Warnings: Rated M... for reasons
Destiel


Circling the City

Chapter 3


Dean made his way back into the city right around nine. He gave himself extra time in case there were traffic issues, or problems finding parking. He figured it would be better to just walk anyway to wherever they decided to go. He'd looked up a few places in the area. Cars were too inconvenient when you didn't know the roads well enough and he was constantly in fear of some fast driving dumb ass rear ending his baby. Then again he did have to give it to New Yorkers, they knew how to get where they were going fast, and without issue. With the impala safely re-installed in a little parking garage a few blocks down, Dean trekked his way back up to Fifth to find the little shop. The streets were covered in a fine layer of salt, keeping them free of ice despite the build-up of snow lining the edges. All around him the city was alive with light. Flashing signs, blinking displays, holiday decorations strung out along walls and the edges of the buildings leaving the already bright environment decked in a merry sort of color that was enough to put everyone in the Christmas spirit.

He took his time walking, hands bundled down into his pockets while he peered out from behind the high line of his scarf. Even now the streets were filled with people and cars. It really was the city that never slept. Couples, families, business men just getting out of the office… everyone was headed one place or another. Store windows twinkled to catch the eye of passer-bys and sell their wares. Dean paused now and then to look at some of the more impressive displays. By the time he reached Castiel's shop he'd managed to waste twenty minutes moving slowly but couldn't convince himself to wait the remaining ten. Glancing through the window he pushed open the door and glanced around. Most of the lights were off and the music had been shut down for the night, leaving the café' in a warm glow, the only sound to be heard, that of the bells on the wreath of the front door that yet again marked his entrance. He glanced around. "Cas?"

"You're early."

Castiel stepped from the door Dean knew led up to his apartment and closed and locked it behind him.

"So are you." He smirked in reply. "Convenient, that…" He said, gesturing to the door.

Cas glanced at it then back up at him. "It is. Thankfully there's also a door that leads in from outside the shop." He waved his hand towards the right of the front door indicating where it was. "I can't exactly invite people through the shop during business hours." He commented.

"True enough."

Dean took the moment to look at the man. He'd changed from the white shirt and black pants he'd been wearing earlier while working. Now he was wearing a dark button down and tight fitting jeans. He was in the process of wrapping a dark blue scarf around his neck and tucking it into the front of his black winter coat. Dean just sort of gazed.

Cas noticed him looking and glanced down at his wardrobe. "Is this ok? I can go change…"

"No no… I mean yes, it's fine. You look great." Dean assured him with a grin.

Cas looked relieved and wandered up to Dean's side, flipping a few switches as he went. The last of the lights went out and only the strings of Christmas lights in the window and over the door continued to glow, leaving the entry way cast in the light of the street lamps from outside. He glanced up at Dean. "Ready?"

Dean shook his head. "One more thing." He couldn't help but grin wryly at the mildly confused look that slid over the shop owner's face before it was whipped away by instantaneous understanding the moment Dean took a step closer. The green eyed man could hear the other's breath hitch as he reached out and wrapped his fingers in the front of the heavy winter coat. Dean leaned in slowly, making sure Cas wasn't going to pull away before he let his lips brush the other's mouth. It was tentative at first. Just the barest touch, like he was relearning the feel of Castiel's lips against his own even though he'd stolen a kiss earlier that day.

Cas wanted nothing more than to lean into Dean at that moment and kiss him till they were both panting for air. But he kept his mouth closed. It was no longer out of spite. Instead, this time it was out of a tiny, teasing little hope that the action might elicit much the same one he'd gotten the first time Dean had kissed him.

Dean chuckled, fingers tightening as he pulled the blue eyed man closer and opened his own mouth to run his tongue across the seam of the other's lips. When Cas stayed still he'd have been grinning from ear to ear if he hadn't been so focused on the kiss.

He pulled away the barest inch. "I'm not going to bite you again Cas…" He whispered.

Cas blinked. "I never…" Before he could finish the thought let alone the sentence Dean was moving back, lips sealing down over Castiel's as his tongue pushed past the man's now open mouth to seek out battle with the tongue beyond, driving him to instant silence with luxurious sweeps of his own.

Cas moaned slightly. He'd been well and thoroughly had. Clever bastard. It was a testament to the skill of the game Dean was playing that Castiel hadn't even seen the tactic coming. They stayed like that for a long time, tongues tangling in a war that didn't care who won. Cas' hand found its way to the back of Dean's head, holding him close as they kissed. His heart picked up its tempo and by the time the green eyed man pulled away he was panting, eyes half lidded and dark, cheeks pink from both the chill in the air and the kiss.

Dean licked his way off the shop owner's lips with a smirk and straightened out. Green eyes remained trained on the other's mouth for some time as he collected his own breath before he finally moved them up to the dark blue gaze watching him. "I've wanted to do that all fucking day." He muttered.

"You cheated. Again." Castiel accused when he finally got his breath back.

Dean snorted. "You say that a lot."

"That's because you do it a lot. I'm beginning to question your morals Dean Winchester." He quipped, his voice low, the deep gravel clearly more pleased and amused than anything.

The green eyed man only grinned. "Question my morals all you want… just so long as you don't doubt my intentions."

Cas straightened out as well, fixing his coat and sniffing. "I've added those to the list of things to watch out for." He commented.

Dean raised an eye brow, intrigued. "There's a list?"

"Yes."

"Care to elaborate?"

"At the moment? No. It's under construction."

Dean snorted a laugh. "Well then, I may have to find a few other things for you to add to your list as you consider. In the meantime, what would you say to some dinner?"

"Sounds perfect, I'm starving. Any ideas of where we're going?"

"A few…" Dean moved back and opened the door leading them both out into the street. "To be honest though, you know the neighborhood way better than I do. I was hoping you'd suggest something good."

Cas smiled. "Smart man." He winked. "Hmmm…" He glanced down the street and Dean could practically see him mapping out the surrounding area in his head. "Well what are we in the mood for? I'd rather nothing too fancy though there is this place I've been meaning to try… it's only a few blocks away. A rooftop bar called 230 Fifth."

"Isn't it a little cold to be eating outside?" Dean pointed out.

Cas tipped his head. "It's heated."

"Seriously?" Dean looked impressed.

"So I hear."

"Awesome. Let's give it a shot."

The pair set off down the street after Castiel locked the door. "So I never asked… what brought you back to the city?" He asked glancing up at the other man. As they walked their shoulders brushed now and then sending small shivers down the blue eyed man's spine.

"Sammy's on break." Dean started.

"Gabriel said he goes to Stanford." Cas commented. "Do you have family in the city that you're visiting… I mean… New York and California aren't exactly close." He pointed out.

Dean smirked down at him. "Really? I hadn't noticed." He got a real kick out of the flush that made it's way across Cas' cheeks. The green eyed man relented, however, when it didn't look like Cas was going to let the question drop. A flush of his own crept across his face. "No family." He finally offered. "We used to do a lot of travelling together… Sammy and I. I thought a road trip might be a nice break for him."

"So you just packed up and came to New York."

"You're a persistent bastard you know that." Dean grinned and sighed. "Alright fine…"

"Dean I didn't mean…"

"I was hoping I'd find a way to see you."

Cas went totally silent. He didn't even realized he'd stopped walking till Dean paused as well a few feet ahead and turned around to see that the blue eyed man was no longer moving forward before backtracking and stopping to stand in front of him. Cas didn't move he just sort of stared at Dean.

The other chuckled and waved his hand in front of his face as if to reclaim his attention. "Did I lose you? Cas you in there? You look like you've shut down…" The look on his face was one of wry amusement.

Cas finally blinked once, then again and seemed to snap back to himself looking, if possible, even more embarrassed than he had before. He tipped his head again slightly in that way that always made Dean want to push the man against a wall and kiss him till neither of them could breathe.

"You what?"

Dean snorted. "Took you long enough to come back. I said I was hoping to see you. Is that too hard to believe?"

"No… I… well, to be honest… yes. You said last time…"

"Forget what I said last time. It doesn't matter, and honestly… I had no idea what I was leaving behind when I walked out last time."

Cas blinked again. "Excuse me?" Dean rubbed the back of his head and for a moment looked pretty much anywhere but at the blue eyed man before he took a breath and set his attention back, he opened his mouth to speak but Cas beat him too it managing to collect his thoughts past his former confused question enough to actually form words. "I don't… I don't see how you could say that… "no idea what you were leaving behind"… it was just one night… and I didn't even manage to call you back… we don't know anything about each other… I mean besides our conversation last year." He flushed and was about to speak again but this time Dean took the chance to cut him off.

"Cas… hey, hey, stop." Dean frowned slightly when Castiel essentially bashed his whole comment. "I do know." He assured the shop owner catching his gaze and holding it. "I know because I spent a whole year waiting to hear from you, and yes," he held up his hand when Cas looked like he was going to try and say something. "we never got in touch. But I was the one who broke my phone and you tried. I'm not lying man. You say we don't know each other… well that's why I came back… because I want to know you. I want to learn what it's like to be with you, to be around you."

"You said…"

He was cut off when Dean started laughing. "Cas! Ignore everything I said… well everything I said that wasn't about how amazing and fucking gorgeous you are." The dark haired man flushed at that and shifted from one foot to the other uncomfortably. "I said I don't do forevers… and depending on you… maybe I don't. I said I don't like to stay in one place… but I came back. I feel like that should speak for my intentions a little more than what I said a year ago."

Castiel looked both shocked and unconvinced. "What do you mean, depending on me?"

Dean smirked. "What do you think I mean?"

"But it was only one…"

"So help me Cas you say one more thing about it just being one night and I'm going to pin you to that wall and make it a second just to void that argument." He looked a bit uncertain then. "Unless…" He flushed and suddenly realized he could have been taken as coming on far too strong. "Unless your involved… with someone…. Shit… I didn't even think…"

Cas studied his face for a moment more still stuck somewhere between processing the bit about taking him against the wall and the look on the green eyed man's face as he finally stopped speaking. His whole body heated instantly at the comment. The thought of being with Dean out in the open somehow scandalously appealing. He waited for a moment and finally chuckled.

Dean flushed and waited. Now it was his turn to shift awkwardly from foot to foot, though he realized what he was doing pretty early on and put a stop to it, electing instead to stay still and just wait for the bad news that either Castiel was seeing someone already or that he really didn't have any interest in starting something up with Dean.

Cas' chuckling turned in to a full out laugh for a few seconds before he smiled brightly up at the green eyed man. It was one of the most brilliant things Dean had ever seen. His eyes shown the deepest and brightest blue, his cheeks were flushed from pleasure and the chill of the winter night and his tongue licked over his lips before he grinned widely.

"I'm not seeing anyone Dean." He finally offered, earning a quickly released breath from the man in front of him. "Nor was I looking for anyone else…" Dean frowned a little. "After all, you're a hard act to follow."

Dean smirked. "It's my stunning good looks isn't it?" He quipped teasingly a breath of relief finding it's way out amongst the words.

"It's everything." Cas admitted without hesitation.

"So then… you feel like giving this a try?" The green eyed man asked. He didn't want to come on too strong… pressing a relationship when they'd essentially known each other for only two days. But Cas' face, the sound of his voice, the feel of his skin, all of it had been floating around in Dean's head for a year. When he'd come back to the city, he'd come with the intention of telling Cas flat out that he was more than interested. This was the best Cas was going to get out of him.

Besides he'd dragged Sam hundreds of miles across the country after the younger had practically beaten him over the head to go back. He'd have never lived it down if he'd hidden away without even saying anything to Cas.

Castiel smiled more softly this time. "I think a try could be arranged…" He flushed slightly. "How about that meal first though…"

Dean blinked. "Oh! Right... sorry." He rubbed awkwardly at the back of his head but was smiling just as widely as the slightly shorter man in front of him. "Some gentleman I am huh?" He offered. "But to tell you the truth… the thought of losing you to someone else just cause I didn't have the balls to say anything was too… well you know…"

"Do you always babble when you're nervous?" He asked with a smirk.

Dean flushed. "I'm not babbling!" He huffed then glanced away. "Ok, yeah, fine, I do… happy? Come on… lets eat." He reached out to grab Cas' hand and with a determined expression led them down the street in the vague direction of the restaurant the shop owner had picked.

Castiel couldn't help the slight smile that continued to pull at his lips and instead of being dragged along he moved a little faster to stay by the other's side, guiding him without taking the lead so that eventually they ended at the predetermined destination.


It was a stunning view.

Dean realized pretty early on how much of a goner he was when it occurred to him that he wasn't looking out over the night-bright city but rather at the shop owner as he bent over his menu.

Christ, he was screwed.

Dinner was easy. Like that first time in the Café, when Cas had wandered over and offered up not just a coffee, but an ear, someone to listen, someone to chat. Dean was reminded all over again what it was that had drawn him back in the first place. They talked about everything. Family, work, travel. How Cas had always wanted to go out west but had never had the chance. How Dean was scared to death of flying- though he made a point of saying it simply made him nervous rather than terrified- and huffed when Castiel grinned his blatant disbelief. He found out that Cas was the youngest of five and swapped stories with Dean about what it was like to be the youngest and eldest in their families. They'd both gone to school but Cas preferred his Café and Dean the road. Office jobs weren't for either of them. Cas liked cats and Dean was undecided but admitted that there was something to be said for a pet that didn't beg you for attention every few moments.

Cas' favorite color was green and Dean told him his was blue and they both ended up blushing furiously, like two school kids admitting to having a crush.

It was ridiculous. It was perfect.

By the time the waitress came around with the check they'd spent upwards of two hours just chatting. The restaurant hadn't thinned of its patrons though, it was truly a city that never slept. Castiel reached for the check but the green eyed man snatched it out of his fingers, much to the other's irritation.

"I can get that."

"I bet you could. But I want too."

"Dean."

"Shut up Cas." Dean grinned, pressed his card into the slot and handed the booklet back to the waitress who seemed to think that the whole thing was too cute for words. She disappeared leaving the dark haired man to continue his glare. Dean only smirked in return and leaned forward. "I'm going to have to do something about that frown." He hummed.

"And what would that be?"

"I was thinking of licking it off."

Cas flushed so red Dean almost burst out laughing. The shop owner leaned back in his seat and tried to quell his blush. "Are you always this vocal about your plans?" He managed, though his voice sounded a little strained and Dean counted it as a victory.

"Not always. But I've kinda gotten hooked on the way your ears go red." He grinned and Cas scowled and blushed anew.

"Here you are gentlemen." The waitress was back, setting the booklet back on the table and Dean smiled politely up at her. "I hope you both have a pleasant evening."

"Oh we will." Dean grinned and this time it was the young woman's turn to blush. She beat a hasty retreat and the green eyed man turned his attention back to Castiel who was staring at him, mouth agape. "What?" Dean chuckled. "Are you disagreeing with my plan?"

Cas could only shake his head wordlessly as he fought to keep the rest of his face from going cherry red.

"Than what do you say to getting out of here…" Dean watched the way the other man swallowed, the slow movement rippling through the muscles of his throat and for a moment his mind was filled with all sorts of inappropriate images of just how that throat would look swallowing around him. He coughed and blinked, glancing back up at Cas.

"I think…" Cas cleared his throat. "I think that would be a good idea."

Dean grinned and stood. Together they made their way down the flights of stairs since there were too many people waiting at the elevator. And besides, Dean wasn't sure he could have kept his hands off the shop owner in such a confined space even with all the other people there to watch.

As it was, he didn't do a very spectacular job of keeping his hands off Cas in the stairwell. They had about three floors more to go before getting to the front door when Dean reached out, snagged the man's hand since Cas had been leading the way, and pressed him up against the nearest wall.

Castiel's breath hitched when his back hit the wall. His mouth fell open as if he was going to say something, but it was too late. By the time he could gather his thoughts to mention that they only had a little further to go, the words were scattering as Dean's tongue swept across his in a slow, heady kiss. His hands came up to fist in the lapels of the other man's coat, unconsciously pulling him closer as his head tipped against Dean's mouth. The other man's hands slid beneath the fabric of his own coat and across his hips, fingers travelling unfairly and perfectly against the little patch of skin revealed above the line of his jeans. Both sets of eyes flickered closed and Dean leaned a little more firmly into Castiel, pressing him against the wall and grinding his hips slowly forward, leaving the sorter man in no state of wonder about just how much he was enjoying the kiss. Cas hummed a little and swiped his tongue over Dean's teeth before it followed back to tangle somewhere in his own mouth.

When they finally pulled away both men were breathless. Cas' mouth hung open slightly as he sucked in air and Dean- the fucker- was grinning like he'd won the lottery.

"That was…"

"Awesome." Dean finished for him. "God. You're fucking perfect."

Cas didn't blush this time. Instead he grinned, the same sort of grin he'd given Dean the first time they'd kissed. It was sure and maybe even a little feral, rather than coy and uncertain.

"I think we should go home now…" He managed. Dean didn't move though, he simply pressed a little closer.

"Or…" He purred into Cas' ear. "I could take you right here… against this wall. Where anyone might see…" He bit gently into the skin beneath the man's ear and Cas shivered. God but he could actually imagine doing it. Letting Dean press him against the wall. Fuck him till he was begging. Right here where any door could open at any moment. Dean had threatened him with the same thing before and Christ it was only getting hotter the more he considered it. It was unthinkable. And he almost said yes.

Eventually though his thoughts gathered themselves and Cas just barely had the will power to push him away. "Maybe next time." He said breathlessly.

Dean grinned. "All right. Lead the way then. There are hundreds of walls between here and your place and I'm not going to promise I can hold back…"

Cas' knees almost went out from under him at the hot pulse that shuddered through his body at such words but finally slid out from in front of the green eyed man and stumbled the rest of the way back down the stairs.


A/N: I lied. I'm a terrible person. I know this. dont kill me. This isnt the delicious bit. ENJOY THE SEXUAL TENSION. Mwahahahah.
Seriously though, thanks so much for sticking around for more! There will likely only be one more chapter after this one and this time i really do promise to give all you lovely people all the smutty goodness you're waiting for.
In the meantime... you should all review. You know you want too. And really. when you review... I remember that this fic is a thing. For instance shout out to 67impala who reminded me that I have readers waiting to hear what happens next!
Kiss kiss!