I hope you guys like it so far... I don't own any of the characters just the plot line. Putting it out there now!
Dean POVCas had run out of the house as if he'd seen a ghost. Which Dean really prayed wasn't the case; they'd had enough ghostly activity here for one day, thank you very much!
Still though when Dean had tried to ask him a little bit about himself he had gotten really weird, scared even. He'd said that he didn't have many friends, but Dean couldn't see how that was. He was a perfectly nice guy and Cas was someone Dean expected to have lots of friends.
"Dean? Mom and Dad will be home soon. Should we make dinner?" Sammy's voice carried through the house from the bottom of the stairs.
Dean blinked and looked toward his open door.
Dinner was the last thing on his mind but Sammy wouldn't be asking about it if he wasn't hungry.
With his mind still wrapped around what he had said that had freaked Cas out so much, he trudged downstairs and into the kitchen. Sam followed close behind him with a grin. Dean ignored his little brother and grabbed a pot from the cupboard.
"You know you are old enough to make the food yourself right?" Dean said, his voice had a tone of annoyance and the look his gave his brother matched that tone.
Sam shrugged and replied with "Yeah but you are the better cook."
"Fair point." Dean replied, still extremely annoyed though.
Even if Sam could cook, Dean didn't really want him around the gas stove or the fridge even for that matter. He knew the boy was fourteen now and still the thought of him around sharp knives and gas flames made him wince. The boy was just not cut out for the kitchen.
Dean began to boil the water for pasta and chop up some green onions and red peppers to put with it. While he chopped he let his mind wander and think about how he should approach starting his friendship with Cas.
The boy was obviously really shy and he didn't want to scare him. Maybe just start small, get to know him bit by bit and show him that he wasn't going to hurt him and that he didn't have to be afraid? Dean couldn't help but think that that was probably easier said than done. So maybe tell Cas a lot about himself and then help him to become more comfortable around him so that Dean could also get to know Cas a little bit better.
The water began to boil, signaling to Dean that it was ready for the pasta. He stopped chopping and pulled the pasta container down from the cupboard, pouring a good half of the container into the pot. When that was done he went back to his other preparations. The onions and peppers were now chopped. He pushed those to the corner of the cutting board and pulled out a carrot stick and celery stick. Chopping those he let his mind go back to wondering.
Yes, he would tell Cas about himself while they studied and if he wanted to, he could offer up information about his life as well. Dean wouldn't force him to say anything. Cas would come around all on his own. That had to be the way to do it.
Satisfied with his conclusion, he finished up the celery and then went to see how the pasta was doing. He fished one out of the pot, cooled it down and then ate it.
Still needs some time. He thought and turned around to see Sam look at him with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Can I help you?" Dean asked.
Sam just continued to smile "No, I have everything I need."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing." His little brother replied and put his head back down. He was working on homework and Dean felt a swell of pride for his little brother. Even if he did show him up and always got good grades, Sammy was going places in life and Dean couldn't help but feel happy for him.
A few more minutes passed of Sam working and Dean constantly checking to see if the pasta was ready yet. After about three or five minutes it finally was. He brought the pot over to the sink and drained poured the contents into the strainer. The water poured out of the holes and Dean shook the pasta around just to be sure that it was all gone. He then dumped the pasta back in the pot and began to add seasonings. He put in pepper, curry, oregano and mint. Stirring those together he eventually added the onions, peppers, carrots and celery.
He mixed it all together and called it done.
"It's ready." Dean announced and Sam was over beside him in a flash.
Sammy looked up at his older brother grinning "Smells great."
Dean snorted a little as he grabbed two bowls down from the cupboard "Glad my baby brother approves."
He didn't even have to look at Sam to know he was pouting.
"I'm not a baby Dean."
"You are to me Sammy."
His brother pouted and then grabbed the bowl Dean had prepared for him. Sam took a fork out of the utensil drawer and then went back into the dining room and sat down. Dean poured two glasses of milk, grabbed them both plus his bowl and followed Sammy.
He placed Sam's cup beside his brother and then dug into his own meal.
"This is good Dean." Sammy said around a mouthful of pasta.
Dean couldn't help but laugh, it was such a simple dish and yet his brother was grinning like he was eating a gourmet meal. It was the one skill that Dean had completely gained from his Dad. John was a pretty good cook himself and so he and Dean usually made the meals. Whoever was home at the time when Sam got hungry had the honour of the task. As long as they cleaned up their own messes and did the dishes.
"I'm glad you like it Sammy."
They continued to eat in silence, Dean simply enjoying the meal and Sam working as well as eating. The brothers were very different when it came to academics. Dean took his time and procrastinated with all his assignments, while Sammy did them the moment they were placed in his hands, probably yet another reason why he was the good child.
Mom and Dad came home a few minutes later and Dean grinned as they praised the smell of their home.
"I see you made dinner Dean." Mary said walking into the kitchen and then coming out with a bowl of her own.
"Yeah, I hope you like it." Dean replied with a smile.
"I know I will."
John came in a few seconds after with a bowl as well and sat next to Sam. He ruffled his son's hair and said "Put that away for now Sam, its dinner time."
Sam muttered something and gave a small groan of protest, but still did what he was told and put his school supplies on the ground. Sam had to be the only kid Dean knew that got upset when his parents made him stop doing homework.
They ate as a family almost every night. They didn't let anyone get in a dispute over anything. It was the one time of day that there was complete peace in the Winchester home.
They would talk about their days and act like they were the most normal family in all of Lawrence, Kansas.
"So Dean, what did you do today?" John asked, taking a bite of his dinner.
Dean shifted a little in his seat and said "Well, I got a tutor for my history class."
The whole family, except Sammy of course looked up in surprise. Their son was actually making an effort to be good in school. This was a new concept and had to be cherished.
John, of course went for the obvious question, "And what is her name?"
Dean couldn't help but laugh as he replied "His name is Castiel."
"His?" Mary replied with a small smile, "Making friends outside your group of football players are we Dean?"
"Trying to." Dean said truthfully "The guy is a little shy."
John smiled and shook his head "Not for long."
Dean didn't know whether to be insulted or complimented so he just smiled and nodded in response, "I also made all my classes today."
Mary grinned "That's awesome honey, keep it up okay?"
Dean nodded and his grin got bigger, this must be how it felt to be Sammy all the time getting praised for good work and effort. He should do this thing more often! Hell, even his Dad looked impressed at this accomplishment.
If this is how it felt, why didn't he be the good kid all the time? Why should his brother hug all this glory?
Dean finished his meal and then stood up to take it to the kitchen and clean up.
He began by feeling the sink with soap and water and then piling the dishes in to be washed. While they soaked he scraped off the cutting board, wiped it down and then put it back in the cupboard. With the dishes now successfully soaked he began to scrub them down and put them in the drying rack.
With the kitchen once again clean, he hiked up to his room and collapsed onto his bed. He put his headphones in and let the world of classic rock fill his ears.
He drummed with his fingers in the air, a big grin on his face.
Someone knocked lightly on his door and then stuck their head in. Dean pulled one bud out to see Sammy come running in.
"Sure come on in." Dean said sarcastically.
Sam sat on his bed and stared at Dean expectantly. Dean was about to tell him to get out when he sighed and turned off his music, taking the other bud out.
"What can I do for the great and powerful Sam?" Dean asked with a sarcastic tone.
Sam looked down, his expression a little crestfallen "I...I just wanted to ask if I could sit up here with you..." He trailed off and looked at Dean's bedroom door, he dropped his voice and little and continued "Mom and Dad are starting to get into another argument..."
Dean instantly felt bad for being intolerant of his brother, he knew Sam didn't come and bother him very often. And when he did it was always for a good reason.
He wrapped a protective arm around his brother and said "Sure, no problem Sammy. What are they even fighting about?"
"The house. How it isn't safe here. Dean, Mom is trying to get Dad to let us move." Sam said, obviously in great distress over the whole situation.
It hit Dean pretty hard too; he didn't want to leave anymore than Sam did. He loved this house and the both of them had grown up here. There were so many memories, so many good things had happened here and they certainly outnumbered the bad. Mind you with all the attacks that were starting to happen, Dean worried that they were no longer safe here.
The ghost attack this morning wasn't the first one. He thought maybe there was something in the house, but there was no way to know for sure since they never found anything to concrete that after the attack had stopped.
Still, they were a family of hunters. They didn't run from their problems. They were the ones who figured them out and resolved them. They weren't allowed to be afraid!
"It'll be okay Sammy. Dad won't let us leave, he loves this house and so does Mom. She's just a little scared right now is all. She'll come around. You'll see." Dean said, trying to comfort his brother.
"You think so?"
"I know so."
Sam nodded slowly and then curled up into Dean's lap, like when he had been eight. Their parents did get into quite a bit of arguments and Dean was Sam's go to. They always comforted each other when this sort of thing happened.
Dean looked down at his brother fondly. He realized that he would fight tooth and claw for his brother, there is nothing he wouldn't do to make sure that Sammy was always safe and happy.
The shouting increased a little bit downstairs and Sam moved closer to Dean's chest covering his ears. Even though the boy was fourteen, he still acted childish at times. He was a little young for his age and Dean blamed his parents for that.
They were always babying and they never let him do things on his own. Sam had come to expect everything would come easily to him. Dean worried that later on in life he was going to see that you had to actually work. Not that he didn't work hard for his grades of course, but that was different from the real world.
Still, he liked having this young Sam. He could at least pretend to be a good person with his brother. Pretend he had a purpose in life and that that purpose was to keep his brother safe. Yes, that would work.
There was a soft snoring from his fourteen year old brother and he knew Sammy was long gone and that he would be sleeping here tonight.
With a sigh, Dean patted his brother's head and put his head back against the headboard. The shouting downstairs had stopped and Dean figured that was good sign.
They were probably both apologizing now and making up in that weird way that adults did. You know many apologies, blaming themselves, a quick kiss here and there. Dean figured it was just something adults did. Something that he would probably do when he got married too, God help the soul that ended up his wife.
He pondered who that might be as he drifted off into a deep sleep.