Alone Together Part II
Part I
TV was full of horror stories involving hitchhikers. Murderous strangers who pick up helpless people off the side of the road, or crazy serial murders killing kind people who offered them rides. Benny has heard every different variation of it from crime shows that played as background noise in his quiet, empty house. But when Benny had picked up two hitchhikers and it had proven to be the best decision of his life.
Dean and Castiel were a welcome addition to his life. At first, all he’d wanted was to make sure they didn’t end up another tragic story on the news. But it had been so obvious that they’d just picked up and left, too preoccupied by getting away from whatever it is that they’re running from, he couldn’t just drop them off on a street corner or a homeless shelter. Not because he was lonely, he wanted to help them. He was shocked they’d taken him up on the offer. He was an unknown alpha and they were a young beta and omega, and no one would make the connection to him if something happened to them. He’s pretty sure Dean was hesitant to accept, but they did.
It was shocking how quickly the two boys buried themselves right into his life. They kept to themselves at first, Cas hovering close to Dean, constantly giving him little touches. Benny’s not sure if he’s doing it on purpose, or if its instinctive, but he knows what that body language means; Hands off. Normally you’d only see that with an alpha and their mate, but Benny quickly learned that while Dean wasn’t actually Cas’ mate, the little beta was ferociously protective. He hadn’t known Betas could be like that, but as Benny spent more time with them it was pretty easy to guess that Cas had a reason to be so protective. Benny didn’t want to pry. Whatever was happening to them, it wasn’t any of his business. It had been bad enough for them to feel like they weren’t safe with their own families, and that was enough for him.
Benny’s only complaint was...well, it wasn’t Dean and Cas’ fault. Benny hadn’t expected that when he picked them up on the highway that he’d developed such a primal attachment to them. It was more than just wanting to take care of two kids that needed help, it was...Benny felt disgusting just thinking about what it was. He knew he couldn’t help that the alpha in him was screaming that they were his, but he still felt guilty every time they walked into the room and his brain was screaming at him to touch them, but they were just kids. Kids who were scared and running from something, and they are just finally starting to settle in. He thought he had finally gotten his urges under control when Dean walked into the kitchen smelling so goddamn sweet.
It had taken everything in him to act calmly, to not just push him against a wall and take. Benny kept thinking over and over that Dean’s just a kid, a kid going through heat in a new place with an alpha he didn’t know well enough to feel anywhere near comfortable. Benny didn’t even bother to finish eating after Dean fled from the room, he just grabbed his wallet and keys and left for the nearest motel, trying to ignore the hard-on straining his jeans. After three days sleeping in itchy motel sheets and masturbating to scenarios he doesn’t want to think about again, he finally gets a call from Cas to tell him that he can come back home.
“Oh, and Benny, could you just act...normal about all this?” Cas added before hanging up. Benny furrowed his brow.
“What do you mean by normal, brother?”
Cas sighs, “Dean is very...sensitive about his heats. He doesn’t like to talk about them. You don’t have to act like it didn’t happen, but just...don’t act like it’s a big deal, okay?”
“It isn’t a big deal, Cas. It’s something that’s perfectly natural,” Benny reminded. Cas was quiet on the other end.
“You’re right...it is,” He murmured. “I’ll see you when you get home.”
Cas sat down on the bed, watching Dean sleep. He was still tired from his heat. He knew it was harder on omegas to go through heats without a partner. Fingers and toys just didn’t have the same effect as a real knot. That’s why it was a disgustingly common practice for parents of omegas to let family friends come over and “help” their children out during their heats. Just a few decades ago, it was seen as bad parenting if you didn’t let someone screw your omega child when they were in heat. Just thinking about it disgusted Cas, especially when he thought about the fact that John had been one of the people who still did that. That John had let his friends have their way with Dean.
Cas wishes he could have done something to save Dean from that. He knows there isn’t, and now the best thing he can do is help Dean recover from what’s been done to him. And he thinks he’s done a pretty good job. Dean still had some nights where he had trouble sleeping, and he was still a bit skittish around new alphas, but he was getting better. He was starting to act more like the Dean he’d known before all this had happened - before Mary had left John, before the divorce, and before his mother and brother had moved to South Dakota, leaving him as the soul victim for his father’s alcohol induced rage.
Dean makes a quiet sound, rolling over and looking up at Cas with a sleepy smile. “Hey there.” Cas smiled back, reaching out slowly to run his hand through Dean’s hair. Cas was always careful with what he did around Dean, scared of setting him off. But Dean wasn’t as skittish as he’d been before they’d left. There had been sometimes when Dean was so panicked that he wouldn’t even let Cas touch him to patch him up.
“Are you feeling better?” he asked. Dean nodded, pushing himself up into a sitting position.
“Yeah. I think I’m 100% again, actually,” He declared. “I’m so happy I’ve got a six month cycle. I have no idea what I would do if I had one of shorter cycles.”
“I don’t know how anyone would handle that. Imagine, marathon sex every single month,” Cas says. “I couldn’t handle that.” Dean laughs,crossing his legs under the blanket.
“It wouldn’t be any fun at all,” Dean agrees. Cas smiles, leaning in a bit, intent to kiss Dean. The other boy leaned forward, pressing their lips together. “Cas, next time, I think I...I want you to be with me.” Cas knows his face shows his shock. He knew that Dean’s next heat was months away, but the idea that he could be with him next time, kissing him and touching everywhere along his body, before slowly sinking into the tight, wet heat, instead of furiously masturbating in the downstairs bathroom. “We don’t have to...I just...I thought you wanted to and I think if I want to be with anyone, it’ll be you.”
“I want to, Dean,” Cas assures. “But I can wait. There’s no rush.”
“It’s six months away, Cas, and I may change my mind, but I think I’d be okay with it. This…” Cas could see the blush he was trying to force down. “I thought about you. I thought about that dildo being your cock, and I jerked off to your scent on the pillows.” Cas shifts, trying to hide what Dean’s words were doing to him. Part of him wants to tell Dean to stop, but most of him wanted him to go on, to tell him every little detail, to tell him everything he thought about him doing to him. But he was also scared to ask. Cas knows his isn’t the only scent that Dean would have smelled during his heat. Even if Benny wasn’t there, this is his house and the place reeks of him.
“Did...you just think about me or…?” Cas asks, looking down at his lap. “It’s okay if you thought about him too. He’s good looking and I’m sure the smell of an alpha would have been so much more appealing to you,” He added, forcing himself to meet Dean’s eyes. Dean’s cheeks were bright read, making all the little freckles stick out even more. Cas chanced moving a bit closer. “Tell me about it - I want to hear every fantasy you had.” Cas hoped he wasn’t pushing it. “Only if you want to.” Dean bites his lip.
“I...I thought about you and Benny...both doing me. You’d fuck me first, and then when you were done you’d lay down beside me and kiss me and jerk me off while Benny fucks me,” Dean mumbled, looking down at his lap. Cas could see where the blanket was tenting, and that reassured him he wasn’t pushing. He smiles at Dean, leaning in a gently kissing him.
Things settle back in after Dean’s heat. It was hard the first few days, coming home to a house that absolutely reeked of an omega in heat, but he dealt with it. Benny was more than his instincts. Just because there was a ripe young omega running around his house didn’t mean that he was his to claim. Even if his instincts were screaming mate at him.
“It’s lucky I don’t have heats,” Cas murmured into his cup of coffee, glaring at some nondescript spot on the wall. “I don’t think you’d be able to control yourself then - especially when our heats started syncing up.” Benny chokes on his coffee, turning a shocked gaze towards the teenager. “You’re good at hiding it - which, thank you for that. Dean doesn’t need to know just yet - but it’s hard to control body language.” Benny sighs.
“You don’t have to worry about anything, Cas, I don’t plan on laying a hand on him,” Benny assures. Despite them living in his house for months now, Benny didn’t know a lot about Cas and Dean’s relationship. He knew they were close, and he’s pretty sure they’re a bit more than friends. He didn’t want Cas to think he’s a threat to his mate. He’d heard more than one story about alphas taking a beta’s mate, just because they didn’t view it as a “real” partnership. Even if Cas and Dean weren’t mates, Benny needed him to understand that he wasn’t a threat to their relationship.
“Good. I like you but...if you touched him without his consent…” He trailed off, but the threat was clear.
“I promise I won’t touch him.” Cas smiles.
“There’s no guarantee you’ll have you keep that promise, but I appreciate you making it,” he declares, before dropping his mug in the sink and wandering off towards the stairs.
Cas was an odd duck. Benny thinks that could be the only way to describe the little beta. He seemed to speak in riddles, vaguely hinting at bigger things with his word choice. In the few months they’ve lived there, Benny’s decided he’s trying to give Benny some kind of information. A reason why they left, a form of explanation as to why he’s got two teenage runaways in his guest room, but doesn’t want to actually tell him. Benny doesn’t know if it’s because he doesn’t want to tell just yet, or if he wanted Benny to figure it out on his own.
Though, he doesn’t need Cas’ little subtle hints to put things together about Dean. It’s obvious someone hurt the omega, and from the way he’d reacted to his dad on the news that one day, it was pretty easy to guess who. Benny could relate to that. His dad had been a beta, uncomfortable with his gender and then to throw in that his son was an alpha had made him feel that he had display dominance in his own house. If there’s one thing Benny could relate to, it’s a dick of a father pushing you around. It’s Cas that he couldn’t figure out.
After seeing the newscast about them, Benny had looked them both up. How could he not? He had two kids staying at his house that he picked up on a highway, it was purely safety (of course, what harm could two boys half his size do?). After hours of skimming online papers and news reports, he had gathered that Dean’s parents were divorced, with his mom and brother living in another state, not too shocking. It was the bit he was able to dig up on Cas that was a bit of a surprise. He had assumed his parents were dead or something, since it was his siblings that appeared on the news, but they were alive and well. He was the son of a preacher and a housewife, with siblings galore, but the way the two that showed up on the news - Anna and Gabriel - had talked, it was like they didn’t give a damn if he came home to their parents, as long as he was safe. Benny wasn’t an expert on functional families, but there was something wrong about that. Something that spoke to something not being right at home for Cas either. He doesn’t think Cas’ parents that hit him, but emotional abuse was abuse.
But Benny wouldn’t pry. He knew if he pushed he could probably get them both to talk and tell him something, but he wouldn’t do that. It was their business if they ever told him anything at all.
These days, Cas always woke up with a smile, with Dean’s warm weight at his side, in a bed that smelled like both of them. It was like every little fantasy he’s ever had about he and Dean being together. Every fantasy he thought he’d never have, but here they were. Cas gently stroked Dean’s hair, thinking about what Dean had told him a few days earlier. Dean wanted Benny. Cas had feared for years that Dean would choose some knot-headed alpha over him since he first found out he was a beta. But, Dean had said he wanted them both, and had hadn’t said he wanted anything more than sex with Benny.
If Dean ever decided that he wanted to live out this fantasy, Cas thinks he’ll be okay with it. Benny was far from unattractive. Cas wouldn’t mind having a go with him, honestly. He could just imagine what it would be like, filth and praise murmured in that voice of his, and stubble burn on his thighs. Benny looked like the type of guy who knew how to take care of his partners. He thinks sleeping with Benny would be fun.
Dean rolled over, nosing his way into the spot between Cas’ neck and the pillow. Cas smiled, turning his head to gently kiss the top of Dean’s. Dean grumbled, throwing an arm over Cas’ stomach. “We’re back at work today, we’ve gotta get up.” Cas reminded. Dean sighed, forcing himself up into a sitting position.
“I get to make pie today,” Dean murmured, “That means I can eat pie today.” Cas chuckled, watching as Dean tossed their blanket aside and slipped out of bed to walk over to their chest of drawers. He rifled around in the drawer that was his, grabbing a plain t-shirt and some jeans. They actually only had three or four outfits each, meaning most of the drawers were empty. Cas thinks maybe they should buy some new clothes, bulk up their wardrobes beyond old t-shirts and raggedy jeans. He’ll ask Benny if he’ll take them to the closest shopping center later.
Cas laid back for awhile, watching Dean pull off his shirt and drop it in their pile of laundry in the corner. He watched the movement of the muscles of his shoulders under freckled skin. Cas adored Dean’s freckles. Cas adored everything about Dean. Even the things that irritated him about the other boy, he would smile fondly about later on. Cas thinks that’s what love is. Love is adoring everything about your partner, even the faults. Even if those faults make you want to beat your head against a wall, you adore them because even the faults are what make that person the person that you love. Dean wouldn’t be the same person he loved if he was ferociously stubborn, just like he wouldn’t be the same person if he wasn’t the most caring person Cas knew.
Cas forced himself to stop watching Dean and get out of bed, intent to start getting dressed himself. He pulled open his drawer, and pulled out his own clothes. He and Dean went through their normal morning routine, pulling on their clothes before going to the bathroom to brush their teeth and hair, the smell of Benny cooking breakfast filling the whole house.
“Bacon and eggs, boys,” Benny said as they came into the kitchen, pushing some gooey eggs around the pan. “Should be done in just a few. Will one of ya put on some toast?” Dean wandered away from Cas side, grabbing the bread off the top of the fridge. Cas went straight to the coffee pot, grabbing a mug from the cabinet above it and pouring coffee into it until it almost spilled over. He grabbed the powder creamer, pouring a bit in, followed by a scoop of sugar, then stirring very carefully so as not to spill it. He wrapped both hands around the mug, slowly bringing it to his lips and taking a long sip.
He took his mug over to the table and sat down, watching Dean and Benny go about finishing up their breakfast. They worked well together, perfectly in sync as they worked around each other in the kitchen. They were the same way at the restaurant, never getting in each other’s ways as they worked in the tight quarters while Cas is sure that he was more of a bother than any form of help when he’d worked in the kitchen. This was just confirmed when Benny had asked him to start handling the work in the office instead. Not that Cas minded. He preferred that work. He liked the numbers and the organized filing systems. It made more sense to him than cooking, and he liked things that made sense.
Cas noticed Benny looking him, a bit confused. Cas smiled at him, and winked.
Benny was a creature of routine. He got up at the same time, he got ready in the same order, and he drove to work the same way every day. It was incredibly rare for him to ever want to break his routine, and the night he’d picked up Dean and Cas on that highway had been one of those rare days that he broke his routine. He’d decided on a whim to drive home a different way, along an empty backroad. He thinks that if there is a higher power, than they were definitely involved in having him take that route of all routes, on that day of all days.
Taking Dean and Cas in hadn’t changed his routine, but they had almost seamlessly weaved their way into it. Sure there were some changes - like cooking for three instead of one, and actually having someone to talk to instead of sitting by himself, with only the noise of the TV to break the silence. And it was a welcome change. He liked having Dean in the kitchen with him, and he liked the banter during meals and he even liked that Cas liked to run commentary on TV shows. He never wanted them to leave.
But he knew that was unrealistic. Dean and Cas were there because they had nowhere else to go. Benny gave them a roof over their head, and jobs, but as soon as they were eighteen and could go out there and not worry about being dragged back home, they’d leave. And yeah, they’d may keep contact or something, but it wouldn’t be what Benny wanted. What his instincts demanded he make them, because he wanted both of them to be his mates, but he’d keep that to himself. Dean and Cas wouldn’t want that - they had each other, they wouldn’t want some alpha to mess that up, and they were almost half his age.
Not to mention it was unusual. Sure, it wasn’t unheard of for an alpha to have two omega mates, but to have an omega and a beta mate? He’d never heard of anything like that. Plus, Cas seemed to lean more towards alpha-like tendencies, which should just piss Benny off, but it didn’t. Normally an alpha wouldn’t like having another alpha or beta that exhibited alpha like tendencies in their house, especially when an unmated omega was put into the equation, and Benny had even had alpha and beta roommates in the past that he couldn't stand living with, but that wasn’t the case with Cas.
He could feel Cas watching him and Dean working on breakfast. When he looked back at him, seated at the table sipping his coffee, his look wasn’t suspicion or any emotion he’d expect from someone watching an alpha with their intended mate. It was curious and considering, and when he saw Benny looked at him and winked, before finishing up his first cup of coffee and getting up to make another one.
It was starting to finally warm up outside, and Cas loved spending time outside. When he was young, he helped his mom keep a garden, and he’d always loved it. Cas had been eying a spot in Benny’s backyard that would be perfect, but he wasn’t sure if he would be overstepping any boundaries by asking if he could start one. It would be like a promise that he and Dean had intended to stay there for a long time, and he wasn’t sure if Benny would like that. He was kind enough to open his home to them and give them work, but would he want Cas making such a permanent change?
But, Benny seemed like the kind of person that would like a garden. He liked to cook so much, and garden fresh food was always better, right? And his house was very nice, it would be nice with some flowers and such in the barren front flower bed. He could just imagine it, flower of all different colors and a garden brimming with vegetables in the back.
“Do you think Benny would let me start a garden?” Cas asked one afternoon as he and Dean relaxed in the backyard, spread out on two big beach towels they’d found in Benny’s linen closet. Dean turned his head, cupping a hand around his eyes to shield them from the sun.
“Dunno. I mean, he’s got room for one, and it would look nice,” Dean said, voice echoing oddly off his hand. “I’d ask him.” Cas nodded, resolving that he’d at least propose the idea to Benny, before laying back down next to Dean, enjoying the feeling of the warm sunlight on his chest and Dean at his side. He took Dean’s hand in his, intertwining their fingers. He brought their clasped hands up to his lips and pressed a kiss to the back of his hand, feeling the delicate bones and ligaments beneath his lips. “Hey, Cas?” Cas hummed a response. “Are we together?”
That gave Cas pause. Were they together? The recent changes to their relationship had just seemed like a natural progression. He’d had feelings for Dean for what seemed like his whole life. They’d been best friends since preschool, and as they’d grown older Cas had always felt that Dean was someone who would be in his life forever. It was the day Dean went into heat in their seventh grade english class that he’d realized that he wanted something more than just friendship. It wasn’t the first time Cas had been around omegas going into heat - It was pretty common for omegas to start their first heats at school, it was hard to predict the first heat and kids did spend a lot of time in school. - but Dean had smelt so much better than any other omega he’d smelled before or after. Cas had tried to convince himself that it was purely because he and Dean were close, but as the years progressed, he realized that he truly did have romantic feelings for his friend. And it was obvious to everyone. Cas is pretty sure Dean had known for years. It was just something they didn’t talk about. They’d been asked plenty of times by classmates if they were dating, or even mated, which they always denied, but now?
Cas would like to think they’re together. Hell, they were almost like a mated couple these days. They slept together, they lived together. They cuddled in the yard like a couple of doofs. Dean had even said he wanted Cas to be with him during his next heat. That was something Cas had be raised to not take lightly. Being with an omega while they were in heat was something you only did if you planned on mating them (though that was mostly to avoid any unplanned pregnancies). But Dean had been raised differently than he had, had been through different things than Cas had. He could view what they have, and what he’s asked of Cas, as something different. A show of trust, or a source of comfort. And if that’s all Dean wanted than that’s all Cas wanted.
“I’d like to think we are,” Cas murmured. “Though, only if you do too.” The grass rustled as Dean rolled over, throwing his arm over Cas’ abdomen so that their clasped hands rested against Cas’ hip.
“Me too.” Cas couldn’t help but smile, tightening his grip on Dean’s hand again. This was everything Cas had wanted since he was thirteen. He wishes that the things that happened to Dean that led them here hadn’t, but he can’t change that now. All he can do is make sure that the rest of Dean’s life is happy and safe.
“Is it too early to say I love you?”
“Naw,” Cas had his eyes closed against the sun, but he could tell from Dean’s voice that he was smiling. “I love you too.” Cas turned his head, blindly leaning forward and placing a kiss on Dean’s face. He’s pretty sure his lips landed on his eyebrow.
“Got lemonade,” Benny called from the back patio. Cas could hear the clinking of glasses being sat down on the outside table, and the squeak of a chair as Benny sat down in it. Dean let go of his hand, pulling away and getting up. Cas sighed. He was comfortable, but he was also thirsty. He pushed himself up into a sitting position, blinking a few times to get used to the light, then standing up and walking over to the table where Dean already was sitting, drinking a glass of lemonade and talking to Benny about new dish ideas for the restaurant. Cas slipped into a chair beside Benny and took his glass quietly, half listening to Dean and Benny talk.
Cas couldn’t help thinking about what Dean had told him after his heat whenever he saw Dean and Benny together. He didn’t necessarily feel jealous - the fantasy had included him too. He was just...curious. He wondered if Dean would want more than for Benny to join them in bed one day. Benny was an alpha, and omegas instinctive craved having an alpha. Not to mention that Benny really was good looking, and he was kind, and he and Dean had so much in common. Cas thinks he could handle it if Dean wanted something with Benny too. Honestly, it would probably make him feel a bit better about Dean going out by himself. Cas would be the first to admit that he was more protective than he should be - Dean was a big boy - but the world was dangerous, especially for an unmated omega. And even if Cas marked him, most alphas didn’t respect a beta’s claim. (Don’t even get him started on the fact that an omega needed to be claimed to be left alone.) If Benny marked him, he’d be left alone.
Cas is sure Benny has feelings for Dean. He’d caught the alpha starring, had seen the look in his eye. It was a look Cas knows he’d given Dean plenty of times himself. What had shocked Cas was when he’d caught Benny giving him the same look. He didn’t how to feel about that. Sure, Cas wasn’t opposed to a tumble in the sheets with the older man, and he was a kind soul that he was honored to have met, but why would he look at him with the same longing he looked at Dean with? Cas was a beta. There were few alphas out there that wanted betas, and while Benny gave every indication that he was an open-minded man, Cas just couldn’t imagine him being the kind that would want someone like Cas. Or the type to want both Cas and Dean, and actually act on it. But who knows? Maybe he was. Cas would have to think about this.
Benny had to admit nothing made him happier than seeing Dean and Cas together, curled up on his sofa or on two beach towels in the backyard. They weren’t always necessarily cuddling, sometimes they’d just lay side by side with their hands pressed against each other. There was just something about seeing them like that that made him smile. They always seemed so happy and content, a far cry from how they were when he’d picked them up off that highway, and Benny took pride in the fact that he’d helped them feel that comfortable.
He liked to pretend he was happy with just that. But when he saw them together, he couldn’t help but wonder what it was like to lay there with them, lounging in the sun and trading lazy kisses and touches. For awhile, he’d felt guilty about feeling that way, but now he just doesn’t bother with it. Feeling guilty didn’t change the fact that he had feelings for Dean and Cas. Plus, it was perfectly normal to crave a relationship like that. Benny wasn’t a spring chicken. He was thirty, and still had never had a mate and probably never would. He’d come close, but somethings just aren’t meant to be, but that didn’t mean he didn’t want it to, and it didn’t mean he couldn’t think about it.
“Oh Benny, Cas had something he wanted to ask you,” Dean said. They’d been talking about maybe starting to do a dish of the week to find a new item to add to the menu. Benny looked over at Cas. The boy was sipping his lemonade, looking at them both in confusion. “Go on, Cas, ask Benny about that thing.” Cas seemed to realize what they were talking about. He set his lemonade down.
“I was wondering if I could do some gardening?” he asked. “A vegetable garden and maybe some flowers in the bed up front?” Benny was a bit shocked by the question. Cas started a garden implied that they intended to stay longer than he’d assumed, not that he minded that at all. He’d assumed they would just stay with them until they were eighteen, which from the internet search he’d done, wasn’t that long. “It’s okay if-”
“No, it’s fine. This place could use some gardening, I’ve just never been much of a gardener,” Benny explains. “But if you want to, I’ll take you to home depot or wherever tomorrow.” Cas’ face visibly brightened, his lips turning up in a small smile.
“Thank you, Benny.”
Benny smiled at him. “It’s no problem, blue bird.”
***
And that’s how they found themselves walking around a gardening center the next day, after a clothes run to to wal-mart that ended in them having enough clothes for a week. He and Dean were dutifully following behind Cas, either carrying the things he handed to them or placing them in the wagon that Benny was pulling. Most of the wagon was taken up by snapdragons of every color and a flower that looked a lot like lavender. Cas’ excitement was more than enough to make up for the two hours they’d spent walking around the gardening center.
Cas was currently walking around the shelves of seeds, grabbing packets and reading the backs before deciding to add them to the collection in his hand or put it back. Dean was kneeling by the wagon, looking at the flowers. “These are kind of weird looking,” He said, “Pretty, but weird.” Benny smiled, kneeling beside him.
“Wanna see why they’re called snapdragons?” he asked. Dean nodded. Benny reached out, carefully plucking a little red flower from the stem. He gently squeezed the sides, making the flower open and close. Dean smiled wide.
“Dude, that’s so cool. Can I try?” Benny handed over the flower. Dean stared at it a moment, trying to position his fingers the same way Benny had moments ago, before giving it a squeeze. “It actually kind of looks like a dragon when you do that.”
“Kind of the point, sweetheart,” Benny pointed out. He patted the boy’s back, before straightening up. Cas was looking through his collection of seed packets, gnawing on the side of his lower lip. “Find everything you want?” Cas looked up.
“I think so, yeah. It’s planting season for most of these, and the rest we can wait to plant,” he declared. “I was thinking we could plant pumpkins? You do a pumpkin pie during fall at the diner, and fresh pumpkin would be nice, right?”
“That sounds great,” Benny said. “Why don’t we check out? The day’s still young - we could get to work on the garden today.” Cas nodded, and they all headed over to the register. Dean leaned against the counter, playing with the little nick knacks on display with mild interest as the cashier rang them up. Cas pulled his battered wallet from his pocket, but Benny held up a hand. “I got this, blue bird.”
“Are you sure?” Cas asked. “I can cover it.”
“I’m sure,” Benny assured him, getting his own wallet out of his pocket to pay for the gardening supplies. Cas was fidgeting with his wallet beside him, obviously feeling guilty about not paying, but it was for Benny’s house. Plus, it’s not like Benny didn’t want a garden. If he had any idea where to start, he would have started one years ago.
Despite the nice warm shower, Cas still has dirt under his nails, and he’s sore, but in a totally good and satisfying way. He falls back on the bed, not caring that his hair is getting the pillow wet. The bed dips beside him as Dean lays down. “You’re really hot when you’re gardening.” Cas laughs, turning onto his side to look at Dean.
“I am?” Dean nods. “How so?”
“Well, the whole sweating and covered in dirt thing is a good look for you,” Dean starts, “But it’s more...you’re really into it, ya know?” Cas smiles, slipping an arm around Dean’s waist. “Why’d you stop?”
“What do you mean?”
“I remember when we were little, and you’d help your mom, but then you stopped. Why?” Cas sighed, pulling Dean a bit closer to his side. He always used to find pride in things he did with his mom. He liked shopping with her, and gardening, and helping decorate the house.
“My father said it wasn’t something that alphas did,” He explained. “He said that people would start getting suspicious about what I am if I didn’t act like an alpha - as if some hormone pills and an attitude change would hide it.” Dean leaned forward and kissed him.
“Well, you don’t have to deal with that anymore,” he declared. “You’re safe here.” That gave Cas pause. He’d never given much thought to his safety. This whole time, he’s told himself that all of this was for Dean, to Dean away from everyone that had hurt him. But, maybe he’d had his own selfish motives. He’d always told himself that his parents weren’t that bad, and that he could make it until he was eighteen without snapping. He’d always thrown himself into Dean - take care of Dean, patch Dean up, be there for Dean - but maybe he was using Dean’s problems as a distraction from his own? Of course, Dean’s problems were so much worse than his, but that wasn’t a reason for Cas to throw everything down the drain. He loved Dean, and Dean couldn’t have stayed at home any longer without something worse than a broken bone or two happening, but Dean had never asked him to run away. It had always been Cas’ idea.
“We’re safe,” Cas murmured, testing the words on his lips. This whole time it had been Dean’s safety and happiness that he worried about, not even thinking that this was his escape too. His escape from his parents. His chance to not have to hide what he is, and to be made to feel ashamed but his family. He smiled, pulling Dean on top of him, and kissing him. “We’re safe,” He repeated when Dean pulled back. Dean smiled down at him.
“We’re safe,” He murmured, leaning down and kissing him again. Dean’s hands slipped up, running through his hair and pulling him closer. Cas loved the feeling of Dean’s plump lips pressed against his, moving gently. Cas wrapped his arms around Dean, running them slowly up and down his back. Dean made a happy noise against his lips, little vibrations tickling and making him pull back and laugh. “I love you, Cas,” Dean declares, kissing his nose and his cheeks and his chin and everywhere else he could reach.
“I love you too,” Cas leaned up, kissing his nose, before gently rolling them so that Dean was laying on the bed with Cas leaning over him. Dean kisses him. His hand fisting in Cas’ shirt, pulling at it. “Do you wanna take it off, Dean?” Cas murmured against his lips. He’s only a little shocked when Dean nods. He smiles, pushing himself up to sit on his heels before grabbing the edges of his shirt and pulling it off. Dean sits up to, pulling off his own shirt and dropping it to the bed next to Cas’. He looked down at his lap, watching Cas sheepishly through his lashes.
Cas pulls Dean into his lap, wrapping the younger boy’s legs around his waist. Dean reached up, cupping Cas’ cheek and kissing him again, this time a bit nervously - as if asking for reassurance. Cas rolls his hips upwards, rubbing their clothed crotches against each other, testing the limits of how far this was going. Dean moans, pulling away from the kiss. “More?” he asked.
“Fuck yes,” Dean readjusted himself so that the bulges in their pants are pressed right against each other. Cas rolls his hips again, gasping a bit from the pleasure. Dean laid his head against Cas’ shoulder, moaning into his neck with each movement of Cas’ hips. His breath is hot, sending goose bumps up and down his neck and shoulder. Cas buried his own moans in Dean’s shoulder, covering them up with little kisses and nips to the freckled skin. He could feel a wetness against his thighs where Dean sat. It drove Cas mad thinking he had that effect on the omega. “More, Cas.”
Cas pulled back, stopping the upward movement of his hips. “How much more?” he didn’t want to push Dean to do anything he didn’t feel comfortable doing. Dean bit his lip.
“We don’t have a condom,” he said. “And I know it’s rare to get pregnant outside a heat but I don’t want to risk it.” Cas nodded. He didn’t want to either. They were young and in no kind of situation to even risk having a baby right now.
He reached between them, pushing down the waist bands of both of their pajamas to expose their erections the cold air of the room. He bit down a moan when they rubbed against each other, reaching behind Dean to gather some of his slick. Dean gasped, bucking back against his hand and whining in protest when Cas pulled away. Cas turned his head, placing a kiss on Dean’s neck as he took them both in his hand. Cas knew it wouldn’t take much. He could feel the swell of his knot beginning as he jerked them, quickly and maybe a bit rushed but he wanted to get off. Dean was moaning and gasping, hot against his ear, as he thrusted up into Cas’ fist. Cas’ own breath was ragged, the desperate need to come lighting his every nerve on fire as it built up.
“Cas, ‘m close,” Dean moaned in his ear, lips brushing against the lobe. Cas jerked them once, twice, and then Dean was coming all over their cocks and his hand. Dean slumped against Cas, trying to catch his breath. Cas kissed his cheek, ready to go and take care of himself in the bathroom, when Dean reaches between them and takes Cas’ cock in his fist, jerking him a few times until he came. Cas pulled Dean against him, ignoring the warm come that covered their lower torsos, and held him close.
“That...felt really good,” Dean yawned, nuzzling Cas’ neck. Cas couldn’t help but smile proudly. “Have you ever…?” Cas is taken back by the question. He’d never talked to Dean about his sex life, mostly because it wasn’t very exciting, but also because he wasn’t sure if Dean would be comfortable hearing about it.
“I’ve fooled around a little bit - mostly when I dated Meg in ninth grade. But never more than that,” Cas explained. He hadn’t really dated much at all, honestly. He liked Meg a lot, but his main motive for entering that relationship was to get his parents to stop pressuring him into dating. Of course, he’d asked Meg out because he genuinely cared about her and thought it would work out for awhile, but he never thought it would be permanent. He’d known it wouldn’t be permanent because of his feelings for Dean.
“Just Meg?”
“Just Meg.” Dean gave a little hum that sounded almost pleased. Cas smiled, running his hand up his back.
“We should get cleaned up.” Dean nodded, slipping out of his lap. Cas kissed his forehead, before getting up and going out of the room to get a rag from the bathroom down the hall. He paused, hearing a quiet noise from Benny’s room. It sounded like a moan. He leaned his ear against the door, listening again. It was only a moment before he heard it again, and yeah, that was definitely a moan. Benny was masturbating. Cas hadn’t thought about how close Benny’s room was, and how he could probably hear every noise they made. Cas quietly stepped away from the door, trying to act like he couldn’t hear the alpha.
***
“We’ve got the scariest house on the block,” declared Dean, resting his hands on his hips proudly as they all stood back, surveying their handy work. Benny nodded beside him, smiling Cas rolled his eyes, slipping his arms around his waist. Dean leaned into the touch, smiling at him. “What do you think, Cas?”
“I think you and Benny are way too excited about Halloween,” He said, rubbing his thumb against Dean’s hip.
“Think the graveyard looks pretty nice in your flowerbed, brother,” Benny jokes, nudging Cas with his elbow.
“Better not have messed up my flowers, or else,” Castiel threatened jokingly. Benny laughed, bending down to gather up the trash from the decorations before walking inside. Dean leaned closer to him, resting his head against his shoulder.
“You really like the decorations, right?” Dean asked. Cas nodded, pressing a kiss to his head. “Good.”
“You know there isn’t much to be looking forward to, right? I mean, we’re too old for trick-or-treating, and there aren’t any parties,” he pointed.
“I know, but it’ll be nice to see all the little kids and their costumes,” Dean shrugged. “Though, we may not get to do that. Ya know my heat’s supposed to start sometime around then.” Cas felt his heart skip a beat. He knows what Dean was implying. He’d said that he wanted them to spend his next heat together, but back then it had been months away. Now it would be a few weeks and he would be lying if he said it didn’t make him nervous. He loved Dean, and it wasn’t like they hadn’t been slowly exploring a more sexual relationship. What he was nervous about was taking that final step and marking him. Mating was for life, at least to Cas it was. Cas knew he wanted it for life, but he didn’t want Dean to look back and realize he’d made a mistake. He knew he had to take what Dean was saying at face value. If Dean didn’t feel like he was ready to make the leap into being mates, then he would tell him.
He leaned down and kissed him. “I’m looking forward to it, Dean.” Dean smiled against his lips, pulling back. He intertwined their fingers, pulling him into the house. Inside, Benny was cutting into the pecan pie he had made earlier in the day and had left to cool while they decorated the yard. The alpha smiled at them both, using the pie slicer to shovel three slices of pie onto three plates. Dean let go of his hand, and walked over to take a plate from Benny.
Maybe there was a bit more to Castiel’s hesitations about mating than just Dean not being sure. While Dean and Cas’ relationship had been growing in the last few months, so had their relationship with Benny. Benny had been giving them both more responsibility at his restaurant, which meant more one-on-one time with the alpha. At first, Castiel had been jealous. Dean was spending so much time with him, learning all the recipes on the menu. He’d walked downstairs at midnight to find the two bent over one of Benny’s handwritten recipe cards or the stove. It bothered him that his intended mate was spending so much time with another man, especially one he’d admitted an attraction to, even if that man was their friend and the only reason they weren’t dead in an alley or back home, and even if Cas thought he had come to terms with both Dean’s - and his own - attraction for Benny. Castiel had been strong though, and kept his jealousy at bay.
Then Benny had started spending time with Cas too. Hours spent in the little office, practically touching as Benny showed him how to keep track of their profits and supply orders and every other little thing he needed to know. He’d hate to admit that he’d zoned out more than once, staring at the alpha’s face and being mesmerized by his voice. It scared him actually. It was becoming more and more evident to him that whatever he feels for Benny is more than just short-lived lust or a childish crush. The way Benny made his heart clench and his thoughts race was way too similar to how he felt for Dean for comfort.
Castiel isn’t sure if he should go through with claiming Dean if it’s obvious they both have feelings for someone else. He knew that whatever he felt for Benny didn’t change what he felt for Dean, but he also knew that if they ever intended to act on it, they should do it before mating. He knows he should talk to Dean about it, he just doesn’t know how to bring it up.
Benny was happy that Dean and Castiel were exploring their relationship. He really, really was. They were young and they should feel comfortable in exploring deeper levels of intimacy. He just wished they were quieter about it. He knows they waited until they thought he was sleeping before they did anything, and he knows they made attempts to keep quiet. He’d heard Castiel’s voice rumbling through the wall more than once, “Dean, as much as I love the noises you make, Benny could hear us.” And shit, that was just fanning the flames as far as Benny was concerned.
He tried his hardest to ignore the gasps and moans and groans that were barely muffled by the wall separating the bedrooms. When he realized he couldn’t ignore them, he tried his best not to give them more thought than background noise, but fuck, Dean was vocal. He couldn’t help but imagine what they were doing.
Benny could tell that Cas liked to take his time. He’d heard Dean pant and beg for him to “stop teasing already.” to know that for sure. He could imagine Cas would start by kissing him, nice and slow. He’d put those pink lips all over Dean, kissing every available inch of skin as Dean squirmed under him, arousal growing more and more. Dean would probably grip desperately at Cas as he begged him to stop teasing, and Cas would probably smirk against his skin as he continued kissing downwards.
Benny groaned when he heard Dean moan out a “Fuck Cas!”. He reached down, pulling his pajama pants down to free his own erection. He licked a stripe across his palm before taking his cock in hand and jerking himself, trying to get into rhythm with whatever Cas was doing to Dean. He imagines Cas kneeling between Dean’s thighs, pink lips stretched wide over Dean’s knotless cock, fisting his own as he sucked.
Benny bit his lip hard enough to draw blood, trying to keep quiet as he approached the edge. He could feel his knot swelling at the base of his cock, his hand pressing against it with each downward motion.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck, Cas, ‘m so close.” Benny fought down a growl in his throat. Dean was probably trying to keep his hips under control, or maybe he’d let himself go and was fucking Cas’ mouth. He could imagine the beta’s lips swollen from kissing and sucking, silva escaping his mouth and dribbling down his chin and Dean’s cock, mixing with the omega’s pre-come.
“Come for me, Dean.” Cas’ voice is an absolute wreck, adding to Benny’s fantasy. He bet he’d just pulled off Dean’s cock, and only had to jack him once or twice before the omega was coming. Cas’ face was probably covered in semen. His tongue would slip out, licking away the little bit around his mouth.
Benny turned his head, biting into his pillow to muffle his moan as he came.
Castiel knows he’s thought it many times before, but Dean is truly beautiful. He doesn’t know how to properly explain to his intended how beautiful he is. He’d tried, but every time Dean would turn red, and tell him to shut up. He was strong shoulders and arms, with a soft stomach and as he’d learned in recent months, freckles everywhere. And don’t even get him started on his eyes. Green, with flecks of brown and hazel.
“Stop staring, Cas, it’s creepy,” he ordered, dropping the damp rag he’d been using to clean himself off in their laundry pile and pulling his sweatpants on. Cas smiled, holding out his arms for him. Dean rolled his eyes and drop down beside Cas on the bed, letting the beta pulling him close. He kissed his cheek, smiling at him.
“It’s hard not to stare when I’ve got Adonis in my room,” He murmured against his cheek. Dean playfully shoved at him.
“I’m no Adonis,” he mumbled.
“Would you like a second opinion?” Cas asked, “We could go ask Benny what he thinks?” Dean was quiet, and Cas could feel his cheeks heating up where their faces were pressed together. “I’ve seen the way he looks at you, Dean. He’d agree with me.”
“He doesn’t look at me any way,” Dean said indignantly. Cas rolled his eyes.
“Yes, he does. He wants you,” Cas says, pulling away from him to lay back on the bed. “And you want him too.” Dean is silent, not looking at him. “I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, I’m just saying we should talk about it.”
“What’s there to talk about? I mean, yeah I like Benny, but I love you.” Cas reached out, placing a reassuring hand on his back.
“I want him too,” Cas informed. “And I think that’s something we should explore before mating.” He moved his hand to Dean’s wrist, gently tugging to get him to lay down beside him. Dean laid down, cradling the pillow to his head.
“If it’s gonna keep us from mating, I don’t want to.” Cas took Dean’s hand in his own, and let their intertwined hands rest between them on the bed.
“It won’t stop us, Dean.” Dean let out a sigh of relief. “Would you want a quick tumble in the sheets with him, or to see if he’s interested in more?” Cas asked. “I would be interested in seeing if there could be more than sex.” Dean bit his lip, worrying the skin on the back of Cas’ hand with his thumb.
“Are you...talking about seeing if we could have a polygamous mating?” Dean sounds nervous and it makes Cas feel like an asshole for even bringing any of this up. This must be making Dean uncomfortable, but Cas knows it’s something they need to talk about. Especially if Dean’s intent on them mating during his next heat.
“Dean we don’t...we can forget I brought this up if you don’t want to talk.”
“No it’s not...you’re right. I want Benny and if he wants something more with us, then I sure as hell wanna try,” Dean said quickly. “It’s just...what kind of omega takes two mates?”
“Alphas take two mates all the time,” Cas pointed out, “Why can’t an omega?”
“Because when an alpha has multiple partners or mates, it’s seen a proof of his alpha-ness. When an omega does it, they’re a whore.” Dean wouldn’t meet his eyes. Cas sighed, pulling Dean’s hand up to his lips and kissing it.
“That’s a double standard, Dean. There’s no difference between an omega who has twenty partners and one who only has one, and anyone who says otherwise can go to hell,” He declared. “But if you’re uncomfortable with it, then we can forget it, Dean. I think there could be something with Benny, but you’re the most important person to me.” Dean is quiet for a long period of time, eyebrows furrowed in thought.
“No. I...I want to at least talk to Benny about it,” He finally says. “I’m not going to let what other people could think control me.”
Part III
TV was full of horror stories involving hitchhikers. Murderous strangers who pick up helpless people off the side of the road, or crazy serial murders killing kind people who offered them rides. Benny has heard every different variation of it from crime shows that played as background noise in his quiet, empty house. But when Benny had picked up two hitchhikers and it had proven to be the best decision of his life.
Dean and Castiel were a welcome addition to his life. At first, all he’d wanted was to make sure they didn’t end up another tragic story on the news. But it had been so obvious that they’d just picked up and left, too preoccupied by getting away from whatever it is that they’re running from, he couldn’t just drop them off on a street corner or a homeless shelter. Not because he was lonely, he wanted to help them. He was shocked they’d taken him up on the offer. He was an unknown alpha and they were a young beta and omega, and no one would make the connection to him if something happened to them. He’s pretty sure Dean was hesitant to accept, but they did.
It was shocking how quickly the two boys buried themselves right into his life. They kept to themselves at first, Cas hovering close to Dean, constantly giving him little touches. Benny’s not sure if he’s doing it on purpose, or if its instinctive, but he knows what that body language means; Hands off. Normally you’d only see that with an alpha and their mate, but Benny quickly learned that while Dean wasn’t actually Cas’ mate, the little beta was ferociously protective. He hadn’t known Betas could be like that, but as Benny spent more time with them it was pretty easy to guess that Cas had a reason to be so protective. Benny didn’t want to pry. Whatever was happening to them, it wasn’t any of his business. It had been bad enough for them to feel like they weren’t safe with their own families, and that was enough for him.
Benny’s only complaint was...well, it wasn’t Dean and Cas’ fault. Benny hadn’t expected that when he picked them up on the highway that he’d developed such a primal attachment to them. It was more than just wanting to take care of two kids that needed help, it was...Benny felt disgusting just thinking about what it was. He knew he couldn’t help that the alpha in him was screaming that they were his, but he still felt guilty every time they walked into the room and his brain was screaming at him to touch them, but they were just kids. Kids who were scared and running from something, and they are just finally starting to settle in. He thought he had finally gotten his urges under control when Dean walked into the kitchen smelling so goddamn sweet.
It had taken everything in him to act calmly, to not just push him against a wall and take. Benny kept thinking over and over that Dean’s just a kid, a kid going through heat in a new place with an alpha he didn’t know well enough to feel anywhere near comfortable. Benny didn’t even bother to finish eating after Dean fled from the room, he just grabbed his wallet and keys and left for the nearest motel, trying to ignore the hard-on straining his jeans. After three days sleeping in itchy motel sheets and masturbating to scenarios he doesn’t want to think about again, he finally gets a call from Cas to tell him that he can come back home.
“Oh, and Benny, could you just act...normal about all this?” Cas added before hanging up. Benny furrowed his brow.
“What do you mean by normal, brother?”
Cas sighs, “Dean is very...sensitive about his heats. He doesn’t like to talk about them. You don’t have to act like it didn’t happen, but just...don’t act like it’s a big deal, okay?”
“It isn’t a big deal, Cas. It’s something that’s perfectly natural,” Benny reminded. Cas was quiet on the other end.
“You’re right...it is,” He murmured. “I’ll see you when you get home.”
Cas sat down on the bed, watching Dean sleep. He was still tired from his heat. He knew it was harder on omegas to go through heats without a partner. Fingers and toys just didn’t have the same effect as a real knot. That’s why it was a disgustingly common practice for parents of omegas to let family friends come over and “help” their children out during their heats. Just a few decades ago, it was seen as bad parenting if you didn’t let someone screw your omega child when they were in heat. Just thinking about it disgusted Cas, especially when he thought about the fact that John had been one of the people who still did that. That John had let his friends have their way with Dean.
Cas wishes he could have done something to save Dean from that. He knows there isn’t, and now the best thing he can do is help Dean recover from what’s been done to him. And he thinks he’s done a pretty good job. Dean still had some nights where he had trouble sleeping, and he was still a bit skittish around new alphas, but he was getting better. He was starting to act more like the Dean he’d known before all this had happened - before Mary had left John, before the divorce, and before his mother and brother had moved to South Dakota, leaving him as the soul victim for his father’s alcohol induced rage.
Dean makes a quiet sound, rolling over and looking up at Cas with a sleepy smile. “Hey there.” Cas smiled back, reaching out slowly to run his hand through Dean’s hair. Cas was always careful with what he did around Dean, scared of setting him off. But Dean wasn’t as skittish as he’d been before they’d left. There had been sometimes when Dean was so panicked that he wouldn’t even let Cas touch him to patch him up.
“Are you feeling better?” he asked. Dean nodded, pushing himself up into a sitting position.
“Yeah. I think I’m 100% again, actually,” He declared. “I’m so happy I’ve got a six month cycle. I have no idea what I would do if I had one of shorter cycles.”
“I don’t know how anyone would handle that. Imagine, marathon sex every single month,” Cas says. “I couldn’t handle that.” Dean laughs,crossing his legs under the blanket.
“It wouldn’t be any fun at all,” Dean agrees. Cas smiles, leaning in a bit, intent to kiss Dean. The other boy leaned forward, pressing their lips together. “Cas, next time, I think I...I want you to be with me.” Cas knows his face shows his shock. He knew that Dean’s next heat was months away, but the idea that he could be with him next time, kissing him and touching everywhere along his body, before slowly sinking into the tight, wet heat, instead of furiously masturbating in the downstairs bathroom. “We don’t have to...I just...I thought you wanted to and I think if I want to be with anyone, it’ll be you.”
“I want to, Dean,” Cas assures. “But I can wait. There’s no rush.”
“It’s six months away, Cas, and I may change my mind, but I think I’d be okay with it. This…” Cas could see the blush he was trying to force down. “I thought about you. I thought about that dildo being your cock, and I jerked off to your scent on the pillows.” Cas shifts, trying to hide what Dean’s words were doing to him. Part of him wants to tell Dean to stop, but most of him wanted him to go on, to tell him every little detail, to tell him everything he thought about him doing to him. But he was also scared to ask. Cas knows his isn’t the only scent that Dean would have smelled during his heat. Even if Benny wasn’t there, this is his house and the place reeks of him.
“Did...you just think about me or…?” Cas asks, looking down at his lap. “It’s okay if you thought about him too. He’s good looking and I’m sure the smell of an alpha would have been so much more appealing to you,” He added, forcing himself to meet Dean’s eyes. Dean’s cheeks were bright read, making all the little freckles stick out even more. Cas chanced moving a bit closer. “Tell me about it - I want to hear every fantasy you had.” Cas hoped he wasn’t pushing it. “Only if you want to.” Dean bites his lip.
“I...I thought about you and Benny...both doing me. You’d fuck me first, and then when you were done you’d lay down beside me and kiss me and jerk me off while Benny fucks me,” Dean mumbled, looking down at his lap. Cas could see where the blanket was tenting, and that reassured him he wasn’t pushing. He smiles at Dean, leaning in a gently kissing him.
Things settle back in after Dean’s heat. It was hard the first few days, coming home to a house that absolutely reeked of an omega in heat, but he dealt with it. Benny was more than his instincts. Just because there was a ripe young omega running around his house didn’t mean that he was his to claim. Even if his instincts were screaming mate at him.
“It’s lucky I don’t have heats,” Cas murmured into his cup of coffee, glaring at some nondescript spot on the wall. “I don’t think you’d be able to control yourself then - especially when our heats started syncing up.” Benny chokes on his coffee, turning a shocked gaze towards the teenager. “You’re good at hiding it - which, thank you for that. Dean doesn’t need to know just yet - but it’s hard to control body language.” Benny sighs.
“You don’t have to worry about anything, Cas, I don’t plan on laying a hand on him,” Benny assures. Despite them living in his house for months now, Benny didn’t know a lot about Cas and Dean’s relationship. He knew they were close, and he’s pretty sure they’re a bit more than friends. He didn’t want Cas to think he’s a threat to his mate. He’d heard more than one story about alphas taking a beta’s mate, just because they didn’t view it as a “real” partnership. Even if Cas and Dean weren’t mates, Benny needed him to understand that he wasn’t a threat to their relationship.
“Good. I like you but...if you touched him without his consent…” He trailed off, but the threat was clear.
“I promise I won’t touch him.” Cas smiles.
“There’s no guarantee you’ll have you keep that promise, but I appreciate you making it,” he declares, before dropping his mug in the sink and wandering off towards the stairs.
Cas was an odd duck. Benny thinks that could be the only way to describe the little beta. He seemed to speak in riddles, vaguely hinting at bigger things with his word choice. In the few months they’ve lived there, Benny’s decided he’s trying to give Benny some kind of information. A reason why they left, a form of explanation as to why he’s got two teenage runaways in his guest room, but doesn’t want to actually tell him. Benny doesn’t know if it’s because he doesn’t want to tell just yet, or if he wanted Benny to figure it out on his own.
Though, he doesn’t need Cas’ little subtle hints to put things together about Dean. It’s obvious someone hurt the omega, and from the way he’d reacted to his dad on the news that one day, it was pretty easy to guess who. Benny could relate to that. His dad had been a beta, uncomfortable with his gender and then to throw in that his son was an alpha had made him feel that he had display dominance in his own house. If there’s one thing Benny could relate to, it’s a dick of a father pushing you around. It’s Cas that he couldn’t figure out.
After seeing the newscast about them, Benny had looked them both up. How could he not? He had two kids staying at his house that he picked up on a highway, it was purely safety (of course, what harm could two boys half his size do?). After hours of skimming online papers and news reports, he had gathered that Dean’s parents were divorced, with his mom and brother living in another state, not too shocking. It was the bit he was able to dig up on Cas that was a bit of a surprise. He had assumed his parents were dead or something, since it was his siblings that appeared on the news, but they were alive and well. He was the son of a preacher and a housewife, with siblings galore, but the way the two that showed up on the news - Anna and Gabriel - had talked, it was like they didn’t give a damn if he came home to their parents, as long as he was safe. Benny wasn’t an expert on functional families, but there was something wrong about that. Something that spoke to something not being right at home for Cas either. He doesn’t think Cas’ parents that hit him, but emotional abuse was abuse.
But Benny wouldn’t pry. He knew if he pushed he could probably get them both to talk and tell him something, but he wouldn’t do that. It was their business if they ever told him anything at all.
These days, Cas always woke up with a smile, with Dean’s warm weight at his side, in a bed that smelled like both of them. It was like every little fantasy he’s ever had about he and Dean being together. Every fantasy he thought he’d never have, but here they were. Cas gently stroked Dean’s hair, thinking about what Dean had told him a few days earlier. Dean wanted Benny. Cas had feared for years that Dean would choose some knot-headed alpha over him since he first found out he was a beta. But, Dean had said he wanted them both, and had hadn’t said he wanted anything more than sex with Benny.
If Dean ever decided that he wanted to live out this fantasy, Cas thinks he’ll be okay with it. Benny was far from unattractive. Cas wouldn’t mind having a go with him, honestly. He could just imagine what it would be like, filth and praise murmured in that voice of his, and stubble burn on his thighs. Benny looked like the type of guy who knew how to take care of his partners. He thinks sleeping with Benny would be fun.
Dean rolled over, nosing his way into the spot between Cas’ neck and the pillow. Cas smiled, turning his head to gently kiss the top of Dean’s. Dean grumbled, throwing an arm over Cas’ stomach. “We’re back at work today, we’ve gotta get up.” Cas reminded. Dean sighed, forcing himself up into a sitting position.
“I get to make pie today,” Dean murmured, “That means I can eat pie today.” Cas chuckled, watching as Dean tossed their blanket aside and slipped out of bed to walk over to their chest of drawers. He rifled around in the drawer that was his, grabbing a plain t-shirt and some jeans. They actually only had three or four outfits each, meaning most of the drawers were empty. Cas thinks maybe they should buy some new clothes, bulk up their wardrobes beyond old t-shirts and raggedy jeans. He’ll ask Benny if he’ll take them to the closest shopping center later.
Cas laid back for awhile, watching Dean pull off his shirt and drop it in their pile of laundry in the corner. He watched the movement of the muscles of his shoulders under freckled skin. Cas adored Dean’s freckles. Cas adored everything about Dean. Even the things that irritated him about the other boy, he would smile fondly about later on. Cas thinks that’s what love is. Love is adoring everything about your partner, even the faults. Even if those faults make you want to beat your head against a wall, you adore them because even the faults are what make that person the person that you love. Dean wouldn’t be the same person he loved if he was ferociously stubborn, just like he wouldn’t be the same person if he wasn’t the most caring person Cas knew.
Cas forced himself to stop watching Dean and get out of bed, intent to start getting dressed himself. He pulled open his drawer, and pulled out his own clothes. He and Dean went through their normal morning routine, pulling on their clothes before going to the bathroom to brush their teeth and hair, the smell of Benny cooking breakfast filling the whole house.
“Bacon and eggs, boys,” Benny said as they came into the kitchen, pushing some gooey eggs around the pan. “Should be done in just a few. Will one of ya put on some toast?” Dean wandered away from Cas side, grabbing the bread off the top of the fridge. Cas went straight to the coffee pot, grabbing a mug from the cabinet above it and pouring coffee into it until it almost spilled over. He grabbed the powder creamer, pouring a bit in, followed by a scoop of sugar, then stirring very carefully so as not to spill it. He wrapped both hands around the mug, slowly bringing it to his lips and taking a long sip.
He took his mug over to the table and sat down, watching Dean and Benny go about finishing up their breakfast. They worked well together, perfectly in sync as they worked around each other in the kitchen. They were the same way at the restaurant, never getting in each other’s ways as they worked in the tight quarters while Cas is sure that he was more of a bother than any form of help when he’d worked in the kitchen. This was just confirmed when Benny had asked him to start handling the work in the office instead. Not that Cas minded. He preferred that work. He liked the numbers and the organized filing systems. It made more sense to him than cooking, and he liked things that made sense.
Cas noticed Benny looking him, a bit confused. Cas smiled at him, and winked.
Benny was a creature of routine. He got up at the same time, he got ready in the same order, and he drove to work the same way every day. It was incredibly rare for him to ever want to break his routine, and the night he’d picked up Dean and Cas on that highway had been one of those rare days that he broke his routine. He’d decided on a whim to drive home a different way, along an empty backroad. He thinks that if there is a higher power, than they were definitely involved in having him take that route of all routes, on that day of all days.
Taking Dean and Cas in hadn’t changed his routine, but they had almost seamlessly weaved their way into it. Sure there were some changes - like cooking for three instead of one, and actually having someone to talk to instead of sitting by himself, with only the noise of the TV to break the silence. And it was a welcome change. He liked having Dean in the kitchen with him, and he liked the banter during meals and he even liked that Cas liked to run commentary on TV shows. He never wanted them to leave.
But he knew that was unrealistic. Dean and Cas were there because they had nowhere else to go. Benny gave them a roof over their head, and jobs, but as soon as they were eighteen and could go out there and not worry about being dragged back home, they’d leave. And yeah, they’d may keep contact or something, but it wouldn’t be what Benny wanted. What his instincts demanded he make them, because he wanted both of them to be his mates, but he’d keep that to himself. Dean and Cas wouldn’t want that - they had each other, they wouldn’t want some alpha to mess that up, and they were almost half his age.
Not to mention it was unusual. Sure, it wasn’t unheard of for an alpha to have two omega mates, but to have an omega and a beta mate? He’d never heard of anything like that. Plus, Cas seemed to lean more towards alpha-like tendencies, which should just piss Benny off, but it didn’t. Normally an alpha wouldn’t like having another alpha or beta that exhibited alpha like tendencies in their house, especially when an unmated omega was put into the equation, and Benny had even had alpha and beta roommates in the past that he couldn't stand living with, but that wasn’t the case with Cas.
He could feel Cas watching him and Dean working on breakfast. When he looked back at him, seated at the table sipping his coffee, his look wasn’t suspicion or any emotion he’d expect from someone watching an alpha with their intended mate. It was curious and considering, and when he saw Benny looked at him and winked, before finishing up his first cup of coffee and getting up to make another one.
It was starting to finally warm up outside, and Cas loved spending time outside. When he was young, he helped his mom keep a garden, and he’d always loved it. Cas had been eying a spot in Benny’s backyard that would be perfect, but he wasn’t sure if he would be overstepping any boundaries by asking if he could start one. It would be like a promise that he and Dean had intended to stay there for a long time, and he wasn’t sure if Benny would like that. He was kind enough to open his home to them and give them work, but would he want Cas making such a permanent change?
But, Benny seemed like the kind of person that would like a garden. He liked to cook so much, and garden fresh food was always better, right? And his house was very nice, it would be nice with some flowers and such in the barren front flower bed. He could just imagine it, flower of all different colors and a garden brimming with vegetables in the back.
“Do you think Benny would let me start a garden?” Cas asked one afternoon as he and Dean relaxed in the backyard, spread out on two big beach towels they’d found in Benny’s linen closet. Dean turned his head, cupping a hand around his eyes to shield them from the sun.
“Dunno. I mean, he’s got room for one, and it would look nice,” Dean said, voice echoing oddly off his hand. “I’d ask him.” Cas nodded, resolving that he’d at least propose the idea to Benny, before laying back down next to Dean, enjoying the feeling of the warm sunlight on his chest and Dean at his side. He took Dean’s hand in his, intertwining their fingers. He brought their clasped hands up to his lips and pressed a kiss to the back of his hand, feeling the delicate bones and ligaments beneath his lips. “Hey, Cas?” Cas hummed a response. “Are we together?”
That gave Cas pause. Were they together? The recent changes to their relationship had just seemed like a natural progression. He’d had feelings for Dean for what seemed like his whole life. They’d been best friends since preschool, and as they’d grown older Cas had always felt that Dean was someone who would be in his life forever. It was the day Dean went into heat in their seventh grade english class that he’d realized that he wanted something more than just friendship. It wasn’t the first time Cas had been around omegas going into heat - It was pretty common for omegas to start their first heats at school, it was hard to predict the first heat and kids did spend a lot of time in school. - but Dean had smelt so much better than any other omega he’d smelled before or after. Cas had tried to convince himself that it was purely because he and Dean were close, but as the years progressed, he realized that he truly did have romantic feelings for his friend. And it was obvious to everyone. Cas is pretty sure Dean had known for years. It was just something they didn’t talk about. They’d been asked plenty of times by classmates if they were dating, or even mated, which they always denied, but now?
Cas would like to think they’re together. Hell, they were almost like a mated couple these days. They slept together, they lived together. They cuddled in the yard like a couple of doofs. Dean had even said he wanted Cas to be with him during his next heat. That was something Cas had be raised to not take lightly. Being with an omega while they were in heat was something you only did if you planned on mating them (though that was mostly to avoid any unplanned pregnancies). But Dean had been raised differently than he had, had been through different things than Cas had. He could view what they have, and what he’s asked of Cas, as something different. A show of trust, or a source of comfort. And if that’s all Dean wanted than that’s all Cas wanted.
“I’d like to think we are,” Cas murmured. “Though, only if you do too.” The grass rustled as Dean rolled over, throwing his arm over Cas’ abdomen so that their clasped hands rested against Cas’ hip.
“Me too.” Cas couldn’t help but smile, tightening his grip on Dean’s hand again. This was everything Cas had wanted since he was thirteen. He wishes that the things that happened to Dean that led them here hadn’t, but he can’t change that now. All he can do is make sure that the rest of Dean’s life is happy and safe.
“Is it too early to say I love you?”
“Naw,” Cas had his eyes closed against the sun, but he could tell from Dean’s voice that he was smiling. “I love you too.” Cas turned his head, blindly leaning forward and placing a kiss on Dean’s face. He’s pretty sure his lips landed on his eyebrow.
“Got lemonade,” Benny called from the back patio. Cas could hear the clinking of glasses being sat down on the outside table, and the squeak of a chair as Benny sat down in it. Dean let go of his hand, pulling away and getting up. Cas sighed. He was comfortable, but he was also thirsty. He pushed himself up into a sitting position, blinking a few times to get used to the light, then standing up and walking over to the table where Dean already was sitting, drinking a glass of lemonade and talking to Benny about new dish ideas for the restaurant. Cas slipped into a chair beside Benny and took his glass quietly, half listening to Dean and Benny talk.
Cas couldn’t help thinking about what Dean had told him after his heat whenever he saw Dean and Benny together. He didn’t necessarily feel jealous - the fantasy had included him too. He was just...curious. He wondered if Dean would want more than for Benny to join them in bed one day. Benny was an alpha, and omegas instinctive craved having an alpha. Not to mention that Benny really was good looking, and he was kind, and he and Dean had so much in common. Cas thinks he could handle it if Dean wanted something with Benny too. Honestly, it would probably make him feel a bit better about Dean going out by himself. Cas would be the first to admit that he was more protective than he should be - Dean was a big boy - but the world was dangerous, especially for an unmated omega. And even if Cas marked him, most alphas didn’t respect a beta’s claim. (Don’t even get him started on the fact that an omega needed to be claimed to be left alone.) If Benny marked him, he’d be left alone.
Cas is sure Benny has feelings for Dean. He’d caught the alpha starring, had seen the look in his eye. It was a look Cas knows he’d given Dean plenty of times himself. What had shocked Cas was when he’d caught Benny giving him the same look. He didn’t how to feel about that. Sure, Cas wasn’t opposed to a tumble in the sheets with the older man, and he was a kind soul that he was honored to have met, but why would he look at him with the same longing he looked at Dean with? Cas was a beta. There were few alphas out there that wanted betas, and while Benny gave every indication that he was an open-minded man, Cas just couldn’t imagine him being the kind that would want someone like Cas. Or the type to want both Cas and Dean, and actually act on it. But who knows? Maybe he was. Cas would have to think about this.
Benny had to admit nothing made him happier than seeing Dean and Cas together, curled up on his sofa or on two beach towels in the backyard. They weren’t always necessarily cuddling, sometimes they’d just lay side by side with their hands pressed against each other. There was just something about seeing them like that that made him smile. They always seemed so happy and content, a far cry from how they were when he’d picked them up off that highway, and Benny took pride in the fact that he’d helped them feel that comfortable.
He liked to pretend he was happy with just that. But when he saw them together, he couldn’t help but wonder what it was like to lay there with them, lounging in the sun and trading lazy kisses and touches. For awhile, he’d felt guilty about feeling that way, but now he just doesn’t bother with it. Feeling guilty didn’t change the fact that he had feelings for Dean and Cas. Plus, it was perfectly normal to crave a relationship like that. Benny wasn’t a spring chicken. He was thirty, and still had never had a mate and probably never would. He’d come close, but somethings just aren’t meant to be, but that didn’t mean he didn’t want it to, and it didn’t mean he couldn’t think about it.
“Oh Benny, Cas had something he wanted to ask you,” Dean said. They’d been talking about maybe starting to do a dish of the week to find a new item to add to the menu. Benny looked over at Cas. The boy was sipping his lemonade, looking at them both in confusion. “Go on, Cas, ask Benny about that thing.” Cas seemed to realize what they were talking about. He set his lemonade down.
“I was wondering if I could do some gardening?” he asked. “A vegetable garden and maybe some flowers in the bed up front?” Benny was a bit shocked by the question. Cas started a garden implied that they intended to stay longer than he’d assumed, not that he minded that at all. He’d assumed they would just stay with them until they were eighteen, which from the internet search he’d done, wasn’t that long. “It’s okay if-”
“No, it’s fine. This place could use some gardening, I’ve just never been much of a gardener,” Benny explains. “But if you want to, I’ll take you to home depot or wherever tomorrow.” Cas’ face visibly brightened, his lips turning up in a small smile.
“Thank you, Benny.”
Benny smiled at him. “It’s no problem, blue bird.”
***
And that’s how they found themselves walking around a gardening center the next day, after a clothes run to to wal-mart that ended in them having enough clothes for a week. He and Dean were dutifully following behind Cas, either carrying the things he handed to them or placing them in the wagon that Benny was pulling. Most of the wagon was taken up by snapdragons of every color and a flower that looked a lot like lavender. Cas’ excitement was more than enough to make up for the two hours they’d spent walking around the gardening center.
Cas was currently walking around the shelves of seeds, grabbing packets and reading the backs before deciding to add them to the collection in his hand or put it back. Dean was kneeling by the wagon, looking at the flowers. “These are kind of weird looking,” He said, “Pretty, but weird.” Benny smiled, kneeling beside him.
“Wanna see why they’re called snapdragons?” he asked. Dean nodded. Benny reached out, carefully plucking a little red flower from the stem. He gently squeezed the sides, making the flower open and close. Dean smiled wide.
“Dude, that’s so cool. Can I try?” Benny handed over the flower. Dean stared at it a moment, trying to position his fingers the same way Benny had moments ago, before giving it a squeeze. “It actually kind of looks like a dragon when you do that.”
“Kind of the point, sweetheart,” Benny pointed out. He patted the boy’s back, before straightening up. Cas was looking through his collection of seed packets, gnawing on the side of his lower lip. “Find everything you want?” Cas looked up.
“I think so, yeah. It’s planting season for most of these, and the rest we can wait to plant,” he declared. “I was thinking we could plant pumpkins? You do a pumpkin pie during fall at the diner, and fresh pumpkin would be nice, right?”
“That sounds great,” Benny said. “Why don’t we check out? The day’s still young - we could get to work on the garden today.” Cas nodded, and they all headed over to the register. Dean leaned against the counter, playing with the little nick knacks on display with mild interest as the cashier rang them up. Cas pulled his battered wallet from his pocket, but Benny held up a hand. “I got this, blue bird.”
“Are you sure?” Cas asked. “I can cover it.”
“I’m sure,” Benny assured him, getting his own wallet out of his pocket to pay for the gardening supplies. Cas was fidgeting with his wallet beside him, obviously feeling guilty about not paying, but it was for Benny’s house. Plus, it’s not like Benny didn’t want a garden. If he had any idea where to start, he would have started one years ago.
Despite the nice warm shower, Cas still has dirt under his nails, and he’s sore, but in a totally good and satisfying way. He falls back on the bed, not caring that his hair is getting the pillow wet. The bed dips beside him as Dean lays down. “You’re really hot when you’re gardening.” Cas laughs, turning onto his side to look at Dean.
“I am?” Dean nods. “How so?”
“Well, the whole sweating and covered in dirt thing is a good look for you,” Dean starts, “But it’s more...you’re really into it, ya know?” Cas smiles, slipping an arm around Dean’s waist. “Why’d you stop?”
“What do you mean?”
“I remember when we were little, and you’d help your mom, but then you stopped. Why?” Cas sighed, pulling Dean a bit closer to his side. He always used to find pride in things he did with his mom. He liked shopping with her, and gardening, and helping decorate the house.
“My father said it wasn’t something that alphas did,” He explained. “He said that people would start getting suspicious about what I am if I didn’t act like an alpha - as if some hormone pills and an attitude change would hide it.” Dean leaned forward and kissed him.
“Well, you don’t have to deal with that anymore,” he declared. “You’re safe here.” That gave Cas pause. He’d never given much thought to his safety. This whole time, he’s told himself that all of this was for Dean, to Dean away from everyone that had hurt him. But, maybe he’d had his own selfish motives. He’d always told himself that his parents weren’t that bad, and that he could make it until he was eighteen without snapping. He’d always thrown himself into Dean - take care of Dean, patch Dean up, be there for Dean - but maybe he was using Dean’s problems as a distraction from his own? Of course, Dean’s problems were so much worse than his, but that wasn’t a reason for Cas to throw everything down the drain. He loved Dean, and Dean couldn’t have stayed at home any longer without something worse than a broken bone or two happening, but Dean had never asked him to run away. It had always been Cas’ idea.
“We’re safe,” Cas murmured, testing the words on his lips. This whole time it had been Dean’s safety and happiness that he worried about, not even thinking that this was his escape too. His escape from his parents. His chance to not have to hide what he is, and to be made to feel ashamed but his family. He smiled, pulling Dean on top of him, and kissing him. “We’re safe,” He repeated when Dean pulled back. Dean smiled down at him.
“We’re safe,” He murmured, leaning down and kissing him again. Dean’s hands slipped up, running through his hair and pulling him closer. Cas loved the feeling of Dean’s plump lips pressed against his, moving gently. Cas wrapped his arms around Dean, running them slowly up and down his back. Dean made a happy noise against his lips, little vibrations tickling and making him pull back and laugh. “I love you, Cas,” Dean declares, kissing his nose and his cheeks and his chin and everywhere else he could reach.
“I love you too,” Cas leaned up, kissing his nose, before gently rolling them so that Dean was laying on the bed with Cas leaning over him. Dean kisses him. His hand fisting in Cas’ shirt, pulling at it. “Do you wanna take it off, Dean?” Cas murmured against his lips. He’s only a little shocked when Dean nods. He smiles, pushing himself up to sit on his heels before grabbing the edges of his shirt and pulling it off. Dean sits up to, pulling off his own shirt and dropping it to the bed next to Cas’. He looked down at his lap, watching Cas sheepishly through his lashes.
Cas pulls Dean into his lap, wrapping the younger boy’s legs around his waist. Dean reached up, cupping Cas’ cheek and kissing him again, this time a bit nervously - as if asking for reassurance. Cas rolls his hips upwards, rubbing their clothed crotches against each other, testing the limits of how far this was going. Dean moans, pulling away from the kiss. “More?” he asked.
“Fuck yes,” Dean readjusted himself so that the bulges in their pants are pressed right against each other. Cas rolls his hips again, gasping a bit from the pleasure. Dean laid his head against Cas’ shoulder, moaning into his neck with each movement of Cas’ hips. His breath is hot, sending goose bumps up and down his neck and shoulder. Cas buried his own moans in Dean’s shoulder, covering them up with little kisses and nips to the freckled skin. He could feel a wetness against his thighs where Dean sat. It drove Cas mad thinking he had that effect on the omega. “More, Cas.”
Cas pulled back, stopping the upward movement of his hips. “How much more?” he didn’t want to push Dean to do anything he didn’t feel comfortable doing. Dean bit his lip.
“We don’t have a condom,” he said. “And I know it’s rare to get pregnant outside a heat but I don’t want to risk it.” Cas nodded. He didn’t want to either. They were young and in no kind of situation to even risk having a baby right now.
He reached between them, pushing down the waist bands of both of their pajamas to expose their erections the cold air of the room. He bit down a moan when they rubbed against each other, reaching behind Dean to gather some of his slick. Dean gasped, bucking back against his hand and whining in protest when Cas pulled away. Cas turned his head, placing a kiss on Dean’s neck as he took them both in his hand. Cas knew it wouldn’t take much. He could feel the swell of his knot beginning as he jerked them, quickly and maybe a bit rushed but he wanted to get off. Dean was moaning and gasping, hot against his ear, as he thrusted up into Cas’ fist. Cas’ own breath was ragged, the desperate need to come lighting his every nerve on fire as it built up.
“Cas, ‘m close,” Dean moaned in his ear, lips brushing against the lobe. Cas jerked them once, twice, and then Dean was coming all over their cocks and his hand. Dean slumped against Cas, trying to catch his breath. Cas kissed his cheek, ready to go and take care of himself in the bathroom, when Dean reaches between them and takes Cas’ cock in his fist, jerking him a few times until he came. Cas pulled Dean against him, ignoring the warm come that covered their lower torsos, and held him close.
“That...felt really good,” Dean yawned, nuzzling Cas’ neck. Cas couldn’t help but smile proudly. “Have you ever…?” Cas is taken back by the question. He’d never talked to Dean about his sex life, mostly because it wasn’t very exciting, but also because he wasn’t sure if Dean would be comfortable hearing about it.
“I’ve fooled around a little bit - mostly when I dated Meg in ninth grade. But never more than that,” Cas explained. He hadn’t really dated much at all, honestly. He liked Meg a lot, but his main motive for entering that relationship was to get his parents to stop pressuring him into dating. Of course, he’d asked Meg out because he genuinely cared about her and thought it would work out for awhile, but he never thought it would be permanent. He’d known it wouldn’t be permanent because of his feelings for Dean.
“Just Meg?”
“Just Meg.” Dean gave a little hum that sounded almost pleased. Cas smiled, running his hand up his back.
“We should get cleaned up.” Dean nodded, slipping out of his lap. Cas kissed his forehead, before getting up and going out of the room to get a rag from the bathroom down the hall. He paused, hearing a quiet noise from Benny’s room. It sounded like a moan. He leaned his ear against the door, listening again. It was only a moment before he heard it again, and yeah, that was definitely a moan. Benny was masturbating. Cas hadn’t thought about how close Benny’s room was, and how he could probably hear every noise they made. Cas quietly stepped away from the door, trying to act like he couldn’t hear the alpha.
***
“We’ve got the scariest house on the block,” declared Dean, resting his hands on his hips proudly as they all stood back, surveying their handy work. Benny nodded beside him, smiling Cas rolled his eyes, slipping his arms around his waist. Dean leaned into the touch, smiling at him. “What do you think, Cas?”
“I think you and Benny are way too excited about Halloween,” He said, rubbing his thumb against Dean’s hip.
“Think the graveyard looks pretty nice in your flowerbed, brother,” Benny jokes, nudging Cas with his elbow.
“Better not have messed up my flowers, or else,” Castiel threatened jokingly. Benny laughed, bending down to gather up the trash from the decorations before walking inside. Dean leaned closer to him, resting his head against his shoulder.
“You really like the decorations, right?” Dean asked. Cas nodded, pressing a kiss to his head. “Good.”
“You know there isn’t much to be looking forward to, right? I mean, we’re too old for trick-or-treating, and there aren’t any parties,” he pointed.
“I know, but it’ll be nice to see all the little kids and their costumes,” Dean shrugged. “Though, we may not get to do that. Ya know my heat’s supposed to start sometime around then.” Cas felt his heart skip a beat. He knows what Dean was implying. He’d said that he wanted them to spend his next heat together, but back then it had been months away. Now it would be a few weeks and he would be lying if he said it didn’t make him nervous. He loved Dean, and it wasn’t like they hadn’t been slowly exploring a more sexual relationship. What he was nervous about was taking that final step and marking him. Mating was for life, at least to Cas it was. Cas knew he wanted it for life, but he didn’t want Dean to look back and realize he’d made a mistake. He knew he had to take what Dean was saying at face value. If Dean didn’t feel like he was ready to make the leap into being mates, then he would tell him.
He leaned down and kissed him. “I’m looking forward to it, Dean.” Dean smiled against his lips, pulling back. He intertwined their fingers, pulling him into the house. Inside, Benny was cutting into the pecan pie he had made earlier in the day and had left to cool while they decorated the yard. The alpha smiled at them both, using the pie slicer to shovel three slices of pie onto three plates. Dean let go of his hand, and walked over to take a plate from Benny.
Maybe there was a bit more to Castiel’s hesitations about mating than just Dean not being sure. While Dean and Cas’ relationship had been growing in the last few months, so had their relationship with Benny. Benny had been giving them both more responsibility at his restaurant, which meant more one-on-one time with the alpha. At first, Castiel had been jealous. Dean was spending so much time with him, learning all the recipes on the menu. He’d walked downstairs at midnight to find the two bent over one of Benny’s handwritten recipe cards or the stove. It bothered him that his intended mate was spending so much time with another man, especially one he’d admitted an attraction to, even if that man was their friend and the only reason they weren’t dead in an alley or back home, and even if Cas thought he had come to terms with both Dean’s - and his own - attraction for Benny. Castiel had been strong though, and kept his jealousy at bay.
Then Benny had started spending time with Cas too. Hours spent in the little office, practically touching as Benny showed him how to keep track of their profits and supply orders and every other little thing he needed to know. He’d hate to admit that he’d zoned out more than once, staring at the alpha’s face and being mesmerized by his voice. It scared him actually. It was becoming more and more evident to him that whatever he feels for Benny is more than just short-lived lust or a childish crush. The way Benny made his heart clench and his thoughts race was way too similar to how he felt for Dean for comfort.
Castiel isn’t sure if he should go through with claiming Dean if it’s obvious they both have feelings for someone else. He knew that whatever he felt for Benny didn’t change what he felt for Dean, but he also knew that if they ever intended to act on it, they should do it before mating. He knows he should talk to Dean about it, he just doesn’t know how to bring it up.
Benny was happy that Dean and Castiel were exploring their relationship. He really, really was. They were young and they should feel comfortable in exploring deeper levels of intimacy. He just wished they were quieter about it. He knows they waited until they thought he was sleeping before they did anything, and he knows they made attempts to keep quiet. He’d heard Castiel’s voice rumbling through the wall more than once, “Dean, as much as I love the noises you make, Benny could hear us.” And shit, that was just fanning the flames as far as Benny was concerned.
He tried his hardest to ignore the gasps and moans and groans that were barely muffled by the wall separating the bedrooms. When he realized he couldn’t ignore them, he tried his best not to give them more thought than background noise, but fuck, Dean was vocal. He couldn’t help but imagine what they were doing.
Benny could tell that Cas liked to take his time. He’d heard Dean pant and beg for him to “stop teasing already.” to know that for sure. He could imagine Cas would start by kissing him, nice and slow. He’d put those pink lips all over Dean, kissing every available inch of skin as Dean squirmed under him, arousal growing more and more. Dean would probably grip desperately at Cas as he begged him to stop teasing, and Cas would probably smirk against his skin as he continued kissing downwards.
Benny groaned when he heard Dean moan out a “Fuck Cas!”. He reached down, pulling his pajama pants down to free his own erection. He licked a stripe across his palm before taking his cock in hand and jerking himself, trying to get into rhythm with whatever Cas was doing to Dean. He imagines Cas kneeling between Dean’s thighs, pink lips stretched wide over Dean’s knotless cock, fisting his own as he sucked.
Benny bit his lip hard enough to draw blood, trying to keep quiet as he approached the edge. He could feel his knot swelling at the base of his cock, his hand pressing against it with each downward motion.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck, Cas, ‘m so close.” Benny fought down a growl in his throat. Dean was probably trying to keep his hips under control, or maybe he’d let himself go and was fucking Cas’ mouth. He could imagine the beta’s lips swollen from kissing and sucking, silva escaping his mouth and dribbling down his chin and Dean’s cock, mixing with the omega’s pre-come.
“Come for me, Dean.” Cas’ voice is an absolute wreck, adding to Benny’s fantasy. He bet he’d just pulled off Dean’s cock, and only had to jack him once or twice before the omega was coming. Cas’ face was probably covered in semen. His tongue would slip out, licking away the little bit around his mouth.
Benny turned his head, biting into his pillow to muffle his moan as he came.
Castiel knows he’s thought it many times before, but Dean is truly beautiful. He doesn’t know how to properly explain to his intended how beautiful he is. He’d tried, but every time Dean would turn red, and tell him to shut up. He was strong shoulders and arms, with a soft stomach and as he’d learned in recent months, freckles everywhere. And don’t even get him started on his eyes. Green, with flecks of brown and hazel.
“Stop staring, Cas, it’s creepy,” he ordered, dropping the damp rag he’d been using to clean himself off in their laundry pile and pulling his sweatpants on. Cas smiled, holding out his arms for him. Dean rolled his eyes and drop down beside Cas on the bed, letting the beta pulling him close. He kissed his cheek, smiling at him.
“It’s hard not to stare when I’ve got Adonis in my room,” He murmured against his cheek. Dean playfully shoved at him.
“I’m no Adonis,” he mumbled.
“Would you like a second opinion?” Cas asked, “We could go ask Benny what he thinks?” Dean was quiet, and Cas could feel his cheeks heating up where their faces were pressed together. “I’ve seen the way he looks at you, Dean. He’d agree with me.”
“He doesn’t look at me any way,” Dean said indignantly. Cas rolled his eyes.
“Yes, he does. He wants you,” Cas says, pulling away from him to lay back on the bed. “And you want him too.” Dean is silent, not looking at him. “I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, I’m just saying we should talk about it.”
“What’s there to talk about? I mean, yeah I like Benny, but I love you.” Cas reached out, placing a reassuring hand on his back.
“I want him too,” Cas informed. “And I think that’s something we should explore before mating.” He moved his hand to Dean’s wrist, gently tugging to get him to lay down beside him. Dean laid down, cradling the pillow to his head.
“If it’s gonna keep us from mating, I don’t want to.” Cas took Dean’s hand in his own, and let their intertwined hands rest between them on the bed.
“It won’t stop us, Dean.” Dean let out a sigh of relief. “Would you want a quick tumble in the sheets with him, or to see if he’s interested in more?” Cas asked. “I would be interested in seeing if there could be more than sex.” Dean bit his lip, worrying the skin on the back of Cas’ hand with his thumb.
“Are you...talking about seeing if we could have a polygamous mating?” Dean sounds nervous and it makes Cas feel like an asshole for even bringing any of this up. This must be making Dean uncomfortable, but Cas knows it’s something they need to talk about. Especially if Dean’s intent on them mating during his next heat.
“Dean we don’t...we can forget I brought this up if you don’t want to talk.”
“No it’s not...you’re right. I want Benny and if he wants something more with us, then I sure as hell wanna try,” Dean said quickly. “It’s just...what kind of omega takes two mates?”
“Alphas take two mates all the time,” Cas pointed out, “Why can’t an omega?”
“Because when an alpha has multiple partners or mates, it’s seen a proof of his alpha-ness. When an omega does it, they’re a whore.” Dean wouldn’t meet his eyes. Cas sighed, pulling Dean’s hand up to his lips and kissing it.
“That’s a double standard, Dean. There’s no difference between an omega who has twenty partners and one who only has one, and anyone who says otherwise can go to hell,” He declared. “But if you’re uncomfortable with it, then we can forget it, Dean. I think there could be something with Benny, but you’re the most important person to me.” Dean is quiet for a long period of time, eyebrows furrowed in thought.
“No. I...I want to at least talk to Benny about it,” He finally says. “I’m not going to let what other people could think control me.”
Part III