The air was rich with humidity on this particular autumn afternoon as Dean Winchester rode his bike home from school alone. The sun had begun to go down over the west horizon, everything appearing even more burnt and orange than usual. The streets were vacant, eerie even had Dean paid enough attention. His bag swung in motion to his pedalling on his back, making the fabric create a slight humming sound. A car drove past him as he pulled into his drive way, his father's 67' Chevy Impala stationary in the open garage. Dean parked his bike safely inside the garage and walked to the back of his house before opening the door and finding his younger brother, Sam, asleep on the couch in the living room.
"Sammy! Rise and shine!" Dean practically chimed, watching Sam all but jump off the couch.
"Dean?" Sam squeaked, rubbing his eyes methodically.
"Where's dad, Sam?"
"Uh. I think he's asleep?" Sam blinked rapidly then sat back down on the couch before grabbing the remote and turning on the television.
Dean smiled at his brother when he was sure Sam wouldn't see and then he left again back through the door in which he had just entered. He rounded the house, leaving his bike and headed towards the road. The made a right turn as his small boots met the concrete sidewalk and called out a familiar name.
"Cas!" Dean shouted, his voice not travelling very far considering his small size. Nevertheless, a dark haired boy pulled back a curtain to find Dean Winchester standing on his front lawn. He smiled at Dean and let the curtain fall back into place. The front door opened and he ran down the stairs, careful not to fall over his untied laces.
"Dean!" the young boy exclaimed before hugging his friend warmly.
"Oh gross get off me, Cas!" Dean pushed the boy away and laughed, wiping himself off. "You're sick. I don't want cooties or somethin'."
Cas blinked, his face thoughtful. "I thought only girls could give cooties, Dean?"
Dean rolled his eyes and patted his friends shoulder.
"Eh maybe you're a girl, Cas?" Dean chuckled and decided it best to change the subject. "Wanna come over for a while? My dad's asleep so we'd have to be quiet…"
"Can we go for a walk today Dean?" Cas inquired, his head cocked to the side.
"Uhh… its getting a bit late. My dad might get angry…" Dean trailed off, turning to glance at his own house just next door.
"Oh please please please please, Dean? Can we please go for a walk?" Cas begged, his eyes glowing as if he were about to cry.
"Oh fine, but we can't be long."
The sun had vanished but the sky was a bright apricot colour, as though the sky had been painted by hand by a bunch of talented artists. Clouds were strewn across the heavens , light and pink, slightly contrasted against the apricot sky. Dean sat atop a wooden bridge whilst his dark haired friend threw heavy rocks into the tiny stream. At the edge of the park, where the field of green and freshly mowed grass met the woods intimidating front, young boys Dean and Castiel talked for an eternity about absolutely nothing, giggling and running together.
"Cas. Do you think things will always be like this?" Dean whispered as the suns last rays of light made their ever quickening retreat across the sky.
"Hmm?" Cas replied, his eyes shut whilst they lay on the soft grass, facing upwards at the beginning of the night.
"This." Dean made an awkward hand gesture between them that Castiel never saw. "Our friendship? Going to school together? Do you think it'll stay like this, Cas?" Dean propped himself up on his elbow and looked down at his friend.
Castiel's eyes opened up, thoughtful.
"Dean. You know we'll always be friends right? No matter what."
"Yeah." Dean smiled in spite of himself when he saw that Cas had closed his eyes again. "Always."
When Dean finally arrived home, he bid Castiel a goodnight and entered his house to find his father and Sam watching TV on the couch.
"Where've you been?" John Winchester didn't look away from the TV, but he didn't sound cross either.
"I was with Cas, dad." Dean replied earnestly.
"I'm glad you have a friend and all Dean but at least tell me when you're going to be home late."
"I thought you were asleep. Sorry, sir." Dean said before joining his small family on the couch. They were watching the Simpsons.
John Winchester smiled and ruffled Dean's hair before standing up and walking into the kitchen.
"Whaddya guys wants for dinner?" He called.
It was the next morning, Saturday and Dean was looking forward to seeing Castiel. He walked outside and onto his neighbour's lawn before calling out to Cas again like he had the previous day.
"Cas?" and sure enough the blue eyes boy ran through the front door and hugged Dean just as he always did.
"Oh no way what did I tell you yesterday? Get off!" Dean said these words through laughter and didn't try to push him off. Eventually he let go and smiled crookedly at Dean.
"Wanna go for another walk?" Dean suggested, pointing towards the park at the end of their street.
"Yes please."
And with that they walked together, kicking a stone between them as they made their way towards the evergreen field of St. George Memorial park.
The day passed in a flash and before they knew it the sun was setting once again, the falling leaves and gentle trickle from the creek were the only sounds heard as they lay together looking up at the first few stars in the infant night sky. Dean smiled wistfully in Cas' direction as he listened carefully to his breathing.
"Cas."
"Yeah?"
"You're my best friend."
"You mean that?
"I really do."