Cas was trying to make time go faster with the power of his mind but it just wasn't happening. He sighed and decided he needed another drink while maneuvering through the increasingly drunk shrieking bunch at his table.
"I'm getting a beer" He said to his sister on his way out.
"A beer? Don't you prefer a mai tai or...?" Anna had her fakest sweet-n-innocent smile on and it was a bit more than he could handle without getting shitfaced.
"I'm getting a beer"
He walked towards the bar but as he was about to order 'Bootylicious' was on and a high-pitched wail was heard on the back so nope, beer wasn't gonna cut it. "Hi" he said to the bartender "Whiskey, neat" and after a moment he added a "Please" because he wasn't raised by wolves or something.
The bartender placed a glass over a napkin in front of him, and while retrieving the bottle another loud scream was heard from the group right on time with the song's chorus. She rolled her eyes in annoyance and poured his drink. Cas ran a hand through his hair in second hand embarrassment and downed half of his glass in one gulp. The burn was familiar and somewhat soothing, and he breathed out for like the first time since 'the party' got started.
"So, what's your deal? Came drink-hunting for the she-wolf pack or something?" The bartender asked him, quirked eyebrow and smirk on place.
Cas snorted for an answer but she was offering a small way to vent out so he took it. "I think I was invited to my sister's bachelorette party just because she was in need of the mandatory 'gay friend of the bride'"
"Sorry to hear that dude" she shook her head and kept working on fixing drinks for other patrons. Something on the way she said it, or how she looked at him made it easier for Cas to keep talking.
"Yeah. I don't know what she expected from me, I think she just saw too many bad movies or something, she keeps trying to make me dance and order sweet, fruity drinks, and that… I'm not that, whatever that is" He sipped on his rapidly emptying glass, looking at it in defeat. Cas finished his drink after that but instead of jumping into a sob-fest he just manned-up, squared his shoulders and accepted his fate. "Well, that was fun. I'll take another beer and go back there, the night has to be over at some point so…"
The bartender was biting her bottom lip, too busy drying a perfectly dry tumbler, like considering something very carefully for the past minute or so. "What's your name?"
"Castiel" he said, suddenly picking upon her kind of conspirator-y aura.
"I'm Jo and well, Castiel, I know someone who might be able to help you out of your predicament" her words were out and Cas was leaning over the bar counter wanting to hear more. "I could ask my cousin to go and flirt with you in the most gayest and flamboyant way he could think of, if your sister brought you to be gay then you should go ahead and be gay right there for her to see, I bet that would get her off your back"
Cas went silent for a moment considering the offer. He knew his sister wasn't as open minded as she claimed to be, and to openly expose her to that part of himself sounded a bit extreme, he could endure a while longer of her and her friends asking him to do stupid things and… and in the back 'All the single ladies' was heard and he was engulfed in a pink feathered boa, almost pulled off the stool he was perched on.
"Come on Cassie! Time to dance!" Rachel and Hannah were 'dancing' around him, which at the moment was just another word for 'shamelessly groping him' and that was enough for Cas to make up his mind. "I'm in!" he shouted over the music in hope the bartender could hear him. She nodded and disappeared into the back of the bar, hopefully to go find this cousin who could help him out.
The song was over and the bridal party plus Cas returned to their table. Not fifteen minutes had passed and the bartender, Jo, approached them with a bright pink cocktail in a tall glass, donned with a little umbrella and all. Anna was beaming at that, someone was hitting on them and that drink was proof of that. Jo took her sweet time to place it in front of him and, to the surprised looks of the women surrounding him, she said, calmly and sweet "This comes from the gentleman on the bar in hopes you'll agree to meet him"
The wording was weird but Cas' lips quirked in a lopsided smile, the cousin was there at the bar waving at him so he did his best to play the part and took his cocktail, a frozen strawberry daiquiri with a healthy rum dose (well, not exactly healthy, but you get the point) and sipped at it, waving back at him. Lights were dim so all he could see was the general shape of the man, but after he accepted the drink the guy jumped off his stool and slowly walked towards them, swaying his hips almost theatrically.
The cousin was hot. He was helping him so it shouldn't matter but damn that guy was hot.
He was wearing a too tight shirt and his abs and pecs were evident under it. He was tall and his hair was brownish or dirty blonde, the light wasn't helping him finding it out, but when he got to their table Cas almost chokes on a bit of ice, he was beautiful. Cas thanked the gods no one could read his mind, it wasn't cool calling another dude beautiful, but he was, he truly was.
"Hi gorgeous" His voice was almost a purr, yep, Cas could tell he would totally fell for that if he wasn't aware it was all a scheme to make his sister squirm (though he was the one squirming right there on his chair at the moment) "Saw you dancing with your friends but if you don't mind I would like to ask you to dance just with me" and right on cue Elvis's 'Can't help falling in love' started to sound. Damn.
"S-sure" Yeah, that was smooth. Cas was a bit awestruck by the forwardness of the invitation but he accepted as it was all part of the plot. He got off his chair and, bearing the incredulous looks of the entire bridal party, followed the other man into the dance floor.
There were other people dancing though there were less than when it was a more playful rhythm but it gave them a chance to talk to each other.
"Hi, I'm Dean by the way, Jo's cousin, nice to meet you" Dean placed his hands over Cas' shoulders therefore Cas' hands went to his waist though they both knew who was leading.
"Castiel. Thank you for this, it was unexpected but very welcomed" Yeah, in more ways than Dean knew, but still.
"Yeah, I can tell, I can feel that ginger's eyes making a hole in the back of my neck, but tell me more about why you're in need of a rescue mission"
Cas sighed, deflating for a bit. "I thought my sister had begun to accept who I am, neither her nor my family had been supportive since I came out, but this is not that, I'm here to be another prop on her party, the fun gay brother drinking and dancing with the girls" and it hurt him, more than he was ready to let show. Cas lowered his head, the weight of the shitty relationship he had with his family was beginning to crush him. He never realized a single tear was rolling down his cheek but then Dean's thumb was sweeping it away. Cas looked up then, both grateful and surprised to meet Dean's eyes serious and soft staring at his own.
"I think you should have a nice long conversation with your sister, put the cards on the table and set things right. I'll help you tonight, I too hate to be objectified" and he winked at that, lighting the mood. Cas' smile grew and he nodded, he was right, this whole thing was stupid but it was the best excuse he had in years to finally clarify his relationship with his family.
"Alright, how you want to do this?"
"Well Cas, tonight we're going to be the gayest men in the bar, I'll be all over you and if you follow my lead we could be really annoying before I proposition you and you follow me out of the bar" Dean's smirk was something contagious and Cas nodded again, he wasn't particularly flashy or anything but he definitely was good a following orders. The song was ending and, in a smooth and unexplainable way was seamlessly followed by a catchy Rihanna song. That DJ was something special.
Dean let go of his neck and started to dance undulating his body in a sinful way. Cas had a hard time playing it cool for a moment, Dean was a firecracker and way out of his league so he needed to be clearheaded, whatever happened that night wouldn't be real.
The girls joined them at the dance floor and he was again getting groped and surrounded by too many pink accessories. Dean on the other hand seemed to be right on his element, smiling and singing the chorus, bumping the sides of his hips with Anna playfully. Cas did his best and joined them, awkwardly lifting his arms trying to follow the rest. Dean beamed at that and jumped to be at his side, dancing like there was no tomorrow till the song was over and they headed back to their table. Dean joined them but instead of taking a chair for himself he just dropped himself over Castiel's lap, wrapping an arm on his neck. "Hi! I'm Dean!" he said charmingly but in a more affected tone than he had used before, just for Cas' benefit. "So, who's the lucky lady?"
Anna, pleased to be the center of attention, extended her hand for him to see her ring. "I'm Anna, Cassie's sister"
Cas briefly tensed at the nickname, it had never been affectionate, and Dean caught on that, he was sitting on his lap after all. He delicately took her hand and leaned forward, and for a moment it looked like he would kiss her knuckles, but then lifted his eyes and smiled with… pity? "Look at that cute little rock! I hope he's good looking at least"
Ow, that was low. Anna's eyes flashed first with surprise and then with anger, not the righteous anger one would feel against injustices in the world, but the 'bring it on bitch' kind of anger. She smiled at him, sweetly "Yeah, he's the best" and changed the subject "Who want's shots?"
There was a collective howling at the table, and Dean joined momentarily but then he just said "I don't know if I should do shots though, I get all touchy and chatty when I'm drunk" and, honest to god, pouted.
"Oh, don't worry about it, I'll look after you" Cas wasn't sure what he was more eager for, some more alcohol or the chance of Dean getting even more clingy than he already was, but he meant what he said. Dean looked at him and for like a second he smiled in a sweet, open way, then he returned to his character, he was there for a reason. "Alright then, I'll go get them!" he said and got off Cas' legs, prancing towards the bar.
"Cassie! I didn't know you had it in you to go and pick someone at a bar, and in the middle of my party!" Anna was smiling and it looked on the outside like a cheerful celebration of his conquest but he knew she was chiding him, though Dean was teaching him well so he played dumb "Well yes Anna, It usually takes for me to get another man to be gay with"
"Go Cassie!" one of her friends spat and high fived him. It was working, he was beating her in her stupid game. Dean was back, followed closely by his cousin carrying a tray with the tumblers and a Vodka bottle. She lined them up in the table and expertly filled them all almost at once while the girls screamed in excitement, then she handed them all and left the bottle at the table. The wedding party donned them and Dean was pouring the next round just like his cousin did. Yeah, he knew what he was doing. By the third one the girls were dancing on their seats so they stopped drinking and got to the dance floor. Cas could handle his liquor, same as Dean, so they were fine, but some of the other guests were losing their inhibitions and were rubbing their bodies against both of them. It was frankly uncomfortable and rude. Dean stepped in front of Cas, pressed his back against his chest and took his hands to lead him in a not so PG rated dance. The message was loud and clear, 'this is my man', and the rest were beginning to notice. Cas smiled, forehead leaning on the back of Dean's neck, and kept dancing till the song was over. Dean turned around and briefly met Anna's eyes, and they were flaming, she was disgusted with the show they were presenting so he leaned all over Cas and spoke to his ear "It's working, pretend I'm all dirty talking you"
Cas smiled and looked down, more amused than flustered but it did the trick, Hester and Hannah were looking at them intently. "Thank you Dean, we could be out of here in like two minutes now"
"Wow Cas, I wasn't aware you were that easy" Dean winked at him, staged and for all of them to see. Cas smirked and caught his hand to pull him back towards him, bodies pressed together now "Yeah, I am, now can we please go" and he graced his lips under Dean's ear. It was for show so he didn't think much of the way Dean closed his eyes and trembled. He stepped back, creating a distance between them and stopped dancing, looking at Cas like if he was something new and strange, and Cas feared he overdid it and the last thing he wanted was to look like a creep in front of Dean who was just helping him out of a shitty moment and… and Dean put his smirk back in place and went to Anna, who had also stopped dancing to blatantly look at the scene unfolding in front of her. "Anna, honey, I wish you good luck on your wedding! Me and Cas are going to go and celebrate love at his place, or my car if we don't make it there on time. Bye gurls!" and lacing his fingers with Cas' he started to walk towards the bar's door.
Some of the girls were wooing them but Anna's face was on fire, Cas couldn't tell if it was embarrassment or rage, but he didn't care, she brought it on herself, and just followed Dean out of the bar. The music muted drastically once they were on the other side of the door and Cas breathed out, it was the first time that night he was relaxed since he got to his sister's home at the evening. He was so relieved it was over he didn't notice they were still holding hands. Or he was praying Dean wouldn't notice, it felt just right that way, but the spell was broken when someone else bumped shoulders with him wanting to bypass them to get into the bar. They moved aside from the door and Dean cleared his throat "Well…"
"Yes. Sorry. Thank you again Dean, I hope you know how much I appreciate what you just did for me, just… Thank you"
"Nah, that's fine dude"
Dean was scratching the back of his head and Cas was building up courage to… I don't know, ask for his number, invite him out, do something, he had been single for a while now and he was a bit rusty but then, a freakishly tall guy came out of the bar laughing and wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "Dean! Adam wants his shirt back, says you're stretching it… Oh Hi! You must be Castle? Dean went to help you 'cause he is the best!" and kissed the top of his head.
Yep, Dean was taken, that was his luck. Cas stepped back and gave them space, he didn't belong next to Dean and his giant boyfriend. "Yeah, he's the best. I hope we'll see each other again. Bye" and he waved before turning on his heels to walk away. With every step he was taking the voices of Dean and his boyfriend were fading, same as his night out.
Cas was left with many things that night, he had lots of homework now. He needed to have a real talk with Anna first and then with the rest of his family, he wasn't sure when it would be better though, the wedding was in a week and there was a chance he would get uninvited to it for bringing it up again, but then, if he waited till after it and it turned out to be the fight he was dreading then Anna would regret to have him in all her wedding's pictures. He hoped that wouldn't be the case, he loved them and he was sure they loved him in their own way, but the talk was necessary, the air needed to be cleared.
And there was the wedding itself, he never had a plus one even though at the time he got his invitation more than six months ago he was in a serious relationship going on their second year together. He was very upset at the moment, they were denying him a chance to share his sister's wedding with his significant other but then, shortly after that Uriel left him and he was alone again thinking maybe he never had his plus one because his family knew he couldn't pull it off, he wasn't good enough to keep someone by his side. He was a failure.
Just like what just happened at the bar, he had to be rescued by a dashing knight in a too tight shirt, he couldn't step up for himself, and on top of that he fell for his knight, perhaps because he was the first person in such a long time to look at him like… well, like a person. It wasn't much, his bar was set low and not even in that way he could get someone to be happy with.
His tribulations and self-loathing took him three blocks away from the bar till someone patted on his shoulder, pulling him out of his head. It was Dean, with no shirt on, panting as he had just run a marathon or something.
"Buddy…" he was trying to catch his breath "Damn you walk fast, and you don't pay attention, I was shouting your name and you didn't react…"
"What?" Because yeah, there was no reason for Dean to be there, shirtless, shouting at him and running to meet him. Dean was better now, but there was something off about him, he was looking at the ground, scratching the back of his neck and licking his lips. God, even nervous he managed to be beautiful. But why would he be nervous?
"Sorry. I um… I wanted to ask if you'll be interested on meeting me again but my brother interrupted us…" Oh. It was his brother, his not-boyfriend brother. Oh… Oh.
"Yes" Cas jumped forward but then blushed hard because yeah, eager much anyone? "Yes Dean, I'll like that very much. Perhaps I could give you my number?" and he wasn't done talking and Dean was handing him his phone for him to call himself, which he did and a moment later they were both connected.
"I don't want to intrude on your plans, you have a wedding coming, so call me whenever you're free?" Dean was almost shy when speaking, so different from the cocky man he knew at the bar, and it was so much better. "Yeah, I don't care about the wedding, I'm free whenever you want to meet, I'm free right now" Cas' brain wasn't functioning right at the moment but their eyes met and a chuckle left both their mouths and they were laughing and it was great.
"I'll love to go out with you right now but I don't have a shirt at the moment and my guess is we both could use a good night's sleep. But we could meet tomorrow, what do you say Cas, coffee tomorrow?"
"That sounds great" Cas grinned happily. "See you tomorrow Dean, text me your address and I'll come pick you up"
Dean smiled at him, lowering his eyes for a moment and then nodded. "Bye Cas"
"Bye"
They were walking now in opposite directions but Cas felt great, Dean didn't want a one night stand or he would have taken his offer to get together then and there. It was a hint of hope growing inside of him again, the promise of a coffee shop date, something sweet and real. Cas smiled like a mad man the fifteen minutes it took him to get home. He still had a lot of work to do to put his life in order but he had a date now, the wheels were moving.
Author's Note:
Based on a true story, something like this happened to me at a friend's bachelor party as the only woman allowed there.
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