Yeah, We've Met Before
Dean Winchester never clamed to be a hero, hell he never considered himself one. Although, his family disagreed. Secretly claiming Dean was the ultimately softy behind his back. And little did the man know, his strange family had an ongoing bet to see how many animals he collects and rehouse by the end of each month.
The man rugged man himself didn't have feelings. No. He didn't do chick-flick moments and all that what not emotional garbage. Sammy, his younger brother had that corner covered until the apocalypse came. If someone would ask Dean, he chalked it up to something to have the big brother complex and being a fireman. His teddy bear inside had nothing to do with the multitude of stray animals that found his door.
There was something about little or broken critters that made him know; it takes something broken to fix something broken. He would never say that they're tiny cries would make him melt…not that he would ever admit aloud. Or when he's had a little too much whiskey at the bar. His best friend, Charlie swore that she would never tell. Green eyes had drunkenly rolled in disbelief that night of her that promise. But so far, Charlie was cool…only teasing Dean about his furry weakness during ritual movie marathons whenever he was free.
Only in the privacy of his own home or when the coast was clear of all eyes, Dean would happily coo over an animal. Whether it was helping them or watching Animal Planet. He couldn't get enough. It was another guilty pleasure, to go along with the Doctor Sexy M.D drama…that he wasn't addicted to. But, at least Doctor Sexy didn't have those heart retching animal shelter commercials. Hence why, he volunteered at an animal shelter when he could. Lots of animals get adopted on those days.
He chugged his liquid of the gods out of his favorite mug while sitting on the front porch of his childhood home. Green eyes stared out at green grass, as he enjoyed the sunlight on his sun kissed skin. The morning breeze carried the scent of freshly cut grass and apple pie from the neighborhood. His stomach growled, trained to the scent of pie. And he paused in his mid drink of his coffee. Pie was another weakness.
Dean swallowed the rest of his coffee, uncaring about the drips that escaped from his lips. He wiped his face with the back of his hand before placing the coffee mug safely on the table. Then he ventured forth, dragging himself from the chair. Why was he following the scent of pie to begin with? He was too lazy to make one today.
His moose slippers scrapped against the concrete sidewalk as he walked to the street. He sniffed in the air for the scent of pie once more. Then he heard it.
Something small, just faint in the breeze. A cry for help.
"Meow again," whispered Dean. His green eyes glanced around the road, sidewalk, and again. To his surprise, the damsel in distress meowed again. This time louder and over his head, from the large willow tree in his yard.
"You got to be kidding me," he mumbled. He pinched the bridge of his nose and glanced up. Sure enough, a Halloween-explosion kitten meowed weakly at him. It's half orange, half black face retreated into the wispy branches as Dean walked to the tree. "You couldn't have picked a better tree. You know, one that could hold me so I could get you down."
The kitten meowed at him again. Tugged on his nonexistent, teddy bear softy stuffing heartstrings. Dean cursed lowly in defeat. "Just hang tight. No falling…I'll be back," he reassured lowly in his best arnie expression. The kitten only meowed again.
Dean returned from his garage with a ladder in his hands. It banged and thumped as he lined it along the tree truck. Apparently he was getting spoiled at work for having automatic ladders. He sighed again as the kitten meowed. Then he kicked off his bunny slippers to climb up.
Metal creaked under his weight as he went, finally reaching the kitten in the tree. He frowned when the kitten hissed and cowered away, slowly backing up into the thinner branches. "Hey little guy," cooed Dean whilst rubbing his fingers together, "That's not a good idea. I don't know how many lives you have, but let's not find out. No animals allowed in my Baby, not even for a hospital trip."
His green eyes gaze lovingly at his pride and joy. "She's a beauty ain't she?" whispered Dean. "But…no animals allowed. Sammy did that once. Had a dog in my car if you can believe it. Itching powder in his boxers for weeks," remarked Dean, with a soft chuckle escaping his full lips. 'So, quit being stubborn and come on over before you fall."
The kitten stared at him, as all cats do. Dean blinked slowly, a cat greeting, a tip from Mr. Jackson Galaxy from Animal Planet. The kitten blinked back, and carefully slinked to him. Dean beamed brightly as he silently thanked god for Animal Planet. Carefully, he managed to wrangle down the shifty ladder while clutching the now-purring kitten to his chest.
He sighed when both feet touched against green grass. Then he yelped. Claws caught his favorite shirt and the kitten tore from his arms. Green and blue eyes glared at him from the kitten as the furry cat plucked on of his slippers from the ground and ran.
"Hey!" yelled Dean after the cat fled. "I saved you and this is what I get? Gee, thanks." He mumbled sarcastically.
Still grumbling under his breath, Dean tucked the ladder away, and showered. He plopped on his sofa with ease, but with brewing stir-crazy syndrome as his foot ticked against the wooden floors. He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face and ventured back outside.
Pie was in the air again. And his stomach growled painfully. As if it threatened to kill him from the inside out if he didn't find pie now. He strolled over the sidewalk again and followed the scent like a bloodhound.
He walked by house after house. The scent growing stronger as he went. He froze in mid step, when he heard a familiar meow. Dean arched his eyebrow and crossed into the yard. In the open window, sat the Halloween cat from this morning, with his moose slipper in its furry arms.
"Hey there cutie," greeted Dean. "I'm glad to see that you still have my-"
Whatever remark he was going to say caught in his throat when a pair of blue eyes stared at him through the window. From the inside the darkened house, Dean could see the stunning blue, almost as blue as the sky from a man with a serious case of sexy head. Dean swallowed as the man stood up, somehow sensually tucking a bookmark into pages.
Dean was never a hero, and never claimed to be one. Because heroes don't run. And that's exactly what he did. His boots drummed against the concrete as he fled to his house. Embarrassment and windedness made him flip over the edge of the couch and hide in the crevice of his arm. Only did he realize that the pie was also drifting from those windows. And he cursed.
It was later that evening, after he grilled burgers that his doorbell rang. He crossed the house and unlatched the lock. The beer bottle in his hand dropped to the ground in a million pieces. The Halloween cat meowed in the stranger's arms and ran inside Dean's house.
He didn't care.
His eyes swam in the pool of blue as the stranger held out his moose slipper.
"I believe Eve stole this from you this morning."
Dean nodded and grabbed it from the man.
"I'm Castiel. I just moved here," offered the blue eyed man, and stuck his hand out. Dean grabbed it, and shook. "I'm Dean…" he stated then trailed off. Their handshake lasted more than it should have. More than deemed necessary. Both neither man made motions of breaking away until Castiel. When the Halloween cat returned by their sides, Castiel scooped the feline into his arms. Wordlessly, Castiel drifted down his stairs.
"Wait!" called Dean, hopping awkwardly over the shards of the broken bottle. "You like burgers?"
The brunette paused, then nodded. "I love them."
Dean grinned. "Well come on in. Don't mind the mess," and he motioned to the puddled remains of his beer. Castiel smiled at him, and Dean would never admit that his heart skipped something. The man held out the cat, "I'll return once I take Eve home. I chased her all the way here."
Snorting, Dean strolled over to the furball in Castiel's arms. "Yeah? Just bring her in?"
"Are you sure? She's a handful," protested the other man. Dean only grinned.
"I'm sure," Dean replied,nodding then motioned to the open door way. "We've met before."
Only then did Castiel follow and Dean added. "Next time you come over…bring pie."