*so i prewrote a couple of little "one shots" when ever i had writers block on episode based chapters and i wanted to post a few of them but none of them were big enough for a whole chapter or would fit into episode based chapters. during my rewatch of gravity falls, i was inspired by the episode "little gift shop of horrors" with all the short stories this chapter is TOTALLY skippable though i hope you enjoy. as usual, this is edited for grammatical errors.*
SNOWY DAY
in which it snows in the small town just outside of seattle and cas can't help but force rick to join her
"Rick! Rick! Rick!"
"I hate you," Rick mumbled as the girl that was previously keeping him warm as she cuddled up to him had left abruptly. So abruptly in fact, Cas didn't notice the fact she almost smacked him in the face. Really it was his fault for choosing to drunkenly join her last night and not put any clothes on after their 'extra curricular activities' as Rick called it.
"But darlin', it's snowing!" Cas pouted as she came up to the window and opened the curtain wider for him to see from her bed. His eyes were barely open but he saw and groaned. Cas had been praying for snow for months now, missing the winters she had back in Gravity Falls that filled the streets with inches of snow, and Rick thought it would never end. A part of him was glad but a part of him also knew she'd drag him outside in the snow and was dreading that.
"And I'm freezing my balls off so..." He trailed off and sat up.
"Since when is that my problem?" Cas asked and Rick rose half his brow at her.
"Didn't have that attitude earlier," He smirked, reaching off the side of the bed to grab his flask from his lab coat that hung on the lamp on the nightstand. Cas scoffed, holding a hand out, green wispy energy pulling the flask straight from his hands. "W-what the fuck, Cas?"
"Get your coat and meet me outside," She bargained, scrunching her nose up a bit in anger. "Then, maybe, I'll give it back."
"W-What are we gonna do? Make fucking snow angels?" He questioned, standing up and pulling his bottoms up.
"Be careful or I'll drink the rest," She jokingly threatened and opened the flask quickly. She held it over her mouth, seeing his glare intensify. "You wouldn't," He mumbled and she tilted it back more for dramatic effect, a drop landing on her tongue. It was childish but a banter that grew between them in scenarios like this was just a common thing now. Cas even noticed the small smile on his face at her dramatics but didn't comment on it. Instead focused on slipping warmer clothes on than her sleeping clothes.
"Have I ever mentioned how much I hate you?" Rick grumbled as Cas practically pulled him out the back door and into the back yard. He was wrapped in a coat and a bright blue turtle neck that Cas had to practically had to force him in. He held his flask and had a bored look on his face as he took a sip.
"I love you too, darlin'," She grinned, letting his hand go as she took a few steps and let herself fall on her back.
"What's so fun about *burp* freezing cold snow anyways?" He asked, looking around at the white blanket over the the backyard. He noticed the snow didn't go past the gate and simply hoped Cas wouldn't notice either. "I-if you g-g-get sick, I'm not-" He started but was cut off a freezing cold ball of snow hitting his face. "Oh it's on, baby," he glared and grabbed his own ball of snow.
"No!" She laughed out as he tossed it at her, quickly dodging it.
An hour and one long snowball fight later, Cas was laying on her back in the snow again while Rick sat next to her. Snow had begun to fall over the back yard, leaving flakes in Cas' green hair and eyelashes. Her footprints mostly covered the backyard as after their snow fight, which Rick was certain he won and Cas was okay with letting him think that, she had paced around trying to think of what to do next. Rick had taken to messing with his phone when she suddenly moved around, placing her head in his lap.
"Rick, would you make a snowman with me?" Cas asked, looking up at him as he rose half his brow. "Please? I wanna make the biggest damn snowman on the whole block!" Cas said, her voice getting high with excitement as she thought about it.
"Do I have a choice?" Rick asked and Cas shook her head. "T-Th-Then why did, why would you bother asking?"
"Because I wanted you to feel included," Cas shrugged slightly and sat up so she was in front of him. She put her around around his neck and just smiled at him. "And so I could thank you, darlin'." She nudged his nose with hers which caused his nose to scrunch up a bit at the feeling but a ghost of a smile was on his face.
"For what?"
"Making it snow just for me," Cas replies quietly and began to twirl a strand of his hair around her finger. She had realized when she peaked over the fence to see the snow didn't go beyond the Smith house. Her other hand had moved to the snow, only to grab a handful and shove it in Rick's face. She giggled loudly as the snow fell to his lap and the remaining snow on his face began to slowly melt due to his body heat. She found it oddly funny. Rick was always cold and always cuddled up to Cas when he had the chance to get some of her body heat.
"I hate you so much," Rick rolled his eyes but Cas could see the smile on his face as the snow melted away.
"Yeah, I love you too, darlin'," She grinned, kissing him quickly.
HANDS
in which cas gets caught admiring rick's hands
Cas groaned loudly, throwing her head back against Rick's lap, the man raising half his brow with an amused smirk. He had a wafer in one hand and his other lazily messing with one of her curls. Rick spent forever trying to decide what to watch before putting some movie on that surely came out long before she was even born. For her, it was horribly boring but Rick seemed to enjoy the movie so she tried to find something to busy herself with while he watched, enjoying the time they had to themselves before the Smith's returned to the house. It was one of the rare times that they had the house completely to themselves, for a few hours at least. Summer and Morty were at school, Beth got called in for work and Jerry was interviewing around at jobs today. The house was silent except for the movie and Rick's occasional chuckles.
Cas began to focus on the way he'd twirl one of her curls around his finger before letting it loose and running his fingers through it. Cas wasn't even sure he was aware he had begun to do it half the time and she was sure it just became a habit or just muscle memory for him. It was always something that relaxed Cas and she'd often find herself placing his hand in her hair until he'd start twirling it. He was so delicate with her hair and it was so oddly intimate with him. Everything else with him was so intense that having that moment with him that was the opposite was a relief.
She reached back though, grabbing his hand and holding it in both of hers. His hands were oddly and surprisingly soft. She always expected them to be calloused and rough due to his 'line of work' and was always pleasantly surprised to see how soft they were. Rick glanced down at her with a silently confused face but just watched her study his hand, the movie playing in the background was now just background noise for him.
His fingers were long and thin as she laced her own through his. Rick's hand practically swallowed hers and he almost chuckled at that. However, Rick enjoyed the idea of Cas continuing without knowledge that he was aware.
She was much shorter and smaller than him and he was easily 6 feet and 4 inches and Cas only barely made it to 5 feet and 5 inches on a good day. She unlaced their hands and placed her palm against his and her eyes widened at the difference in size, despite already knowing.
"What are- whatcha doing there, Cas?" Rick asked, finally deciding to announce he was fully aware, as she dragged her finger across his palm, following the creases and lines on his palm.
"Looking at your hand," She shrugged and turned his hand over to see a few small veins peeking out from the skin. She held her's next to it, seeing no veins on her own hand and pouting slightly. He watched her amused as she just ran her fingers across his hand, marveling in what she saw. She turned his palm back towards her face and now his hand was only inches from her face.
Naturally, Rick couldn't help himself, pushing his hand into her face, making her let out a muffled 'oof!'
"Rick!" She giggled and pulled his hand up off her face.
"You set yourself up for that one, Cassie. I could have done way worse."
CONSTELLATIONS
in which cassiopeia pines teaches rick sanchez about the constellations she was named after
"Which ones that?" Rick asked, pointing to a collection of stars above him while holding back a burp.
"That would be Cassiopeia, Rick," Cas smiled as she ran her fingers through his messy hair. "That's the one I'm named after and it's named after Queen Cassiopeia in Greek Mythology," She explained, twirling a strand of his blue-gray hair around her finger. He took a sip of his beer, humming in response to both the attention to his hair/scalp and her explanation. Rick, of course, already knew most of the things she was telling him but he just liked to hear her explain the constellations.
The couple sat on the rooftop of the Smith house that night after being unable to sleep due to Beth and Jerry's arguing. Summer was at a friends house and Morty was in his room, doing god knows what. Cas had laid down first and Rick joined her by basically laying between her legs, the back of his head resting on her breasts. She had a glass bottle of soda in her hands while Rick nursed his second beer from the pack he brought out to the roof for the both of them once Cas finished her soda.
"You can see Cepheus, her husband, too. He kind of looks like a house. A little square with a triangle on it," Cas pointed out. "And then both the Andromeda constellation and Galaxy are visible too. Andromeda was named after Cassiopeia and Cepheus' daughter of the same name." She continued to explain, "She got put the sky by the Goddess Athena to honor her after she died rather tragically."
"Isn't that your middle name?" Rick asked, and Cas nodded slowly. "Cassiopeia Andromeda Pines," Rick repeated slowly. A silence fell over them as she continued to comb through his hair with her fingers. It was a comfortable silence though. Just the two of them spending time together and enjoying the company alone that they didn't often get.
Cas noticed that while Rick wasn't the greatest at expressing how he felt and showing his love, he did in the little ways. Most of the time it was physical whether it was something as simple as patting her back or peppering kisses all over her shoulder and neck during more intimate activities. It was rather cruel that Rick didn't show his affection much. Cas never doubted that he cared for her despite the lack of verbal or physical affection from him. His presence was enough and said it all. Though, despite that, physical affection was more common from him. Thankfully though, Cas' was more verbal. She'd give him pet names and tell him she loved him so many times during the day. Rick remained with subtle touches here and there, absentmindedly playing with her hair or just a casual arm around her shoulders on the couch. The two balanced each other out perfectly and Cas never understood how she ever got someone like him to actually want to be with her.
"Cassie?"
"Yeah, darlin'?"
"Tell me more about Cassiopeia," He requested and shifted a bit to be more comfortable. Cas smiled and began to do as requested and went on with all she knew about the story of her namesake. Of course, Rick knew the story already. You don't travel around space for decades and not learn a thing or two about each constellation and their story. He just never expected Cassiopeia of all constellations to also be the name of the girl that would be the only thing to make him feel so... different. Honestly, he never expected any girl, especially like Cas, to make him feel anything new like she did.
"Cassiopeia was pretty... self centered. She often boasted about her beauty and it ended up getting her in a lot of trouble. She was condemned by Poseidon to circle the celestial pole and spend half of each year upside down." Cas explained, Rick snorted at that. She rose an eyebrow "What's so funny about that? Remind you of someone, huh?"
"Are you implying I'm like Cassiopeia?"
"A boastful and vain narcissistic asshole?" Cas joked, "Never."
"F-Fuck you too, Cas," Rick scoffed but didn't hide his smile. "And
, for your information I wasn't laughing at that. I was just drawing a comparison between you and her."
"Calling me a boastful and vain narcissist, now huh?" Cas teased, nuzzling her nose in his messy hair. He snorted once again and took a sip from his beer before speaking.
"I-I-I'm trying to call... I'm trying to tell you're beautiful, Pines." Rick grumbled and Cas' heart about melted at that. As said before, Rick showing verbal affection was rare. It was more often she'd get subtle rubs across her thigh with her legs across his lap on the couch than out right compliments like that. It was something she was fine with actually, preferring the way he excelled at just the right amount of physical affection compared to verbal affection.
"You're a softie, Rick," Cas smiled, kissing his cheek lightly as he scoffed at that.
"I'm not soft, Cas," Rick grumbled again. She smirked slightly, "I can tell *burp* you're smirking. Y-you better stop that. I'm not a softie and you, you know it." He stumbled out. Cas, deciding to prove her point, ran her fingers through his hair just the way he liked, making him involuntarily nuzzle his head into her hand, like a dog would when scratching behind their ear.
"Just admit it, darlin'. You're soft for me," Cas teased, nudging her nose against his temple. "I mean is there any other person you'd lay on a rooftop with asking questions about constellations you already know everything about?"
"I'm not soft, Pines. If anyone is the softie in this relationship, it's clearly you." He mumbled and Cas smiled at that. She didn't respond, just kept a warm smile as a comforting silence came over them again. Cas kept her head resting on his, nuzzled in his mess of hair as she pulled the blanket wrapped around her closer. That way her arms rested around Rick, on his chest so the blanket was over him a bit as well.
Cas was dressed for the weather in a thick bright green knitted sweater and thick sweatpants. Rick on the other hand stayed in his thin lab coat, blue sweater and brown slacks. It was warm but she knew he was cold and she could feel it. Rick was always cold and relied mostly on Cas, who was always warm, for a heat source. It was just another thing that made them polar opposites and also perfect for each other.
"Y-you know," Rick started but swore under his breath, sitting up fully and rubbing his face in his hands. "Fuck," He swore and Cas moved so she was next to him instead of behind him.
He grabbed her hand quickly and pulled it into his lap so he was holding it with both his hands. His thumb ran over her smooth skin as he looked down at her hand in his lap. He thought for a moment. How does he of all people even say something like this? Sure he had said it before in the heat of the moment a few times before but that was far different than saying it this way. Saying it in a way that made him vulnerable and in a way that made him exactly what he just denied. Soft.
"I'm gonna fuck this up, Cas, so don't laugh or call me soft," Rick grumbled and turned to look at her. "You, you know I, fuck me, this is harder than I thought." He mumbled and Cas reached over, cupping both his hands in her much smaller ones.
"Just say it, Rick. I promise I won't laugh or call you soft, darlin'." She smiled softly, moving one hand up to his cheek. He sighed as if to prepare himself to say what he wanted too. A part of Cas was terrified he was ending it all right here while apart of her was on the edge of her seat, or rooftop in this scenario, about what he was struggling with.
"You know I fucking love you, right?" He finally said and Cas sucked in a breath.
Cas' heart about melted at the words. She never really expected him to actually say it. Of course she knew he loved her, he showed it in his own way and to Cas, he didn't ever have to say it. She knew he loved her and that was all that mattered to her.
"I love you too, you big softie," Cas smirked, wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Damn it, Cas," Rick swore but grinned widely as she pushed him back on the rooftop, kissing him with all she had. His hands flew to her hips as she adjusted her position over him. Except the kiss didn't turn heated as it usually did with Rick. It was soft and slow like Rick was hanging on to every moment and gripping her tightly like he was begging her not to leave his touch.
"You're a big softie, Rick Sanchez," Cas smiled when he pulled away. Cas laid down, resting her head on his chest while he grabbed her blanket, covering both of them with it.
"Maybe you're right, Pines." Rick smiled softly, "Maybe you're right."
MAYBE I'M AMAZED
this is total self indulgence because this is one of the most beautiful songs out there and it actually fits them perfectly
To say Cas was thrilled to be at a wedding was an understatement. The wedding was that of a friend of Beth's that Cas met once before today. Beth's friend invited the whole family which was something Beth jumped at the chance to bring them all to show she had a 'normal family', including Rick with Cas as his plus one. It was awkward for Beth, the tensions only raising after an awkward dinner Cas had prepared only a few days ago to try and ease tension. The two had managed to avoid each other for the most part and it backed the rest of the family into an awkward corner. Yet, neither Cas or Beth would let their own issues ruin the night of a lovely wedding.
Cas, being very socially adept and having a rather addictive personality, had no trouble talking to the people at the wedding. Rick, on the other hand, grumbled his responses out. A mixture of the copious of alcohol he had drank and the lack of wanting to be there. In his mind, he could have been on the couch watching tv with Cas cuddled up to him. He didn't see the need to be at this wedding considering he didn't even know Beth's friend but here he was, standing with Cas as she giggled at the joke the person in front of her said.
"Cas, baby," Rick grumbled out, "C-can we, can we please move on from this idiot?" The man's face morphed into a look of hurt and Cas glared at Rick.
"I'm so sorry. He's had a bit too much to drink and gets a little needy," She partially lied. It was true, Rick had pretty much drunken the bars supply by now. But Rick held his alcohol fairly well and by Cas' count, he was far from the amount it took for him to get as needy as he could be. "Why can't you just enjoy this, Rick? I just want one nice outing with you where we can actually be together as a couple. Is that too much to ask for from you?" Cas huffed as she dragged him off to the edge of the crowd that was gathered as they waited for the reception to start.
"When you drag me to a wedding, yes." Rick replied, "We're here celebrating m-my daughters friend getting married, Cas. I don't do this, this, this shit."
"Rick, come on, darlin-" She started and grabbed both his hands.
"Don't say - Don't 'darlin' me right now, Cas." Rick said, "This isn't my scene. In case you forgot, I don't do this whole love thing cause, cause, cause it's not real, Cas. It-It's just chemicals, Cas. I've done this shit before a-an-and it doesn't work." Cas took a breath in at his words. It hurt to hear him say that while Cas loved him, he still didn't believe in this whole love thing. It made her feel like he didn't actually love her for the first time in their relationship.
"Good to know," Cas mumbled and dropped his hands. "You really know how to woo a girl, Rick Sanchez." Cas snapped, dropping his hands roughly and turning away.
Rick's stomach dropped at that and for a moment he felt completely sobered. His words hit him full force as he realized he just denied both his love for her and hers for him. Cas was a verbal person and that's how she showed her love best and Rick just spit in the face of that. His hands slumped to the side and into the pockets of his brown slacks as he sighed deeply. Cas had disappeared into the crowd by now and there was no chance of Rick finding her at this point. It lead him right back to the bar where he drank his sorrows away again.
During the reception and after the dinner, the music played and the bride and groom had their first dance and now the floor was open to the guests. Instead of sitting with Rick who was downing his drink at the table, Cas stood with Summer and Beth just outside the huge dancing crowd. Each had a drink in their hands as Cas told them what went down due to the awkwardness of Cas slapping Rick's hand off her thigh during dinner.
"He really said that?" Summer asked, patting Cas on the back to comfort her. Cas wasn't crying though, just torn up by her boyfriend's words. "He's such a dick sometimes, ugh."
"Summer, that's your grandfather," Beth spoke up for the first time since Cas told her what Rick said. It was weird for both Cas and Beth but Beth still cared for Cas and still wanted her happy at the end of the day. "But you're right. He is a dick." Beth shrugged and Cas gave a small smile at that, practically feeling the tension begin to melt away.
"Yeah, he is," Cas whispered in agreement as she sipped at the beverage Summer grabbed her. Summer promised it wasn't alcoholic but Cas knew it was. She didn't mind though, finding the alcohol oddly soothing in this current scenario. "But I knew what I was getting into when I started dating him. I just need a moment to calm down," Cas shrugged and traced the rim of her cup with her finger.
"Maybe he's afraid?" Beth shrugged and Cas furrowed her brows. "Cas, I've never seen my father care so much about someone like he does you. I know he doesn't show it and I've been tough on you two but," Beth trailed off, trying to find the right words. "He cared about my mom, I know that he did, but never to the extent I've seen when it comes to you. Cas, he loves you. I think he's just scared to admit it and then he'll put you in danger."
"I can protect myself," Cas argued.
"He knows that, lord does he know you can handle yourself in a fight," Beth quickly covered. "The thing about him is he pushes us all away except you. He's closed off to us all and none of us really know much about him except you. I can tell if something happened to you because of your relationship, he'd never forgive himself. Even if there are countless versions of you out there. You once told me in a crowd of Ricks, you knew exactly which one he was. I'm betting he could pick you out in a crowd of Cas'."
Cas glanced back, seeing Rick take back a shot at the table, before standing up. His gaze fell on her before he turned the opposite way. "I would though," Cas said. "Forgive him. If something happened to me because of our relationship," She clarified and Beth softened for a moment at that. Beth was always hard on Cas since her father began dating Cas. She found it hard to see her father with someone only a few years younger than herself (or anyone besides her mom at that) and even to see her dad giving his hard to earn attention to someone else.
"You should tell him that," Summer motioned and pointed behind Cas, where Rick was coming up behind her. Summer grabbed her mother's hand and pulled them a few steps back as Rick tapped Cas' shoulder. Cas turned and Rick didn't say anything.
He simply grabbed her wrist and pulled her out to the dance floor as the notes of a familiar song began to play. Cas looked up at him with an eyebrow raised, "Never speak of this to anyone," Rick mumbled, pulling her close as the voice of Paul McCartney, one of Cas' favorite musicians, filled the reception area.
'Maybe I'm amazed at the way you love me all the time, Maybe I'm afraid of the way I love you'
Cas smiled softly up at Rick as a silence came between them for only a moment. "I'm an ass," Rick said quietly breaking the silence and Cas nodded against his shoulder as she rested her head.
"Yeah, you really can be," Cas said. "You don't have to be afraid to loose me, Rick. You're stuck with me," Cas assured, rubbing his back slightly and she felt Rick relax slightly. He was still tense but he rested his head on top of hers, kissing her head for a moment. "Just... don't ever think that I love just because of the chemicals in my brain. I love you even though you're an insufferable ass," Cas smiled.
'Maybe I'm a man, Maybe I'm a lonely man who's in the middle of something that he doesn't really understand"
"I know, Cassie, I know," Rick said quietly, nuzzling his head into her mess of hair. "It's, this is all new to me." Cas positioned them so now they were just swaying while she hugged him close. She could hear his heartbeat and it relaxed her. She didn't respond though, not really sure how she would even respond. "B-but I don't want it to be new anymore," He said holding back a slight burp. She smiled slightly at that.
"I can help with that, Rick." Cas whispered, holding him tighter.
'Maybe I'm a man and maybe you're the only woman who could ever help me, Baby, won't you help me to understand?'