“only as many as you think you can handle,” she rushed to reply, that same unsaid observation going round her mind at the same time it did castor’s. yeah - it’d be better if they were kept together. they were still so young, and on top of helping their social development, it’d give them a sort of comfort that they just wouldn’t get alone. but if they just couldn’t stay together… then it was better than nothing. her heart swelled - and then dipped - and she was just starting to say, “it’s ok, i totally get it,” when he continued, and she went from a sad frown to a huge smile and rushing forward to give him the tightest, most full of gratitude bear hug that she could muster before she could catch herself and stop- “you don’t even have to ask! it’d be my PLEASURE- thank you, cas. and i mean it, i’ll be on call, like, twenty four hours a day every single day. you’re a star.” 

seeing rhea’s huge smile almost made the increased expenses he knew he’d be incurring worth it. he returned rhea’s hug with a grin, glad to have made her so happy. cas knew that it was always better to keep litters together when they were so young, and that those little fluffballs would be ready for adoption and picked up by their perfect families sooner than he thought. however, that didn’t stop the barrage of ‘shit i have to kitten proof my apartment again’ thoughts.  “well, guess the name castor fits then, doesn’t it?” he joked with a hearty laugh, pulling back from the bone-crushing hug. “but i’m gonna hold ya to that, sweetheart,” he said, holding up an accusatory, threateningly waggling finger. “ya boi has classes to teach, ya know? and these buggers can’t be left alone.” and unfortunately, the help he might have had from the two set of hands he lived with were back in his other home, the one he’d made for himself before returning to buena vista. “so...what’s next? do i sign somethin’? should we go to the shelter? dunno how this fostering stuff works, if i’m bein’ honest.”

❝ You know when your body is like ‘Uh whoa I almost died,’ and you get all hyper because you’re filled with dolphins? ❞

cas stared at stephanie as a slow grin spread across his face. “dolphins?” he echoed, eyes lighting up in amusement and glee. he was truly blessed on this day.

“did you know that they never actually burned accused witches at the stake in the salem witch trials?” boredom led different people to do different things. for maggie, boredom presented in her lying on one of the student resource couches, legs resting against the back pillows, head hanging over the edge, trying to make conversation with the  first person her upside down gaze landed on. maybe it was the blood rush influencing her subject choice, maybe it was just her being her - but regardless, she stuck with it. “we just learned about it. they hung ‘em, and they drowned 'em, but they never burned 'em. that incorrect detail probably came from people confusing salem with the europe witch trials. doesn’t it make you think about how many other details of our history are COMPLETELY wrong- all cause of a mixup?”

“really?” cas hummed thoughtfully. all things considered, despite his passing grade in history, he hadn’t really retained much. “i’m not as well-versed in earth’s history. you guys have all been so separated from galactic relations,” he explained with a shrug. he had a better grip on montressor’s history than anything. “guess there’s some issues with archiving this stuff, huh?”

“Is that really necessary? A girl is trying to do work here.”

“yes, completely necessary,” cas replied in an unwaveringly serious tone. he held the cards out to her again. “pick a card.”

“have you ever thought about fostering?” rhea’s more aware than anyone that this isn’t exactly conventional. usually, people sought out that kinda thing themselves - not stopped in the middle of a busy foyer and asked by a more than frazzled animal shelter volunteer, who knew that while unusual, this was sort of her only chance. “not kid fostering. animal fostering. say, for example, a kitten/puppy/hamster baby/etc?” she’d done this a dozen times, already, this moment being the one where she thrust the picture of the adorable new litter towards them, “they came in two days ago, and we’re full to limit. their only hope is getting fostered. i could explain what that entails, if you’d like!”

cas blinked at the picture rhea thrust into his face. the kittens were adorable, and cas could practically hear pollux cooing over them, could see his brother tearing up over the thought of nobody taking the poor defenseless balls of fur. he took the picture from her with a hum of thought. “all of ‘em?” he asked. it was probably best if they were kept together. “nova’s good with other animals, so that wouldn’t be a problem... but i’ve got a full-time job, rhea, kittens are a lotta work.” he heard pollux’s voice repeating what rhea said — their only hope is getting fostered — and he sighed. “think you could help me with the little squirts? i’ll need a second pair ‘a deft hands if i’m gonna get some new kids in the house,” he relented with a lazy grin. 

“My, after all this time and you’re still pretending you don’t know my name? Such a scandal. It’s really ever so unlikely… I’m afraid that um, how do they say it, the cooties have already been spread dearest. So I’ll be taking these.”

cas barked out a laugh, grin lopsided and playful. “is that so? well, sweetheart, i’ve got some bad news for you. i ain’t that easy. so, these babies–” he plucked up the box of donuts with a wiggle of his eyebrows. “will be staying with me. unless you start paying your child support.”

for a very long minute, laura just stared back at castor in complete disbelief. no one had ever shooed her away from something she wanted - most knew better, and even those that didn’t soon backed away when confronted with her usual steely gaze. this was new. “you left the box out in the open,” she sounded almost accusatory, like it was his fault she had wandering hands, “if you wanted them saved for later then why would you leave them out now? you’re tempting fate.”

cas, as usual when face-to-face with someone who could probably kill him, remained undeterred. if he could stare the void in the eye and accept the thought of death every time he ventured into it, then he could stare down laura. “what? just cause i left it out means you can take one? that’s problematic.” cas shooed her away again, plucking the box of donuts off of the table. “what can i say, i like to live on the edge. but i’ll tell ya what, you can come to my class today. if you give a bomb-ass presentation on astrophysics, enough to get an a, you can have all of them.”

Georgina had stumbled upon the boxes of donuts and figured they were for everybody, but soon her dreams were dashed when Castor came up from behind just as she was about to decide which one she wanted. “What? No sharing?” Georgie asked, blinking subtly. “Not even for me?”

cas’ gaze assessed the girl and he raised an eyebrow. “well,” he drawled with a lazy grin, “when you put it that way...” he snapped the box of donuts closed. “no. sorry, kiddo. only got enough for my students.”

“Yes!” Steph could hardly contain her excitement as she carefully selected a donut and shoved it in her mouth. “You’re never going to be a good teacher if you give away donuts to the first person who gives you puppy eyes.” 

“there are lots of reasons i’ll never be a good teacher,” cas remarked with a huff of laughter. he still had no idea why the school had him become one. clearly they wanted all of their students to suffer. “but that’s beside the point. you’re the only one i’d cave for, kiddo.” he ruffled steph’s hair affectionately. 

“But Cas!! Please? I haven’t had breakfast and it’s the most important meal of the day!”

cas covered his eyes with a dramatic wince. “not the puppy eyes, kiddo, ya know i’m weak to ‘em!” he exclaimed. at this point, stephanie was family to him, he couldn’t say no. it was physically impossible. with his continued dramatics, he relented. “ya damn windsors, i’m weak to all of ya,” he said with a defeated sigh as he popped open one of the boxes. his grin betrayed his otherwise convincing performance, but he didn’t mind. “if ya see anyone that looks sleep deprived, mumbling about astrophysics, don’t tell ‘em ya stole one ‘a their donuts.” 

“bup, bup, bup,” cas tutted, shooing away the hands that were reaching for the two dozen donuts he’d brought in. “those are for my students only, after they’ve finished their presentations today. i’ll have no eager fingers swiping one early.”

There was a glint of excitement in the brunette’s eyes as he turned towards the person standing next to him, the corner of his mouth turning upwards into a smirk. “Do you know what day it is?” he asked. He, of course was very aware of the day- but he wanted to make sure that they knew as well, and slipped an arm around their shoulder before they even had a chance to answer. ’l’ll tell you. It’s the Third of April, which means in just a few short days- it will be the eighth. Also known as my birthday. I’m talking one non-stop party where the kegs don’t stop flowing and the single just keep on scoring. And you’re invited!“

“I don’t understand why you keep getting in my way. Every day, at the same time.” She sighed. “I’m just trying to get to class.”

“hey, pal, relax,” cas chuckled, holding up his hands in mock defense. he pointed to the door to his left and smirked playfully. “this is my office, and i’m consistently late about gettin’ to my class.” 

“Hey, you look a bit like that one kidnapper from the news. The one who took two children right out of the store. Has anyone mentioned that to you? The resemblance borders on uncanny, so I’m sure someone has.”

cas huffed out a chuckle, hands stuffed in the pockets of his jacket. “do i? ya gotta be kiddin’ me,” he questioned. “might be a sick bastard, but the guy must be a looker.” a tasteless joke, at best, but when did any of his jokes have taste?