ANOTHER DAMN SNOW STORM
Dean would outright say that he hates anyone. He is generally a tolerant guy and it take a lot for him to say that he does not like someone, let alone, to say that he downright hates someone. With that in mind, Dean Winchester, hates … yes, hates, Castiel Novak.
Dean and Castiel have worked together at the book store for the past two and a half years. No matter how many times Dean has tried to like the guy, it never seems to happen. Castiel is full of himself, always correcting the way that Dean talks and never seems to be happy with anything that Dean does. So, liking the guy has become something Dean doesn't even want. He is perfectly content hating Castiel Novak.
Problem is, they always seem to work together. Dean feels that his manager does not want to fire him and this is his way of working to make Dean quit. If Dean did not need the money to help put his little brother through college, he would have quit two and a half years ago. But no, here he was, on a super slow night, working side by side with Castiel.
"I have found two books that were put back incorrectly," Castiel came around the corner, holding two books in his hands. "Putting a book back doesn't just mean putting a book back onto a shelf."
"What are you on about?" Dean turned his attention to Castiel and away from the magazine that he was reading. He would be doing actual work but there really was not any to be done. He more than likely could have left, but he needed the money.
"You didn't put the books back where they belonged," Castiel huffed in Dean's direction. "Is it really that hard?"
"Not even a little," Dean turned his attention back to his magazine. "I just love pissing you off."
"Well you are doing an excellent job," Castiel disappeared behind a shelf but then quickly re-emerged, this time bookless. "Why do you even work here anyways?"
"Because I don't get fired," Dean smiled to himself, unsure of what he was reading but pretending that it was the most interesting thing he could be looking at.
"Well I feel that should change," Castiel made his way behind the counter and sorted through the books on hold, again, for the fifth time this evening. "I don't even know why they keep you."
"Because I am the only one willing to work with you," Dean finally looked up from his magazine, giving Castiel his cheesiest smile. The red that creeped up Castiel's neck pleased Dean. Pissing Castiel off was the only thing to do for fun around here. "I stay just to give the others a much-needed break from you."
"I think it is you they cannot stand," Castiel tried to argue but he knew that Dean was close with the other employees, including Bobby, the owner.
"Then why do they all hang out with me after work?" Dean knew that he was fighting dirty but he did not care. In fact, he had never seen Castiel have any friends come in and none of the other employees ever mentioned hanging out with him. Dean was not surprised though. If he could not get along with Castiel, he could see how it would be hard for others to do so.
"Because they feel sorry for you," Castiel was quick with his comeback but there was nothing behind it. His voice no longer sounded supreme but this time, slightly hurt. Success.
"Whatever," Dean looked up at the clock. "No one has come in for hours. We should close up."
"I suppose we should," Castiel agreed, putting all the books on hold back where they belonged. "Quicker we close up, the quicker I get away from you."
"Likewise," Dean huffed, closing his magazine and heading towards the backroom.
Dean was working on getting the safe closed up with all of the money when Castiel entered the backroom. He looked even more disheveled than normal and Dean found himself being worried.
"What's your deal?" He asked Castiel, twisting the lock on the safe for added protection.
"You know that storm we were having?" Castiel was good at not getting to the point. He had to make you hear him out before you knew what he was really talking about.
"Yeah," Dean snarked. "What of it?"
"We are kind of, um," Castiel ran his hand through his already messy hair. "Snowed in."
"We what?"
"We are snowed in."
"What do you mean we are snowed in?"
"I mean it snowed pretty hard today and now there is so much snow in front of the door I can't even open it."
"Check the back door," Dean instructed and without argument, Castiel did as he asked.
"Yep," Castiel called back into the store. "We are snowed in."
"Shit," Dean began to pace back and forth through the store. "What are we going to do?"
"Wait is out I suppose," Castiel suggested, taking a seat on the couch in the back room. "Not much else we can do."
"Great," Dean growled. This is just what he needed.
The weather outside did not let up and within an hour, the power was out as well. If they worked in a nice bookstore, a backup generator could have kicked in and kept the heat going, but Dean was completely out of luck for the day and that was not the case. So not only was he stuck at work, with Castiel; he was stuck at work in the middle of a snow storm with no heat or lights.
Dean and Castiel gathered up what they could find of flashlights and candles and made themselves a spot in the back corner of the storeroom. They did not really want to spend the night so close to each other, but it was the only place they could even keep slightly warm. Even then, the warmth from the candles quickly faded away.
"I am so cold," Castiel spoke more to himself than to Dean, wrapping his arms around himself.
"Damn it," Dean growled before moving closer to Castiel and wrapping his arms around him.
"Dean?" Castiel questioned but did not pull away. "What are you doing?"
"I am trying to keep you warm you idiot," Dean shook his head. How the hell did he end up in this situation. They should have fired him a long time ago. "So, quit your bitching, will ya?"
"You don't have to keep me warm," Castiel tried to let Dean off the hook. "I know that being anywhere near me is horrible for you."
"Yeah well," Dean shrugged his shoulder. "Can we stop talking about this?"
"I am just saying that you…" Castiel began to argue again but Dean stopped him.
Dean was not sure what had come over him but here he was, huddled in the corner with Castiel, kissing him. Dean was kissing Castiel and Castiel was kissing him back. At first it was just a way to get him to shut up but when Dean did not pull away, he knew that it was more than that. What the hell are you doing Winchester? He kept asking himself this over and over again but he did not have a good answer. The only answer was 'he was kissing Castiel Novak.'
"Dean," Castiel pulled back and laid his head on Dean's shoulder.
"Yeah?"
"Thank you."
"For?" Dean wondered aloud, placing his head on top of Castiel's.
"Keeping me warm," Castiel said. Dean was going to respond but Castiel cut him off with more. "For being willing to work with me, even when others don't want to."
"I made that up," Dean quickly corrected what he had said earlier. "I was just trying to be an ass."
"But it's true," Castiel looked up at Dean. "Even though no one says it, I know that no one likes to work with me. At least you argue with me. Most don't even talk to me."
"Hey Cas?" Dean was not sure what emotion was coming over him at this moment but it was not one that he expected for feel towards Castiel.
"Yeah?"
"Can I," Dean began, taking a deep breath. "Can I kiss you again?"
"I would very much like that," Castiel nodded, tilting his head up to look Dean directly in the eye. "That is, if you really want to."
"Can you just shut up already?" Dean smiled, leaning forward and pushing his lips to Castiel's again.
"Okay," Castiel spoke between kisses.
"Okay."