Gadreel put his hand out and grabbed the edge of the door to keep Cas from closing it on him again.
"Castiel, please. Talk to me." He begged.
He walked himself inside uninvited. Cas stepped out of the way to let him pass. Gadreel hadn't noticed Dean standing in the living room yet. Dean didn't know what he was supposed to do, but he wasn't about to leave Cas with crazy eyes over there.
"Gadreel. Can we please not do this? Right now at least?" Cas looked warily over to where Dean was standing.
Gadreel turned his eyes over to where Cas had just looked back, and saw Dean standing uncomfortably in the middle of the living room.
"Oh." Gadreel's face fell. "And who might you be?" He asked Dean with a hard edge to his voice.
"This is" Cas started but Dean cut him off as he stepped forwards.
"I got it Cas. I'm Dean Winchester. You must be Gadreel." Dean could feel himself getting tense as he said it.
"Yes, I am Gadreel. What are you doing here so late Dean Winchester? Castiel and I have things to discuss. If you would kindly leave us so we can be alone, that would be much preferred."
"Gadreel, you can't" Cas spoke up, but was once again cut off by Dean.
"I don't think I have to go anywhere. I was invited, which is more than I can say for you." Dean was developing a sharpness to his voice that was making Cas nervous. Why was this happening? Cas thought him and Dean were just getting somewhere Cas had really wanted to go. If Gadreel would only stop trying to force himself into his life they could be there right now.
"I didn't have the chance to be invited Dean. Castiel has been avoiding my calls for weeks now."
"And you couldn't take the hint? You've resorted to stalking him?" Dean took another small step forward.
"Do you really need an attack dog Castiel?" Gadreel threw Dean a sharp look. "You can heel boy, this matter does not concern you."
"If I could just." Cas tried.
"I care about what happens to Cas. If some dick bag is gonna be running around making him uncomfortable you bet your ass it concerns me."
Apparently, Cas realized, he wasn't going to be getting a word in.
Gadreel stopped and looked at Cas. "Is that true Castiel? Do I make you uncomfortable?"
Cas looked between the two men. He waited to make sure it was really his turn to speak. "Yes. No. Gadreel. This is too much. I'm sorry if you're hurt, I didn't mean to do that to you."
"Is he why? Is this man why you wouldn't give me a real chance? We have so much history together Castiel. If you could just find it inside of you to let me in I know I could make you happy. We could build a life together." Gadreel pleaded.
"Wow, you are unbelievable buddy." Dean said with a short angry laugh. "I know Cas is a great guy, but enough is enough man."
Cas looked at Dean. He thought he was a great guy. That was nice to hear. In any other setting he would have been smiling from ear to ear. Right now though things were a little tense to say the least. Gadreel ignored Dean and continued burning a hole through Cas with his eyes.
"Is he why?" He asked in lower, hurt tone.
Cas felt cornered. The room was silent as everyone waited for him to answer.
Cas let out a long sigh and decided to bite the bullet. Worst case he figured he says what his heart told him to and Dean didn't feel the same way. He felt pretty confident that he did, or at least was starting to. His chest was tight with worry that Dean would be frightened off.
"No Gadreel, he's not why. At least." He stopped and looked briefly at Dean before he could go on. Dean was watching him intensely. "At least he wasn't then."
Gadreel looked like his heart had just shattered into a million broken pieces.
Dean's heart began racing where he was standing across the room. Was this really happening?
"And now?" Gadreel asked quietly, his voice thick and seeping with heart ache.
"And now things are different Gadreel. I would like you to leave please." Cas said with a hint of regret in his voice.
"As you wish Castiel." Gadreel turned his eyes to Dean. They were filled with hatred. "Congratulations Dean Winchester." He said as he turned to open the door. Before he stepped out he turned back to Cas, "I will talk to you again Castiel." He said before he slammed the door behind him.
Cas stood where he was, unable to move. He was completely dumbfounded.
"Cas?" Dean asked from the living room. "Cas?"
Castiel turned himself so he was facing Dean. Cas was close to the kitchen counter, there was half a rooms worth of space between the two of them.
"Are you ok Cas?" Dean asked, his voice full of concern. He hoped he hadn't over stepped too badly. He knew he had a little, but Gadreel was making him so angry with the way he was treating Cas. He didn't deserve to feel that way. Not because of anyone. The last thing he wanted to do was add to Cas's problem.
"Yes Dean. I'm ok. I'm sorry you had to be here for that." Cas watched Dean, unable to wipe the worried look from his face. He had just admitted his feelings after being backed into a corner. He was waiting to see if Dean was going to react, or ignore them. Was he going to be weirded out? Cas was never great at social queues. Just because Cas thought they were developing more than a friendship between them didn't mean that he was right.
"Don't be. That guy was a flaming douche."
Cas let out a small laugh. "He wasn't always like this. Just now. It's my fault." Cas closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.
Dean stepped closer to where Cas was standing. "Are you sure it's not mine?" Dean smiled as he said it, there was humor in his voice.
Cas closed his eyes harder. Here it was. He wasn't sure if he felt excited by the comment or sick. He guessed he was about to find out how it was supposed to be making him feel one way or the other in a second.
Dean watched Cas as his eyes tightened. He remembered how mortified he was when the waitress called Cas Blue Eyes, and knew that had to be how Cas was feeling now. He hadn't exactly been given the chance to say things in his own time. Dean decided if he was going to do something, he was going to do it now. He could put Cas out of his misery.
Dean walked right up to Cas. He still hadn't opened his eyes. "Cas?" He said quietly.
Cas opened his eyes and looked up into Deans.
Dean took his own hand to lower Castiel's away from his face. Instead of letting go he slid their hands together.
Cas raised an eyebrow to him.
"You were right." Dean said, "Things are different now."
He leaned in and kissed him.
It took Cas a second to really absorb what was happening. Dean was worried he had made the wrong call, but then Cas's lips met his more welcomingly. Dean relaxed when he felt Cas respond to him. Dean kissed him again, raising his free hand to Castiel's face. This time Cas didn't miss a beat.
Dean pulled his face away from Castiel to look at him. Cas squeezed Deans hand in his own. They met eyes for a second before Cas looked down. He let out a breath and turned his face back up to Deans. "I was worried." Cas admitted. "I've been having the hardest time figuring out if you felt the same way or not. I knew I was gay, but I wasn't sure about you."
"Neither was I." Dean confessed. He took his hand back from Cas and placed it on Castiel's hip instead. "I figured it out though." He squeezed Cas's waist gently and pulled him back in.
Cas was pretty sure this was what flying felt like.
Their mouths moved together seamlessly. Cas let his own hand rise to Deans waist and pressed himself in closer. Dean's hand wrapped around his back as he did it.
Dean had Cas leaning against the kitchen counter. After a little while he stopped and took a breath. He was smiling down at Cas, who was returning it in kind. Dean ran his hand through the back of Cas's hair and down the back of his neck. He moved his head so their foreheads were touching. Dean let his hand continue running down from Cas's neck, over his shoulder, and down his arm. Their bodies were still pressed together.
Dean felt Cas's pocket buzz.
"I swear if that's Gadreel, I'm gonna hunt him down." Dean said as he stepped back.
Cas laughed and reached into his pocket. He looked at the screen and saw "Mom Calling." There was a picture of her lit up in a small bubble over the number.
"Are you kidding?" Cas said alarmed.
"Is it him?" Dean asked pissed off.
"No. I think. I think he called my mom." Cas looked at Dean in utter disbelief.
The phone stopped buzzing in Castiel's hand while he looked at it.
Dean broke out into a fit of laughter.
"He told on me?" Cas wondered aloud.
"Oh Jeeze." Dean said through his laughter. He reached up to wipe at his eyes. "He knows you're a grown ass man right?"
The phone started buzzing again. His mom was calling back. Cas knew from a lifetime of experience she wasn't going to give up until he answered.
"Apparently it slipped his mind." Cas sighed down at the buzzing phone. The screen went black again as it stopped. "She's going to call again Dean. The woman is nothing if not persistent. I am going to have to answer."
As though saying it made it so, the phone started its buzzing again.
"Ok Blue Eyes, you talk to your mom." Dean didn't feel any of his previous embarrassment using the nick name now. Cas smiled at him as he said it.
"Thank you Dean. Can I call you? It will have to be in the morning." He sighed at his phone. "This is not going to be a brief conversation."
"Please do." Dean said as he leaned in and placed another kiss on Castiel's lips. "Good luck with that." He looked down at the phone just before it faded back to black. It immediately lit back up.
"See ya later Cockaroo!" Dean called into the living room.
Cas rolled his eyes.
"Lock the door ok?" Dean said before he finished closing it.
"Ok Dean." Cas walked over to the closed door and flipped the deadbolt.
Dean heard it from the other side and felt ok about walking away down the hall once that was done.
Dean pulled his own phone out of his pocket. It wasn't too late yet, and he was more awake than he thought he had ever been in his life. He thought about calling Sam and Jess. He wasn't sure yet what he was going to say, if anything. He decided he should gather his thoughts first before he said something. As he came up on his own door, he changed his mind about heading in. It was a nice night, he was going to head out and take a walk. He had so much extra spring in his step he thought that would be a good way to use it.
Cas looked down as his phone lit up for the fifth time. He let out a long breath and pushed the answer call icon on the screen. "Hello Mom." He sighed.
"Castiel." His mother started right in. "What have you done?"
"Nothing. What do you think I've done?"
"I think you have gone ahead and broken a perfectly wonderful young man's heart!" She responded in a way that sounded rehearsed. "What are you thinking Castiel? You and Gadreel would be perfect together. He laid his heart out to you and you stomped on it! And for a very angry, rude man? Really Castiel, I thought we raised you better than this."
Cas knew it was safe to say Dean was the angry, rude man she was referring to.
"Dean is not angry. Or rude. He was just unhappy with Gadreel and his crazy tactics."
"Dean, what kind of a name is Dean." His mother scoffed over the phone.
Cas rolled his eyes and put on a silent death face. His own name was Castiel, she was the last person with a right to insult people for having odd names.
"It's no stranger than Gadreel." Cas countered. He couldn't believe they were arguing over which man had the stranger name. "Did he call you? Is that why you called?"
"You know it is Castiel, don't act like you don't. You are smarter than that. I thought you were at least."
That would have hurt if he wasn't so used to it.
"Is he still there? That man child, Dean." She said with disgust in her voice. "Gadreel told me he was pulling at his leash to get at him. Is this what you are passing up a perfectly good man for? Gadreel has a great job Castiel, he can take care of you, and he's handsome." She sighed. "He comes from a great family. Everybody is so disappointed in you."
Cas regretted ever going out with Gadreel for the millionth time.
"I have a good job. I can take care of myself just fine."
"Yes, birds honey we know. That's really more of a hobby. You would have more time to go play in the woods if you had a real man taking care of you."
Cas took some deep breaths. He thought back to that afternoon with Dean's aunt. She didn't treat him like he was just a kid with a weird hobby. She was kind and interested in what Cas could teach her. He suddenly felt himself missing her and wishing he was back there.
"Is dad around?" Cas decided to ask. Switching up parents on the phone would do him some good.
"No darling, we aren't going to trouble your father with this. You know how his heart is."
Or maybe it's because dad actually likes me, Cas thought sourly.
"And what does this 'Dean' do?" Cas caught the end of whatever his mother had been saying.
"He's a mechanic. I would rather not do this right now. I just had a wonderful day with 'Dean'" He said it in the same edgy tone she had used, "And a very unsettling run in with Gadreel. I am tired."
"A MECHANIC!" She sounded like he had just told her he was a hobo. "Really Castiel, Really. My boy, with a mechanic?"
"Yes, really." Cas was losing his patience with her.
"Well, I never." She muttered.
"I have to go. Say hi to Dad for me. Talk soon." Cas said as he ended the call.
He pushed down the button on the side so that no more calls could go through for a while at least. He walked into his living room and took Meg out of her cage.
He laid himself back on the couch with her on his hand. He set her down on his chest and she stood there with him. She walked around in few circles on him while he watched her. Eventually she settled herself down and stared at her owners face.
Cas ran his hand over her head in a way he knew she enjoyed.
"You like Dean don't you Meg?"
The bird didn't answer him. She just cocked her head.
"Well you will." He continued. "He's great. Did you see? He kissed me. We kissed. I kissed Dean. It was amazing." He sighed and Meg lowered slowly with his chest.
"Now, if my mother could not be such a bitch about it."
"Bitch" Meg repeated.
Cas started laughing at his bird. She didn't enjoy the sudden rising and falling of his chest at all.
Cas put her back on his hand and sat up. "Thanks Meg, I needed that." He put her back inside the cage.
He decided to jump in the shower before he headed to bed. It had been a long, eventful day.
He stood under the hot water and his mind turned back to him and Dean in the kitchen. Their bodies pressed together and the way their mouths already seemed to understand one another. He looked down and saw his body was responding to the memory. He couldn't help it. He smiled.
He didn't care that Dean was a 'mechanic', he liked that about him. He liked that he was kind, and funny. He cared about Cas, he heard him say as much earlier. He had a wonderful, welcoming family that was already accepting Cas with open arms.
Cas decided he wouldn't let his mother get to him. He was going to continue seeing Dean. He couldn't wait to in fact.
As he climbed into bed he had a hundred things he could have thought about, but he chose Dean.