I'll Be There For You
Believe it or not but at times, Sam Winchester really hated research. Don't get him wrong on a good day with a good case he was the King of all things nerdy but right now he would kill to be kicking back in a bar somewhere with a few cool ones, instead of being stuck in this damn library that was 2-3degrees too hot for his liking. He didn't even have any music to make the time go by because someone AKA DEAN downloaded porn on his laptop again and froze the entire system! As much as he loved his Brother he did, on occasion, wish he could crack an egg over his big bulbous head! Though if he did that he ran the risk of having his ass thrown back into the cage by Mr Smitey over there.
The Angel sat at the table across from him, partnering up with Dean of course and reading through one of the large and dusty books that even Sam couldn't translate. His eyes were skimming along the words at a speed of knots and every second or two he turned another page. Sam was willing to admit that having the Angel around did speed up the process, but it did absolutely nothing to lighten the place up any…at least not for Sam. If he wanted any humour around here he was gonna have to call Gabriel. The only one who ever laughed with Castiel was Dean, and the two seemed to have developed a weird understanding between them.
Sam barely even noticed that he had phased out of the room, and was staring off into the blank space between Dean and Cas, right were their hands were laying only a few inches apart. Cas was always like that with Dean, always standing too close and touching him every damn minute of the day. Dean had already had a talk with him about personal space and the Angel was always way too close…to Dean. Actually now that Sam thought about it, Cas never had that problem with him…did he smell bad or something? Thinking it over, it was probably the demon blood thing. What with him being an abomination and Cas being an Angel of the Lord, it must be horrible enough being around him all the time never mind getting too close. It hurt Sam to think that he was so tainted that even his so called friend didn't want to get near him…
But then…Cas never stood that close to Bobby either.
Or Charlie…
Kevin…
Or anyone else that they knew, not even his own Brothers and Sisters…only Dean.
Maybe it was something to do with the whole 'profound bond' that they shared but in saying that hadn't he basically done the same with Sam at one point? Didn't that make them bonded? Sam shuddered at the thought and shook his head absentmindedly, unaware that Dean and Cas had been talking back and forth for several minuets and he had missed the entire conversation. They turned to him just in time to see his head beginning to dip and his eyes slipping slowly closed. Cas opened his mouth to call out to him, intending to wake him from his near slumber but Dean grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him around to face him, silently shaking his head. Castiel looked confused for a moment until Dean got up and slowly began stalking towards a slumbering Sammy, taking his mobile from his pocket and fiddling with the buttons. As he crept up behind his sleeping Brother, he placed the phone directly behind Sam's ear and sent a wink Cas' way before pressing a button.
HEAAAT OF THE MOMENT! A song blared from Deans phone and Cas watched in awe as the giant of a man leapt up from his chair, screaming and flailing around as though he was being attacked by unseen forces. He fell flat on his ass and looked up at his laughing elder brother, taking a few minutes to register just what was happening before glaring daggers at Dean.
"JERK!" Sam yelled and threw a book at Dean, growling as the Hunter ducked away and grinned at him.
"Oh you love me really, Sammy! That's what you get for falling asleep on the job!" Dean laughed and Sam pouted, crossing his arms over his chest.
"I wasn't sleeping! I was…thinking." Sam grumbled and Dean rolled his eyes at the petulant little Hunter, no matter how old they got Sam was still just the baby around here.
"Sure you were, with your eyes closed! Anyway, as I was saying I am make a coffee run and I'm guessing it's a double for you, Mr Sleepyhead." Dean said and before Sam could answer, Castiel had burst out laughing, causing Dean and Sam to whip around towards the sound. Sam had never known Cas to laugh that hard at anything, not one joke or clever pun…suddenly Dean is some sort of clown? What the hell was going on?!
"That was most funny, Dean…" Castiel said when he finally took a breath and Dean smirked, turning to Sam with a sweeping gesture.
"You see, Sammy…I am Angel Certified!" Dean said before snagging his jacket off the back of Cas' chair and heading off up the stairs toward the door.
"Oh you're certified alright!" Sammy yelled up after him…"And the only reason he is laughing at your jokes is because he…" Sam stopped dead and realization hit him like a ton of bricks. The entire expanse of their time together flashed before his eyes…every time Dean was in trouble and Cas saved him, or when Dean got into trouble but Cas pulled him out…falling from Heaven, betraying his family…every little sin and vice that he took upon himself…all of it for one man and one man only. Dean. Freakin'. WINCHESTER!
Sam turned around to Cas and watched with horror as the Angel stared after his brother, watching his Brother - or most specifically his Brothers ass - ascending the stairs with a wistful and faraway look in his eyes. The final straw was the almost sigh of longing that escaped Cas' lips and suddenly Sam was yelling.
"Oh!" He squealed and Cas turned towards him suddenly, that penetrating stare taking in every inch of his soul and deducing exactly what Sam was thinking…what Sam knew to be true. Sam raised his finger to point at Cas and began stumbling backwards away from him.
"Oh!" Sam yelled again and Cas was on him, rugby tackling him through the doorway and lifting him bodily from the room with a hand over his mouth to muffle Sam's screaming.
"Samuel, I could use your assistance right now!" Cas yelled over the top of his stifled cries.
Dean poked his head back through the door just in time to see an Angel and his Brother tumbling through the door at the back of the room together, Castiel's arms around Sam's waist. He stared after the pair in horror and rubbed his hands over his eyes…had he really just seen what he thought he had seen? He decided not to ask too many questions and instead took the usual Winchester tactic…ignore it and laugh it off.
"Have fun you two!" He yelled down the stairs.
"Mmmmf mmmff mffhmmmfmm!" Sam tried to yell after his Brother but Cas had a tight grip on his face, effectively silencing his cries. Castiel had him pressed up against a wall in the corridor with one hand pinning Sams wrists above his head and one hand over his mouth. He was looking up and down the corridor and Sam realised he was checking to make sure they were alone. Once he was certain Dean had left and that there were no disturbances coming their way, he turned his sad gaze on Sam and that look had Sam silenced in seconds. Why would Cas be looking sad…
"I wish to talk to you rationally, Sam, but that will be impossible if you continue to yell in this manner…Can I ask that you remain quiet after I remove my hand from your mouth?" Castiel asked and Sam nodded, far too curious to refuse. Once he lowered his hand Sam began to babble again.
"You! You and him…Him and you?! Serio…I can't believe…YOU LOVE HIM, HE LOVES YOU I CAN'T…" Sam was cut off by Cas slamming a hand over his big mouth again, looking petrified.
"Sam, please! Keep your voice lowered, if Dean hears you…" Cas said, looking around worriedly. He waited till Sam had fallen silent again before backing away from him and leaning against the opposite wall, looking down and sad. Sam couldn't work out what it was that was upsetting his friend.
"You are correct in your assumption Samuel, I do love your Brother…" Castiel began to explain and Sam tried to interrupt him but Cas held up his hand for silence. "But you are wrong about him returning my affections…He doesn't know I care for him in that way and he would be most upset to find out. So I am begging you, Sam, please keep this to yourself. I had not intended for anyone else to find out but I had not realised my condition was so out of control. I promise in future I will try to have better control over myself…" Cas began to shake as he babbled and this time it was Sam who grabbed a hold of Cas and started to shake him violently back and forth.
"You love him and he loves you! Its so clear now! Can't you see it Cas?! HE LOVES YOU TO ITS OBVIOUS!" Sam yelled, the weight of all this information cracking his fragile little mind. "WE HAVE TO TELL HIM!" He turned to run out the door and Cas tackled him again, this time leaping onto his back and forcing him down to the ground, pinning him their underneath him.
"No! Sam you can't, he can't know! He won't ever speak to me again, please Sam! You boys are my family, I can't lose you again!" He whispered harshly in Sam's ear and just as the young Hunter turned to face him over his shoulder…Dean opened the door on their wrestling forms, squealed, and slammed the door closed again…
There was several moments of silenced followed by this interruption, the only sound being the crashing and banging of Dean rampaging beyond the door…
"Did he think that we were…" Cas asked and Sam groaned, banging his head off the floor.
"Now what do we do…" Sam mumbled, trying to ignore the helpless whine of the Angel above him…
TBC