Author's Note:
I know I updated today already, but I really wanted to write another chapter. Plus, I just watched Sacrifice, and if I don't write something to take my mind off of it, I will explode. I literally have no one to talk to about it, so feel free to message me your feels so we can commiserate! Anyway, thank you to Sinthija, theconsultingtardisbananaangel, obsession-is-my-life, Perry123, Soaha, and TobiBlack for their reviews on chapter 7! Enjoy Dean and Castiel's day out! This chapter runs parallel to chapter 7.
Chapter 8 - First Date
Dean stumbled slightly as they landed, but righted himself quickly. He turned around to give Castiel a piece of his mind, but was immediately distracted by his surroundings. Before him was a large stable, with plenty of people milling around in various riding outfits. The entire area smelled like horse, and the animals in question were making their standard noises, giving the entire place a distinctive atmosphere.
Losing what he had intended to say, Dean asked instead, "Where are we?"
"Colorado," Castiel replied, his tone pleased. "I find the scenery here aesthetically pleasing, and I thought we could 'hang out' for awhile." He didn't make air quotes around 'hang out,' but they could be heard in his voice.
"And go horse back riding?" Dean asked, assuming that was the intention.
Castiel nodded. "You seem to have an affinity for the atmosphere of the past western expansion period of this country. While I am not strong enough to warrant a day trip to the past, I assumed that horse back riding in the present would be enjoyable as well."
Dean felt a smile form on his face and he couldn't resist giving Castiel a pat on the back. "Nice, Cas. I haven't been riding in..." He trailed off, trying to remember. He vaguely recalled one of Dad's friends taking him riding as a kid, but that had been years ago. Horse back riding wasn't really a commonly needed skill in his line of work.
"I am told that this activity frequently causes discomfort in one's hind regions," Castiel explained apologetically, "but if that is the case, please let me know and I will take care of it immediately."
Dean's lips twitched as he tried to hold in his laugh, but eventually he had to chuckle. He knew that Castiel meant he could use his angel mojo to heal the sore muscles, but the way he had phrased it sounded really suggestive. "Thanks, Cas," he finally replied. "Have you ever ridden a horse?"
"I have not had the occasion, no." Castiel informed him. "I decided that a new experience was a good thing, especially when shared with good company."
Dean felt a little bit like a girl for being so pleased with that comment, but was relieved when he was able to keep from commenting on it. "Alright, sweet. Let's get saddled up, then, shall we?"
The hunter and angel soon found themselves on sturdy and rather attractive animals. Castiel, being the novice, had been provided with an older gelding, which Dean guessed was probably part quarter horse. Dean himself might have exaggerated his own experience just a little bit, because the stables had seen fit to give him a much more animated steed, which definitely had some quarter horse in him, and seemed eager to get out on the trails.
Just as exciting as the horses though, for Dean, were the cowboy hats he managed to snag from the stable. His own was black and sleek, and he thought it made him look pretty badass. Castiel's, which he was wearing solely to humor Dean, was tan, similar in hue to his trenchcoat. In all honesty it looked completely ridiculous on him, with his ever present stoic expression, but he refused to take it off because of the grin he'd seen on Dean's face when he first donned it.
Once out on the trails, Dean felt a little more secure about showing his excitement. "C'mon, Cas, let's speed up!" He urged, giving his horse a nudge with his heels. The animal responded with more enthusiasm than Dean had been expecting, and suddenly he was moving far quicker than he had intended. It wasn't quite a gallop, but it was pretty damn fast for a man with such minimal riding experience.
"Dean!" Castiel called after him, unable to provoke his own horse to quite that speed. The gelding sped up, but not to the same degree. Castiel patted his neck and soothed the animal, assuring him that it was fine if he wasn't quite up to the speeds of the other horses anymore.
"I can't slow down!" Dean yelled back, pulling at the reigns, though that barely managed to deter his horse. "He's got a mind of his own!" As if to punctuate the statement, the horse jumped over a log he could have easily stepped over. "I'm fine!" He added as an afterthought, unsure if Castiel would see his speeding horse as a danger.
Castiel couldn't help but feel amused, and used some of his grace to strengthen his gelding, allowing him to close the gap between himself and Dean more easily. As soon as he was within range of Dean's horse, he leaned over slightly to touch the horse, using his grace to calm the animal's nerves.
Finally their paces had evened out, and they were going at a pleasantly paced gait.
"Castiel, horse whisperer," Dean commented, amused.
"I don't understand -" Castiel started to say.
"- that reference, I know, Cas. Don't worry about it. You're good with animals, that's all I meant." Dean shot him a smile and patted his own horse, pleased that the creature beneath him seemed content to walk at a reasonable pace now.
"Ah. Well, thank you." Castiel settled into comfortable silence, just enjoying the rhythm of his horse and the fact that Dean was beside him, and for once not in imminent danger.
Dean cleared his throat slightly. "So...what brought this on?" He asked tentatively.
"Having a day out, you mean?" Castiel clarified. When Dean nodded, it was Castiel's turn to be cautious. "I came to the conclusion quite some time ago that I would appreciate spending more time with you. It seems as though I only see you when either of us is in danger or needs a favor, but our bond is strong enough that we really should be together more often, and for less troubling reasons."
Dean sifted through that, thinking. "So, you just wanted to spend some quality time with me?" He asked.
"You could put it that way," Castiel agreed. Inwardly, he had an entire monologue of confessed feelings he wished to divulge, but he didn't think now was the right time.
Unsure whether or not this question was appropriate, Dean hesitantly asked, "Is this, like, a...date?"
Castiel turned to face Dean, gauging his expression for a moment before nodding. "It was intended to be such, if you were willing to view it that way."
Slowly, as those words sunk in, Dean felt a broad grin stretch his face. Castiel had taken him out for the day, and it was a date. Castiel was interested in him. That thought bounced around his mind without showing any signs of stopping. "That's great, Cas," he finally managed to reply.
"I'm glad you are pleased," Castiel admitted, relief evident in his voice. "I was trying to be...subtle, I suppose."
Dean almost snorted a laugh. "Dude, I hate to break it to you, but subtle is not your thing. Trust me, I'm good with up front and honest. Taking it slow is good too though." He added the extra clarification, knowing that the odds of Castiel understanding anything about developing a relationship were pretty slim.
"Don't worry, Dean," Castiel assured him. "I was already talked out of any kind of elaborately passionate confession of feelings. Besides, I prefer this method. We get to spend time together, and properly assess how this will progress." He smiled at the thought.
Distracted by Castiel's smile, it took Dean a second to latch onto the first part of what he'd said. "What do you mean talked out of? Who were you talking to about me?" It only took a glance at Castiel's mildly guilty expression to connect the dotes. "Oh God, you talked to Sam about me?"
"I needed human advice," Castiel explained. "Sam knows you better than anyone, and he was not remotely surprised by my intentions either. He was quite helpful."
Dean groaned. "I'm sure he was. So, what did he tell you?"
"We mostly discussed human customs when it came to affections and relationships. I know you well enough to know that a straight forward declaration of the intensity I would project was not a wise course of action, and Sam suggested I try testing the waters, so to speak, before actually diving in." Castiel shifted slightly in the saddle, feeling the muscles in his rear starting to feel sore.
"Yeah, I don't really have a history of doing well with commitment," Dean admitted. "Plus, I haven't been honest with Sam about the fact that I've been...I dunno, developing feelings for you I guess, for awhile."
"Sam knows that," Castiel contradicted him. "That's why he encouraged me to pursue you at all. He wants us both to be happy."
Dean rolled his eyes, but he managed to smile at that. "Yeah, good old Sammy the romantic. So, now that I'm being honest and we're on a date, does this mean we have to have the big feelings conversation with all that intensity you mentioned?"
Castiel smiled softly and shook his head. "I like the human development of a relationship, Dean. We should progress forwards and take it one day at a time."
Relieved, Dean smiled back. "That works for me."
The rest of the ride was calm, casual, and just plain fun. Dean hadn't felt so relaxed in years, and that was even taking into consideration his aching ass, which he did manage to overcome his embarrassment enough to ask Castiel to fix. After their ride, the hunter and angel went to get dinner, which Castiel had long since learned to enjoy, despite his lack of need for the food.
It was early evening when they returned to the motel, reappearing in almost the same spot they had departed from.
Castiel did not seem even a little bit surprised by Gabriel's presence in the room, nor by the fact that the archangel was currently wrapped around Sam Winchester.
Dean, on the other hand, was completely shocked, and all memory of his previous mention of being cool with Gabriel following them flew out of his mind at the sight in front of him. "What the hell?!" He blurted.
