A/N GUYS I JUST BINGE WATCHED THE FIRST SEASON OF GALAVANT AND OMC TIM OMUNDSON HAS THE BEST CHARACTER IN ANYTHING EVER (except SPN's Gabriel and I refuse to believe there is anyone that can beat him in anything)

Dean gets Castiel alone about an hour later, sitting on his bed in the room he used to share with Gabriel. They sit for a few moments in silence, which Dean breaks.

"You're really going back to New York in a few days?"

"Yeah," Castiel replies. "I'm gonna look for a plane ticket tonight."

"And you're just going to leave your family in ruins behind you?"

Castiel sighs. "Dean —"

"So not only are you leaving your dysfunctional family when they could probably use the help, but you're also leaving me, huh?"

"It's not like that."

"Really? Because that's what it looks like," Dean tells him. "You've seen our attempt at a long distance relationship. It didn't last long. And that was before we were both somebodies. It can only get harder. You really want to try that again?"

"We could make it work," Castiel insists.

"Funny, because that's exactly what we said last time, and it didn't happen," Dean reminds him. "I don't want to risk losing you again. I don't know if I could handle it."

"Then come to New York with me," Castiel suggests. "My place is more than big enough for two — or three, with Misha. You can come live with me, and we won't have to worry about losing each other again."

"Why don't you come live with me in Massachusetts?" Dean counters.

"I don't know anything about Massachusetts other than that I'm supposed to hate your baseball team. I'm not a Massachusetts kid."

"That's exactly how I feel about New York," Dean replies.

"Well, if we can't do long distance and neither of us want to move, what do you want to do, Dean? Cuz we're just about out of options."

"We can both stay here," Dean suggests. "At least until I have to go back to Massachusetts for football."

"But —"

"You're already here, Cas. It's going fine now. Why leave?"

"Because I can't write with people breathing down my neck!" Castiel hisses. Realizing how harsh his voice comes out, he adds gentler, "I'm sorry, I just... I'm trying, Dean. I really am. But I've been building this wall around myself for years, and I can't just tear it down like that. It's hard enough letting you in. I don't think I'm ready to let everyone else in, too."

Dean puts an arm around his boyfriend comfortingly. "Alright, how about this? Deal with your family for now. There's only a few months until I have to leave, anyway. But you and I can go house-slash-apartment shopping and find somewhere in the area to stay together, at least while we're in Sioux Falls. Okay?"

Castiel nods. "Mm hmm." He rests his head against Dean's chest. "I like that idea." A house for just Dean and him. It doesn't get much better than that.

~~

Claire returns from school at the usual time, but she comes home alone. She grabs a large, family-sized container of chocolate frosted Oreos and sits down at the kitchen table. Dean snatches a few before she gets the chance, and she sends him a jokingly dirty look before taking one of her own. Castiel averts his eyes, silently repeating it's not worth it, it's not worth it, over and over in his head. God, dieting is hard. Why do chocolate Oreos have to have so many calories?

"Where's Anna?" Lucifer asks, glancing at the door.

Claire shrugs. "Wasn't on the bus."

"Then where is she?" Lucifer asks again.

"Hell if I know. We don't talk at school."

"But —" Lucifer sighs, shaking his head to himself. "Never mind. I'm sure she'll turn up soon. Ooh, Oreos!" He sits down at the table as well and grabs five Oreos at once. "Ooh, chocolate Oreos!"

He splits each cookie apart, rolls all the frosting into a big ball, eats the chocolate, and nibbles on the frosting, savoring it. He has to be the only person on the planet who does that, but it's oddly amusing.

"Any homework?" Castiel asks Claire, recalling the previous year's battle with it.

"Nope," she replies.

"Really?" he asks skeptically.

"Really," she confirms. "Finished it all in class. Lucifer helped me get my grades up, so I'm on track to graduate this year with the rest of my class."

Castiel looks over at his brother in surprise. Lucifer is being the responsible one with homework? Does he even remember anything he learned in high school? It was years ago. How could he help her out?

Lucifer just shrugs and continues eating his Oreos as if nothing happened.

"Well, good for you," Castiel replies with a smile. "I'm glad you're doing better with it."

~~

Anna returns home hours later. As soon as she shuts the door, Lucifer appears, not seeming happy.

"Where have you been?" he demands.

"Shit's about to go down," Dean whispers to Castiel. Claire, who sits nearby on her phone, laughs softly at that.

"Out," she replies vaguely.

"Out where?"

"With friends."

"Cain?" Lucifer guesses, his disapproval obvious in his voice. Well, it's nice to hear that he's finally made up his mind about whether they're ship worthy.

"No, it was a girl's night," Anna replies. "What do you care?"

"What do I — you can't just not come home like that! For all I knew, you could have been lying dead in a ditch somewhere."

"Yeah, or kidnapped by pirates!" Anna adds sarcastically. "Ooh, or maybe I was abducted by aliens!" She scoffs. "God, overprotective much?"

"I don't think it's overprotective to want to know that you're still alive," he snaps.

"Well, that's not your business, now, is it?"

"The hell you mean, it's not my business?" Lucifer demands.

"You're not Dad, Lucifer. I don't have to answer to you."

"No, maybe I'm not Dad, but I'm the closest you've got."

"I have Michael," she reminds him. "And, if you're wondering, I didn't just 'not come home.' I texted him. You may be playing Dad now, but he's been our second parent since Mom died. I'd pick him any day."

"Well, maybe you haven't noticed, but Michael's not exactly acting like himself lately," Lucifer replies. "So for now, it's my house, my rules, and my rules —"

"Don't matter," Anna finishes. "Your rules don't matter. I'm so glad you finally realized that." She pats him on the head as if he's a child. In a mockingly "sympathetic" tone, she adds, "But don't worry. Five months and I'll be out of here anyway, and you won't have to pretend you're any more important than you are anymore." She gives him a fake cheerful smile and heads to her room as if she owns the place.

Lucifer watches her leave in silence. When her bedroom door closes, he sighs and sits down at the kitchen table, burying his head in his hands. Castiel wants to go over and assure him that everything is okay and she didn't mean any of it, but he doesn't know how.

It's Claire who finally does. She puts her phone down and joins him at the kitchen table, sitting in the chair next to him.

"For what it's worth," she says with a small smile, "I think you're doing pretty good, given the circumstances."

"Not good enough," he mutters.

Claire sighs. "Look, it's not your fault. She's like this with anyone who tries to control her. The only reason she's picking Michael over you is because she knows he's out of the game now and she can get away with anything."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" he asks, not looking up. "Because it's not."

"I'm just saying, she doesn't do well with authority. She hasn't since high school hit. But she knows her limits, Lucifer. I wouldn't be too worried about her."

"She's my little sister. Worrying is kinda in the job description."

"Just... try to chill, okay? She'll come around eventually. Everything is gonna work out fine — with her and Michael."

He doesn't say anything at first. Just as they assume he's not going to respond, he mutters, so softly that it's almost impossible to hear, "I wish I had your confidence."