"A barista? Really Cas, a barista?"
"Yes Dean, a barista, and I'm a school teacher, a literature middle school teacher"
Dean whipped a sweat bead rolling down his forehead using his shoulder. "No you can't be a middle school teacher"
"Why not? I like kids" Cas was panting, the effort he was making was taking a bit more of him than he expected.
"Yeah, but you're too sassy to teach kids, you could be a college professor perhaps, but not a middle school teacher"
"yeah, you're right. Well then, a college professor" Cas found a more comfortable position and felt better, both his feet were firmly planted to hold the weight on his back.
"And how did we meet?" Dean kept sweating but he couldn't wipe his face, his hands were too busy at the moment and the angle got too complicated to move his head so freely.
"I um… I got my coffee every morning from your coffee shop?"
"I can see that… yeah, and then I flirt with you till you succumb to my charm and good looks"
A snort is heard but they don't pay much attention to it. Cas tilts his head a little, there's something he's not liking about it. "I don't know Dean, you might be a good flirt but I'm not that easy, if you want to get me you have to work harder than just a smile here and there"
"Perhaps he gets your name wrong on the cup to get your attention?"
"Yeah, thanks Charlie! So I get your name wrong on the cup…"
"Alright guys I'm here, what did I miss?"
"Hey Kev! They're barista Dean and college professor Cas meeting at a coffee shop"
"Huh… I kinda liked better baker Dean and firefighter Cas if they're gonna have a small business"
"But we already stablished Dean would get chubby with all the pies he could eat at his bakery" Victor sounded exasperated; he didn't like having to repeat himself.
"But I did say I wouldn't mind" Cas' deadpan tone got everyone chuckling.
"See? He likes my love handles" Dean's breathing was a bit strained but they keep calm, they all know what they're doing.
"I'm getting there Dean, just a bit longer" Garth says, his tone a bit more serious than his usual playfulness.
"Cool man! So where were we?"
"You were misspelling my name on the coffee cup" Cas is getting tired too but he keeps talking, he knows they're close to finish it up.
"Thanks love. So, I'm writing it wrong every morning and you correct me every time, all affronted and cute" Dean tries to move as fast as he can, and as careful as he can too, which is getting harder, he's too sweaty and slippery to be precise.
Cas breathed deeply before talking again. "Wait, why would I keep going back to a place where deliberately you try to provoke me?"
"My dashing looks and perky nipples? I don't know Cas, it was your idea I'm a barista"
"Um… Perhaps I don't realize I already fell for you but I'm too chicken shit to finally ask you out in between the corrections" Cas moves a little to change the angle and the muscles on his right leg tingle a little but he can do it, he's strong and capable.
"And there comes your helpful friends to get both your heads out of your asses and help you figure it out" Charlie's proud voice made both of them roll their eyes in good nature.
"Hey Charlie, do you think we could be out of here sometime today, I'm sweating my ass off"
"Garth is waiting a clearer access and you know Kevin, he doesn't like it when you make him hurry…" her voice held no apology, but it wasn't like Dean was looking for one.
"Yeah, yeah. So, something like that Cas? A barista and a college professor then. You know, I could totally go for that one"
"Of course you would, I can totally pull sexy professor, I look good in tweed"
"Hell yes you do!"
There's a clicking sound on the back, followed by some rattling and a loud thud. Some debris rains over both of them, sticking to the sweaty back of their heads.
"You know Kevin, we don't mind if you want to be a bit more careful with that"
"Sorry, I kinda overdid it with the jackhammer. I'm in now, just a few seconds till I'm there"
Dean is the first one to see it, the long appendage in now reaching him through the gap between Cas' thighs, it's almost there. Cas sees it too and squinted his eyes in concentration, it'll be over any second now.
"Move to your left Cas, like ten degrees so I can reach Dean" Kevin's voice is tranquil but sharp, all business. Cas moves and his lower back is now supporting the beam, leaving space for the robot's arm to take Dean's place holding the switch. Some dust and more debris fell over them and into Cas' left eye, but he just closes it, he'll scratch it later, when he doesn't have to hold half a building from falling down over the both of them.
Dean bites his bottom lip when the robot touched his hand, the pressure was firm and steady, so he deemed it safe to let go. He swiftly moved aside and Kevin sets the robot to take his place.
"I'm free" Dean slowly moves by Cas' side and takes some of the weight off his back, making Cas breathe easier.
"I'm putting the scaffolding" Garth says while moving around them. "Cas move your head down, Dean, don't move" A pole and a supporting beam are set in place and secured with bolts. "Done"
"The structure seems to be strong enough now, you should be able to leave" Charlie sounds confident so Dean moves a bit, testing the theory. Nothing is falling on their heads so Cas follows his lead and lets the freshly made bearing point hold everything in place.
"Now, move, I'm estimating you have seven minutes tops"
"On our way Charlie, I'll get them out" Garth says while guiding them through the passages and ladders that still remain useful till they reach a carpeted hallway. "On ground floor now" Garth keeps walking, fast but not quite running, the flooring is standing poorly over the stressed foundations.
"T minus four, hurry guys" Charlie's voice is dead serious but they're there now, the entryway glass doors are shattered but their boots can handle that and much more so they carelessly run, and good thing they did it, the moment they get out Charlie's voice was frantically filling their ear pieces "Run, the beam broke!"
The explosion launched them a few feet on the air but they were safe now, some scratches were better than having their guts blown out for sure. There was a ringing on their ears till everything settled and dust rained over them.
"Guys! Guys! Are you alright?" Charlie sounded far away and it took them a moment to regain some of their wits.
Cas opened his eyes and looked up to the sky, nothing like landing on a concrete street after flying a few feet to get the itch out of his eye. "That was a close one"
Dean groaned all the way till he was sitting and looked at his husband still lying near him. "You don't say?"
Cas chuckled and tried to get seated too but he had a dislocated shoulder he only noticed when he put weight on the left arm, so he stayed in place till someone would come and help him.
"Damn it, you could have died! You're crazy you know?" Victor was leading the paramedics their way but he had his trademark smirk in place, they were banged up but nothing too out of the ordinary.
"Yeah, we're crazy and in love, sue us" Dean was sitting on the back of the ambulance holding his head with his hand, everything was spinning around him but he still noticed Cas was helped to get up by a doctor. "You alright babe?"
"Yeah, just my shoulder but she won't set it back here, she says I need to go to the hospital" Cas was exasperated and Dean knew the feeling but he didn't help his cause, it wouldn't be such a bad idea if they ride to the hospital for a checkup, he still had a persisting ring in his ear. The paramedics got them into the ambulance and then to the hospital where they got patched up, Dean had a concussion and Cas, besides the dislocated shoulder had a sprained elbow so he was given a sling to wear for a few weeks.
Dean had to stay the night in observation so Cas waited sitting by his bed till the nurse left them and climbed to the bed to snuggle by his husband's side leaving the injured arm up. There wasn't much need for stealth, Jess had the night shift so they were fine. Dean sighed and kissed those eternally chapped lips he adored. After a moment of silence he whispered "You do look good in tweed"
Cas' smile was small and sweet "and if you ask nicely I could put on some reading glasses too"
Dean laughed at that. "That's… yeah, I could totally tap that"
That night Dean needed to be awoken every two hours to be on the clear and Cas took his job very seriously, and as the CAT scan turned alright they got sent home the next day. Sam went to pick them up and told them he was debriefed by Henriksen, he gave them a few days off but they would be given some desk hours, at least till Cas would be out of the sling.
They helped each other once alone at home, Netflix and take out would be enough for them till they could properly rest, then they would 'chill'.
Yeah, every time they got caught in a life threatening situation they imagined some other realities they could be living, far more safer jobs they could be doing instead of getting in between an exploding device and a building full of people, or a hostage situation or whatever maniac they were chasing after. Their imaginary love stories were shared with the rest of the team, they usually had their earpieces on while chatting about them, and everyone chipped in, opinions were flying while the situations unfolded around them, it was always the way they released some stress during the procedures.
Of course all of them knew those things were never going to come true, the world was a safer place with them in place, they were too good at their jobs.