Author's Note: Hi, guys! (: How is everyone? I hope life's treating you all well. So, whoo, Friday update! (: I'm writing the last few chapters now, and I'm getting all emotional, so, um, yay for pain...? I will say it now, though, there is a happy ending. Just in case anyone was worried or something.

Oh, and, um, sorry to all the people who are frustrated at not knowing Cas's past! You'll get half of it in chapter twelve. (:

It's time for this week's WALL OF FAME! (: A massive thanks to these great people: KmKizmet, tii-chan17, missiontothestars, lessien Amandil, BekaForEver, more-profound-bond, Gustin azza, Casismyfavorite, and, finally, becca65d! You guys are AMAZING! I love all of your support, thank you so much. :P

See you all on Tuesday, friends! (:

~Rainbow Fruit Loop xx


~Praying for Redemption~
Chapter Eight.

The next day was a Thursday, which meant that Dean was off to work again; awake bright and early at six o'clock in the morning.

Dean wasn't particularly quiet in the mornings, Cas noticed. Perhaps it was because he was used to living alone - it had, after all, been a few months since he had shared the apartment with his brother - and he had probably forgotten about Cas's presence.

So when Dean clattered around in the kitchen, making himself breakfast, Cas thought that it would be rude - seeing as he was now awake - not to wander in and say goodbye to his roommate.

When Cas emerged from his - very nice and surprisingly large - bedroom, Dean jumped in surprise, spilling some of his coffee on his shirt.

"Oh, hey there, Cas." he said, reaching for a tea towel to wipe at his shirt with. "I hope I didn't wake you. I keep forgetting that you live here now." He chuckled to himself, and, having cleaned up his shirt, poured some milk on his bland-looking cereal.

"You didn't wake me." Cas lied, following Dean into the living room. Again, he perched at one end of the sofa, and watched as Dean tried to balance his full bowl on his knees without spilling the milk all over the sofa.

"That's good. So, what are your plans for today? I might be home a little earlier than yesterday, so hopefully you won't have to amuse yourself for too long." Dean said through a mouthful of muesli.

Cas considered the question quietly, before finally speaking up. "What is there to do around here?"

Dean's eyebrows furrowed thoughtfully. "Not too much, I don't think. You could wander around the shops, but it'll be cold outside." he said, casting a fleeting glance towards the windows. "You could just stay in here and watch crap daytime TV."

Cas nodded to himself, and shivered in the cool air, despite the fact that he was wearing his toasty-warm dressing gown.

"Oh, and feel free to, you know-" Dean gestured lazily towards the fireplace with his spoon. "-keep yourself warm."

"I will, thank you." Cas replied, and then, after a few seconds, added: "Do you think your brother would mind if I read some of his books?"

Dean grinned at him, and shoveled another mouthful of muesli into his mouth. "Nah. He'll be glad to have someone to talk about them with. Complete nerd, my brother."

Cas was pleased with that answer. He liked the mysteries and dramas of books, and found contentment in the amazing dream worlds within. Sam certainly had a wide range of novels, and Cas could only see a few that he had already read. But it was only then that Cas registered what Dean had said.

He'll be glad to have someone to talk about them with.

"Will I be meeting Sam, or…?" Cas asked, feigning nonchalance, despite the fact that he was already starting to feel slightly panicky. Meeting and moving in with Dean was one thing, and, though he liked Dean, Cas wasn't quite sure how he felt about having to talk politely to another stranger.

Dean glanced over at him, his eyebrows furrowing. "Only if you want to. You don't like meeting new people, huh?"

Well, Dean had seen straight through his attempt at indifference, it seemed.

Cas shrugged awkwardly, and turned his gaze to the fluffy carpet. "Not really, no. Strangers make me… uncomfortable."

Dean nodded, and returned to his cereal. Cas was relieved that Dean didn't bring up the fact that he had accepted him so quickly - that could have been a bit of an awkward conversation to enter into.

"Well, I'm sure you'll like Sam." Dean commented quietly, after a few seconds of silent eating. "He's a right old geek, that one. But you don't have to meet him if you don't want to."

Cas sighed inwardly; frustrated with himself and his stupid social anxieties. He hated how his low self-esteem and pointless nervousness made meeting new people such a big issue, but he just couldn't help it. And he knew that meeting Sam would be a good thing to do, but he just… couldn't.


After he had finished eating his breakfast, got dressed, and brushed his teeth, Dean left the apartment with a cheery wave at six thirty three precisely, leaving Cas to sit, alone, at his already-established end of the sofa.

Already, Cas felt the insistent whispers of loneliness, and he wondered why. He'd never been the type who was easily lonesome; he usually enjoyed the peace that isolation provided him.

But here he was, with at least nine hours stretched out in front of him with nothing to do.

An eclectic combination of sounds that was supposed to be some mainstream pop song suddenly blared out from his phone; alerting Cas that he had received a text message. Curiously, he pulled his phone towards him - the only texts he ever received were from the phone company, alerting to him to more special deals that he wouldn't ever buy.

But this one was from Dean.

You could always go to the gym down the road, if that's your kind of thing. -Dean

Cas smiled to himself, pleased with his budding friendship with Dean. Everyone knew that once you started texting someone, it meant that you liked them, right?

Painstakingly slowly, Cas typed out his reply; squinting at the screen when it offered him helpful hints at what it thought he was trying to write. He'd never fully understood the concept of autocorrect; he'd seen enough evidence to conclude that, usually, it just made conversations more awkward than initially planned.

It's not really, but thank you anyway. -Cas

He pressed send and put his phone down, expecting that to be the end of the conversation. But, to his delight, Dean texted back instantly, causing Cas's phone to start up with the truly awful pop song again.

They do yoga classes, if that interests you more. -Dean

Cas smirked to himself, and started his reply.

Oh really? Are you sure that's not more your thing? I can imagine you sporting some nice lycra, Dean. -Cas

Immediately after sending the text, Cas felt himself panic. What if Dean didn't recognize his message as a joke? What if Dean thought he was being rude? What if it was far too early in their friendship to be poking fun at each other?

Ouch. I'll have you know that I'm much more of a weight lifting man myself, actually. -Dean

Cas shook his head fondly, feeling more joyful in that moment than he had for what felt like forever. Dean Winchester was going to be the start of something good for him, and, for the first time in years, Cas wasn't afraid.

I'm sure you are. -Cas.