Dean woke up in the middle of the night and felt Cas pressed against him, warm breath puffing softly over the back of his neck. Cas shifted behind him and whispered, "Can't you sleep?"
Dean twined his fingers with the delicate hand draped over his chest, "Can I tell you something and you won't tell anyone? I mean you have to swear or forget it. If you tell I won't ever trust you again."
Cas pressed his face against the back of Deans neck and mumbled, "Ok."
It was a big step telling Cas the things that only Sam knew. "I did fall down stairs and cut my leg open but a lot of this was my dad. He beat the crap out of me tonight."
Cas was afraid if he opened his mouth Dean would shut down so he stayed quiet with his lips still pressed against the feverish skin.
Dean sobbed, "I'm a friggin' mess."
Cas took his other hand and pushed back the broken teens sweaty bangs, "No one has the right to hit you, not for any reason."
"It was my fault, I mouthed off again. I wish…sometimes I wish he didn't come back from hunting. Then Sam and me could start all over." He rolled over to face Cas, "I can't sleep, will you sing something to me?"
Cas put an arm around him again and began to sing, it was Jimmy's voice deep and soft, almost a whisper.
Stars shining bright above you Say nighty-night and kiss me
Night breezes seem to whisper, I love you
Birds singin' in the sycamore trees
Dream a little dream of me
Just hold me tight and tell me you'll miss me
While I'm alone and blue as can be
Dream a little dream of me….
While Jimmy sang Dean didn't feel so sick, sore or scared. It was just them and the song. He curled up against Jimmy's chest and brushed his cheek against a dusky nipple feeling it stiffen. He closed his eyes and drifted off into a feverish sleep as the voice caressed his ears.
Jimmy planted little kisses over the sleeping boys face avoiding his lips. The lips were sacred and you needed permission to kiss someone there. He wouldn't take advantage of Dean that way. He had a feeling plenty of people had taken advantage of Dean Winchester already.
….
The sunbeams found Cas early the next morning just like in the song. He had to pee pretty badly. Cas slid out his side of the double bed and hurried to the bathroom, relieved himself then brought back a glass of water for Dean.
The boy was sleeping hard and he was drenched in sweat, yet he shook all over from the chills until it woke him up. Cas pulled back the covers remembering that Dean had cut his leg. The wound was angry looking and the skin between the stitches were puffed up and weeping.
Cas didn't wait another minute, he ran to get his mother.
…..
Sam seemed to be the voice of reason Dean would listen to, the kid was nagging his brother to let Angie take him to the doctor and Dean kept insisting he was fine even though he didn't look anything of the sort.
Finally Dean allowed Sam to help him get dressed and walk him to the car where Cas was waiting in the back seat with a blanket and Angie was nervously waiting for them. She knew you didn't screw around with a bad infection. Once Sam was buckled up riding shotgun and Dean was bundled up they left for the hospital.
….
The boys waited in an examination room while Angie was busy getting the paperwork in order. She had forged guardianship papers but still it was a dog and pony show trying to weave her way through it all forms.
Dean hated wearing the gown, he felt like there was a breeze on his ass all the time and he was cold enough as it was. Cas draped a worn cotton sheet provided over his shoulders then stood there looking at him with a set of big blue worry filled eyes.
Sam was worried but he hid it a lot better, the kid had plenty of practice. Angie came in looking frazzled and sat on the plastic chair provided, "The doctor should be here soon."
An hour later a young doctor came in and once he took Dean's temperature and checked out the sloppy stitches he admitted Dean to the hospital. By the end of it the stitches were out and there was a drain put in his leg. Dean was on heavy antibiotics and feeling lousy. Dean also had bruised ribs but he masked the pain well. The doctor had him on a drip because the boy was also dehydrated.
They stayed until visiting time was over but Angie hated to leave him alone and so did the boys. The nurse came in to shoo them out but Dean had something to say about it. He tried his best to look pitiful which wasn't too hard, "I want my family to stay, if they promise to be quiet can they? I don't want to be alone."
The nurse wasn't moved by the big, liquid green eyes looking up at her, "Rules are rules. They can come back in the morning."
On the way out the doctor took Angie aside to talk. "Who stitched that boys leg up?"
She took a deep breath and gave the doctor about the lamest story she could think of but it was all Angie had in her arsenal at the moment. "Dean was camping for a week with his father. While hiking, Dean fell down a rocky ravine and was pretty banged up…you saw all the bruises, he gashed his leg and John sutured the wound. I wasn't aware of the injury until the day after Dean came home and by then it was infected. It wasn't intentional, just a bad fall and my poor Dean was the one hurt."
The doctor looked into her big brown eyes and saw a beautiful woman with genuine concern on her face. He nodded, "Alright, here is my card, call if you need anything, even just to talk."
She took it and gave him a flirty smile, "Thank you doctor, I appreciate your concern."
Angie watched in relief as he made his way down the hall. She knew damn well that if she were an unattractive woman, social services would be breathing down her neck.
…
Dean felt so alone he couldn't stand it. He ate everything on the tray they brought him because Dean never wasted food. His survival instincts kicked in and even the little salt packets were saved just in case.
Eventually Dean fell asleep after the nurse gave him something with a little more kick for the pain. His dreams were a dark muddled mess of his dad beating him, the prostitute trying to take advantage and even Christy made an appearance mocking Dean's lack of experience. No matter how hard he tried, Dean wasn't able to wake up.
…..
Dean felt a cool hand on his forehead and the comforting touch ended the nightmare. He barely opened his eyes; it felt like the lids were made of lead. Standing there was Cas, his blue eyes glowing in the dark hospital room.
Dean figured he was hallucinating from the drugs and fever and since it wasn't real Dean could say whatever he wanted to. He croaked, "You have pretty eyes."
Cas looked around the dark room feeling totally lost, "I'm confused…I think I'm dreaming."
Dean's eyes closed again and a smile crossed his lips, "Wish I danced with you."
Cas sat on the bed next to him, he couldn't resist running his thumb over the freckles on Deans nose, "What do you mean?"
"The dance, I wished it was you…wanna dance with you."
Cas felt himself blush and wondered if that was normal in dreams. "We can still dance when you feel better…then again none of this is real is it?"
"No, I'm on drugs and you're dreaming."
Cas vanished waking up in his own bed.
…
"Good morning Sunshine, how are you feeling?"
Dean opened his eyes and there was Angie holding two cappuccinos.
"I feel like shit."
The nurse breezed in and took his vitals, "Your fever broke sometime last night." She checked his leg and the redness had receded. "Much better, once the doctor checks you over he might let you go."
Angie was quietly relieved, she was paying out of pocket for the medical bills and another night might mean the difference between a great Christmas for the boys or very little. The main thing was Dean felt better; she had tried to track down John and left messages that he either didn't get or didn't bother to answer.
….
Dean watched Angie as she drove; the woman had an easy posture and looked relaxed.
"You are one cool lady."
She smiled, "Thanks, I like to think so but it's good to hear. I'm happy you're coming home. Cas and Sam complained all morning about having to go to school and not the hospital. We missed you even if it was just over night."
Dean watched the first snowfall of the season come down gently, it wouldn't be much but it was still magical especially this year in a warm house and a real bed. It occurred to him that he was using her resources and giving nothing in return. Dean also worried about the hospital bill; he knew John would leave her hanging.
"I'll work off my debt."
Angie glanced over then back to the road, her smile turned to a frown. "What debt?"
"The hospital bill, food, shelter, clothes."
"Don't worry about it; you're not my indentured servant. Just keep doing your chores. The most important thing that you do is make my son smile. That is worth everything to me. Think of how much fun you will all have next summer."
Dean tightened the blanket around himself as if for protection from an invisible foe, "I won't be here. Dad is taking us to South Dakota to stay with some guy called Bobby. I guess we get to live in a junk yard, still better than a motel room."
"Bobby Singer?"
"Yeah, you know him?"
She was relieved to hear that, "I worked with Bobby a few times back in the day. The guy is a wellspring of knowledge, he is pretty gruff sometimes but inside Bobby is a good soul and you could do worse. He can convince John to let you come back for school next year. I hate to lose you and Sam, I feel like I have three sons now." Almost as an afterthought she whispered, "Cas will be devastated."
…..
Dean limped for a few weeks and babied his ribs. He got out of gym class but still had to sit and watch everyone else. It was alright though, he watched the girls bounce around as they played volleyball and not that he would admit it to anyone, some of the guys, mostly Cas.
He took note of the new gym teacher Jeff Barrett and also how the man seemed to pay a lot of attention to Cas and Dean didn't like it. He knew creepy and Mr. Barrett was a little too hands on as he showed Cas how to serve. Dean knew Cas was an innocent that could be taken advantage of by someone like this teacher.
After class Dean limped back to the locker room to sit at Cas' locker hoping to catch a glimpse of at least his ass because Cas guarded his dick and balls like they were the rarest family jewels in the world. Cas walked in with the teacher who had his arm slung around the teens shoulders. He was filling Cas' head with lies about how great he was at volleyball.
The fatherless boy sucked up the praise from the handsome man like a sponge. When Barrett slapped Cas on the rear and said, "Great job" Dean almost hobbled over to punch the pervert.
Cas was all smiles when he came over, "Coach Barrett said that I'm a great volleyball player."
Dean shook his head, "Cas you're pretty bad at volleyball, I'm not saying it to be mean or anything. He said that to flatter you, Barrett is a chicken hawk."
Cas was confused, "What is a chicken hawk?"
"An older guy that tries to bang young meat like you."
Cas didn't bother to shower, he got dressed and slammed his locker door, "I'll meet you at the bus."
Dean tried to keep up with him, "Don't be all pissed off now, I care about you. I don't want you to get raped or something."
They boarded the bus with Sam and instead of sitting in the back Dean sat with Cas for the first time. He saw the frown on his friends face and tried to cheer him up. "I had a dream about you at the hospital. You had nice cool hands and used them to break my fever." Dean took his pinky finger and snugged it under Cas' thigh.
Cas looked down at Deans hand, it worked because Cas was all smiles again, "I had the same dream. You said that you want us to dance together…it was a really nice dream. The best part was when you said my eyes were pretty."
Dean wiggled another finger under Cas' thigh, "Wow that was a dream, I would never say that."
Cas lost his smile, "You really suffer from foot in mouth disease don't you Dean."
"You're delusional you know that Cas?" He got up and went to sit in the back.
Once off the bus the pair started off playfully shoving each other and a few half hearted insults were thrown around. After Cas told Dean it would take a tractor to pull him out of the closet Dean took off after Cas yelling, "You better run princess!"
Cas vanished it seemed but when Dean rounded the corner of the garage he was thrown hard against the wall and his wrists pinned. Cas rolled his blue eyes up and Dean watched as they went from clear to stormy in an instant.
Dean was shocked at how suddenly strong Cas became and what a turn on it was. "What are you gonna do Cas, stick it in me?" He closed his eyes, licked his lips and waited for Cas to do whatever he wanted.
Cas let him go as his confidence waned, "I…I don't know, I've never done anything like this before. Geez Dean, we haven't even kissed each other so how can I stick it in you? You always say you're not gay but you confuse me, I don't know what to think anymore."
Dean opened his eyes and saw the hurt on the smaller boys face, "Close your eyes."
"Why?"
"Just do it."
Cas closed his eyes and made fish lips waiting for Dean to kiss him, he felt warm hands hold his face as Dean whispered, "Stop with the fish lips…relax and I'll do the driving."
He trembled from head to toe as the plush, sweet lips of Dean Winchester fit perfectly with his and worked gently in an honest to god, first official kiss. It was Cas' first time, he couldn't think or barely stand as his knees went weak just like in the movies. Dean had busted his kiss cherry.
Just then the dark clouds threatening snow parted and afternoon sunlight streamed down on them as if the Angels were pleased and it was their way of applauding this monumental break through between two very important teenagers, the first step to a profound bond that would carry them for eternity and save the world many times over.
Dean had to grab Cas around his slim waist and hold him up because Cas was shaking so badly.
"Cas, my hot, sexy, weird little blue eyed…" Dean had to pause and think of what word he could use to describe Cas, friend status seemed lame but boyfriend was way off base. He decided not to over think it and slipped his tongue inside the other boy's mouth causing him to let out a wanton moan.
Cas got his footing and grabbed each of Deans ass cheeks molding them in his hands. They were full, firm and felt just as incredible as Cas thought they would.
Gabriel, ever the voyeur, stood by and watched unseen, "Well that took long enough. I figured two horny boys would have done it a hundred times by now…this is going to take awhile. Maybe they need an instruction manual on how to have gay sex or something…I figured one of them would see a hole and just stick it in there." Gabriel got the bright idea of purchasing items to get them kick started then vanished to enact his plan.
…
Cas fumbled with the button on Deans pants, "I want to touch it."
Dean stopped him, "No, I'm sorta freaked out." Now he was the one trembling both from the cold and nerves. The kiss was getting out of hand and he was sorry he asked Cas if he was going to stick it in him.
Cas ran his delicate fingers over the swelling in the front of his future paramours jeans, "Dean I l…"
Sam shouted, "You guys better not be beating each other up or I'm getting Angie!"
Dean shouted back, "We aren't fighting."
Sam rounded the corner and noticed them both flushed and panting, "You are fighting! Break it up and come inside because supper is ready."
….
That night after supper Cas and Dean sat together on the couch, they had to be good and not hold hands or kiss in front of Sam or Angie but the sexual tension between them was so thick you could cut it with a knife.
John called during the movie and spoke to his boys which upset Sam and caused Dean to revert back to a standoffish, confused mess again.
…
Dean was grinning at Angie as he pointed to the calendar on the wall, "Did you make my appointment for a road test yet?"
"No Dean, it's only November."
"Yeah but before you know it January 24th will be here and I'm gonna be sixteen." He raised his fists in the air, "I'll get my license and then I can drive the Impala, I can't wait!"
Cas had all sorts of plans once Dean got his license. "Mom, can Dean and I go to Sparkles then?"
She looked up from the scroll she was deciphering, "Ok I'll bite, what the hell is Sparkles. It sounds like a creepy clown you hire for a kids party."
Sam shivered at the thought.
Cas rolled his eyes at his mother as if she were a hundred years old and from another planet, "It's a roller rink that plays cool music."
Dean almost choked on the milk he was drinking, "No way Cas, I am not going anywhere near a place called Sparkles and I'm not roller skating to pop music. In fact I'm not roller skating to anything."
Cas sat there twirling his long dark bangs with a finger, he stretched out his leg and touched Deans thigh with his bare foot, "How about for my birthday, it's the same day as yours."
Dean slid down the couch to escape the intruding foot, "Bullshit Cas, there is no way it's the same day, Angie that's bullshit right?"
She pushed her work aside figuring nothing was going to get done, "It's true."
Dean had to believe it then but it was still a strange coincidence, "Weird."
….
Gabriel perused the rows of pornography, he turned to the young guy with the pierced septum to ask his opinion, "Can you tell me what kind of gay porn would appeal to fifteen year old boys?"
The guy who Gabriel learned from the nametag was Ted, put down his book and stared at him for a full minute before speaking, "Dude, are you a cop?"
"No, do I look like one?"
"Sort of."
Ted ran a hand through his dirty mop of dark hair as he looked around to make sure there were no other customers. He figured most were wacking off in the back to quarter videos, "Um…well I guess something sort of vanilla. Hey who are you buying this for, are you a creeper?"
Gabriel raised an eyebrow and gave him a lopsided smile, "My gay son of course. He and his little friend are planning on their first time. I'm a progressive father and believe in accepting my kid just as the good Lord made him."
"Wow, that's cool of you." Ted got up and walked over to Gabriel; he scanned for the best vanilla porn that was gay, not that he was an expert, "I would get Pink and Tight, Hot Virgin Holes, Tender Twinks, Top to Bottom."
Gabriel grabbed one of each, "Excellent, anything else?"
Ted walked over to the books and chose two of them, The Guide to Gay Intercourse and Men Loving Men. Then he grabbed a selection of lubricants from flavored, desensitizing and plain.
As Ted was ringing up everything he asked Gabriel if they needed condoms.
"No, I'm pretty sure they are going for the full, bareback experience. Do you have any birthday wrap? If they don't get it on by the end of January I'll have to give them this stuff to prime their pumps."
"Gross…no. It's a porn shop not the Hallmark store."
Gabriel paid, took the discreet plastic bag and vanished.
TBC