Author's Note: I'm going camping and I don't think the cabin has wifi, so the next chapter probably won't come out for at least a week. This chapter doesn't really have any Destiel, since the last few chapters have focused on that. Instead, this is about Dean's relationships with people besides Castiel. Happy reading!
Chapter 12: You Had An Eyelash
Dean walked into his quiet house and threw his jacket on the couch. Sammy was at Jess's house ("platonic friends" Dean's ass), and his parents were at work (as usual). Dean went into the kitchen and raided the freezer, grabbing the Rocky Road ice cream and plopping down on the couch. He checked his watch as he spooned his guilty pleasure out of its carton.
4:20. Charlie should be home by now.
Dean pulled out his phone and called his best friend. The phone rang twice before Charlie picked up.
"Well, well, well. Look who decided to come crawling back," Charlie greeted. "I gotta say, Dean, I'm seriously considering letting James take your place as general and demoting you back to a handmaiden."
Dean winced. "I'm sorry, Charles. I didn't mean to bail on LARPing, but something came up."
"Did that 'something' have to do with, oh, I don't know, an insanely attractive junior with blue eyes and dark hair who wouldn't know flirting if it kissed him on the mouth?"
Dean didn't respond, instead shoveling more ice cream into his mouth.
"That's what I thought," Charlie said, correctly assuming Dean's silence was confirmation. "Man, you are the only person I know who can be so whipped by someone they aren't even dating."
"Shut up," Dean laughed. "I can't help that my neighbor is the only person who meets my high expectations."
"Is one of those expectations 'not interested in a romantic relationship whatsoever'?" Charlie teased.
Dean smirked. "As a matter of fact, yes. That way I know they're really classy. Plus, I love a challenge."
Charlie snorted. Dean could practically hear her shake her head in exasperation. "A challenge? Dean, it's been a month and you haven't made a single move. And no, flirting doesn't count as a move."
Dean was about to argue, to tell her about his slumber party with Cas, but stopped as the words formed on his tongue. Instead, he feigned a sigh. "You're right," he conceded. "But Cas just seems like the type to run if things don't go the way he expects, you know? I don't want to scare him off, I guess."
Charlie stayed silent for a few moments. "I know what you mean," she finally sighed.
Dean perked up as he ate another spoonful of Rocky Road. "What's this?" he asked. "Does Charlie Bradbury, Queen of Moondoor, have a crush?"
"What? Pshhhhh. No way," Charlie denied. "Hey, wanna come over and play some video games?" she quickly changed the subject.
Dean glanced down at the half-empty ice cream carton. "Sure," he said as he put the lid on it and returned the Rocky Road to the freezer. "I'll be over in 10."
"See you then," Charlie said as she hung up.
Dean walked up the stairs to his room to grab a different shirt- his had grass stains. As he walked past his parents' room, he heard a gruff voice call, "Dean?"
Dean jumped, startled to hear another voice in what he had assumed to be an empty house. "Hey, Dad," he said awkwardly as he stopped in the doorway. "What are you doing home?"
"Oh, I, uh, finished early. I fixed all the cars for the day, so I figured I'd come home, maybe catch the game," John Winchester answered, not meeting his son's eyes.
Dean knew he made his dad uncomfortable. Ever since he had come out a year ago, his dad couldn't stand to be in the same room as him, instead working late at Bobby Singer's garage and avoiding Dean at all costs. It was like he didn't know how to act around Dean- as if he thought Dean's sexual preference affected his masculinity. It's still me! Dean wanted to scream. I still like sports and women and cars and diner food and playing catch and going hunting. I just like guys too.
Dean rubbed the back of his neck, wanting to end his uncomfortable exchange with his father as quickly as possible. "Alright," he said, backing up. He turned to go when his dad stopped him.
"Do you want to watch it with me?" his dad asked, looking up at Dean for the first time in weeks.
Dean felt a smile tugging at his lips, but forced it away. "I would, but I kind of already made plans with Charlie…" Dean trailed off. "Maybe some other time?" he offered.
"Sure," John said, looking down. "Have a good time."
"I will," Dean said, turning around and racing to the garage. When he pulled away in the Impala, he looked down and realized he hadn't changed his shirt. Oh, well.
Charlie opened up the front door to a guy in a worn leather jacket and a grass-stained plaid shirt.
"Glad you finally decided to show up," she said, dragging Dean inside and slamming the door closed. She pulled him towards the basement, or as she liked to call it, Headquarters of All That Is Geeky. HATIG, for short.
"Sorry," Dean apologized as they walked down the stairs. "I had a run-in with my old man."
"Sounds lovely," Charlie said as she booted up her Xbox. "Was he as awkward as ever?"
"More so, I think," Dean joked as he grabbed a controller. "But he did ask if I wanted to watch football with him. So, that's progress, I guess."
"I'd say so," she said as she settled into her gaming chair (throne). "What do you wanna play?"
"Something with shooting," Dean said, sitting in her other gaming chair. "I'm feeling the need to prove my manliness."
"Then you're really gonna feel disappointed when I kick your ass," Charlie teased as she loaded Halo 4.
"Trash talk, Bradbury? That's low," Dean said as he clutched his chest in mock heartbreak.
"It's not trash talk if it's true," Charlie said happily as she started the game.
Several rounds later, Dean tossed the controller down. "I give up," he sighed dejectedly. "You win. Six times."
Charlie smiled at him. "I told you," she said with a shrug. "Want something to drink?"
"Sure," Dean said as he stood from his chair. "What do you got?"
"I don't know," Charlie said as they walked back upstairs and to the kitchen. "I haven't gone shopping in a while."
Charlie was 18, so she lived alone. Technically, she had been living alone since she was 16. Charlie's parents died in a car crash when she was 10, and since she had no other family, she had bounced around from foster home to foster home. When she turned 16, she went to court and requested emancipation. Ever since, she had been living at her old house. Luckily, her parents had paid off the mortgage before the accident, so it had just been sitting here waiting for her. She made money by doing what she loved- Charlie was a web designer, one of the best. She also created video games, but those she usually released on the internet for free.
As Charlie tossed Dean a coke, he said, "Hey Charles, you know what you need for the HATIG?"
"What?" Charlie asked warily.
"A mini fridge," Dean said, ridiculously proud of his idea.
"Ya? Then why don't you buy me one, Mr. Suggestion Box," Charlie teased, even though it was a good idea.
That was what she loved about her and Dean's friendship. They could literally say anything to each other and would still be fine. Even when they fought, they'd always make up again a few days later. Ever since Charlie had found Dean in that hallway…
Charlie was walking through the school on a winter day. It was already dark out, and most people were at home, but Charlie had stayed late to finish up a project before winter break. As she was walking, she heard a quiet sob come from the hallway to her left. She turned in surprise, not expecting anyone still be in the building so late.
"Hello?" she called out. The sniffling abruptly stopped, and she heard shuffling as whoever was around the corner walked towards her.
"Who's there?" she said as she walked towards the noise, her curiosity outweighing her caution.
A tall boy stepped out of the shadows. He had short blond hair and green eyes, and he was wearing a leather jacket.
"Aren't you in my science class?" Charlie asked as she recognized the stranger. He nodded, looking away. It was at that moment the Charlie realized his eyes were all red. "What's wrong?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.
The boy shook his head. "Nothing," he said in a gruff voice, not meeting her eyes. He started to walk away when Charlie grabbed him by the arm.
"Do you want to come to my place and have some hot cocoa?" she asked gently, not entirely sure why she was being so kind to the stranger.
The boy finally met her gaze. "What's your name?" he asked, avoiding her question.
Charlie hesitated before answering, "Charlie Bradbury. And you are?" she asked as she stuck out her hand.
"Dean," the boy said, shaking her hand. "Dean Winchester."
"Well, Dean," Charlie said as she stuck her hand back in her coat pocket. "What do you say?"
Dean paused, mulling over her offer. "Alright," he said with a shrug.
When they got back to Charlie's place, she led Dean to the kitchen, pulling out the chocolate powder.
"So," she said as she started fixing two glasses of hot chocolate. "Why were you at the school so late?"
Dean shrugged. "I don't know. I was kind of just wandering the halls."
"How come?" Charlie asked as she poured the milk.
Dean looked down. "I didn't want to go home."
Charlie nodded. "Ah. I've been there." She put the mugs in the microwave and leaned across the counter towards Dean. "So what was it? What happened?"
Dean hesitated before shaking his head. "It's nothing," he lied, avoiding Charlie's insistent stare.
Charlie puffed out her cheeks and slowly blew out the air. "Well, that is total bullshit," she said. Dean's head shot up in surprise at her words. "Come on," she implored as she grabbed the mugs. "Why were you crying in the hallway?"
Dean bristled. "I wasn't crying!" he said defensively.
Charlie rolled her eyes. "Yeah, ok," she said, unconvinced, and handed him his cup. "Seriously, just tell me."
Dean sighed, before coming clean with everything. He told her how he had realized he was bisexual, and how when he told his "friends", they had laughed in his face. He told her how his dad wouldn't even look at him, and his brother was too weirded out to talk to him. "I just… I feel really alone," he finished, looking into his mug of hot cocoa.
Charlie reached over and put her hand on top of his. "You're not," she said quietly. "Your family will come around. And you can find new friends. Hell, I just met you and I'm already your friend," Charlie added with a grin.
Dean looked over at Charlie, a smile playing at his lips. Then, he slowly leaned forward, closing the distance between them.
Charlie leaned back. "What are you doing?" she asked.
Dean froze. "Nothing," he said quickly.
Charlie gasped. "Oh my god," she said, a smile creeping across her face. "You were about to kiss me, weren't you?"
Dean blushed. "No!" he denied. "You had an eyelash-"
Charlie burst into laughter. Dean turned even redder. "I'm gonna go," he mumbled, getting out of his chair.
"No, stay," Charlie gasped for breath. "I'm sorry. It's not you. It's just that you're not really my type- gender-wise, that is."
Dean paused, realization flashing across his face. "Wait," he said. "You're gay too?"
Charlie wiped away tears from her laughing fit. "Yep," she said, grinning at Dean.
A smile spread across Dean's face. "Awesome," he said happily.
"Charlie?" Dean asked, waving his hand in front of her face. "Hello? Earth to Charles!"
Charlie blinked and looked up at him. "Sorry," she said. "I spaced out."
"Ya," Dean said, eyebrows raised. "I noticed. What were you thinking about anyways- your new crush?" he asked with a teasing grin.
Charlie blushed. "Shut up, Dean," she said embarrassedly. "There is no crush."
Dean laughed. "You sound like me when I talk about Cas," he joked.
"Ya, except I'm telling the truth," Charlie argued as she jabbed him in the ribs. "Come on," she said as she walked back towards the casement. "Let's play Guitar Hero."
Dean shrugged. "Fine," he said as he followed her downstairs, determined to win at least one round.
Author's Note: What did you think? Did you like how I portrayed Charlie and Dean's relationship? What do you think about Dean's father? I'd love to hear your opinions, so please review or pm me!
