Dean shivered as he walked through the front door of the club. It was only September, but it felt like the middle of winter with the hard winds and dreary rain. This was California. It should not be this cold. He stopped by the box office on his way backstage to say hello to Missouri, the owner of the club. She was a hardass and didn't let anyone get away with anything, but she would protect every single one of her employees like family. Ever since Dean had started working at the club six years ago, she had been there for him whenever he needed her. She was like the mother he had never had. However, when he got to the box office, she wasn't there. He sighed-talking to Missouri was one of the highlights of his day-and moved on.
Backstage, Jo was helping Charlie with her makeup. Charlie was still fairly new, as she had only been hired two months ago, but Dean knew that wasn't the reason she made Jo help her. The real reason was very evident in Charlie's eyes as she stared adoringly at Jo. Charlie used any excuse possible to get Jo closer to her. Dean grinned at Charlie and winked, giving her a big thumbs-up. The girl may not be very subtle, but at least she has style, he thought appreciatively. Meg, Anna, and Lisa were all cooing over some costume or another in the corner. Gabriel spoils those girls, Dean rolled his eyes, making them new costumes every other week. The costume designer slash choreographer was constantly working to make sure that every single girl was comfortable and happy in their costumes. Dean smiled as he walked out of the backstage area and crossed to where the band was set up. His band was set up.
Ash was pounding away at the piano with his mullet-covered head bobbing up and down to the mindless tune he was creating. He glanced up as Dean passed by him and grinned.
"Hey, Dean my man. What's up?"
"Shut it. Keep practicing." Dean laughed and kicked Ash' leg playfully. He wasn't really all that concerned about Ash' piano-playing. Ash had been a child prodigy and on the fast track to Julliard when he realized that he didn't fit in with the people he was hanging out with. So he started growing his ever-present mullet and moved to LA where Missouri promptly snapped him up to play in the band. He had been in the band the longest, seven years, even longer than Dean, but he let Dean pretend to boss him around. As long as Dean let him play the piano, Ash was totally fine with the kid.
Dean started to walk towards his instrument when he heard a long, drawn-out wail of an electric guitar. He groaned and put his hands to his ears as he turned towards the source of the sound. Kevin Tran, the guitarist they had hired a month ago, had started to tune his guitar with the amp on full volume. Again. Sighing, Dean stomped over to the amp and yanked the plug out of it.
"Come on, man, again?" he wasn't really angry, but he liked making the kid squirm. "Get your head in the game, Kev."
Kevin grinned a lazy smile and winked. He knew Dean was just messing with him. Kevin was a genius who was going to college with Sam, Dean's little brother. Dean had come home one day complaining about how his old guitarist, Lilith, had flaked out on him and quit the band, and Sam had just called Kevin up and told him to audition. Kevin had been so good that Dean had hired him the next day. It wasn't the first time Sam had saved Dean's hide, and it wouldn't be the last.
Dean rolled his eyes at Kevin's sass and went back to his pride and joy. The 1967 Ludwig drum set that had been the last thing his father had given him before his death a few years ago. They were black and chrome and in top condition because Dean was obsessive about keeping his baby shiny and new-looking. He picked up the drum sticks Sam had given him as a Christmas present last year and twirled them expertly in his hands as he sat down. The seat was fitted perfectly to him, so he rarely let anyone else sit in it. And he never let anyone but Sam play his drums. He took a deep breath and started to play.
The sounds of the drums always made Dean calm. He had been playing them since he was 4, when his mom died. His father had been crazy with grief and had spent the majority of every day in his room, playing the drums. One day, Dean had just decided to learn to play them too, just so he could be close to his father again. He hadn't really meant to turn them into his life, but now he couldn't imagine what his life would have been like if he hadn't picked up those drumsticks all those years ago and started playing with his dad. Music was his life, and he loved it.
Ash stopped playing the piano and Kevin quieted his guitar as the sounds of Dean's drumming filled the room. Nodding his head to the beat, Ash started to play again, weaving a melody between the firm sounds of the drums. Kevin tapped his foot steadily as he began to strum the strings, perfectly complimenting the existing music.
Dean looked up as the sounds of the saxophone started up. Finally, Dean thought, Balthy decided to show up. Balthazar, or Balthy as Dean so affectionately called him (Balthazar hated it), was an Englishman who had come to a show one night and noticed that the band didn't have a sax player. Dean hadn't wanted a sax player, but somehow Balthazar had wiled his way into the band anyways. And, Dean was reluctant to admit, the band did sound much more whole with a sax. Not that he would ever tell Balthy that. He had a big enough ego as it was.
The dancers started to warm up onstage as the band played on. They did their stretches, giggling and laughing the whole time. The laughter escalated as Charlie 'accidentally' fell on top of Jo and knocked her to the ground. Their shrieks of hilarity echoes around the room, bouncing off of the mirrors and velvet lining the walls and creating an atmosphere of happiness and joy.
"HEY IDJITS." The girls quieted as the sound of the business manager's voice, Bobby Singer, erupted from the landing above the light booth. "You all need to quiet down. Some of us got to work, you know."
He glared threateningly at them for a second, the silence deafening, before Jo shouted "WE LOVE YOU BOBBY!" and all of the dancers started laughing again. Bobby sighed and rolled his eyes dramatically as he stomped away to his office. Anyone would think that he was being unnecessarily grumpy, but Dean saw the older man's grin as he turned away. He may put up a hard shell of emotion, but inside Bobby Singer was a big old softie, and everyone knew it.
They were about fifteen minutes into warming up when Missouri emerged from the lobby. Dean acknowledged her with a nod of his head and continued drumming. Well, that is, until she raised one eyebrow and jerked her head towards the lobby. Dean saw her mouth come here, Dean. He sighed and raised his hands, signaling a break.
"Okay guys Missouri needs me for a minute, so let's take a break. Meet back in five, okay?"
Everyone nodded their agreement and went off in different directions. Dean sighed deeply as he stood up from his seat and stretched. He had no idea why Missouri would stop practice for no discernable reason, but he had learned long ago to never question her. That led down a path that Dean never emerged from a winner.
"Dean I'm going to need you to show the new hire around." Oh that's right we need a new bartender since Ruby left, Dean remembered. "And don't complain about it, you hear me boy?"
Dean considered his many arguments- he didn't have time, he needed to practice, he wasn't a people person-before deciding it wasn't worth the headache. He'd just show the person around and then leave them to their own devices. He nodded at Missouri to indicate his acceptance, but paired it with a glare to indicate his hatred of the situation as a whole. Missouri only narrowed her eyes and marched through the lobby door. Dean groaned and followed suit.
The man was standing with his back to Dean, talking to Missouri. He was wearing a tan suit jacket and black skinny jeans with shiny black shoes. Not exactly high fashion, but at least his butt looked good. Missouri nodded to Dean, spoke a few more words to the man, and then waved at Dean and left. Oh great, Dean thought, Alone with the new kid. Then all other thoughts were lost as the man turned around to face Dean.
Dean's first reaction was literally Oh shit he's hot. His hair, which had seemed so innocently dark and normal from the back, was actually styled in a sexy bed-head way that stuck up in random directions and just begged to have fingers run through it. He wore a white shirt and skinny blue tie, which somehow managed to look amazing on his muscled physique. The stubble on his cheeks didn't quite cover his shy grin as he stared at Dean with - Oh God no- the brightest blue eyes Dean had ever had the misfortune to see. He was the perfect man in every way and Dean hadn't even heard him speak.
"Hello. My name is Castiel Novak." His voice was like rough velvet, deep and throaty. Dean melted a little bit more. "I'm going to be the new bartender. So you're going to show me around, right?"
Dean started as he realized that the question had been directed at him.
"Oh! Uh…yeah. I guess. I'm…..um…I'm Dean Winchester. I'm the drummer in the band. And, uh…. I mean do you want to maybe, um, get started?"
Dean wished a hole would open up in the earth and drop him into hell when he realized how completely idiotic he sounded. Anything would be better than standing here stammering like an idiot while this gorgeous man stared deep into his eyes with his bright blue stare, like the ocean or a sapphire or… Dean shook his head softly to clear it and cleared his throat. Let's try this again.
"Okay, Cas, let's go to the stage first so I can introduce you to everyone. Sound good?" Yes that sounded much better.
Castiel blinked and looked confused. Dean started to panic. What had he said? Had he accidentally started speaking in tongues? Was there spinach on his teeth? But then-
"You called me…Cas." Dean gave a sigh of relief.
"Yeah I make up nicknames a lot. I'm sorry. I can call you Castiel if you want."
The other man paused for a second, a lazy grin appearing on his lips.
"No, it's fine. I like it. Cas. A new name for a new me. "
Dean wondered about that weird way of putting it, but shrugged it off and smiled his toothy grin. He nodded his head towards the door, a clear indication of after you.
Cas absent-mindedly bit his lip as he walked in the direction indicated.
"Hey watch out for the-" Dean winced as Cas tripped over the door frame and dropped his bag, "-door frame. Sorry about that man, it's kind of dangerous."
"No worries, Dean. I'm fine." Cas said as he bent over to pick up his bag, his butt facing Dean.
Dean looked at Cas' perfectly shaped butt and sighed.
I freaking love this place.