Sitting under the stars with Dean, talking, kissing, touching. It was like a dream. His voice soft. 'Will you still be real in the morning?'
'This isn't ground hog day Cas.'
'I do not understand the reference.'
'Just, I'm not going to vanish, you don't get rid of me that easily Castiel Novak.' He frowned in the darkness. 'Hang on, Novak, as in Novak Shipping?'
Cas sighed. 'Yes.'
'Wow, I've met your uncle, Zachariah, he's a total dick.'
'I am aware of this fact. When did you meet him?'
'His orthopaedic surgeon sent him to me after having his knee reconstructed.'
'You must be very good at what you do.'
Dean shrugged dismissively. 'I don't like to blow smoke up my own arse.'
'I can not imagine why anyone would do that.'
'Are you always so literal?'
Cas nodded. 'Apparently it is one of my many faults according to my cousins.'
'Where you guys close as kids?' Dean unlocked the car and slid behind the wheel as Cas joined him.
'Not particularly. My aunts disappointed Grandmother so I did not see them often growing up.'
'That sucks, I can't imagine not being around Sammy.'
'I can tell by the way you speak of your family you are all very close. It must be nice.'
'You hang out with your cousins now though.'
Cas laughed softly as he watched Dean start the car and drive him home. 'I do not think I speak the same language as my cousins.'
'I think there's nothing wrong with the way you speak.'
'Thank you Dean.'
'In fact, I think you're pretty damn talented at using that mouth of yours.' He winked at Cas and flashed him a warm smile as he pulled into a parking space outside the blue eyed man's apartment. 'Should I ah, walk you to your door?'
'I think I would like that.'
'Is my baby going to be alright out on the street like this?'
Cas nodded. 'This is a very safe neighbourhood, the likelihood of your car being effected by thieves is very slim.'
'You're the insurance guy.' He locked his car and followed Cas into the building.
'Perhaps you would like to come in.' Cas pushed the button for his floor, they stood next to each other, shoulders touching as the lift rose to the tenth floor. Cas unlocked the door of his apartment as Dean followed.
'Nice digs Cas.'
'Thank you. Can I get you something to drink?'
'I ah, don't know.' He raked a hand though his hair, the movement lifting his shirt to casually reveal toned abs and a faint line of hair dipping into his jeans.
'What is it you do not know, Dean?' He advanced on the green eyed man and slid his arms around his waist.
Dean was torn, he didn't want to be just a Friday night fuck. Sitting by the lake kissing was one thing, one very enjoyable thing. But it would be too easy to fall back into old patterns and just jump straight into having sex. This time he wanted something different, sighing as Cas's head dropped onto his shoulder. Breathing in the clean apple scented shampoo he wanted to melt into the man holding him. 'You aren't making this easy for me.'
'I apologise Dean. It is not my intention to make this difficult. But I, I find I desire to spend more time with you.'
Dean grinned. 'I'd like that too Cas.'
They broke apart as Cas led him to the bedroom.
'I do not wish to be presumptive but I also wish for you to stay the night. I would offer you my spare room but Balthazar is currently staying with me.'
Dean stopped moving as he considered what Cas was asking him.
'Perhaps I presumed too much.'
'Cas, can we sit down a moment?' He looked around the room for a seat that wasn't Cas's bed. 'I, it was easier to talk to you in the dark.'
'I can turn the lights off if you prefer.'
Dean smiled at how serious Cas looked. 'How did you survive high school?'
He shrugged. 'I am stronger than I look.'
'Huh.' Dean filed that away to explore later. 'I just.' He sighed. 'I don't want to be a one night stand.'
Cas leaned into Dean as if personal space was a concept that only belonged to other people. 'Dean I do not wish to be a one night stand either. I too have not always had much success in the way of relationships.'
'I don't know why, I mean we are both really attractive men.'
'You have insecurities that people are only interested in your looks and I find they are invariably only interested in my family name.'
Dean reached for Cas's hand. 'I don't care who your family is. There is something about you that I just seem to recognise. And I hate chick flick moments so if you ever tell anyone I said that, I will deny it.'
Cas smiled. 'Thank you Dean. I too feel as if I know you, not just the image you give others with your green eyes and leather jacket and your car, but you.
'Don't dis my baby.'
Cas leaned in and pressed his lips against Dean's ear. 'I happen to like your car.'
Dean yawned and stretched, trying to work out why he was wearing his clothes from the night before and where he even was. Until brilliant blue eyes smiled at him and he remembered lying back on Cas's bed, talking. Sharing disastrous dating stories in between kisses until Cas had pulled a blanket over them both and sleep claimed them.
'Morning Dean.'
'Hello Cas.'
'Did you sleep well?'
'Did I sleep well.' Dean grinned. 'Yeah, I did.'
'I am pleased, apparently you like to cuddle, is this also something you will deny?'
'Absolutely.'
Cas leaned in as Dean moved closer, lips meeting as the door flew open and a British voice boomed into the room.
'Cassie, I hope I'm interrupting...'
Dean could feel Cas's cheeks redden as he threw a pillow at Balthazar with deadly accuracy before he pulled Cas into his arms for a proper good morning kiss. Breaking apart Dean groaned. 'How long is he staying with you?'
'That depends on when our Grandmother dies.'
'There's a cherry thought.' Dean muttered as he rolled out of bed. He followed Cas though the apartment and into the kitchen, finding Balthazar on the phone while making coffee.
'I told you, ye of little faith I said.' He looked up and smiled. 'I'll talk later, the lovers have just walked into the kitchen.' He laughed before ending the call and smiling at Dean. 'Gabe says hello and asked me to check if you were both safe.'
Cas groaned as Dean shook his head.
'Anyway.' Balthazar continued. 'How do you like your coffee?'
'Splash of milk and no sugar.'
Balthazar rolled his eyes as he pushed two identical coffees towards Dean and Cas. 'Did you take an add out in the personals to find each other.' Muttered in his English accent, missing Dean's blush. He watched them sipping their coffees, their redeeming feature was how cute they looked sitting together, knees touching. 'Don't forget we have dinner with the Grande Dame tonight.'
Cas groaned softly. 'Oh goodie.'
'So, what do you boys want for breakfast?'
'I need options Balthazar. And how do I even know you can cook?'
'Oh I can cook you heathen. Pancakes, bacon, eggs, toast?'
They turned as the door opened and Gabriel bounded into the room. 'I heard pancakes.'
Dean shook his head. 'Does everyone have a key to your apartment?'
'Just my cousins.' He looked at Balthazar. 'Pancakes it is, if you will.'
Dean opened the door and let himself in, calling out. 'Honey I'm home.' Letting the door shut behind him as he moved though his brother's house. 'One bacon salad as promised.'
Sam looked up from the vegetables he was chopping. 'Is there actually any salad in that?'
'Sammy, you wound me.' He pushed the salad bowl towards him before folding Jess into a hug. 'And how is my gorgeous sister in law?'
She rubbed her belly. 'Looking forward to this one being out. I want my kidneys to myself.' She looked at Dean and reached out, brushing fingertips over a bruise at his collar. 'Something you want to share with the group?'
Dean blushed. 'Ah, no.'
Sam smiled. 'Dean Winchester.'
'Oh shove it Sammy, save the lawyering voice for court.'
Jess laughed. 'Because that always works.' The first time she had seen the two brothers bickering she hadn't known what to make of it, but Mary had assured her they had always been like this.
'Sam, my name is Sam, Sammy is -.'
'A chubby twelve year old.' Jess and Dean chorused.
'Oh very funny you two.' He pointed the knife at his brother. 'And no changing the subject, spill.'
'What if I don't want to.'
'I'll just call mom.'
'How do you cope in court, it isn't like you can threaten them with calling mom.'
'Jess honey, pass me the phone.'
'Could you at least look like you aren't enjoying this.' Dean grumbled as he squared his shoulders and glared at his brother. 'Fine, counsellor. I met him last night, his cousin happens to be one of the doctors I work with sometimes at the hospital.'
Jess smiled. 'Which one?' Being a nurse she knew most of the doctors.
'Gabe Milton.'
'Please tell me he's nothing like his cousin.'
'Oh he's nothing like Gabe.'
Sam looked up from tossing his vegetables into a pan. 'Isn't he the short one who keeps playing pranks?'
Jess moved closer to Sam and smiled up at him. 'Next to you honey, we are all short. Even Dean.'
'Told you all that bacon would stunt your growth.'
'Sammy, I happen to be the perfect height.'
'Whatever, jerk. And his name?'
Dean smiled as he watched Sam help Jess onto a stool, this was what he wanted. 'Cas Novak.'
'As in Castiel Novak?'
'Yeah, you know him? His family is some sort of big deal in transport.'
'A bit of a big deal? That's like saying you sort of like your car, or that you kind of like pie.'
'Don't you go and dis my baby.'
'Rebekah Novak's on a number of charities and committees, although.' Jess reached for a glass of water. 'She's been passing a lot of that onto her daughter in law the last year or so.'
Sam shuddered. 'That Naomi's a scary woman.'
'Which one is she?' Dean frowned at his brother.
'Zachariah's wife.'
'Now he's a class A dick.'
Jess laughed. 'You ever met his wife?'
'Yeah, I got a bad vibe from that woman. She looks like the sort of person who'd eat a kids pet bunny rabbit for the hell of it.'
'And you're telling us that the only male Novak, other than uncle Zach, is gay.'
'Cas has cousins, Gabe and Balthazar.'
'Ah, but they aren't Novak's with the family name are they.'
'When did you become such a cynic Jess?'
'I've had to put up with Gabe bitching about his grandmother a lot longer than you have.'
'When you put it like that.' Dean shrugged. 'It's hardly important to me is it. And Samantha, save the bitch face, I'm not shagging the guy.'
'Yet.'
'Well.' Dean grinned. 'That does go without saying, I mean, look at me, I'm awesome.'
'It doesn't bother you?'
'How awesome I am, nah, why would that bother me.'
Sam shook his head as he stirred his vegetables. 'That's not what I meant, I've met the matriarch of the Novak family. She's worse than her daughter in law.'
'So?'
'Old families have old expectations.'
'Cas is a decent, ordinary person, he works in insurance for crying out loud. He wants to get a cat and keep bees.'
Jess put her hand on Dean's arm. 'You really like him.'
'Yeah but don't start planning the wedding yet, we only met like, last night.'
Sam watched his brother blush, not something he saw often. 'When do we get to meet him?'
Dean shrugged. 'Duno, he's got some family dinner thing tonight and I haven't seen him since I left his place this morning.'
'You stayed the night?'
'Sammy, when did you become such a prude?'
'When I realised I was having a child and he or she might grow up and meet someone like you.'
'Funny.'
