Supernatural Fic: The Prank (Part 2/4)

[bookkbaby]

Title: The Prank That Filled the Spank Bank
Fandom: Supernatural
Author: Bookkbaby
Rating: NC-17 (By reading this, you certify that you are of legal age to view such material in your area/country)
Pairing: Dean/Cas, mentions of Sam/Jess and Bobby/Ellen
Warnings: cursing, explicit M/M sex, brief Dean/Anna, brief M/F/F threesome, brief RPS mentioned
Summary: Based off of this prompt on Tumblr. It starts with a prank war and a chance meeting at the auto shop Dean works at.



Disclaimer: I don’t own Supernatural or anything else I’ve referenced in this fic. This is a work of fiction and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. I make no money from this, so please don’t sue.

NOTE: There is ANOTHER fic written for this awesome prompt! Ainoche, a very good friend of mine, wrote a shorter and way more angsty piece for this same prompt. Hers is really great, so please check it out! You can find it here: http://ainoche.livejournal.com/8827.html

The title for this fic was provided by Ainoche, because I fail at titling things.

The Prank That Filled the Spank Bank
Part 2

Dean thought that the date had gone pretty well. It had taken them a while to get started, but talking about their families had seemed to finally break the ice. It wasn't the most conventional of date conversation topics, but then again, Dean had never been a conventional guy. He learned that Cas had a brother named Gabriel; the silver convertible was actually Gabriel's old car, given to Castiel because Cas's old car was a piece of junk. Cas liked driving with the top down, so he had kept it instead of selling it and using the money to get himself something less flashy.

In exchange, Dean had gotten to talk about Sammy. He had steered clear of topics like Sam's childhood and who had actually raised him, but he doubted that Cas had missed how proud he was of his little brother for doing so well in school. He'd been at the top of his graduating class in high school and had effortlessly gotten into a pretty damn prestigious college. He'd even gotten a scholarship.

The food had finally arrived and Chastity had flirted with Cas some more, but he still didn't seem to notice. Dean had finally had enough and so, when Chastity had left the table, he'd asked Cas if he was planning on discouraging the waitress any time soon. Cas had been surprised when Dean had explained and then looked so much like a puppy in crosshairs the next time Chastity approached that Dean had burst out laughing. Chastity had been offended, but at least she had stopped hitting on Cas.

Conversation had petered out as they ate, but the silence had been more comfortable than previous silences had been. Dean hadn't felt the drive to fill it with chatter. Castiel would sometimes do that stare, the one that made it seem as if he could see straight through Dean, but he would always look away whenever Dean looked up. It struck Dean as a bit strange, since this was usually the part of the night where he and the person he was angling to get into bed would be playing footsie and exchanging smoldering looks over drinks, but he kind of liked that Castiel was playing shy. He'd never understood the guys that went after the quiet, bookwormy types before, always having preferred to spend his time with people who knew what they were doing and knew what they wanted, but this was a refreshing change. If Castiel's stories were any indication, Dean didn't have to worry about Castiel being confused about what to do once they finally got into bed.

He definitely got the sense that Cas liked him, though. He seemed to relax more as the evening went on and it couldn't just be blamed on the alcohol; Cas had stopped after one and had stuck to water while Dean had drunk a second beer and ordered a third after the first was gone. The soul-deep staring was pretty convincing too.

Conversation started back up over pie, which Dean was delighted to learn was also Castiel's dessert of choice. They got into a brief debate over the merits of apple versus blueberry pie, but it had been a friendly argument. The conversation had rambled a bit and Dean had been surprised to find that he actually didn't mind. They had been in Another Round for almost three hours, a good portion of the time spent talking, and he wasn't bored yet. He was even more stunned to find that he wouldn't mind having more of these conversations in the future; he didn't need to feign his interest in Castiel's life, he actually felt it. Castiel seemed equally interested in Dean's stories, given how attentive he was when Dean spoke.

Maybe having a second date wasn't such a far-fetched idea.

Dean didn't really start to suspect that anything was amiss until Castiel asked for Chastity to give them separate checks. Dean was used to paying for his date's meal, whether the person was male or female.

"Dude, I'd have gotten it, I'm not cheap. We didn't need to go Dutch," he said. Castiel looked confused, but Chastity had a look of dawning realization.

"Oh! You two are... I didn't realize," she said apologetically. Castiel glanced at her for a second before looking back to Dean.

"I don't understand," he said. "Is it common for friends to switch off buying meals? Gabriel told me that people usually purchase their own food."

Dean's thoughts slowed down and then squealed to a halt. Suddenly, Cas being so naive in the face of Chastity's flirting wasn't funny.

"Friends?" he heard himself ask. Castiel nodded slowly, then frowned.

"Are we not friends?" Cas asked. Dean felt the momentary urge to bang his head against the table. No wonder this hadn't felt much like a regular date and there hadn't been footsie or smoldering looks; Castiel hadn't known. He hadn't thought of this as a date, just two friends going out together.

His decision to not mention the gay porn suddenly made a lot more sense.

Chastity's look of realization had turned to one of sympathy. Dean scowled at her and she looked away.

"Dean?"

Dean looked at Cas. Castiel looked very much like a puppy just then, one that had just discovered its reflection in a mirror and wasn't quite certain what to make of it. Dean felt his mouth move before he had picked out what he wanted to say.

"Yeah, of course we're friends," he said. Castiel's expression immediately lightened and he gave Dean a small smile. Dean wanted to kick himself. He forced himself to smile back and turned to Chastity. "Separate checks, please."

The waitress nodded and left.

Dean sighed and looked at his mug. It was still half-full. He picked it up and drank the rest in one long gulp.

He should have made it clear that this was a date. He couldn't very well take his words back now: 'No, we're not friends, I just want to get into your pants'. For one, it made Dean sound like a dick who only thought about one thing, and for another Cas was probably naive enough not to understand what Dean was talking about. He'd probably offer to tell Dean what store he used and what brand he bought, if Dean liked his trousers so much.

Revealing that this was supposed to be a date might kill whatever this was that they had going on, be it friendship or fraternity. To Dean's surprise, he actually liked Cas, beyond just his voice; he didn't want to lose what they had built tonight. If Cas wanted to be just friends, then they'd be just friends.

He’d have to jerk himself off at home after they hung out, but they’d be ‘just friends’ nonetheless.

A niggling voice at the back of his head reminded him of those stares he had been getting from Castiel all night long, but those were painfully easy to dismiss in the face of Cas's naivety. It could just be the way the guy stared at everyone, or it could be him trying to figure Dean out. Nothing to do with wanting to get Dean between the sheets.

Damnit.

"Is something wrong, Dean?" Castiel asked. Dean looked up from the table and forced another smile onto his face.

"Nope, nothing's wrong," he replied. "Everything's just peachy."

Castiel nodded slowly, head tilted slightly like he wasn't sure whether or not to take what Dean had said at face value. Apparently, Cas was not only naive, but didn't understand sarcasm either.
Chastity returned with the checks. Dean was tempted to ask her to add a shot of whiskey onto his, but he had to drive home and the check was already brought. He'd have to suffer his low level of inebriation until he could get back to his apartment. Then, of course, all bets were off and he could bitch about his shitty luck to Jack Daniels.

Heading to Sidetrack and attempting to pick someone up did cross his mind, but he doubted he'd be able to manage. This date going south had soured his mood too much for him to be properly charming and he had the sinking feeling that he would compare anyone he brought home tonight to his fantasies of Castiel. He'd be a lousy lay and it wouldn't be fair to whoever was dumb enough to go home with him when he was clearly distracted.

He sighed and pulled some money out of his wallet, enough to cover dinner, drinks, and the tip. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Castiel hand over a credit card. Dean stared down at the table top and picked at a small gouge in the wood with his nails, leg jiggling with his desire to leave.

"Are you certain you're all right?" Castiel asked. Dean nodded, not looking up from the table.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he said. It wasn't really a lie. He'd go home, put in his favorite Casa Erotica, have some whiskey, give Dean Junior some tender loving care, and call it a night. He'd get over this obsession with Castiel's voice and everything would be just peachy.

He was getting Cas's friendship out of this not-date, though, so maybe things really would be just fine. Dean had few friends as it was and he could use another one. He could see Castiel becoming something like a second Sam, a third brother to round out the Winchester family, though Dean would always put Sammy first. He could still be close to Cas, even if it wasn't the way he had wanted or had envisioned.

He looked up and managed a real smile at Castiel this time.

"Really, I'm fine. I had fun tonight." Dean chuckled a bit. It was such a Hollywood, end-of-first-date thing to say. "We should hang out again soon. You watch sports? We could meet at the Roadhouse and watch the game on Sunday."

Castiel tilted his head back, considering.

"We close the shop on Sundays," he said slowly. "I usually attend morning Mass, so I'll be free by the evening."

"Is that a 'yes'?" Dean asked, half-teasing. It sounded like Cas went to church regularly, most likely every Sunday. The likelihood that Cas was actually straight increased. Dean knew that it wasn't a for-sure thing, but most people he knew that went to church regularly tended to be hetero.

Odd that he wrote gay porn in his spare time, but maybe it was a job of some sort? He’d said that the writing was a hobby and that he wasn’t paid, but then again he hadn’t said a single word about his Jimmy Novak account.

Castiel nodded seriously.

"Yes, Dean. I'd like to see you on Sunday for the game."

"Awesome. It's a da-" Dean shook his head and cleared his throat. "It'll be fun. I'll see you on Sunday at the Roadhouse. Is five o'clock okay?" The kickoff wasn't until seven, but tables filled up fast and Ellen couldn't just turn away paying customers.

"That would be fine," Cas said. Dean spied Chastity coming back with Castiel's credit card and his receipts. Since this wasn't a date, he was under no obligation to stay while Castiel paid for his meal. He didn't need to walk the other man to his car, or lead him to the Impala and bring him back to Dean's apartment, give him the five-second grand tour before leading him to the bedroom and laying him down-

Dean banished the thought from his head before it could take root. He could entertain those fantasies when he was home, not right now.

"Great, I'll see you then," he said, sliding off the bench on his side of the booth just as Chastity walked up. He nodded politely at her and she grinned sympathetically in response.

"Have a nice night," she told him.

"Thanks, you too," he replied. Chastity turned to Castiel and gave him the receipts, indicating which one was his to keep and which he needed to sign. Castiel didn't seem to be paying attention. His eyes were fixed on Dean.

"Goodbye, Dean. I will see you on Sunday," he said. Dean nodded, his own eyes caught and held by Castiel's. He couldn't bring himself to look away.

"Yeah... definitely," he heard himself say. Castiel finally looked at the receipts the waitress had handed him and Dean was free. He turned away and walked towards the door, mentally throttling himself. He could get this under control by Sunday. If he wanted to be able to content himself with Castiel's friendship, the quicker he nipped this obsession in the bud, the better.

LINE BREAK

"Sam?" Dean called out as he walked into the apartment. He flicked the lights on, illuminating the living room/kitchen/dining area that formed the main part of their two-bedroom apartment. He saw a small note on the table and headed over to it.

'At Jessica's for the night,' it read, in Sam's handwriting. Dean remembered Sammy saying something about sleeping over at his girlfriend's house. It was a relief; with Sam out of the way, he could watch Casa Erotica in peace and not worry about Sam bitching at him for watching it in the living room. It wasn't like Dean had a laptop of his own or a TV in his room he could watch his tapes on.

Dean crumpled up the note and tossed it in the kitchen garbage can on his way to his room to pick out something to watch. Listening to Castiel all night had desensitized him to the power of the man's voice somewhat, but there was still a healthy throb of arousal just beneath the surface of his skin. It wouldn't take much to get him hard.

Dean walked through the open doorway to his room and picked his way over piles of dirty laundry. He knelt next to his bed and reached underneath for the shoebox that housed some of his Casa Erotica tapes. He had at least three boxes for that series alone, but they were all good. He'd just take his favorite of whichever box met his hand first.

His hand met cardboard and he pulled it out, grinning when he saw which one it was. The orange Nike box was the one he had put his absolute favorites in. It was only a small stroke of luck, but it was something. Dean flipped open the top and thought briefly before digging out Casa Erotica 12. He shoved the shoebox back underneath his bed and grabbed a half-empty bottle of lube from his nightstand drawer before heading back to the living room and the TV. He popped the tape into the VHS player and set the lubricant next to his spot on the couch before heading to the bathroom and grabbing a box of Kleenex. Sam would pull the ultimate bitchface if Dean stained the couch.

Dean settled himself on his spot on the couch and grabbed the remote from where it rested on the arm. He fastforwarded through the tape to the good stuff, a lecherous grin breaking out over his face as he hit 'play'.

What little plot the tape did have was mostly about Father Christopher questioning his faith in God. Dean wasn't entirely sure, he'd only sat through the two minutes of plot exposition once. Naturally, a she-devil showed up to tempt the priest and, this being porn, she tempted him with her body. Dean was of the opinion that any God that didn't allow a guy some leeway when presented with someone who looked like that - long dark hair, full lips, gorgeous curves - was a total asshole.

Dean ran a hand over the front of his jeans as he listened to Father Christopher's protests turn to moans as the she-devil knelt before him and opened up his pants. The priest's hands came down on her head, tangling in her hair and urging her to take him deeper.

Dean groaned in time with Father Christopher, his jeans becoming uncomfortably tight. He unbuckled his belt and unzipped his pants before shoving both his pants and his underwear down to mid-thigh. He settled back onto the couch, shivering a bit at the contact of use-worn material touched his backside. Dean uncapped the lubricant tube and squirted some onto his palm before running a hand over his semi-hard length, imagining himself in place of the priest onscreen. He imagined that his back was up against a wall, any wall, anywhere, and his hands were buried in soft, dark hair. Full lips were stretched wide around him, tongue working him expertly as passion-darkened blue eyes stared into him and saw through everything-

Dean opened his eyes, bringing himself abruptly out of the fantasy and attempting to banish the image of Castiel on his knees from his mind. Fantasizing about Cas would not help him stop fantasizing about Cas.

He just needed to watch a little bit more of the tape. That would drive the other man from his mind. The best part was about to start.

Dean watched as an angel appeared on screen, wearing a dress that would have been modest if it had been opaque and if it didn't have slits up the sides to her hips. The devil and the angel 'fought' over the priest, mostly by attacking each other with lips, teeth, and tongues.

Dean leaned forward on the couch, stroking himself with his lubed hand while his eyes stayed glued to the screen. He kept his touch gentle, not desperate for release yet. The devil had control and was stripping the angel while Father Christopher pulled at the devil's clothes.

There was nothing not hot about two nearly-naked women making out. Dean watched as the angel took control and forced the devil up on the altar. He added a little twist to his wrist at the end of every stroke, body burning with heat. The devil beckoned the priest forward and he came, standing just behind the angel as she bent over.

Dean groaned and leaned back on the couch, spreading his legs wider to accommodate his hand better as the angel on the screen widened her stance to accommodate the priest. He stroked himself faster, harder, running his thumb over the now-leaking tip every so often.

He groped for the Kleenex with his free hand, yanking one free of the box and holding it at the ready. He shut his eyes and allowed himself to fantasize about being the priest in the videotape, buried balls-deep in a beautiful angel. His hips jerked into the motions of his hand, pressure building low in his belly as the fantasy began to take hold. She was tight and hot around him, insides slick, and she was begging for it.

'Please...' Soft mewls, body rocking back against him. 'I want you inside me. I need it, please, Dean...'

Her voice morphed in his mind, starting off light and feminine but ending deep and husky, sending shivers up Dean's spine.

No, no... he was thinking about the chick in the video. He wasn't picturing a body with hard planes, he was imagining one with soft curves. Long blonde hair with a hint of a curl, not slightly spiky, short, dark hair that was the perfect length to curl his fingers into. He wasn't sure what color the angel's eyes in the video were, but he'd take brown or green or red, anything but blue.

Dean heard the angel on the screen cry out with surprise and pleasure. He could picture the scene, he'd seen it so many times he didn't need to open his eyes. The angel was now on the priest's lap on the altar, the priest holding her around the waist and his dick buried in her ass. The she-devil was now completely naked and was in-between the angel's legs, tongue and three fingers working her open while Father Christopher rocked into her from behind.

Dean imagined fucking Castiel in a church, bending him over the altar and thrusting into him, one hand stroking Cas's cock and the other holding onto his hip. Cas would look blissed out, the same moans and cries issuing from his lips that Dean had memorized from the cassette tapes.

'Dean...' And that sound, the sound of Cas calling his name. It wasn't something he had ever heard, not in that tone, but he could imagine how it would sound if Castiel cried out at the moment he hit his peak.

"Cas..." Dean moaned, trying to keep the motions of his hand steady as pleasure threatened to overtake him. His hips bucked helplessly forward and he could feel his balls tightening with imminent release.

High, feminine cries of pleasure issued from the TV, but Dean was beyond hearing them. All he could hear were deep groans and breathy, husky pleas as Castiel moved against him, taking Dean deeper into his body. Immersed in his fantasy, Dean no longer felt his hand around him, but instead the heat of his palm was the heat of Castiel's body. His fingers were Castiel's inner walls and the lube on them was what he had used to gently coax the muscles open, stretching and preparing Castiel until he was relaxed enough to allow Dean inside of him and begging for Dean to fill him.

'Ah, Dean-!'

Dean came with a choked cry of Castiel's name, vision whiting out.

He took a deep breath as he slowly came down from his high, body still shaking from the pleasure. He wadded up the used tissue and grabbed a new one to wipe up the little bit extra that had gotten on his hand and stomach. Dean arched up and pulled his underwear and pants back up, tucking himself back into his clothing before zipping up and refastening his belt with trembling hands.

On screen, the she-devil and the angel had teamed up and were now dominating the priest. Dean stopped the tape and hit 'rewind' on the remote before pushing himself up off the couch. His legs were a bit unsteady beneath him, but by the time he made it to the kitchen, he was firm on his feet. Dean was a bit lethargic from the orgasm, but the afterglow hadn't stuck around.

He sighed as he dug in the cabinet for the remainder of his bottle of Jack.

He would get over this by Sunday. He had to.

LINE BREAK

Sam took one look at his face the next morning and started snickering. Dean glared at him over his frosted flakes, not saying a word as Sam dropped his overnight bag next to his chair and walked into the kitchen.

"I take it you got rejected by everyone you tried to pick up? The old Winchester charm not working for you anymore, Dean?" Sam asked, grabbing his healthy, granola-based cereal out of the cabinet. Dean took another bite of his cereal defiantly.

"Still works fine, just couldn't find anyone worth it," he replied. Sam sighed. Dean could hear the sound of dishes clinking as Sam got a bowl from the cabinet.

"I'm happy with Jessica, you know," Sam said casually. Dean tensed. He recognized that tone. "Haven't you ever thought about-"

"No," Dean said shortly. He wasn't the type to settle down, plain and simple. The longest relationship he'd managed had lasted two weeks before Cassie couldn't handle his 'unhealthy brother-fixation' anymore, and no one came before Sam. He'd contented himself with one-night or two-night stands ever since; hell, he enjoyed his lifestyle. "Eat your rabbit food. I'll see you after work."

"Dean-" Sam started to say, but Dean abandoned his bowl on the table, grabbed his jacket, and headed out.

LINE BREAK

Sunday finally rolled around and Dean was still not over it. He'd gone to Sidetrack the night before, hoping to find someone to release some tension with, but had only been there thirty minutes when he realized that he was comparing every guy in the place to Castiel. He'd mentally rejected every man in there as a possible bedmate for the night because they were too blond, their hair too long, too short, their eyes too green, too brown, their skin too tanned, or too pale. Once he realized that he was just looking for a replacement for Castiel, he'd left.

He still had time. As long as Castiel didn't figure out that Dean wanted him, Dean would be free to fantasize about him and pursue Cas's friendship. He could totally keep the two separate. Given how naive Cas was, it wasn't likely that he'd figure out Dean's feelings any time soon.

Dean briefly wondered if it made him an asshole, to seek Cas's friendship in public and jerk off to thoughts of him behind closed doors, or if it made him the sorriest bastard on the face of the earth, to seek to be in the other man's 'friend zone' for eternity. He decided it didn't bother him, since he couldn't change his course no matter how hard he tried.

He pulled up to the Roadhouse at ten to five, noting with some surprise that Castiel's silver convertible was already parked in the lot. He'd hoped to have the chance to talk to Ellen and Jo before Cas arrived. Jo now knew that Dean was a bit flexible in regards to sex partners and he didn't want her letting it slip to Cas that Dean's aim in getting his phone number had been a date. Ellen had probably always had her suspicions about Dean's sexuality and if Jo had mentioned anything to her, Ellen was sure to stick her nose in at some point tonight.

Hopefully one of them hadn't already said something damning to Castiel.

Dean hurriedly locked up the Impala and headed into the Roadhouse. He could tell from how full the parking lot was that business must be pretty good, though it would pick up to booming in short order. It always did when a game was on.

He opened the door and hear the familiar bell jangle its welcome. Ellen was nowhere in sight, but instead Ash was behind the bar serving drinks. Jo was playing the part of hostess and she smiled when she spotted him.

"Hey, Jo," Dean said as she walked over.

"Hey yourself," she replied. "I just seated Mr. Collins and his friend a few minutes ago. They said they were expecting you."

"'Friend'?" Dean repeated, feeling the bottom drop out of his stomach. Sure, this wasn't a date, but he had been looking forward to getting to spend some more time with Cas. Did Cas feel like he needed a third person along as protection or a buffer?

Jo shrugged.

"No idea. Mr. Collins called him 'Gabriel', I think."

Dean heaved a sigh, equal parts relief and resignation. Better a brother than a friend, but it would be best if Cas had brought no one at all.

"He said he had a brother by that name," he said. "Guess Cas must have brought him along to watch the game."

Jo raised an eyebrow.

"'Cas', huh?" she said teasingly. "And he's already introducing you to his family. Don't you usually head for the hills before this point?" Dean scowled. Jo looked surprised and then her expression morphed into equal parts contrition and concern. "Dean?"

"We're just friends, Jo," he said. He shook his head and chuckled unhappily. "He thought I asked for his number so we could hang out and be best buds. What was I supposed to tell him?"

"The truth?" Jo offered. Dean gave her a Look. She winced sympathetically. "Here, I'll get you a drink and show you to the table. First beer is on the house."

"Thanks," Dean said. He followed her to the bar and stood back a few feet while she chatted with Ash. Ash grinned at him and nodded in greeting, which Dean returned. Ash quickly filled a glass from the tap and handed it over to Jo, who took it and motioned for Dean to follow her. Dean did so, trailing after her through the small maze of tables, half of which were already occupied to capacity, before Jo finally stopped at one of the few booths in the Roadhouse. Cas was already sitting down with another man next to him - Gabriel, Dean assumed. Dean sized him up. Gabriel was short with hair long enough to almost rival Sam's. His sideburns were less extreme, though. His nose was a bit pointy and his mouth seemed to be fixed in a permanent smirk, which widened upon seeing Dean.

"You must be Dean," he said. Castiel looked up from the table as Dean slid onto the bench across from him. Jo set his beer down in front of him and he picked it up before answering. Jo walked off, headed back to the front.

"I take it you're Gabriel?" he said. He didn't wait for Gabriel's answer, but looked at Cas and smiled. "Hey, Castiel. Glad to see you could make it." He took a sip of his beer.

"I apologize for not warning you that my brother would be coming," Cas said. "He heard where I was going and wanted to come along."

Dean opened his mouth to tell Cas that it wasn't a problem, nope, not at all, when Gabriel beat him to the punch.

"Of course he doesn't mind, bro!" Gabriel said. "Besides, after everything you told me about him, of course I had to-"

"Gabriel," Castiel said warningly, looking at his older brother sternly. Gabriel shut his mouth and mimed zipping it closed before locking it and throwing away the key. Dean watched them quizzically, wondering what exactly Cas had told his brother about Dean. Had some part of Cas's brain picked up on the fact that Dean wanted to get him horizontal? Even if Cas himself hadn't realized it, if he had mentioned something to Gabriel and Gabriel had decided to tag along to defend his younger brother's virtue...

Dean snorted and shook his head. Now he was just being silly.

"So, he's mentioned me?" Dean said, more than a little curious. Gabriel lifted his eyebrows and nodded enthusiastically. Castiel looked straight ahead, not at Dean but rather at a point behind his right ear. He seemed tense and Dean frowned, about to ask him what was wrong when Cas spoke.

"I said that you had fixed my car and that we had gotten drinks," he said shortly, clearly intending to end the conversation there. "Gabriel is always interested in meeting new friends of mine."

Dean nodded, letting it go. He wasn't going to pry where he obviously wasn't welcome.

"So, you guys order yet?" Dean asked, noticing the lack of menus on the table. Castiel and Gabriel both shook their heads.

"Nope, we were waiting for you," Gabriel said. "Now that you're here... I'll go ask the hostess for some menus." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively. "Wish me luck."

Gabriel slid off of the bench and sauntered off towards the front of the Roadhouse, where Jo was standing and waiting for the inevitable pre-game rush. Dean watched him warily, eyes narrowed with protectiveness even though he knew Jo could fend off any unwanted advances. It was his big-brother instinct kicking in. No matter that Gabriel was related to Castiel, Dean barely knew the guy.

"You're not going to stop him?" Cas asked softly. Dean looked back at him, bewildered.

"Stop him?" he asked. It clicked. "Oh, you mean stop him from hitting on Jo?"

Castiel nodded, tilting his head and watching Dean searchingly. Dean chuckled and shook his head.

"No. Jo can handle it herself." Bobby had made sure of that. Ellen had trained her daughter a bit before she had even met Bobby, but Bobby had made damn certain that his stepdaughter would be able to handle any asshole that came her way. If Jo's sharp tongue didn't do the trick, a well-placed punch or kick would.

Cas nodded slowly, realization dawning in his eyes.

"You must have a lot of faith in her," he said. Dean frowned and opened his mouth to ask what Cas meant by that, but was interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Well, hello there, stranger."

Dean turned, grin already breaking out on his face. Ellen stood at the end of the table, one eyebrow raised and her hands on her hips.

"You weren't going to eat here and not say 'hello' to me, were you, Dean Winchester?" she asked pointedly.

"Ellen, it's great to see you," he replied. "Of course I wasn't going to leave without saying 'hello'." He would've liked to talk to her alone, just in case Jo had mentioned something about his 'date', but too late now.

"I don't understand," Cas said suddenly. Dean and Ellen both looked at him. Cas had a puzzled frown on his face. "Why did she call you 'stranger'? I thought you said that she was a friend of the family?"

Dean winced, hoping Ellen wouldn't take how he had described her to Cas as an insult. Ellen just laughed, much to his surprise.

"'Friend of the family', huh?" she drawled, glancing back at Dean. "I like to think of myself more like an aunt or a second mother to Dean and Sam." Her voice dropped before she continued, low with sympathy and regret. "Though I'll never be able to replace their real mom." There was a beat of heavy silence, during which Dean looked down at the table, and then Ellen changed the subject.

"So, what's your name again? I don't think we were properly introduced the last time you were here," she said, looking back at Cas. Dean coughed, drawing their attention back to himself.

"Ellen, this is Castiel. Cas, this is Ellen," he said, nodding at them in turn.

"Good to meet you," Ellen said, putting her hand out for Castiel to shake.

"Likewise," Cas replied, grabbing her hand and shaking it twice, firmly, before pulling away.

"I take it you boys are here for the game. Get your orders in as soon as you can, or it'll be a while before you get your food. We're starting to fill up," Ellen said, glancing around the Roadhouse. Dean and Castiel followed her gaze. There did seem to be fewer empty tables, mostly around the edges of the room where it was difficult to see the TVs. "I have to head back to the bar, but Dean, I don't want it to be another month before I see you in here again. I want to hear from you, not have to hear everything secondhand from Bobby or Jo. Understand?"

Dean nodded.

"Yeah, I got it," he said. Ellen half-smiled at him and left. There were another few beats of silence and then Castiel spoke.

"You called me 'Cas'," he said wonderingly. Dean scratched at the back of his neck.

"Sorry?" he said. "If you don't like it, I can just call you 'Castiel'." He liked the shortened version of Cas's name, though. It rolled off of his tongue much easier.

"No, it's fine. I like it," Cas said. Dean relaxed. Castiel frowned again. "I still don't understand why Ellen called you 'stranger'."

"Dude, do you really not know how to recognize teasing when you hear it?" Dean asked, chuckling. He took another sip of his beer. "She was teasing me."

"Gabriel says that I am incapable of picking up on sarcasm or teasing," Castiel admitted, looking down at the table. Dean grinned softly.

"Well then, I'll just have to teach you how to recognize it," Dean said, the barest hint of a question in his voice. It was an offer, not a command. Cas looked up and half-smiled at him, though there was a hint of frustration in his eyes.

"Gabriel says that, too. He's been trying to teach me to recognize it for ages, though he still tells me I'm hopeless," he said.

"Well, hang around with me some more," Dean said, feeling a jolt of excitement at the prospect. He tried to keep what he was feeling from his voice. "I speak fluent sarcasm. You'll be able to recognize it in no time."

Some of the frustration bled from Castiel's eyes and his lips quirked up in a full smile.

"I'd like that," he said. Dean felt a flutter of heat in his chest and ruthlessly squelched it, but he couldn't escape Castiel's eyes. For a second, staring at Cas's baby blues, Dean was struck by the urge to just lean over the table and-

The moment was shattered by the arrival of Gabriel. He dropped two menus onto the table, the noise breaking Dean out of his trance, and slid onto the bench next to Cas with a third menu in his hand. He was rubbing his cheek with his other, over a faint red mark.

"Well, everyone here's just so friendly," Gabriel said, wincing theatrically. Dean laughed, pieces falling into place. He'd be willing to bet that the red mark was the exact size and shape of Jo's palm.

"Now, you see that?" he asked Castiel, pointing at Gabriel. "That was sarcasm." He took another sip of his beer and turned to Gabriel. "Don't take it too hard, pal. You're not her type."

"Oh, really?" Gabriel said, gaze suddenly intent. "What exactly is her 'type', then... you?" His voice wasn't the least bit accusatory, but it was searching. For what, Dean had no idea. Gabriel wanted to prove something with his question, though what he wanted to prove or to who, Dean hadn't the foggiest.

"Me?" he said, leaning back on the bench and giving Gabriel his cockiest smirk. "I am everyone's type." He had no idea what Gabriel was driving at, but it was better to play it safe, just in case things went bad. If Castiel figured out that Dean wanted him and if Castiel was bothered by it in some way, either disgusted or angry, Dean could always claim that he was dating someone. Jo would probably play along, if he asked her.

He was assuming, of course, that his attraction to Cas would last that long, long enough for it to be a problem. It wouldn't. Definitely not.

He took a long sip of his beer.

"I did tell you not to do that," Castiel muttered to Gabriel. Gabriel shrugged and flipped open his menu.

"Had to try, little bro," he said. "You'll never know if you don't try." Gabriel's words seemed to hold a second meaning for Castiel, who drew away from him as though electrocuted. Dean looked from one brother to the other, briefly wishing that he had brought Sam with him. Then he could have super-secretive half conversations with his brother that left his dinner partners in the dark. Hell, Sam was smart, he'd probably be able to translate the half-conversation Gabriel and Cas were having.

On second thought, Sam was smart and would probably figure out that Dean was attracted to Cas. Better that Sam stayed home. Dean didn't need this rubbed in his face or Sam encouraging him to go for it. He wasn't sure which was worse.

Castiel opened up his menu, studiously not looking at Gabriel.

"You said that the cheeseburgers were good here?" Cas asked, more for confirmation than out of curiosity. He didn't look at Dean, and so Dean's nod went unnoticed.

"Yeah, they're excellent," Dean said. He toyed with the edge of the menu Gabriel had brought for him, already ready to order. He wouldn't be surprised if Jo had ordered the cook to begin making his the moment she had realized that he was coming.

"You're not going to look at the menu?" Gabriel asked, peeking over the top of his menu. "Know it that well, do you?"

"I know what I like," Dean replied, shrugging. "Jo's probably already told the cook I'm here."

"She orders for you, is that-" Gabriel started, raising his eyebrow.

"Dean has certain food items he usually gets when he eats here," Castiel interrupted. "It was how I was able to choose what to bring him when he worked on my car."

The two brothers stared each other down for a moment. Dean looked from one to the other, annoyance and frustration warring with his confusion. Finally, Gabriel broke the staring contest.

"Well." He turned away from Cas, folded up his menu, and set it down. "I know what I'm getting. Hope the steaks here are good."

"Everything here is good," Dean told him, a bit defensively. Gabriel dismissed him with a wave of his hand.

"No need to take it personally, I didn't mean anything by it." He turned to Castiel. "Know what you want yet?"

Castiel nodded and folded up his menu as well. As though that had been some kind of signal, their waitress appeared at the end of their table.

"Hello, my name is Stephanie and I'll be your server tonight," she said, taking a pen and a pad of paper out of her apron pocket. She flipped her brown, braided hair over her shoulder and smiled apologetically. "Sorry about the wait. What can I get for you?"

"I'll have a strawberry margarita," Gabriel said. "To eat, I'd like the eight ounce ribeye with a baked sweet potato on the side. Some honey barbeque sauce, too. Can I get extra caramelized onions on the steak?"

"Sure, can do," Stephanie said, marking it down. "How would you like your steak cooked and what toppings on the potato?"

"Medium. Brown sugar and sour cream for the sweet potato," Gabriel said. "For dessert, I'd like the ice cream sundae, heavy on the fudge and whipped cream. Could you bring that out with dinner?"

"With dinner?" the waitress repeated, surprised. She recovered quickly. "Sure. And for you?" She addressed her question to Castiel.

"I'd like the Roadhouse burger," Cas replied. "No pickles, please. And an iced tea."

"Got it." Another note on the pad. "It comes with fries and your choice of baked apples or coleslaw on the side."

"Colesl-"

"He'll take the apples," Gabriel interjected, grinning. Dean scowled at him.

"Hey, it ain't your dinner," he said. "Let Cas get the coleslaw if he wants it."

"'Cas'?" Gabriel echoed, raising an eyebrow. He turned to Castiel, smirking. "Aw, Cassie, he's already got a pet name for you! And he's so protective..."

Cas tensed and looked down at the table. Dean glared.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he demanded, chills snaking down his back. Gabriel didn't know how Dean felt, did he? Had Cas actually noticed something and mentioned it to his brother without realizing what it meant? Or was Dean just horribly transparent?

Or was Gabriel simply trying for some innocent teasing and Dean was just paranoid?

Gabriel looked at him for a moment, the same intent look Dean had noticed earlier, and then he smiled triumphantly. Dean's stomach dropped.

"I just think it's cute, the crush-" Gabriel started to say, and Dean's heart flipped into overdrive. That smug bastard knew, God knows how.

"He'll take the coleslaw," Dean said loudly, attempting to drown Gabriel out.

"I'll take the apples," Castiel said, at the exact same time and at the same volume as Dean. Dean and Cas stared at each other for a moment.

"The apples-" Cas started.

"The coleslaw-" Dean said, simultaneously. Gabriel laughed.

"Could you two be any more married, or what?" he asked. Dean and Cas both glared at him in unison and that sent Gabriel into another wave of hysterics. Dean shook his head, heart pounding in his chest and palms sweaty from nerves. Hopefully Cas would just ignore Gabriel and Dean's secret could stay secret a little longer. How the short fucker had figured it out so quickly, Dean had no idea.

He waved his hand vaguely in Castiel's direction, ceding the floor and the order to him. Castiel nodded and looked at the waitress, who was staring at all of them with a faintly bemused expression.

"The apples, please," Cas said. Stephanie nodded and wrote it down.

"If you're sure..." she said slowly, waiting for Castiel's nod before she turned to Dean. "Dean, your usual?"

"As always," he confirmed, forcing out a grin. "What kind of pie is it today?"

"Strawberry-rhubarb," Stephanie answered. Dean's grin became a little less forced and a bit more real.

"Sounds good to me," he said. The waitress smiled back, nodded, and collected their menus before leaving. Dean picked up his beer and took another long sip of it, shooting a worried glance at Cas and a pointed glare at Gabriel. Gabriel smirked in response.

"So, now that we're all settled," he said. "How about we get to know each other a little better?" He chuckled and leaned back on the bench, reaching into his pocket and absently pulling out a piece of hard candy. "Well, Dean and I can get to know one another. I know you two already talked plenty on your date a few days ago."

Dean slammed his beer down on the table, ready to tell Gabriel to shut the hell up, but Cas was already a step ahead of him.

"Gabriel," Castiel said warningly. "We had a deal."

Gabriel shut his mouth, but he was still smirking.

"A deal?" Dean asked, looking over at Cas. The longer this night went on, the more convinced Dean was that Cas had to be straight. Why else would he get so annoyed with his brother for calling his and Dean's get-together for drinks a 'date'? Sure, it hadn't been one, but as teasing went, calling it a date was fairly harmless. The only reason Dean could think of for Cas to get so annoyed was that he was a heterosexual guy trying to defend his masculinity. Considering that Gabriel had called him 'Cassie', it was probably an uphill battle.

Or Cas was, like Dean, resentful that the outing wasn't a date and was annoyed with Gabriel for rubbing his face in it, but Dean was not nearly that lucky.

Castiel's eyes flicked to Dean and then down at the table. Gabriel opened up his hard candy noisily and popped it into his mouth.

"My brother enjoys teasing people," Cas said. "Please don't pay any attention to him. He promised me that he would behave himself if I allowed him to come along."

At least it seemed like Castiel wasn't putting any stock in what Gabriel was saying. Dean breathed a little easier.

"No problem, I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it," he said, taking another sip of his beer. He was not nearly drunk enough for how he was feeling right now. "And hey, you're already making progress. You can recognize teasing when you hear it."

Castiel's lips quirked up and Dean couldn't help but grin in response.

"You two..." Gabriel said, shaking his head with fond exasperation. He crunched down on his candy, chewed, and swallowed. "Ah, that's sweet."

Not sure if Gabriel was remarking on the taste of the candy or if he was teasing Dean again despite having just been warned not to, Dean decided to let it pass.

Stephanie returned and handed out drinks to the silent table. Dean lifted his beer for a refill and Stephanie whisked it away wordlessly.

"So, Dean, Cas tells me you're a mechanic," Gabriel said, then took a sip of his margarita. "Any other hobbies?"

Dean looked at him warily. Gabriel returned his gaze with an expression of wounded innocence.
"What? A guy can't make small talk now?"

If the guy was Gabriel then no, no he couldn't, Dean thought privately. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Castiel doing that intent, soul-deep stare again. They hadn't gotten around to talking about hobbies last time, so Dean heaved and sigh and decided he could answer. Not to satisfy Gabriel's curiosity, but to satisfy Cas's.

"I don't have too many hobbies," he said. He'd never had the time. "I watch football when I get the chance. I hunt on the weekends sometimes. I go camping with my brother. I restore old cars, when I have the time and the money."

"Ah, real outdoorsman, then. Hunting, camping... real manly-man kind of hobbies. Restoring cars and all that," Gabriel said. "Real opposite of my brother, like yin and yang."

"Really," Dean said flatly, turning deliberately to Castiel. "So, Cas, what do you do for fun?"

"I enjoy reading," Cas said, fiddling with his straw. "As I mentioned at our last meeting, I write as well. Those take up most of my time, when I'm not at the shop." Cas shrugged. "When the weather is good, I like to go kite flying."

"Kite flying, huh?" Dean said, smiling a bit. He could picture Cas, all serious and in his business suit, staring blankly at a downed kite and asking it to fly. He chuckled at the image. "Sounds like fun."

"He also enjoys candlelit dinners and long walks," Gabriel piped up. Cas tensed and Dean turned back to Gabriel, fuming. He knew that Cas had invited the guy along, and that Gabriel was Cas's brother, but if he didn't cut that shit out right now-

Well, Dean wasn't entirely sure what he'd do, but Gabriel wouldn't like it. It would probably involve bloody knuckles and a broken nose. It would be one thing if he was just rubbing Dean's nose in it, but he was clearly making Cas uncomfortable.

Gabriel didn't seem to be paying Dean any attention, however. His gaze had moved to Castiel, one eyebrow raised curiously.

"You told Dean that you write? Did you tell him what you write?" Gabriel prodded. Cas didn't meet Gabriel's eyes and the shorter man sighed. "Cassie..."

"Look, he told me enough," Dean snapped. "Why don't you back off?"

He was perfectly aware of what Cas wrote, though neither Cas nor Gabriel knew that.

"Oh? He did, did he?" Gabriel asked, turning to Dean. "Have you read any of it yet?"

"Gabriel, that's enough," Cas said, narrowing his eyes at his brother. Gabriel ignored him.

"Have you listened to-"

"I haven't read anything yet, but that's because I know jack shit about FictionPress," Dean said, cutting him off. "If Cas tells me how to find him on there, then I would."

Gabriel's eyes widened in disbelief. He turned back to Castiel.

"FictionPress? You told him about your FictionPress account?"

It was Castiel's turn to ignore his brother. He was staring at Dean in surprise, blue eyes impossibly wide and soft lips parted.

"Really?" he asked Dean. "You didn't mention reading as one of your hobbies..." His voice trailed off uncertainly, eyes still wide. Dean couldn't refuse eyes like that.

"I'll take it up," he promised. He winced internally, wondering how'd he'd hide his new hobby from Sam, but then Cas gave him a small smile and he couldn't regret promising.

"Look, Dean," Gabriel said, breaking back into the conversation. "If you really want to see my brother's best work, look up Jimmy No-"

"Please excuse my brother and I for a moment," Cas said hurriedly, shoving Gabriel off of the bench so quickly that he nearly faceplanted on the floor.

"Hey, what gives? I was only trying to help," Gabriel said indignantly, head turned to glare petulantly at Castiel as Cas shoved him towards the front of the Roadhouse.

"You are not helping..." Cas said, barely audible as he pushed his brother further and further from the table. Dean watched them go, confused.

What on Earth was Gabriel trying to help Cas with that required telling Dean about his Jimmy Novak account?

Cas shoved Gabriel out the doors of the Roadhouse and followed. The doors had glass panels large enough for Dean to see what was going on, even if he couldn't hear a thing due to distance and background noise in the now-crowded restaurant. Gabriel and Cas were standing a few feet from each other, facing each other and clearly having some kind of an argument. Gabriel seemed to be trying to convince Cas of something; he kept gesturing towards the doors and trying to approach Cas, one arm outstretched as if to lay an encouraging hand on his shoulder. Cas kept on sidestepping him, his arms held stiffly at his sides. His responses to Gabriel's near-monologue were short and curt, as far as Dean could tell, and Gabriel seemed to be getting more and more frustrated.

Stephanie reappeared with his beer refill and Dean absently nodded his thanks to her even as he unconsciously shifted to keep the brothers in view.

Gabriel finally threw up his hands in exasperation. Cas asked him a question, to which he shook his head, and then Gabriel stepped in, gave Castiel a lingering hug, and then he walked away.
Cas had tensed, apparently not expecting the embrace, but had stood outside for a second or two and watched his brother leave. His shoulders then slumped and he turned and walked back into the Roadhouse.

Dean instantly looked away from the doors and lifted his beer to his mouth, hoping that Cas hadn't caught him watching.

Castiel slid into the seat across from Dean, mouth set in a hard line. Dean glanced around with exaggerated casualness.

"Where's Gabriel?" he asked. Castiel's eyes flicked to Dean for a moment before Cas grabbed his iced tea and took a short sip of it through his straw. Dean tried and failed to ignore the way his cheeks hollowed out, just a little.

"My brother will not be eating with us," Cas said, releasing the straw. "I apologize for bringing him. I didn't realize that he would be so persistent."

"Hey, man, no harm done," Dean said easily, making a sweeping motion with his hands as if to knock that portion of the evening off of the table. Cas's lips quirked up in a small, grateful smile. Dean grinned back, already feeling more relaxed now that the damn shorty with too-keen eyes had left the building.

LINE BREAK

Dinner had gone well, but the game had gone horribly. The Wasps had ended up losing to the Harpies twenty-one to ten, though Dean had had fun complaining about the ref and the Wasps' new quarterback. The man had gotten sacked three times in a row in the third quarter and had been intercepted twice. Cas had nodded along with Dean and occasionally voiced a cautious opinion, though he seemed content to let Dean do most of the talking.

They'd had Gabriel's food boxed up and Cas had poured his brother's drink into two child-sized to-go cups that Ellen had found in the back.

All in all, it had been a good night and though conversation had revolved mostly around the game while it was on, Dean and Cas had had plenty of chances to talk over dessert. Dean had tucked into his pie while Cas ate the sundae that Gabriel had originally ordered. Stephanie had been nice enough to belay bringing it out until after the meal, once she saw that the man who had ordered it had left. It was mostly small talk, just about their respective jobs and hobbies, but left a pleasantly warm sensation in Dean's chest. It was like a soft, furry animal had snuggled down in-between his lungs.

The trouble came when it was time to leave. Dean didn't flinch when it came time to split the check, even though he had almost managed to forget that this wasn't a date, but once the meals were paid for and Cas and Dean had walked out to the parking lot, they found that Gabriel had left them with another gift besides the bill. Or rather, he had taken something and left a big, gaping problem in its place.

The other people that had come out to the Roadhouse for the game had already left by the time Dean and Cas had finished dessert, so it was painfully obvious that there was no silver convertible in the lot. Cas looked around, dumbstruck and fumbling one-handed in his pockets for his keys. The other hand held the leftovers from dinner.

"Gabriel must have taken them when he hugged me," Cas said unhappily, taking his empty hand out of his pocket. "I thought it was strange..." He sighed and turned to Dean. "Do you know any reputable cab service in the area?"

"What, you can't just call Gabriel and have him come get you? He stranded you here and left you with the bill, you'd think it was the least he could do," Dean said indignantly. Even if Gabriel refused to show, there was no way Dean was going to leave Cas here to get a cab. The taxi service Ellen usually hired for drunks was good, but there was no need when Cas had a perfectly willing and able chauffeur already here.

"My brother and I... we argued, before he left. I have no doubt he'd encourage me to find another ride, if I call," Cas said, eyes briefly dropping to the ground.

Well, that settled it.

"Come on," Dean said, jerking his head in the direction of his beloved Impala. "I'll drive you."

Castiel's gaze jerked back up to Dean's face, eyes wide.

"No, I can't ask you to do that," Cas said. "I have enough money for a taxi and it's far out of your way."

"You didn't ask, Cas. I'm offering."

Castiel shifted in place. After a moment's hesitation, he nodded slowly.

"Then I accept. Thank you, Dean."

"Hey, what are friends for?" Dean asked plastering a smile onto his face. Friends, friend-zoned would-be lover, same thing, really. Dean thought that Castiel's expression might have clouded briefly at the use of the word 'friend', but it was gone in an instant and Dean chalked it up to wishful thinking.

They walked over to the Impala. Dean unlocked his own door first and then, after sitting down in the driver's seat, leaned over and unlocked the passenger-side door. Castiel got in and sat down gingerly, as if at any moment the car might vanish. He kept the bag with Gabriel's leftovers on his lap as he buckled his seatbelt, the motion somewhat awkward as he tried to keep the bag balanced. Dean started up the car and turned on the headlights, then carefully eased out of the parking space.

"So, Cas, where am I taking you to?" Dean asked, taking one hand off of the wheel to fiddle with the radio as he drove out of the parking lot.

"Heaven," Castiel answered as the beginning strains of a Led Zepplin song began to fill the car. Dean nearly choked, because that sounded way too much like a lame pickup line that had worked for him a time or three before. The noise he made must have sounded inquisitive, because Castiel cleared his throat and continued. "Heaven Lane, in Rockport."

"Oh," Dean said. It was quite a while out of his way, maybe a forty-minute round trip. Castiel gave him an apologetic look.

"I told you it was out of your way," he said. "We haven't gone far from the Roadhouse. If you would drop me off back there-"

"Cas, it's fine," Dean said, giving Cas a quick smile. "It is a bit far, yeah, but it's fine. I don't mind." He really didn't. A thought crossed his mind, a little voice reminding him that he'd never driven so far after a date when he knew the night wouldn't end in bed, but he shoved it aside.

"Thank you again, Dean," Cas said, settling more into his seat. He frowned slightly at the radio. Dean kept one eye on the nearly deserted road and the other on Cas's expression.

"What is it?" he asked after a few beats of nothing but music.

"What is this song?" Castiel asked, tilting his head slightly to the side.

"You don't like it?" Dean asked. If it had been Sammy in the front seat, he would have reminded him that driver picks the music and shotgun shuts his cakehole, but this was Cas.

"I am unfamiliar with it," Castiel explained. "I don't dislike it." His expression cleared, leaving only careful consideration. "I would like to hear more."

"Dude, you've never heard 'Stairway to Heaven'?" Dean asked incredulously. "Everyone's heard it. It's a classic!"

"The name sounds familiar, but the song itself-"

Dean waved a hand dismissively.

"We'll just have to add music appreciation to our lesson plan," Dean said, only half-teasing. Cas smiled faintly at him and Dean felt a little flare of something warm in his chest. He'd been experiencing a lot of those little flare-ups lately. Maybe he should see a doctor.

"That sounds good," Castiel said. "I'd like to hear more of your music, Dean."

Make that 'definitely need to see a doctor'.

LINE BREAK

"Turn here," Castiel said. Dean turned the Impala onto the driveway of an average-sized, white house with an attached garage. The garage door was closed, no doubt hiding the silver convertible from view. The front lawn, from what Dean could see in the gloom, was well-taken care of. Dean had suspected that either Cas or his brother had money upon seeing what car Cas drove, but this was pretty much a confirmation. There was a light on inside, but the house seemed to be asleep overall. The light had likely been left on as a courtesy for Castiel, so he wouldn't need to fumble around in the dark after returning home.

"Nice place," Dean commented, glancing over at Cas. Castiel nodded, unbuckling his seatbelt.

"It is home," he replied. He unlocked the car door and then hesitated. Cas turned to face Dean, an uncertain look on his face. "Would you like to come in for a drink?"

If this had been a date, Dean would have smirked and followed Castiel into his house, where they'd bypass the kitchen entirely and head straight for the bedroom. Unfortunately, in this case the offer of a drink really was an offer for a drink, and not a veiled request for Dean to strip Cas naked and pound him through the mattress.

Dean cleared his throat, ignoring the sudden throb of want in his veins.

"No, I should probably get going," he said. "Thanks, though." He wanted Cas too much to risk staying. He'd give himself away.

"Another time, then," Castiel said. He hesitated again. "I enjoyed myself tonight."

"I did, too," Dean said, smiling. "I'll call you tomorrow and we'll pick a day and time to meet again?"

Castiel finally smiled back, a barely-there upturn of his lips.

"Tomorrow, then," Cas said, opening up the door. "Goodnight, Dean. Drive safely."

"Night, Cas," Dean replied. He watched as Cas got out of the car and shut the door before heading towards the house. Dean waited until Cas was safely inside before backing out of the driveway and heading home, a smile on his face.

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