"I used to watch these every year with Dean when we were younger." Sam reminisced, staring up at the colorfully lit up sky. As each firework exploded and sparks of color dotted the star speckled sky, he was taken back to different memories of all the many times they celebrated the Fourth of July. He smiled when he remembered the time they went to a firework viewing show without paying and how relieved he was when they didn't get caught. He almost laughed out loud when he remembered the time Dean almost blew himself up trying to use homemade fireworks, which went horribly as expected. The image of clueless, awkward, newly humanized Cas trying to prepare a package of fireworks popped into his head and almost caused him to choke from holding back laughter. He could very clearly see the formerly all powerful celestial being tangled up in wires or prematurely setting something on fire, resulting in an explosion of dark powder in his face and his hair getting spiked. He would tilt his head at Sam and wonder why he was laughing, eyes wide like a confused puppy.
If Cas heard his choke, he surely wasn't acknowledging it. He sat, knees curled up to his chest, on the crunchy, dead grass, staring in awe at the lights in front of him. The sky brightened red and then blue, lighting his face up with those corresponding colors. His head was cocked slightly to the side in wonder as he gaped at the sight before him. Sam's smile softened as he looked fondly towards Cas' glowing face. He was like a small child, trying to understand where the splashes of color were coming from. Sam scooted slightly closer to Cas.
"I haven't done anything like this in years. Dean and I are usually hunting or something every year during this time. He'd probably tease me about it, but I really like watching fireworks. I feel like all my troubles are being launched into the sky and dissolved into nothing, raining down in the form of joy and forgiveness. It is just...relaxing." Sam said, exhaling a content and fulfilled sigh. He pushed his hair out of his eyes and looked at the silent man next to him, wondering why he had yet to say a word. He couldn't be too mesmerized to talk.
"Cas? Are you okay?" He stared at Cas for a full minute before seeing the tears trickling slowly down his cheek. His chest tightened and his throat closed at the sight of the normally stolid man expressing an emotion that was very, very human.
"Huh? Oh," he muttered in a low, gravelly voice, wiping his face clear of the tears that stained his cheek, "it's nothing. Please, do not let me distract you from enjoying the colorful lights in the sky."
"Cas, you know I can't enjoy anything with you sitting there crying." He slid his calm, steady hand over the shaking one next to him. He rubbed his calloused thumb along Cas' rough hand, giving warmth to ice. He asked again, "Cas, what's wrong?"
"It's just....I've never seen these from below before...They look so different from down here...with these eyes that aren't mine...with this body that isn't mine..." He bit his lower lip, waiting for Sam to laugh at him. To his surprise, he pulled Cas into a soft hug, one he could easily pull away from if he tried; he didn't.
"You don't need wings or a halo to be an angel." That's all it took. Cas broke and buried his head in his Sam's broad shoulder. His arms lifted and wrapped around Sam's torso as silent tears escaped his eyes, collecting in a puddle on Sam's jacket. Sam rubbed his back and breathed in the familiar scent of Cas, the same scent that had given him comfort when all his faith was diminishing.
"You know Dean and I don't care that you are human now. Especially me...it means you can't run off as often." Sam breathed out a testing laugh, not sure if it was appropriate.
"I won't leave again. Promise you won't leave me?" He whispered warily, gripping Sam's jacket tight enough to turn his knuckles white. He held on like Sam would evaporate into the atmosphere if he didn’t keep him grounded. He held on and silently hoped he would never be alone again.
“I would never." Sam promised softly, gently kissing the top of his head.
"I need you, Sam..."
"...I need you too, Cas."
The fireworks exploded in the sky, raining down joy and forgiveness on the man who had never felt anything before, ridding him of all his troubles.
Re: prompt, team crowley/sam, 4th of july (sam/cas)
If Cas heard his choke, he surely wasn't acknowledging it. He sat, knees curled up to his chest, on the crunchy, dead grass, staring in awe at the lights in front of him. The sky brightened red and then blue, lighting his face up with those corresponding colors. His head was cocked slightly to the side in wonder as he gaped at the sight before him. Sam's smile softened as he looked fondly towards Cas' glowing face. He was like a small child, trying to understand where the splashes of color were coming from. Sam scooted slightly closer to Cas.
"I haven't done anything like this in years. Dean and I are usually hunting or something every year during this time. He'd probably tease me about it, but I really like watching fireworks. I feel like all my troubles are being launched into the sky and dissolved into nothing, raining down in the form of joy and forgiveness. It is just...relaxing." Sam said, exhaling a content and fulfilled sigh. He pushed his hair out of his eyes and looked at the silent man next to him, wondering why he had yet to say a word. He couldn't be too mesmerized to talk.
"Cas? Are you okay?" He stared at Cas for a full minute before seeing the tears trickling slowly down his cheek. His chest tightened and his throat closed at the sight of the normally stolid man expressing an emotion that was very, very human.
"Huh? Oh," he muttered in a low, gravelly voice, wiping his face clear of the tears that stained his cheek, "it's nothing. Please, do not let me distract you from enjoying the colorful lights in the sky."
"Cas, you know I can't enjoy anything with you sitting there crying." He slid his calm, steady hand over the shaking one next to him. He rubbed his calloused thumb along Cas' rough hand, giving warmth to ice. He asked again, "Cas, what's wrong?"
"It's just....I've never seen these from below before...They look so different from down here...with these eyes that aren't mine...with this body that isn't mine..." He bit his lower lip, waiting for Sam to laugh at him. To his surprise, he pulled Cas into a soft hug, one he could easily pull away from if he tried; he didn't.
"You don't need wings or a halo to be an angel." That's all it took. Cas broke and buried his head in his Sam's broad shoulder. His arms lifted and wrapped around Sam's torso as silent tears escaped his eyes, collecting in a puddle on Sam's jacket. Sam rubbed his back and breathed in the familiar scent of Cas, the same scent that had given him comfort when all his faith was diminishing.
"You know Dean and I don't care that you are human now. Especially me...it means you can't run off as often." Sam breathed out a testing laugh, not sure if it was appropriate.
"I won't leave again. Promise you won't leave me?" He whispered warily, gripping Sam's jacket tight enough to turn his knuckles white. He held on like Sam would evaporate into the atmosphere if he didn’t keep him grounded. He held on and silently hoped he would never be alone again.
“I would never." Sam promised softly, gently kissing the top of his head.
"I need you, Sam..."
"...I need you too, Cas."
The fireworks exploded in the sky, raining down joy and forgiveness on the man who had never felt anything before, ridding him of all his troubles.