Sorry for the long wait!
The tears dripped into Castiel's lap as he still avoided looking at Dean, who seemed to be struggling with some internal battle.
"It is not something I particularly like to talk about, and anyway, why do you care?" Castiel said in a small voice and looked over to the elderly man across the street, walking his dog without a care in the world it would seem.
"I don't know, but I promise, if you do decide to talk, I'll be here to listen" Dean put a warm hand on Castiel's shoulder and went to stand up, but Castiel stopped him by grabbing his arm.
He looked up at Dean, who seemed to get the hint that Castiel did not want to be alone right now. He sat back down but kept his hand on Castiel's shoulder and strangely, it was quite comforting.
Castiel was glad it was dark because at the moment, his face was quite flushed and his heart started to hammer in his chest again at the feel of Dean sitting beside him.
The minutes dragged on and neither of them said anything to each other, until Castiel made a sudden and surely foolish decision.
"I was twelve"
"What?" Dean looked at Castiel, puzzled.
"I was twelve, when I first hurt myself, I was twelve"
Somehow, the words just kept flowing out of his mouth and he ended up telling this stranger about every bad thing that had happened in his life; from when his parents died, to a few days ago when he was beat up in the parking lot of the local supermarket.
Somewhere in there he started sobbing again and Dean was just looking at him intently, waiting for Castiel to finish talking before saying anything.
"I don't expect you to understand any of this but, thank you for listening" Castiel said after he had finished and went to stand up and walk away, but he somehow ended up pressed against Dean's chest, grabbing fist full's of his shirt and letting his tears soak in.
Dean smelled faintly of car oil and cheap deodorant and all Castiel wanted to was never let go of him. Dean rubbed soothing circles on Castiel's back and murmured soothing words to him.
Eventually they pried themselves apart and Castiel noticed they were standing very close. Dean noticed as well and took a step away.
"I think I should take you home Cas"
"Cas?"
"Uh…yeah" Dean rubbed the back of his neck and looked at the ground "Unless you don't want me to call you that"
"No, it's fine" Castiel got a warm feeling at the sound of his new nickname; he even smiled a little.
"So, which way Cas?" Dean asked and Castiel jumped a little, he had been staring intently at Dean, lost in his deep green eyes.
"Uh… this way" Castiel led Dean out of the playground and along down the winding streets, past the dull coloured houses. The lampposts lit the streets with a ghostly yellow glow, which illuminated Dean's handsome face even more. Castiel snuck glances at him every now and then as they walked slowly along the road. They didn't say anything to each other until they reached Castiel's front door.
Castiel stood awkwardly at his front door as he waited for something to be said. He made a quick decision.
"Thank you Dean, I-I appreciate this" Castiel muttered
"Well… you're welcome" Dean smiled and Castiel's heart almost stopped "I should really be getting home, I'll see you Cas" Dean said and put a comforting hand on Castiel's shoulder before he walked down the path and down the street a fair way before disappearing around a corner.
Castiel's grin stayed plastered on his face all the way inside, but disappeared when he saw Michael and Anna waiting for him in the lounge room.
Castiel squared his shoulders and prepared for the storm.
Dean rounds the corner and walks down the street until he catches sight of his baby parked on the side of the road.
All Dean could think about on the way back home was Castiel and how broken he had looked when Dean came across him in the park. Dean thought about the strange coincidence that they were both at the playground at then same time, he had only been there to get away from his annoying little brother and his mother talking about her glory days in high school.
All that night the face of that strange boy filled his thoughts; Dean wondered why he was so emotional and girly around him. Hugging? Dean doesn't hug, ever, what is so special about Cas?
Dean drifts off to sleep with impossible blue eyes stuck in his mind.
Dean felt like he had only just closed his eyes when he woke up to the annoying beeping of his alarm. He groaned tried to bury himself in the pillows and warm blankets.
"Dean! Up now!" Mary's voice called from downstairs. Dean cursed and stumbled out of bed and into the kitchen.
He had faced questions about where he was last night, but Dean rolled of some crap about being with Jo and Ash from school. He didn't know why he wouldn't tell them about Castiel and the playground. Sam was unfortunately more persistent and confronted him in the car on the way to school.
"All right jerk, no more bullshit, where were you last night?" Dean turned to glare at him.
"I told you already!"
"And I don't believe you" Sam's put on his bitch face and glared back. Dean sighed.
"All right then" Dean proceeded to tell him about the incident in the playground, he rambled on about Cas for a while even though he hardly knew the guy. When Dean had finished, Sam had the biggest shit-eating grin on his face.
"Dude, you've got it bad"
"Shut up bitch! I just want to help him, maybe be his friend, that's it!"
"What ever you say, jerk" Sam smirked again and stared out the window. Dean's face was faintly pink when he stepped out of the car, he started to look for Castiel and spotted him jump out of an expensive looking and hurry through the front doors of the school; already getting looks.
Dean caught up with Jo and Ash who were standing by his locker when he arrived.
"Hey dude! You missed a great party last night" Ash says, "You should have seen Jo, she is definatly the funniest drunk I know"
"Hey! You get way more drunk than I did!" Jo yells
"No way darlin' you were way worse" Ash laughs as they walk down towards their English class "Making out with Victor Hendricksen, you must have been pretty smashed to do that"
"Well at least I wasn't the one who ran down the street wearing nothing but moose antlers at new years last year!" Jo huffs and stomps towards her seat. Dean was laughing throughout this whole exchange.
English was a drag, listening to Mrs. Talbot go on and on about the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet really loses its charm after a while.
When the bell finally rang for lunch Dean rushed out with everyone else and made his way to the cafeteria. He was about to follow Jo and Ash to a table when he saw a lonely figure sitting on a corner table and reading a thick novel.
Dean made a quick decision and walked over to the table, the curious looks of Jo and Ash following him the whole way.
Castiel looked up when Dean sat down at the table.
The look on his face was priceless.