This fanfiction is inspired by a song "Welcome to my life" by Simple Plan. The lyrics used in this story are those of this song.
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"Waaaah!" five years old blue eyed boy yelled excitedly as he ran over a green lawn, hunted by same half-pint of a boy with light brown hair and freckles.
"Cas!" The second called out as he aimed a stream of cool water from his water pistol at the first.
Cas squeaked and laughed as the cold water splashed over his back and soaked his white T-shirt. He stopped and prepared for retaliation.
"Dean!" He threatened in adorably high child voice as he turned back and his friend came to halt.
"Call me Terminator D!" There was a half-pout on Dean's small lips, but his green eyes shined with mirth and mischief, mirroring the sky blue ones.
Dean imitated the sound of loading gun.
"Booomf." Year and half old Sammy, Dean's fairy-haired little brother, babbled cheerily in Mary's lap.
"Yes. Boom." Mary agreed as she tickled the toddler in her arms and watched the boys to start shooting water on each other in rash assault accompanied with high pitched shrieking. In under two minutes, there wasn't a single patch dry on them, but it was summer and sun was high as her child and his best friend played in the back yard of their house.
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12 years later
Castiel is walking down the corridor between the lockers at Lawrence high school. It's just morning, the first class haven't even started yet and a group of girls with expensive hair-cuts and stylish clothes is already gossiping, flocked together so that nobody else can overhear. When he walks past, they fall silent and follow him by their eyes, enhanced by eye-liner and mascara. He tries his best to ignore them, but he cannot miss the burst off giggles when he walks to his locker, far enough to not hear their stage whisper anymore.
'Shit.' He thinks. 'Nice start of the week.'
However, Castiel is used to much worse, so he just opens his locker and pulls out the books, when he hears the same group of girls to 'oh!' and 'ah!' in admiration of… whom exactly? Castiel turns to find the source of sudden uproar and there's a tall hunky guy walking through the main entrance as if everything there belonged to him. 'And maybe it does.' Castiel thinks as the girls don't stop with their longing sighs. There's a second figure right behind the first, quite short and skinny, but Catiel cannot see much before they take few steps into the corridor and the light from outside coming in through open door behind them stops blinding his view. Castiel double-takes as he sees the new student in whole now. He has to unwillingly admit that he can't hold it against the girls that they got carried away, because a perfectly curved face with full lips, faint litter of freckles and pair of mesmerizing eyes, coupled with rebellious short light brown hair and body of a male stripper… on O-shaped legs that should be illegal, makes even Castiel's knees go week. At the thought Castiel blushes and looks away, slamming the door of his locker little bit louder than is necessary. He doesn't need more problems than he already has and certainly not of this kind.
At the lunch break Castiel pushes his hat back at his head. He's not sure why he deserves to have hair that won't stay the way he combed them for damned five minutes. Whenever the weather allows it, he eats his lunches outside. It allows him to breathe freely at least for a while before he has to return back to that personal kind of hell called high school. Fifteen months and he will be finally out of it. 'Hold on, Castiel.' He sighs and sits at his usual bench under one of the trees on further edge of the school lot. He keeps thinking about the green eyes he saw that morning. He can't shake off the feeling they're somehow familiar, but that's probably just a wishful thinking. He's crushing over a new hot guy in the school and wishes things were different this time.
He's about to unpack his lunch, when he hears an unfamiliar high boyish voice calling.
"Hey!"
Castiel turns in its direction and sees a young blond seventh grader – who still looks a bit too short to be in a seventh grade. His face is lit up with friendly smile and Castiel feels really strange that it is directed to him, but since there's nobody else, it can't be a mistake.
"Hey." Castiel answers in his own much deeper voice.
"Hi. You are Castiel, aren't you?" The boy asks and Castiel is seized by a minor panic shock. 'Why the hell he knows my name?' And he's trying not to let the scenarios of various possible pranks flood his head.
"Yes." He says cautiously instead. "Why?"
The boy's face that faltered in face of Castiel's closed up expression brightens even more.
"I am Sam. Sam Winchester." 'Winchester…' Castiel repeats in his head, but before he gets further, Sam chirpily continues. "We live next door. I saw you when we arrived. Dad says that you used to come and play with us a lot when we were kids!" Sam exclaims excitedly.
Castiel is not sure what to make out of this. "Yeah?" he replies feebly.
"Hey, if you wanted to come over, I would be really happy and my brother, too." Sam says and it hits Castiel as a brick into a stomach.
'His brother.' Suddenly, he remembers the morning scene from the school corridor and he gulps heavily. 'Dean.'
Dean was Castiel's best friend before he started school, but Dean's family left after their mother suddenly died. And Castiel promised it will be always like that, they'll be best friends. But then, they were five years old. He couldn't remember much, but the feeling, that he was truly happy in those days, before Dean left, has remained.
"Hm, sure. I'll try." Castiel smiles uncertainly.
The blond boy makes simply unbelievable puppy eyes on him and Castiel cannot muster up enough will to withhold the answer Sam wants to hear.
"Fine. I will come, promise." He yields and is rewarded with an impish victorious smirk.
"Hey, Sam!" – They are interrupted by call that comes from two boys standing aside.
"I'm coming!" Sam yells over and turns back to Castiel.
"OK, I have to go. See you later!" Ha waves and winks before he trots over the lot to his friends.
"Bye!" Castiel calls after him and the second the words leave his mouth, he starts to realize just how clusterfuck situation he got himself into.
Or at least he thought so until it's 6 pm, he's home and can't think of any reasonable excuse why he can't come over to Winchesters. Upset with himself, he tries to pick up some hoodie that feels all kinds of strange, since his parents always make him wear long-sleeved shirts. He even tries to tame the nest of hair on his head for a while, but in the end gives up and goes with the hat.
His heart is in his throat as he rings the bell on the door and almost walks away, when – the older – of Winchester brothers answers the door. Castiel isn't sure how to breathe when the curious green emeralds zoom in on him. When one of those perfect eyebrows lifts up in question, Castiel suddenly takes a deep breath and blurts out the first that comes to his mind before he can second-guess himself.
"I am Castiel. I brought cookies." He looks at the box he is holding in front of him and blushes furiously as he plays over in his head what he just said.
"Oh." Says Dean and Castiel risks a look at his face to find Dean's lips spreading in wide grin. "Sam! Cas' is here! And guess what he got us?" Dean calls over his shoulder to his brother as opens the door wide and steps back so that Castiel can enter. Sam's head pops up from next room in a short time and Dean finishes his statement with enamoured: "Cookies!" And he looks like a child who's been said there will be second Christmas this year. And that's just so not what Castiel has expected.
"Hey, Cas!" Sam greets him.
"Alright. Come on in." Dean prompts him and leads the way to the living room. Sam disappears, too, and Castiel is left with no other option than to follow them.
Sam jumps on the sofa and sits cross-legged on it. Castiel follows his suit in more moderate manner and sits at the couch and he puts the cookies box on the table.
Castiel hears the fridge open and Dean calling from kitchen behind his back. "Would you like some beer, Cas?" Cas turns and looks at him wide-eyed through the open door.
"But that's illegal." He protests.
Dean rolls his eyes. "We're seventeen, dude." But he ducks back and returns the cans of beer. "What about coke, then?"
"Coke would be fine, thanks." Castiel replies and even if Dean had said 'green goo with snails' he would say the same for how embarrassed he feels about the beer at the moment.
Dean returns with three glasses and big bottle of cooled coke and after he places it all on the low table in front of them, he sprawls on the couch next to Cas. Cas's heart makes few somersaults before it gets back to its relatively normal, if a bit accelerated and unsteady, beat.
Sam uncrosses his legs and gets to the task of pouring the coke in the glasses.
"I am happy you came." He says as he fills the first glass. "Seriously. I thought you wouldn't come the way you looked." Sam says boldly.
"Sam." Dean reprimands him and the younger brother looks up at Cas with an apologetic look.
"Sorry." He says awkwardly.
"It's fine." Castiel huffs with tired amusement. "I didn't know I'll come myself, until I was at your door." He admits.
"Sam told me how he met you at school." Dean intervenes. "It's a pity we're not at the same class."
'Are you sure?' Castiel thinks. 'Because you don't know me. You don't want to know me.' And then as an afterthought: 'And I am actually positive it's lucky we're not in the same class, 'cause I would fail all the subjects if I were to focus on the lesson while you are in the same room.'
"So, you moved back." Cas changes the topic bravely.
"Yeah. We arrived on Saturday."
"I know." Castiel says, because he knows it, he just never thought to look who it is that will occupy the long abandoned house next to his.
"Cas, do you like play-station games?" That's Sam, enthusiastic as ever, as Cas is becoming to understand.
"Yes, I do." He nods confirmatively.
"Cool." This time it's Dean, though Castiel would expect such response rather from his thirteen years old brother.
Sam distributes playing consoles and boots up a game and soon they're playing Need For Speed and SoulCalibur and Dean is whining, because both his younger brother and Cas are beating him with such an ease that comes up only with long hours of practice. He mutters and growls and stuffs his cheeks with cookies Cas has brought.
When they finish one game in which Sam beats Cas, Castiel groans and puts the console aside to take a sip of his coke. His peripheral vision catches Dean's look and he turns to him.
"What?" Castiel asks and half expects Dean to pretend he was not outright staring at him, but Dean just smirks.
"It's strange to see you like this, after all those years."
'He remembers me.'
"Yeah. You, too. I didn't recognized you when I first saw you this morning."
"Well, lot of things change between you are five and seventeen." Dean winks jokingly.
"Not your eyes."
"What?"
"Your eyes. They are the same green, like leaves in a summer sun."
"Oh." Dean looks comical in his surprise.
'Is it just my imagination or is the guy just blushing?'
A rumble of car pulling up at the driveway in front of the house throws them out of the moment, both Winchesters turning rigid as if something just went terribly wrong.
"Dad." Dean surmises and gets to his feet in one fast leap. His voice is grim, angry and inexplicably fearsome.
Dean grabs the glasses and rushes to the kitchen, while Sam's hiding the game consoles.
"Dad doesn't like when we bring somebody over." Sam explains helpfully as he closes the almost empty box of cookies and hands it to Castiel, who also stands up.
Dean is back in a second and his expression is awkward, apologetic and unhappy all at once as he says: "Cas, I'm sorry, but I think you need to go now."
However, before any of them move from their spot, the sound of keys in the lock let them know it's already too late. Dean moves to the door as a forward troop, standing in first line to defend the visitor and the brother.
"Dean."
"Hey, dad. How it went?" Dean asks deceptively easily.
"It wasn't that bad." The other voice answers as the person is the most likely shrugging of the jacket and hanging it near the door.
"That's good to hear." Dean stalls at the spot.
"Dean?" Obviously, his father is not buying it.
By that time, though, Sam managed to steal away with Castiel in tow to a back door, opening it soundlessly.
"I am sorry, but our dad would freak out. I hope to see soon again." Sam whispers and Castiel leaves with disconcerted feelings.
Well, Castiel knew something about difficulties with parents. And siblings. However, as he was stealing out to his house and then walked in to be asked where he's been, he couldn't care less, because the smile that blossomed at his lips as he answered his mother was genuine.
"I've been at my friends' place." He said and his heart warmed up with happiness.
"Balthazar?" His mother asked, looking up from cooking.
"No. Somebody new." Castiel replied and run up the stairs before he could have get questioned further.
Up in his room, Castiel sat by his window, looking down at Winchesters' house and smiled goofily. It wasn't like he did not value Balthazar's friendship, however difficult one it was, but having the mysterious stranger, that was quite certainly the hottest guy at whole school, and his cool little brother as friends was the best thing that has happened to him ever. The only thing that could make it a little bit complicated was that Castiel was gay, although nobody knew it – well maybe except Balthazar who, with his mind opened to everything, might have got a hunch –, and Dean could obviously beat any of his sexual fantasies.
Next morning, there's a small smile playing at Castiel's lips as he goes to school, which hasn't happened for years, as far as Castiel can remember. It stays there as he meets Sam who greets him with wave and enthusiastic "Hi, Cas!".
To his bafflement he meets Balthazar by the lockers. The guy is in senior grade, one year older than Castiel and most of the time comes late.
"Castiel." He greets him with his nonchalant elegance.
"Good morning, Balthazar. What brings you in so early?" Cas asks as he unlocks his locker, while Balthazar chooses to prop his shoulder against the closed ones next to him and he hooks one ankle over the other as he watches Castiel rummaging through his notepads.
"Well, let's say that a certain teacher insinuated that if I don't come at time to her lesson, she will be forced to use inadequate measures for my punishment. First, it sounded great, but then it turned out she wasn't talking about leather straps and high heel boots." Balthazar grimaces and Castiel chuckles.
"Hey, who's that guy?" Balthazar asks and Castiel turns just in time to see Dean approaching.
"Hey, Cas!" Dean grins at him as he walks past.
"Hello, Dean." Castiel answers and a faint flush works its way up to his cheeks.
"What?! You know this guy?" Balthazar grabs him by his arm and pulls him out of his dazedness. Dean is already gone down the hall.
"Yeah. We're neighbors." Castiel shrugs.
"Holy shit!" Balthazar seems scandalized and Castiel has an uncomfortable feeling that his friend is going to ask a lot of inappropriate and possibly embarrassing questions. So he hurries to get the rest of his books, shuts the locker and says:
"Sorry, I really have to go. Talk to you later." And without waiting for an answer he hurries to his class.
As he was expecting, Balthazar bombards him with a fusillade of text messages, question ranging from where they met to whether Dean already banged some girl here or if there were more, considering he's sex on legs. Castiel just locks his phone again and shoves it back to his backpack.
Castiel considered testing his luck and eating a lunch in canteen. Balthazar never wanted to eat with him, because lunch break was his time to fool girls' heads, but maybe he could run into Sam or Dean. However, when he entered the hall and scanned it for familiar faces, Sam wasn't here and Dean… Dean was in the middle of table so packed that it was a wonder his classmates managed to cram so many chairs into such small space. Castiel sighed and left for the bench under the tree outside.
Before he reached his destination, Castiel heard some shouting and looked for its source. And there, across the field, three of Castiel's classmates are looming over two heads shorter Sam. Castiel feels nauseous as those same bullies that broke his nose in eighth grade are about to do something similarly hurtful to Sam, who looks defiant enough for them to justify their violence. Castiel shifts the bag further up his shoulder and sets out on his shaking legs to help Sam. His guts are clenched with fear, but he pushes himself to walk faster, because he knows how much he would appreciate if there was ever somebody who came to help him when he needed it.
Just the thing is… that Sam doesn't need his help. Castiel stops dumbstruck as he watches Sam to kick the boys into whimpering puppies. He doesn't even look like he broke a sweat on his forehead. The next moment Dean rushes to the scene, furious and shouting about dicks who dare to lay their hands on his little brother and that he's going to kill them. He's unstoppable, until Sam touches his arm and says: "It's OK, Dean."
The guys Sam leveled are so frightened Castiel almost feels sorry for them. Although they haven't soften his heart to that point, he feels sorry for himself. He feels a little bit envious, because his own older brothers never came to save him. They are seven and eight years older than Castiel and he and they somehow never got along. However, what hurts the most is that maybe Dean, maybe even Sam would come to help him, but Castiel would rather get a broken arm than let them save him. He would have to walk in sewers with a shame, if it turned out he can't do even as much as take one guy down, while Dean's younger brother, who's just thirteen and two heads too short can beat up three.
Castiel is lying on his bed and feels like shit. As elated as he was just yesterday, his mood takes one hundred eighty. 'Why has life to be so complicated?'
Although nothing is so peachy as Castiel first believed in a swirl of his optimistic fantasies, Dean and Sam keep inviting him over and his life is not altogether so bad. In school, Dean is chasing girls and Sam is seventh grader, so nothing much has changed, but at least he has someone who tells him "Hi" and something he can look forward that isn't locked up in his room.
One day when he leaves from Winchester's, their father, John turns up announced. Since he exceptionally wasn't using his car, they had no warning, when he walked on them in the main door.
His face is contorted with anger as he measures Castiel with deadly cold look.
"What have I told you about visitors?" He breaks loose on the brothers.
"Hi, dad. This is Castiel, he lives next door." Sam peeps bravely.
John's face somehow loses the hard edge and he tries to take control over his facial features.
"Oh, I am sorry. I didn't meant to-" He turns to Castiel.
"No, I am sorry." Castiel jumps in. "Guys told me you are going for a hunting trip this weekend and we got into discussion over riffles. I used to shoot from air rifle while at junior high and asked them to show theirs to me. I shouldn't have press it. And I was at my leave anyway." He says and backs out of the door.
John looks mildly surprised, at least. His anger already dissipated with Castiel's long explanation.
"Well, you can come over again. If you want." John says and it's like a miracle. "I don't like having strangers wandering my house, but I wouldn't mind if you spent more time with my boys. You're a neighbor, after all."
Castiel smiles gratefully and both Dean and Sam looks like the announcement of avalanche rolling onto their heads was revealed to be just a joke.
"Thank you, Mr. Winchester."
And it looks like the tone in which Castiel said it pulls at some strings in John's ego, because he adds:
"Who knows, maybe we can take you along to a hunt someday."
Castiel only understands the weight of those words when Dean looks like his father felt from moon.
Castiel politely nods and leaves, not daring to push his luck further.
After his first first-hand encounter with John Winchester, Castiel finds out that Dean and Sam's father is despite his strict rules a kind man who cares about people and most of all about his own sons. He can also finally see where most of the things Winchester brothers are good at come from. As a single parent for most of boys' lives, John thought them everything he knew. Both brothers can fight and both can shoot and Dean can drive a car despite it's illegal at his age. And though neither of them ever shows a weakness, both are kind-hearted after their father.
When Dean tells him, that during a summer break Winchesters are going to spend a week at a hunting lodge and that Castiel is allowed to join them, Castiel feels too happy for problems to stay out of his way. He's in a deep thought about how to approach his parents with the matter, that he stops guarding his surrounding like he usually does, whenever he's at school.
As he walks a corridor from one class to another, one of nasty guys bumps his shoulder purposefully.
"Hey, where you're looking?" The guy shouts at him and Castiel tries to escape, but another guy steps in his way.
"Didn't you hear me?"
Castiel slowly turns.
"Hey, Martin, I think the guy's in love, the way he ignores people walking around him." The other mocks.
"And I think he's a snob, or least he thinks so. Look at his starched shirt and polished loafers!"
"Oh, yeah. Fits to his name, Castiel." The guy grimaces as if he hasn't ever hear more ridiculous name.
Castiel makes a step aside and tries to run away, but the bastards move, too.
"No, so fast prince. You should apologize first."
Castiel glares the guy who said it down.
"You should be smart enough for that."
"So the fact you don't apologize yourself implies that your mental capacity is not sufficient to do so." Castiel grits through his teeth.
"Oh, of course." The guy says just as he didn't hear what Castiel just told him. "You are the one that thinks his brain is sexy. No offense, but you look like shit. I am really sorry to tell you, but girls don't do it with guys because of their brains."
Castiel is shaking with fury and shame, but he knows that any retort is beyond point when told to someone with IQ of Martin or Hank and his parents would kill him, if they learnt he hit somebody at school.
"And what do you know about that, Martin?" A girl laughs with her biting comment.
Eyes of all three of them shoot in direction of Meg Masters. The beauty stops with a hand propped on her hip, one of her eyebrows lifted in a cynical smirk.
"Shut it, you shitheads before I kick your ass."
Nobody dares to mess with Meg and so both jerks move on. She doesn't even stop to look at Castiel as she walks past.
"Thanks." Castiel murmurs anyway, but he knows that she wasn't doing it for him as much as she just hates stupid people. Meg belongs to the top students. Castiel knows it because he belongs there, too. But somehow, miraculously, she is one of those few exceptions who aren't considered nerds. She's cool. Well, in her case, either that or intimidating enough.
The second less fortunate event happens right that evening, when Castiel finally asks his mother for permission to go on hunting trip with Winchesters.
"Castiel, your father was hoping that you help uncle Zachariah at the office." His mum reminds him with unapprehending intonation. "I think we agreed it will be good for your future career, too."
"I know, but it's just a week!" Castiel protests.
"Don't negotiate with me. I will not allow it until you speak with your father." Mrs. Novak stands her point unwaveringly.
"If he ever comes." Castiel mutters under his breath grudgingly, knowing it might take more than a week until he has an occasion to talk to his father and that's only in case he watches out for it all the time.
"What did you say?" His mother eyes him suspiciously.
"Nothing. Sorry. I am going to my room now."
A week later there's a sports day at their school and Castiel is quite looking forward the unusual event that takes place only once a year. Spring temperature is getting to its top and even this early in the morning, when the cool breeze gets under his clothes, the sun beams warm up his shoulders. John is taking Sam and Dean by a car and at the brothers' insisting, Castiel is waiting at their front door to join them for the ride.
Castiel rings the bell and Dean opens the door with T-shirt only half way over his head and Castiel goes through a minor heart attack at the view, before Dean pulls the T-shirt down his abs and Castiel refocuses on Sam for sake of his own sanity. Sam is rummaging through his sport bag containing softball equipment, but other than that he looks prepared. Castiel realizes Dean is still staring at him.
"Hey, dude. You wanna go in this?" Dean asks him incredulously and as he gestures to Castiel's attire, Castiel looks down at his long sleeved shirt, sweater vest and slacks.
"Well, I… I don't have that many kinds of clothes." He says awkwardly.
"Are you kiddin' me? It's a sports day."
"Maybe I could borrow something from my brother…" Castiel suggest hesitatingly.
"Than do it. And hurry up, we don't wanna be late."
Castiel runs back to his house and thinks 'Michael will kill me, if he ever finds out.' as he steals into his older brother's room. Even though Castiel is sure Micheal won't be back for another week since he left with his soccer team for semi-finals, it doesn't make him any less nervous.
He pulls out slightly worn out jeans a tries them on. They are a little bit tight at his hip and rear, but it's not like he has too many options to choose from. He discards his sweater vest, with hope it won't get cold during the day and jogs back to Winchesters.
Dean looks him down with assessing eye and says: "Come with me."
Castiel obeys and follows Dean to his room. The room's owner digs through his drawers and throws a simple white T-shirt on Castiel's head. "Put this on. I'll be downstairs." He commands and leaves Castiel with the light cotton fabric in his hands.
After a moment of consideration, Castiel takes off his shirt and pulls on Dean's T-shirt. It's slightly bigger, but not that much to look hanging and Castiel speculates how tight it has to be on Dean, with his well-defined musculature. He feels half naked with the light material and short sleeves, so he pulls his blue shirt over the T-shirt, but he leaves the buttons undone. He evaluates his new look in narrow mirror Dean has on the inner side of his closet doors, when he hears a soft knocking.
"Yes?" He asks.
"Cas, it's me, Sam."
"Come in."
Sam slips inside and looks at Castiel.
"So what do you think?" Castiel examines himself doubtfully. His misgivings prevail eventually. "I don't know, I will probably change back to my usual clothes." He concludes irresolutely.
Finally, he looks at Sam who seems to be deeply hurt by his statement.
"Cas, don't be stupid! You look great!" Sam supports him enthusiastically. "Take down the hat."
"No, my hair just look awful." Castiel winces as he tries to reason with Sam.
"Just let me try something and if it doesn't work, I won't bother you anymore. I promise." Sam promises. And despite Castiel has doubts of the value of his promise, he lets himself to be dragged over to a small bathroom. Sam makes him sit at the edge of a bathtub, while he gets his hands dipped in extra strong gel that has to – as Castiel realizes – belong to Dean. Sam uses comb his fingers and few more cosmetics Castiel doesn't bother to pay attention to before he pulls his hands away and grins at Cas. He washes his hands, while Castiel squints at his reflection in the mirror. He touches a tip of stray strand and has to admit that it doesn't look bad. Which is quite surprise, because although he knows better than to underestimate any of Winchesters he knows his hair and he didn't think that there can be a satisfying outcome reached in so short time, if at all.
When Castiel comes downstairs and Dean lifts his head, there's a strange shine in his green eyes as he takes in what he sees. He smiles.
"Now, that's better." Dean appraises their team work.
One Dean's smile of approval can assure Castiel as nothing else, so he finally throws away his worries, slings his duffle-bag over his shoulder and follows Sam and Dean to the car, where John is already waiting for them.
"Nice change of style." John compliments and Castiel gets a little bit flushed on his cheeks, but it's short-lived as they get in the car and set off to a stadium.
