The night air was cool, with the scent of the pines wafting in the breeze. Dean stumbled out of the bar, his boots kicking up dust from the unpaved dirt road. As he made his way, he glanced back at the big sign with the words 'ROADHOUSE' in bright red. He squinted at the brightness of it and for a moment thought back to the time he first brought Castiel here for his 18th birthday. They weren't allowed to drink, not that Cas would want to anyway, but it was still fun for Dean. One of many good memories he had with Cas.
He shook off the sudden nostalgic feelings building up in the pit of his gut, or maybe that was the liquor…
He finally made it to his car and started to fumble with the keys, his head spinning, when he noticed a face in the reflection of the window. He spun around, which in retrospect was a very bad idea, and who he saw standing there didn't help the intense feeling of either throwing up or passing out, maybe both.
Before he could get out a word or take a swing at the pale face standing before him he fell forward losing his consciousness.
Before he could fall to the ground, Castiel caught him by the underarms, pulling him up. He let out a sigh; this wasn't exactly how he wanted to be reunited with his longtime friend. Castiel got the keys and stuffed Dean into the backseat, getting in and driving Dean home.
Hopefully when Dean woke up he'd be in a better state to handle himself.
Dean woke to the sound of faint yelling. He looked around, and ascended from his bed, drenched in a cold sweat caused by a nightmare. He quickly tossed on whatever clothes were closest and ran downstairs.
What he saw before him was totally unexpected, to say the least.
"Dad? Cas?" He saw his father which was weird since his dad had been out of town the past few weeks and wasn't due back until next week. Had something bad happened? But more unsettling was that Castiel was also standing there, even weirder since he'd left 5 years ago and well, Dean didn't even know if he'd be back. All these events were really turning out to be quite the calamity.
"What the hell is going on?" Dean felt so lost, what happened? He vaguely recalls the Roadhouse, maybe getting a call from his dad, but Cas? When the hell did that happen?
"That's what I wanna know! First of all, when I called you last night to tell you that Bobby had to cut out early and go home, but you sounded completely out of it. I wasn't sure if you were sick or just drunk. When I finally get back and come to check up on you, I find this….guy." His father paused, as if unsure how to refer to Cas, like he was some kind of freak. He made a gesture towards Castiel when he said 'guy'. Dean didn't like the way that sounded.
Cas just stood by with a plaintive look on his face while Dean's father yelled at him.
Dean looked at Castiel, really taking in his appearance for the first time since coming down stairs. He was wearing the same beige trench coat he always wore that Dean got him one Christmas, only now it was worn and used. Dean inwardly smiled at that. Under the coat was some kind of ratty blue suit. Castiel's hair was still a mess like always and his blue eye's shining. Stubble. A little more stubble since the last time he saw him.
"Ok Dad, well I was at the Roadhouse last night when you called, so yeah, I was probably drunk by the time you called. As you can see I'm fine. Apparently Cas made sure I got home safe. Thanks, by the way." Dean tried to calm down whatever was upsetting his father, whether it be that he was actually worried about him, or Cas, he wasn't sure.
The look that Dean's father gave them was one with a foreboding feeling. "Fine. When you're done with whatever this is, call me. Otherwise, I'll have no part of this."
His father's words were meant to be cold and threatening, but Castiel was just confused.
"Does everyone still think we're a couple? I don't believe that to be a very plausible idea since I've been gone for so long…" Cas was totally serious, but for some reason Dean could only laugh. His pervious irritated attitude was evanescent.
"Dean, I don't think your fathers' words are something to be laughing at." Dean shook his head.
"Where the hell have you been? Gone 5 years and you can't even pick up the God damn phone? What happened to that 'bond' you used to talk about? Did that just fly out the window as soon as you could get away from this place?" Dean had been laughing a moment ago, but now he was recalling how long those 5 years had been.
Castiel stayed quiet for a moment, but then spoke. "You and I…we have this kind of propinquity that somehow always manages to hurt more than help." He looked at Dean, "I saw how whatever good standing you used to have in this town was dwindling with every passing moment you spent with me. I didn't want you to end up like me. I didn't want you to be treated like some sort of malefactor." He broke the eye contact and just stared at the floor.
"Besides, I told you I'd be coming back once I finished with schooling." Dean knew just how erudite Cas actually was, and he always knew he'd be going off to some big school where we could really stretch his 'wings', but Dean just never thought that Cas would want to do it alone.
"I'm sorry Dean. I know I don't have an excuse, but just know that I'm here now, and I'll do my best to fix it."
Dean smiled at him. Castiel's palliative personality was one of the many things that drew Dean in.
"C'mon Cas, it's not even broken." Dean pulled him into a tight embrace, and that's when Dean realized just how much he'd actually missed Cas. The fact that this small hug gave Dean such an overwhelming feeling of etherealness was insane.
Just then a knock was heard at the door, but before Dean could react, the door was busted open.
"Hey Dean, I just saw dad while on my way over here. He looked pissed what did you no-What kind of deprave actions are going on here?" Dean turned to face the tall and sudden intruder with an angry expression, but was pleasantly surprised.
"Sammy! Hey what's up?" Dean smiled at his younger brother, not fully releasing Castiel.
"Don't try to dodge the question, Dean. When did Cas get back into town, and why didn't you tell me?"
Sam gave him one of his signature bitch-faces and walked over to Cas.
"Hey Cas, it's good to see you. How are you?" Sam spoke as he Cas was released to give Same a hug.
"God Dean, just because he's your boyfriend doesn't mean you can keep him locked up and away from all our friends."
There deep and strong relationship was really esoterical, and Sam was one of those few.
Castiel visibly reddened at Sam's comment but said nothing.
"I wasn't keeping him locked up; he just got here last night!" Dean tried to defend himself.
Sam gave him a knowing look and playfully wiggled his eyebrow. "Last night, huh?" He chuckled and kind of gave Cas a nudge in the shoulder. Castiel however seemed to remain unfazed by all the innuendos flying about.
"…and he isn't my boyfriend. Gees Sam, give it a rest, can't you see those kinds of comments are really unnecessary? Act you're age." Dean was failing at trying to be convincing.
Sam rolled his eyes, "Whatever. Anyway, c'mon we gotta go tell Ellen and Jo,I'm sure they'll be happy to see you." Sam motioned for the door, but Cas only looked to Dean.
"Dean, are you going to come with us? I would like to catch up with everyone." He gave a small smile.
"But I'm not even dressed right; I still need a shower to brush my teeth, and coffee…" Dean suddenly felt very impromptu.
"We can wait for you to get ready." Cas offered.
"This is really quite exigent, Mr. Novak." Sam said in a fake serious tone. "C'mon, Dean can catch up with us. Everyone will be so excited to see you. Let's go." Sam walked out without getting a definite response.
Cas looked at Dean to make sure that it was ok, and Dean nodded. "Yeah, go ahead. I'll catch up with you."
Dean watched Both Sam and Castiel get into Sam's car and drive away, and the he was suddenly struck with the feeling of solitude. The very thought of another dearth of Castiel's company didn't sit well with Dean.
Dean once again tried to shake these feelings that were for some reason resurfacing now that Cas was back. He walked back upstairs to take a shower, but not before going back into his bedroom to water the small plant Cas had bought him a week before he'd gone off to college. It was set up right next to a picture of Sam, Dean and Cas when they'd gone camping the summer after Castiel graduated. He smiled again at the memories. Then he thought, and realized, that he wasn't good at this kind of thing. Keeping anything alive other than himself, and even that was questionable.
How had he managed to keep such a small and needy life form alive for 5 years? He hadn't realized how taking take of this little plant, and looking at this picture had become a part of his daily regimen. It was one thing that Dean felt kept him close to Cas even when he was gone.
Sam had driven them into town, saying that Ellen and Jo would also be meeting them there. Now they were just strolling about, enjoying the autumn weather.
"So tell Cas, how was school?" He smiled down at Cas, putting his hands in his pockets. Cas had to physically look up to meet Sam's gaze. When did this scrawny little kid turn into such a moose?
So much had changed since he was last here. He'd been gone so long, he wondered if the derisiveness of the town was still prominent like when he was in high school. Was Michael still around, had he moved?
His answer was given to him in the form of a rude and obnoxious comment coming from behind.
"So the fairy returns; and with his fairy boyfriend's freak younger brother too. This just gets better and better every time. I always knew the three of you were nothing but trouble." It seemed his whole mission in life was based on the need to abase anyone Michael didn't like.
Castiel turned with a grimace on his face. "Michael. It's nice to see you again too. You look well." Castiel wasn't afraid of Michael anymore, but he wasn't going to be a fool and provoke him.
"Shove off Michael. Aren't you a little too old to be playing the high school bully?" Sam took an offensive step forward.
Michael in turn advanced him, getting right up into Sam's face, only being a few inches shorter than Sam. By this time, a few onlookers had stopped to watch what would happen.
"What, just because you shot up a few inches over a few months, you think you can take me in a fight?" Sam was about to answer when Michael was ripped backwards, away from Sam and Cas, and was sent falling to the ground, the loud, familiar crack of a nose breaking rung out.
Blood instantly flowed from Michael's now broken nose out onto the concrete sidewalk.
"Don't even DARE think about hurting Cas OR Sam. I swear to God, Michael, if I ever see you even looking at either one of them again, I'll break so much more than just your nose."
"Jesus Christ! You broke my nose! You broke my nose! You fu-"
"Careful what you say, Michael…Remember I'm in school to be a lawyer. I just might get one of my friends who already have their license to come after you…" Sam gave him an evil look. Michael got up, not daring to finish his next sentence.
In the near distance the peal of sirens could be heard. "Aw, c'mon! Seriously? Who called the cops?! Did not everyone see I came to the rescue?" Dean complained, as he held his fist clenched, some blood trickling down his knuckles.
Cas' eyes widened. "Dean, you're bleeding." Sam noticed too, "Go take care of him; I'll deal with the police. Dean isn't exactly best friends with them anyway…"
"Come here…" Cas took Dean by the shoulder, taking him over into a nearby coffee shop's bathroom.
"Let me see it…" Cas told Dean as he pulled Dean's hand closer to the sink, cleaning it off in the running water. It was silent while Dean watched Cas clean up his wound.
"So you haven't been behaving while I was away?" Castiel asked without looking up at Dean.
"Ya' know Cas, I can clean a few bloody knuckles myself. It isn't even that painfu-AHH!" Dean yelped and retracted his hand from Castiel's grasp.
"What'd ya do that for?!" Dean gave him an aggravated look.
"I was merely pointing out that it is in fact not 'nothing'. It actually appears to be swelling because one of your knuckles is broken." Cas spoke in a tone that Dean recognized as annoyed.
"And don't ignore my question. What kind of trouble have you been getting into?" Castiel looked up this time, blue eyes meeting green.
Dean wasn't answering him; he was too busy staring into Cas' eyes. So busy he hadn't noticed how he was starting to lean in, but just before there was any contact Cas stopped him.
"You can't do this Dean."
Dean leaned back. Castiel continued, "I won't let you become a 'fugitive' in this town because of me. Please don't do something stupid. Don't give these people another reason to come after you."
Dean nodded, because he understood. It wasn't so much a rejection as 'let's-put-this-on-hold', and Dean could handle that a lot more than if it had been plain rejection. So instead, he settled on the next best thing.
The immense repleteness of Cas' body in Dean's arms was so familiar, it felt so natural. It was something that felt right for Dean, almost like Cas had never left; Cas felt like home.