AN: Alright! A new fic and I am excited! It's been ages I've been able to write something longer than few hundred words and I hope it will continue so I can finish this. According to my current plans, this fic will be 15 chapters long plus an epilogue but I might change that. I'm still unsure about what will happen after Chapter 9 so this might be a little longer or shorter. (God, I really need someone I can talk to about my fic plots and who would read through my shitty writing before I publish it.)
Anyway, I hope this won't be that horrible to read and hopefully I'll get the next chapter out soon. (I'm still trying to get out of my writer's block, so... But please comment or something because that would really make me more motivated to write, knowing there are people who want to read more of this!)

Dean

Wanna meet up at 4?

Cas

I'm going to study with Crowley. Make that at 5.

Dean wants to frown and grin at the same time as he stares at Castiel's text on the screen of his phone, which only results in an expression that makes Benny snort. Dean glares at him as he types back a quick 'okay' and shoves the guy beside him with his elbow.

"I'm guessing that was your boyfriend," Benny teases and grins.

Dean huffs as he sets his phone aside and gets back to eating the food in front of him. "For the last time, he's not my boyfriend," he mumbles before shoving another forkful of food into his mouth. "He has one already," he adds bitterly. He really wishes that wouldn't be the case but then again, he doubts that wouldn't help that much when the guy lives almost 500 miles away.

"I'm telling you, Dean. Judging from what you've been telling us, Cas seems totally into you, not to mention very dreamy," Charlie joins in to the conversation from the other side of the table, causing Dean to gain a light shade of red on his cheeks.

"How do you know if a guy is dreamy if you're only into chicks?" Dean hisses at her and attempts to kick her in the shin but she manages to dodge just in time.

Charlie rolls her eyes and leans against her arm that she props up on the table. "I can still tell when a man is good looking or interesting in general. Also, I know he's completely your type." She smirks as Dean's phone vibrates on the table, signalling for an arrived text. "It seems like your little angel wants to talk to you more, Winchester."

Dean ignores her and snatches his phone to read the text, a happy grin spreading to his lips but melting into a pout as soon as he reads the words.

Cas

Actually, 6 would be better. I'm sorry.

Dean

It's fine. See you then.

Dean feels like he wants to throw his phone to the other side of the cafeteria but he restrains himself. It's not like he's Castiel's only friend or something and even if they speak almost daily on Skype, of course the boy's fucking boyfriend comes first.

When Dean puts away his phone with a sigh, he gets a questioning look from Charlie and he doesn't need to look to his right to know that Benny's expression mirrors hers. "What?" he mutters and looks down to his food, staring at it as he chews on his lip. "Cas just moved our meeting time one hour forward, no big deal." Except it is a big deal, to Dean at least. But it would be way too awkward to say it out loud.

Sixteen minutes and forty-four seconds…

Sixteen minutes and forty-five seconds…

Sixteen minutes and forty-six seconds…

With a frustrated sigh Dean drops his laptop on the floor and rolls to his back, staring up at the ceiling of his room. Ever since the clock in the corner of his computer screen had turned 18:00, he had been waiting for the white icon next to a certain name turn green. Seventeen fucking minutes had passed by since then yet there was no sign of Castiel.

During the one year they had known, Castiel had rarely been late from their agreed dates. ("They aren't dates," Dean adds inside his head because he isn't dating Castiel.) The other boy is very punctual. He never feels comfortable with arriving late to anywhere, no matter if it's school or just an hour of chatting with Dean.

Then the realization hits Dean that Castiel must be with Crowley – that asshole boyfriend of his – and that sends shivers down his spine.

It's not that Dean doesn't want Castiel to be in a happy relationship. On the contrary, he wants nothing more than for Castiel to be happy – preferably with him but that would be just a bonus. It's just that Crowley is nothing more than a douchebag who is playing around with Castiel's feelings.

Dean just wishes Castiel would see that too.

His thoughts are cut off by a sound of someone calling him in Skype and there is no question who it is.

With a bright smile, Dean picks ups his laptop from the floor again as he sits up, setting it on his bed. He glances down at the clean flannel shirt he had changed to as soon as he had gotten home from school and attempts to flatten all the non-existent wrinkles before he presses 'accept' and straightens his posture. "Hey, Cas," he greets.

"Hello, Dean. Sorry that I'm late," Castiel replies with a small smile on his lips but Dean knows, or more like hopes at the moment, that the other boy is no less excited to see him. "I- um… I didn't realize what the time was."

Dean shrugs and shifts in his place, starting at Castiel like he's the most perfect guy he's ever seen. Except that he pretty much is. "It's fine. It's not like I was counting the minutes or anything," he chuckles and glances at the clock because of course he was counting every second even.

Castiel nods and chuckles softly. "Right, of course not," he mumbles and shifts a little on the chair he's sitting on. "But I am still sorry. I would have loved to see you earlier but Crowley insisted we had to study today and wouldn't let me come home earlier."

Dean gets way too much conflicted feelings over Castiel's words but answers to the apologetic smile with a bright grin. "It's fine, really. You're almost never late anyway so I don't mind if you are sometimes late."

Letting out a relieved sigh, Castiel nods again and his smile grows a little wider. "Alright."

Dean settles on examining Castiel for a moment and even on the small and grainy webcam video, Castiel looks perfect and beautiful. His low and gruff voice sounds a little weird through the shitty speakers of his laptop and Dean has wondered for a forever what it would sound like in person. "I want to meet you," he blurts out without realizing.

Castiel blinks in surprise and his deep blue eyes grow impossibly wide. "W-What?" he breaths out and gapes at Dean. "Like face to face? Are you serious?"

It takes more than few moments before Dean realizes what he had said. He licks his lips quickly and nods hesitantly. "Yeah, I think so. I want to see you face to face," he admits, rubbing the back of his neck. "Of course we don't have to. We already have fun like this and I just thought how awesome time we could have if we were actually in the same room." He shrugs and chuckles nervously.

A silence falls between the two and Dean's about to say that he's going to get something to drink from downstairs to escape the awkward silence when Castiel finally opens his mouth. "I-I would l-like that," he stammers.

Dean lets out a shaky sigh that changes into a soft chuckle. "Okay. Awesome," he mumbles and settles down on his stomach, propping himself up with his arms.

Castiel chuckles with a bright smile on his perfectly shaped lips – God, Dean would love to kiss him right now – and nods. "Yes, it really sounds awesome," he agrees. "It's really weird we haven't spent time properly together even though you are my best friend."

Dean lifts his eyebrows in surprise. He had never actually thought about it and he really doesn't think he's much of a best friend when they only for few hours almost daily. "I'm your best friend?" he asks in a tone that makes it sound like the most impossible thing ever.

"Yes, of course." Castiel pulls his legs on the chair he's sitting on, wrapping his arms around them. Then he does that small head tilt that is probably the most adorable thing ever, at least in Dean's opinion. "I can talk to you about anything and I'm rarely this comfortable with anyone."

"Oh." Dean's frowns slightly in thought. Surely he is happy to hear that Castiel considers him as his best friend – and those feelings are more than returned – but there's still a small disappointed feeling in his heart because that's all he is to Castiel. "Thanks, Cas. You're my best friend too and I'm really glad that we met," he says quietly.

"Me too, Dean."

Dean gazes at Castiel with adoring look in his eyes as he leans on one of his hands, smiling gently. There's a comfortable silence between them that neither of them bothers to break until Dean draws in a short breath upon noticing a purplish mark peeking from underneath Castiel's shirt collar. "Uh- Cas. There's something on your neck," he mutters quietly, feeling a deep sting of jealousy as he stares at that one place.

Castiel's hand immediately flies up to his neck and Dean is pretty sure Castiel's face gains a shade of red – he isn't completely sure with the shitty video quality but it's still very cute. Castiel's lips form a silent "fuck" and Dean feels some level of pride at that because the other boy had probably never uttered a single curse in his life before meeting Dean. "My studying session with Crowley slipped into a short make out session though he did try to go further than that."

It's enough that douchebag gets to make out with Castiel but the idea of him trying to go further than that makes Dean absolutely furious. But he bites on his lip and tries his best to calm down because obviously Castiel seems perfectly fine, even if he was little late thanks to Crowley. "He shouldn't even try to do that. He should respect it when you say that you're not ready."

Castiel sighs deeply and shakes his head. "He does respect my boundaries, Dean. Don't worry." He bites on his lip as he looks down and lets his hand wrap around his legs. "He's just probably annoyed with me because I won't have sex with him or do anything aside from kissing," he whispers softly and seems somehow ashamed.

"No, Cas."

Castiel looks up at Dean's words and frowns. "What do you mean 'no'?"

"I mean that you shouldn't feel bad about not being ready," Dean says firmly with a kind smile on his lips. "He doesn't deserve you if he doesn't wait and you definitely shouldn't do it if you're not ready, no matter how much he tries to pressure you. Fuck- if he even tries to force himself onto you, I swear to God I will drive all the way there to beat him up myself." Okay, so he might be a little too passionate about this and sort of biased too but he can't help himself. He really doesn't want Castiel to give his first time to someone like Crowley.

Castiel nods, staring at Dean with a surprised expression all over his face. "Um… O-Okay. Thank you, Dean," he breathes out and smiles shyly.

"No problem, Cas." Dean smiles at his friend kindly and another comfortable silence falls between them until they slide to talking about more ordinary stuff like school and friends.

They both seem like their previous conversation is long forgotten but Dean hasn't forgotten and he hopes neither hasn't Castiel. He just wants Castiel to realize there are much better men around than Crowley. It doesn't necessarily have to be the one right in front of him – namely Dean – but just someone who treasures and adores Castiel like he's the most important thing in the world because he really is.

Castiel interrupts mid-sentence when there comes a muffled voice of a woman from his side of the conversation. "I'll be down in a minute!" he replies. "I have to go. Dinner's ready," he sighs in disappointment when he turns back towards the camera.

Dean bites on his lip and nods. "Alright. Talk to you later then."

"Yes. See you later, Dean."

"See ya!"

The call disconnects and Dean sighs as he sets his laptop aside, burying his face against his mattress. He wishes Castiel wouldn't live in fucking Pontiac, Illinois when he's in Lawrence, Kansas. He wishes he could hang out in Castiel's bedroom and join his family on dinners but instead he just gets crappy quality video calls.

He just wishes the miles between them would disappear.