The Cherry Pop was lit up like a carnival and the delicious smells of chicken and fries filled the air competing with the heady scent of apple blossoms from a nearby orchard. The sun had set, the stars were just beginning to shine and the weather was warm which meant the parking lot was full and busy as all get out. With only a week of school left before the kids were off for the summer the place was buzzing with teen chatter about vacation plans, parties and summer romance.

Sam rolled from window to window taking orders and delivering food. Somehow he got stuck as a carhop on the weekends now when they were most busy. He learned to just go with the flow and try to enjoy himself even though the guys from school gave Sam the business over doing what they saw as a girl's job.

Charlie worked the lot buzzing around like a little red headed bee making people laugh and smile. She had a way about her that boys thought was cute and girls found nonthreatening. When a black Bel Air rumbled into the parking lot Charlie planned on heading over after putting in her orders.

Sam spotted Dean's car and skated over to Charlie, "I'll take care of him."

She teased her friend with the puppy dog look on his face, "I thought he was a real jerk." She watched as an honest to goodness full on blush crept up his cheeks and Sam's whole demeanor changed.

The teen finger combed his bangs over his eyes and answered softly, "He's not such a jerk."

….

Dean blew in the palm of his hand checking for bad breath as soon as he spotted Sam skating over, "Man, Sammy looks so fly on those skates."

Dean hung his elbow out the car window and greeted Sam with a big grin, "Hey Sammy, miss me?" He couldn't see Sam's eyes very well with the all that messy hair hanging down. "Playing shy huh?"

He took Sam off guard, everything Dean just said could have many different meanings, "Yeah, I did miss you…I'm not shy."

"Sure you are. It should be against the law to have those bangs hangin' over your pretty, foxtail eyes." Dean realized that was way over the line, "Because uh…because the girls are missing out. What does your little redhead think of that mop on your head?"

Sam went from optimistic to hopes dashed in two seconds, "She doesn't care." He whipped a comb from his back pocket and worked his mane into a side swoop.

Dean glanced at the little menu on the post even though it wasn't necessary. He was broke and already knew what he could afford, "I'll get fries and water."

Having seen Dean's love of food first hand Sam thought that was a pretty skimpy order, "What's wrong, are you sick of something?"

"Nah, just really broke. I'm doing a set tonight at Starlight and Gabe is paying me cash so tomorrow I'll make up for it. Milt doesn't pay me till next week so I'm being frugal."

Sam answered shyly, "I can loan you a few dollars."

No one had ever offered Dean any sort of help before. He could tell Sam was sincere and that just made the singer even more attracted to the lanky teen. Sure Sam was the cat's meow but his insides seemed to be just as beautiful making him practically perfect to Dean.

He shook his head, "Thanks but like I said Gabe will give me some money tonight." He brushed his fingers over Sam's then quickly took his hand away, "But I appreciate the offer. I wanted to ask you something, I go on stage in a few hours and Gabe has me down for one song to open for Benny and the Blue Tones. After that I'm a free spirit. Would you like to hang out afterward? Maybe get some ice cream or a beer."

"I'm blowing it…sounds like I'm asking him on a date or hitting on him…save face Winchester." Dean added, "So far you're my only friend around here and it would be nice to have someone to talk with."

Sam's stomach did flip flops like the time he rode a Ferris wheel at the county fair. A giddy rush of excitement came over him, "Don't spaz out…don't act like a big girl." "Sure that would be cool."

Holy fuck he's blushing like a virgin on prom night. Maybe Sam is a virgin…" Wicked thoughts flooded his mind of a virgin Sam in the back seat of the Bel Air with his long legs spread open waiting for his first fuck. A pain shot through Dean's groin leaving a dull ache behind. He winced and let out a hiss. "Fuck you Mendella…you won't ruin this for me…won't run my life."

Sam reached in the open window and touched his shoulder, "What's wrong?"

"N-nothing a couple aspirin won't fix. Forget the fries and water Sammy I'm just gonna head over to Starlight and pull myself together. I'll see you around nine."

Dean sat backstage looking at himself in the dressing room mirror. The room consisted of a long, L shaped counter with chairs and mirrors surrounded by lights. There was even a bathroom for the talent to use and Dean found it all very impressive. He was stuck with Benny Lafitte and his band as they tuned their instruments and double checked their wardrobe.

Dean had no wardrobe and this didn't escape Benny; he stepped up behind Dean and placed two big hands on the teen's shoulders, "Hey child I hear this is your first time on a real stage."

The stranger with the smooth accent set Dean's blood to boiling, he shrugged Benny off, "Don't touch me and don't call me a child. Just because you're old doesn't mean you can talk down to me."

Benny put his hands up in surrender, "Whoa there, "child" is just a word I said in good humor and for your information I'm only thirty which I assure you is not old. You are quite young, nes pa?"

The teen gave the nosy guy an eye roll, "Hey I don't speak Spanish so stop showing off."

The Cajun thrust out his hand, "Let's start all over. My name is Benny Lafitte and I'm pleased to make your acquaintance."

Dean stared down at the hand offered for an uncomfortable minute then shook it, "Dean Winchester. Yeah it's my first time onstage but I've played in bars and stuff…well a couple times."

Benny plucked at the sleeve of Dean's worn chambray shirt, "You got any other duds to wear?"

"Nope, I was hoping to get by on talent and good looks."

The blue eyed man burst out laughing, "You tickle me Dean."

He waved over a young musician, "Dean this is Vic, he's my drummer. Vic do you have something this young man can wear on stage?"

The freckled ginger looked none too happy, "I don't have outfits to be loaning out to strangers!"

Dean jumped in, "I don't need your damn outfit so put a sock in it Vic!"

Benny pulled a dollar out of his pocket and handed it to his drummer, "Here, think of it as a rental."

….

Lucifer emerged from his office haven to experience Dean Winchester's stage premier. He didn't give two shits for acts that had nothing to offer him in the way of eye candy. Dean was young, pretty and a real challenge. Lucifer lived for challenges and the pleasure he received while breaking someone down until they submitted to him.

Lucifer loved Dean's cock sucker lips and someday soon he'd have that kid down on his knees as that sweet mouth sucked the spunk from his baby maker.

That was the only regret Lucifer had in his desire for ass instead of pussy, no babies. If it was possible to knock up Dean Winchester and force him to pump out an adorable baby to carry on Lucifer's legacy then everything would have been perfect.

Gabriel snapped his sleazy partner out of his dark thoughts. The short blonde gave Lucifer a nudge with his elbow, "What are you doing out on the floor, shouldn't you be goosing the busboys or something?"

"Hush Gabriel, I'm trying to concentrate on our new talent."

"I know very well what you're concentrating on. Leave the kid alone Luci, he might not even swing that way and no matter if he does, you'll damage him more than he already is."

Lucifer snorted, "What do you know about him?"

"Not much but I can tell he's haunted by the past and hasn't had an easy time…it's the look in Dean's eyes." He smacked his partner on the arm, "Behave, I mean it Luci."

Gabriel easily played to the crowd. He straightened his dashing plaid bowtie and let loose the button on his sleek black jacket, "Goooood evening beautiful ladies and lucky gentlemen. I know you're all eager to hear our headliner Benny and the Blue Tones…" a cheer went up, "…first I've got a real up and comer. Show him a lot of Starlight love! I present to you…Dean Winchester!"

Dean stepped up to the microphone with Suzy. He was dressed in Levi drainpipe jeans, a simple black tee and his old sneakers. The Jeans were the only thing borrowed from Vic. Dean said one word into the microphone, "Enjoy."

Benny's guys were set to play back up to Dean wanting to give the new guy a hand.

The teen jumped right into "Shake Rattle and Roll" a song that suited Dean and his style really well. The singer was grateful when Benny joined him in the chorus.
It was a feather in Dean's cap to have the headliner be so supportive and the audience sucked it all in.

I said shake, rattle and roll, shake, rattle and roll
Shake, rattle and roll, shake, rattle and roll
Well, you won't do right to save your doggone soul

Midway through the younger crowd left the bar and their tables crowding toward the stage, some danced while others cheering Dean on. The girls were going wild and at one point a garter belt was launched whizzing right past Dean's head.

I'm like a one-eyed cat peepin' in a seafood store
I'm like a one-eyed cat peepin' in a seafood store
Well I can look at you till you ain't no child no more

He swiveled his hips as he pointed to the crowd causing the females and a couple of the males to go crazy.

I get over the hill and way down underneath
I get over the hill and way down underneath
You make me roll my eyes, even make me grit my teeth

Benny finished up the last chorus with Dean and stepped back to allow the kid shine all on his own. Dean shouted into the microphone, "Thank you and goodnight!" He headed off stage high as a kite on the adrenaline rush.

Gabe was right there to greet him, "Kid that was incredible! You had the gals whipped into a frenzy!" He pressed some bills into Dean's hand, "For you, I see a raise in July when we renegotiate your contract."

Dean's thoughts were, "Real paper money and not a coin in sight!" but his answer was, "Hey thanks Gabe." He looked up at the big clock on the wall and realized it was already nine, "I gotta go."

"What's your hurry?"

Dean's smile shined brighter than the stage lights, "I got a date with a real beauty."

….

Sam sat glumly next to his faithful Schwinn waiting for Dean behind Cherry Pop; he glanced at his watch for the umpteenth time, "Nine twenty…maybe he's not coming. It's not like we had a real date, just buddies hanging out. Still, I'd take some friendship right about now."

He heard a now familiar rumble; the Bel Air turned the corner and came to a stop right in front of him. Dean hung out the open window looking like the cat that ate the canary, "Don't just sit there Sammy, get your skinny butt over here."

Dean had spread a blanket across two large, fairly flat boulders and invited Sam to watch the celestial show with him, moonlight reflecting off the choppy waves and the night sky awash with stars.

Sam climbed up and rested near enough to Dean to feel his body heat. Sam swore he could feel his skin tingle from the close proximity as if the singer gave off some sort of electrical magic. He set a brown paper bag next to Dean, "For you."

Dean looked inside, "A cheese burger and fries!"

"The food is cold though, sorry."

Dean talked around a mouthful of soggy fries, "Delicious, thanks Sam."

Sam took a swig from the bottle of cheap beer Dean had given him, "So how did it go tonight?"

"Great, the audience got into my singing. Benny even joined in. I didn't mind at all because it made me more at ease. I'm not a nervous guy but I'll admit to you that I had butterflies. Gabe said I did really good and he paid me cash money."

Dean reached in his pocket and pulled out the crumpled bills, "I got enough to eat on all week. Once Milt pays me I'll get a room somewhere," he raised his arm and sniffed a pit, "I'm pretty rank and lake water doesn't do much. It'll be nice to take a hot shower."

Sam Campbell experienced a fairly new emotion for him, jealousy, "What does that Benny guy look like?"

Dean shrugged, "Stocky, built, blue eyes. He said he's thirty so you know…old. I noticed the ladies seem to like him a lot."

Relived, Sam was able to muster up some dimples for his new friend. He wasn't aware how devastating his smile was to Dean. The sing could live and die by those sweet Sammy dimples.

The intricate dance of emotions began, both of them afraid of rejection or worse.

Dean had been tortured and abused mentally, physically and sexually at the hands of so called professionals and staff at Mendella. He knew all too well what happened to boys that were caught enjoying themselves with other males.

Sam had been told his whole life that feelings for another male was sinful, unnatural and meant the person was mentally ill and had no moral compass. His class had been shown educational films about the dangers of homosexuals and other deviants to innocent boys and girls.

Uncle Bobby had nothing to say about the whole subject good or bad. Sam had wanted to talk to him but didn't dare; he didn't want to end up in the booby hatch or prison.

The teens spent the better part of two hours just talking about anything and everything. Favorite music, food, movies, and once they went through the mundane they talked about their lives. Sam explained how he was raised by his uncle after his parents died in a fire and how he was hoping for a scholarship to go to the college of his choice.

He pressed Dean for details about his life because the signer was a mystery and Sam wanted to know all about him. Dean felt he needed to hold back not because he didn't trust Sam but because he wasn't able to trust anyone.

"My mom died when I was four so my dad raised me. Dad bounced from job to job and we moved a lot." Dean settled back down and faced the night sky so he wouldn't have to see Sam's reactions. "Sam you need to know I quit high school at sixteen. Maybe you don't want a friend like me being as smart as you are…if you don't then there are no hard feelings."

Sam rolled on his side bringing him closer to Dean, "I'd never stop being friends with someone because of that. Besides Charlie, you are my only other friend." At the mention of Charlie, Sam noticed Dean's jaw tighten up. "Dean I'm taking Charlie to the spring dance next Saturday."

Dean hoisted his beer in the air, "Here's to you and your girlfriend tripping the light fantastic. Why the big announcement Sammy, I don't give a crap about your love life."

Sam sat up and spent the next fifteen minutes peeling off the label on his bottle while Dean silently fumed even though he knew he had no right to.

"I love Charlie but as my friend…we aren't exactly dating." Dean stayed silent. Sam took a deep breath and made his confession, I've never even kissed her on the lips and in fact I've never kissed anyone." Sam waited for the older boy to laugh and tease at him like the guys at school. Instead Dean slid a little closer, their thighs just a couple inches apart.

Dean turned his face toward him; they were so close now that Sam could feel warm breath against his cheek. Dean's voice was a caress, "That's nothing to be ashamed of. A first kiss is a big deal Sam."

Sam was blushing furiously, grateful for the relative darkness, "Who was you're first kiss?" When Dean only grinned Sam became insistent, "Come on spill, I bet she was the prettiest girl in school." He laid back on the rock, arms folded, feeling all sorts of pissed off even if he didn't have a right to be.

"I can tell you it wasn't the prettiest girl in school. My first kiss was with a cutie though; the person was sweet and sorta shy with the prettiest blue eyes this side of heaven. That one kiss changed me Sammy…it made me know myself better."

"How do you mean?"

"I-I can't explain it now, maybe another time when we know each other better." Dean hopped off the rock and gathered up the empties, "You want a soda pop? I've got some root beer in the trunk."

"No I'm good, thanks though." Sam slid off the rock and stumbled right into Dean. They tumbled to the sand with Sam on top, he rolled off laughing like crazy and Dean joined in. Once the laughter subsided that was when they realized their fingers were touching and neither had pulled away.

Both of them were silent and still as the dead afraid to go any further for fear of scaring the other boy off. The fingers touching became Sam's fingers resting lightly on Dean's. "It's ok to touch hands, nothing queer about that…friends touching fingers…it's not like we're holding hands or kissing."

A questioning whisper of, "Sammy?" came from the dark. Sam turned his head to find he was nose to nose with Dean, breath mingling between them.

Headlights grew nearer down the dead end road toward the beach and the moment was gone.

Dean jumped to his feet, "I better get you home."

TBC

A/N- Dean calling Sam "fly" was a descriptive word actually used in 50's slang to describe a really attractive person, someone well put together. I think Sam qualifies.