Hello, my chickadees! I survived my first SPN Convention and didn't hurl or stay mute during my photo ops with Jensen and Misha. Damn those things are like a cattle drive. It all happens so fast! The guys were sweet as expected and damn is Jensen sex on legs. He is even way hotter in person. Misha has like a swimmers build. I guess that horrible trenchcoat covers up his cute body big time. My pic with Jensen came out great but the one with Misha...I appeared with my eyes closed. LOL Chris, the photographer promised to fix it. Technology is so advanced now a days. :)) Thank Godstiel cuz I don't want to see that picture and watch my dorky ass with my eyes closed. Enough of my rambling...now on to the story.
Dean stood in front of Castiel. It seemed like an eternity since the two of them were in such close proximity. Dean inhaled Cas' vanilla wafers scent. His hands itched to touch Castiel. The blue eyed teen finished applying Chapstick on his chapped lips. The weather in Lawrence had been extremely cold the last couple of days. Dean's gaze followed the Chapstick's slow movement over his former boyfriend's plump lips. His lips should be covering Cas' now.
"Gabs has turned me into a huge metrosexual," Castiel stated as he placed the Chapstick inside his messenger bag. He cleared his throat. "I just wanted to say that the poem meant the world to me."
Dean shuffled a little closer. "That still doesn't mean I'm willing to resume things were they were before your jealousy fit in front of our classmates." Dean's shoulders drooped.
"Cas, I am so fucking sorry. I'm a dick…a jealous one. I should've known you would never be unfaithful to me. I don't know what else to do or say, man."
"I just need a little more time."
"You have no idea how much I've fucking missed you, angel." Dean put his books on the floor in order to fix Cas' crooked tie. "You look really hot today."
"Thanks…you're always sexy to me," Cas blushed as he spoke the words. "Sam's coming over tonight for a small gathering we're having for Gabs birthday. You're invited, too."
Dean grinned. "I wouldn't miss it. I'll see you later then."
"Bye, Dean."
Gabs birthday party was in full swing by seven that evening. Kevin brought over his dad's karaoke machine. The birthday boy was belting out Barbra Streisand's greatest hits. Castiel and Jimmy prepared the burgers and hotdogs in a deluxe George Foreman grill. Inais brought over hot chocolate for Gabs' friends. Sam and Dean were the last guests to arrive. They placed their gift on a table that was completely covered with a plethora of presents.
Dean wished Gabs a happy birthday. The birthday boy smiled at the eldest Winchester for the first time since he and his brother broke things off. "I heard what you did in English class, Deano. I know it meant a lot to Cassie."
Dean swallowed hard. "I love your brother, kid and I will do anything to get him back."
Gabs nodded and returned to his friends, who along with Sam were getting ready to sing "Bohemian Rhapsody". Dean surmised the Milton twins were in the kitchen; so that's where he headed. His eyes landed on Castiel's firm ass as soon as he entered the room.
"Hi, guys." Dean placed his hands inside his jeans' pockets.
Jimmy waved at him and continued setting the hotdog buns on a tray. He wasn't going to get himself involved in the Destiel soap opera. Jimmy already told Cas that if Dean made him happy and he was to take him back in the near future; he wouldn't be against the idea. Jimmy only wanted Castiel to be content.
"Do you mind helping with the cake?" Cas asked Dean. "It's ready for the frosting to be added."
Dean walked over to the kitchen island. He grabbed the necessary utensils and got to work. In ten minutes the chocolate cake was lathered in fudge frosting and strawberries adorned the cake's borders.
"You did a great job," Cas smiled at Dean.
Two hours later after the guests were stuffed after eating burgers, hotdogs, chips and an assortment of candy, the cake was cut. It was so sinfully delicious not even a crumb was left. Gabs opened his gifts which included: the latest Kindle, several Amazon gift cards, a fifty dollar certificate to receive a haircut and a Barbra Streisand banner. His favorite was "Hello Gorgeous, Becoming Barbra Streisand". It was the most recent biography on the icon and it was a gift from Dean. The green eyed teen knew he scored points with both Gabs and Cas by bestowing the present to the birthday boy.
After he threw away all the paper plates, cups and napkins into a Hefty bag, Castiel went outside. Once he tossed the garbage inside the recycling container at the side of the house, he sat in the porch's swing. He gazed at the indigo night sky. Plenty of stars twinkled brightly for some reason. He rubbed his hands together. In his haste to go throw away the garbage, he forgot to fetch a pair of gloves. He heard someone enter the porch and wasn't surprised to see it was Dean.
"Mind some company?" Cas shook his head. Dean sat adjacent to him. There wasn't much room on the white wooden swing for the two of them. In the last month Cas had grown an inch. He stood now at 5'9 and Dean was an inch away from six feet. Their thighs touched.
Dean felt Castiel shivering. He swiftly held one of the dark haired boy's hands. "Jeez, Cas! Your hands are fucking popsicles." Dean grabbed them and blew into them for a while. Castiel's heartbeat became erratic. He wasn't ready for this intimacy yet. Dean ceased what he was doing and brought Castiel's right hand to his lips. He kissed every single knuckle. Cas pulled his hand away.
Dean frowned. He didn't blame Cas one bit for his hesitancy. "Sorry if I overstepped my boundaries."
Cas shrugged his shoulders. "What are you going to do when John returns? He'll hear through the town gossips that you outed yourself. He'll go ballistic and I don't want to think what he's going to do to you. I can't help but blame myself if he hurts you."
Dean turned to look at Cas. "Hey, man. None of this is your fault. I'm sick of lying to everyone. As soon as I see him, I am going to tell him the entire truth. I'll find somewhere else to stay until graduation."
Castiel's eyes widened in fear. "Please don't tell me you're going back to your uncle's?"
"Bobby lives far from here so I won't be able to finish school."
"You can stay with us. There's a foldout couch in the family room. You can remain here as long as you want."
"Thanks, Cas. I might take you up on the offer. Let's wait and see how things turn out with John first."
Castiel noticed Dean became fidgety all of a sudden. The emerald eyed teen removed a small rectangular box from his coat's pocket. "I've been carrying this with me since the night of my birthday."
Cas' heart started thumping madly again. "What is it?"
Dean placed the box on the palm of Castiel's right hand. "Open it and see."
Castiel's fingers shook as he opened it and took a deep breath as his eyes landed on the claddagh ring. Was Dean proposing to him? "It's a claddagh ring," Dean whispered nervously.
"I know all about the origin of the ring." Castiel's electric blue eyes stared at Dean's green orbs. "Were you planning on proposing to me on your birthday?"
"Yes, I wanted to take you somewhere private and do things right but then I fucked everything up."
Castiel couldn't believe what he was hearing. This had to be a dream. "I don't know what to say."
"I don't expect you to have an answer with the way things are between us. I just want you to know that I've never loved anyone the way I love you. I can't picture my future without you in it. I'll give you all the time you need to make up your mind."
Castiel was speechless. He knew Dean hated expressing his feelings verbally. Cas closed the box and was in the process of returning it to Dean but the older boy stopped him. "Wear the ring, Cas. You know that you have to wear it on your left hand and have the heart lean towards the fingertips to show you're engaged."
Dean removed the claddagh ring from the box and placed it on Castiel's right ring finger. "Whenever you're ready you can place it were it truly belongs."
The ring fit perfectly and Castiel couldn't help but stare at it. Dean really loved him. He leaned his forehead against Dean's. "If I do accept your proposal you have to promise to work on your jealousy. I'm not going to put up with any caveman routines. Got it?"
Their noses touched. Dean closed his eyes. "Baby, I'm willing to do anything you tell me to do if it means you'll have me back."
"Good" They remained stargazing for another half hour.
The following afternoon Castiel was struggling during his pitching practice session. The first game of the season was in several weeks and Crowley was riding his tail really hard. The coach had obviously forgotten about his fainting spell. Ethan, who was the team's catcher, ran up to Cas.
"Are you ok, bro? You haven't thrown a strike today."
"I'm just going through something."
Ethan jogged back to home base and returned to his position. He gave Castiel the signal and the blue eyed player pitched the ball. Crowley ran towards the pitcher's mound. "What the bloody hell was that?! Milton, my arthritic grandmother pitches better than that! What the fuck is wrong with you?"
"Sorry coach, I'm just going through something."
"Get your head out of your perky ass and get with the program! I bet this has to do with that Winchester kid. Buck it up! He loves you and it's obvious you're gaga over him. So grow a pair and do something about it."
Balthazar trotted over to the mound. "Your grandmother is still alive? Poor dear must be like a hundred."
"Sod off Roche!"
"Don't be so tough on Cassie. The lad is mending a broken heart."
"His little biddy broken heart is going to cost me a much needed raise. Get your shit together Milton or I'll have Andy take your spot in the opening game."
"Yes, sir"
Crowley returned to the dugout. "What a wanker," Balthazar murmured. "Are you alright, Cassie?"
"Yeah, my head is on the game now." Balthy patted him on the shoulder and returned to the batting cage.
It took Cas about twenty minutes to get into the groove of things. He finally started pitching strikes. The coach whistled. "Now that's more like it, boy!"
Dean and Castiel had lunch with their friends now in the cafeteria. Things between the group started to improve. They started hanging out in the weekends. The teens were watching a marathon of "Fallen" over at Jo's house one Saturday night. Castiel had been waiting for the right moment to tell Dean the truth about his job. If he accepted Dean's proposal he didn't want to lie to him any longer.
After the fourth episode, Anna and Balthazar left to pick up four pizzas and cheesy breadsticks at the local Domino's. Castiel asked Dean if he didn't mind accompanying him to the backyard. Dean instantly followed him.
The temperature was in the low 50's that evening. It was paradise compared to the extreme weather they'd been having lately. Cas sat on a picnic table. Dean soon joined him by sitting across from him. "What's up, Cas?" He was hoping Cas had an answer for him.
Castiel couldn't look at Dean. He crossed his ankles and created crescent shapes on the wooden surface with a bottle cap he found. "I've been keeping something from you."
Dean straightened. He was afraid of what he was about to hear. "What is it?" He felt like throwing up.
"You know how I've always changed the topic when you bring up my job."
"Yeah" Dean scratched his head.
"Remember the leather pants you found in my room?"
"Oh Cas, are you like a real life Magic Mike?" Dean's eyes widened. "No, don't tell me you've been prostituting yourself. Cas, I know you need the money but come on, man."
"Dean, shut up! Let me talk. You're making this more difficult for me." Dean shut his mouth and waited. "Balthazar got me a job as a houseboy with a couple of rich housewives."
"What do you mean houseboy? Are you like their sex slave? Is that why you never wanted to have sex cuz you were all worn out?"
"No, you ass butt! I never slept with any of them; although Mrs. Harris did proposition me once."
"Where do the leather pants come in?" Dean crossed his arms. He didn't like the idea of his Cas doing anything close to being sexual for some neglected/bored housewives.
"They make me wear them while I do chores around their homes."
"Is that the only thing you wear?"
"Yes" Cas felt really humiliated telling Dean all of this.
"Cas, look at me." Castiel finally gazed at him. "You can tell me the truth. Did you do anything sexual with them?"
"Mrs. Harris kissed me once and she has me give her full body massages twice a month…and"
Dean stood up and sat next to Castiel. "What, angel? Tell me…did any of those bitches do something to you?"
"Mayor Mills' wife has a toe fetish and she gets off sucking on my toes after I give her and myself pedicures."
"That's it?" Dean asked. Castiel nodded. Dean couldn't hold his laughter any longer and cracked up. Cas joined him. By the time they finished, the two of them were red as jalapenos and were wiping tears from their eyes.
"Okay, seriously speaking, Cas. Are you sure you want to continue with these jobs?"
"Actually, I'm thinking of only staying on with Mrs. Harris. She and I have become good friends. I've told her about you and she wants to meet you sometime."
"She hasn't propositioned you anymore…right?"
"No, especially after she found out about you."
"Good…let's keep it that way. Thanks for telling me."
"I had to. I don't want us to keep anything from each other."
Dean held Cas' hand until Ash yelled for them to go inside and get their pizza slices.
The afternoon of the Lions' first baseball game finally arrived. The players were pumped and ready to thrash their arch nemesis, the Kansas Rebels. Coach Crowley gave his players a speech peppered with the F word all throughout its five minute longevity.
The Lions fans cheered as soon as the team ran into the field. Chuck was the mascot and roared at the bleachers so the fans could roar for the team. Castiel allowed only two hits during the first four innings. He and Balthazar produced a beautiful double play in which they got the only two opponents that made it on base out. Ethan batted a homerun causing the Lions fans to go wild. Jo was extremely proud of her man.
Castiel needed one more out in the seventh inning to win the game 4-0. He'd never pitched an almost perfect game. Every time he'd gaze at the stands, he would see Dean cheering him on. Then he'd concentrate on the opposing player and launch a rocket at him. Having Dean be proud of him meant the world to Castiel.
Ethan gave him a signal of where exactly he needed to pitch the ball in order to strike out the current player. Castiel pitched a ball. If he missed one more time, then this kid would be the first player he walked in the entire game. Cas wiped the sweat off his forehead. The crowd remained silent. Even Chuck who remained in the Lions mascot costume stared at him immobile. Castiel took a peek at Dean before throwing a pitch.
The hitter swung his bat and the ball landed right in the middle of Ethan's leather baseball glove. The Lions' fans got on their feet and cheered as Castiel struck the kid out. All the players surrounded Cas. Even the coach was part of the medley. "You did fucking awesome, Milton! We might have a chance after all and go to the championship."
Castiel rapidly ran towards the stands. Dean approached him with a huge smile on his face. "You were fucking awesome, babe!"
"Thanks"
Cas walked closer to Dean. He removed the baseball glove from his left hand. Dean's smile grew more as his eyes landed on Cas' ring finger.
Woo Hoo! Next chapter will be Spring Break for our favorite teens. Thanks for reading!