Water

"You mean you seriously can't swim?" Dean looked over at Cas, amused.

"The issue has never come up." Cas fixed him with his usual serious look. Dean shook his head and chuckled.

"Well, buddy it's kinda crucial. I'll take you out sometime and teach ya."

"Um." Cas looked a little hesitant. "Are you sure you're qualified?"

"I got a fake badge." Dean offered, pushing his chair back and wInking before leaving.

Cas looked at Sam, who shrugged, grinning. "There's a lake right by here. Don't worry, he's a pretty good swimmer. You'll live."

Cas sighed.

Sure enough,the next day Sam was lending him a pair of swimming trunks and Dean was holding a pair of his own. "C'mon, wasting daylight!" Dean called, heading for the car.

Cas looked doubtfully at the shorts before pulling a tee shirt of Dean's out of his duffel and following warily.

Dean went to change in a bathroom stall, and Cas did the same. He finished first and sat on the bench waiting for Dean, not at all impatient.

When Dean walked out it was like Cas couldn't breathe. He was all cream-colored skin and light freckles, lightly defined muscles and gorgeous hips. Cas recovered in a second, and luckily Dean hadn't seen him in the corner. He stood up, wavng a little. Dean looked over and rolled his eyes. "Aw, c'mon, Cas. Lose the shirt."

Cas blushed and glanced down at the Zepplin tee shirt he'd borrrowed. "I'd prefer to remain clothed." (thats not what your mom said last night)

"Ugh, Cas, it's a lake. Shirt's just gonna get in the way." Dean chuckled.

Cas shook his head. Dean grinned and threw an arm around him, leading him outside, as Cas turned scarlet and wondered what was wrong with him.

Dean moved his hand to Cas's arm and led him into the lake, which was cooler than the Arkansas summer air but not too cold.

"Careful, it might drop off anywhere. And the rocks can suck sometimes." Dean warned him idly, once they where in to their waists. Cas glanced over to see Dean looking at him and they both looked back down at the water.

"There are fish here." Cas commented, seeing the tiny fish darting around his feet. They didn't seem too worried about the giants walking around in their backyard.

"Yeah, usually are." Dean grinned and pulled him down to sit on the rocks. "They'll swim all over you."

Cas smiled, then offered Dean the two fish in his cupped hands.

"Nah, we gotta go to deeper water. We came here as kids, y'know. Just me 'n Sam. It was pretty trashed then, I guess they cleaned it up some."

"Hm." Cas looked sideways at Dean again, catching him in profile. They where now in up to their chests, and Cas's shirt was indeed floating around him. Also he was hot.

"Should I take this off...?"

"Told ya." Dean chuckled. "Yeah, it's just annoying."

Cas pulled the wet shirt over his head, and could've sworn Dean was looking at his slightly darker, leaner torso in the same way Cas had, seeing Dean shirtless earlier. Cas gave Dean his shirt apologetically. "Do you want me to take-"

Dean threw the shirt at the rocks not too far away, managing to get it hung where it wouldn't be washed off. "Too late." Dean grinned at him.

Cas grinned back, but both their smiles got lost in a moment of blue eyes locked on green ones.

Dean cleared his throat, halting the silent converstion consisting mostly of You look so good right now, and Shut up, you look better.

Cas fell then, barely registering the fact that he'd slipped before Dean had his hands on his shoulders and they where both under water.

They came up laughing, despite that Cas was sneezing water violently. Now in up to his shoulders, Cas studied how the ripples in the water made ribbons of light dance across Dean's skin, and Dean apparently noticed because he touched the water to make more, grinning at Cas.

"C'mon, let's get you swimming."

After lots of flailing and plenty of laughing too, Cas was able to keep himself afloat and Dean called it a day.

The sun was setting as Dean drove them back, and he rolled down the windows and sang along to the radio. Cas laughed and finally relented, singing with him. They got back to the motel damp and happy.

Sam rolled his eyes, wondering when they where going to get a clue.