CHAPTER 1: Clarence Café

August 12, 2005

Castiel Novak turned off his alarm and sleepily stood up to start his morning shower. It was a bright morning when he made his coffee and headed out the door to his job at Clarence Café at precisely 7:20 A.M. The sun shone through his car windows as he took his early morning route to the café. It was only a short distance to his job, which he got because he visited Clarence's every morning for months. It was his favorite little place in the world. Calm, peaceful, and the coffee and food was delicious. When he noticed they were hiring, he immediately signed up for the job offer. Anna, one of the baristas, put in a good word for him. He couldn't wait to start, even though it was less than a week before his first day.

Castiel greeted Anna and his other co-workers as he arrived. He made sure everything was in place and the ingredients were all fresh and in stock. Finally, at 7:59, he switched the 'Closed' sign to say 'Open'. His normal customers came in along with a few new ones. Overall it seemed like a slower day, but he didn't mind. Sometimes the slow days were okay.

When he was about to close up, a customer busied in. Cas was the last person there, as usual. He worked the whole day instead of just part-time like the other workers.

"Oh...uhh, we're about to close," Cas murmured but loud enough for the stranger to hear.

"I'm sorry. Just got into town after driving since last night. It seemed that this was the only place still open." Cas knew it wasn't the only place open but he would later be glad the stranger came in to Clarence's.

The man was strange. Strange in that he was beautiful. He had light brown hair and green eyes that looked deep, almost mysterious. He smiled the most amazing smile Cas had ever seen. Like it had been places, all over the world and given to other people. It was humble and forgiving, even in the first time he'd ever showed it to Cas.

"Sure. Umm what would you like?" Cas said steadily.

"Coffee. Don't care how you make it just make it strong," the stranger replied with a small smirk.

"Right up."

"Thanks, uhh...Castiel," the man said and his eyes lit up as he looked back up from reading his name tag. The name seemed to roll off his tongue.

"Please, it's Cas." Cas had only ever told people to call him Cas when he knew them. For some reason, he trusted the man. He continued, "Will that be for here or to go?"

"I guess for here." He smiled again. Cas nodded and left to go make his coffee.

"Huh," the man said biting the inside of his lip softly and smirking. He chuckled a bit.

Cas came back with his coffee less than five minutes later.

"Thank you, Cas." He smiled. He seemed to smile a lot, this man, Castiel thought.

"Umm you're welcome...sir." Castiel didn't know what to call him.

"Oh shit. I mean uh, it's Dean." Dean bit his pen and smiled, this time with teeth. Cas smiled back and went back to organizing things around the little shop while Dean went back to writing on a notepad, taking the occasional sip of coffee and looking up at Cas.

"Hey uh...when you're done, do you wanna maybe join me?" Dean spoke out of the blue.

Holy crap, Cas thought. Was he really asking for me to join him?

"Well I guess I'm not really doing anything soon. I will need to close up in a half an hour or so," Cas replied with a smile.

"Awesome," Dean replied with the pen in his mouth again, smiling and showing his perfect, white teeth.

Cas smiled to himself a little bit. He was done and at Dean's table in five minutes.

"So uhh. What brings you to Middletown, New York?" Cas asked trying to make conversation.

"Well my brother just moved here with his girlfriend Jessica and I came up to visit them, help them get settled," Dean replied.

"Oh, why didn't you fly up?" Cas asked curiously.

"I don't do planes," Dean tilted his head down and up in a sweeping motion and let out a chuckle.

"Yea I prefer driving anyways too," Cas reassured.

"So, what about you? When did you move up here?"

"Well, I'd say it was about a year ago. Just looking for a fresh start."

"Yea, I'm thinking of moving up here. I like the feel of it here. The coffee shops are awesome, by the way." Dean winked, smirked and took a sip of his coffee all in one smooth motion. Cas didn't realize he was smiling like an idiot until Dean looked up and started smiling too. Dean folded his hands and stared into Cas' blue eyes. For awhile they just sat there, staring at each other, studying what, in each of their eyes was perfection.

"I kinda want to kiss you right now," Dean murmured. Cas got up and it startled Dean. Dean didn't know if he made the right move.

Maybe he wasn't even gay, thought Dean. I mean we were practically having eye sex but maybe I just fucked up the body language.

"Uhh sorry. I-I-" Dean stuttered and Cas gestured for him to stand up. He took Dean in his hands and kissed him passionately. Dean was surprised and tensed up for a short second. He realized what actually happened and relaxed into the kiss, grabbing Cas' shoulders and gliding up to his cheekbones. Cas pulled away at last and looked at him and smirked. Dean just stared, awe-struck, his mouth slightly open.

"Well damn," Dean said after a short bit.

"Yea...uhh I'm sorry. I got kind of carried away," Cas said, now surprised. His voice was deep and gravelly.

"N-no, by all means, it's alright!" Dean said with a little chuckle.

"C-can I get your number before I leave?" Dean continued.

"I slipped it into your jacket pocket when we were kissing," Cas said with a small smirk. He bit the inside of his lip.

"I'll call you. I'm glad I went into this coffee shop less than another one." Dean stuck his pen in his mouth again and smirked and opened the door.

"Bye," he said flirtatiously through his teeth that were still gripping the pen.

"Bye," Cas smiled softly, his blue eyes sparkling. Dean rode off in his 1967 Chevy Impala but not before giving Cas one more smirk through the window of his car. The last thing he remembered before going to sleep that night was the sound of the engine revving, and the bite marks on Dean's pen.