Apparently there's a tradition during Harvelle/Winchester Christmases to watch a holiday movie on Christmas Eve night. Dean's immediate response to hearing that it's movie time is that he wants to watch Die Hard, and everyone else's immediate response is to yell "No!"
"One day you're gonna cave," Dean says. "You can't turn me down every year."
"Wanna bet?" Sam asks.
"Well, I think we should let Cas choose the movie," Jo says. "Since this is his first Christmas with us."
Castiel finds himself hoping they'll pick the movie themselves instead, but there's a murmured agreement among everyone that this seems like a solid plan. Well, this is just great. What does he want to watch? And what would no one object to watching?
After a few moments of deliberation, Castiel asks, "How do people feel about old movies?"
"Is 1988 considered old?" Dean asks immediately.
Once again, he is bombarded with "No!"s.
"I take it that's when Die Hard came out?" Castiel guesses.
"Damn right," Dean says.
Castiel rolls his eyes, but he has to admit, Dean's childlike excitement is kind of adorable. "I think I watched that once in, like, middle school, but I don't remember anything about it." He's not sure what the movie is about, but judging by the word "die" in the name and the fact that it's something only Dean wants to watch, it sounds like something his brothers would have made him watch, too.
"Then you have no idea what you're missing out on," Dean says. "Come on, now we have to watch it."
"Hey, Castiel," Sam says, "I am thrilled that you wanted to spend the holidays with us, but if you say we're watching Die Hard, I will kick you out on the street."
Castiel chuckles. "No, I wasn't gonna pick Die Hard."
Dean crosses his arms with a teasing glare.
"I was actually gonna suggest something like White Christmas or It's a Wonderful Life — if that's something you guys would be into," Castiel says. "I know they're way older than anyone in this room, so if people don't want to —"
Jo raises her hand. "I vote It's a Wonderful Life."
Castiel cocks an eyebrow. Well, that was easy. Granted, he was decently sure Jo would agree with any movie he chose as long as it wasn't Die Hard.
"I second that," Charlie adds.
"Yeah," Ash agrees, "I could go for the angel flick."
"Only you would call a movie about a suicidal guy 'the angel flick,'" Jo says.
"Is it not about an angel?" Ash counters. "Does the angel not set off the entire series of events that is that movie?"
Jo narrows her eyes. "Okay, technically —"
Ash grins. "'Technically' is all I needed."
Dean heaves a dramatic sigh. "Well, I guess if we can't watch Die Hard, this is a decent second."
“Right, I was thinking about that, too,” Castiel says. “Now, I can’t in good conscience force anyone else to watch it, but if you want someone to watch it with tomorrow…?”
Dean frowns. “I mean, I won’t say ‘no,’ but half the charm of watching Die Hard on Christmas Eve is that it takes place on Christmas Eve.”
“Oh, come on,” Jo says, rolling her eyes. “You finally found someone to watch your movie with and you’re still gonna complain? Come on, Dean. Beggars can’t be choosers.”
“That may be true,” Dean agrees, “but that doesn’t mean that beggars can’t be whiners.”
Jo shakes her head. “You are so weird.”
“Thank you.”
Castiel nudges Dean. “You know, if you really want to watch it tonight, we can watch it after It’s a Wonderful Life.”
“Really?” Dean asks, beaming.
“Ah, don’t let Dean rope you into it,” Jo says. “It’s just two hours of fake blood and fight scenes.”
Castiel will admit, he was mostly interested in watching it because Dean wanted to, but now his interest is piqued. “Are they good fight scenes?”
“Yes,” Dean says immediately. “The best fight scenes. Super creative, super well done; they’re awesome. You’re gonna love it.”
Jo raises an eyebrow. “You like action movies?”
Castiel shrugs. “Yeah, I mean, I didn’t watch them too much growing up but ever since I got into acting, I’ve found fight scenes really cool.” He never gets to do his own fight scenes, but he's wanted to for years. Every time he sees people practicing on set, it makes him that much more determined to do one someday.
“Which totally wasn’t half the reason he wanted to join Wayward Sisters,” Charlie adds sarcastically. “And he totally wasn’t disappointed when he found out his character had magic powers and thus doesn’t have to get involved in hand-to-hand combat.”
Castiel frowns. “Yet another example of ‘beggars can’t be choosers.’”
“And another example of ‘beggars can be whiners,’” Dean adds. “I think Cas is completely in his right to complain about not getting to beat the fake-shit out of fake people, just like I am completely in my right to complain about not getting to watch Die Hard on Christmas Eve -- or, I was completely in my right to do that until Cas so graciously offered to stay up and watch it later.”
Jo shakes her head at him. “Cas, I hope you like the movie, because watching Dean mouth all the words is not the good time you think it will be.”
~~
Everyone gathers in the living room to watch It’s a Wonderful Life. Jo decides that because Castiel and Charlie are the guests, they should get to sit on the couch -- with her, of course. Castiel can’t complain, even to himself. He doesn’t mind watching a movie with her because there’s no talking involved. He doesn’t have to deal with any type of flirting, so he can pretend they’re just two friends doing friend things.
“You know,” Charlie decides, “I think I’m gonna lie down to watch instead.”
Castiel cocks an eyebrow as she gets off the couch. That’s a weird choice, but he decides not to question it. As it turns out, he doesn’t have to question it: she makes her reasoning very obvious.
“Does anyone else want my spot?” she asks. “Dean, how ‘bout you? That chair doesn’t look comfortable.”
Dean chuckles. “Oh, I don’t know. Cas gave up his spot in Jo’s bed for me. I don’t know if I can let you give up your spot on the couch for me, too.”
“I’m gonna lie down on the floor, anyway,” Charlie says with a shrug. “I’m not losing anything, so you might as well take it before someone else does.”
The thought of sitting on the couch with someone other than Dean or Charlie on his other side does, admittedly, strike fear into Castiel's heart. Fortunately, Dean gratefully accepts the spot, dragging along a blanket with him as he does.
Dean tosses the blanket over his lap, a few inches landing over Castiel’s lap as well. “Wanna share the blanket, or do I have to burrito myself into it?”
Castiel shrugs. “I don’t know. I guess I could use a blanket.”
"Awesome." Dean shakes it out again, and this time it covers both of them from their shoulders to their knees.
Is this a romantic gesture? He really hopes not. He likes where things are between them. They're friends and hopefully soon-to-be fuckbuddies — he's not sure a blowjob is enough to win that title just yet — but he's not looking for a boyfriend. He's not ready for a boyfriend. He hasn't dated anyone since he was 16, excluding the girlfriends he's been assigned for publicity. How could he possibly start a real relationship right now?
Should he bring up next time they're alone? He doesn't want to make things awkward, but if this is going to go on in any capacity, he needs to set his boundaries. It's bad enough that Jo wants more from him than he has to give; he's not sure what he'd do if the same happened with Dean.
But then he feels a hand on his thigh, and he realizes that this was never about romance. Hell, he's surprised he didn't realize it immediately. Dean is just being horny again, and Castiel certainly isn't going to complain.
Dean looks over at him, a silent question in his eyes. Castiel responds with a small smile before turning his gaze back to the tv. If Dean wants to play around a little bit, who is he to complain?
Dean decides to take things a little further than Castiel had expected. His fingers slowly crawl across his leg and to his crotch, and Castiel shivers. He risks a glance at the man, only to see Dean looking at the tv like nothing else is happening, his small smile the only giveaway.
Dean fumbles with the button of Castiel's jeans, and though it takes a bit of effort to unbutton them with one hand, he manages to do it without drawing any attention to them. Next comes the zipper, which he slowly inches down with his one hand. You can probably imagine what comes next, but needless to say, Castiel has a very hard time focusing on the movie.