"Wake up, Cas! You're a year older! Let's do this!" Cas blinked his eyes open to Gabriel in the doorway of his bedroom.

"Gabe, go away," Cas grumbled, rolling over.

"Look, Cas, it's your birthday. I know you feel bad about Dean, but you deserve to be happy today!" Gabe said.

"Well then don't make me wake up at six in the morning," Cas said.

"Dude, I think your alarm clock is upside down or something. It's nine," Gabe said. Cas rolled over.

"Ok, I'll be out in a sec," he said. Gabe nodded.

When Cas got back out to the living room of Gabe's apartment, Gabe was waiting with a cupcake with a candle in it.

"Really? A cupcake?" Cas asked. Gabe grinned.

"Uh, yeah! Sugar, dude, its a gift from god!" Gabe exclaimed. Cas just shook his head and blew out the candle.

"You can have it," he said. Gabe grinned and started unwrapping the cupcake.

"I hope you didn't make big plans. I really don't feel like celebrating today," Cas said. Gabe paused.

"Cas, it's your birthday, loosen up. Have some fun. You've been here for a while now, forget about Dean, just for today, ok?" Gabe asked. Cas gave him a look. "Ok maybe that was a bad choice of words." Cas just shook his head.

***

It was about noon, and Cas was sitting on the sofa when there was a knock at the door. When Cas opened the door, there was a package on the doormat and a delivery man disappearing around the corner. Cas brought the box in and was about to call Gabe to get it when he noticed that the name on the label was his.

"Cas, was that important?" Gabe called from the other room.

"No, its just a package," Cas called back. He grabbed a pair of scissors from off the counter and cut the box open, sitting on the couch again to open it. He was pretty confused when he first opened it, seeing a sandwich.

"Is that... peanut butter and jelly?" He mumbled to himself. He picked it up, and under it there was a note and a small plushie that looked like... a sea urchin? Cas picked up the note and unfolded it.

Happy birthday! I hope you have everything you want, and even if you don't remember me, I love you.
Dean

Cas stared at it for a bit before standing up.

"Gabriel!" He shouted. Gabe rushed into the room.

"What?" He asked.

"Get the keys. There's something I have to do."

***

Cas stood in front of the door to the apartment, suddenly afraid. He had left for a reason. But he had come this far, he shouldn't turn back now. He knocked. He heard footsteps inside and Sam opened the door.

"Oh. Hey Cas," he said.

"Hi Sam. Is Dean here?" Cas asked. Sam nodded.

"Yeah, go on in. He's on the couch," he said, standing to the side. "Did Gabe bring you?" He asked.

"Yeah," Cas said.

"I think I'll go talk to him. Give you guys some privacy," Sam said, walking past Cas and out the door. Cas made his way to the living room, unsure of what he wound find.

"Dean?" He asked when he got there. Dean stood up faster than lightning and whirled around.

"Cas?" Dean sounded desperate.

"Yeah, it's me. I got your box," Cas said, holding up the stuffed urchin. Dean smiled.

"It took me forever to find that," he said.

"Dean, you can't... you can't just send me stuff like this. I'm not the guy you married anymore," Cas said. Dean's face fell.

"Cas..." he said softly. Cas didn't meet his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Dean," he said. He turned to go, but suddenly Dean started singing, stopping Cas in his tracks.

"Oh ms believer, Twenty One Pilots," he said softly, turning around. Dean just kept singing, and suddenly...

I'm Dean. You Casteel?

...You've been productive for far too long...

You? Castiel Novak? Had sex? With a girl?

Oh screw it.

As long as I'm around, she'll never hurt you again.

I am the luckiest man alive that you saw me.

I love you

I love you

Dean, I love-

"Dean...?" Cas said, practically whispering. Dean stared at him, having stopped singing.

"Cas? Cas, is that... is it you?" He asked, his voice shaking. Cas just ran to him, to his Dean, his husband, his love, and kissed him.