This is another shorter chapter, but I have a feeling the next one will be longer so it will even out. Thanks again for all of the favs, subscriptions, and reviews. I really love hearing from everyone. I know I don't always respond but it means a lot, so thanks!
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Dean caught himself sneaking a glance over at Cas every few minutes as they drove from The Roadhouse to his place. The amber glow of the streetlights would streak across Cas's face, setting his features into sharp relief while he listened intently to Free Bird playing from the radio. Dean tapped his fingers anxiously against the steering wheel. Suddenly, he felt unsure of himself. Asking Cas to come back to his place seemed like the right idea at the time, but now a thousand thoughts raced through his head.
Had he changed the sheets this morning? Were there old towels strewn all over the bathroom? Was any of his laundry actually in the hamper or was it thrown all over the floor? Did he have any food in the fridge? What if he wanted to make Cas breakfast in the morning and he didn't have any food? If this was a one night stand situation, he would normally make some excuse of where he had to be in the morning and shuffle the other person along, but Cas mattered. Dean Winchester had the casual sex routine down to a science. But, he didn't know what to do in this situation. For the first time, in a long time, Dean's charisma had abandoned ship. He felt like as unsure of himself as a teenage kid.
Dean guided the Impala into the driveway and looked over at Charlie and Jo's, dark except for the porch light. Most of the houses up and down the street appeared to have turned in for the night. It was late enough many of the families were sleeping in preparedness for family trips or soccer games early in the morning. Other than the porch light, and one table lamp lit near the window, Dean's house was also dark.
Turning to look over at Cas, Dean cleared his throat, preparing to speak, wincing at how loud the noise was in the enclosed space. Before he could continue, Cas spoke.
"I like your car, Dean."
Dean smiled, idly running his hand over the dash, "Thanks. It was my dad's." He looked over and saw Cas staring at him, head tilted, watching him, apparently waiting for more of a story.
"My dad bought her before he and my mom got married. After mom died, we moved around a lot for a while. Dad had a hard time…" Dean paused for a moment to look down at the steering wheel, swallowed hard before continuing, "Anyway, he was always busy a lot with work but when he was home, when we finally got settled into real place, we would work on her together. It wasn't perfect growing up the way we did, but those are good memories."
Cas is quiet for a long moment. Dean is almost afraid to look over at him. Eventually, he feels the warm pressure of Cas's hand on his knee,
"Let's go inside, Dean."
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Dean was hanging their jackets in the hallway closet while Cas ventured off in search of the bathroom. Dean used this time to give himself a mental berating. OK Winchester, you barely managed a conversation in the car, got emotional about said car in the driveway, and now you are standing in the hallway talking to yourself. Get your shit together. Jesus. Dean walked into the kitchen while he waited for Cas. He was in the process of filling two tall glasses with ice cubes and water when Cas appeared in the doorway. Leaning casually against the frame, Cas watched Dean before saying,
"Your house is really amazing. I can't believe how much you've done in only a year."
Dean mopped up a splash of spilled water with a dishtowel before he looked up at Cas, smiling almost shyly. "You should check out Charlie and Jo's sometime. I had to take that place down to the studs."
"You worked on Charlie and Jo's home too?" Cas asked, surprised. He pushed against the doorway and then walked over to the island, where Dean had placed the two glasses. He slid onto one of the stools and crossed his arms in front of him, on the countertop, turning to give Dean his full attention.
Dean cupped his hands around his glass, turning it slightly between his palms, "I actually lived there first. I bought it as a fixer upper and lived over there for a while. But, some things happened, stuff changed, it didn't feel like home anymore. I was ready to… move on." He says, hesitatingly. "This place went up for sale and I knew it could be something amazing. Jo and Charlie rent from me." Dean adds as an afterthought.
Cas pulls his glass toward himself and raises it to his lips. Tilting his head back, slightly, he takes a long drink. Dean tries not to stare but he would be lying if he didn't admit the curve of Cas's neck was fascinating. He watched as Cas lowered the glass back to the table, and as his pink tongue slipped over his top lip to catch a stray drop of water.
Dean wondered what it said about him that the most erotic thing he had seen in ages was Cas drinking a glass of water. He's pretty sure it meant he'd lost his fucking mind over a slightly nerdy English teacher, with crazy unintentional sex hair and sapphire blue eyes, who had never seen the Lord of the Rings movies but had read every single thing Tolkien ever wrote. Then there was the teacher thing. That was a kink Dean didn't even know he had. Until, he had stopped by the school to meet for lunch and happened across a freaking sweater vest wearing Cas, sitting behind his desk grading papers. With glasses on. Holy shit. Ever since, it had been the Cas show, replaying a classroom fantasy 24/7 in Dean's imagination.
Just then, Dean realized he had been quiet for way too long and possibly staring at Cas like a psycho. Cas hadn't seemed to notice so maybe Dean could smooth it over without seeming like a lunatic.
Dean walked around the island and leaned against the stool Cas wasn't occupying. He lifted his hand to rub the back of his neck, biting his bottom lip nervously.
"Want to watch a movie or something? We could sack out on the couch and pick something out?"
Cas smiled a quirky little half-smirk, looking up at Dean through his lashes. He stood up and rubbed his fingers against the edges of Dean's collar before closing his fingers around the material and tugging gently, encouraging Dean to draw nearer. Cas tilted his chin up, raising his mouth to Dean's. He pressed their mouths together, running the tip of his tongue against Dean's bottom lip, tracing the plush edge before tilting his head slightly, fitting their mouths together. After a few moments of give and play, Cas pulled back, looking smugly up at Dean's dazed expression and said, "Where's your bedroom, Dean? I don't really feel like watching a movie right now."
Dean grinned.