Dean had warm hands.
He always had, ever since he was a baby. Even when it was cold outside, Dean's hands would be hot. There wasnt anything wrong with him or anything, he just... had warm hands. It didnt really bother him unless it was hot outside or he was holding hands with a girl. When he was younger, his mom thought it was because he was sick, but after multiple visits to the hospital and extensive check-ups, they realized he was just a warm-handed person.
"Hey, Cas! Come 'ere!" Dean called down the hall to his neighbor and best friend, Castiel Novak.
They had met when Dean was seven and Castiel was six. Both of their parents had taken them to the park that day, and some of the older kids were picking on Cas. Dean saw and ran over to him, scaring the boys of and helping Castiel out of the mud. After a short introduction, they ran back to their parents hand-in-hand (Castiel had never minded Dean's warm hands), where they promptly realized they were neighbors. They had been pretty much inseparable ever since.
Castiel turned around with a smile. "Hello, Dean."
Dean slid to a stop in front of him, holding out a small blue box. "Happy birthday!" he said loudly as Castiel took the box. He blushed and waved away the sentiment, putting the box in the pocket of his coat, just like he did every year; he hated opening Dean's presents in school. Or any presents, for that matter.
In the box lay a small keychain, shaped like an old blue police box. Dean knew how much Castiel loved the sci-fi show Doctor Who, so every year he got his friend something Doctor Who-related. (Like the year before, he got him a stuffed Adipose, and the year before that, he got him two box sets from the Classic Doctor Who series, etc.)
After school, Dean and Castiel's families got together in the Novak's yard and got out Castiel's cake and his presents and sang him happy birthday, just like every year since he was six. Dean's little brother, Sam, was there, and all of Castiel's brothers and sister. There were so many in fact, that it had taken Dean a little over a year to memorize all of their names. Him and Castiel used to sit on Dean's window seat and Castiel would quiz him, giving him gummy bears when he got a name right and laughing when he got one wrong. After a while though, Castiel would just sit there, throwing a gummy bear in Dean's mouth from across the seat every time he said a name.
"Anael-" gummy bear "Balthazar-" gummy bear "Zachariah-" gummy bear "Gabriel-" gummy bear "Uriel-" gummybear "Lucifer-" gummy bear "Raphael-" gummy bear "Samandriel-" gummy bear "Michael-" gummy bear. "And the adopted ones, Hester and Inais-" gummy bear gummy bear.
Castiel's family was extremely religious and his mother had named all of her children after angels, even Castiel. He was named after the angel of Thursday.
"So," Dean said quietly as he stepped up to Castiel's side. Castiel turned and smiled at him. "Do you like it?"
"Of course I do, Dean," he said, holding up his keyring with all of his keys on it. The keychain Dean had got them was right in the middle of all of them. He smiled.
"Good! But, since youre 17 and youre about to be a senior," Dean started, looking down at his feet before looking back up at Castiel. "And im goin' off to college so I wont be here anymore..." He paused. It wasnt really something either of them talked about. They both knew it was inevitable; Dean would leave and Castiel would finish his senior year alone. Of course they would see each other over holiday breaks and on a few weekends, but they were so used to each others' company, it would be like there was a hole in each boys daily routine. "I wanted to give you this."
Dean held out his palm. In it, sat a small, rust-coloured key. It wasnt rusty, of course, Dean made sure to keep it clean. He used that key more than his house key; It was the key to the chest that sat in front of his bed, filled with all of his records and CD's and tapes he had ever gotten. He loved his music more than anything, and he had even told Cas when he was younger, that he would rather chew both of his arms off than give anyone that key.
But there he was, both arms in tact, holding out the key to Castiel.
"Dean..." was all Castiel said in return before launching himself forward and throwing his arms around Dean's neck, hugging him tightly. Dean laughed and hugged him back, closing his eyes and angling his face toward Castiel's shoulder.
" 'M gonna miss you, Cas," Dean mumbled as he pulled away, giving his friend a small smile.
Castiel smiled back, a sad gesture, as he nudged Dean's arm with his elbow. "I'll miss you, too, Dean. But we still have holidays and summer.." He looked down at the cup of Dr. Pepper in his hand. Dr. Pepper was Dean's favourite drink. Before they started hanging out, Castiel had absolutely loathed the soft beverage. 'Its an acquired taste' a seven-year-old Dean had assured him. And sure enough, it had grown to be one of Castiel's favourite drinks as well, right after sweet tea.
"Yeah. But hey. We still have a whole semester left," Dean said with a smile before elbowing Castiel and running off. Castiel smiled and rolled his eyes, setting his drink down before running off after Dean.
"We need oxygen, STAT! We're losing him!"
Pain.
Pressure.
"Clear!"
More pain.
"Doc, have you called his family?"
"His mother and brother are on their way!"
Pain. Excruciating pain.
"Again."
"Clear!"
Dean didnt know what was happening. One moment he had been walking down the street to his apartment, and the next moment he was on the ground with a terrible pain inn his chest. He didnt remember how he got to the hospital, but surely thats where he was at. He recognized one of the voices; the lady nurses. Her name was Sandra and had been the one to put his cast on when he was nine and fell off the monkey bars, shattering his elbow. The other doctor sounded familiar, too, but he couldnt quite place the voice.
"He's coming back to us!" Sandra shouted. Dean wished he could remember her last name - he didnt want to call a nurse by her first name.
More pain.
Even more pain.
He opened his eyes a fraction of a centimeter and looked down at his chest, where the source of the pain was coming from. He was covered in blood, his own blood. It was on his chest, and his arms, and when he moved his hand, it was there too. When Sandra saw him move, she shouted something to the other doctor and he passed out again.
x
When he woke up again, he couldnt feel anything, not even when he moved his hand. Or, at least, he thought he had moved his hand. Maybe he was still asleep. At least he didnt hurt anymore.
He fell asleep again.
xx
The next time Dean woke up, it was to a soft pressure on his hand. His first thought was oh shit, more pain but after another gentle squeeze, he realized it wasnt pain, but another hand grasping his own. He tried to open his eyes, but the light was too bright. It hurt his head.
"Dean? Honey, are you awake?"
Mary. It was Mary. His mother was squeezing his hand and crying. He could tell she was crying. Open your fucking eyes, you idiot, he screamed at himself in his head. Squeeze her hand back, say her name. Oh god, am I paralyzed? FUCK.
"Is he okay?"
Sam. Sammy was there too. He hadnt seen Sammy since he went off to college. He hadnt seen his mother or father either. And now they were there, because he got shot on his way to his apartment.
"He isnt awake yet." Yes, I am. "But Doctor Sylva said he should been fine. I dont want to leave him."
He heard Sam sigh and sit down somewhere off to his right, probably beside their mother. "He'll be fine, mom. Go get some sleep. Youve been here for days. "Days?
And then finally, his brain got the message and his hand squeezed tightly around his mothers'. "Im fine, mom," he squeaked out, his voice sounding several octaves higher than it usually did. "Please let go of my hand, its too hot." He didnt want his mother to let go, but he felt like he was overheating. Damn warm hands.
She immediately let go of his hand in favour is leaping forward and hugging him loosely around the chest. "Oh, my god, Dean! Youre awake!"
He smiled and resisted the urge to sigh. "Yeah. Im okay, mom. Im not goin' anywhere."He turned to make some smart-ass comment about how Sammy would be the first to go, but stopped before he said it, instead saying, "Holy fuck! You grew like seven feet!" In the past four years, his brother had grown taller than him and his hair was longer than it had ever been.
Sam laughed and nodded. "Yeah. I gotta go, Dean. I just wanted to make sure you were alright. Ill see you tomorrow though," he said with a smile. Dean couldnt even respond. His voice had gotten deeper. How had he not noticed that before? He had spoken to him on the phone a million times!
His now eighteen-year-old brother waved and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. Dean turned back to his mother. "How long have I been out?"
"Just a little over a week," she said with a smile. "I was so worried. We all were. Your father is in the waiting room, about to drive Sammy home. He wanted to come see you but your nurse said only two visitors at a time."
Dean nodded. "How are you gonna get home then?"
Mary smiled. "Castiel offered to come pick me up and drive me home."
At that, Dean's ears perked up and he tried to sit, only to be pulled back down, rather painfully, by the tubes in his nose. The IV in his arm tugged painfully, too. "Cas? Cas is here? Why isnt he up here?"
Mary just laughed. "I told him I would call when I needed him."
Dean sat up, getting himself comfortable against the headboard. "Wow. Little Cas is drivin' now," he said with a small smile. Mary just nodded. "Has he come to see me at all?"
Mary nodded again. "Yes. He was up here last night. And the night before, and the night before that. Basically every night since the second night, when you were finally aloud visitors. But we told them he was family." She smiled fondly. They had always considered Castiel and his family part of their own family.
Dean nodded. "Can I come home tonight?" he asked, and Mary just shook her head.
"Tomorrow, though, first thing in the morning! I have to go call Cassie. Want me to ask if he'll come up to see you?"
Dean thought about it.
He did really want to see Castiel. After all, he hadnt seen him in nearly five years, after he had promised him to come down and see him every chance he got. What is he was mad at him and didnt want to talk to him? Castiel had never been one to hold a grudge, but four, almost five years, was a long time. But he nodded, and Mary left the room to call him. He regretted his decision almost immediately.
And sure enough, fifteen minutes later, Mary walked back in with Castiel in tow behind her. He kept his head down. He didnt want to see the look on Castiel's face.
"Dean..." His voice had gotten deeper. He didnt sound as feminine as he did all those years ago. Dean nearly laughed.
"Ill leave you two alone. Ill be back after I talk to your doctor, Dean," Mary said, stepping out an quietly closing the door behind her. Dean heard the quiet shuffling of Castiel walking around his bed and sitting on the chair to his right that his mother had previously occupied.
He expected Castiel to yell at him, or curse at him, or tell him in that quiet condescending way of his how mad he was at Dean for not contacting him the last few years. What he hadnt expected, was for Castiel to slide his hand under Dean's intertwining their fingers together, and saying, "I was so damn worried about you, Winchester."
Dean looked up and froze. The past four years had been good to Castiel. He wasnt as lanky as he used to be, though he was still skinny enough that he was sure his mother still bugged him about it. His dark hair was still just as disheveled as Dean remembered it and his bright blue eyes were even brighter and bluer, if possible, than they had been before. Dean didnt remember Castiel being so... pretty.
"Im sorry I never came by to see you. College and work kept me busy.. And Lisa." He added the last part on as an afterthought. He had never liekd talking with Castiel about his girlfriends. He had never seen the point of it. It just took away time with Castiel to talk about anything and everything.
"Are you married?" Castiel asked, surprised.
Dean's eyes widened and he laughed. "Oh god, of course not! God, no!" He laughed again, squeezing his hand in Castiel's. "Lisa is just my girlfriend. Sort of. On and off," he explained. What about you? Any lucky lady? Or... man?" Dean had never really thought about Castiel's sexuality. In the entire time they had been neighbors, Castiel had never dated anyone, not that Dean knew of, at least. So for all he knew, his friend could be gay, or even asexual.
Castiel just laughed and shook his head. "No. I recently got out of a relationship. Amelia. Her and her daughter moved out a few months ago."
"You have a kid?!" Dean nearly yelled. He wanted to ask Castiel how long he had lived out on his own or if he had gone to college, but Castiel just looked up at him, blue eyes meeting green.
"Jesus, no. Amelia had a kid before we got together. I was with her for two years, so I kind of considered Claire to be my daughter. Kind of. But no. No kids of my own."
Dean nodded, taking in the new information. "So why did you guys break it off?" he finally asked. It was none of his business, but he was curious, and he liked the sound of Castiel's voice.
His friend sighed before speaking again. "Her husband, Jimmy, well, ex-husband Jimmy, Claire's dad, came back from the military and she decided she wanted Claire to be with her dad, and apparently she had been waiting for him to come back, so she moved back in with him." He shrugged. "Im fine, though, so dont get all protective friend over it," he said with a smile. Dean smiled back.
"Lemme guess. All the brothers went ape-shit on her, huh?"
Castiel nodded. "Yepp. You know how they canbe. Especially Lucifer," he said, rolling his eyes.
Dean nodded and laughed. He had missed Castiel so much, he was surprised he had really gone almost five years without talking to him, or even seeing him. He had though about it, of course, but he really had been so busy.
There had been a silence for a while before Mary walked back in, Doctor Sylva behind her. Dean groaned and rolled his neck back. "Im fine, Doc. I dont need a check-up," he said, his hand subconsciously tightening around Castiel's. He had always hated hospitals, and even now, at twenty-two years old, he didnt like doctors.
Sylva laughed. "No check-up today. Just wanted to unhook you. Youre good to leave tonight!" he said with a smile. Dean smiled back.
After getting Dean unhooked from the IV and changing his bandages one last time, Doctor Sylva lets him up to leave. He changes into a pair of clothes his mother had brought with her, sliding on his old boots he had been wearing when he was brought in, and his leather jacket, before he followed Mary and Castiel out of the room.
Dean walked beside Castiel the entire time, smiling and occasionally bumping shoulders with him. They were halfway to Castiel's car before he felt his fingers trail down his forearm and his hand wrap around his own. He looked up at Castiel, his smile widening. Castiel just smiled back, bumping his shoulder with Dean's again.
"Missed you," Dean said quietly.
"Missed you, too," Castiel responded.
And they walked the rest of the way to the car like that, hand-in-hand. And it didnt bother either one of them, because Dean's hands were always hot, and Castiel's hands were always cold, and both of them loved that about one another.