From the end of chapter 1. Soldier Boy

Cas looked up and there was Dean his soaking wet hero, he took the help offered and Dean yanked him to his feet as if Cas were a feather. Dean held his hand a moment longer than he should have then let go. "Come on, I'll walk you home so you get there in once piece."

"I was doing fine on my own, go back to the floozy."

"Naw…she was there with someone and I struck out. I know, that's hard to believe with me being so charming and handsome but sometimes it happens. Besides I'm dripping wet now because I had to save your little ass."

Cas stuffed his hands in his pockets and shuffled along with Dean by his side. "Did you call me Blue Eyes before?"

"Yeah…you got blue eyes. I'm not that original with nicknames. You can give me one if you want."

Cas felt the grumpiness fading away, "I'll think about it."

…..

They entered through the locked door at the end of the alleyway. Dean thought it was pretty clean for an alley. Wooden crates were stacked neatly next to the cleanest looking row of garbage cans ever. Cas told Dean he was the one that kept it nice for Ellen, and Dean could see the pride the kid took in that.

Cas locked the door behind them and the pair headed up the narrow stairs that opened up into a hallway with four doors. One was the big apartment Ellen shared with her daughter, one was storage for the restaurant, another was Castiel's bedroom that was a former storage room and the last was a full bathroom the three shared.

Above the door of Cas' bedroom was nailed a horseshoe open side up. Dean pointed, what is that for?"

Cas reached up and touched it, "For baxt…good luck. It keeps evil from crossing my doorway. I put one over Ellen and Jo's apartment as well." He pulled a heavy silver chain from underneath his shirt with a handmade silver horse shoe the size of a half dollar hanging from it. "That's why I wear this. It was a gift from my mother."

Cas opened the door and Dean followed him into the small room. When the table lamp was turned on Dean could see the tidiness continued right into Cas' living space. "Nice and neat, I like that. I'm not a messy sort of guy either."

There was a large bed with an old mahogany frame and a lumpy looking mattress that dominated the room. The bedding looked clean and ironed. There was a nightstand with a crystal base lamp on top, a dresser, a board with a row of hooks that had clothing carefully hung across and an old overstuffed rocking chair that looked pretty comfortable.

Dean noticed a large plain cross on the wall above the bed, "Are you religious?"

Cas shrugged, "I don't know…it was my grandma's on my dad's side. My dad wouldn't allow me to go to church. My grandma Catherine would sneak me there for service sometimes. They are some of my happy memories of my grandma so I kept the cross. My belief in God comes from her influence."

He tossed Dean a threadbare robe, "here, you can hang your wet clothes in the bathroom and put this on. Everything should be pretty dry by morning, you can take the bed and I'll sleep in the chair."

…

When Dean got back Cas was wearing a shirt about three times too big for him and it hung past his bare thighs like a nightshirt. The kid was busy making a nest on the chair for himself.

"Cas I'll sleep on the chair, in a week I'm going to be sleeping on a shitty bunk every day and after boot camp it's going to be a bedroll on the ground or maybe a trench. I have to get into practice."

Dean heard Cas choke back what sounded like a sob. "What's wrong with you?"

He wiped his eyes with the back of his sleeve, "It makes me sad is all, the war and you leaving for who knows where."

Dean smiled to lighten the mood, "Come on, it'll be over soon I can feel it. Besides I don't have the luxury of tears so suck it up Cas, if I have to be strong then so do you. Besides, you might go; the lottery gets everyone sooner or later."

Cas shook his head, "No, not me. I failed the physical and psychological tests" He closed his eyes as if concentrating very hard, "I have this memorized; I am labeled IV-F, a registrant not acceptable for military service due to physical, mental or moral defect…apparently I am all three."

Dean sat on the bed and pulled Cas down to sit next to him. "That's none of my beeswax. Anyway I'm glad you're not going and I'm happy Sam is a couple years too young."

Cas felt Dean's fingers twine with his and he blushed from head to toe. He was still drunk and worried something might happen. Dean leaned in and tried to kiss him but he shrank back. "Don't."

Dean didn't listen; instead he traced his tongue around the delicate shell of Cas' ear causing him to shudder, "Why not?"

"Because if that Ester girl didn't have a beau then you'd be with her right now and I'd be here alone. I'm not stupid you know…you just want to do sexual things to me."

Dean did want to do sexual things with him but he also didn't want to blow it with someone he found so interesting. He decided the honest approach was the best plus the booze loosened his tongue a bit.

"You are right; I planned on doing it to Ester. I just wanted to get laid tonight, I could have gotten another girl or two when I struck out with her but you took off and I got worried because I don't think you can handle booze very well."

Cas shook his head and it made him dizzy, "I don't…I also haven't even kissed anyone before."

Dean looked over at the record player and the stack of records next to it, "But you dance though, Jo said you are great at it. How about tomorrow night we dance together when you're feeling better. No booze, just you and me and that big beautiful jukebox downstairs. Would Ellen mind?"

Cas gave him a shy smile, "I'll ask her if it's ok. Dean there is something about me that's different."

Dean kissed the top of his head and then crawled under the covers to sleep off the booze, "That's ok, Sam says I'm pretty different. Whatever it is will it stop you from dancing with me?"

"No."

He yanked Cas down next to him and snuggled in to keep warm, there was a robe, blanket and a shirt between them so Cas wasn't too worried.

"Nite Cas…sweet dreams."

Cas' body tensed but when he heard Dean softy breathing in a steady pattern he knew the young man was sleeping. Dean seemed to need the comfort so Cas placed his hands over Deans and drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

Both of them finally had someone to hold.

…..

The next morning a hard knock came at the door, it was Ellen. "Cas hurry up, the early morning crowd is yelled for grub!"

Cas realized he forgot to wind his alarm clock the night before. His body was tuned to wake at the jarring sound of the bells being struck by the hammer.

He rolled out of bed right onto the floor with a hard thud. Dean was already gone and Cas wondered if he had been just a dream. No note, no goodbye, it was as if he was a ghost that vanished in the night.

"Coming Ellen!"

He crawled around looking for his slacks and pulled them on and the rest went pretty quickly from there. Cas felt like crap, his belly felt raw and his head was pounding. Booze and Cas didn't mix and he vowed never to drink again.

…

Jo tapped her pad as Dean examined the breakfast items on the menu, "Eggs over easy, bacon, toast, and what the hell…a big waffle. I want coffee black and tomato juice for the hangover." He handed the menu back to her and flashed a smile brighter than the morning sun.

She rolled her pretty eyes at him, "Dean…rationing, we have a war going on. Do you think I've got a pig farm out back? We don't get any in until next week, Singer Farms supplies us with pork and things are tight. Also skip the waffle, we are low on flour."

"Well what can I get?!"

"Eggs and two pieces of toast, I think we have the tomato juice and there is coffee. Tell you what, I'll sneak you four eggs will that make you happy?"

Dean grumbled, "Ok."

Sam was too hung over to shake his head, "How can you eat all that?"

"How can you not Sammy? You're the size of a horse."

Sam ordered oatmeal and a glass of milk.

Jo bent down and kissed her fella on the cheek, "My poor baby."

Dean watched her flounce off to the kitchen; he gave a low whistle, "Sam you better keep her. She's the real deal, pretty, smart, a good dancer and she pampers you. She is going to give you some pretty babies."

Sam looked even greener around the gills, "geez Dean, I'm not thinking babies yet. I'm going to college you know; I'll have some with Jo later. Besides I bet you made enough babies with strange women to carry on the Winchester name."

Dean always talked a good game in front of Sam and other guys but actually he wasn't as experienced as Sam thought his brother was.

Dean pulled a little tin out of his pocket and held it up, "Condoms, I always use 'em Sam. Except with…you know."

"What?"

Dean leaned over and whispered, "Boys."

Sam wrinkled up his nose, "I would use them for that also."

Cas brought their orders over and briefly acknowledged Dean. The guy had up and left sometime during the night and he wasn't sure what had happened. He turned to leave and Dean caught his shirt sleeve, "Dancing tonight?"

Dean couldn't see it but Cas had a big smile on his face. "He does want to see me again...its real…I have a date!"

He calmly answered, "Yes dancing tonight."

Sam leaned toward his brother and whispered, "What was that all about?"

Dean watched Cas' little butt wiggle as he walked back to the kitchen, "I got a date with an angel."

…..

John had the radio on listening to the Adventures of Superman serial. Sam was listening with rapt attention and Dean was busy doing a crossword. His dad made him nervous most of the time and the less they talked the better.

When it was over John went to check the chili cooking on the stove, he gave it a taste test then declared it perfect. He called the boys over and they all shared a meal together. It didn't happen often, the relationship between the brothers and their father had been volatile in the past.

Since Dean was leaving next week all three had called a truce, John attempted small talk with his eldest. "I bet your really cuttin' lose this week, any pretty things to spend some time with? After all, soon you're going to be stuck with a barracks full of sausage."

Dean didn't think that sounded bad at all.

Sam dropped his head and started shoveling chili in his mouth; this was one conversation he wanted no part of.

Dean slowly mopped a biscuit through the chili, took a bite and gave his dad a shrug. He washed it down with beer and finally gave an answer John would like, "Yup, I found a real pretty thing."

"Good son, you deserve it."

"Hey dad can I borrow your suit? I have a date tonight and I want to look extra nice."

In an out of character move, John abruptly leaned over and gave Dean a one armed hug. "You can have the suit Dean." He was missing his eldest already.

….

As soon as they locked up and everything was clean Cas bolted up the stairs to take a bath. Ellen stood there with her arms folded and her mind full of worry, "Jo, I want to talk to this young man. Cas is like a baby, pure as the driven snow. It's not as if he can have a real relationship with this Dean character."

Jo heard the faint sound of a record playing upstairs and it made her smile. "Cas has to get his feet wet someday. Sure Dean is leaving next week but that doesn't mean they can't correspond. You know, males do have relationships with other males. They just have to keep it on the QT."

Ellen took off her apron and hung it up ready for tomorrow. "I'm going to hang around and meet this guy and put the fear of God in him."

…..

Jo poked her head in Cas' room and found him bare assed, he gasped and she screeched then started giggling. "Oh I'm sorry!"

He wrapped his robe around himself, "Geez Jo, knock!"

Jo entered with a hand over her eyes and held up a shirt on a hanger, "You have a cute rump." She giggled again.

"You can look now. What's the shirt for?"

"I made it for you. It's from the other curtain, I know there's tiny blue roses on it but try it anyway. That was all the fabric I had."

Five minutes later he stepped into the hall and did a spin, "How do I look?"

Jo clapped her hands, "Fabulous, it fits you perfect! Dean is waiting downstairs; you better hurry and rescue him from mom."

…..

Cas found Ellen grilling Dean about his intentions. Dean seemed to be taking it in stride with no ruffled feathers. He hoping off the counter stool he was spinning on and thrust out a bouquet of painted daisies, "I don't know if you like flowers but here yah go."

Cas looked Dean over taking all of him in from his carefully combed dark blonde hair and the baggy navy suit he was wearing, Dean was perfect. He took the bouquet and pressed the daisies to his nose, "I've never gotten flowers before thank you Dean."

Ellen pointed to the daisy stuck in her hair, "He won me over; I give you my blessing to date this handsome charmer." She patted Cas on the head as she walked by and disappeared to enjoy her evening.

…..

The Wurlitzer cast soft, colorful light across the tile floor as the young couple slow danced to "I've Got a Crush on You". Dean sang the lyrics with a clear deep voice low in Cas' ear.

I've got a crush on you, sweetie pie
All the day and night-time give me sigh
I never had the least notion that
I could fall with so much emotion….

Their bodies gently swayed together, there was no rush. Dean wanted everything perfect and if nothing happened then he decided it would be ok. He did a turn with Cas the wrapped his arms about the other boys slim waist.

Could you coo, could you care
For a cunning cottage
That we could share
The world will pardon my mush
'Cause I have got a crush, my baby, on you….

Cas had only danced with girls, namely Jo and Ellen. He did recall memories of his mother dancing with a little boy Cas in her arms but he wasn't sure if that counted. Dean felt different, all hard angles and strong muscles.

"You smell nice Dean."

Dean brushed a kiss against Cas' cheek and murmured, "It's called Old Spice."

"Well it seems very fancy, I like it."

Dean pulled back and stopped their dancing, "I want to kiss you but I know you haven't before, could I?"

Cas straightened up and nodded, "Ok."

Dean broke into a big smile, "Great, here goes."

He dipped the smaller boy in his arms and fit their lips together perfectly. He didn't stop the kiss until Cas finally got the hang of it. Dean righted him and let go, "How was that?"

Cas staggered back and plopped down on a chair with a dazed look on his face, "It was tingly and magical and…" he didn't finish his sentence, instead he gazed up at Dean with love struck eyes.

Dean went down on one knee and took Cas' hands in his, "You wanna kiss more?"

"Yes please."

TBC

A/N- Shulton, Inc., the original producer of Old Spice, was founded in 1934 by William Lightfoot Schultz. The first Old Spice product was intended for women, introduced in 1937. Old Spice for men followed in 1938 during the 2nd world war.