SPN Watching the Show

Grilled Cheese and Sleep

Cas helped Dean sit back up before helping him stand, gently wrapping an arm around his waist to aid with walking. Dean had to move much slower due to his still-healing injury, so everyone was already getting started with the cooking by the time they got there. Emma was sitting beside her uncles and Jack was in his highchair swinging his feet and laughing as Claire played with him.

After making sure Dean was able to move on his own, Cas left to help Kevin and Claire pass out plates and cups. Dean tried to sneak off to the pantry but was stopped by Bobby, who gripped his elbow and led him back to the table, Jody going to the pantry in his stead.

"I'm fine, now. I can make lunch."

Bobby scoffed. "Sure, when you can move faster than a snail, then I'll let you start cooking again."

Dean pouted as he sat down but ultimately knew Bobby was right. As much as he wanted to believe he was able to provide for his family, he was unable to without inordinate amounts of pain if he reached out too far or moved too fast. His engagement ring had nearly completely healed the injury, but there wasn't enough Grace to heal it entirely, and that included the pain. But he'd take what he could get. Better than not getting healed at all. Still, Dean had only ever been good at a handful of things in his life and cooking was one of them; he'd had to learn young and he'd had a lifetime of practice. When he couldn't do the things he was good at, he tended to feel useless, and Dean hated feeling useless.

"I'm fine. As long as I don't move too fast I can make some grilled cheeses."

"Dean, I can see you wince every time you move. The ring saved you but you still need to heal yourself and you can't do that if you push yourself." Cas went and kneeled in front of Dean and placed a hand on each of his shoulders, staring into his eyes. It was one of the only ways to assure Dean's attention was completely and solely on him. "You are not alone. Let us help."

Dean was frozen in place, the gears turning as he processed and thought through what Cas said.

He wanted to provide for his family and the only way to do that in the past was to protect and feed them, to do everything to keep them alive. Even with Sam being an adult now and all his kids living with other trustworthy adults or dead, the habits had yet to disappear. Honestly, they got stronger with the appearances of Jack and Emma. Could he really take a step back? He was the only one providing for Sam for so long so he didn't know how to delegate the role to anyone else, even the man himself.

"It's not forever," Cas continued. "It's until you can move without being in pain. But we will always be there to help. You just have to let us."

A moment later and Dean finally relented. He gritted his teeth and nodded, leaning forward to rest his forehead on his fiancé's shoulder.

"I see he finally got through that thick skull of yours," Bobby smirked.

"Shut up," Dean grunted.

"You should still be in the infirmary," Sam grunted, moving his brother's head off Cas's shoulder and onto his own so the angel could go back to making lunch.

"I'm fine."

"Is that the only word in your vocabulary?" Jody questioned from her spot at the stove.

Dean didn't even bother responding to that.

Thankfully, he was saved by a grilled cheese being placed in front of him.

A hand landed on his shoulder as a head appeared over his shoulder. "Eat up," Cas said before heading back to the kids to make more sandwiches.

Dean dug into his sandwich, reveling in the sound of droning conversation surrounding him. It felt like white noise and he let himself drift into a state of in-between. He wasn't quite falling asleep but it would certainly take him a minute to process anything if someone were to start talking to him.