Best place in town

"Uh, Cas. Where the hell are we?," Dean asked with wide eyes as he parked his car in a near empty parking lot in front of what looked to be a shack.

There were Christmas lights hanging around the roof of the place and a large open window where you would place your order. The overbearing sound of an airplane flying low shot through his ears causing him to shiver.

When the sound ceased, he tilted his head at Cas and glared at him. Don't get him wrong, he was all for hole in the walls but this place seemed more like the place that serial killers hung out at. Not to mention, it was now already ten p.m.

"Best burgers for miles. You will not be disappointed," Cas replied with a smile that would make anyone melt within themselves.

Dean mulled over his over exaggerated statement before sighing and opening up his car door. He heard Cas close his own door as his footsteps echoed through the deserted parking lot.

Cas continued to smile at him as he gestured for Dean to make his way to the take out window. Dean walked next to him in a comfortable silence until they reached the window.

Cas stretched out his hand and swatted the gold bell that sat on the counter. A large man with a dirty white apron tied around his waist came around the corner from the inside of the shack. His face broke out into a wide smile when he seemed to notice Cas.

Cas matched his smiled and held his hand out for the other man to shake. "Rufus! It's awesome to see you, man," he greeted him.

The other man, Rufus, laughed and nodded as he shook Cas' hand firmly. "Likewise," he replied before eyeing Dean up and down. He pulled his hand away and waved a hand at Dean. "Who is your friend here? I've never seen you bring anyone out here," the man said to Cas while giving Dean a warm smile that made him feel like he belonged.

Cas draped a casual arm around Dean and pulled him a little closer. "This is Dean," he introduced the two of them and turned his head towards Dean. His eyes crinkled up as his smile grew wider. "He's a very good friend," he finished before turning his head back to Rufus.

Rufus crossed his arms across his chest and flickered his eyes between the two of them. A knowing smile formed on his lips and Dean could think of a few hundred things that the other man must've been thinking. But it wasn't like that.

He watched from the corner of his eye as Cas' hand slipped away and he put some distance in between them. He gave a sad smile while his thoughts reminded him that it would never be that way.

Ten minutes later, they were both sitting on the trunk of Deans impala and eating in silence. Every now and then, an airplane would fly over head. Dean couldn't help but notice the way Cas' dark locks blew so beautifully in the wind when the planes were coming in.

Dean wiped his mouth with his napkin then placed his half eaten burger into the to go container sitting in between them. "How did you find this place?," he asked finally before rubbing his hands down his legs.

Cas placed his nearly gone burger down as well and shrugged lightly. "I remember getting in my car the first day I moved here and just driving. I kept on driving until I reached the outskirts of town and that's how I found this. It's by the airport but I actually find the sound of them quite soothing," he explained as he gazed up at the sky.

Dean nodded and continued to watch him. He smiled to himself when Cas sighed lovingly at the sky and stars that shined bright.

Cas laughed softly. "I've never told anyone this but sometimes I like to think that the planes are shooting stars. And I always make a wish on them," he shook his head and Dean could see the faint color of pink tint his cheeks. "I know that sounds so fucking stupid. But these planes, this burger joint, the empty parking lot and all the stars that you can't see in the city. It's just all so beautiful and sometimes I feel like I could benefit from a little beauty in my life."

Dean smiled and looked down at his boots. He wanted to assure Cas that it didn't sound stupid. If anything, it all made him jealous. He wishes that he could be so carefree and find the wonder in the little things.

He looked back at Cas and saw him still looking up at the stars. He would give anything to know what was going on inside of his head.

Another smile tugged at Cas' pink lips as he let out another adoring sigh. Dean knew that Cas thought the sky was pretty tonight but he thought that Cas was beautiful. Nothing and no one could ever compare to how damn enchanting he was.

And even though he knew that this crush could not end well, he couldn't help but to scooch a little closer. It felt like he was gravitating towards him. He wanted to see his face clearer, smell his scent better and feel his body warmth that was radiating off of him.

Cas tore his gaze away from the sky and looked deeply into Deans eyes. The feeling of the intensity sent chills through his spine. "How do you know when you find that beautiful thing in your life?," Dean asked him carefully. He knew he sounded vulnerable but he couldn't find it in him to care anymore. He wanted to be different. Less bitter and more forgiving.

"Well, sometimes beautiful things come into our lives out of nowhere. Maybe we don't understand them just yet but we do have to trust in them. You know? Just have a little faith in it all," Cas responded. A flash of white shot through his eyes from the moonlight that they were drowning in.

Dean nodded along and tried not to give Cas the feeling that he was being too intense in this moment. He ever would've dreamed that this is how he would be spending a Friday night. Or even just sitting here, having this deep conversation with someone who has basically been a hurricane since he stepped foot into his life.

Cas dipped his head and leaned in closer to Dean. He shut his eyes and willed himself not to think about how close their bodies were getting now. He opened them back up and felt his heart nearly leap out of his chest.

With his windblown hair, it just wasn't fucking fair. Not at all. Cas was blowing his mind right now. And not just by his looks. He's seen a part of him that he knows Cas doesn't ever show to anyone.

"Where are you from?," Dean asked him suddenly. He realized he had never even bothered to ask Castiel about himself.

Cas squinted his eyes and tilted his head in a way that Dean found totally endearing. "Illinois," he answered cautiously. "Why do you ask?"

Dean shrugged in an attempt to seem casual about it but really, he wanted to know everything there was to know about this mysterious man. "Well, you did move here a few months ago. I've never asked you why. Is that so wrong of me?," Dean replied.

Cas smiled and shook his head. "That's perfectly acceptable. I moved from Pontiac. I wanted a fresh start so I took a dart, closed my eyes and threw it at a map of the states. It landed here," he explained with ease.

Deans eyes widened. He couldn't even begin to comprehend how someone can just go with the flow like that. No planning. No routine. Just doing it just to do it. It was insane.

Cas chuckled at Deans reaction and patted him softly on the back. His hand lingering on his shoulder. "You have got to relax, Dean. Things don't always go to plan the way you wish them, too," he said wisely.

Dean nodded slowly while chewing on his bottom lip. "How?," he said so quickly he barely realized he had actually asked him out loud.

Cas' hand slipped off of his shoulder as he shifted on the hood to face him more directly. "How what?," he asked Dean curiously.

Dean swallowed nervously. Well, his question was already out there so he might as well clarify for him. "How can you live life so carelessly? How can you go wherever you want to go? Do what you want to do?," the questions came out in a rush. They were finally free from his mind.

Cas smiled at his questions. "We only have one life," he started while holding up his index finger. "How do you want to spend it? Hating yourself? Regretting past mistakes? Questioning everything?," he questioned Dean back.

Dean opened his mouth then closed it. He had no answer to any of these. It should be simple. No. He did not want to live his life this way anymore. He wanted to be free like Castiel. But he couldn't. He just couldn't.

"Be brave. Believe in yourself. Do what feels good. You only have this life. Do you really want to be regretting it when your thinking about your life in a nursing home?," Cas asked him. He waited patiently for Dean to respond.

Dean frowned as he though Cas' words over. Of course he didn't want to regret his life anymore. Maybe, all he needed was some closure with his past. To make amends with everyone he wronged. But how?

He shook his head carefully as his thoughts halted. Cas was creeping closer to him. His lips were coming out of the shadow and into the moonlight that Dean was under. Was this really happening?

Cas stopped right before Dean closed his eyes and instead wrapped Dean up in a tight hug. The contact felt so foreign to him. Now that he thought about it, he hadn't so much as hugged anyone other than Charlie in years.

Cas' hand ran up and down his back soothingly. He pulled back and gave him another toothy grin. "There you go! I knew you had it in you," he said proudly.

Dean wrapped his arms around Cas' neck and placed his chin on his shoulder. It sounded cliché but it felt like they were two pieces of a puzzle. Finally coming together.

And all too soon, the hug was over. Cas pulled away and went back to his spot. Dean looked at him sadly and wanted so badly to have his arms wrapped around him once more. As much as he hated to admit it, he knew deep down within himself that he was falling for Castiel Novak.

This god damn hurricane that walked into his life and turned his world upside down. The man he swore he'd hate forever. The man that made him want to take risks. The risk that he might fuck up his nicely ordered life.

Cas threw his head back and laughed excitedly when an airplane took off over them. His hair blew in the wind as he pointed up at the sky. Dean smiled at him. He knew that Cas already fucked up his nicely ordered life and he was officially screwed.

XXX

Dean drove down the back roads to go back home. Cas had instructed him to take the road less traveled since the night was so beautiful tonight. And of course, he wasn't about to say no to anything that could possibly put a smile on that face.

"What did you wish for?," Cas asked him suddenly. His window was rolled down with his arm hanging out of it.

Dean furrowed his brow but kept his eyes on the road. "What are you talking about?," he queried him.

"You know. When the airplane flew over this. I made a wish so I want to know what yours was," Cas replied.

Dean chuckled softly and shook his head. "Well, if I tell you then it won't come true," Dean said teasingly. In reality, he hadn't even thought about making a wish. The only thing he could focus on was the one sitting next to him. Nothing else mattered in that moment.

Cas laughed along with him. Dean couldn't see the expression on his face or attempt to decipher any emotion that may have been running through it. Instead, he loosened his grip on the wheel and smiled softly. He loved the sound of his laugh.

"Do you think yours will come true?," Dean asked him with the same smile still on his face.

He could suddenly feel the intense gaze of other eyes on him as Cas whispered, "I hope so."