Your eyes, they shine so bright
I want to save that light
I can't escape this now
unless you show me how

Demons – Imagine Dragons

Someday – Chapter 14

Castiel screwed his eyelids together tightly, disturbed by the harsh sunlight that seemed to be suddenly filling his eyes. He groaned and rolled over in bed, attempting to yank the covers up over his face and scowling when they refused to budge. He opened his eyes reluctantly and squinted over at the other side of the bed, his newly awakened mind struggling to fully comprehend the entire situation. Light must mean morning. Blankets must mean bed, which was a definite improvement upon couch. Blankets refusing to move must mean-

Oh. Castiel's brain slowly and reluctantly crossed the last few steps into full consciousness and took in the entire situation. On the other side of the bed lounged a very half-naked and alarmingly awake looking Dean, casually sipping a cup of coffee and staring over at the opened window where the bright, dusty sunlight was streaming in. He turned around just as Cas shuffled about into a sitting position, and after a glance at his ruffled demeanour, somewhat shyly picked up and offered over the other mug of coffee sitting on the almost bare bedside cabinet. Cas accepted gratefully and they drank in silence for a few moments, letting the quiet sounds of the road outside punctuate the air.

'I wanted-'

'I just-'

Dean put down his mug and looked around. 'After you.' Cas took a nervous mouthful of his drink, wondering, not for the first time, if he could physically will himself to not blush. He glanced over – Dean looked almost nervous where he sat propped up on about five pillows, fiddling distractedly with the waistband of his shorts.

'I, um. Didn't really have much to say, just didn't want to sit in silence I guess.' Cas muttered quietly. 'How are you?' he asked before immediately regretting it. How are you? Who the hell asks that you idiot? He glared into his cup and shut his mouth firmly.

Dean raised an eyebrow and leaned over, placing a hand gently on the other man's shoulder, who flinched slightly at the sudden touch before relaxing into it. 'Dude, I'm fine, really. I just wanted to check that you were. Okay, that is.' he coughed, looking somewhat uncomfortable. 'If er, you want to take off or anything, I don't mind. Well I mean I do mind, but it's up to you and if you're freaked then I'm not going to make you stay or anything...' Dean trailed off, trying to gauge any kind of reaction coming his way as his thumb absent-mindedly rubbed circles where his hand rested, tracing along the sharp bones just beneath the pale skin. 'Cas? Help me out here man?' Cas nodded and sighed heavily, wondering why he hadn't anticipated this. It was all so easy in the midst of the night with a few drinks to take the edge off the reality of the situation for both of them, but he should have realised it wouldn't last. Couldn't last.

'I understand, Dean.' Castiel replied coldly, shrugging away his hand and taking a large gulp of coffee. Dean stared at him blankly.

'Understand what exactly?' he replied slowly, wondering if he'd accidentally said something wrong without meaning to.

'That as your employee and friend, last night was unacceptable and you would like it if I could leave so we can go about our business and pretend this never happened. You don't need to drop hints or be subtle, I'm perfectly capable of handling your opinion on the matter.' Cas answered, voice becoming flatter as he spoke. Dean sat up, scrambling through the tangle of blankets between them. Taking the coffee from his hand he grabbed him firmly by both shoulders and pushed him back. Staring down at Cas, with his messy hair sticking out in all directions, cheeks flushed pink and eyebrows knitted in frustration, Dean gently reached down to lift his head by the chin and meet his eyes. He leaned in slowly, not breaking eye contact until the very last moment before pressing his lips firmly against Cas's and moving a hand up from his shoulder to wind into the tangle of black hair in front of him. Dean pulled back, staying close enough to rest his forehead against Cas's and grin up against him, a trace of his usual playful façade dancing across his face once again.

Cas stared up at the beautiful man in front of him, hardly daring to believe what was going through his mind. 'So... you don't regret last night?'

Dean laughed softly. 'No, Cas, as much as it might shock you, I don't regret last night. Do you?' Cas shook his head quickly. 'Well, that's good to know. That would have made employing you very awkward and I'd hate to have to find someone else who knows how to work the register as well as you do' Dean teased lightly, running a thumb fondly through the tangle of soft hair he was still playing with.

Cas felt a weight on his chest that he hadn't realised was there dissipate into nothingness. He smiled, genuine happiness rushing into him. They lay for a few moments, comfortable and quiet in each other's company as Dean continued to stroke his hair, mussing it up even more than it already was.

'So um,' Cas cleared his throat and broke the silence. 'I wasn't – I assume I'm not your-'

Dean pulled back and ran his hand through his own hair instead, settling back against his own pillows. 'What, my first? 'Fraid not. First in quite a while though, if that makes you feel any better,' he chuckled.

'You never said, I guess I never thought…' Cas replied, his eyes raking around the small, simple bedroom. He hadn't taken in a lot of it last night, dark as it was and he wasn't surprised to see it was as sparse as the rest of the house. The only defining features that marked it out as not-a-hotel-room were the pile of motoring magazines on top of the dark wood dresser, a vintage record player complete with a stack of fragile looking vinyl's, and a couple of simply framed photographs. None of them showed Dean that he could see, although several had Sam's grinning face in them.

'Well, like I said it's been a while.' Dean raised an eyebrow, glancing over at Cas where he lay, curled up in the blankets looking like he had no intention of ever moving again. 'Oh, so we're doing this, are we? Jesus, I'm not sure I can deal with this many chick-flick moments with only one coffee in me.' Cas continued to look quietly expectant and determinedly silent, having picked up his coffee once more. Dean cleared his throat and shuffled uncomfortably. 'Well, it never came up! It's never been a big deal really, I like men and women just the same. I've never been in the habit of having relationships as such, I had Sam to worry about and it's not as if this deadbeat place has a whole lot of choice anyhow, so it's never really been something I cared about much. I run a motor shop, drink my whiskey straight and live in small town Texas. We ain't exactly got many pride parades strolling through town all to often.'

Cas nodded and finished off his coffee with a final gulp, before settling down and rolling over to face Dean across from him on the bed. 'But your family, they don't mind?' Dean snorted, a huff of laughter falling from his lips.

'Are you kidding? After my dad died Bobby caught me sneaking in one night – not out, back in. I'd been out with some kid from the local community college - I don't even remember his name, god. We were climbing in through my window blind drunk and stinking of cheap bourbon, covered in hickeys and stubble rash. I thought he was going to murder me in cold blood, my dad surely would have. He sat me down, yelled at me for driving his damn car drunk and told me he couldn't give a crap who I fucked so long as I made sure not to kill myself in the process. He put a lock on my door, starting hiding his booze better and never made me feel like I was doing anything I shouldn't be.' Dean smiled fondly, shaking his head lightly. 'Sammy knew as well I guess, but we never really talked about it, save for him pestering me about you.' Cas laughed lightly, reaching over to nudge the other man playfully, only to find himself being pulled closer. They lay, legs tangled around each other and the tousled quilts on the bed, smiling easily and squinting as the light from the window found its way directly into both of their eyes. Dean stared over at Cas, whose eyes fluttered uncomfortably against the brightness.

'So? What about your family?' Dean felt Cas breathe in sharply, then make a conscious effort to release it smoothly and calmly. He shrugged, eyes growing dark.

'Honestly, It's not as if I ever really had any chance to know what I liked, or how it would have come up with them. I had my first kiss at fourteen with a choirboy called Patrick, who was sent away to live with his grandparents later than month, and I didn't have another until I was almost twenty and finally allowed to drive places on my own without supervision. Only Gabriel knew anything, and since he sleeps with anything on two legs I doubt he's ever cared too much.' Cas sighed and flexed his legs out, folding them comfortably against the warm legs near him. 'I don't think I care what they think anymore. I know family is supposed to be important, but I don't think there's anything I can do about them now.' Dean nodded silently, then jumped up very suddenly, pulling the covers off both of them in one, terribly cold swoop.

'Come on. I get antsy if I'm in bed past eleven and there's pancake ingredients in the kitchen begging to be made.' He reached down, offering his hand to Cas, who shyly took it after a half-second's contemplation. 'Hey, you never know. I might just let you help if you're lucky' Dean winked, grinning down wickedly.

From: SAMMY 09.11

hey man I tried to call, where are you? x

From: SAMMY 10.08

tried the shop as well no answer there. did Bobby scare Castiel off for good or are you actually just both as lazy as each other? x

From: SAMMY 10.34

so Bobby tells me he saw Cas and you cuddled up in a doorway last night when he was leaving. Is it too much to believe that you've finally pulled your head out of your ass and done something about your stupid crush? x

To: SAMMY 11.14

shut up asshole we're trying to make breakfast

To: SAMMY 11.16

also I did not have a crush how dare you

From: SAMMY 11.20

Jerk

To: SAMMY 11.21

Bitch

From: SAMMY 11.23

tell him I say hi x

To: SAMMY 11.25

says hi back. i'll call you later x