Cheeseburgers and Pie (Chapter 9)
The rest of break passed in a blur for Dean. He spent his days hanging around with his family and Castiel. Some days his father would go out to work an odd job and leave the boys at home. When that happened Sam and Gabriel made it their sole mission in life to force Dean to interact with Castiel, often leaving them alone for hours while Sam and Gabriel ‘went to the movies,’ even though Dean knew they were only across the street at the park, stalking him and his friend. Dean stuck by the decision he’d made the night Castiel had confided in him. He didn’t approach Castiel, unless he needed to. Only touching him when it was an accident or entirely platonic. Sam grew frustrated, cornering Dean multiple time and harassing him at every moment possible. Dean wouldn’t tell his brother what had happened, what had made him suddenly decide that his friend was off limits. Dean’s resolve was absolute and so, as the days passed, they grew closer as friends, and it became easier for Dean to push his feelings down. The electricity was still there at every touch, and he still got a pool of heat in his belly when Castiel looked at him a certain way, but the emotions weren’t crippling like they had been in the days leading up to Christmas.
On New Year’s Eve John threw a party and invited everyone he could, from friends to co-workers. The house was packed and Dean had to work especially hard to maneuver out of the path of Sam and Gabriel’s plotting. Sam tried his hardest to get Dean more drunk than he’d ever been in his life. After his fourth glass of ‘whatever’ that Sam passed to him, Dean realized that he’d have to slow down if he wanted to make it through the night. He pretended to take the drinks from Sam, dumping them into the potted plants whenever Sam wasn’t looking. Gabriel had apparently been assigned to Castiel for the night, forcing Castiel into Dean at any moment he could get. After a couple hours, the buzz wore away and Dean skillfully avoided getting caught under mistletoe that he’d sworn wasn’t there a moment ago. After getting fed up with Gabriel’s harassment, Castiel planted himself in the armchair to wait out the night, nursing a Jack and Coke that Gabriel had forced upon him, a threat to super glue it to Castiel’s hands being the only way Castiel had accepted it. Sam saw his opportunity and gave his not-so-drunk brother a hard shove backwards, toppling him over into Castiel's lap. Castiel, caught completely unaware, tipped his drink on Dean’s head, which in turn caused Dean to yelp at the cold sticky moisture rolling down his back. Castiel apologized profusely, but Dean shook his head, pulling his friend up with him as he surveyed the damage. Luckily it had all landed either on Dean’s entire upper body or Castiel’s lap. With a quick glare at his brother who had backed away into the corner sheepishly, Dean motioned for Castiel to follow him as they went upstairs.
“I am so sorry, Dean.” Castiel said, once they had made it out of the noise of the party. Castiel looked down pathetically at the mess of Dean’s favorite white Kansas shirt, the dark brown stains still spreading through the fabric.
Dean held up a hand to stop him and closed the door, blocking out the last of the noise. “Seriously don’t worry, Cas. It’s just a shirt.”
“It’s your favorite,” Castiel whispered.
“Well, now it can be my favorite grease rag.” Dean smiled, reassuring Castiel that it really was no big deal. Castiel turned towards the duffel bag to fish out a fresh pair of pants for himself when he froze.
“Dean, I have a slight problem.” Castiel groaned, sinking down on his knees to the floor. “I seem to have miscalculated the amount of pants I would need.”
Dean chuckled as he shuffled through his dresser, fishing out first a black, stain-proof shirt, and then leaning to the lower drawer to grab a pair of jeans. “They won’t fit quite right, but here, you can borrow a pair of mine.” Castiel turned, eyes soft in gratitude.
Dean didn’t think about what he did next, just peeled off his sticky shirt in one quick motion, throwing it at his pile of dirty close letting it hit the floor with a wet slap. Dean’s imagination had Castiel’s eyes raking over him, darkened from their usual bright sapphire to a navy in the silver moonlight. Dean blinked hard a few times and looked back at his friend, who was busying himself with his belt. Definitely just wishful thinking, Winchester. Dean watched casually from his bed as Castiel stripped off his jeans and pulled on Dean’s. He swallowed hard around the lump in his throat as he watched Castiel struggle to make the pants stay put on his hips long enough to loop the belt through. With the way the moon shone through his window, casting everything into dream like desaturation and the image of Castiel in his jeans, slung low across his hips, Dean had to fight hard against the heat spreading out over his body. Taking deep, controlled breaths, he took a moment to steady himself before pulling the door open, letting the mumbling of the party below carry away the last of his arousal.
“Dean, wait.” Castiel called from back in the darkness.
“What is it?” Dean turned, hand still on the door.
“I don’t really want to go back there. Gabriel has been, bothersome,” Castiel said as he held Dean’s gaze, expression earnest. “Please, stay here.”
“Yeah, sure, Cas.” Dean pulled the door closed again and shuffled nervously in front of it for a moment. “Hey, I have an idea. Are you afraid of heights?” Castiel shook his head no, but his face contorted in suspicion.
“Come on then,” Dean said as he slid in his socks across the wood floors towards his window. He yanked it open, letting the burst of cold air hit him in the chest, refreshing the room that had gone hot and stuffy in the presence of the party. He climbed out gracefully onto the roof of the garage, turning to give Castiel a hand out as well. Castiel smiled brightly, settling himself against the siding of the house to the left of the window. Dean sank to his knees before his friend. “Sorry about Sam and Gabe. I don’t really know what’s wrong with them.”
“They seem to have decided that we would make a nice couple.” Dean snorted at that. Castiel smiled wistfully up at the moon. “At least that’s what I have gathered from their efforts.”
“Yeah well, Sam’s always believed he was actually Cupid. He used to set me up with girls when I would take him to the park. Little shit always knew my type.” Dean chuckled, sitting back against his heels.
“Am I your type, Dean?” Dean snapped his head up to meet Castiel’s gaze. If it had been full daylight, Dean was sure Castiel would have been able to see the color drain out of his face. Castiel’s face was blank, as if waiting for Dean’s answer before revealing anything else. They stared at each other like that for a moment, before Castiel’s expression cracked and he grinned mischievously over at Dean. That dick, he just fucked with you. Dean relaxed and lazily punched Castiel in the arm before scooting up the roof and settling down next to him.
They spent the night out in the crisp winter air, only going back in for a six pack and some sweatshirts before reclaiming their spot on the roof. They talked about the next semester, the plans for going back, how to get Coke stains out of denim and everything else. This was another reason Dean knew he needed to stay true to his decision. He’d never made a friend as effortlessly as Castiel. He couldn’t lose that, then who would he talk to?
As the clock struck twelve, a boisterous applause was heard from downstairs. Castiel turned to Dean and smiled. “Happy New Year!” Castiel exclaimed, toppling over in excitement. Dean caught him in his arms, laughing at the expression Castiel was pulling, impersonating one of his father’s drunk co-workers from earlier.
“You’re insane.” Dean laughed, leading his friend back into the room.
“Yeah, well, being sane is overrated.” Castiel chimed as he slipped onto the air mattress. “Good night, Dean.” Dean spent a few moments cleaning up the empty beer bottles and by the time he had returned to the room, Castiel had fallen fast asleep.
Dean crossed the room to kneel down in front of Castiel’s bed. He bent over and placed a gentle kiss on Castiel’s forehead before whispering “Happy New Year, Cas” into his hairline. Goddamn, I am so fucked.
Tomorrow they would pack up and head back to the dorms, back to the same old school routine. Dean was praying that the time they spent apart during classes would ease him out of this ridiculous crush that had taken over his body like a demonic possession. God, help me.
Chapters: Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12 | Chapter 13 | Chapter 14 | Chapter 15 | Chapter 16 | Chapter 17 | Chapter 18 | Chapter 19 | Chapter 20 | Epilogue |
On New Year’s Eve John threw a party and invited everyone he could, from friends to co-workers. The house was packed and Dean had to work especially hard to maneuver out of the path of Sam and Gabriel’s plotting. Sam tried his hardest to get Dean more drunk than he’d ever been in his life. After his fourth glass of ‘whatever’ that Sam passed to him, Dean realized that he’d have to slow down if he wanted to make it through the night. He pretended to take the drinks from Sam, dumping them into the potted plants whenever Sam wasn’t looking. Gabriel had apparently been assigned to Castiel for the night, forcing Castiel into Dean at any moment he could get. After a couple hours, the buzz wore away and Dean skillfully avoided getting caught under mistletoe that he’d sworn wasn’t there a moment ago. After getting fed up with Gabriel’s harassment, Castiel planted himself in the armchair to wait out the night, nursing a Jack and Coke that Gabriel had forced upon him, a threat to super glue it to Castiel’s hands being the only way Castiel had accepted it. Sam saw his opportunity and gave his not-so-drunk brother a hard shove backwards, toppling him over into Castiel's lap. Castiel, caught completely unaware, tipped his drink on Dean’s head, which in turn caused Dean to yelp at the cold sticky moisture rolling down his back. Castiel apologized profusely, but Dean shook his head, pulling his friend up with him as he surveyed the damage. Luckily it had all landed either on Dean’s entire upper body or Castiel’s lap. With a quick glare at his brother who had backed away into the corner sheepishly, Dean motioned for Castiel to follow him as they went upstairs.
“I am so sorry, Dean.” Castiel said, once they had made it out of the noise of the party. Castiel looked down pathetically at the mess of Dean’s favorite white Kansas shirt, the dark brown stains still spreading through the fabric.
Dean held up a hand to stop him and closed the door, blocking out the last of the noise. “Seriously don’t worry, Cas. It’s just a shirt.”
“It’s your favorite,” Castiel whispered.
“Well, now it can be my favorite grease rag.” Dean smiled, reassuring Castiel that it really was no big deal. Castiel turned towards the duffel bag to fish out a fresh pair of pants for himself when he froze.
“Dean, I have a slight problem.” Castiel groaned, sinking down on his knees to the floor. “I seem to have miscalculated the amount of pants I would need.”
Dean chuckled as he shuffled through his dresser, fishing out first a black, stain-proof shirt, and then leaning to the lower drawer to grab a pair of jeans. “They won’t fit quite right, but here, you can borrow a pair of mine.” Castiel turned, eyes soft in gratitude.
Dean didn’t think about what he did next, just peeled off his sticky shirt in one quick motion, throwing it at his pile of dirty close letting it hit the floor with a wet slap. Dean’s imagination had Castiel’s eyes raking over him, darkened from their usual bright sapphire to a navy in the silver moonlight. Dean blinked hard a few times and looked back at his friend, who was busying himself with his belt. Definitely just wishful thinking, Winchester. Dean watched casually from his bed as Castiel stripped off his jeans and pulled on Dean’s. He swallowed hard around the lump in his throat as he watched Castiel struggle to make the pants stay put on his hips long enough to loop the belt through. With the way the moon shone through his window, casting everything into dream like desaturation and the image of Castiel in his jeans, slung low across his hips, Dean had to fight hard against the heat spreading out over his body. Taking deep, controlled breaths, he took a moment to steady himself before pulling the door open, letting the mumbling of the party below carry away the last of his arousal.
“Dean, wait.” Castiel called from back in the darkness.
“What is it?” Dean turned, hand still on the door.
“I don’t really want to go back there. Gabriel has been, bothersome,” Castiel said as he held Dean’s gaze, expression earnest. “Please, stay here.”
“Yeah, sure, Cas.” Dean pulled the door closed again and shuffled nervously in front of it for a moment. “Hey, I have an idea. Are you afraid of heights?” Castiel shook his head no, but his face contorted in suspicion.
“Come on then,” Dean said as he slid in his socks across the wood floors towards his window. He yanked it open, letting the burst of cold air hit him in the chest, refreshing the room that had gone hot and stuffy in the presence of the party. He climbed out gracefully onto the roof of the garage, turning to give Castiel a hand out as well. Castiel smiled brightly, settling himself against the siding of the house to the left of the window. Dean sank to his knees before his friend. “Sorry about Sam and Gabe. I don’t really know what’s wrong with them.”
“They seem to have decided that we would make a nice couple.” Dean snorted at that. Castiel smiled wistfully up at the moon. “At least that’s what I have gathered from their efforts.”
“Yeah well, Sam’s always believed he was actually Cupid. He used to set me up with girls when I would take him to the park. Little shit always knew my type.” Dean chuckled, sitting back against his heels.
“Am I your type, Dean?” Dean snapped his head up to meet Castiel’s gaze. If it had been full daylight, Dean was sure Castiel would have been able to see the color drain out of his face. Castiel’s face was blank, as if waiting for Dean’s answer before revealing anything else. They stared at each other like that for a moment, before Castiel’s expression cracked and he grinned mischievously over at Dean. That dick, he just fucked with you. Dean relaxed and lazily punched Castiel in the arm before scooting up the roof and settling down next to him.
They spent the night out in the crisp winter air, only going back in for a six pack and some sweatshirts before reclaiming their spot on the roof. They talked about the next semester, the plans for going back, how to get Coke stains out of denim and everything else. This was another reason Dean knew he needed to stay true to his decision. He’d never made a friend as effortlessly as Castiel. He couldn’t lose that, then who would he talk to?
As the clock struck twelve, a boisterous applause was heard from downstairs. Castiel turned to Dean and smiled. “Happy New Year!” Castiel exclaimed, toppling over in excitement. Dean caught him in his arms, laughing at the expression Castiel was pulling, impersonating one of his father’s drunk co-workers from earlier.
“You’re insane.” Dean laughed, leading his friend back into the room.
“Yeah, well, being sane is overrated.” Castiel chimed as he slipped onto the air mattress. “Good night, Dean.” Dean spent a few moments cleaning up the empty beer bottles and by the time he had returned to the room, Castiel had fallen fast asleep.
Dean crossed the room to kneel down in front of Castiel’s bed. He bent over and placed a gentle kiss on Castiel’s forehead before whispering “Happy New Year, Cas” into his hairline. Goddamn, I am so fucked.
Tomorrow they would pack up and head back to the dorms, back to the same old school routine. Dean was praying that the time they spent apart during classes would ease him out of this ridiculous crush that had taken over his body like a demonic possession. God, help me.
Chapters: Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12 | Chapter 13 | Chapter 14 | Chapter 15 | Chapter 16 | Chapter 17 | Chapter 18 | Chapter 19 | Chapter 20 | Epilogue |