Chapter 2:
If his colleagues found it weird that a cop visited the University frequently, they didn't let him know. They didn't even find it weird that the cop would sometimes leave the men's washroom with Dean's scarf in hand. They also conveniently ignored the times when Dean asked for extra cups of coffee during Monday mornings, his eyes looking tired but happy.
In short, Dean Winchester was in a happy bubble.
Of course, like every bubble, his too had to burst one day. But he didn't think of that often, partly because he wanted to defy the logic behind whatever he had and partly because of a certain persuasive blue-eyed charmer.
"You're thinking again." The mumble from underneath the pillow stopped Dean's fingers rubbing circles on a bare leg.
"Well, I do have a brain that works" he teased back as he felt the body next to him shuffle.
"You also have other parts of you that work just fine. Really nice parts too." Cas drawled as his fingers stroked the calves beside him, getting the gasp he wanted.
It was a Sunday and Dean was on leave making Cas take half a day off as well. Cas had taken him to watch the new play last night at the theatre and that had led to a long night of dinner, drinks followed by more pleasurable activities. They had crashed at Cas' house and Dean knew that he would have to go on a treasure hunt of clothes to find his belongings from last night. It was a nice, homey place with a little backyard where Dean had insisted that they place a swing. Cas had tried to bargain a nice porch set of furniture but Dean had won the argument easily. With a little physical coaxing, of course.
As they lay on the mattress, Dean felt his heart stir along with his cock, as Cas worked his magic with his hands and lips. They had been 'dating' for 5 months now and yet, every day was a new experience. Sometimes Dean wondered if he was really living in an alternate universe and this was just his dreams fooling him. But then he would feel the familiar touch of warm chapped lips on his neck or intense blue eyes on his face. It was in those moments that he would realise that this was real. Probably the most real experience of his life and then he would feel his heart bursting with an unnamed emotion. Like it was now, when he saw Cas crawl his way up his body.
"You think too much." Cas brushed a few strands of mussed hair from Dean's face as he leaned down to kiss the thoughts away.
"I think that I think just fine." Dean smiled making his lover snort before biting his earlobe.
"Well, I think that you just can't think straight." Cas whispered against his ear sending him into peals of laughter. It was a stupid pun but Dean laughed at every joke Cas said. Sometimes Balthazar would roll his eyes and tell him that his sense of humour was going rusty. Maybe it was but Dean laughed anyway because Cas said those silly jokes for him. To make him laugh, to make him forget any worry he had. And that was enough to tickle his funny bone.
"And would that be your fault?" Dean whispered back, choking on a gasp as he felt Cas' lips ghosting over his collar bone.
"You're damn right it is." Cas replied before getting down to prove just how much he was responsible for Dean's not-so-straight thinking capacities.
A couple of hours later as the sun slowly climbed over head, Dean found himself wanting to cling to Cas.
"Do you really have to go? It's only 12." He hated whining but he really wanted to continue just lazing around with his hot boyfriend.
Cas put on his shoes before getting up to kiss a pouting Dean "Yes I do. If I remember correctly, you're the one who told me to apply for a half-day. I wanted the entire day off but you.."
"Yeah yeah yeah ok. No need to rub it in." Dean grumbled as he pushed Cas to the door. He cursed his 'responsible' brain when he remembered that he had fiercely objected to Cas taking the entire day off to be with him. He could very well have taken the bloody axe and jumped on it.
Cas laughed as he got pushed out "Anyway, you'll have Sam, Charlie and Kevin for company. Not to forget, Balthazar. I think you'll be busy." He found it amusing that their friends had invited themselves over for lunch but as long as Dean had company, he was fine.
Dean simply flipped him the finger, getting more laughs in reply, before Cas drove away in his car. The Impala was still parked in his hostel but Dean didn't have plans to leave the house, so he didn't complain much. Sighing to himself, he went inside to get ready for the lunch.
An afternoon with the guys and Charlie was always an entertaining affair. Balthazar was the most flamboyant among them, also being the only one who got away with flirting around Dean.
"So Dean-O" the tanned guy began, sliding up next to Dean on his chair's armrest "Cassie seems to be extremely busy nowadays. Anything extra come up on the side? A little French dessert or some Swizz chocolate maybe?" There was no mistaking the exaggerated wiggle of eyebrows as Balthazar tried to rile up Dean, for the millionth time.
The green eyed professor mentally rolled his eyes at the insinuation but joined in on the act, blinking owlishly and cocked his head to the side "But Balthazar, I thought you were English, not French or Swizz. Why would you refer to yourself as either nationalities?"
Balthazar frowned for a minute, taking his time to grasp the meaning before he felt the heat crawl up his neck. "Me! Now now..C'mon Dean! He's my brother! That's..that's incest!"
The chortling sounds from Charlie and Sam did nothing to lessen his embarrassment but Kevin caught the hint from Dean and put on his best sombre face.
"Honestly Balthazar, are you telling us you aren't into it? Why, the whole University knows you're into Castiel. And Gabriel. Sometimes, I get confused who you prefer more." The thinking face sent the others into another round of laughter as Balthazar huffed and made a rude gesture before plopping down on the chair farthest from Dean.
"I'm gonna go to the loo and then grab a beer." Charlie gasped, getting up and walking towards the house.
"Do it in that order!" Sam yelled at her back simply getting a finger in response. Dean shook his head at his brother's childish thoughts before going over to grab some beers for them from the ice-box in the shade. He did enjoy these times with his brother and friends despite how much he cribbed over it. Cas always said that he did it to avoid looking like 'the sappy old Papa bear' he was.
As the evening came to a halt and the others hugged him good bye, thanking him for a lovely meal, Dean found himself alone. He simply loitered around the empty house for half an hour, righting the already perfect pictures and rearranging the arranged bed. He had work to do, almost a mountain-load of work to be honest, but he wasn't in a mood anymore. Finally, about 45 minutes later, he decided to cut the self-misery short and get some work done.
Putting on some music, he sat back on his favourite old chair and took out the papers he had to evaluate. The first chords of music made his lips curve into a smile.
Sometimes I feel so happy, sometimes I feel so sad.
Sometimes I feel so happy, but mostly you just make me mad.
Dean found himself humming the tune unconsciously, his eyes still roaming over the papers and his pen still shooting remarks but his lips sounding out the words.
Baby, you just make me mad
Linger on, your pale blue eyes…linger on, your pale blue eyes.
It wasn't even a happy song, as Cas had pointed out every time he put on the album by The Velvet Underground. But Dean found himself loving the emotion attached to it, not to forget that it reminded him of certain blue eyes he loved to linger on.
He was almost lost in his work and the music, barely managing to hear it. The song was on loop and had begun playing for the second time when Dean heard the slight scraping sound behind him.
It was a light sound, one you would usually hear when brushing two metal scales together or sharpening a knife. The second thought sent a chill down his back but Dean squashed it down, turning his head to look behind. The second his head turned completely, the sound stopped and he could only hear the song playing.
I'd put you in the mirror, I'd put in front of me.
I'd put in front of me.
He brushed the thought aside and went back to evaluating the papers, keeping a slight alertness for another sound. Minutes passed along and Dean relaxed back into the monotone of writing remarks and reading answers. He didn't bother to set the loop off on the sound system and the same song began again.
Maybe it was because this was closer or maybe it was because he had just crouched to put the papers down, but when Dean heard the same scraping sound again he knew that was real. Jumping up from the chair, he spread out his hands before him in a protective manner. Again, there was nobody and no sound anymore.
Gripping a small metal ruler in his hand, Dean walked slowly towards the open kitchen before him. If there was somebody nearby, they should have hidden behind the kitchen counter. Cas always told him to think twice but act after the second confirming instinct. Thinking for too long would give the attacker the time to spring a surprise.
Skip a life completely..stuff it in a cup
She said money is like us in time
It lies but can't stand up
One hand palming the wall for support and the other grabbing the ruler like a knife, Dean stalked closer towards the counter. There was a bead of sweat trickling down his neck onto his back and a fly hovering near his ear as he crept up to the edge of the counter. The moment he sprang to the other side, the fly rushed away from his ear and his eyes met nothing but the empty floor.
The adrenaline made his heart beat faster but Dean chuckled into the empty kitchen. The horror play from last night was finally getting to him. Wiping the sweat behind his neck, he set the ruler on the counter and went to take a shower.
When Cas came back, he rolled his eyes at the song he had heard about a million times and switched off the player.
"We can make much better music together" he murmured against Dean's eager lips before rushing them to the bedroom. The music they made was truly much better Dean realised as he heard Cas cry out his name and he replied back in kind. As they drifted to sleep in sweaty arms and soiled sheets, Dean forgot to tell Cas about the stupid scare he had got. It didn't matter anymore as he felt the strong arms tighten around his chest and pull him closer. It didn't matter, even as he felt that there was a faint sound of metal somewhere beyond their room. Dean slept through it all, content and cosy in his happy bubble.