Dean took another swig of champagne; silently wishing it was something harder. He was happy enough that he didn't REALLY need it, but Dean thought that just getting dumped over the phone the night before his brother's wedding warranted a harder drink. Especially when Ellen and Jo keep pressing to meet Dean's mysterious date that is "in the toilet" "getting us drinks" and "took a separate car". He could only keep up this charade for so long.
Dean decided when Lisa dumped him that he was going to pretend that his date was there, so as to not draw attention from Sam and Jess' reception. The ceremony was easy because Dean had to stand next to Sam at the altar, but usually dates sit together at a reception, so Dean was running out of time.
As Dean finished his glass, he got up from his table that was adorned with lights and twigs in vases – the theme being "rustic fairytale," which Jess described as "hunter chic" to convince Sam. Dean personally thought that Sam would have liked any theme Jess picked (they were so sappy that way) but "hunter chic" definitely fit them.
Dean was just happy they kept the open bar. He made his way over to his new best friend (the bartender) to get another glass of champagne.
Jo pinched Dean in the side and he swung around, almost spilling his new flute of alcohol. It took a second for Dean to recognize her in the pale pink cocktail dress Jess picked for her bridesmaids. Jo's hair was curled, too. Dean wondered if Sam and Jess bribed her to look all dolled up for their big day, and how much.
"He's really cute, Dean" she said, beaming at him. "Definitely didn't think you would be into such a dorky guy, but to each his own, I guess."
Dean stared at her.
"What?"
Jo rolled her eyes and downed her glass of champagne. "Don't play dumb with me, Winchester. I know you've been trying to keep him away from us but he had to eat sometime, and he sat down at your table, so I did the math and introduced myself." She had to catch her breath at the end of the sentence. "He's adorable."
Jo put her empty glass on a passing waiter's tray. Dean looked at her blankly; he still had no inkling of what she was talking about.
Jo was past the point of picking up on social cues, so she smiled and punched him in the shoulder. "You're lucky I'm wearing a dress, can't hit as well with all this fucking tulle around my arms."
She laughed as she walked away, stumbling into Charlie and taking the glass she was holding.
Dean watched Jo walk away, stunned. His date was supposed to be Lisa…who obviously looks like a woman, and not some dorky guy. Dean's mind raced.
What the fuck?
Dean walked towards his table, closest to the happy couple's table ("Best man's gotta have the best seat, amiright?"). A man had seated himself in the place where Lisa would have sat, with a dirty tan trench coat draped over the back of the chair. He was eating the red meat option, which Dean had respect for, but he was definitely out of place. Dean tried thinking of the faces of Sam's law school buddies, but this man didn't match anyone in that rowdy group.
Dean jerked his seat back, to try to scare this unwelcome guest at his table. The man looked up obviously surprised, his big blue eyes taking up most of his face. Dean's first thought was that Jo was right about how dorky he looked. He was wearing a dark blue suit and his tie was backwards. Dean quickly remembered what he was doing leaning on a chair facing this blue eyed stranger. He puffed up his chest.
"Are you at the wrong table, buddy?" Dean tried to laugh like he wasn't annoyed, but it came out more forced and anxious.
"The name card just had 'plus one' on it, and I figured I could pass off as someone's date. I don't mean to intrude." The man's eyes searched Dean's face for a clue to whether or not he was intruding.
Dean paused. He sat down in his chair and rubbed the back of his neck absentmindedly.
"Are you trying to crash this wedding?"
The man chuckles and drops his fork and knife. He moves his hands to fix his blue striped tie. "Is it that obvious?"
Dean smiles and says, "I'm the best man. I first thought you could be one of Sam's law school buddies, but…you don't look douche-y enough to be one. So, that would make you my family, or Jess' family. But I'd know you if you were family, since mine isn't that big and I've met all of Jess' relatives."
The man considered this, and shook his head "My family is substantial, to say the least. I'm escaping from them in a wedding in the next hall. I guess I assumed I'd be more invisible, which was the opposite of what happened when I sat down, and that young blonde girl attacked me. I'm guessing you're Dean, or my date to this lovely party." He gestures to the card at the seat next to him that has "Dean Winchester" written in a flowery script.
Dean nodded, "Yeah that's me. Who are you?"
The man wiped his face and hands with a linen napkin, "Castiel Novak. Do you think I could get another dish of this? My family has only vegan options for their wedding and I'm dying."
Castiel searched Dean's face again with his blue eyes.
Dean starts to nod, of course he can have more food, the more the merrier! But this is a wedding crasher. A poor excuse for a wedding crasher.
Dean shakes off his smirk and scoffs, "Woah woah woah, do you think you're staying? Dude you're crashing my brother's party. I should be kickin' your ass to the curb right now."
Castiel narrows his glowing blue eyes at Dean, assessing his options. His voice drops an octave. "Dean, if you wanted to kick me out, you would have done it already."
A shiver travels up Dean's spine, and Dean uses his trademark charm to distract with a sly, "You know, the last time someone looked at me like that, I got laid."
Castiel cocks his head to the side. "Is that a flirtation?"
Dean laughs. He thinks that this might not be a bad idea. At least he has a date, one who is already liked by a difficult and nosy family member.
Castiel has that intense-but-occasionally-dorky look that Dean falls easily for, not to mention those blue eyes that are downright hypnotic.
"It might be, if you're lucky. Okay, Mr. Hotshot Wedding Crasher. I'll be your date so you don't get found out. You're really bad at this, so, you're welcome."
"You don't have a date? Your features are symmetrically angled, I assumed you would be already engaged in a romantic relationship." Castiel's brow furrowed, but his mouth curled like he was trying to hide a smile.
"Thanks for the compliment, but no, my date cancelled on the whole Dean package last minute, so I haven't had the chance to tell anyone I'm no longer…" Dean drops his voice an octave to mock Castiel's phrasing, "romantically engaged."
Castiel smirked. "This sounds like a equitable deal."
"Yeah yeah, super equitable. I just need to get through this wedding without anyone asking too many questions about 'when it's my turn.' Ugh, gimmie a break."
"You don't believe in marriage?"
The question startles Dean. He looks over at Castiel, and his head is cocked to the side again, with his eyes fixed on Dean's green ones. Dean swallows in response, and chokes on his own saliva. He takes a swig of champagne, and Castiel is still waiting for an answer.
"I mean, I never meant that, I just don't really have time to go looking for 'the one' or whatever." Dean coughs, "You know, all this romantic talk is a little out of place."
"Dean, we're at a wedding"
"Alright, Cas I get it. You want a drink? I can't have my date sober."
Castiel nods solemnly and waves a waiter down for more red meat. Dean shakes his head and starts toward the familiar bar once again. Castiel reaches out and grabs Dean by the arm.
"Dean."
"Yeah, Cas?"
"Thank you."
Dean smiles. He turns before Castiel can see his cheeks flush pink. Maybe the wedding won't be too bad after all.
NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:
Hey friends! So a few things: first I'd like to thank everyone for your positive feedback. (Esp. my fabulous aunt, who inspired me to write. Love her. Check out Anya Somers' stuff plz.) This is my first-ever story, so I've been really nervous. Like first-ever fictional piece (so typical of me for it to be Destiel). I'm gonna continue to edit these chapters as I go along, so please check back to see what I've changed! Hopefully I'll have the bulk of this story written by the end of the week. I'm not sure if I'm up for writing a sex scene in this, but we'll see how this whole story works out. I LOVE YOU ALL.