Blindfolded (Best Friends 'Verse - 4)
Blindfolded
Rating: G
Wordcount: 2300
Characters: Dean, Cas and co., Gen.
Warnings/Spoilers: None.
Summary: AU, part 4 of the Best Friends ‘verse. Cas and Dean are 11 years old, and Dean experiences what it’s like to not be able to see for the first time. For new readers it’s best to read from the beginning, but if you choose not to (it’ll still make sense), Cas is blind.
Blindfolded (Best Friends ‘verse - Part 4) by skylinehorizon
“Okay, dude,” Dean says, once the blindfold is on. “I can’t see a thing.”
He feels a hand grip onto his shoulder. Dean doesn’t like the fact he can’t read Cas’ face, can’t see the smiles, doesn’t know if he’s happy or not. He doesn’t like the fact that this is what Cas always has to deal with. Cas gives his shoulder a little squeeze and says, “Come on, I’ll show you around.”
Before doing this, Dean didn’t realize how much Cas relies on voice and hearing and the sense of touch for his surroundings. When Dean caught sight of the bandana, probably Gabriel’s, on the corner of the couch, he’d been half joking when he brought up the idea of him wearing it as a blindfold. Cas, however, was completely up for it.
“Okay, how do you do this?”
Cas chuckles softly beside him, and places a firm hand on his elbow to lead him through Cas’ house. Dean hears a cough from somewhere, knows it’s male but can’t quite locate from which direction it came from or who it was. The whole thing is hugely disorientating.
“It’s twelve steps from the kitchen to the stairs, and you take a slight right on the fourth step to stop from bumping into the sofa. If you don’t go up the stairs and carry on going forward, it’s three more steps into the hallway and two more to the front door.”
“Jesus!” Dean says, impressed and a little overwhelmed. He’s been taking his sight for granted, that’s for sure. They’re walking forwards and Cas is guiding him along with such care that Dean feels amused and touched at the same time. They stop and Cas turns him around slightly.
“Sixteen steps,” he says. “Put your hand on the banister to your right if you want.”
Dean reaches out and feels the wooden banister beneath his hand. They slowly start climbing the stairs and Dean mentally counts each one, realising how easy it would be to fall. Cas feels strong and confident beside him though, and he knows Cas is keeping him safe. They reach the top of the stairs and Cas directs him a little to the left.
“My bedroom,” he says, switching from guiding him by his elbow to gently pulling him inside. Dean can imagine what the room looks like in his mind but he still feels out of place and a little lost. Cas pulls him forward a few steps and then stops. He lifts the hand that’s holding Dean’s up and then guides his hand forward until Dean can feel a wooden surface under his hand.
“Your chest of drawers,” Dean says.
“Yeah. Feel the label with your index finger...”
Dean sticks his index finger out and lets Cas guide his hand to the label that’s stuck on at the top left corner of the first drawer. He can feel the tiny bumps of the Braille beneath his finger but can’t distinguish one bump from the other.
“Jesus,” he says. “You would have thought they’d make the dots a little bigger or something.”
Cas laughs softly and puts his hand over Dean’s. “Okay, you feel that first little dot near the bottom that’s sitting alone?”
Dean nods in affirmation but then realizes how idiotic he’s being and says, “Yep, I can feel it.”
“That means the next letter is a capital.” He gently moves Dean’s finger along the sticker. “That’s a ‘U’,” he says, and moves Dean’s finger along a little farther. “Followed by an ‘n’, then ‘d'... and so on, to spell ‘underwear’.”
“Ah, so there is a method to your madness.”
“Yes, Dean. The little dots do actually mean something.”
Dean grins to himself. “...Shut up.”
Cas continues to lead Dean slowly around the room and letting him touch everything, all of the different labels and textures. Dean likes the fact that Cas knows exactly where everything is and realizes how important it is to have everything tidy and put away.
They’re sitting next to each other on the bed, and Dean leans slightly against Cas’ arm. “I didn’t realize,” he says, fiddling with his sleeve, “how important it is for you to, like... touch everything.”
“That’s how I see, Dean. Touch.”
Cas’ hand comes up and rests on the top of Dean’s head. He’s used to Cas being touchy-feely with him, doesn’t think it’s anything weird. It’s not something he’d let anyone else do, apart from maybe Sam who still doesn’t really understand personal space, but he’s fine with it all the same. Cas fingers trace over the blindfold Dean’s wearing and to the tip of his nose. Dean is smiling and Cas traces his lips. Tentatively, Dean reaches up his own hand and traces Cas’ face, which is smiling like his. Dean grins wider.
His skin is smooth and soft, and Dean gently traces a finger over his eyebrows and over his eyelids which are closed.
“Nice face,” Dean says, and Cas laughs beside him.
“Thanks, Dean. You too.”
He’s not sure why, but he likes that Cas says that. Cas can’t even see his face, but the idea that Cas likes him makes his stomach squirm, even if he’s known that fact since they were little kids.
It sort of feels like the way he’s sometimes looked at girls, or when Jo comes up to him and says he looks nice. But it’s different with Cas, everything always is.
The comfortable silence is broken by Cas’ voice. Sounding like he’s smiling, he says, “I’ve got an idea.”
***
Dean shifts on his patch of grass and tries to figure out where he’s standing in relation to everyone else. He tentatively reaches his hand out and finds Cas closer than he’d expected, and Cas automatically links their hands together.
“Okay, this isn’t fair!” Gabriel says, from the end of the garden. “How come Dean gets Castiel? That’s cheating!” Dean laughs and grips Cas’ hand in a tight squeeze.
“Oh, shut up,” Anna says. “It’s not cheating. They’re younger anyway.”
Dean isn’t sure how Cas got everyone to agree to this. Somehow, Cas persuaded Dean, Gabriel and Anna to all get blindfolded and join in with his game. They’re standing in the garden, Dean with Cas and Anna with Gabriel, and they’re about to play Cas’ version of soccer.
“Maybe we need a referee,” Cas says.
“I think that would be a good idea,” Anna responds. “I’ll try and get Michael to come down.”
“No peeking,” Dean says, and Anna laughs.
“You mean I have to go upstairs and find Michael without looking?”
“Of course,” Cas says. Dean can hear the grin in his voice. “Just remember this: twenty steps to the door, go up the one step. Once you’re inside it’s one step to the left, go forward eight steps until you’re through the doorway, and then you’re in the kitchen. Twelve steps forward to the stairs - mind the sofa - and the stairs are on your right. There are sixteen steps including the landing. Good luck.”
By the time Cas has finished, Dean has burst out laughing and just wishes he could see the expression on Anna’s face.
“You’re crazy, you know that?” Anna says, but Dean recognizes the fondness in her voice. There’s the sound of something clanging and falling over and Cas laughs softly beside him.
“What did you knock over?” Gabriel asks, amused.
“I think it was the watering can,” Anna replies.
It takes a few minutes for Anna to return, but it feels to Dean like it was longer than it probably was. It’s harder to keep track of time and he feels off-balance like this.
“Alright, kids,” Michael says, once Cas has explained to them what they’re doing. “To make it fair, I’ll put the ball in front of the least skilled person.” He pauses before continuing. “Gabriel.”
“Hey!”
“Stop moaning,” Anna says, sounding exasperated. “It means you get the ball!”
Dean grins, happy that he’s on a team with Cas, who, if they’re being realistic about this, is the only person with a real chance of scoring any goals. Dean hears the sound of a small bell and wonders what Michael is doing.
“Okay, it’s in front of you - hey! Don’t you dare unwrap that scarf from around your face.”
Cas laughs beside Dean and he smiles. Dean thinks it was probably a good idea to get a referee. He can understand though, why Gabriel might be itching to see. It feels strange to rely on one less sense. Cas is of course accustomed to it, but Dean is really appreciating now how difficult it must be for him.
There’s another tinkling of the bell and Dean strains to hear what it actually is.
“What’s that bell?” he asks.
“It’s the ball,” Cas says. “It has a little bell inside so you can hear where it goes.”
“Clever,” Dean says.
“Just you wait until I choose the game,” Gabriel says. “We’ll play hide and seek.”
“Don’t be a dick, Gabriel!” Anna says, and Dean knows it was only teasing in a brotherly sort of way, but he suddenly feels a little protective over Cas and pulls his hand closer. He doesn’t like the fact he can’t tell Cas’ mood by his expression. When this is all over, he’s going to be a lot more vocal so Cas knows a little bit better how Dean is feeling.
“Sure,” Cas says, and grips Dean’s hand in his. “But only if you all wear bells.”
Dean grins at that and can hear Michael sighing.
“Alright, alright. I’ll count down from three, and tell you when you can go, okay?”
“Wait,” Dean says, trying to figure out where he’s standing in proximity to the ball. “Am I standing opposite Gabriel or is Cas?”
“You’re opposite Anna, so Castiel is opposite Gabriel. Got it?”
Cas’ hand loosens from Dean’s grip and Dean feels the loss. “Yeah, I got it.”
“Get ready. Three, two, one, go!”
There’s the sound of the bell and a thump as the ball flies through the air and lands on the ground, and it sounds like it’s to the left, which is Cas’ side.
“Got it,” Cas says, and Dean grins, trying to follow the sound. “Gonna pass it to you, Dean. Okay?”
“Uh, sure,” Dean says, trying to follow the sound of it with his ears and then translate it to his feet. He can hear it coming nearer, and can hear that Cas has kicked it. He walks forward a little further and feels it against his shin. He kicks it forward, hoping it goes in the general direction, and then hears Michael laugh.
“Well... that was the hedge, so wait a moment while I go get it.”
Cas is giggling beside him and Dean hears Gabriel snort.
“You laughing at me, Cas?” Dean asks playfully.
“’Course not. But the goal is in front of you.”
“I did kick it forward! It’s not my fault the goal moved.”
“... I don’t think it moved, Dean.”
“I think I should start with the ball this time,” Anna interrupts as Michael walks back over to them.
Ten minutes later and the only person who’s scored any successful goals is, unsurprisingly, Cas. Dean has tried, he has, but he can’t seem to kick in the right direction, and the one time he did it hit Gabriel. The score is two-nil to them, and Dean is realizing that they might as well call it a win now because the rest of them are hopeless.
“Okay,” Michael says, sounding tired. “That’s the third time you’ve kicked it into the hedge, Anna. Are you really going to keep trying?”
“Maybe we should finish here and accept that Cas is the only one with any skill,” Dean says.
“I think that’s a good idea, Dean,” Cas says, voice warm with amusement. He feels Cas walk towards him and place a hand on his shoulder. “I’m getting tired of winning, anyway.”
“Please, little bro,” Gabriel says, walking towards them, “you’ve just been lucky this time. Just wait until we play again.”
Cas hmm’s beside him, like he doesn’t quite believe them, and Dean hears as they walk across the grass, chatting as they go, and down the steps towards the house. He figures they’ve already taken their blindfolds off, but Dean lets Cas guide him inside before he does so himself.
Dean unties his blindfold and peels it off, blinking in the bright light of the room. He feels a pang of sadness at the fact it’s so easy for Dean to do that, and Cas is in constant darkness.
“Thanks,” Dean hears himself say, not sure where the words are coming from. “I know I can’t ever get what it’s like for you, but I think I get it a little more now.”
Cas gives him a smile. “It’s not so bad. I mean, you help me a lot. I should say thanks to you.”
Dean goes to shrug, catches himself, and puts a hand on Cas’ shoulder instead, giving it a light squeeze. “It’s what friends are for, right?”
“Right,” Cas says, and he looks happy. He looks relaxed and at ease, and Dean likes the look on him.
He withdraws his hand and clears his throat. “So, uh. I should probably get back now. I have a lot of homework I’m behind on.”
“You always have a lot of homework you’re behind on,” Cas says, and Dean grins.
“That's true. I’ll see you tomorrow, Cas.”
“See you tomorrow,” Cas says, and Dean walks out of the house with a smile on his face and feeling happier than he has in a while.
Next part | 'Verse masterpost
Rating: G
Wordcount: 2300
Characters: Dean, Cas and co., Gen.
Warnings/Spoilers: None.
Summary: AU, part 4 of the Best Friends ‘verse. Cas and Dean are 11 years old, and Dean experiences what it’s like to not be able to see for the first time. For new readers it’s best to read from the beginning, but if you choose not to (it’ll still make sense), Cas is blind.
Blindfolded (Best Friends ‘verse - Part 4) by skylinehorizon
“Okay, dude,” Dean says, once the blindfold is on. “I can’t see a thing.”
He feels a hand grip onto his shoulder. Dean doesn’t like the fact he can’t read Cas’ face, can’t see the smiles, doesn’t know if he’s happy or not. He doesn’t like the fact that this is what Cas always has to deal with. Cas gives his shoulder a little squeeze and says, “Come on, I’ll show you around.”
Before doing this, Dean didn’t realize how much Cas relies on voice and hearing and the sense of touch for his surroundings. When Dean caught sight of the bandana, probably Gabriel’s, on the corner of the couch, he’d been half joking when he brought up the idea of him wearing it as a blindfold. Cas, however, was completely up for it.
“Okay, how do you do this?”
Cas chuckles softly beside him, and places a firm hand on his elbow to lead him through Cas’ house. Dean hears a cough from somewhere, knows it’s male but can’t quite locate from which direction it came from or who it was. The whole thing is hugely disorientating.
“It’s twelve steps from the kitchen to the stairs, and you take a slight right on the fourth step to stop from bumping into the sofa. If you don’t go up the stairs and carry on going forward, it’s three more steps into the hallway and two more to the front door.”
“Jesus!” Dean says, impressed and a little overwhelmed. He’s been taking his sight for granted, that’s for sure. They’re walking forwards and Cas is guiding him along with such care that Dean feels amused and touched at the same time. They stop and Cas turns him around slightly.
“Sixteen steps,” he says. “Put your hand on the banister to your right if you want.”
Dean reaches out and feels the wooden banister beneath his hand. They slowly start climbing the stairs and Dean mentally counts each one, realising how easy it would be to fall. Cas feels strong and confident beside him though, and he knows Cas is keeping him safe. They reach the top of the stairs and Cas directs him a little to the left.
“My bedroom,” he says, switching from guiding him by his elbow to gently pulling him inside. Dean can imagine what the room looks like in his mind but he still feels out of place and a little lost. Cas pulls him forward a few steps and then stops. He lifts the hand that’s holding Dean’s up and then guides his hand forward until Dean can feel a wooden surface under his hand.
“Your chest of drawers,” Dean says.
“Yeah. Feel the label with your index finger...”
Dean sticks his index finger out and lets Cas guide his hand to the label that’s stuck on at the top left corner of the first drawer. He can feel the tiny bumps of the Braille beneath his finger but can’t distinguish one bump from the other.
“Jesus,” he says. “You would have thought they’d make the dots a little bigger or something.”
Cas laughs softly and puts his hand over Dean’s. “Okay, you feel that first little dot near the bottom that’s sitting alone?”
Dean nods in affirmation but then realizes how idiotic he’s being and says, “Yep, I can feel it.”
“That means the next letter is a capital.” He gently moves Dean’s finger along the sticker. “That’s a ‘U’,” he says, and moves Dean’s finger along a little farther. “Followed by an ‘n’, then ‘d'... and so on, to spell ‘underwear’.”
“Ah, so there is a method to your madness.”
“Yes, Dean. The little dots do actually mean something.”
Dean grins to himself. “...Shut up.”
Cas continues to lead Dean slowly around the room and letting him touch everything, all of the different labels and textures. Dean likes the fact that Cas knows exactly where everything is and realizes how important it is to have everything tidy and put away.
They’re sitting next to each other on the bed, and Dean leans slightly against Cas’ arm. “I didn’t realize,” he says, fiddling with his sleeve, “how important it is for you to, like... touch everything.”
“That’s how I see, Dean. Touch.”
Cas’ hand comes up and rests on the top of Dean’s head. He’s used to Cas being touchy-feely with him, doesn’t think it’s anything weird. It’s not something he’d let anyone else do, apart from maybe Sam who still doesn’t really understand personal space, but he’s fine with it all the same. Cas fingers trace over the blindfold Dean’s wearing and to the tip of his nose. Dean is smiling and Cas traces his lips. Tentatively, Dean reaches up his own hand and traces Cas’ face, which is smiling like his. Dean grins wider.
His skin is smooth and soft, and Dean gently traces a finger over his eyebrows and over his eyelids which are closed.
“Nice face,” Dean says, and Cas laughs beside him.
“Thanks, Dean. You too.”
He’s not sure why, but he likes that Cas says that. Cas can’t even see his face, but the idea that Cas likes him makes his stomach squirm, even if he’s known that fact since they were little kids.
It sort of feels like the way he’s sometimes looked at girls, or when Jo comes up to him and says he looks nice. But it’s different with Cas, everything always is.
The comfortable silence is broken by Cas’ voice. Sounding like he’s smiling, he says, “I’ve got an idea.”
***
Dean shifts on his patch of grass and tries to figure out where he’s standing in relation to everyone else. He tentatively reaches his hand out and finds Cas closer than he’d expected, and Cas automatically links their hands together.
“Okay, this isn’t fair!” Gabriel says, from the end of the garden. “How come Dean gets Castiel? That’s cheating!” Dean laughs and grips Cas’ hand in a tight squeeze.
“Oh, shut up,” Anna says. “It’s not cheating. They’re younger anyway.”
Dean isn’t sure how Cas got everyone to agree to this. Somehow, Cas persuaded Dean, Gabriel and Anna to all get blindfolded and join in with his game. They’re standing in the garden, Dean with Cas and Anna with Gabriel, and they’re about to play Cas’ version of soccer.
“Maybe we need a referee,” Cas says.
“I think that would be a good idea,” Anna responds. “I’ll try and get Michael to come down.”
“No peeking,” Dean says, and Anna laughs.
“You mean I have to go upstairs and find Michael without looking?”
“Of course,” Cas says. Dean can hear the grin in his voice. “Just remember this: twenty steps to the door, go up the one step. Once you’re inside it’s one step to the left, go forward eight steps until you’re through the doorway, and then you’re in the kitchen. Twelve steps forward to the stairs - mind the sofa - and the stairs are on your right. There are sixteen steps including the landing. Good luck.”
By the time Cas has finished, Dean has burst out laughing and just wishes he could see the expression on Anna’s face.
“You’re crazy, you know that?” Anna says, but Dean recognizes the fondness in her voice. There’s the sound of something clanging and falling over and Cas laughs softly beside him.
“What did you knock over?” Gabriel asks, amused.
“I think it was the watering can,” Anna replies.
It takes a few minutes for Anna to return, but it feels to Dean like it was longer than it probably was. It’s harder to keep track of time and he feels off-balance like this.
“Alright, kids,” Michael says, once Cas has explained to them what they’re doing. “To make it fair, I’ll put the ball in front of the least skilled person.” He pauses before continuing. “Gabriel.”
“Hey!”
“Stop moaning,” Anna says, sounding exasperated. “It means you get the ball!”
Dean grins, happy that he’s on a team with Cas, who, if they’re being realistic about this, is the only person with a real chance of scoring any goals. Dean hears the sound of a small bell and wonders what Michael is doing.
“Okay, it’s in front of you - hey! Don’t you dare unwrap that scarf from around your face.”
Cas laughs beside Dean and he smiles. Dean thinks it was probably a good idea to get a referee. He can understand though, why Gabriel might be itching to see. It feels strange to rely on one less sense. Cas is of course accustomed to it, but Dean is really appreciating now how difficult it must be for him.
There’s another tinkling of the bell and Dean strains to hear what it actually is.
“What’s that bell?” he asks.
“It’s the ball,” Cas says. “It has a little bell inside so you can hear where it goes.”
“Clever,” Dean says.
“Just you wait until I choose the game,” Gabriel says. “We’ll play hide and seek.”
“Don’t be a dick, Gabriel!” Anna says, and Dean knows it was only teasing in a brotherly sort of way, but he suddenly feels a little protective over Cas and pulls his hand closer. He doesn’t like the fact he can’t tell Cas’ mood by his expression. When this is all over, he’s going to be a lot more vocal so Cas knows a little bit better how Dean is feeling.
“Sure,” Cas says, and grips Dean’s hand in his. “But only if you all wear bells.”
Dean grins at that and can hear Michael sighing.
“Alright, alright. I’ll count down from three, and tell you when you can go, okay?”
“Wait,” Dean says, trying to figure out where he’s standing in proximity to the ball. “Am I standing opposite Gabriel or is Cas?”
“You’re opposite Anna, so Castiel is opposite Gabriel. Got it?”
Cas’ hand loosens from Dean’s grip and Dean feels the loss. “Yeah, I got it.”
“Get ready. Three, two, one, go!”
There’s the sound of the bell and a thump as the ball flies through the air and lands on the ground, and it sounds like it’s to the left, which is Cas’ side.
“Got it,” Cas says, and Dean grins, trying to follow the sound. “Gonna pass it to you, Dean. Okay?”
“Uh, sure,” Dean says, trying to follow the sound of it with his ears and then translate it to his feet. He can hear it coming nearer, and can hear that Cas has kicked it. He walks forward a little further and feels it against his shin. He kicks it forward, hoping it goes in the general direction, and then hears Michael laugh.
“Well... that was the hedge, so wait a moment while I go get it.”
Cas is giggling beside him and Dean hears Gabriel snort.
“You laughing at me, Cas?” Dean asks playfully.
“’Course not. But the goal is in front of you.”
“I did kick it forward! It’s not my fault the goal moved.”
“... I don’t think it moved, Dean.”
“I think I should start with the ball this time,” Anna interrupts as Michael walks back over to them.
Ten minutes later and the only person who’s scored any successful goals is, unsurprisingly, Cas. Dean has tried, he has, but he can’t seem to kick in the right direction, and the one time he did it hit Gabriel. The score is two-nil to them, and Dean is realizing that they might as well call it a win now because the rest of them are hopeless.
“Okay,” Michael says, sounding tired. “That’s the third time you’ve kicked it into the hedge, Anna. Are you really going to keep trying?”
“Maybe we should finish here and accept that Cas is the only one with any skill,” Dean says.
“I think that’s a good idea, Dean,” Cas says, voice warm with amusement. He feels Cas walk towards him and place a hand on his shoulder. “I’m getting tired of winning, anyway.”
“Please, little bro,” Gabriel says, walking towards them, “you’ve just been lucky this time. Just wait until we play again.”
Cas hmm’s beside him, like he doesn’t quite believe them, and Dean hears as they walk across the grass, chatting as they go, and down the steps towards the house. He figures they’ve already taken their blindfolds off, but Dean lets Cas guide him inside before he does so himself.
Dean unties his blindfold and peels it off, blinking in the bright light of the room. He feels a pang of sadness at the fact it’s so easy for Dean to do that, and Cas is in constant darkness.
“Thanks,” Dean hears himself say, not sure where the words are coming from. “I know I can’t ever get what it’s like for you, but I think I get it a little more now.”
Cas gives him a smile. “It’s not so bad. I mean, you help me a lot. I should say thanks to you.”
Dean goes to shrug, catches himself, and puts a hand on Cas’ shoulder instead, giving it a light squeeze. “It’s what friends are for, right?”
“Right,” Cas says, and he looks happy. He looks relaxed and at ease, and Dean likes the look on him.
He withdraws his hand and clears his throat. “So, uh. I should probably get back now. I have a lot of homework I’m behind on.”
“You always have a lot of homework you’re behind on,” Cas says, and Dean grins.
“That's true. I’ll see you tomorrow, Cas.”
“See you tomorrow,” Cas says, and Dean walks out of the house with a smile on his face and feeling happier than he has in a while.
Next part | 'Verse masterpost