After the "birthday party" ends, Dean and Castiel head back home. For all the impala's strengths, warming itself up after sitting in a driveway in January for a few hours is not one of them, so the first thing Dean does is turn the Keurig on to make some hot chocolate. Castiel ushers him to bed, telling him to warm up under the covers and that he can get the hot chocolate. The birthday boy smiles, amused, but he lets it happen.

While he waits for the Keurig to finish heating the water, he takes off his jacket. He hangs it in the closet, switching it out for a more comfortable hoodie. By the time he gets back to the kitchen, the water is done heating and ready to be poured He makes two hot chocolates, adding some milk and whipped cream to each, and carries the mugs to the bedroom.

Dean really took that "warm up" thing to heart because he's bundled up in at least four blankets, and Castiel stifles a laugh. He really is the cutest person on the planet, isn't he?

"Ooh, I see whipped cream!" Dean says eagerly.

"You sure do," Castiel says with a grin. "I made yours in the Sherlock one." He hands his fiance his mug -- and yes, Dean does have a Sherlock mug because why wouldn't he own the most random Benedict Cumberbatch-related merch on the planet?

Dean glances between the two mugs. "Did you give me the mug that has the most whipped cream on purpose?"

"I sure did," Castiel replies. "Happy birthday, Dean."

"Ah, this is why you're the best," Dean says. "C'mere, sit down with me."

Castiel takes a sip of his hot chocolate -- delicious, as always -- before sitting down on the bed. He can feel himself warming up almost immediately, and it's a welcome change.

"But, really, Cas, today has been so much fun," Dean tells him. "I'm really glad we got to hang out at Lucifer's, and I'm really really glad we got to come back here afterward."

Castiel can't help but smile. "You're such a sap."

"I know," Dean says. "Now, it's not quite time to go to bed yet, so what should we do to wrap up this fantastic birthday?"

Castiel shrugs. "It's your day, you know. You get to make these decisions."

Dean gives an exaggerated frown. "Oh, the curse of being born."

Castiel laughs softly at that.

Dean thinks for a few moments -- and Castiel knows he's thinking because he makes loud "Hmm" noises and dramatically strokes his chin between sips of hot chocolate -- before declaring, "We should make cookies!"

Castiel shrugs. "I'm down."

"That's what I like to hear," Dean says. "Chocolate chip or M&M?"

"I don't care," Castiel says. "Chocolate is chocolate."

"Touche," Dean says. He thinks about that for a moment -- less dramatically this time, but still interrupted by hot chocolate -- before finally deciding, "Why not both? Cup of chocolate chips, cup of M&Ms. Bam, enough mix-ins for a full batch."

"Hey, that works," Castiel says. He's never mixed chocolate chips and M&Ms before, and, honestly, he's not sure what to expect. They're two totally different brands of chocolate. Who knows how they'll taste when thrown together like that? But he'll eat a cookie or two whether they're good or not if it will make Dean happy.

"But first, I'm finishing this hot chocolate," Dean says. He pauses. "No, first I'm putting it down to take these blankets off before I sweat death, and then I'm finishing my hot chocolate, and then we're making cookies."

So that's what happens. They finish their hot chocolates, and then it's out to the kitchen. Castiel starts gathering ingredients, but Dean just stares at his phone. Castiel doesn't mention it. It's his birthday; he doesn't have to do any of the work.

"Okay, my YouTube recommendations are all dumb videos," Dean announces. "Do you wanna play music from your phone instead?"

Castiel cocks his head to the side. "Are you looking for music on YouTube?"

Dean shrugs. "I don't have any on my phone."

"What about Spotify?" Castiel asks. "Or Apple Music. Amazon Music, even."

"Fuck Jeff Bezos," Dean says. "And I don't have any of those. I usually have my CD player, but I'm too lazy to put new batteries in it."

Castiel gapes at him. "You still use a CD player?"

"No; there are no batteries in it," Dean says. "Come on, Cas, keep up."

Castiel just shakes his head. "Okay, boomer."

Dean clutches his chest as if shot. "Ouch, Cas. And on my birthday, too. As if I wasn't feeling insecure enough about being an old man."

Castiel frowns. "I can't tell if you're joking or not."

Dean smacks his head against the wall. "Yes, Cas, I'm joking. Now let's make some cookies."

They've made enough cookies in the last 18-or-so months that Castiel has been hiding from the public eye that the process goes smoothly enough. Castiel combines the dry ingredients, and Dean mixes the butter, sugar, and vanilla. They each add an egg, and Castiel is about to add the dry ingredients when...

"Impromptu taste test!" Dean announces, reaching in and taking a small glob of dough to shove in his face.

Castiel shakes his head, amused. "Is it good?"

"I don't know," Dean admits. "I think it was a defective sample. I gotta take a little more." He reaches in for another "taste test."

"Thoughts?" Castiel asks.

"Not bad," Dean says. "I think I should take a little more just to --"

"Don't you think you should at least wait until we're done mixing it?" Castiel asks. "Don't want to mess up the proportions."

"I usually eat more batter than this before they're done and they come out fine, but I do see your point," Dean says. "Quick, let's finish it."

They add the dry ingredients, mixing it in well -- and Dean continues to eat out of the bowl as they do, and Castiel doesn't even try to stop him. He can eat his batter if he wants; it's his birthday, after all. They add the M&Ms and chocolate chips, and the batter is done.

"Well, that was fast," Dean says. "Now I get to eat it all, right?"

Castiel chuckles. "You know what, Dean? If you want to eat it all, go ahead. I won't stop you."

Dean pauses. "You know, I really wasn't expecting you to go for that."

Castiel shrugs. "You're an adult."

"You're damn right I am," Dean says with a grin, pulling a batter-covered chocolate chip out of the bowl and plopping it in his mouth. "Delicious."

Castiel looks over at him with a smile. What an absolute dork.