Cas Novak doesn't think it's weird that he spends a couple afternoons of every week working at the table near the window in Winchester Coffee Company instead of in his office. He runs a small company, and it's not like he ever gets visitors - and if he did, Ruby would know where to find him. Plus, he's known the owner for years, ever since Sam started up the coffee shop below Cas's office and provided him steady supply of caffeine. Sam likes him and he likes Sam and they both like coffee and Rambo movies and classic literature. It works well.

Cas is a creature of habit, so when he steps into Winchester's on Thursday afternoon and sees the espresso machine being manned by someone who is not Sam or Jo or even Ash, the weird guy who works night shifts, he's unsettled. He mentally steels himself and approaches the counter like he's about to do battle with it.

New Guy turns around and smiles. He's not bad-looking, if Cas is honest with himself (and Cas is almost always honest with himself). And he has a nice smile, but Cas gets the feeling that he doesn't exactly want to be there.

"Welcome to Winchester's," New Guy says. "What'll it be?" He shifts his weight and leans on the counter and Cas gets the impression that this man really belongs behind a bar and not a coffee shop register.

"Large half-caf latte," Cas says, offering over his credit card. "Where's Sam?"

New Guy shifts uncomfortably again and shrugs without looking up from the register. "Not here," he says.

Helpful, thinks Cas. "Are you new? I've never seen you here before."

"Yeah," New Guy says slowly. "What, you keep tabs on this place?" He frowns as he hands Cas back his credit card and moves to work on the espresso machine.

"I'm a friend of Sam's," Cas answers. "I'm in here pretty often, that's all. My name is Cas."

"Sam never mentioned you."

Cas scoffs lightly to himself. "What, you keep tabs on Sam's friends?"

New Guy turns around and eyes Cas up and down like he's sizing him up. Cas straightens his spine self-consciously.

"I'm his brother," New Guy says after a pause. "Dean." He doesn't wait for Cas to respond before he narrows his eyes, leans into Cas's space, and snarls, "Enjoy your latte." Then he turns to a new customer walking in the door, smiles brightly, and yells, "Hey, welcome to Winchester's!"

Cas walks to his window seat frowning and decides he wants Sam back.