A/N: I must say I like this chapter, but I like the next one more... Hehe.


You stood behind the counter

I walked up, keeping my head down

Something, something it moved me now

Imaginary Future - Love is Beginning

The next day were a Friday and Castiel really treasured those days because Fridays meant that the weekend were close and that he had no college for two days. The only thing that weren't great about Fridays were that after his last lesson in literature at three o'clock he had to hurry to the coffee shop to start working half an hour later. Even if there usually weren't much people in there at that time it still always kind of made Castiel wish he didn't need to work, but he did so yeah, there were no way around that.

This Friday were especially good since he'd met Dean yesterday even if he were still trying to convince himself that he should really just let it go, now, or it'd hurt him. The thoughts made him unfocused but it didn't really matter that much, as he usually were very focused. After that last dreadful literature lesson (that he usually loved) he picked up his earphones in his hurry to the bus station and then, the coffee shop.

'Cause I want to be seen
With a fresh pair of eyes'

The streets rushed by where he sat on the bus, watching the trees, the people, the cars, the bikes and the buildings and listening to the music in his earphones.

He felt pretty content with life even if he still had a weird restless feeling in his gut that made him want to run, run, run away, never to be seen again.

'The single white tree
In a black hood of disguise'

The bus stopped a few times and people jumped on and off, all under Castiel's observing gaze that he tried keeping unnoticeable but he were still pretty convinced it was obvious he were watching everyone since some people kept staring back.

As if no time had gone he suddenly were at his bus stop and he jumped off the bus, the wind catching his hair and playing with it and making it even more messier than before. If there were something Castiel didn't really like, it was his hair. It simply never did as it was told, it were always everywhere, trying to make him look as stupid as possible.

He walked the short distance from the bus stop to the coffee shop, trying to avoid walking into anyone. A new song popped into the earphones and he couldn't remember adding this to his playlist but then again, sometimes he added a lot of music and then forgot about it.

'I love you more than you will ever know
I love you no matter what you do'

He reached the door and kept his head down to avoid the wind that still were in his hair, everywhere, dragging his clothes and making his trench coat swirl everywhere. This fall weather were really ridiculous.

'I loved you before I saw those pretty eyes
I loved you right away'

He stopped the music just after entering the small shop and then he put the earphones in his pocket while looking up and then his eyes got stuck on something, no, someone behind the counter.

First Castiel didn't really believe his eyes and he probably stopped right there in the doorway, because behind the counter sat Dean, looking as casual as ever with a face that turned into a smile when he saw Castiel coming into the shop. In a heartbeat his heart had changed its rhythm and then he reminded himself to keep going because it'd look weird if he stood there all day both admiring and fearing the sight. He tried not to look up, but it was hard because he felt Dean's eyes on him from behind the counter. Why were he there? He didn't work here, why?

The coffee shop were far too small for avoiding and even if it would've been possible to avoid Dean, Castiel wouldn't have been able to talk himself into not walking up to Dean so now he stood there, on the wrong side of the counter, smiling at the man on his side of the counter.

"Hi, Dean. Why are you on my side of the counter?"

"I were walking and saw the shop so I thought I'd talk to you. Your workmate here," he nodded towards Balthazar, "said you'd start your shift in ten minutes or so when I asked for you so, yeah, I decided to wait for you." He held up a cup of, what appeared to be coffee and took a sip and then he smiled.

Castiel just nodded, feeling a bit strange since Dean had actually came when he said he would and then there were Balthazar standing in the corner of the shop throwing Castiel looks full of questions (and some eyebrow wiggling) that also made him feel slightly awkward.

"Well, that's.. I didn't think you'd show up."

Sometimes it were hard getting his mouth to say what he wanted to say, especially when he were a little nervous which mostly ended up with him saying exactly what were on his mind or him just not saying anything. He knew it was stupid.

"And still, here I am, as good as ever."

Castiel smiled and took off the trench coat to join Dean and Balthazar behind the counter. He didn't really want to let go off the coat since he still felt a bit cold but he knew that after a while of working in the cloud of steaming coffee he'd get warm enough.

"Don't you have work now, Dean?"

"I start around five o'clock, during the daytime the shittier chef works, on the nights they only need me, the golden boy." He laughed and even if what he said were cocky he didn't seemed to be filled up with himself and that were interesting to Castiel for some reason.

"So you're the golden boy?"

"Not really, but one day maybe."

Dean were acting as if they were friends and that was one more thing Castiel needed to add to the list of 'Odd things about Dean Winchester' (if he'd had one then). Dean and him weren't friends.. or were them? Castiel wasn't sure anymore.

"BOYS, I'll have to leave now, don't do anything stupid and Castiel, don't forget that you should take care of the costumers too." Balthazar called and before any of them had any time to answer him, he were out the door.

Castiel sighed and picked up his name tag from a little hidden place behind the counter. One costumer walked through the door, making the small bell above the door ring and Castiel turned to the door, a tall woman walking in whom he...

"Anna!" He called and his red haired sister looked up and smiled widely. Dean, whom Castiel had nearly forgot about (not really), leaned in closer to Castiel and whispered something.

"Who's that?"

"My sister, Anna."

Dean laughed and when Anna were in front of them he studied both of them and said before anyone else got the chance to say anything;

"You don't look that much alike."

Now it were Anna's turn to ask Castiel, but without removing her eyes from Dean, looking a bit too interested for Castiel's liking and it made him once again feel that strange clench in his chest.

"And who's this?"

"Anna, this is Dean Winchester, Dean meet Anna, my younger sister."

"Wait. Dean Winchester, as in the Dean Winchester who went to the same high school as us?"

"Yes, ma'am." Dean said and shot Anna a half smile that made Castiel far too jealous because it wasn't made for him but for his sister and oh how he wished it would've been made for him. Why did his sister always have to be so.. no he didn't have a word for it and he definitely shouldn't care about the matter, it were none of his business.

Anna smiled at them both and then turned to Castiel.

"I were just in the area and wanted a coffee. Can I please just have a black coffee in a lidded take away mug, please?"

"Sure thing, sister." He didn't think he'd ever hurried as much with an order before because he could se how Dean now were talking to Anna and he didn't like the sight, not at all. He kept glancing over and one time he caught Dean's eyes and he smiled so Castiel smiled back and then it felt okay again.

A very short while after Anna said her order he left her the take away mug and she smiled, paid and then left in a cloud of red hair.

"Wow."

Nope, Anna wasn't wow, not now, not for Dean. He didn't want to ask the following question but he had to, because letting Dean's word hang in the air would've been far too awkward even for Castiel.

"What do you mean?"
"She's... something."

"She can be a bit over the top, I know."

"You're not very alike."

"Must be my good looks."
"Probably."


Dean continued to come into the coffee shop from time to time and Castiel found himself feeling a bit down the days he didn't show up. He still weren't sure if they were friends or not and if they were Castiel must've been the shittiest friend ever since he really... liked Dean, like really liked. He didn't like that he liked Dean since he knew it'd never work out and why would Dean want Castiel? No, it wasn't likely so he just continued with the relationship they had, whatever it were even if most of the time Dean weren't looking he looked at him or whenever they talked Castiel had to focus really hard not to get sucked into the green eyes in front of him.

The strange thing was that it still felt so natural and casual and none of them ever mentioned how they never talked in high school, instead Castiel just tried to enjoy it even if it was so hard because every time he looked at Dean he just saw those oh-so-green eyes and the perfectly shaped lips and the constellations that he always wanted to count even if he knew he'd get lost.

In other words, he had gotten it badly and he were a really shitty friend if that now were what they were, he still wasn't sure.


His alarm clock started ringing but he were already awake, staring out of the window with a coffee cup in his hand, the deep blue he'd got from his mother three years ago.

'Maybe you're right, maybe this is all that I can be

But what if it's you, and it wasn't me?

What do you want from me?

What do you want from me?'

He turned off the alarm and returned to the small desk he had standing by the window. Once again he returned to looking at the computer screen and once again he let his fingers dance over the keyboard and write down everything he had in his head, telling the story he had fallen in love with and that had been occupying his mind for the last month or so. Every minute he'd had off he'd been writing, perfecting, looking over, reading through and writing even more. After a month of his crazy writing spree the story now had over 50'000 words. Some days he could write 2000 words, some days less and some days more. Castiel were a bit scared that he'd get bored and never finish the story so he hurried but even if he nearly always thought about the story he didn't grew tired of it.

This made his life pretty stressful, but the writing also had a calming effect on him and right now his work as a barista were calming because most days Dean stopped by and even if it were only for ten minutes it brightened his day and made that sometimes fake smile he greeted the costumers with a little more pure and all this work made him so tired but he felt a flow he'd never felt before and one part of himself whispered that it was all thanks to Dean but he didn't want to listen to it, because if what it said was true then he were already addicted to the other man and he couldn't have it like that.


One Friday when Castiel were about to close the shop, a little down because Dean had been nowhere to be seen, gone, and the winter seemed to be approaching too and the cold weather made him think about the walk he had to his apartment in the cold weather.

When he walked to the door, letting the last costumers out and then starting to clean up the little he had left, he heard something knock on the door. Outside stood Dean and Castiel felt surprised because shouldn't Dean be working, but with the surprise that familiar feeling he got every time Dean were close came and made him feel a little better.

When he made his way to the door he could se Dean's face better and better and it didn't look good, even if he had a small smile on his lips the happy only seemed to be transparent, the smile only a ghost dancing vaguely on those perfect lips. His green eyes looked dull and not as full of shine as they used to. Well, they shined, but in another way, the shine in them now looking as if they came from tears.

Castiel opened the door, letting the ghost of Dean Winchester in.

"What has happened?"

No answer, Dean only walked in and sat down on a stool.

"Dean, what's wrong?"

Dean put his face into his hands.

"I just... I just fucked up, as I always do."

"Wait here a minute and then I'll close this and we'll... we'll walk to me, okay?"

Dean just nodded and sat at the stool, staring out into the windy evening where people went by, laughing and Castiel understood how Dean felt, like the only lonely person in a city full of life and people. His heart broke for a second but then he cleaned the pieces up just as the mess in the coffee shop and for being done in a hurry it didn't look too bad. Dean just sat still on the stool but when Castiel were finished and quietly walked up to him Dean turned around and smiled sadly.

"I'm sorry, I should go."

"You're no problem and where should you go?"

"Get drunk."

"I have some shitty wine in my apartment if that would be enough."

His heart were beating so loud that Dean probably heard it, the whole world probably heard it but right now it didn't matter and he were sure Dean would say no so he prepared for the no that he knew would come. Only it didn't.

"Okay, sounds good enough to me."


A/N: SONGS USED IN THIS CHAPTER:

Love Is Beginning - Imaginary Future
Fresh Pair of Eyes - Brooke Waggoner
Imaginary Tea - Jon McLaughlin
W.D.Y.W.F.M? - The Neighbourhood

Yes, I based the first part off the first song... hehe.
Also, the thing with Anna... Hmm.