Heartlines - Part Three
Sam used to dream about Meg when he was sleeping, the way she felt on top of him, the warmth of her breast in his hand, the way she tasted. He enjoyed those dreams and frankly, wished he still had access to easy sex - well almost sex.
Now Sam dreamt about Jess. And occasionally about Dean pressing Mr. Novak against a wall which just freaked him the fuck out. He chose to focus on the Jess dreams and not any involving his brother and teacher - both of whom still kind of hated him anyway.
Dean had been going out again though and taking phone calls in his bedroom. Victor was still leaving messages on the machine at random times calling Dean Chi-Chi Rodriguez and Mr. Kinney. Jo had been over twice in the last week and she had chewed Sam out as well.
It was suspicious to be sure (well it was to him), but Sam was hiding out in his bedroom and taking his own phone calls in private. It was usually Jess or his Dad. One was generally better then the other, John asking when he was coming to visit again and Jess asking if he wanted company while he was grounded. Dean nixed that idea but was still planning on taking Sam to see John again.
One afternoon, Sam was walking out of the school with Ava to meet Dean and he saw Dean and Mr. Novak talking over by Dean’s car. Dean was smiling and Mr. Novak was laughing and Sam was kind of weirded out. They looked happy together.
“So Mr. Novak knows your brother?” Ava asked as she walked beside him.
“They went to college together,” Sam replied, figuring that was the best explanation. “I always thought they didn’t get along.”
“Sure looks like they get along now,” Ava remarked as Mr. Novak put a hand on Dean’s shoulder. “Ooh. I wonder if Mr. Novak’s gay. Do you think he likes your brother?”
“Ava, that’s just ridiculous,” Sam said quickly and hopefully without giving away that he hoped for the very thing. “I don’t think Mr. Novak is gay anyway.”
Ava looked over at him shrewdly. “You’re lying.”
Sam looked down at her. “What?”
“You’re lying. Your voice gets higher when you lie and you’re lying to me.” Ava hooked her arm around Sam’s. “See if Dean will let you come over. We need to have a chat.”
“I can call my Dad to ask. Dean just drives me.”
Ava looked at him again like he was an idiot. “I know you live with Dean.”
“What are you, psychic?”
“No,” Ava said gently. “I listen to you when you talk, Sam. You never talk about your father. You only talk about Dean and what you do with him, how he takes you places, you borrow his car.”
"No one knows, okay Ava. Please don't tell anyone, not even Brady," Sam whispered, his face red. "No one needs to know."
"Scouts honor," Ava said, patting his arm. "So come over this afternoon and you can tell me everything. I bet you need someone other then Dean to talk to."
Sam snorted. "Dean's not much of a talker when it comes to feelings."
"So your brother kind of skews the gay stereotype on a lot of levels," Ava grinned and Sam looked at her line of sight. Dean wasn't dressed for work, wearing beat-up jeans, scuffed motorcycle boots, a t-shirt and a brown leather jacket that had seen better days. It was how Dean normally looked so Sam didn't really notice. Dean dressed nicely for work and Ava had seen him then, but yeah, this was really more Dean.
Sam thought of the picture on Mr. Novak's desk - Dean in his typical clothes, Mr. Novak dressed just as comfortably with mussed hair and scruff, Jo cuddled in Cas's arms with Dean behind them both, Chuck was even in the photo, looking as weird and uncomfortable as always - and wondered if that was how Mr. Novak really looked when he wasn't wearing pressed pants and collared shirts with sweater vests. He smiled softly, walking over to the car with Ava.
"Hey Dean," Sam interrupted as he walked up, making sure Ava didn't hear any of the conversation Dean and Mr. Novak were having even if they looked okay. "Is it okay if I go to Ava's?"
Dean looked between Ava and Sam and then shrugged. "Sure. Or Ava can come to our place if you want. I made pot roast for dinner."
"Thank you, but I have to watch my little brother," Ava said. "I can have my dad drive Sam home though."
"Just call," Dean said with a smile. "I'll pick you up. So you're taking the bus then?"
Sam nodded. "I'll see you later, Dean." He looked over at Mr. Novak. "Bye Mr. Novak."
Mr. Novak smiled at both Sam and Ava. "Goodnight, Sam, Ava."
"Night Mr. Novak," Ava said before she and Sam turned away.
Sam heard a quiet "Do you..." from Dean followed by a quick "Yeah" from Mr. Novak. He smiled to himself at that. Maybe getting in trouble and forcing Dean and Mr. Novak into the same room was actually a blessing in disguise.
"Go play in your room," Ava said, lightly smacking her little brother's arm. "Sam and I have to talk and I'm not allowed to take him in my room when no one else is home."
Ben groaned and gave Ava a glare before dropping the video game controller and heading to his room. Sam momentarily felt guilty, but then he remembered Ben had a computer in his room so he wasn't deprived by not being able to play video games.
"So spill." Ava flopped on the armchair, looking over at Sam. "Tell me your deepest, darkest secrets."
"It's not really a secret," Sam protested. "It's just not something I talk about."
"So tell me then. Why are you living with your brother?"
"My dad's in prison. Dean didn't want me going into foster care so he applied to be my legal guardian and moved me here." Sam shrugged. "That's pretty much it. Dean and I haven't lived together in awhile so it was kind of weird at first."
"College," Ava said sagely. "My older brother is in college. He only comes home on holidays."
"No, my dad kicked Dean out when he was sixteen. So eight years ago. He has a problem with the gay thing," Sam mumbled. "Dean was in the foster system until he turned eighteen and moved in with his friend Chuck. That's why he didn't want me to go into it."
Ava stared at him, her eyes wide. "What the hell is wrong with your father?"
"A lot of things," Sam said ruefully, thinking of his father and not feeling angry or guilty for once. Just tired. His father made him tired. "My mom died when I was really young and he never got over it. He wasn't that stable to begin with according to Dean and Mom dying pushed him over the edge. He's an alcoholic and a drug addict, mostly functional but not always. I've kind of taken care of him since Dean left, but this time the cops found him with the drugs before I found him and yeah, he got arrested. The gay thing. I don't know why he has such a problem with it. I’ve asked. Hell, I asked when I saw him a few weeks ago. He just keeps saying he can’t accept it.”
Ava continued to stare at him. "I didn't think things like that really happened."
Sam waved his hand around at Ava's house a little. "I didn't think homes like this really existed."
"Oh Sam," Ava said with a heavy sigh.
Sam shook his head quickly, wanting to head off any pity. "Don't. Dean and I are good. He went to college, got his bachelors and masters in four years, and has a job he loves. I got Dean to watch out for me now. I'm good."
Ava nodded and thankfully changed the subject. “So are you going to tell me the truth about Dean and Mr. Novak?”
Sam groaned and flopped back against the couch. “I really shouldn’t. I mean, he’s our teacher.”
“Please tell me the two of them are together. They would be gorgeous together.”
“Ava! That’s my brother,” Sam said as he closed his eyes tightly and resolutely not thinking about those dreams where Dean and Mr. Novak were kissing. “Gross.”
“They’re both very pretty.”
“Ugh.”
Ava laughed and Sam looked over at her. “You are an evil and cruel woman. I don’t want to think about my brother being pretty.”
“You never answered. Are they dating?”
“No,” Sam said honestly. He paused for a moment. “If I tell you something, you have to swear not to tell anyone else.”
“I swear. I can keep a secret,” Ava promised.
“Mr. Novak is completely in the closet and doesn’t plan to come out from what Jo told me so really, you can’t say a thing.”
“I swear.” Ava rolled her eyes. “So he’s gay. Most people thought that anyway.”
“They were together in college. Like full on totally in love, but Mr. Novak broke it off because he didn’t think Dean should have to live with being in the closet. Dean’s still pretty broken up about it. When he first saw Mr. Novak, he didn’t leave the house for two weeks except to go to work and take me to school.”
Ava let out a soft sigh. “Do you think Mr. Novak still loves him?”
“Yeah,” said Sam immediately. “There’s a picture on his desk. It’s not just him and Dean. It’s a lot of other people, their friend Jo, Dean’s friend Chuck that he lived with, and a whole bunch of other people, but they’re looking at each other, Ava. And yeah. They’re just in love. I’ve never seen Dean look at someone like that before.”
“Why would have the picture on your desk if you didn’t still love the person?” Ava moved over to snuggle up to Sam. He threw an arm around her easily.
“That’s why I got into trouble a month ago. I saw the picture and asked. He was so mad at me, but he never said he wasn’t.”
“I’m telling Brady you’re snuggling with Sam!”
Ava sat up immediately, turning to look at Ben with a glare on her face. “Brady knows I cuddle with Sam. Being a brat won’t get you video games sooner.”
“I hate you!”
“Tell someone who cares!”
Ben stomped back upstairs, his door slamming loudly a moment later. Ava settled back against Sam. “We should totally get them back together.”
“Mrs. Harvelle told me to leave it alone.” Sam sighed a little, stroking Ava’s hair. This was so weirdly comforting and non-sexual he was almost confused. “I really tried, but the picture. I saw it and I want Dean to be happy. Jo said that he and Mr. Novak were really happy when they were together.”
Ava let out another sigh. “Has Dean dated anyone since?”
“Victor’s the only one I’ve met and I think Dean was still hung up on Mr. Novak. He and Victor are still really good friends, but Victor’s said a couple of things that make me think they broke up because Dean couldn’t let go and not because Victor really wanted to.”
“Victor’s cute too,” Ava said, looking up at Sam. “Your brother has good taste in men.”
Sam wrinkled his nose again. “Does Brady know you lust after all of my brother’s gay friends?”
“Brady is open-minded. So how do we get them back together?”
“Soccer?” Sam suggested, unsure of whether they should even be considering this. “That’s the only time they’re together.”
“What if you got hurt?”
“I don’t want to get hurt!”
“Not seriously,” Ava smacked him lightly. “I mean, like a sprained ankle or something.”
“I could sprain my ankle,” Sam admitted. “I could ask Gabe to trip me. He’d do it.”
“Oh Gabe totally would! We should do this. You have a game Saturday, right?”
“Yeah, but I’m not sure, Ava.”
“Look, Gabe trips you, you go down and pretend to sprain your ankle. Mr. Novak and Dean come rushing over and have to check you out and voila! True love reigns.”
Sam looked at her skeptically. “I think you read too many romance novels.”
“Mr. Novak will check up on you afterwards,” Ava sighed, looking at him like he’s an idiot. “Dean’ll have to talk to him and that will get the ball rolling. Jeez, do I have to do all the thinking?”
“That could work,” Sam said thoughtfully. “They talked after I got in trouble. They would definitely have to talk if I got hurt.”
“Exactly. Let’s put this in motion for Saturday. We can talk to Gabe at school tomorrow,” Ava said before sitting. “Hey brat! You can play XBox now!”
Ben’s feet thundered on the steps and slid into place in front of the TV. He turned to look at Ava and Sam. “I’m so telling Mom and Dad that you didn’t help me with my homework.”
Ava leaned over and smacked him upside the head. “You don’t have any homework and you’re not even supposed to be playing XBox so quit it and keep your mouth shut.”
Ben glared at her, but flipped the game back on and went back to playing. Ava settled back against Sam and hummed thoughtfully.
“This is so going to work.”
Sam opened the door to the apartment, taken aback by the fact it was dark. He tripped over Edgar who mewled loudly and flipped on the light before shrieking at the sight of bare flesh and holy fuck, his brother’s dick. He covered his eyes with his hand immediately.
“Oh my god, Dean! You have a bedroom!”
There was a yelp and Sam heard someone, he didn’t care enough about who it was to look, hit the floor. He fumbled around and found the armchair, throwing the blanket that was on it in the general direction of the couch without removing his hand from his eyes.
“Seriously? I sit on that couch!”
“Christ, Sam! You were supposed to call me for a ride,” Dean shouted back. Sam heard fumbling and he lifted his hand, his eyes on the floor. On a sweater vest. That was red. And looked a lot like the one Mr. Novak had worn that day.
“Mr. Novak?”
There was a groan and Sam looked up to see Dean in his boxers and Mr. Novak wrapped in the blanket.
“I think under the circumstances you can call me Cas.”
Sam whimpered a little. “Mr. Wilson gave me a ride home.”
“I got that.” Dean sighed, looking between Castiel and Sam. “Could give us a few minutes to put on clothes?”
“Yeah. Bedroom.” Sam motioned with his hand and stumbled away from the scene of the crime. Holy fuck, he had just seen Dean’s dick. He flopped down on his bed with a groan. How the hell was he supposed to look at his brother and teacher now?
It was one thing to plan stuff with Ava that he knew wasn’t really going to amount to much. It was an entirely other thing to see his brother on the couch naked with his teacher. Sam shuddered and thought hard about boobs.
There was a light knock and Dean opened the door. “Sam? You want to come out or should I just apologize many, many times and tell you that you hit your head and were hallucinating?”
Sam turned to look at Dean. “I’m not hallucinating though, am I?”
Dean shook his head and came into the bedroom, sitting on the bed next to Sam. “No. I really was having sex on the couch with my ex and your history teacher slash soccer coach.”
Sam groaned again. “Ava’s going to be so pissed that we’re not going to be able to use her plan.”
“What plan?” asked Mr. Novak from the doorway, sweater vest thankfully in place.
“I was going to pretend to get hurt so you and Dean would have to spend some time together and hopefully you would get back together because of that.”
“Yeah, asking Cas if he still loved me did the trick,” Dean said dryly.
“I do. Love you.”
Dean and Sam both looked over at him and Dean gave him a soft smile. “I know. And I know you loved me when you ended it too. You did it because you loved me.”
“Are you talking about feelings?” Sam poked Dean in the side. “You have actual feelings, Dean?”
“Oh shut up.”
Sam laughed and grabbed his brother, pulling him down into a rough hug. Mr. Novak chuckled softly in the doorway.
“So you’re dating each other again?”
“Yes,” Mr. Novak said seriously. “But I’d really prefer if you kept it to yourself. And Ava I suppose.”
“I can’t even talk to Victor and Jo?”
“They know,” Dean said with a heavy sigh. “Why do you think Victor keeps calling me Mr. Kinney?”
“I have no idea who that even is. I got the Clueless reference eventually, but I don’t know what the hell Victor is talking about most of the time,” Sam admitted. “They knew before me?”
“Apparently they thought it was a good idea to hook us up again too,” Dean said almost reluctantly. “So congratulations, you being a nosy little fuck got everyone involved in my love life.”
“And now you’re dating the guy you’ve been in love with for years,” Sam said proudly and not the least bit smugly. Nope. Not at all.
“I kind of hate you right now.”
“Liar,” Sam crowed, hugging Dean again. “You totally love me.”
Dean kissed the side of Sam’s head, hugging him back. “Yeah, I totally do.”
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