Cas has no idea what he has done to deserve this. He's always been a good guy; he was on the honor roll all four years in high school, mind you. He helps little old ladies cross the street and works at homeless shelters. And to top it all off, he has a 4.0 GPA in his senior year of college. So what powers in the universe are holding a grudge against him, and why do they deem it necessary to make a god-awful gym class the one thing separating him from graduation?
When Cas found out that a physical activity course is required for his major, he almost screamed at the poor receptionist who took his application for graduation. Gym class? What kind of institution makes a political science major take a damn physical education course to graduate? He was furious, and to top it all off the only class that had an opening was Rhythmic Activities, which meant Cas would not only have to suffer through day after day of freshman checking each other out in tight clothing, but would also have to show off his atrocious dance skills. Needless to say, he was far from pleased.
And that is what lands Cas here in a pair of ragged gym shorts and a whole lot of regret, surrounded by at least twenty awkward students chattering about. He is clearly the only senior in the class, sticking out like a sore thumb among the younger students. Cas may be only twenty-one, but he has lines on his face that the others won't have for years. Well, isn't this going to be freaking fantastic.
He doesn't get to think of much else though before a whistle blows from the opposite side of the gym, a figure shrouded in shadow appearing into sight. The man is dressed ridiculously; he's clad in a pair of red gym shorts that must have been from the eighties with a matching sweatband on his forehead. His white shirt is tucked into his shorts and he has knee-high socks, the whole outfit making Cas want to laugh. At least he isn't the worst looking one in the room.
However as the man approaches closer, Cas can't help but notice one thing. The gym teacher is…hot? Like really, really hot?
"Now listen up you maggots," he shouts, eyeing each one of the students harshly. "I don't want any trouble from ya over the course of this semester…"
Cas's eyes widen as he hears the voice that comes out of the man's mouth, deep and rich like fine whiskey. It only adds to Castiel's earlier assumption that this guy is one fine creature.
"…Now I want all of ya to run five laps around the gym and then meet me out in the field for some gym rules. We clear?"
Oh yes, Cas thinks, we are most definitely clear.
Dean notices Cas right away.
There is always that one senior who forgets about the physical fitness requirement until the last minute, and he can always tell who they are without even asking. They all look the same; slightly older than the others, an attitude of disinterest in their faces, and the unvoiced message of 'if you keep me from graduation, I will end you' in their eyes. Cas shows all of these signs, and he can't lie, Dean can feel empathetic towards the situation.
And yet, that isn't what makes Dean see Cas first in that sea of people. There is something different about the guy from first sight. Maybe it's the fact that Cas is like a male model. Even in those god awful gym shorts (and coming from a guy who is dressed like he walked straight out of the movie Dodgeball, that's saying something), Cas looks like he could be on the cover of a magazine. His hair is perfectly tousled, his stance radiates ease, and those blue eyes are impossible to miss even from across the room. Dean feels something unique radiating off the guy, and it's sort of scaring him, if he's being honest.
Whatever the feeling is, Dean knows he has to push all of it aside. Cas is his student, and Dean is the teacher. He told himself when he took this job two years ago that he would not have any sexual interactions with his students. It could only lead to trouble, and that is the last thing Dean needs while he juggles paying off student loans and teaching a bunch of unenthused college students.
But damn, it's hard to think that way when Cas comes to class dressed in those tight shorts and a Led Zeppelin t-shirt. Dean knows it's inappropriate, but he can't help but stare at the guy. He had a few flings with men in the past but never took any of them seriously, and this feeling is completely different from those times. With the other men it was solely for distraction, a way for Dean to forget a recent breakup or a fight he'd had with his father in high school. If he was being honest with himself, he didn't even find those men attractive and certainly didn't wait around long enough to get to know them. But Cas? This guy is like a siren that's drawing Dean in with his unsung song, and he realizes that he's completely and utterly screwed.
Pushing the thoughts from his head, Dean stares down at his itinerary for the class, trying to avoid those eyes that glow like tiny blue flames. "Um…" he stammers, very aware that Cas's gaze is on him, "now that we're warmed up, let's start our physical fitness testing for the semester." Groans all around, like always. "Everybody split up into different stations and I'll go around to test ya. And no slackin' off!"
Dean watches as his students scatter, except Cas. He stands there, his head slightly tilted like a confused bird while he holds Dean's gaze intently.
"Is there a problem, Novak?" Dean asks, cringing when his voice breaks nervously.
"Nothing, sir. Just seeing where you want me," Cas replies, a little bit of tongue sneaking out as he throws an absolutely sultry grin in Dean's direction.
That little shit.
"Go over to the stretching station," Dean says, trying to get himself together.
Cas turns and throws Dean a little smirk before leaving. "Good. They say I'm quite bendy."
Dean's left speechless.
Cas knows he's being unfair to Dean.
At first it is just little smiles he throws Dean's way, but then he notices how flustered the man gets anytime their gazes meet and he ups the ante a bit. The smiles turn into full blown smirks, ones filled with Cas's unhidden desire towards the man with the grass green eyes and face full of freckles. Then, when Dean turns to a puddle at that, Cas brings it up even more, reaching down to stretch out his hamstrings anytime Dean looks his way. He can't help but laugh when Dean's cheeks turn as red as his hideous gym shorts anytime he catches himself staring at Cas's ass.
But all the flirty gazes come to a screeching halt when the dance portion of their class begins.
"Alright, everyone! Gather 'round," Dean calls one February morning as they're running laps. "Today we're gonna begin the actual objective portion of this class, the art of dance."
Cas feels his gut drop when Dean says the words. The past few weeks of endless fitness testing made Cas forget that the core this course is about dancing, and the slap of reality takes away any feelings of confidence he had about his relationship with Dean. There's no way he'd want Cas after he sees his atrocious dance moves.
"We'll start off easy with the Foxtrot. It's a straightforward dance that only has a few moves. Now, everyone pair up and we'll begin."
When Dean stops talking, everyone in the room goes into a flurry. Guys quickly grab the girl they had their eye on, and the girls flirt back with smiles and giggles of their own. Because of the uneven gender ratio, Cas watches as girls pair up with one another and argue over who is going to lead, and before long he notices that he's the only one in the room without a partner.
"Huh, would ya look at that? Guess we've got an uneven number. Novak, that means you're with me," Dean says.
He spins towards Dean with a loud blush rising to his face. There goes any impression you made on the guy. Way to go.
"Uh…" he trails off.
"What? You intimated to be dancin' with a dude, or are you just nervous that I'll be better than ya?" Dean says with a grin that brings Cas to his knees. When did he become the nervous one?
With a sigh, Cas walks forward and grabs Dean in an embrace. A chorus of giggles rings out from behind, and for the third time that day Cas feels his gut flip.
"Well, now that everyone's paired up we'll start with the footwork. Men, you're gonna walk forward with your left foot, then your right, then you'll step to the side. Your heel needs to hit the floor first. Ladies, you do the opposite. Practice that and then we'll move on."
Low voices fill the room as the students try fruitlessly to follow Dean's instructions. Cas looks up into Dean's eyes and hates the little smugness he finds there. He's supposed to be the one who turns Dean into a puddle, not the other way around. The change in dynamics only makes Cas flush pinker as Dean rearranges their embrace, leading Cas's left hand to his shoulder as he entwines their right hands together.
"Alright, you heard what I said. I'll lead forward and you follow, capisce?"
Cas mutters, "I capisce," under his breath, and then he follows Dean's movements.
It's abysmal. Dean goes forward with his left foot while Cas forgets to step back, causing him to stumble to the floor. He ignores the laughs that ring out from behind him, and throws Dean an apologetic smile as he reaches down to grab Cas off the ground, repositioning them once again. Their second attempt doesn't go much better; Cas accidentally steps forward instead of back, and he finds himself pushed up flush against Dean's body, their faces centimeters apart. He can't help the shiver that runs down his neck when he feels Dean's hot breath on his cheek, and they linger a bit too long before pushing away.
The entire class period is one awkward moment after the other. Cas steps on Dean's toes, he grips Dean's arm too tightly, and by the end the whole class has stopped practicing themselves, enjoying the entertainment of Cas's embarrassment instead.
"Look at him. Can anyone possibly be that bad?" Cas hears Ruby whisper as he once again trips on Dean's feet.
"It's five steps. Who can't get that?" Meg hisses as he nearly runs Dean over.
He tries to ignore their seething calls; he's used to Ruby and Meg from his other classes, their comments usually coming from the fact that many of the male professors would rather look at Cas than at them, but this time he can't quite shake their insults. At least in the other classes he knew he was better than them, but here he's completely out of his element. It's disconcerting to say the least.
After stepping on Dean's toes again, he can't help the redness that rises to his cheeks when Meg says, "And to think I was jealous of him; clearly he's just a baby."
"Hey, knock it off!" Dean calls from beside him, lightly pushing Cas away so he can stand in front of the two women. "Cas is tryin', which is somethin' that can't be said of you two. Now shut up, or get out of my gym. House rules."
The two fall quiet at that and he gets to finish out the rest of class in peace. When Dean blows the whistle that ends the period, he can't help but feel a little relieved. One more gym class that he got through relatively unscathed.
"Hey, Cas!" Dean calls out as he's about to leave.
He turns around. "Yeah?"
Dean grins. "Don't let those girls get ya down. You did great today, alright?"
Cas smiles back and walks out of the gym, leaving a beaming Dean behind.
The next few weeks flew by. Dean's students were catching on to all the dances quickly, and after his little lecture to Ruby and Meg, Cas seemed a lot more comfortable coming to class. And with his confidence restored, Cas had regained the flirty nature that he entered this class with. Their interactions that started off innocent enough turned into full blown innuendo, Dean making completely inappropriate comments when Cas would slide up next to him, their bodies way closer than necessary. One class it would be Cas who would bring Dean to exasperated silence, then the next Dean would be the one to get Cas flustered and blushing like a teenager. The two of them ended up in their own dance of words and implications, one that was bound to either bring them together or pull them apart eventually.
Everything seemed to be going fine.
Until the day it wasn't.
It's a Wednesday in March when it all falls apart. When Dean sits in the break room that day eating his daily burger, his best friend Charlie sidles in next to him with a big grin on her face.
Dean looks at her. "What do you want, Bradbury?" he asks.
She leans forward and eyes Dean widely. "Oh, nothing. I'm just waiting for my one o'clock Technology Science course to begin."
He nods in her direction and then turns his attention back to his lunch, throwing a fry into his mouth and moaning wantonly around the taste. He'd been trying cut back on the fried food, Sam's nagging voice of 'If you keep eating this way you'll have a heart attack' a constant reminder in his head, but today is the exception. Cas showed up in class dressed in the tightest shorts known to man, and God knows Dean needs a distraction if he's going to get through the rest of the day without combusting from sexual frustration.
However, it's hard to concentrate when Charlie is drumming her fingers against the table while whistling under her breath, her gaze flickering to Dean's face every few seconds. She lasts about five minutes before she throws her hands down on the table and exclaims, "Dean, I've gotta know, are you banging Castiel Novak or not?"
Dean nearly spits out his drink at that. How the hell could Charlie know about Cas? It's his best kept secret, one he didn't even tell his best friend. Nobody could know about his absurdly large crush on Cas…could they?
"How…what…" Dean trails off.
"Rumors are flying around campus like the Wicked Witch's monkeys," Charlie says, and then throws Dean a sultry gaze. "So…are you two banging like horny teenagers? Is it serious?"
"Nothin' is goin' on, Charlie!" Dean groans, pushing his lunch aside. There's no way he can think about food now. "We flirt a lot, yeah, but I've never even talked to the guy outside of class."
Charlie lets out a breath he didn't know she was holding and watches as she leans back in her chair. "Good! Thought I'd have to report you," she says with a laugh, reaching over to grab one of Dean's forgotten fries.
He perks up at that. "Report me? What are you talkin' about? We're both of legal age and consenting adults. There ain't nothin' wrong with that," Dean says.
"True," Charlie replies, "but it is against university policy. No dating students, end of discussion. Last professor who got caught was given the boot immediately, and I heard he's still trying to find work at another college. It's serious stuff, y'know?"
No, Dean thinks, he doesn't know, and that brings a new wave of distress to his gut. How could have he missed that? He considers himself to be a good professor; he went through the handbook five times, and yet he has no memory of ever reading that you can't date your student. His cheeks turn crimson as Charlie grins at him, unable to hide the amusement in her gaze.
"You like him, don't you?" Charlie asks softly, and Dean only ducks his head in response.
"I don't like him," Dean mutters, his voice low and unconvincing. "He's just a fling, nothin' more."
Charlie groans and moves her hand to tilt his chin up. "I don't believe that for one second, Winchester. You're enamored by this one, I can tell, but that doesn't change anything. If you're going to go through with this, then you two better be damn careful because I'm not working here without my best friend, okay?"
He can only nod as she lets his chin go. "I won't get caught because I'm not gonna act on it. Problem solved."
She gets up from her chair and grabs her bag. "I don't believe that for a second, Dean!" Charlie calls as she leaves the room, and Dean only blushes deeper.
Another few weeks pass. Dean tries his best to ignore Cas's flirtations, but it's becoming increasingly difficult. The man is practically purring anytime they're partners, whispering little sexual innuendos into Dean's ear. One class it was so bad Dean had to excuse himself, and ended up running to his office to pour cold water on his face. He knows he's not going to last much longer if this keeps up, and he has no clue what to do about it.
"Okay everyone, today we're workin' on the tango," Dean says as he passes out papers to all the students. "Grab your designated partner and follow the sheets I handed out. I ain't teachin' ya this one."
As per usual, Cas stands in the crowd like a lost puppy, so Dean walks forward and lightly grabs his hand.
"Looks like you're with me again, Novak," he says with a wink, loving the little blush that rises to Cas's cheeks.
"You know," Cas replies with raised eyebrows, "I may not be great at this tango, but I sure know how to do lots of other important things when it comes to hip gyrating."
And that is not what Dean needs when it's the six month anniversary of his dry spell.
"Yeah yeah yeah, you're a natural Casanova. Now stop trying to flirt with me and put your hand on my ass."
Cas laughs as he guides his hand behind Dean, and Dean can't help but yelp when he feels a little pinch.
"Like that?" Cas says lowly, and Dean can only nod back.
"Yeah," Dean manages to get out, trying to push down the low burning that has taken place in his belly, "and then we move forward."
He watches as Cas hesitantly puts his left foot forward, then his right, following the handout Dean gave the class. Unlike the other dances, this once seems to suit Cas. His feet aren't tripping over thin air, his steps are fluid, and Dean clearly cannot ignore the perfect moving of his hips, their bodies so close that he can feel Cas brushing his front anytime he moves. It's like the room is taken away around them, the other students fading into the background.
As they dance together, Dean is completely enraptured. Cas feels right in his arms, his weight now familiar from their weeks of being partners. Dean realizes very quickly that Cas isn't just a student, not anymore. He's become an integral part of Dean's day, and if he doesn't hear a saucy comment whispered in his ear then everything seems wrong.
It's that thought that leads Dean to say something he knows will come back to bite him in the ass later.
"I don't think you're doin' it right, Cas," Dean whispers in his ear. "I think you need to stay after class for extra lessons."
He doesn't know what to expect from Cas, so when the other man laughs lowly and says, "I think that's plausible," Dean's thrilled.
He ends the period early that day, letting the others get a little bit of free time before their afternoon classes. As asked, Cas stays behind and wanders the gym as Dean goes through his lesson plans for the next class, checking that he has enough copies for each student. He's counting the workout papers when he feels Cas close behind him, the man's hands landing gently on his arm.
"Shall we begin, Professor Winchester?" Cas practically growls, and Dean almost drops the clipboard at the voice.
He turns and finds Cas's eyes practically devouring him, and it's all downhill from there. Dean pulls Cas into their tango embrace and goes through the steps like they did in class. Cas follows as Dean leads, but once Cas's hand finds Dean's ass, it's all over. They pull each other in close, close, closer, until they are centimeters apart. Dean can hear Cas's erratic pulse and can feel his breath flowing on his lips, the smell of old books and leather radiating off him. Their tango turns into a sway when Dean begins humming the lyrics to 'Fooled Around and Fell in Love,' and Cas slowly leans into Dean's embrace. It's the closest Dean's ever been to another person outside of sex, and if he's being honest, the intimacy between them is overwhelming.
"Hey, Dean?" Cas mumbles into his chest.
"Yeah, Cas?" Dean asks back.
"…Can I kiss you?"
The question catches Dean offguard. Cas looks up into Dean's eyes and he can see anxiety and shyness in the gaze. It's the first time he feels like he's looking at the real Cas, the one that is hidden behind layers of innuendo and political terms.
Dean doesn't even answer, ignoring the red flags that are rising in his head. He just closes the tiny space between them and catches Cas's lips with his own, groaning as the tamed fire between them breaks loose into the open. His hands entwine themselves in Cas's hair as Cas pushes back with everything he has, their bodies practically shaking from the effort.
He isn't entirely certain how they got there, but the next minute Dean finds himself pushed up against his desk as Cas's hands explore his body, fingers playing with the hem of his gym shorts. He can feel the ache forming in his belly and it only makes him pull Cas closer, the brilliant friction between them bringing stars to his eyes. He leans down and nips at Cas's collarbone, and the noises the emit from the man's mouth could bring even the straightest of men to their knees. It's only when Cas's hands find themselves unbuckling Dean's belt that Charlie's words explode into his head like a bullhorn and everything comes to a screeching halt.
"Wait! Cas, stop!" Dean yells as he pushes Cas away.
He throws Dean a confused glance. "Why?"
"I…I can't do this," he gets out. "It's against the rules."
Cas's gaze is filled with sin. "I like breaking the rules," he says as he leans into Dean's space one again, his lips finding purchase on Dean's jaw.
"No, please don't," Dean says brokenly, and only then does Cas back away with a serious look on his face.
"Oh, you're serious?" Cas asks, and Dean nods. "What rules?"
"The ones set out by the great Provost of Edlund University," Dean replies. "I'm not allowed to date a student, ever. If I get caught then I'm fired on the spot and it's damn difficult to find another job after that. I can't risk it, man. I can't."
"I understand."
"And I know you're gonna argue but…wait…what?" Dean asks.
Cas walks forward and takes a seat next to Dean on the desk. "I said I understand, Dean. I'm two months away from graduating and after that we'll be in the clear, right? I know I fool around a lot and probably seem like a stupid kid to you, but I can be patient. I'll tone it down in class so the rumors go away and then after graduation, if you still want me, I'll be there. I can wait for you, Dean, because I think you're pretty special. And…" he trails off, a light blush rising to his cheeks, "I think you feel the same way about me too."
Dean can't believe what he's hearing. Cas will wait for him? This man, the one who could get any person on the planet he wants, is content to wait? It blows him away, and in that moment Dean doesn't even care if he gets caught; he leans over and captures Cas's lips with his own, relishing in the beautiful heat he's not going to be able to feel until May. Luckily, Cas catches on and pushes back, not breaking the kiss even as he gets up to saddle Dean's hips. The two of them move tenderly, lovingly, slowly as they relish in the other's company, and when they break apart Dean's positive he's going to look wrecked for his next class.
"Damn," Dean says as he checks the time, "I've got my weight lifting class comin' in half an hour and I can't look like this when I've gotta teach a bunch of football players. I think you've gotta go, man."
Cas laughs lightly and pecks one last kiss on Dean's lips as he pulls himself off Dean's body. "Okay, I'll leave. But don't let any of those football guys flirt with you!"
Dean grins. "I'd never dream of it, Novak!"
"You better not, Winchester!" he hears Cas call as he leaves the gym.
March and April were the slowest months of Cas's life. Who knew that eight weeks could be filled with so much frustration, sexual and otherwise?
The first few days were easy. Dean and Cas completely turned around their behavior in class to put off the rumors, and the rest of the students caught on quite quickly. They no longer leered at them as Cas fell over Dean's feet, and even Meg and Ruby were sated now that Dean was, in their eyes, back on the market.
But as the weeks dragged on, Cas became less content to just sit around. He began to notice the gazes of the girls, and would watch as they flung themselves at Dean whenever they could. Of course he did nothing, just let them flirt until they couldn't anymore, but the jealousy that was writhing in Cas was hard to ignore because even if they couldn't show it, Dean and Cas were completely enraptured by each other.
Even though they couldn't officially date, they spent their afternoons talking about everything and anything, getting to know the other from the inside out. Cas found out that Dean is a huge Star Trek nerd and spends his weekends watching Doctor Sexy marathons, while Dean found out that Cas didn't even want to major in political science; his first choice was to become a writer. They would talk for hours in Dean's apartment, their bodies at a safe distance apart as to not bring up any temptation.
Of course, sometimes they had to indulge themselves, and Cas would find himself entwined in Dean as they sucked and kissed and moved together, stopping when things got too heated. It was incredibly infuriating to say the least, especially when it happened in Dean's apartment where no one could possibly find out, but he was determined to wait for Dean like he promised and always followed the other man's lead.
But those days are now gone. Today everything changes.
Cas bounces in his chair as President Naomi recites the list of graduates. One by one the students walk proudly up to the podium, shaking Naomi's hand and grabbing a photo before running off with their diploma. He thinks he's about to combust until the words he's wanted to hear for months are finally called.
"Castiel James Novak, Bachelors of Arts in Political Science," Naomi reads from the page, then looks up as Cas walks to the podium.
He's practically beaming as he grabs the plaque from Naomi's hand, and he doesn't even have to fake a grin for the camera. The flash goes off and Cas leaves the stage as the next person takes his place, the diploma feeling perfect in his hands.
After another fifteen or so minutes of name calling, Cas and the others around him brace themselves as Naomi takes a breath at the podium.
"I am proud to congratulate the 2014 graduating class of Edlund University!" she calls, and everyone breaks out into a chorus of cheers and whoops as hats fly into the air. People turn to their neighbors and give them hugs, but Cas is only looking for one person in the crowd.
"Congratulations, tiger," he hears Dean's familiar voice at his ear, and Cas turns around to find him dressed in an uncharacteristic suit with a bundle of flowers in his hands.
Cas takes them with a gleaming grin and looks Dean over. "Well, this is a new look for you. I like it."
Dean laughs. "You like it?"
He just grins and lays the flowers and diploma on the floor, attending to the more important matter at hand. Cas leans forward and grabs Dean's head with his hand, crushing their lips together with a not-so-subtle groan. All the eyes in the near vicinity turn to them, but at that moment Cas can hardly get himself to care. He's a graduate and Dean's kissing him; nothing could make this any better.
When they break apart, Dean's cheeks are flushed.
"Cas," he asks lowly, "…will you go out with me?"
He just leans forward and kisses him again in reply. "Yes, Dean Winchester. I'd love to."
Their lips collide once more before Dean picks up Cas's belongings from the floor, entwining their free hands together in an embrace. They bump into one another as they walk out of the gym where they fell for one another, and as Cas looks up into Dean's blazingly bright gaze, he thinks that maybe the fitness requirement is a good thing after all.