SUPERNATURAL

APPLE JUICE


Author's Note:

Pairing: Castiel/Dean Winchester

Note: The fourth story in the "Supernatural: Apples" series. The full list can be found on my profile.

Warnings: Alternate universe

Disclaimer: Supernatural belongs to Eric Kripke and various other people/studios. I own nothing but the plot and make no money from this story.


Castiel blinked in confusion when Meg Masters sat beside him. She was friends with the twins, Bela and Meg Talbot, and the only time they ever spoke to Castiel was when they wanted to tease him, try and copy his homework, or talk to Dean. Dean was popular; everybody liked his smile and his eyes and his personality. Nobody liked Castiel; he was weird. Nobody knew why they were friends, or why Dean would want to spend his time with Castiel.

So Castiel was confused. Why would Meg Masters sit next to him? Dean was across the playground talking with Kevin Tran and Garth Fitzgerald IV, so Castiel shifted nervously and looked at Meg. 'How can I help you?' Michael had taught him to always be polite. Lucifer and Gabriel had taught him how to prank people who were mean to him. Castiel felt better doing the first.

'Hiya, Clarence,' Meg grinned brightly at him and Castiel frowned.

'My name is Castiel.'

'Whatever,' Meg dismissed him and moved closer. She pulled her backpack onto her lap and dug around inside before pulling out a sandwich. 'Want a bite?'

'What is it?' Castiel asked, tilting his head as he looked.

'Spam and ketchup,' Meg told him.

Castiel wrinkled his nose and inched away. 'I don't like spam,' he told her. He didn't like meat all that much in general, much preferring fish or salad. His favourite sandwich was cucumber and cheese, which Lucifer always made for him, even when he was busy.

'Come on,' Meg whined and brandished the sandwich at him. 'Just one little bite? It's all mine and I wanna share with you.'

'No, thank you,' Castiel said. 'I appreciate the thought, but I really don't like spam.'

Meg scowled at him and Castiel looked over his shoulder. Dean would know what to do; he was better with people. Castiel didn't have "people skills" as Gabriel put it.

'How about a chocolate, then?' Meg asked and dug into her bag again. She pulled out a squashed up Snickers Bar and Castiel titled his head again.

He did like chocolate, and Michael never let him have much at home, always fearing that he'd become like Gabriel and pop candy like it was pain killers. Castiel had never understood what Michael was saying, but it made Lucifer laugh and Gabriel shove chocolate into his mouth and chew with his teeth showing.

'Well?' Meg demanded and poked him in the arm with her Snickers.

'Okay,' Castiel finally agreed and Meg gave him a large smile. As she tore open the chocolate bar, her dark hair fell into her face, and Castiel watched the strands settle on her full cheeks. He'd heard Garth and a few other boys whisper about how pretty Meg was, but Castiel didn't understand. She had nice skin, he supposed; pale like his own. And her hair was dark and long.

Castiel much preferred lighter hair, like Dean's. He also liked Dean's green eyes much better than Meg's dark brown ones. Green was a prettier colour than brown. And Meg didn't have any freckles; Castiel liked freckles.

Meg had a bit of difficulty tearing the Snickers in half, and when she finally managed gooey strings of caramel curled around her fingers. She grinned at Castiel, and Castiel smiled back as she licked her fingers clean and handed Castiel his piece of chocolate.

'Thank you,' Castiel said politely and went to place his half in his lunch pack.

'Aren't you gonna eat it?' Meg asked.

Castiel looked back up at her. 'I'm supposed to eat properly before having dessert,' he informed her.

Meg seemed to find that funny and giggled, while Castiel just frowned in confusion. He was always supposed to eat a proper meal before having chocolate or candy; Michael said so, and Lucifer and Raphael always agreed, too. He ate lunch before having a cookie or piece of candy, and he ate dinner before getting ice-cream or pudding. Even Mrs Winchester made Dean and Sam eat properly before they had dessert.

'It's okay, Clarence, just eat your Snickers,' Meg told him and nudged his shoulder. When had she moved that close? 'Go on,' she insisted.

Castiel shrugged lightly and picked up his Snickers. He supposed it would be okay; Michael wasn't here to get angry at him.

Castiel bit into his Snickers and closed his eyes slightly. He'd always been a fan of chocolate and loved when Gabriel came home with paper bags full of assorted chocolates. They'd curl up under a fort made of pillows and blankets in the corner of Gabriel's room and gorge themselves. They had to hide the evidence from Michael or they'd get in trouble, and the added thrill of doing something his eldest brother didn't like made the experience that much better in Castiel's opinion.

Castiel quickly finished his chocolate and when he opened his eyes Meg was smiling brightly at him- the kind of smile girls usually sent Dean when they wanted to get his attention. Castiel didn't understand why Meg would smile at him like that, but just shrugged and wiped his fingers clean on his jeans.

Meg was busy munching her own chocolate, so Castiel was left in peace to unwrap his cucumber and cheese sandwich and take a bite. He chewed slowly and stared across the playground. Bela and Meg Talbot were by the picnic table whispering furiously to each other, and Gordon and his best friend, Uriel (who was Castiel's cousin, but Michael always told him not to talk to Uriel) were teasing one of the younger children near the back of the building.

Castiel was happy to sit in his thoughts, but Meg got his attention again by nudging him in the shoulder. Castiel turned his blue eyes on her to find Meg holding a bottle of apple juice. 'Want some?' she asked brightly.

Castiel actually liked apple juice, and was always happy to share when Dean or Sam offered. They always had all kinds of flavours of juice in the Winchester household, and once Castiel and Dean had mixed five different bottles together. The resulting concoction had been thoroughly disgusting and Mrs Winchester had shouted at them for opening five bottles of juice at once.

'Okay,' Castiel agreed when Meg shook the bottle in his face, annoyed that it was taking him so long to answer. Meg smiled at him, and Castiel smiled in return, the two falling into silence as Meg opened the bottle.

'What're you doing?'

Castiel and Meg both looked up to see Dean standing before them, his arms folded over his chest, his face set on a scowl. Castiel wondered if Kevin and Garth had said something to upset his best friend as he said, 'Meg shared her Snickers with me and we're going to have apple juice.'

'Yeah,' Meg said, glaring at Dean. 'Why don't you go away, Dean?'

Dean's frown darkened and Castiel turned to Meg. 'But Dean's my friend,' he stated and the other two looked at him. 'Sit, Dean,' he said and patted the seat next to him.

Dean did and threw a smug smile at Meg when Castiel turned to face him.

'Do you want my cookies?' Castiel asked. 'I don't want them after the Snickers.'

''kay,' Dean smiled brightly and grabbed the wrapped cookies from Castiel's lunch pack. He ripped the plastic wrap open and shoved an entire cookie into his mouth, making soft noises of pleasure as he chewed that made Castiel smile softly at him.

'Clarence,' Meg snapped, getting Castiel's attention. 'Apple juice,' she said and pushed the bottle at him.

'Clarence?' Dean mumbled through his mouthful. He swallowed thickly and glared at Meg. 'His name is Cassiel.'

'Castiel,' Castiel corrected and Dean blushed.

'Sorry,' he apologised.

'It's okay,' Castiel smiled. He didn't mind that most people got his name wrong. He liked being called Cas, anyway.

'Who cares,' Meg scowled and Dean glared at her over Castiel's shoulder.

'Who cares?' he echoed. 'At least get his name right!'

'Fine, Castiel,' Meg stressed his name and shook her bottle of apple juice again. 'Have a drink.'

'He prefers Cas,' Dean told her and stood quickly. He grabbed Castiel's jumper and tugged. 'And he prefers my apple juice.'

'I do?' Castiel questioned and Dean's dark green eyes stared at him. 'I mean... yes, I do,' Castiel corrected himself. He let Dean pull him to his feet.

'He does not!' Meg argued and leapt up. 'He's just being nice!'

'Yeah, to you,' Dean smirked at the girl. 'Go slobber all over someone else, Meg!'

'Clarence doesn't belong to you,' Meg said.

'Yes he does!' Dean snapped. 'He's my best friend, not yours! Leave him alone and stop calling him Clarence!'

'Dean,' Castiel tried but the younger boy was already tugging him away, leaving Meg fuming by the bench. Castiel waited patiently until he and Dean were in the shade of the school building before forcing Dean to stop. 'Why are you mad?' Castiel questioned.

'Are you serious, Cas?' Dean turned to scowl at him. 'Meg was being rude! She couldn't even get your name right!'

'Not many people can,' Castiel reminded his best friend.

'At least they call you Cas,' Dean argued. 'She was calling you Clarence. It sounds nothing like Cassiel! Who the hell names their kid Clarence, anyway?'

Castiel smiled and reached out to touch Dean's shoulder. 'Calm down, Dean.'

Dean frowned and folded his arms.

'Dean?'

'Meg has a crush on you!' Dean blurted.

It was Castiel's turn to frown. 'A crush?' he echoed.

Dean nodded. 'Kevin told me, and he heard it from Uriel, who heard it from Billy, who heard it from Bela, who heard it from Meg herself. She thinks you have pretty eyes.'

Castiel's frown deepened. Why would Meg have a crush on him? Girls always had crushes on Dean or Gordon or even Uriel, never on Castiel. He was the weird kid, the one who stared too much and stood too close to people.

'I don't understand,' he admitted.

'Well... you're cool, you know?' Dean mumbled. 'S'about time other people noticed it.'

Castiel blinked at him for a few seconds before shrugging. 'I don't care if Meg has a crush on me.' He still didn't believe it, though.

'You don't?' Dean asked slowly.

Castiel shook his head. 'I don't like her,' he told his best friend, and Dean's entire body relaxed. 'Besides,' Castiel added and Dean looked up at him, 'her apple juice isn't as nice as yours.'

Dean grinned. 'It isn't?'

Castiel shook his head again. 'I like the brand your mom gets better,' he told Dean and grabbed his wrist. 'Come on,' he said and dragged Dean back towards Kevin and Garth, where he could see Dean's bag. 'I want apple juice.'

Dean smiled and followed along happily. When they reached Kevin and Garth, Dean hunted around for his apple juice and eventually found it. He and Castiel sat on the grass side-by-side and shared sips as Dean told Castiel, Kevin and Garth about his dad's Impala, which he and Mr Winchester were fixing up. Meg Masters was quickly forgotten.


{THE END}


Author's Note: I love when Dean gets jealous, and little!Dean is no different. I hope you enjoyed.

Cheers,

{IBegToDreamAndDiffer}