Dean was a real man. And so he hated Ikea. No, that wasn't it, he loathed the place, wanted to set in on fire. He would if the one thing the damn place didn't sell was freaking matches. Maybe he could write it with one of these tiny ridiculous pencils and put it in their suggestion boxes. He had come here to find a library for Sammy, and now he was surrounded by noise and children running around and he wanted to run.

He was about to give up and take a try at the treacherous shortcuts to get the hell outa here when he noticed he was on his own. Fuck! He looked around in panic, remembering that Sammy was phone-less. He could feel the sweat at the idea of he and his little brother having to spend any more time in this damn two-stories labyrinth.

At first, he looked around at random, visiting the mini studios with assorted decorations, in case his brother had found them interesting. The problem with Sammy was that he was such a nerd. Once, Dean had lost him in the street and it turned out he had just walked in a library without a word.

The third time he found himself in the couch section, he decided to be more methodical and start from the top of the first stairs. From here, he could see the kiddie corner, with the cool ball pool but he shook his head. He also resisted the smell of Swedish food from the nearby cafeteria, although he checked there first, just in case.

It was too early for the lunch rush so Dean didn't stay long. He noticed a creepy guy in a trench coat who was staring hard at him, then at the menu above, as if he could drill a hole through the cardboard with his eyes. Dean frowned, unbalanced, but then his cell rang, putting his mind off these blue ice eyes.

It was Charlie:

"Hey, Dean, forgot something?"

"Charlie, I'm so sorry. I have a problem..."

"What, is your precious Impala out of gas in the middle of nowhere?"

"No... worse! I'm in Ikea and..."

"Ohhh, say no more, I guess Sam had to refrain you from murdering anyone?"

"Well, that's the problem, see, Sam's missing."

"I don't blame him."

Dean placed a hand on his forehead and sighed:

"Now's not the time. I have to find him quick."

"Okay, okay, we'll reschedule. Peace out, bitch!"

"I'll call after I've located him, promise."

While talking to Charlie, Dean had left the cafeteria. From the corner of his eyes, he noted that the sex-haired blue-eyed weird man had changed his mind about eating.

"Sam?" Dean was careful not to shout too much but his patience was growing thin. This time around, he found new passageways, so hidden he wondered if they were useful. No Sammy. At one point, he sat on a comfy armchair to rest his feet and saw the same guy, a few feet away from him, talking to a child. The kid was shaking his head and crying. After a few seconds, the man took the child's hand and they walked away.

On and on, as he searched his brother, Dean caught the blue stare. He felt shivers at the idea of being the focus of this man's attention. There was no reason after all, unless...

He chased the thought away. Someone willingly staying in this store was not to be trusted. The air conditioning was getting to his nerves so he decided to march outside. Maybe, mayyybe, Sam had done the smart thing and was waiting at the Impala.

But while his Baby was still happily parked where he had left her, looking beautiful as ever, she was empty. Dean closed his eyes in defeat, ad, cusing the gods, entered the revolving doors again.

Now, it was official, he was being stalked. Angel Guy, as Dean had nicknamed him, was three feet away from him at all time, turning his head if Dean looked in his direction. Dean was tempted to go confront him and ask him of he had kidnapped Sammy and was planning to kidnap him too.

But then, he saw him approach a store clerk and whisper hurriedly. It was Dean's turn to stare, mesmerized, his mouth open. He was shaken out of his trance when both men turned to him, with Angel guy pointing at Dean. Was he complaining about Dean? Come on, he was the one always around and anyway, Dean was busy looking for Sam, he didn't have time.

The clerk walked to him and asked politely:

"Can I help you sir?"

"Hum... No, I'm fine, thanks..."

"Really... Because that gentleman here said you were looking for your son. I believe he's lost?"

"What?"

Dean tried to think but it was getting difficult now that sexy,eyes-like-the-fucking-sky man was standing next to him, leaning in eagerness, still looking serious as hell.

"My name is Castiel. I overheard you on the phone, and you were telling your wife you had lost your phone. I believe she was angry at you."

His what? Had Dean stepped out in an alternate universe? Unless...

"I was on the phone but with my friend, Charlie. And Sammy isn't my son, he's my brother."

"Well, son or brother, we will make an announcement." The clerk said, walking back to his desk.

"No, wait! He's not..."

Dean stopped. They were in the comforter section and somehow he had managed to miss this before, one of the bed was occupied. You could see long streaks of brown hair escape from under a pillow and a pair of feet at the end. Even Ikea's bed were too small for his giant of a brother.

He pointed his thumb in the bed's direction and cleared his throat:

"That's my "little" brother here, you see. He's an adult, a smart one at that... at least, in general."

The employee chuckled and walked to another customer. Castiel stayed frozen in place, looking extremely embarrassed.

"I am so sorry, I shouldn't have intervened. I searched so much that I actually found a lost child earlier, but he said he didn't know you. I took him to the check out and his mother was there. She cried and gave me some money."

Dean looked down. In Castiel's hand were a few five dollar bills, all crumpled. They looked up at the same time and for the first time, he smiled. Dean was about to answer but only managed a gargled squeak. He was blushing, he could feel it. Fortunately, Sam was still asleep or he would have mocked him for weeks.

"So, Dean..."

"Yes..." His voice was still a little too high, especially compared to that pant-melting baritone.

"It seems you are stuck here for a while as your brother must really need his rest and I happen to have some extra dollars to spend. Can I interest you in eating lunch with me at the cafeteria?"

Dean grinned.

A few hours later, Dean called Charlie to tell her they would see her on Saturday "and do you mind if I bring someone?"

"Ohhh, found a hot date?"

"Yes, I did. His name is Cas. He's dorky and adorable."

"Nice! Cant' wait to meet him then!"

Dean hang up. Sam was still asleep, this time in the back of the car and Castiel was sitting in the front, staring at Dean with the same intensity he had done earlier.

"Cas, can I kiss you?"

"Only if I can kiss you too."

"Sure. You can go first if you want."

And damn it! Castiel was a weird guy at first sight, but he wasn't just a wonderful compassionate guy, he was also one hell of a kisser.

So maybe Ikea wasn't that bad.