.
“Not at all, babe.” Dean replied. “I’m sorry for making you worry, though.”
“It is fine, Dean.” Castiel said. “It was rather entertaining that you won a bet over Charlie. That doesn’t happen often.”
“Hey!” Dean said, sounding affronted. “I win bets all the time!”
Castiel hummed non-committedly. He continued to clean.
“I wasn’t sure you’d be worried.” Dean admitted after a few minutes of silence.
“Oh?” Castiel rose a brow. “And why is that?”
Dean bit his lip and looked away, and something in Castiel lit at the sight.
“‘Cause I call you Castiel other times too.” Dean said, his face reddening.
Castiel caught his drift almost immediately, but after that afternoon he wanted to draw out Dean’s embarrassment a little bit more.
“What do you mean?”
Dean scratched at the back of his neck, still not meeting Castiel’s eyes. “Like when we have sex, and stuff, and you get all dominant and possessive on me.”
Castiel smirked and approached Dean slowly. “Do you? I haven’t noticed.”
Dean rolled his eyes. “Fuck off. You totally have.”
“Hmm.” Castiel hummed and gave Dean a quick kiss. “It is not ringing any bells. Care to remind me?”
Dean laughed lowly and gave a fond shake of his head before he met Castiel’s eyes.
“Yes, Castiel.”