Castiel made a soft noise as he leant into the kiss, savouring the moment because in the back of his mind he believed this was all some kind of sick joke. Dean was being put up to this by his sport buddies, there was a secret camera, he would be made a public joke and everyone would know that a) he was gay and b) he had a crush on Dean, the most popular boy in school. As these thoughts consumed him he pulled backwards and stared at Dean, tears welling up in his eyes.

"This... this is some kind of p-prank right. I mean there's gonna be s-some article in the school newspaper about Nerdstiel who kissed the Prom King right?" He stumbled over his words, still sitting on Dean, his lips feeling cold and lonely without Dean pressed against them. He regretted pulling away, my god he did but he knew that he couldn't let it continue if he was just going to be named and shamed for it.

"Cas what?" Dean frowned, confused. He rubbed Cas' cheek with his thumb, caressing the soft skin. "I'm not trying to trick you..." He felt sick. Castiel thought he was tricking him? He honestly thought that Dean was going to tell the entire school he'd made out with Castiel. Dean had always been proud of his friendship with Cas but he wasn't willing to suddenly tell the school they'd made out (though to be fair that had nothing to do with Cas – Dean did not kiss and tell.)

"Y-you're not? You mean this won't be some kind of school wide prank?" He chewed on his bottom lip. Dean's heart melted. Castiel was giving him that look he gave everyone when nervous, eyes wide and full of tears, chewing on his bottom lip. Dean leant forward, pressing his nose against Cas'.

"No Cas, it's not some sick prank. I honestly want to kiss you, and if you're done worrying that cute little head off, I would like to continue kissing you." His voice was low and it made something inside Castiel stir.

"O-okay." He blushed a bright red, and Dean grinned, his thumb still tracing circles on Cas' cheek.

"Alright then." He leant forward again, lips brushing Cas' again. The music in the background was completely forgotten as they pressed together again. The kiss was warm and soft, and in contrast to Dean's semi-forcefulness, Castiel was gentle and withdrawn. Cas hadn't kissed many people, in fact he'd only kissed one, and that wasn't an entirely pleasant memory. Dean subconsciously ground his hips up into Cas and dug his fingertips into Cas' hips. Cas jumped slightly and Dean realised what he was doing.

Shit.

Castiel wasn't some cheerleader he'd brought home for the night because he was lonely and wanted some sugar. This was Castiel. Fuck Cas probably hasn't seen a goddamn vagina let alone a penis. Dean groaned and cursed himself internally. He was an idiot. Making out with someone on the floor and then dry humping them even though all he knew was that Cas had a crush on him? Way to go Dean. Dean knew that half the fucking school had a crush on him, making this seem all completely pointless. There was no way Dean could even try and disguise the grinding he'd done, it was pretty damn obvious what he'd done and what he wanted. But this wasn't anybody that Dean was kissing here. This was Cas. He actually cared about Cas. He didn't want to hurt Cas. He didn't want to see Cas the next day at lunch with mascara running down his cheeks, balled up tissues littering his lunch tray, sobbing away at his friends about how Dean Winchester is an awful human being but hot DAMN is he good in bed. Hearing Cas humming gently against the kiss brought him back to reality. Of course that wouldn't be Cas... for one, Cas wasn't one for friends. Or make-up.

"Dean, is everything okay?" Cas looked worried.

"Yeah. No. I mean yeah. I mean. Urgh." Dean sat up further, pushing Cas backwards off his lap. "I know you've heard rumours about me Cas. Okay most of them aren't rumours, they're true. I'm an asshole when it comes to relationships and sex. I don't trust people except Sammy and my dad meaning all relationships I have eventually just go south and boom I'm single and a jerk. But you. Man. I really fucking like you, more than anyone I've ever liked and if I'm honest, I don't wanna rush this with you. Kissing is great and all and damn it's better with you than any son of a bitch I've done it with before but I don't want to rush it. Rush you." Dean looked at the floor and poked at the carper, wearing his heart on his sleeve, raw and exposed for Cas to squeeze and play with.

"Okay."

Okay? Dean was so confused right now. Was Cas saying he didn't mind Dean going slow with him, or was he saying that he didn't want him to go slow? Dean was confused, and at this moment in time in Dean-Land; confused meant he needed a drink. With Cas now fully off of him he crawled across the floor and picked up the bottle of whiskey that was nearly empty. He shook it. Jack Daniels – shitty whiskey that tasted like barbeque sauce. But it was all his budget would allow.

"Okay?" Dean verbalised, finally remembering Castiel couldn't read his mind.

"Yeah, okay, we'll take it slow. Do whatever you want to do Dean." Cas was sitting cross-legged again, alternating his gaze between the bottle Dean held and the face of the boy holding it. There had been rumours around school Dean had an alcohol problem. More specifically, whenever Dean got stressed or confused or unhappy, Dean would grab a bottle of the liquid happiness and down it till he passed out. Dean smiled before unscrewing the cap of the whiskey and giving it a sniff.

"Ergh. I forget how much this shit stinks." He put the lid back on the whiskey. He didn't want to drink, not in front of Cas. This wasn't fair on the poor kid. Cas shuffled about on the floor, not knowing what to do anymore. Because he knew he wanted to kiss Dean. But Dean wanted to take it slowly.

"So uh... should we finish the project?" He gestured at the forgotten books on the bed and floor and Dean made a strangled noise before laying on the carpet.

"Nah."

"Then what do you want to do?" Cas asked, confused. He was sure they needed to finish this but at the same time he'd been working with Dean long enough to know that he couldn't force him to do it.

"Well. I would like to kiss you again, if that's not going too fast for you. And I swear this time I won't grind on you like I'm a horny teenager at a school disco." he grinned mischievously at Cas, who couldn't help but swoon slightly.

"Kissing is fine yeah. I mean it's not fine, it's great. Kissing is great, kissing you is great I-" Dean rolled his eyes at Castiel who was staring to ramble. Faster than Cas thought he could move, Dean got up and sat in front of him. He placed both his palms on Cas' cheeks and looked directly into his eyes, drawing Cas in. Waiting for Cas to become totally lost and drowning in his eyes.

And then he pushed his palms together, smooshing Cas' face to make him look like cartoon fish.

Dean cackled in pleasure of his friend (best friend? Kissing buddy?) waving his arms around as Dean smushed his face and Dean removed his hands, slipping them down and around Cas' waist.

"You- you smooshed my face." Cas was bewildered.

"Yes. You are a very, very cute little fishy." He giggled and laid his forehead on Cas' cheek, nuzzling his nose into the smaller boys neck. "Kiss me Cas."

So what else could Cas do?

He kissed him.