February 28, 2013

Okay, so, maybe Dean had a little crush on Cas. Just a small one. Like, a really, really tiny one, but that was okay, since he wasn't going to, like, confess to Cas or anything. And it didn't even really mean anything––his brain was just confusing his mostly-platonic feelings for Cas, mixing them up with his not-so-platonic physical attraction toward Cas (and who could blame Dean for thinking Cas was hot? He was smokin'), and confusing that for a crush.

And, fine, maybe Dean had a little more-than-platonic attraction toward Cas, too, but that was only because Cas was kinda awesome. Besides, Dean would soon get over it because although Cas was awesome, he wasn't that awesome. It was a phase, like that one time he'd gotten obsessed with Days of Our Lives. He'd loved it, but a few months later, he'd realized it wasn't that good.

It was the same with Cas. He thought he had a crush––and maybe he did––but he'd get over it in a couple of weeks, tops. He'd find a hot chick or two and bang her, and if he did it enough times, he was sure he'd lose this stupid physical attraction toward Cas, and he could go back to wanting to be justfriends. So, really, the only reason Dean was currently on his way to the bookstore where Cas worked on his time off, two coffees in hand, was because he was an awesome friend, and a damn thoughtful person, too. There was nothing wrong with bringing coffee to your best friend––people did it all the time. It didn't mean anything, and it wasn't, like, a coffee date or something. Just two friends. Hanging out. Drinking coffee. Totallynormal.

He stopped in front of the bookstore, the large poster plastered across the window of the shop announcing, '50% OFF,' the sign up top reading, 'Page One,' in fancy script. He snorted to himself––it was the perfect place for Cas to work at––and pushed the door open with his shoulder. A bell announced his arrival, and he scanned the bookstore, searching for the familiar black hair, grin on his face at the thought of seeing Cas. They hadn't been spending much time together lately, and he really just wanted to talk.

The store was small and packed with books––row after row of bookshelves stared back at him––and to his right, he saw a sitting area with comfortable chairs and a fancy fireplace. The check-out counter was further in, and there was an attractive redhead standing behind it. His smile lessened as he failed to spot Cas among the hoards of books.

"Hey! Welcome to Page One," the redhead called, small smile on her face.

To flirt or not to flirt? Oh, to hell with it––why not? He had a plan to uphold, after all––get laid until the attraction went away. "Hey," he said, walking toward her with his most winning, charming smile in place, the one that helped him get away with anything. He squinted at her name-tag––yeah, he used it as an excuse to check out her boobs; she was well endowed––and added, "Anna."

Her grin grew, brown eyes sparkling. "Well, now that you know my name, it's only fair I learn yours."

Dean raised his eyebrows, smirk teasing his lips. "What, and ruin the whole 'attractive, mysterious stranger,' thing I've got goin'?"

Anna leaned forward, lifting an eyebrow. "Who said anything about attractive?"

"Ouch," Dean said, giving a dramatic wince before cocking his head to the side, dropping his voice as he asked, "You don't think I'm attractive?"

She leaned back, biting her lip, cocking her own head to the side as she smirked. "Nope." She popped the 'p'. "Not even a bit."

"Not even a little bit?" He'd ask about Cas as soon as this was done, because although the chick was hot, he'd come here for Cas, and he was going to spend time with Cas.

She ducked her head to hide her smile. "No, not even––."

"Dean?" Cas' incredulous voice interrupted Anna.

Dean straightened , cheeks warming. Shit. Cas had caught him flirting with Anna. He might get the wrong idea and think––.

Who cares if he does? It ain't like he's gonna care whether or not you go 'round flirtin' with or datin' some chick. Hell, he'd probably be happy for you, he thought, cutting himself off. It still didn't stop him from stuttering out a, "C-Cas?" He cleared his throat. Get a goddamn grip. "Hey."

"Hi." Cas' eyes flickered between him and Anna, who was looking between the two, brows furrowed. "Not that I mind, but, uh, what are you doing here?"

Dean noted how well the white-button down shirt fit Cas, glad he wasn't wearing the tan trench-coat that hid his body, for a second forgetting he was supposed to reply. He blinked––focus, Dean, Cas is talkin' to you––and said, "Oh. I was, um, in the neighborhood and decided to stop by."

Cas raised his eyebrows, eyes scanning Dean's face. "Really."

Dean winced internally. Okay, now that he thought about it, his excuse was really lame––Jesus, he might as well tattoo 'I'VE GOT A CRUSH ON YOU,' across his forehead, maybe do a little dance to go along with it. "Yeah," he said, holding out Cas' coffee. "Here, uh, I brought this."

Cas blinked before smiling that too-much-teeth, eyes-crinkled-at-the-corners smile that never failed to get Dean's heart racing. "Oh. Thank you." He put the books in his hands on the counter and took the coffee, sipping it before humming appreciatively. "You got the white chocolate mocha."

Dean shrugged, fighting to keep the heat off his face. A fucking smile should not make his insides melt into a puddle of goo, dammit. "Knew you liked it."

Cas tilted his head, smile smaller though still just as warm. "Thank you."

Dean took a sip, trying to calm down his jittery pulse. Jesus Christ, he was acting like a twelve-year-old girl in pigtails, facing her crush. Get a fucking grip. You're a grown-ass man. "No problem."

"Wait…" Anna started, eyes flicking between the two before landing on Cas. "This is Dean?"

Dean whipped his head toward her, having forgotten she was there for a second, and then at Cas, who was blushing. Blushing?

"...Yes," Cas mumbled, looking anywhere but at the two.

"Oh." She raked her eyes over Dean and smirked. "I see."

"Anna," Cas growled. Okay, the hell was going on here?

"What?" She turned too-wide-to-be-innocent eyes toward him. "I didn't say anything."

"Wait. What d'you mean?" Dean asked, eyes lingering on Cas before turning to Anna.

"Well, it's just––."

"Nothing," Cas cut Anna off, glaring. "Absolutely nothing."

"Yeah." She coughed. "Absolutely nothing. He's just told me you're his roommate."

Dean snorted. "Yeah, an' Bieber kicks Zeppelin's ass." He stared between the two, settling on Cas, and crossed his arms. "What aren't you tellin' me?"

Anna scoffed but Dean stayed focused on Cas, raising an eyebrow when no response came.

"...I just told Anna––," Cas started slowly.

"He just told me that me and you would make a good couple," Anna finished for him. "As in, we'd go well together. Or, at least, we'd work."

Dean veered his head toward Anna, arms falling to the side, lips forming an 'o.' "Oh." So Cas had been trying to set him up? He didn't want this Anna chick, didn't want to date some other chick, he wanted C––.

Dean cut his train of thought before it delved into dangerous territory. He wasn't poking that area with a ten foot pole. Hell, he was content locking it up in a box and shoving it to the darkest, most-out-of-place corners in his mind. He forced his disappointment and hurt down, knowing he had no right to feel anyof those emotions. Cas was being nice. He was doing a good thing, being a good friend, like he always was.

"Which is why he didn't want to tell you," Anna continued, and Dean forced himself to pay attention. "Because it would be weird. Also, he was joking when he said it, though I may want to take him seriously now…"

Cas had been joking? Thank God. A ridiculous amount of relief blossomed within his chest, though he still felt the urge to frown in a manly way––not pout––at Cas' joke. It wasn't a funny one, that was sure, but instead he raised an eyebrow at Cas, playing it cool. Couldn't let him start having ideas or something. "Seriously? That's what you weren't tellin' me?"

Cas nodded slowly. "Yes. I thought you'd find it...odd."

"But you were jokin', right?"

"Yes."

Dean rolled his eyes, shoulders relaxing as he heard the truth from Cas' mouth. "Then why'd I mind? You were kiddin'." He ran his eyes over Anna, more for show than anything. "An' I wouldn't mind bein' serious, either," he added with a wink.

Anna laughed. "Sorry. I'm already taken."

Dean raised an eyebrow. "Your point?"

"Dean," Cas warned.

"What?" He turned to Cas, all innocence and wide eyes. He had a reputation to uphold.

Cas sighed. "You are shameless.

Dean smirked. "That I am."

"Well, not that I'm not enjoying this, but I've got to go," Anna piped up, picking up a clipboard in her hand and pointing to the side. "Catalog the books and whatnot." She grinned at Dean. "Pleasure meeting you."

"Pleasure's all mine," Dean said, smiling back.

"But I've already cataloged the books," Cas pointed out, brows furrowed.

Anna stiffened for a second before smiling at Cas. "Yeah, well, we just got some new ones."

"No, I don't think––."

"Yes, Castiel, we do have new ones. You and Dean hang out here, okay? I'll be back in a few," Anna pressed on, grin too wide, shuffling to the side.

Cas blinked, hand clenching the cup. "Oh. Oh, yes. Okay."

"Thanks," she said, offering Dean another smile before darting away.

Dean frowned. They way she'd been behaving, it was almost as if she'd wanted to leave him and Cas alone on purpose, like one would when a friend's crush…

Nah. Couldn't be. Dean shrugged it off. Maybe Anna was just plain weird. "O-kay," he said into the silence, staring after her. "She all right?"

"Yes." Cas stepped behind the counter, focusing on the books he'd settled down. "She's just...in a rush to get those books cataloged."

When Cas looked up at him, Dean raised an eyebrow.

He shrugged in a 'What are you going to do?' way.

Dean decided to drop it. "So! You goin' to give me the grand tour or what?" he asked with a wide grin, sipping his coffee.

Cas smiled at him, all warm and fond, and Dean wondered what he'd done to deserve it. "I'd love to." He gestured to the side with his head. "Come this way."

Dean followed him into the rows of bookshelves.

Cas started talking. "So, these are all our fiction books––I know, you're not that big a fan, but bear with me, I'll show you the science section in a moment. Anyway, I'd give some recommendations, but I know you don't really like…"

Dean focused more on the tone of his voice than what he was saying, watching Cas' mouth work, noting the way his arms gesticulated as he started talking about the books. He felt a small smile work its way onto his lips as he saw how Cas' blue eyes were alight with excitement––Jesus, Cas was such a nerd, and it shouldn'tbe cute or shit, but it was––and he made sure to insert a wisecrack here and there to keep himself in the conversation. He didn't want Cas thinking he didn't care or anything.

And if, as they walked through the bookshelves, alone, Dean felt his heart thump loudly every time Cas laughed or smiled at him, or felt the need to pull Cas over for a kiss because he was just too damn adorable, or felt the urge to shove him up against the bookshelves and get that damn shirt off him and kiss him silly, he told himself that it was only his body reacting––not his fault––and his thoughts getting all confused, because Dean Winchester wasn't, like, falling or any stupid, sappy shit like that.

Especially not for Castiel Novak.

A/N: Oh, Dean. *sigh* When will you learn? Denial ain't healthy (SEEWHATIDIDTHERE?).

Anyway, you know how I said this was originally six parts? Well, I lied. Or, rather, I miscalculated (okay I just suck at counting, and my handwriting sucked so I thought there was another part when there wasn't). It's actually going to be five parts. Though I'm thinking of writing a short, smutty sequel which will pick up right after this story cuts off. Maybe I'll just add that to this story. Eh, don't know yet.

So, in conclusion, I don't know how many parts this story will have, because though I want to write a smutty sequel, I've never written smut. And it'll probably suck. So I probably won't post it. So, really, I may have just wasted your time. Sorry about that.

ANYWAY, I believe you've had enough of me rambling. Thanks for reading, and if you leave a comment/kudos, you're guaranteed to make my day. :)