Hey, guys, guess what! My internet's down! Yaaaaaay!
But don't worry a bit, 'cause I found a way to update from the Kindle Fire. Which is what I've been using to do all of my online activities since it's been out. Very unreliable wifi source, though, 'cause our router isn't working either. Gettin' it fixed later today though.
Anyway, sorry for the wait! Here we go!
The next morning had been something of a rush. The house's inhabitants all had their own places to be. John needed to get back out on the boat, Sam had to visit his new girlfriend (though Dean got the feeling they were just going to nerd it up in some library all day, since that was Sam's idea of a good time), and Dean and Castiel decided they would take a trip to the beach. Cas was reluctant to return to the water after such a short time on the land, and he didn't want to leave Dean just yet, but after Dean had reassured him that it was only for the afternoon he'd agreed it would be fun. Dean was glad, because there wasn't much else to do in this town, or any of the surrounding towns.
The two filled three coolers with drinks and snack foods, and filled the back of the Impala with towels and Sam's girly umbrella. Castiel asked why they were bringing so much, to which Dean replied "I'm a man, Cas, and we need to eat every hour on the hour, or we'll starve." He was pretty sure the merman knew he was joking, though.
That was how they ended up here on the beach, surrounded by towels of varying colors and sizes. Those towels also contained people of various colors and sizes. Mostly red. He saw a lot of lobster men.
Dean thought better of putting his towels down near the hoards of people, deciding that it would be for the best if fewer people knew about Castiel and his magical tail. Castiel couldn't have agreed more, he didn't seem to like attention (it confused him more than anything else). Not to mention he was staring at everyone else on the beach, being granted rather serious and angry looks in return. Dean led him to a more isolated end of the beach, fewer people because there was no life guard present. They fixed up a little tent-esq shelter, draping the towels over the angled umbrella.
Castiel took the chance at shelter from the rediculous heat, rolling side to side over the sand under the loose structure. He looked like some sort of dog, trying to get comfortable on a floor or something. Or, a fish might have been a more appropriate comparison. Dean didn't say any of these things aloud, though, settling for clicking his tongue and sitting down at the opening. Castiel stopped his rolling and sat up, a good amount of sand falling off of his clothing and out of his hair as he did so.
"So, Cas, what made ya' wanna leave the ocean so bad? Seems nice enough to me, from where I'm standing." Dean piped up after a long and peaceful silence.
"You are sitting." Cas returned.
"Yeah,"
"You already know my reasons. I wanted to see how the land had changed. And it has changed a great deal."
"Yeah, I guess. The waffle iron was a bit out of reach when you were a guppy, huh?" Dean had to laugh at his own clever statement. Castiel, as always, wasn't laughing quite as hard. Or at all.
"I was never a guppy, Dean. And your people once worshipped mine. They all knew who we were and where we resided. They took the time to speak with us when they had the chance, and they kept their distance- though that was probably more out of fear than out of respect or mutual friendship. We did tend to lose our tempers very easily and their vessels were never very sturdy." Castiel paused, and Dean wondered whether or not he was going to continue in the long gap it created. "Nothing is as it was. Old friends have long since passed, and my friends have gone. I remember there was a young girl... She would come out to the beach every morning and throw seashells into the surf. I never understood it, though she explained to me several times that they were gifts. I felt oddly close to her, but I haven't seen her in a long time. No doubt she, too, has passed away." Castiel's eyes, as Dean watched them, caught a far-away look, something sad and immeasurably lonely.
Dean waited for him to go on for several minutes, listening to the sounds of the waves and the children running out by the water yards away. When it became apparent Cas wasn't thinking about continuing, Dean turned slightly to face him. "Well, Cas, if it helps, you got me." Castiel tore his eyes from the waterline, staring into Dean's. There it was again. The ridiculous staring contest he wasn't sure he wanted to end.
"Yes. I do." Cas smiled then, his hand hovering over Dean's. "Thank you, Dean."
Dean nodded.