Castiel was out of breath and his blood pounded in his ears at the same tempo of his heart as he came down from his running high. He had been running laps with his best friend Adam for almost two hours now in preparation for the meet on Sunday. If it wasn't for Adam, Castiel probably would have gave up on running thirty minutes ago and gone home by now, but Adam had a penchant for encouraging Castiel to push himself.
Don't get Castiel wrong, he loves running, in fact that's why he tried out for the track team in the first place. But being the fastest runner on the team meant that there was a lot of responsibility resting on his shoulders which, in turn, meant he had to be in top physical condition constantly. And that's where Adam came in.
Adam essentially served as his own personal coach by urging him to keep going even when it felt like his legs would fall off. Castiel really couldn't have asked for a better friend than Adam. Castiel often praised Adam by letting him know that he wouldn't be the star of the track team if it wasn't for him. Adam usually denies this with a soft blush, claiming that Castiel could've done it all on his own if he'd just remember to set his alarm in the morning.
Adam was also on the track team, but he was nowhere near as glorified as Castiel even if he was just as fast, if not faster. Adam could have easily surpassed Cas on the track but he liked the idea of seeing Cas in the spotlight for once. It wasn't news to Adam that Castiel got a lot of razzing from the other kids since he was the residential poor kid and his father Gabriel was an alcoholic.
He should know since his brother Dean was one of the seniors that teased Castiel on a daily basis despite the numerous times Adam and Sam has chastised him for doing so. He hated seeing Cas being the butt of all of Dean's jokes and Adam thought that maybe if Castiel was notable for something other than academics, he would be appreciated more. Adam didn't give Castiel an ego boost out of pity, however.
He mostly did it because he was in love with the brunette and rejoiced in seeing him at his best. The smile on Castiel could literally light up the night sky and shine just as bright as his eyes. Adam doesn't know exactly when he had fallen for Cas, all he knew is that he fell hard and he wouldn't be getting back up any time soon.
Even now as Adam gasps for air he watches as Castiel hunches over and pants excessively. Adam can count each bead of sweat that slides down Castiel's flushed cheeks and fantasizes how he would lick each individual one up. Adam lays a hand on Castiel's shoulder and pats it tenderly as if to urge him to stand upright again. Castiel only looks up from under his lashes in a way that almost begs for Adam to screw him right here on the track.
"We've been out here for a while now," Adam points out in a rough voice thick from panting. "What do you say we call it a day?"
"I think that would be agreeable," Castiel concurs, wrenching a relieved sigh from his raw throat.
"Your time was pretty good today, by the way," Adam praises when Cas finally straightens out again, stretching his arms and rolling his shoulders a few times. "I think it might be your best yet."
"Just because it was my personal best so far doesn't mean it's the best for the meet on Sunday," Cas huffs in a defeated tone, belittling his abilities once again. "There's a lot more people who are faster than me. I'm lucky enough just to keep up."
It was a nasty habit of Cas', doubting himself, that formed out of years of ridicule and Adam was afraid that Cas would always be pessimistic. Still, Adam always tries his best in telling Castiel otherwise.
"It's not about being the fastest or the best, Castiel. You of all people should be humble enough to realize that," Adam insists, giving Cas a disapproving gaze. "Besides, they don't have half the spirit you do. No one else tries as hard as you, Cas."
Castiel smirks fondly. "Except for you," Cas beams and it literally takes Adam's breath away. "You could easily be in my position right now."
"Yeah, well, I guess I'll just have to settle for being second best," Adam replies much to his self-inflicted humbleness.
Castiel lifts up the front of his shirt to wipe the sweat from his face and Adam has to bite his lip as he drinks in the sight of Cas' bared and heaving abdomen. Adam has seen Castiel in every stage of undress before in the locker room, but this was by far his favorite sight of Cas. His pale blue track shirt drenched in sweat and his way too short track shorts clinging in all the right places to accentuate his thighs and groin.
There wasn't a shower cold enough to keep Adam's skin from burning like hellfire at the thought of those legs wrapped around his waist as he thrusts his body against Cas'. A flush creeps across Adam's damp face and he tells Cas it's just from their run and the brunette buys it, but Adam knows better. Sweet, naive Cas for not knowing the difference between adrenaline and arousal. Then again, Adam supposes, they are both one and the same.
He gets a thrill of adrenaline and arousal just seeing Cas expose his body so nonchalantly. What makes it even worse, or better depending on how Adam looks at it, is when Castiel openly showers himself in a spray of water from his bottle over his head, soaking his already drenched track shirt. Adam would love nothing more than to suck every single droplet of water off of Castiel's skin. Adam realizes now that he would do absolutely anything and everything to Cas.
His view of Castiel's body is obscured by the shirt once more when Cas lets it fall down over his body. Adam's eyes snap up towards Castiel's face to see that his attention is elsewhere across the field. Adam follows his gaze to see who Castiel is staring at and immediately slumps his shoulders in defeat when he sees his brother Sam trotting around the field, scoring goal after goal in a game of soccer.
He almost forgot about Castiel's infatuation with Sam and when it dawned on Adam he started to feel that familiar overwhelming sense of envy again. Ever since him and Cas were thirteen, Castiel has always had a crush on his brother Sam whether he was willing to admit it or not. Now that Cas was a sophomore in high school, that attraction only seemed to intensify, leaving Adam somewhat bitter and unrequited in the wake of his older brother's shadow.
Then again, Adam figures it could have been much worse. Cas could have had a crush on Dean... How awkward would that be?
Still, there's an undeniable tinge of heartache when he notices just how dreamily Cas is staring at Sam, gazing in awe in such a way Adam will never experience. Adam guesses it's nobodies fault but his own since he's had plenty of opportunities to express how he feels. But while Adam was busy building up Castiel's confidence and self-worth, he had forgotten about his own. Thus, leaving him too insecure and afraid of rejection to pursue him.
"Can I ask you something, Adam?" Castiel inquires, drawing the blonde out of his reverie.
"Sure," Adam responds quickly.
"Do you think Sam likes me? I mean, do you think he likes guys?" Cas ponders out loud without taking his eyes off of the taller Winchester.
"How should I know?" Adam deflects indignantly, jealousy surging inside him.
"You're his brother, for one," Castiel reasons, throwing a look over his shoulder at Adam.
"Doesn't mean he tells me everything," Adam rebuttals, shrugging nonchalantly as he lies through his teeth.
He knows for a fact that Sam likes guys as well and has shown some interest in Castiel before, but Sam mostly kept his distance because he knew Adam liked Cas. Even as Adam denies this knowledge, the guilt eats up inside him at the last second and he feels his resolve crumbling.
"Why don't you ask him yourself?" Adam challenges instead, hoping Cas will be too nervous to muster up the courage to do so. "If you never try, you'll never know."
Castiel seems to ponder this for a moment and just when Adam thinks he's going to relent and say nevermind, Cas smiles brightly.
"You're right. I should go over there and talk to him right now," he agrees much to Adam's chagrin. He pulls Adam into a tight embrace, pulling away shortly thereafter with a studious expression. "You don't think that's weird do you?"
"What? You asking my brother out?" Adam scoffs with sarcasm, placing a hand on his hip. "It's beyond mortifying, to be honest. But..." He trails off when he sees the guilty look upon Cas' face. "It's not my place to say what's best for you romantically and I will respect your choice in partner... Even if it is a sasquatch."
Castiel smirks and pushes against Adam's shoulder playfully, shaking his head ruefully.
"Doesn't mean I have to like it..." Adam adds, muttering under his breath.
"Thank you so much for running with me today, Adam. And thanks for believing in me," Castiel praises, looking up at the blonde bashfully. "You truly are a great friend."
"Yeah..." Adam says belatedly with a wave of his hand long after Castiel has started to jog off towards the soccer field. "Don't mention it..."
Adam has to fight the surge of jealousy bubbling up inside him at the thought of Sam's giant hands all over Castiel when they could be his hands. Ugh, at least it's not Dean, Adam mentally tells himself over and over, but it does little to quell the envy he feels towards Sam. By all rights, Adam is a Winchester too, but the hierarchy of the school seems to forget about that sometimes.
What Adam means is that things are always being handed to Sam and Dean on silver platters with little effort. While that has never really been a problem for Adam in the past, this time it's really starting to get on his nerves and it's partially his fault since he's the one letting Cas go without even confessing his feelings. He still has a moment to catch up with Castiel and tell him, but he doesn't.
Just lets him walk away before relenting and doing the same.