Charlie had her best smug-little-sister grin ready for Castiel when he got to the store. He groaned when he saw her waiting for him.
"This is one time. One. Time. This doesn't not excuse any of the times you have been late, so you can just wipe that smirk off of your face." Her face was turning bright red from the effort of trying not to laugh. Castiel just rolled his eyes and pushed passed her into his workroom and laid his head down on the table.
"Come on, you won't let me just have this? Be a good sport, Cassie, I never get to rag on you… Hey, what's wrong?" She had poked her head into the room.
"Long night," he muttered into the wood. "I'm a moron."
"Dude, I'm your sister. I already knew that."
"Give me ten minutes. I'll come out and you can gloat then." He felt her kiss the top of his head before she left. He just needed a few moments to collect his thoughts and get his mind back into the right place. The store was barely a year old, he had no time to be thinking about dating. Especially Dean! He needed the money this job could bring in, it would give them a lot of breathing room where their business was concerned. He would ignore the fact that he hadn't been with anyone in a long time, that no one had even caught his eye. He was going to forget about green eyes and sandy hair and his scruffy jaw and they way his jeans had fit oh so perfectly over his ass…
FUCK! He dragged his hands through his hair. Why do I have to make everything so complicated? Castiel sat up and took a deep breath. I can do this. I can get this job. I can do this job. And I can forget about any other jobs I'd like to do where Dean is concerned.
He got up and tried to smooth his hair down as much as possible, it was a habit that did nothing to tame his perpetual bed-head. Another deep breath and he went to join Charlie in the shop.
"So what has you all churned up," she asked immediately. "What happened to cool, collected, never gets his feathers ruffled Cas?" He had to smile. The Apocalypse could be happening and Charlie would never change. She would always nag him but manage to comfort him at the same time.
"It's all overreaction, just creating problems in my head that don't exist anywhere else."
"Hey that's my favorite hobby! What are these problems that don't actually exist?"
"It's really nothing. I'm letting it go. I have everything I need right now, the store is getting on its feet, I can do what I love… There's nothing else I could possibly need right now." Charlie gave him a sad look.
"If I thought you really meant that for even a minute, I'd beat some sense into you. If you want to believe that right now, then I won't poke at you about it." She sat down at her station and started pulling materials out of the drawers.
"Thank you for your restraint."
"You deserve so much more." She replied, quietly. Castiel closed his eyes and swallowed the lump in his throat. Sometimes he wished Charlie didn't know him quite so well.
"I have a birdhouse I want to finish today, give me a shout if you need me up front." She nodded and continued to look through boxes of stones.
They worked separately all morning. Cas lost himself in his project, nothing else helped quiet his mind like working. Well, maybe there were other things but he wasn't going down that road. When he finished nailing the house together and sanding all the surfaces down smooth, he decided to paint. Unfortunately, he was low on most of his colors, and completely out of the buttery yellow he wanted on the tiny shingles. He grabbed his bag and started to leave the shop.
"Hey, I need to run over to the store, I need paint. Can I pick you up something while I'm out? Food?" Charlie looked up at him rubbed her eyes, she had been working on an intricate chain. She smiled and nodded.
"I would love a grilled chicken salad if you don't mind."
"I never mind." They stared at each other for a few moments.
"Look, Cas…"
"Charlie, I… Sorry, go ahead." She threw herself into his arms and hugged him.
"I just want you to be happy. I know you're content, but you should be ridiculously happy every single day of your life because you are the best person I know. Please stop saying you have everything you need because you don't, I know you, and you don't. I love you so much. So, so much." He rested his forehead on her shoulder.
"How did this day end up so serious?"
"I don't know, but I'm kind of glad it did." She pulled away enough to look up into his eyes. "I don't know what has you so…stirred up, but I have a feeling it's going to end up being very important." He offered her a wry smile.
"I need to relax and stop turning everything into a crisis."
"You really do."
"I'll get you your salad for lunch." She kissed the tip of his nose.
"You're awesome." He dropped his bag on the counter and dug out his wallet.
"I'll be back in a half hour, I need to go to the store on the other side of town. I'll stop and order our lunches first."
Dean had his Baby back. Bobby had called him to let him know the part was in and the impala was ready to go. He celebrated by taking her out on his favorite back roads. Windows down, music turned up, he felt free. Suddenly he wasn't as worried about crashing with Sam and Jess. He could stop hanging around like a bum all day and start getting things done.
Speaking of getting things done, he decided he would stop into Castiel and Charlie's store on his way back into town.
"Good morning, be with you in a sec," he was told when he walked in the door. Charlie was hunched over a table fiddling with something under a lighted magnifier. Dean thought he could hear her mutter under her breath. He looked around the store at the displays. His favorite had to be an ornate side table that had a drawer full of different colored fresh water pearl necklaces. "Oh, Dean. It's just you." He turned back toward her.
"I have to say, Charlie, as a greeting that really sucks." She cringed before smiling apologetically.
"Sorry, it's been a weird morning."
"Don't worry about it." He gestured at the table he had been admiring. "I really like how you guys combine your pieces like this."
"It was Castiel's idea. He said it would make the store feel more casual, customers would imagine how pieces would work in a home. I really couldn't ask for more beautiful places to show off my jewelry." She opened a bottle of water and took a long swig. "Is there anything I can help you with? Buying for a special someone?" Charlie batted her eyelashes at him. He laughed and shook his head.
"Not today, sweetheart. I wanted to see if Cas was around to show me his work."
"He had to step out, supply run, getting our lunch. He should be back soon if you don't mind waiting around for a little bit."
"I don't mind at all. Does he have a portfolio or anything I can look at?"
"He does, I'll see if it's in his workroom." She disappeared into the back room. A few minutes later she came out empty handed. "He usually has it here for when customers want to get an idea for custom orders." She picked up a worn leather messenger bag on the counter and started to look through it, finally pulling out a sketch book. "Why don't you look through this? It's only his sketches and ideas, but it should give you an idea of his design style. You can pull up the stool and sit at the counter if you want."
Dean sat down and took the book from Charlie. The first few pages were detailed drawings of different options for table or chair legs. He thought he recognized some of them on furniture around the store. Dean smiled when he turned to a page with a drawing of Charlie as an elven queen, but felt a little odd. Clearly this book was personal, but Charlie had said it was alright. He pushed aside his unease and continued to flip through. He paused for a good five minutes on a doll house. Dean decided on the spot he would order one for his future niece, perhaps for her fourth or fifth birthday.
"I had no idea Cas made toys." Charlie walked over and peeked over his shoulder.
"He hasn't made that yet, but he's done a few rocking horses and some race tracks for matchbox cars. I know he would love to do more fun projects like that but most people aren't looking for wooden toys. I guess kids just can't appreciate anything so simple these days." She reached over and turned a page. "Oh! This must be the sketch he turned into that box he brought out a few days ago. The tree looks amazing carved into the cover." She pointed towards the book shaped box sitting on the counter. "There was a pair of elven ear cuffs inside but I sold them to a Lord of the Rings fan yesterday."
"He's really talented, did he build this counter and case?" He ran his hands over the wood.
"He sure did. He also built my work table. Cas has a real gift for making functional look beautiful." Dean nodded in agreement, turned the page, and gasped. Charlie leaned over to see what he was looking at and could have kicked herself.
Dean was staring at…himself. Castiel had drawn him laughing at something, or maybe in the middle of saying something amusing. One side of his mouth curled up in a crooked grin, and his eyes looked off to the side.
Of course this is when Castiel walked back in, a shopping bag in one hand, take-out containers balanced on the other.
"You didn't tell me what kind of dressing you wanted, so I just got you honey mustard…" He trailed off and the color drained out of his face when he saw Dean and Charlie obviously looking down at his sketch pad. He couldn't move, it was written all over Dean's face that he was on the page showing the portrait Cas had drawn the previous night while he couldn't sleep. He tried to speak but a strangled squeak came out instead.
Charlie's eyes darted between the men. If she could have willed the ground to open up and swallow her, she would have been half way to China.
Dean cleared his throat and closed the book.
"I don't think I have nearly that many freckles." Castiel let out the breath he had been holding, Dean didn't sound offended or angry.
"I guess I took some artistic liberties." Dean laughed.
"I might have to hire you for two jobs! Sam's birthday is coming up and I bet he would love a portrait of Jess."
"Two jobs?" Castiel's heart beat sped up.
"You do incredible work," Dean told him. "I would be stupid to look for anyone else." He ran his hands over the counter again. "I'd like my bakery case done with softer lines, a good classic diner style, but this is about the size I'm looking for. Obviously we'll have to take some measurements in the space."
"I-I'm sure I can come up with something that will work for you and your shop."
"I want you to make some tables too… I'll come up with a list, then we can meet and work out the details. Materials, labor costs, time frame. I don't want anyone else in there, Cas. You're the best and I want and need the best."
"I would be honored to accept the job, Dean." He set down his bag and the food to extend his hand. "You will not be disappointed," he promised. Dean took his hand and shook it enthusiastically.
"Now that the business is out of the way, why don't we discuss pleasure?"
"Excuse me?"
"Dinner. I'd like to take you out for dinner." Now Castiel's heart was racing for a different reason.
"Are you asking me out on a date?" Dean turned to Charlie.
"Is he always so obtuse?" She giggled and linked her arm with Dean's.
"I try to make him suitable for human companionship, and I fail miserably."
"Yes, I'm asking you out on a date." His green eyes glinted with amusement. Cas swallowed and fidgeted nervously.
"Um, yes. I would like to have dinner with you."
"Great!" He kissed Charlie's cheek and pulled away from her. "How about tomorrow night, here's my number…" He pulled out a pen and Castiel stared in amazement as he actually wrote his phone number on the palm of his hand. "You text me your address, and a time that works for you and I will come pick you up like a proper gentleman." Cas looked up, clearly bewildered and nodded slowly.
"Tomorrow night is fine, I will text you." Dean grinned and brushed his thumb over Castiel's fingers before releasing his hand.
"I look forward to it." He winked at Cas and sauntered out the door, leaving Castiel with rubbery knees and Charlie doubled over in laughter.
