AN: Thank you for reading.

Chapter Four- I told you, he must like you.

There were very few things in life more disappointing than losing a game. Especially if the opposing team happens to be big and purple and it's the Sunflower Showdown. The Jayhawks put on a brave face as they left the field, but inside the locker room, the team was dead silent. It was an agonizing defeat; fifty-six to sixteen and every man feeling like the blame was on them. Dean tossed his gear into his bag and followed his team back to the bus dreading the three hour drive back to campus where he would be left with his own thoughts. Robins wasn't even saying anything. Jordan, normally so enthusiastic and upbeat, sat in front of Dean in stoic silence. Dean shoved his headphones in his ears and drowned the world in Led Zeppelin.

When they arrived back in Lawrence, Jordan gave him a half-hearted pat on the back as Dean slipped into his car and drove home. His apartment was just off Ohio Street and wasn't far from main campus. Traffic was mercifully light and he made it home in just under seven minutes. Upon opening his door, something fluttered out and hit him on the shoe. Dean picked it up and went inside, immediately going down the stairs to the kitchen to grab a beer. He flicked the paper open and instantly recognized the neat handwritten letter.

Call me as soon as you get home.

Cas

Dean didn't need the little note at the bottom detailing who sent this letter and it made him smile despite his melancholy mood. He found himself reaching for his cell phone before he could think better of it. Cas answered on the third ring.

"Hello, Dean."

"Hey, Cas." Dean took a swig of beer, "I got your note."

"Good! Listen, I have some seriously exciting stuff to show you, are you busy?"

"Cas, it's like one in the morning man. Can't this wait?" Dean grumbled and immediately wished he hadn't. The disappointment in Cas' voice was unmistakable as he tried to back pedal.

"Oh, yeah. I'm sorry, of course. You had the game today. You must be tired. I'll just talk to you Monday evening. Goodnight Dean."

"No, Cas. Wait." Dean commanded almost positive he was going to regret this later, "I'm sorry. Bad game." He heard Cas sigh over the line.

"What was the score?"

"Fifty-six to sixteen." He said drinking again and he heard Cas hiss.

"Ouch."

"You're telling me."

"Well, I'm sure you did your best Dean." He ventured and Dean laughed.

"Thank you for that complacent answer Cas. It's much appreciated."

"Complacent? Good word. I'm proud of you Dean. You've finally reached fifth grade vocabulary. Perhaps we can graduate to Hooked on Phonics next." Cas quipped and Dean laughed louder.

"Listen, you know what? I changed my mind. I'd really like some company if you wanted to come over. I could use a distraction even if it is just to worry about my grades." Dean offered and he could almost see Cas' answering smile.

"I'll call a cab and be there shortly." Cas said and the line clicked dead. Dean put his phone back in his pocket and flopped down to wait on his friend.

Dean shook himself out of a stupor when a heavy knocking sounded upon his door. He sat up groaning and made his way up the stairs to let Cas enter. Sometime in the last few minutes, it had begun raining and Cas stepped into Dean's apartment with his head bowed and a tan trench coat wrapped around him. Dean watched, oddly transfixed as Cas shrugged out of the coat revealing deep gray slacks and a navy blue sweater over a light blue oxford, the tail of which stuck out from the bottom just over the top of his pants. Dean's eyes followed Cas' hands as they dragged through his black hair, but they snapped down almost immediately distracted by Cas opening his eyes. Dean felt like he had been hit full force by a 500 pound line-backer. He'd never seen Cas without his glasses before and the difference was astounding

"Fuck." Dean had whispered before his mind could fully process what his mouth was doing. Cas reached up and scratched the back of his neck, looking at Dean somewhat sheepishly. Dean felt his mouth go dry and wasn't even aware that he was staring until Cas shifted nervously in front of him. Dean blinked a few times and smacked his mouth shut, pulling his gaze away from Cas and leading the way down the stairs, completely missing the way Cas was staring at him, his face all needy and sad.

"Want a beer?" Dean asked as Cas took a seat on the couch, removing a binder from his bag.

"Can I have a Coke?" he chanced but Dean shook his head.

"I don't drink Coke, shit's gross. I only have Dr. Pepper." He offered and Cas nodded.

"I'll take one of those then. Thanks." He voiced as Dean handed him the cold can and sat down next to him. Cas popped the top and took a drink before setting the can on the window ledge behind him and opened his binder before looking at Dean very seriously. Dean was once again struck dumb by how fucking blue Cas' eyes were. He couldn't remember ever wanting to maintain eye contact with anyone for so long. Cas seemed to either be unfazed by Dean's blatant staring or was just choosing to ignore it. Dean tried to pull his eyes away, but found it impossible so he just settled on making his gaze as soft as he could, silently apologizing to Cas for making the air around them awkward. Cas cleared his throat and turned towards Dean, pulling his legs underneath him as was his custom. "Okay, you can't breathe a word about what I'm going to show you. It's Top Secret, okay?" Cas warned and Dean nodded. "I'm not joking Dean, I could get into some serious shit for showing you this." Cas' gaze burned into Dean's and there was a collective cease-fire on the synapses in Dean's brain as he went into shut-down mode.

"Jesus Christ you're gorgeous." Rushed from his lips in a breath and Cas was visibly startled. His eyes went wide and he looked away from Dean, effectively breaking the trance the other was in. Dean shook his head and tried to make sense out of his muddled thoughts, but was unable to see through the haze. Cas cleared his throat again and continued on as if Dean hadn't just uttered the single most embarrassing (not to mention confusing) sentence of his life. Cas pushed the binder into Dean's hands and Dean opened it, looking down at the papers.

"Your physics professor gave me the questions that will be on the Midterm next month. He made me promise that we would go chapter by chapter, moving at the same pace as the rest of the class. We still have to find our own answers, but now at least, we know what to look for." Dean raised his eyes to Cas' in disbelief.

"Why would he do this?"

"I told you, he must like you." Cas encouraged but Dean shook his head.

"Isn't this cheating?" he asked suspiciously but Cas indicated the negative.

"It's just a study guide. The rest of the class gets one too; you're just getting yours a bit early. I pitched the idea for the final project to him and he was really impressed with how hard you're working and how committed you are to this academic change. He wants to help in any way he can." Cas smiled at him, "Aaaand…" Cas dragged the vowel for all it was worth as he flipped pages in the binder, "I kind of bullied the teachers into giving me an update on your grades. You're only failing one class now."

"Let me guess, physics?"

"Physics." Cas confirmed, "but that's why Professor Milton is willing to go so above and beyond for you. He recognizes change and is rewarding you for it. You've got the current material down like the back of your hand. You're going to nail that test next week and that will definitely help bring your grade up to passing. If you can manage a seventy on the test, that would bring you up to a sixty-three percent! You wouldn't be failing any classes and your spot on the team will be secure!" Cas finished and Dean couldn't help but smile.

"This is so awesome Cas. Thank you. I mean, if it weren't for you, I'd-"

"Please Dean. You act like I don't get anything out of this."

"Yeah, your letter of recommendation…"

"No, I like being able to hang out with you." Cas admitted and Dean felt heat creep into his cheeks.

"Believe it or not, but I don't really have any friends and being with you…It's like hanging out. You know, with a friend." Cas spoke softly, shyly and Dean couldn't help the bubble of happy pride swelling within him.

"I am your friend Cas." Dean said and was glad he did because Cas' entire face lit up in a smile of such agonizingly sweet sincerity that Dean had to look away with a short, embarrassed laugh.

"I'm glad to hear that Dean. And I promise that when I'm president, I'll let you pick out a few policies as a thank you for not being a dick to me in college. Hell, I might even pull you out of your Wal-Mart job to be one of my advisors. You know, In case the White House needs a greeter or something." Cas laughed and Dean hit him in the face with a pillow.

"You're a dick, you know that right?"

"Don't be mad just because I'm smarter than you." Cas said holding his hands up to fend off another pillow attack.

Cas bounded down the stairs in Dean's apartment and entered the living room where Dean was sitting on the couch, typing on Cas' laptop. Cas grinned at the sight before moving into the kitchen to grab a Dr. Pepper.

"I'm going to grab a soda. Do you want anything?" he asked and Dean mumbled something about a beer, his eyes never leaving the computer screen. Cas opened the fridge and stuck his head in to pull out a beer. It was when he was reaching for a Dr. Pepper that he paused when a large red box caught his eye. Cas smiled and pulled a Coke from the fridge. He stood back up and looked at Dean, an odd fluttering making itself known in his stomach. He popped the tab and opened Dean's beer before joining him on the couch, curling up next to him, but not touching. Never touching. Dean glanced over at him and Cas lifted up his Coke can. "Thanks." He said and Dean just shrugged, but Cas could see the hint of a smile that Dean tried to keep hidden.

AN: Thank you again for reading. Please feel free to review, I'd love to know what you think.