And We'll Get Funnel Cake [dean/castiel][s/a]
Title: And We'll Get Funnel Cake
Pairing/Character(s): Dean/Castiel, Sam
Rating: PG
Summary: High school AU. They talk at school, more than normal, and it takes others a while to catch on. Rumors aren’t a quite as popular ploy as they used to be and no one really cares who’s dating who since they’re so sucked up in their own lives. But, eventually, it does get out, and Cas and Dean are half ‘Senior Favorite: Cutest Couple’ and half ‘stupid faggots’. Dean brushes off the insults and basks in the compliments (girls think they’re adorable) but Cas seems to have a harder time accepting the weird looks he occasionally gets when he’s walking down the hallway with Dean.
Warning: Some verbal abuse towards homosexuals.
Beta: N/A
Word Count: 4,276
A/N: For the d_hearts_c challenge. I will put the prompt here soon, ugh.
It takes Dean about a week before he realizes that shameless flirting isn’t enough - in fact, it’s probably just going to drive Castiel even further away. Dean finds this frustrating because he is the most out-of-the-closet guy he knows (and he knows his fair share, oddly enough) and how can Cas be that oblivious to his flirting? But instead of dwelling, Dean simply takes a different approach - the outright one.
“Will you go out with me?” he asks, completely out of the blue, sitting next to Cas at one of the school library’s computers. It’s almost 7:40, which is when the first bell rings signaling for class, and Dean figured he’d better put Cas under at least a sort of time constraint.
Cas looks up and blinks, mouth hanging open slightly, hands still positioned on the keyboard (Dean glances at the screen and realizes that Cas is revising his essay on Huckleberry Finn - it reminds Dean that he needs to start his).
Dean gives Castiel a moment and eventually Cas closes his mouth and his expression turns from surprise to confusion. “Are you…?” Cas trails off and glances back at his computer quickly and closes the document. Dean grins but it fades when Castiel turns back at him, now glaring. “Are you fucking around with me?” he growls under his breath and wow, Dean should not be so turned on by that.
Dean then realizes what Cas is implying and it’s his turn to be surprised. “You - you think I’m…” Dean lets out a breath. “No. I’m gay, dude. Did you not know this?” Dean is baffled. He guesses it’s not that weird - he’s only in two classes with Cas and even though he came out of the closet freshman year, it’s not like he should expect everyone to just know that he’s gay.
Castiel flushes and ducks his head. “I knew,” he says, sounding as embarrassed as he looks. “That’s the point. Why would - why would someone like you be flirting with me? Too good to be true…”
Dean finds himself caught between wanting to laugh and wanting to hug Cas. “Dude, no,” he says, reaching out and squeezing Cas’ shoulder. “I think you’re really awesome - smart, and really good looking, and an awesome dude,”-Dean kicks himself mentally for saying ‘awesome’ twice in one sentence-“and I really like you.”
Cas looks up, expression slightly torn.
The bell rings and Cas jolts.
“Fucker,” Dean curses under his breath, watching Cas leave for first period.
-
Luckily for Dean, they have their last period together - Psychology, a class that Dean actually likes because he thinks people are super interesting and all of that social science shit is sort of fascinating. He’s also really good at reading people, so he’s got a 104% in the class. He thinks that Cas is struggling - they sit a good couple of rows away from each other but he can tell that Cas is continuously bothered by his test grades by the way his eyebrows twitch and his lips pout when he gets them back. Dean’s pretty sure he’s actually probably got an A because Castiel is super freakin’ smart, but Dean can just tell that he’s not perfectly happy. Which is endearing as fuck. Cas’ inability to understand people is way too cute.
The lesson ends early and Dean takes this as a sign because the girl who sits in front of Cas moves to sit next to her friend who’s next to Dean and Dean quickly gives up his seat and grabs his stuff to cross over to where Cas is now reading a book.
“Have you thought about my offer?”
Cas flinches slightly and looks up but doesn’t close his book. Dean figures it’s best to take the most outward approach and grins, setting his book bag on the desk and sitting sideways in the chair to lean on Cas’ desk. “Don’t for a minute think I’m going to let you run away this time.”
Cas looks slightly annoyed but sets down his book, slipping it into his own bag. “I…why me?”
Dean frowns his time, putting his chin in his hands and staring intently at Cas. “Why not you?” he retorts, watching as Cas blushes barely. “But seriously. I meant what I said before - about you being really smart and attractive. I like you. A lot.”
Cas still looks unconvinced and damn, this is even harder than Dean had thought it would be.
After a moment, Cas finally nods. “Okay. Yes.”
Dean lights up immediately. “You’ll be my boyfriend?” he says and Cas glares at him. “Sorry, um…”
“We can - we can try.” Cas huffs, looking flustered. “I’ve…never had a ‘boyfriend’,” Cas explains, using quotey fingers, “but I also think that you’re…you’re attractive and…and kind and smart…” Cas stops and looks at Dean again, biting the inside of his cheek. “So yeah, okay.”
-
They spend the first couple of weeks of being a ‘couple’ just getting used to each other. They had been friendly enough before Dean’s advances, but never the kind of guys who would hang out. Cas invites Dean over to his house a couple of days after they start ‘dating’ (Cas doesn’t like the term and Dean loves it) and Dean is surprised when he arrives and a red haired woman opens the door.
“Oh, you must be the famous Dean,” she says, feigning surprise. Dean smiles at her, feeling a little awkward because is she a sister, or what? Dean doesn’t know anything about Cas’ family. “Come on in,” the girl says, opening the door wider and stepping back. “I’m Anna, Cas’ big sister. Don’t look so worried - Cas has had nothing but good things to say about you, even if he generally doesn’t talk much.” Anna’s really pretty, Dean notes, and she seems nice enough. He kicks off his shoes and leaves them next to the door where he sees a pile of shoes and walks further into the house, following Anna into the kitchen.
“Cas!” Anna yells suddenly from the stove and the entire house seems to echo with her voice. Dean is surprised and jumps and then turns around when he hears clunking steps down the steps. Before he can really comprehend how loud Anna can be, Cas is standing in the kitchen doorway. “Your date’s here,” Anna finishes in a much quieter voice.
Castiel looks at Dean. “Oh, I’m - I’m sorry. I didn’t hear you knock, I’m sorry.”
Dean smiles and shrugs. “It’s fine. Your sister let me in.” Anna laughs from her position at the stove.
Cas is suddenly glaring at his sister. “You better not have said anything…” he growls under his breath and wow, Dean really, especially right now, should not be so turned on by that. He shifts over to one of the counters and coughs awkwardly into his fist, eyes flickering from little brother to big sister.
“Oh, calm down,” Anna says, snorting. “Now sit down. I didn’t come over to make delicious steak to have no one eat it.”
Cas gives Dean a sincere look and Dean understands perfectly. Sam is - well, Sam is probably a lot like Anna. Teasing. The ‘matchmaker’. Dean tries to communicate that with Cas through his own look.
They sit down in the dining room and Anna serves them gracious helpings of steak. Dean tries not to drool.
-
After dinner they end up on the couch, debating pointlessly over favorite books and favorite television shows. They both agree that Grey’s Anatomy is one of the worst things to happen to television and that America’s Next Top Model is a guilty but great pleasure.
Dean hasn’t had this great of a time in a long while.
-
Sam hassles him, of course. “Did you kiss him?” he asks and Dean just rolls his eyes, hanging up his coat and brushing the snow out of his hair.
“It’s a bitch out there,” he says, opening the refrigerator. It’s almost eleven and he’s hungry again, of course. Sam rolls his eyes and lets out an audible, annoying sigh. “Shouldn’t you be in bed, baby brother?”
Sam sighs. “It’s a Friday, dude.”
Dean shrugs. “Anyway, since when did you give a damn about my love life? Shouldn’t you be more worried about the fact that everyone thinks you’ve got the gay gene along with your big brother?”
Sam shrugs, and it’s times like these that Dean remembers why he really loves his little brother. “Whatever,” he says, “I don’t care what other people think of me. And I’m not gay, so who cares?”
“I’d drink to that if I had a drink to drink from,” Dean says wholeheartedly, lifting his ham sandwich. “Stay smart, Sammy.”
Sam frowns. “You’re really not going to tell me, then? I’ll assume you wussed out and didn’t kiss him, then.”
Dean glares. “Go to bed, kid.”
Sam shrugs and turns to the stairs. “Whatever. Good luck, I guess.”
Dean leans on the counter and finishes his sandwich in his own silent thoughts.
-
They talk at school, more than normal, and it takes others a while to catch on. Rumors aren’t a quite as popular ploy as they used to be and no one really cares who’s dating who since they’re so sucked up in their own lives. But, eventually, it does get out, and Cas and Dean are half ‘Senior Favorite: Cutest Couple’ and half ‘stupid faggots’. Dean brushes off the insults and basks in the compliments (girls think they’re adorable) but Cas seems to have a harder time accepting the weird looks he occasionally gets when he’s walking down the hallway with Dean.
“You’ve really gotta let it go,” Dean says quietly to Cas as they head out to his car (Dean is now taking Cas home everyday since he doesn’t have a car and had been walking home, the poor guy - and in this terrible weather, too).
“Let what go?” Cas asks, moving in closer to Dean as they walk through the snowy parking lot, dodging stupid teenagers who can’t drive.
Dean grabs Cas’ hand and at first Cas seems to stiffen but then he fits his fingers between Dean’s. “People,” Dean explains, reaching for the door handle of the Impala with his free hand. He opens the door and moves his eyes up to meet Cas’. “You can’t let them scare you or change you.”
Cas swallows and gently lets go of Dean’s hand, moving to the passenger seat.
Dean starts up the car and looks out the front window as Cas buckles his seatbelt. “Oh, it’s Thursday,” Cas says under his breath, realizing that Sam should be walking over to the car soon. Sometimes he loses track of the dates - forgets that Sam gets a ride home with his brother three days a week (Monday, Thursday, Friday). Cas thinks it’s probably a good thing to have Sam - Dean probably won’t start anything.
“Hey.” Sam’s voice fills the car as he climbs into the backseat, throwing his book bag to the other side. “Hey, Cas.”
Cas turns slightly in his seat to smile at Dean’s freshman brother. “Good afternoon,” he says quietly, even though it doesn’t feel like a very good afternoon anymore.
“Hey, Dean.”
Dean just grunts, and Cas knows he’s still not happy. Cas sinks down into his seat, hoping it’ll be a short drive.
Dean puts the car into reverse and looks over his shoulder as he pulls out of the lot, always careful with what Cas now knows of as Dean’s ‘baby’. Dean had taken Cas out into the garage the first (and only, so far) time Cas had visited the house he and Sam live in (Dean had explained, gruffly, that their mother died young and their dad had died earlier that year, luckily after Dean had turned eighteen, allowing him to be Sam’s guardian) and had explained all of the reasons he loved the Impala. Cas had found it slightly endearing.
“Are you two just gonna sit there and bathe in your own sexual tension? Jesus.”
Cas jumps and Dean visibly tenses, glaring at Sam through the rear view mirror. “The hell do you know?” he snaps and Sam is smirking now.
“I know a lot,” he says, and there’s an obvious superiority to it, “and I know you, Dean. Have you still not kissed him?”
Though Cas finds Sam’s pushiness on the subject of his and Dean’s relationship to be a little strange, a part of him appreciates it. He allows himself a look at Dean, who is now definitely a little flustered.
“What does it matter to you?” Dean retorts, turning the wheel of the Impala sharply as he turns out of the school parking lot in the direction of Cas’ house. “Shouldn’t you be more worried about what your class thinks of your fag older brother and his fag boyfriend?”
Cas does wonder. Sam seems to be dealing very well.
Sam just shrugs. “No one really cares - or notices. It’s not like we look alike, no one in my class really realizes I have an older brother. And they don’t really pay attention to the fact that you’re gay, anyway. Dean - when will you get it? I don’t care what other people think.”
Dean sighs and glances at Cas so quickly that Cas almost thinks he might be imagining it.
“For the record,” Cas says quietly, a little breathily, “Dean has kissed me. Many times.”
Dean blushes, and Cas smiles.
“Well, damn,” Sam mutters and goes silent in the backseat.
Cas closes his eyes and enjoys the next five minutes of peace.
-
“Well, next week is Valentine’s Day, you know.”
Cas looks surprised. “It is,” he agrees finally, frowning slightly. “I hadn’t realized it was already almost halfway through February. Wow…”
“You really are out of it,” Dean says, shaking his head and then shrugging and getting back on topic. “Anyway, so you know - there’s this thing, like, this carnival, sort of? It’s an indoor amusement park. V-day themed. Do you wanna come with me? It’ll be our first official date.”
Cas blinks and bites his lip, though not nervously. He lowers his eyes thoughtfully and then looks up through his eyelashes. Dean just smiles at him. Cas is glad for it, because it seems that overnight Dean was able to let go of the fact that Cas is still uncomfortable about his sexuality. Cas hopes that Dean understands - it’s not that he doesn’t like Dean, it’s the exact opposite. He just doesn’t really understand the feelings he’s getting recently.
“That would be fun,” Cas says slowly and Dean immediately grins because he knows that means ‘yes’. “When will you pick me up?”
Dean leans forward and kisses Cas’ cheek. Cas feels a little shock of surprise and a burst of affectionate in his chest. It’s when Dean does things like that - weirdly romantic actions like a kiss on the forehead or stroking fingers over his jaw - that Cas realizes that he doesn’t regret saying ‘yes’ the first time, either.
Dean is very good at following through.
-
Cas slips into the car, glad to be in the familiar atmosphere. “Sorry about Anna,” he says, pulling his seatbelt on. “I know she can be a bit…overbearing, but she means well.”
Dean sticks out his bottom lip and shrugs, nonchalant. “She’s cool. I can tell she really cares about you, and that’s a good thing. Kind of reminds me of an older, slightly girlier version of Sam.”
Cas allows himself to chuckle at the joke and Dean laughs too. “Yes, you’re right,” Cas agrees, smiling out the window. “I do love Anna.”
They drive in silence besides the humming of the car until Dean speaks up again. “I’m sorry about Thursday. I didn’t mean to upset you or anything.”
Cas shrugs and continues to smile out the window at the snow still gathering on the ground. “You didn’t. Not really. I wasn’t upset so much as I was…thoughtful. You made a good point. And my family - what I have left of a family - knows that I’m gay but I always tried to kind of…keep myself quiet at school. Unnoticeable.” Cas closes his eyes, remembering the times in middle school when he was barely spared a second glance. When his big sister the senior was popular and had friends everywhere and Cas had no one. And it - it had been okay. “I only really started to talk to people last year…So everything feels somewhat rushed. I suddenly have - I have a boyfriend.” Cas turns away from the window, instead looking at Dean. “I have you.”
He reaches out and touches the side of Dean’s face, grazing his stubble lightly with his fingers. Dean’s eyes are still on the road but he’s frowning just slightly, hands gripping the steering wheel too hard. “Don’t give yourself a blood clot,” Cas teases gently and the tenseness in Dean’s body loosens slightly. “Good.”
“I guess I don’t know much about you, that’s all,” says Dean gruffly as he turns onto another street. A moment later he says, “We’re here,” and after he parks, Cas takes his hand and squeezes.
“Let’s just have fun, okay?”
-
Cas had been pretty sure he wasn’t going to mind the crowd - until he got into the building.
It’s a larger building with three floors, and there are different rides and games and food stands set up all over the place. Cas is slightly overwhelmed - Anna once took him to one of these, but that was when he was much younger, and the memory is vague. The different smells and the different people all seems to come at him at once and Cas finds himself shrinking against Dean’s side.
“Hey, hey, it’s okay. You’re not like - claustrophobic, are you? Or like - afraid of crowds? I dunno that kind of phobia that is…” Dean trails off in his own pondering, loosely fitting his arm around Cas’ shoulder as Cas does the same around his waist.
“No,” Cas says tersely because it’s not that it’s just…a bit too much, for the moment. Especially with everything else that goes on in his stupid head.
“Let’s just have fun, okay? Like you said. It’s you and me, baby.”
Cas takes a deep breath and lets himself fall into step next to Dean, their feet moving together. Cas smiles as he watches the ground and watches their legs move, symmetric. Cas likes the order it commands. It calms him down.
“You hungry?” Dean asks as they pass a series of different food booths. Cas twitches a smile because he can tell by the way Dean stares at the hot dogs and cheeseburgers and Philly cheese steak that he’s the one who’s hungry.
“Yeah, sure,” Cas agrees, just to make things as simple as possible and Dean makes a beeline for a sizzling booth to the northeast. Cas finds that he really is sort of hungry and when Dean asks what he wants, he says he’ll just have the same thing Dean’s getting.
They end up with two kabobs, both loaded with semi-spicy, greasy grilled chicken. While Cas will admit that it wouldn’t be his first choice and it certainly into the healthiest, he takes a bite and feels like he’s in heaven. Meat on a stick shouldn’t taste this good.
They find themselves an unoccupied bench and sit down, settling into comfort besides each other. Dean eats his chicken without mercy, slinging an arm over Cas’ shoulder. Cas is happy, and he leans calmly into Dean’s side, enjoying the simplicity of just being able to eat and enjoy the warm, full atmosphere. He takes his time and Dean’s finished with his kabob in less than two minutes. He waits patiently for Cas, though, and it makes Cas smile and feel special.
“Well, what kind of rides and shit do you like?” Dean asks as Cas finishes chewing his last bit of chicken. They stand together, Dean’s arm still fit loosely around Cas’ shoulder, and throw out their empty sticks. “They have like, a mini Ferris wheel somewhere and a bunch of spinny rides. I think they have the one where you’re stuck to the walls and it spins or some shit, too. I don’t remember - I haven’t been to this place since I was in middle school.”
Cas nods absently, not really paying too much attention to Dean. He’ll do whatever Dean wants to do.
When Cas doesn’t make a decision, Dean laughs. “Alright, Ferris wheel it is then,” and Cas smiles to himself because he does enjoy Ferris wheels, and he’s glad to have that in common with Dean. Small things are always the best.
They walk around, still pressed close to each other (Dean says it’s because Cas is small, and he doesn’t want to risk losing him) and eventually find one of the those master maps that tells where the patrons are in comparison to the rest of the activities. Dean studies the map with scrunched eyebrows and eventually says that the Ferris wheel is ‘that way’ with a jab to their left, ‘and then turn that way’, with another jab, this time forward. “Got it.”
As they’re walking, again falling into step with each other, a loud voice breaches from the drone of the casual chatter. “Hey!”
Cas, having expected this kind of confrontation, keeps his eyes trained on the floor. He should have known, however, that Dean wouldn’t be able to keep his curiosity withheld and feels Dean stir, looking up. Cas wants to keep walking, to tighten his grip around Dean’s waist, but Dean is already breaking free of his hold, moving in the direction of the shout.
“Can I help you?” Dean says in a low, almost dangerous voice, and Cas finally looks up. He’s faced with what looks like a drunken man, no older than twenty or twenty one, with a girl slung around his waist.
“Yeah,” the guy barks back, and this time Cas can more clearly hear the drunken slur in his voice. “You can. You and your stupid faggot boyfriend can get out of here.”
Dean lurches forward but Cas was prepared - he grabs on tightly to the back of Dean’s jacket and tugs him back. “Dean,” he hisses, a warning, and Dean sends him a rueful glower. “It’s not worth it. He’s drunk,” Cas continues, not loosening his hold on Dean.
“He called you a stupid faggot,” Dean snarls harshly and Cas presses his forehead to Dean’s shoulder.
“It’s not worth it,” he repeats, trying to keep his voice soothing when truly, he’s scared out of his mind. “Beating the shit out of this guy - it’s not going to change anything.”
The guy and his girlfriend are still watching Dean and Cas with slightly disgusted expressions and Dean looks between the couple and Cas, and then back and forth again. Cas lifts his eyes to Dean’s, begging silently with him to let it go.
Dean sighs, just a ghost of air, and then he tilts Cas’ chin up further and kisses him on the mouth. Cas sighs too but enjoys the dry touch of Dean’s lips, a surrender.
Dean turns after the kiss and puts his arm heavily back over Cas’ shoulder and Cas leans in close, winding his arm around Dean’s waist again, back into that familiar position. Dean flips off the drunken couple and he and Cas walk away, Cas letting out a sigh of relief.
“I’m sorry,” Dean says roughly, squeezing Cas’ shoulder. “I didn’t mean to upset you. I’m just…easy to rile up, I guess.”
Cas hums quietly. “It’s okay,” he says as they finally find the Ferris wheel. “I’m just not a very confrontational person. You know that - but I understand that it pisses you off. It pisses me off, too, but I…I don’t know. I’m just afraid.”
Dean frowns as they move forward in line. “It’s okay, you know.”
Cas blinks, not wanting to cry, and nods. He feels like Dean would be able to protect him from all of the big, bad scary things that the world has to offer, and that in itself is kind of scary. It’s intimidating.
The guy running the Ferris wheel locks them in place and Cas is happy with the size of the seat because it’s not quite leaving him crushed but he sort of has to be close to Dean. And he likes that - he likes being close to Dean, being able to feel the warmth radiating from his body. He happily curls up against him as the ride begins to rock, other passengers getting on.
The ride halts when they’re almost at the top, all of the seats filled. Dean looks at Cas and leans down slightly to kiss his forehead. Cas smiles and tilts his head, kissing Dean’s jaw. The building is still too warm and filled with too many smells, but Castiel feels comfortable and at peace at the top of the ride with Dean next to him.
“What else should we do?” Dean asks, always ahead of himself. Cas laughs quietly against the skin of his neck, fingers moving idly over Dean’s side.
“I don’t care,” he murmurs sleepily, happily.
“We’ll get cotton candy. And…and we’ll get funnel cake. And lemonade.”
Cas doesn’t want to think too hard about the future - think about going to college and making life decisions and possibly having to leave Dean - so he doesn’t. He curls up next to his boyfriend (and damn, he loves the way that word sounds in his head) and sighs happily.
He’s content, for now, at least. And there’s not much else he can ask for.
Pairing/Character(s): Dean/Castiel, Sam
Rating: PG
Summary: High school AU. They talk at school, more than normal, and it takes others a while to catch on. Rumors aren’t a quite as popular ploy as they used to be and no one really cares who’s dating who since they’re so sucked up in their own lives. But, eventually, it does get out, and Cas and Dean are half ‘Senior Favorite: Cutest Couple’ and half ‘stupid faggots’. Dean brushes off the insults and basks in the compliments (girls think they’re adorable) but Cas seems to have a harder time accepting the weird looks he occasionally gets when he’s walking down the hallway with Dean.
Warning: Some verbal abuse towards homosexuals.
Beta: N/A
Word Count: 4,276
A/N: For the d_hearts_c challenge. I will put the prompt here soon, ugh.
It takes Dean about a week before he realizes that shameless flirting isn’t enough - in fact, it’s probably just going to drive Castiel even further away. Dean finds this frustrating because he is the most out-of-the-closet guy he knows (and he knows his fair share, oddly enough) and how can Cas be that oblivious to his flirting? But instead of dwelling, Dean simply takes a different approach - the outright one.
“Will you go out with me?” he asks, completely out of the blue, sitting next to Cas at one of the school library’s computers. It’s almost 7:40, which is when the first bell rings signaling for class, and Dean figured he’d better put Cas under at least a sort of time constraint.
Cas looks up and blinks, mouth hanging open slightly, hands still positioned on the keyboard (Dean glances at the screen and realizes that Cas is revising his essay on Huckleberry Finn - it reminds Dean that he needs to start his).
Dean gives Castiel a moment and eventually Cas closes his mouth and his expression turns from surprise to confusion. “Are you…?” Cas trails off and glances back at his computer quickly and closes the document. Dean grins but it fades when Castiel turns back at him, now glaring. “Are you fucking around with me?” he growls under his breath and wow, Dean should not be so turned on by that.
Dean then realizes what Cas is implying and it’s his turn to be surprised. “You - you think I’m…” Dean lets out a breath. “No. I’m gay, dude. Did you not know this?” Dean is baffled. He guesses it’s not that weird - he’s only in two classes with Cas and even though he came out of the closet freshman year, it’s not like he should expect everyone to just know that he’s gay.
Castiel flushes and ducks his head. “I knew,” he says, sounding as embarrassed as he looks. “That’s the point. Why would - why would someone like you be flirting with me? Too good to be true…”
Dean finds himself caught between wanting to laugh and wanting to hug Cas. “Dude, no,” he says, reaching out and squeezing Cas’ shoulder. “I think you’re really awesome - smart, and really good looking, and an awesome dude,”-Dean kicks himself mentally for saying ‘awesome’ twice in one sentence-“and I really like you.”
Cas looks up, expression slightly torn.
The bell rings and Cas jolts.
“Fucker,” Dean curses under his breath, watching Cas leave for first period.
-
Luckily for Dean, they have their last period together - Psychology, a class that Dean actually likes because he thinks people are super interesting and all of that social science shit is sort of fascinating. He’s also really good at reading people, so he’s got a 104% in the class. He thinks that Cas is struggling - they sit a good couple of rows away from each other but he can tell that Cas is continuously bothered by his test grades by the way his eyebrows twitch and his lips pout when he gets them back. Dean’s pretty sure he’s actually probably got an A because Castiel is super freakin’ smart, but Dean can just tell that he’s not perfectly happy. Which is endearing as fuck. Cas’ inability to understand people is way too cute.
The lesson ends early and Dean takes this as a sign because the girl who sits in front of Cas moves to sit next to her friend who’s next to Dean and Dean quickly gives up his seat and grabs his stuff to cross over to where Cas is now reading a book.
“Have you thought about my offer?”
Cas flinches slightly and looks up but doesn’t close his book. Dean figures it’s best to take the most outward approach and grins, setting his book bag on the desk and sitting sideways in the chair to lean on Cas’ desk. “Don’t for a minute think I’m going to let you run away this time.”
Cas looks slightly annoyed but sets down his book, slipping it into his own bag. “I…why me?”
Dean frowns his time, putting his chin in his hands and staring intently at Cas. “Why not you?” he retorts, watching as Cas blushes barely. “But seriously. I meant what I said before - about you being really smart and attractive. I like you. A lot.”
Cas still looks unconvinced and damn, this is even harder than Dean had thought it would be.
After a moment, Cas finally nods. “Okay. Yes.”
Dean lights up immediately. “You’ll be my boyfriend?” he says and Cas glares at him. “Sorry, um…”
“We can - we can try.” Cas huffs, looking flustered. “I’ve…never had a ‘boyfriend’,” Cas explains, using quotey fingers, “but I also think that you’re…you’re attractive and…and kind and smart…” Cas stops and looks at Dean again, biting the inside of his cheek. “So yeah, okay.”
-
They spend the first couple of weeks of being a ‘couple’ just getting used to each other. They had been friendly enough before Dean’s advances, but never the kind of guys who would hang out. Cas invites Dean over to his house a couple of days after they start ‘dating’ (Cas doesn’t like the term and Dean loves it) and Dean is surprised when he arrives and a red haired woman opens the door.
“Oh, you must be the famous Dean,” she says, feigning surprise. Dean smiles at her, feeling a little awkward because is she a sister, or what? Dean doesn’t know anything about Cas’ family. “Come on in,” the girl says, opening the door wider and stepping back. “I’m Anna, Cas’ big sister. Don’t look so worried - Cas has had nothing but good things to say about you, even if he generally doesn’t talk much.” Anna’s really pretty, Dean notes, and she seems nice enough. He kicks off his shoes and leaves them next to the door where he sees a pile of shoes and walks further into the house, following Anna into the kitchen.
“Cas!” Anna yells suddenly from the stove and the entire house seems to echo with her voice. Dean is surprised and jumps and then turns around when he hears clunking steps down the steps. Before he can really comprehend how loud Anna can be, Cas is standing in the kitchen doorway. “Your date’s here,” Anna finishes in a much quieter voice.
Castiel looks at Dean. “Oh, I’m - I’m sorry. I didn’t hear you knock, I’m sorry.”
Dean smiles and shrugs. “It’s fine. Your sister let me in.” Anna laughs from her position at the stove.
Cas is suddenly glaring at his sister. “You better not have said anything…” he growls under his breath and wow, Dean really, especially right now, should not be so turned on by that. He shifts over to one of the counters and coughs awkwardly into his fist, eyes flickering from little brother to big sister.
“Oh, calm down,” Anna says, snorting. “Now sit down. I didn’t come over to make delicious steak to have no one eat it.”
Cas gives Dean a sincere look and Dean understands perfectly. Sam is - well, Sam is probably a lot like Anna. Teasing. The ‘matchmaker’. Dean tries to communicate that with Cas through his own look.
They sit down in the dining room and Anna serves them gracious helpings of steak. Dean tries not to drool.
-
After dinner they end up on the couch, debating pointlessly over favorite books and favorite television shows. They both agree that Grey’s Anatomy is one of the worst things to happen to television and that America’s Next Top Model is a guilty but great pleasure.
Dean hasn’t had this great of a time in a long while.
-
Sam hassles him, of course. “Did you kiss him?” he asks and Dean just rolls his eyes, hanging up his coat and brushing the snow out of his hair.
“It’s a bitch out there,” he says, opening the refrigerator. It’s almost eleven and he’s hungry again, of course. Sam rolls his eyes and lets out an audible, annoying sigh. “Shouldn’t you be in bed, baby brother?”
Sam sighs. “It’s a Friday, dude.”
Dean shrugs. “Anyway, since when did you give a damn about my love life? Shouldn’t you be more worried about the fact that everyone thinks you’ve got the gay gene along with your big brother?”
Sam shrugs, and it’s times like these that Dean remembers why he really loves his little brother. “Whatever,” he says, “I don’t care what other people think of me. And I’m not gay, so who cares?”
“I’d drink to that if I had a drink to drink from,” Dean says wholeheartedly, lifting his ham sandwich. “Stay smart, Sammy.”
Sam frowns. “You’re really not going to tell me, then? I’ll assume you wussed out and didn’t kiss him, then.”
Dean glares. “Go to bed, kid.”
Sam shrugs and turns to the stairs. “Whatever. Good luck, I guess.”
Dean leans on the counter and finishes his sandwich in his own silent thoughts.
-
They talk at school, more than normal, and it takes others a while to catch on. Rumors aren’t a quite as popular ploy as they used to be and no one really cares who’s dating who since they’re so sucked up in their own lives. But, eventually, it does get out, and Cas and Dean are half ‘Senior Favorite: Cutest Couple’ and half ‘stupid faggots’. Dean brushes off the insults and basks in the compliments (girls think they’re adorable) but Cas seems to have a harder time accepting the weird looks he occasionally gets when he’s walking down the hallway with Dean.
“You’ve really gotta let it go,” Dean says quietly to Cas as they head out to his car (Dean is now taking Cas home everyday since he doesn’t have a car and had been walking home, the poor guy - and in this terrible weather, too).
“Let what go?” Cas asks, moving in closer to Dean as they walk through the snowy parking lot, dodging stupid teenagers who can’t drive.
Dean grabs Cas’ hand and at first Cas seems to stiffen but then he fits his fingers between Dean’s. “People,” Dean explains, reaching for the door handle of the Impala with his free hand. He opens the door and moves his eyes up to meet Cas’. “You can’t let them scare you or change you.”
Cas swallows and gently lets go of Dean’s hand, moving to the passenger seat.
Dean starts up the car and looks out the front window as Cas buckles his seatbelt. “Oh, it’s Thursday,” Cas says under his breath, realizing that Sam should be walking over to the car soon. Sometimes he loses track of the dates - forgets that Sam gets a ride home with his brother three days a week (Monday, Thursday, Friday). Cas thinks it’s probably a good thing to have Sam - Dean probably won’t start anything.
“Hey.” Sam’s voice fills the car as he climbs into the backseat, throwing his book bag to the other side. “Hey, Cas.”
Cas turns slightly in his seat to smile at Dean’s freshman brother. “Good afternoon,” he says quietly, even though it doesn’t feel like a very good afternoon anymore.
“Hey, Dean.”
Dean just grunts, and Cas knows he’s still not happy. Cas sinks down into his seat, hoping it’ll be a short drive.
Dean puts the car into reverse and looks over his shoulder as he pulls out of the lot, always careful with what Cas now knows of as Dean’s ‘baby’. Dean had taken Cas out into the garage the first (and only, so far) time Cas had visited the house he and Sam live in (Dean had explained, gruffly, that their mother died young and their dad had died earlier that year, luckily after Dean had turned eighteen, allowing him to be Sam’s guardian) and had explained all of the reasons he loved the Impala. Cas had found it slightly endearing.
“Are you two just gonna sit there and bathe in your own sexual tension? Jesus.”
Cas jumps and Dean visibly tenses, glaring at Sam through the rear view mirror. “The hell do you know?” he snaps and Sam is smirking now.
“I know a lot,” he says, and there’s an obvious superiority to it, “and I know you, Dean. Have you still not kissed him?”
Though Cas finds Sam’s pushiness on the subject of his and Dean’s relationship to be a little strange, a part of him appreciates it. He allows himself a look at Dean, who is now definitely a little flustered.
“What does it matter to you?” Dean retorts, turning the wheel of the Impala sharply as he turns out of the school parking lot in the direction of Cas’ house. “Shouldn’t you be more worried about what your class thinks of your fag older brother and his fag boyfriend?”
Cas does wonder. Sam seems to be dealing very well.
Sam just shrugs. “No one really cares - or notices. It’s not like we look alike, no one in my class really realizes I have an older brother. And they don’t really pay attention to the fact that you’re gay, anyway. Dean - when will you get it? I don’t care what other people think.”
Dean sighs and glances at Cas so quickly that Cas almost thinks he might be imagining it.
“For the record,” Cas says quietly, a little breathily, “Dean has kissed me. Many times.”
Dean blushes, and Cas smiles.
“Well, damn,” Sam mutters and goes silent in the backseat.
Cas closes his eyes and enjoys the next five minutes of peace.
-
“Well, next week is Valentine’s Day, you know.”
Cas looks surprised. “It is,” he agrees finally, frowning slightly. “I hadn’t realized it was already almost halfway through February. Wow…”
“You really are out of it,” Dean says, shaking his head and then shrugging and getting back on topic. “Anyway, so you know - there’s this thing, like, this carnival, sort of? It’s an indoor amusement park. V-day themed. Do you wanna come with me? It’ll be our first official date.”
Cas blinks and bites his lip, though not nervously. He lowers his eyes thoughtfully and then looks up through his eyelashes. Dean just smiles at him. Cas is glad for it, because it seems that overnight Dean was able to let go of the fact that Cas is still uncomfortable about his sexuality. Cas hopes that Dean understands - it’s not that he doesn’t like Dean, it’s the exact opposite. He just doesn’t really understand the feelings he’s getting recently.
“That would be fun,” Cas says slowly and Dean immediately grins because he knows that means ‘yes’. “When will you pick me up?”
Dean leans forward and kisses Cas’ cheek. Cas feels a little shock of surprise and a burst of affectionate in his chest. It’s when Dean does things like that - weirdly romantic actions like a kiss on the forehead or stroking fingers over his jaw - that Cas realizes that he doesn’t regret saying ‘yes’ the first time, either.
Dean is very good at following through.
-
Cas slips into the car, glad to be in the familiar atmosphere. “Sorry about Anna,” he says, pulling his seatbelt on. “I know she can be a bit…overbearing, but she means well.”
Dean sticks out his bottom lip and shrugs, nonchalant. “She’s cool. I can tell she really cares about you, and that’s a good thing. Kind of reminds me of an older, slightly girlier version of Sam.”
Cas allows himself to chuckle at the joke and Dean laughs too. “Yes, you’re right,” Cas agrees, smiling out the window. “I do love Anna.”
They drive in silence besides the humming of the car until Dean speaks up again. “I’m sorry about Thursday. I didn’t mean to upset you or anything.”
Cas shrugs and continues to smile out the window at the snow still gathering on the ground. “You didn’t. Not really. I wasn’t upset so much as I was…thoughtful. You made a good point. And my family - what I have left of a family - knows that I’m gay but I always tried to kind of…keep myself quiet at school. Unnoticeable.” Cas closes his eyes, remembering the times in middle school when he was barely spared a second glance. When his big sister the senior was popular and had friends everywhere and Cas had no one. And it - it had been okay. “I only really started to talk to people last year…So everything feels somewhat rushed. I suddenly have - I have a boyfriend.” Cas turns away from the window, instead looking at Dean. “I have you.”
He reaches out and touches the side of Dean’s face, grazing his stubble lightly with his fingers. Dean’s eyes are still on the road but he’s frowning just slightly, hands gripping the steering wheel too hard. “Don’t give yourself a blood clot,” Cas teases gently and the tenseness in Dean’s body loosens slightly. “Good.”
“I guess I don’t know much about you, that’s all,” says Dean gruffly as he turns onto another street. A moment later he says, “We’re here,” and after he parks, Cas takes his hand and squeezes.
“Let’s just have fun, okay?”
-
Cas had been pretty sure he wasn’t going to mind the crowd - until he got into the building.
It’s a larger building with three floors, and there are different rides and games and food stands set up all over the place. Cas is slightly overwhelmed - Anna once took him to one of these, but that was when he was much younger, and the memory is vague. The different smells and the different people all seems to come at him at once and Cas finds himself shrinking against Dean’s side.
“Hey, hey, it’s okay. You’re not like - claustrophobic, are you? Or like - afraid of crowds? I dunno that kind of phobia that is…” Dean trails off in his own pondering, loosely fitting his arm around Cas’ shoulder as Cas does the same around his waist.
“No,” Cas says tersely because it’s not that it’s just…a bit too much, for the moment. Especially with everything else that goes on in his stupid head.
“Let’s just have fun, okay? Like you said. It’s you and me, baby.”
Cas takes a deep breath and lets himself fall into step next to Dean, their feet moving together. Cas smiles as he watches the ground and watches their legs move, symmetric. Cas likes the order it commands. It calms him down.
“You hungry?” Dean asks as they pass a series of different food booths. Cas twitches a smile because he can tell by the way Dean stares at the hot dogs and cheeseburgers and Philly cheese steak that he’s the one who’s hungry.
“Yeah, sure,” Cas agrees, just to make things as simple as possible and Dean makes a beeline for a sizzling booth to the northeast. Cas finds that he really is sort of hungry and when Dean asks what he wants, he says he’ll just have the same thing Dean’s getting.
They end up with two kabobs, both loaded with semi-spicy, greasy grilled chicken. While Cas will admit that it wouldn’t be his first choice and it certainly into the healthiest, he takes a bite and feels like he’s in heaven. Meat on a stick shouldn’t taste this good.
They find themselves an unoccupied bench and sit down, settling into comfort besides each other. Dean eats his chicken without mercy, slinging an arm over Cas’ shoulder. Cas is happy, and he leans calmly into Dean’s side, enjoying the simplicity of just being able to eat and enjoy the warm, full atmosphere. He takes his time and Dean’s finished with his kabob in less than two minutes. He waits patiently for Cas, though, and it makes Cas smile and feel special.
“Well, what kind of rides and shit do you like?” Dean asks as Cas finishes chewing his last bit of chicken. They stand together, Dean’s arm still fit loosely around Cas’ shoulder, and throw out their empty sticks. “They have like, a mini Ferris wheel somewhere and a bunch of spinny rides. I think they have the one where you’re stuck to the walls and it spins or some shit, too. I don’t remember - I haven’t been to this place since I was in middle school.”
Cas nods absently, not really paying too much attention to Dean. He’ll do whatever Dean wants to do.
When Cas doesn’t make a decision, Dean laughs. “Alright, Ferris wheel it is then,” and Cas smiles to himself because he does enjoy Ferris wheels, and he’s glad to have that in common with Dean. Small things are always the best.
They walk around, still pressed close to each other (Dean says it’s because Cas is small, and he doesn’t want to risk losing him) and eventually find one of the those master maps that tells where the patrons are in comparison to the rest of the activities. Dean studies the map with scrunched eyebrows and eventually says that the Ferris wheel is ‘that way’ with a jab to their left, ‘and then turn that way’, with another jab, this time forward. “Got it.”
As they’re walking, again falling into step with each other, a loud voice breaches from the drone of the casual chatter. “Hey!”
Cas, having expected this kind of confrontation, keeps his eyes trained on the floor. He should have known, however, that Dean wouldn’t be able to keep his curiosity withheld and feels Dean stir, looking up. Cas wants to keep walking, to tighten his grip around Dean’s waist, but Dean is already breaking free of his hold, moving in the direction of the shout.
“Can I help you?” Dean says in a low, almost dangerous voice, and Cas finally looks up. He’s faced with what looks like a drunken man, no older than twenty or twenty one, with a girl slung around his waist.
“Yeah,” the guy barks back, and this time Cas can more clearly hear the drunken slur in his voice. “You can. You and your stupid faggot boyfriend can get out of here.”
Dean lurches forward but Cas was prepared - he grabs on tightly to the back of Dean’s jacket and tugs him back. “Dean,” he hisses, a warning, and Dean sends him a rueful glower. “It’s not worth it. He’s drunk,” Cas continues, not loosening his hold on Dean.
“He called you a stupid faggot,” Dean snarls harshly and Cas presses his forehead to Dean’s shoulder.
“It’s not worth it,” he repeats, trying to keep his voice soothing when truly, he’s scared out of his mind. “Beating the shit out of this guy - it’s not going to change anything.”
The guy and his girlfriend are still watching Dean and Cas with slightly disgusted expressions and Dean looks between the couple and Cas, and then back and forth again. Cas lifts his eyes to Dean’s, begging silently with him to let it go.
Dean sighs, just a ghost of air, and then he tilts Cas’ chin up further and kisses him on the mouth. Cas sighs too but enjoys the dry touch of Dean’s lips, a surrender.
Dean turns after the kiss and puts his arm heavily back over Cas’ shoulder and Cas leans in close, winding his arm around Dean’s waist again, back into that familiar position. Dean flips off the drunken couple and he and Cas walk away, Cas letting out a sigh of relief.
“I’m sorry,” Dean says roughly, squeezing Cas’ shoulder. “I didn’t mean to upset you. I’m just…easy to rile up, I guess.”
Cas hums quietly. “It’s okay,” he says as they finally find the Ferris wheel. “I’m just not a very confrontational person. You know that - but I understand that it pisses you off. It pisses me off, too, but I…I don’t know. I’m just afraid.”
Dean frowns as they move forward in line. “It’s okay, you know.”
Cas blinks, not wanting to cry, and nods. He feels like Dean would be able to protect him from all of the big, bad scary things that the world has to offer, and that in itself is kind of scary. It’s intimidating.
The guy running the Ferris wheel locks them in place and Cas is happy with the size of the seat because it’s not quite leaving him crushed but he sort of has to be close to Dean. And he likes that - he likes being close to Dean, being able to feel the warmth radiating from his body. He happily curls up against him as the ride begins to rock, other passengers getting on.
The ride halts when they’re almost at the top, all of the seats filled. Dean looks at Cas and leans down slightly to kiss his forehead. Cas smiles and tilts his head, kissing Dean’s jaw. The building is still too warm and filled with too many smells, but Castiel feels comfortable and at peace at the top of the ride with Dean next to him.
“What else should we do?” Dean asks, always ahead of himself. Cas laughs quietly against the skin of his neck, fingers moving idly over Dean’s side.
“I don’t care,” he murmurs sleepily, happily.
“We’ll get cotton candy. And…and we’ll get funnel cake. And lemonade.”
Cas doesn’t want to think too hard about the future - think about going to college and making life decisions and possibly having to leave Dean - so he doesn’t. He curls up next to his boyfriend (and damn, he loves the way that word sounds in his head) and sighs happily.
He’s content, for now, at least. And there’s not much else he can ask for.