"You're so meeeeaaan!"

Dean tried to suppress a grin, to no avail. "Stop whining. It's not sexy."

"Fine. I'll pout." Cas did so. Dean did his best not to look but he couldn't help it; his eyes were drawn to Cas, to that pout, and he groaned, slamming his locker.

"I hate you."

"You do not. You love my pouts."

"Hate them."

"Only cuz they're super sexy and get me my way."

"Not this time."

"Deeaan!" Cas whined again. Dean just laughed.

"Cas, I'm not telling you what I'm being for Halloween!"

Cas pouted again. "So mean."

"You're a big boy. I think you'll survive three more days."

If anything, the pout became even more exaggerated. "Fine, then. I'm not gonna tell you what I'M being."

"Cas…..you weren't going to tell me ANYWAY."

"….that's beside the point."

Dean shook his head, grinning. "Such an ass."

"Oh, shut up. You're lucky I love you." Cas froze as he realized what he had just said, eyes wide. Dean stared back at him, face much the same.

"…I…what?" he managed. Cas shook his head rapidly.

"Nothing. It's nothing. I….class. You have class. We both have class. I'll see you after class, yeah? Lunch. Later." And with that he turned away so fast he tripped over his own feet, stumbling down the hall. Dean stared after him long after he'd gone, unable to move until the bell rang, stirring him from his thoughts.

Charlie was silent for a long few minutes after Dean told her what had happened. Dean waited anxiously, needing input. "Well…..the way he said it….that could mean a lot of things. But the way you told me he reacted…..the panic, the running away…that sounds to me like someone in love who's afraid their feelings aren't reciprocated."

Dean felt an inward sigh of relief and yet his body was still tense, anxious. "You think?"

Charlie nodded. "Of course I can't be sure, so don't take my word on it," she added quickly. "But honestly, I'm positive that he loves you. It's clear to see in the way he looks at you, the way you two interact. And I know you love him."

Dean nodded. "So…" He picked at the corner of his book, nervous. "….do you think I should tell him?"

Charlie looked almost apologetic. "No one can tell you what to do except you." Dean let out an aggravated sigh. "I'm sorry, hun. But it's really up to you. There's no guidebook for this stuff."

"There should be," Dean mumbled. Charlie chuckled.

"Yeah, there should."

Dean was silent and Charlie gave him his space, not speaking to him, just letting him think. It was almost the end of class before Dean spoke up again. "Okay."

She cocked her head. "Okay?"

Dean nodded. "I'm gonna tell him."

Charlie smiled, hugging Dean. "Atta boy."

He winced. "Charlie…" She was squeezing all the air out of him. "Can't breathe."

"Oh! Sorry." She released him. "Just a little excited."

"I can tell." The bell rang to signal the end of class, and they began gathering their books to head to history. "You know, it verges on ridiculous how involved in our relationship you are."

Charlie just grinned. "Hey, what can I say? You guys are my OTP."

Dean burst into laughter. "Seriously? Even more than Jaimie Lannister and Brienne of Tarth?"

"More than Jaimie and Brienne."

"What about Eowyn and Faramir?"

"More than Eowyn and Faramir."

Dean pondered for a minute. "…..Aragorn and Legolas?" he challenged.

Charlie laughed. "More than Aragorn and Legolas."

"Wow." That was a big one. Still, there was one more that was even bigger. "…what about Rose Tyler and the Doctor?"

Charlie nodded solemnly. "Even more than Rose and the Doctor."

"Damn." To anyone else, this conversation would seem trivial and downright ridiculous, but as a geek himself, Dean understood how close you could become to these characters, especially when you didn't have many friends and these books and movies were all you'd ever really had. So for Charlie to ship Dean and Cas more than her crowd of fantasy characters? That was pretty big.

"I know, right?" Charlie smiled. "That alone should tell you that what you two have is really damn special."

Dean smiled back at her. "Thanks, Charlie," he said softly.

She gently punched his shoulder. "No problem, Winchester."

He adjusted his backpack on his shoulders. "So….I'll see him at lunch. I can tell him there." Already the thought was making Dean's stomach turn nervous flip flops. As much as he wanted to do this, he was still afraid. Well, lunch was in about an hour. He'd be seeing Cas then and could confess everything….all the feelings that had been tearing him apart for a month now. And hopefully, Cas returned them.

Cas wasn't waiting when Dean got out of shop. He got a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. Maybe it's nothing, he told himself. Cas couldn't always wait for him. He tried to ignore the little voice pointing out that Cas DID always wait, and followed Benny to the cafeteria, each step feeling heavy.

It got worse. As they approached the table, he saw Charlie looking at him with a stricken expression. Nearing the table, he saw why. Cas wasn't there. Dean looked around, scanning the room, but there was no sight of that messy brown hair. His heart was pounding. What happened? Cas had clearly freaked out after what had happened that morning, but was it because he meant the words or because he didn't? Either way, Dean needed to find out. Cas may not be there, but Dean had a pretty good idea where he could find him.

He patted Charlie's shoulder, leaning in to murmur "I think I may know where he is." She nodded, seemingly placated by his words. Dean left the room, heading straight out the back doors and into the courtyard.

It was a rather small courtyard, but there was a small grove of trees on the edge. That was where they usually sat when they ate outside, and Dean knew that was where he would find Cas.

Sure enough, there he was, sitting with his back against a tree, hunched over with his arms folded across his knees, chin resting on them. Dean didn't know if Cas could have looked more forlorn had he tried, and he wasn't sure if he should feel amused or sad.

A twig cracked underfoot as he moved closer and Cas' head snapped up, wide eyes looking at Dean. Dean managed a small smile. "Hey, Cas." Cas said nothing, simply stared at Dean. Dean wondered if Cas COULD say anything. He looked scared, and it gave Dean the first stirrings of hope. If Cas was scared, it was much more likely that he was afraid Dean didn't share his feelings than that he didn't actually feel them.

Dean stopped when he was beside Cas. "Mind if I join you?" He didn't wait for an answer, sitting down beside Cas. There was a long moment's silence. Cas was picking at the edge of his shoe where the rubber was beginning to peel.

"So," Dean finally broke the silence. His heart was pounding and he was shaking with how nervous he felt but he was determined to go through with this. "Did you mean what you said this morning?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." But there was a slight tremor to Cas' voice.

"About loving me."

"What?" Cas spoke with an air of surprise. "No. No!" Castiel's voice was full of laughter and bravado, but it was all so ridiculously fake and blustery that Dean wanted to laugh with relief. Cas was lying. He had to be. That still didn't stop Dean's hands from shaking.

"Oh. That's a shame." Cas still wasn't looking at him, but Dean didn't care; he reached out and took Cas' hand, managing to link their fingers despite the shaking of his hands. "Because I love you."

That got Cas' attention and his head shot up, wide eyes staring at Dean, mouth agape. Dean smiled, though he was still nervous. "It's okay if you don't feel the same. I just wanted you to know." Cas was still silent, just staring. Dean began to fidget beneath that gaze, growing uncomfortable. But then he realized that, despite the shock still there, Castiel's face was softening.

"You love me," Cas breathed. Dean felt his heart leap. That shock was dissolving now into the most beautiful smile Dean had ever seen. "You really love me."

Dean could feel his own smile growing in return; he nodded. "I really really do."

Then Cas was on him, fingers tangling in Dean's shirtfront as he pulled Dean in for a kiss. He was breathless when they separated, those blue eyes looking deeply into Dean's. "You…." he seemed completely overwhelmed. "I love you. I love you so much."

Dean's heart felt like it was going to burst out of his chest, and this time for a completely different reason than nerves. He pulled Cas close, a hand tangling in that thick brown hair as he kissed him once more. But this time it seemed as if Cas were completely unwilling to let him go, kissing him again and again.

"I'm sorry," Cas said in between kisses. "I didn't mean it."

"Which part?" Dean managed to squeeze out around Castiel's lips. "Because if it's the part you said this morning, you have nothing to apologize for."

Cas actually pulled away, cheeks flushing. "No. I mean…..I shouldn't have lied. Shouldn't have told you I didn't mean it. I was just so scared you didn't feel the same way."

Dean shook his head. "Cas. I've been in love with you almost since the beginning. I think I fell in love with you the first week I knew you."

Cas' face melted into another brilliant smile at that. "Really?"

Dean nodded, then he paused. "No….you know what? I remember the exact moment." Cas looked intrigued. "It was when Meg started yelling at me for calling you 'Cas' and you told her you liked me more than her and invited Charlie and Benny to join us outside for lunch. And at that point you barely knew Charlie and I KNOW you didn't like Benny."

Cas flushed crimson at that. "I didn't dislike him," he mumbled. Dean grinned.

"Okay. You were jealous of him."

Cas glared. "That makes you WAY happier than it should." If anything, Dean's smile grew; he nodded, grinning.

"Oh yea."

Cas shook his head but then it seemed as if Dean's words finally sank in and he smiled. "That long? Really?"

Dean nodded. "Yea. That's when it really hit me, anyway. The fact that you stood up for me and my friends like that. You were so sweet. And it wasn't just that, it was a lot of things. Wanting to carry my books….being jealous of Benny, which I SO didn't understand at the time….actually wanting to know about my life and freaking holding me while I had a pathetic nervous breakdown in the coffee shop…"

"It was NOT pathetic-" Cas began, but Dean shushed him.

"Taking me out to dinner….Jesus, Cas, I could go on forever. You came to watch my soccer tryouts, you draw pictures of me, and you freaking read poetry to me in class. And that's not touching on the fact that you actually care enough to ask questions about my mom."

Cas was blushing by now. "Okay, I get the point," he mumbled.

Dean grinned. "How do you like a taste of your own medicine?"

Cas looked confused. "Taste of my own medicine?"

"Yea. You're always going off on me about how I'm AMAZING and I do THIS and THAT and it's just sooooo INCREDIBLE and you never listen when I tell you to shut up. So tell me….how do YOU like it?"

Cas gave Dean an evil look. "Not very much."

Dean was smiling smugly. "Good."

"Brat."

Dean smiled. "So yea. I just…." He glanced down at his feet, cheeks flushing slightly. "I wanted to tell you before, you know. So many times."

"Tell me?"

The pink in Dean's cheeks darkened. "That I loved you. Hell, I nearly told you the first time you came over my house."

Cas was completely taken aback. "Are you serious?" Dean nodded.

"Yea. When you were leaving that night, it started to slip out, but I caught myself just in time."

"Caught yourself?" Cas echoed.

"Yea. I mean-" Dean broke off. "I told you, I've never done this before." He was mumbling. "I don't know how soon is too soon to say I love you, but I'm pretty positive that three weeks is too soon."

"Three weeks?"

Dean winced at the tone of Cas' voice. "I know, I know! I just said that I know it's too soon." But Cas was shaking his head, and his eyes were wide, but he was smiling.

"No. I love it. I can't believe you loved me that long. Seriously? You seriously loved me that long?"

Dean nodded, his cheeks burning. "I really did."

Cas was smiling so wide that his cheeks hurt. "Wow." His smile was one of wonder, as if he couldn't believe what Dean was telling him. "I can't believe it."

Dean couldn't help but smile back. "Well…..you have to. Cuz it's true. Why," he asked at last, "how long have you loved me?" He was afraid of the answer. On one hand he knew it didn't matter, but on the other, he knew that it would matter no matter what.

Cas looked pensive, taking his time to think about it. "You know, I really don't know." Then he smiled. "In a way, I think I loved you from the moment I met you at that tag sale." Dean felt his heart skip a beat. "That scarf, the way you spoke to Sam….and then watching you at school, seeing how eccentric you are. I definitely didn't realize I loved you, but I think I loved you all along."

Dean's heart was pounding fit to burst; he grabbed Castiel's shirtfront and yanked him forward into a hard kiss. "I love you," he said breathlessly.

Cas laughed. "I love you, too."

The bell rang, breaking the moment. Cas looked from the building back at Dean. "….I REALLY don't want to go back to class."

"Me neither."

Cas contemplated Dean for a minute, head cocked in that way that drove Dean crazy with how adorable it was. "…you wanna cut?" he asked at last.

Dean smiled. "I'd love to." He hesitated. "Gotta be back in time to pick up Sammy."

Cas nodded. "Something quick, then. Maybe just go into town, walk around, look at the shops for a bit? I actually think Klekolo might be serving hot cider right now."

Dean smiled. "That sounds perfect." He rose, offering a hand to help Cas up, tugging the slightly shorter boy to his feet and they headed off.

"So…" there was a teasing tone plain in Cas' voice. "...three weeks, huh?"

"Shut up!"

"That's a SUPER long time."

"I said SHUT UP, Cas!"

Laughter echoed behind them as they snuck off school property, leaves blowing in their wake in the crisp autumn air.

~tbc~