Will You Settle For Love, Epilogue

[verucasalt123]

Epilogue

On Sam’s birthday, when they realized they’d been there a year, it was almost a shock. They’d been invited to Thanksgiving dinner with the Lopez family, and shared Christmas Eve with Stephanie, Mrs. O’Malley, and several other neighbors at a nice quiet gathering at their own house. Dean’s co-workers had organized a birthday celebration for him at a local bar on his fake birthday in March.

Other than that one incident, nothing even remotely supernatural had popped up on either of their radars. And they both knew with absolute certainty that if anything ever did, they’d pick up a phone instead of a computer or a book on lore.

Sam almost never needed any medication these days, and Dean had gotten used to waking up to his alarm clock five times a week.

Manuel had aced his SATs, and Sam happily helped him fill out applications for colleges, financial aid and private scholarships. Mrs. O’Malley still brought them banana bread and pie once a week or so.

One afternoon, after changing the oil in Stephanie’s car, she casually mentioned to Dean, “You two ever think about making it official?”

It took him a second before he got it, but he caught on pretty quickly. “Well, we haven’t really talked about it…”

“Look, I know I’m the neighborhood busybody, so ignore me if you want. I’m just saying, it’s obvious you and that gorgeous hunk of a man over there have been together a long time, and this is one of the few places where you can get a marriage license. Not some civil union or domestic partnership bullshit, but a real live marriage license. Not many other places can say that. So, you know, if you ever felt like that was what you wanted, you could have it.”

And yeah, Dean had been telling the truth, they hadn’t really discussed it. But maybe now it was time for that conversation to happen. He’d be happy just staying as they were, but he had to admit there was a definite feeling inside him that wouldn’t mind having rings and official paperwork. Not to mention the chance to share the same last name, for him to be Dean Winchester again.

Stephanie thanked him for his help, and Dean thanked her for the advice.

He headed back down the sidewalk. Toward home. He had just thought of a question he really wanted to ask Sam.

Comments

[screamoutloud.livejournal.com]

Really enjoyed reading this, thank you :)

[verucasalt123.livejournal.com]

thanks!!! it was fun writing it!

[imaginecoolname.livejournal.com]

This was a lovely fic, I really liked it! I have such a thing for curtain!fic - mix it with some angst and schmoop and porn and all around wincesty goodness like you did and I'm definitely in. :) I also liked the way you described the development of their relationship. And since I definitely have a soft spot for the boys getting married as well, I would have loved to also see the proposal and the wedding. Maybe you could consider a timestamp? That would make my day even more! :D But for now: thank you for this very enjoyable read, m'dear. ♥

[verucasalt123.livejournal.com]

i'm so glad you liked it! i seem to be incapable of writing a bb that doesn't end in a marriage or proposal :)

[imaginecoolname.livejournal.com]

...A fact I definitely appreciate and am very grateful for. :) So, about that timestamp...? ;) <3

[verucasalt123.livejournal.com]

ha! possibly next year :)

[smalltrolven.livejournal.com]

That was fun read, enjoyed it, thanks!

[verucasalt123.livejournal.com]

thank you!!

[firesign10.livejournal.com]

Absolutely loved this!!! The sweetness of retirement, them getting to be together openly. Even having the fight - shit like that happens!! Beautifully done :-) and I LOVED that last line where Dean thinks of a question he really wants to ask Same...

[verucasalt123.livejournal.com]

thanks so very much! the fight was hard to write but yes, that's gonna happen. glad you liked it so much!

[dolnmoon.livejournal.com]

I loved how the boys were so domestic. Their relationship grew and turn into something so mature and loving.

How Dean was the one who was more into the lifestyle out of hunting and didn't want to even think about checking the thing out at the college, you would think it would have been Sam but no, so that was a nice twist.

This just had such a good feel to it and you really did a great job with it. Kudos

[verucasalt123.livejournal.com]

oh, i'm really glad you liked it! you're the one who whispered the plot bunny to me all those months ago :)

[dolnmoon.livejournal.com]

Glad to be of service.. =D I am glad I did because you turned it in to something wonderful.

[saltandbyrne.livejournal.com]

I loved this the first and second times I read it, and I still love it. It's so real, their relationship working for them but not being perfect. So much love! <3

[verucasalt123.livejournal.com]

thx honey, i like happily ever after but not even the otp can be perfect all the time!

[verucasalt123.livejournal.com]

thanks so much for reading & commenting. maybe i'll get around to that one of these days!!!!

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

I really enjoyed this. I absolutely expected them to take the job and I'm really glad they didn't. They built a nice life here, quiet and average and normal, the kind of life we know they never expected to have. it takes work though, and we see that here. Very nice. I also liked Garth's appearance. He's one of the sweetest characters on the show.

[verucasalt123.livejournal.com]

glad you liked garth! i've got a soft spot for him! thank you.

[aerynsun5.livejournal.com]

Very nice, sweetie! I'm always a sucker for a curtain!!fic, and I loved how the were able to really integrate themselves into the community, and be happy with their decision to quit the life. And I loved the very last line.

[verucasalt123.livejournal.com]

thanks so much! i loved writing them all settled in :)

[bt-kady.livejournal.com]

I love curtain!fic. Sam and Dean deserve a happy ending, no matter what Jared and Jensen proclaim about it when they're asked. I agree with the others. This needs a timestamp so we can see the proposal and wedding.

[verucasalt123.livejournal.com]

thx!! i'll definitely consider a timestamp :)

[sammichgirl]

Such a wonderful read! I love how very Winchestery even their "happy ever after" is. Dean being the one truly giving up on hunting - I never saw that coming, and it was refreshing. Angstily so.

I was surprised to see Dean give up the Winchester name and not Sam, but the end just made it all better. Awwwwww. (I concur with the timestamp crowd)

Loved seeing Garth here, too! Quirky fun, that one.

[verucasalt123.livejournal.com]

Thank you so so much!

[mdlaw.livejournal.com]

This was really fun to read. m :)

[verucasalt123.livejournal.com]

glad you liked it!!

[dont-hate-me01.livejournal.com]

Great curtain!fic!!! Loved it. :-)

[verucasalt123.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much1

[layne67.livejournal.com]

Awww ... that's such a delightful, peaceful fic, despite their earlier skirmish. I like it!

[verucasalt123.livejournal.com]

I'm glad to hear that you liked it!

[deezy-y.livejournal.com]

Aww...great ending to a wonderful story. I'm wearing a huge grin, thinking what Sam's answer will be. :)
Thanks for writing and sharing! :D

[verucasalt123.livejournal.com]

oh honey, thank you so much!

[deansdirtybb.livejournal.com]

So, when I see a longer fic I want to read but don't have time for right at the moment, I save it on my list...and I am so glad I saved this one! What a lovely story, just made me smile to see them settled down together, with a little bit of the inevitable Winchester angst in the middle of course. It felt like a happy ending, but in a way that was realistic to them, not too saccharine. Also, I really like how you balanced their issues and stuff so it didn't feel like either of them was really more to blame for their problems. Good job, sugar!

[verucasalt123.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much, I really enjoyed writing this one :)

[lucianwolf.livejournal.com]

I love this. Thank you for sharing.

[verucasalt123.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much! I'm so glad you liked it.